Luvn Life

My ongiong drama....

2010-10-05T21:38:00.002-04:00

Well I am finally back...I think. So let me tell you what has happened in CRAZY life.

At the beginning of August, we found an awesome, or so we thought, house. We hadn't really been looking but knew that we wanted something new eventually. So, we decided to take house. We had exactly 30 days to pack and move into this house. There was some work to be done at the new house such as painting and refinishing the hardwood and laminate floors. However, I had no idea what a hell we were stepping into.

There was 1 entire week of August that we were preparing and then we went on an already planned vacation to FL. Once we returned home, we had 3 weeks...And don't forget both my husband and I work full time and have 3 kids.

So after we returned from vacation, we spent time everyday at both homes. Packing at 1 and cleaning and fixing at the other. Well....the home we thought was going to be perfect for us turned into a huge nightmare. The floors in 2 rooms ended up taking 14 hours to refinish with a barrel sander! Every room patched and painted 2 and sometimes 3 coats. The entire house had to be rewired cause I couldn't make coffee and toast a bagel at the same time. The plumbing in the basement busted. All the windows had to be replaced. Both the front and back porch ended up being rotten and required replacing. Not to mention cleaning cleaning and more cleaning. Plus packing and cleaning the other house...All in 3 weeks. Once we moved in here, things didn't get much better. 1 thing after another after another happened. My cable company said our new address did not exist and it took 2 weeks to get service only after getting REALLY ugly with a innocent operated. Then once we got service, I plugged in my laptop and the light socket zapped my computer! Ugh! I was ready to move out at this point. Topped off by my son falling off his bed and hitting his head on the heating radiator..not a pretty site.

So I know I dropped the ball on pulling the last of the giveaways. I haven't checked my emails or moderated comments since August. I am very sorry for all that has happened and I am doing my best to catch up and hope to be up and running totally by this weekend.

Thank you to all my followers and readers. I wouldn't have such a great blog without you guys!

Lots and Lots of winners

2010-08-21T11:22:00.002-04:00

Well I want to start by saying I'm so sorry for the massive delay is drawing the winners. Several unforseen events have happened that have kept me away from my computer and my house for quite some time.

Some of the giveaways have VERY FEW entries. The ones with less than 50 entries will be open for 7 more days.

Ok so here are the results:

Snuggy Baby:

Chelsey said... 21
I entered the Mircea Bugs giveaway

July 31, 2010 2:21 PM

Girlfriend Made It:

Chelsey said... 12
I entered the Sew Lindsey giveaway.

July 29, 2010 3:54 PM

Cozy Toes:

Nell said... 54
I grabbed your button:
http://oldsockfarmer.blogspot.com/
#3
oldsockfarm At gmail D0t com

Darcey Lane Designs:

MidGaPeach said... 29
I love all of the garments on Darcey Lane Designs! I think I like the damask ruffle pants the best!

Oh Bay Bee:

Diane said... 50
I follow and I love the guitar onsie

July 31, 2010 7:14 PM

db By Designs:

Sara said... 9
follow dbbydesign twitter saramama

July 12, 2010 5:10 PM

No Paparazzi Please:

Tylerpants said... 65
I'm a subscriber. tylerpants(at)gmail.com

July 27, 2010 11:04 PM

This leaves 13 giveaways still open. Get those entries in ASAP. Thank you for being wonderful followers of Luvn Life.

Drawn to Letters Review and Giveaway

2010-08-03T22:07:00.005-04:00

There are two aspects, as a preschool teacher and a mom, that I think are very important in the educational development of infants, toddlers and preschoolers. Those two aspects are literacy and art. Not that all other aspects aren't important, but developing a love for those two almost guarantee a strong love for them in the future.

As most of my readers know already, I am many things but a decorator is not one of those things. So each year I truly struggle with decorating my preschool. Poor Emma has yet to have a completed nursery. I have a hard time with finding items to make a theme or style. I have used the same decorations in the school room since I started teaching 3 years ago. So I was very excited to review The Alphabet Print from Drawn to Letters Etsy Shop.

Here is a bit about Joanne:

1.Please tell us a little bit about yourself.
I grew up in Vermont as the busy middle child with skinned knees and a habit of collecting precious finds like peach pits, colored leaves and buttons in jars under my bed. I loved school but spent my free time drawing, sewing or carving things and plotting to go away to college in a city, which I did. I majored in illustration and married a boy from the city who wanted to work in rural communities. We raised 3 kids in NH and I worked in various “art related”jobs in specialty food , fashion and marketing . Recently we moved back to Central New York where we originally met.

2. What circumstances brought you to opening a shop and selling on Etsy
I have always done a bit of paid illustration but quite honestly, it was a combination of digital home technology, a lull in my teaching schedule and wanting to “practice what I preached” to my design students. I had been teaching college students about the resurgence of handmade customized products, telling them about Etsy and opportunities to live locally and market online. When I needed a baby gift, I thought about something that was individualized, interactive and memorable for both parent and child. Every child’s story begins with a name, so I designed the first personalized cloth book for Audrey. Then I wanted to create art for the whole alphabet and soon there was a clear business idea forming with my time being the only start up investment. Add to that my home workspace, which is an original 1838 hat factory, in a walk-able village setting and you see I had the recipe for a happy new independent work life.

3. How did you choose the name of your shop?
I wanted something that described my work and could allow for changes as the shop evolved.. I tried art&letters but then settled on Drawn to Letters for the double meaning. I like honoring the attraction to both art and words.

4. Where do you get your inspiration?
As I mentioned, art and words are powerful tools. I love to observe, remix and represent something that strikes a chord in someone else. Usually I start playing with words, then imagery and finally a unique design format. I am always thinking of layered themes to illustrate and new product designs. I like old rhymes and puns that usually revolve around domestic life. That’s how I came up with my popular knitting cards for grown ups.”Just unwind “seemed like a great sentiment for a knitting friend! Right now I am introducing an alphabet swag called “weekly snack breakdown”. It’s banner that celebrates healthy snacking with the inevitable donut day thrown in for humor.

5. Apart from creating things, what do you do?
Well, I do work pretty much all the time on something. I feel guilty if I don’t! But I have flexibility and distractions such as walking my dog daily in a village that includes a lakeside park and friendly shops on main street. There are daily business tasks associated with keeping orders flowing so I spend a lot of time online. I also teach as an adjunct in the fashion design department at Syracuse University one full day per week. I knit or read far less often than I would like and attend a few local concerts or lectures at surrounding colleges.I talk with a couple of family members during the day since I have begun working at home 6 days per week. I drink tons of coffee but I eat healthy foods in between. My husband leaves early but often comes home early and shares the evening cooking and news. We both often work into the evening. (It was only yesterday that I had three children to care for and learned to work at night wherever my drawing board would fit.)

6. How did you feel when your first item sold
Well, I was thrilled. It is great to know that someone chose your images to be part of their domestic space.

7. How long have you been selling on Etsy? About 7 months. I opened in July 2009.

8. Do you have a day job or is Etsy it for you?
Well, as I said, I teach fashion drawing Syracuse University part time. I really enjoy the students and it is a natural extension of the work I did in the fashion industry during the 90’s. It has also allowed me to inject some innovative eco fashion design curriculum at the college too which feels good.

9. Do you sell your products elsewhere, or only on Etsy?
I have a wonderful relationship with a local Children’s Boutique. The owner promotes my custom books to her customers and carries my notecards and alphabet poster framed in her shop. She knows they will not find my stuff anywhere else and I know I cannot reach her customers online!
What separates my alphabet prints from others is the child friendly illustrations. I try to create conversations and memories as well as fresh wall decor! Many nursery alphabets sacrifice literacy in their stylized graphics. I want these to actually be educational as well as entertaining which is why I chose clear type,realistic images and the black and white print for the outside covers of the books. I know smaller babies brains are stimulated by the pattern before they can differentiate letters and pictures.

10. What is your favorite item that you sell?
It would have to be the cloth books because they are so unique in structure. People give me great feedback. They are however, the most labor intensive and complex item I make ! A close second is the Poster with its rhyme…I used to quote that to my kids when they were restless!

11. If you could give any advice to someone aspiring to sell on Etsy, what would it be? Aside from being passionate about your works, I would say it is all about timing: marketplace timing , personal timing and resource timing. First you should feel confident that your idea is in sync with the market place and also know how that idea could morph into several updated versions as the business and marketplace change. Next you should look at where you are in your personal evolution or timeline. Creative people have marketable ideas all the time but not everyone can focus and put the time into getting the work out there. Read some of the advice on ‘life balance’ and see how you fair. Third, and this is related to the second one, check your resources. That means time, money and people who will donate support in getting your business organized, supplied and launched. You may have to maintain another source of income while you get started. If you can find these three things in reasonable alignment and you are a self-starter,self-soother, you will love having a business.

This picture, or any picture for that matter, does not do this piece justice. Each letter is watercolor drawn by hand. The letters are big and bright to catch the attention of your little one. Each letter is illustrated with a hand painted picture. The poster also contains a nursery rhyme at the bottom.

Emma has loved this piece from day 1. We have looked at this piece over and over. She is able to name each picture now and is very proud of herself, even after the 100th time. So now I have begun saying the letter and sound with her after she names the picture.

The work that Joanne does is above and beyond anything I have seen in stores or boutiques. Her pride in her work shows in the quality of her pieces from the matte paper, to the museum quality ink, to the care she uses during shipping.

After a long deliberation, I have decided to hang this in my preschool room after it is painted next week. I am strongly debating on purchasing another print for Emma's room. However, I have my eye on this...
I would love to have an "E" print to hang in Emma's room.

Bet you want one, huh?

Head over to Drawn to Letter and purchase your ABC poster.

Bet you would rather win one, huh?

Joanne is awesome so she offered 2 of my readers a personalized print just like the one above!!(Winners are responsible for shipping)

Mandatory Entry:

You must be a follower of Luvn Life and then head over to Drawn to Letters and tell me what you love.

Optional Entries:

~Heart Joanne's Etsy shop

~Subscribe to my blog

~Follow Joanne on Facebook

~Follow me on Twitter and tweet this giveaway(can be done daily): @luvnlifeOO Enter to win Personalized Name Print from Drawn to Letters Etsy Shop http://tinyurl.com/26taqbm

~Grab my new button (5 entries)

~Grab my Birthday Bash Button (1 entry unless you grabbed early then it is 5)

~Enter another giveaway on my blog (1 entry each)

~Blog about my giveaway with a link to the giveaway here and to Drawn to Letters(5 separate entries if you blogged early, 1 if you blogged on or after July 1st)

~List my giveaway on a giveaway site or Mr. Linky and leave me the link (1 entry per listing)

~Make a purchase from Drawn to Letters before the Giveaway is finished (10 entries)

Each entry needs to be a separate comment. Also, please leave a valid email address for me to contact you unless it is in your profile. Drawn to Letters giveaway will end at 11:59pm on August 24th, 2010. Winners will be chosen via randomorg.com and the winner has 48 respond and to send correct mailing information or I will draw another winner.

**I received the above stated product to review. No other compensation was received. Receiving the sample in no way influenced my statements in the review. The opinions expressed are my own and your opinions may differ.**

Luvable Creations Review and Giveaway

2010-08-01T23:31:00.005-04:00

Every little girl needs the perfect accessories, right? And not just any accessory. It has to be right one. However, I have struggled with the fact that Emma has very little hair and the hair that she does have is very fine. Most clips don't stay in and EVERY headband that I have used is too big. So when I was given the chance to review clips and headband from Luvable Creations Boutique, I was thrilled.

Here is a bit about Amanda:

1. Please tell us a little bit about yourself. I am a mom of 2. I started making bows when I was 10 and made them for all the kids in my neighborhood. After my daughter was born I turned my love of working with my hands into a way to be a stay at home mom.

2. What circumstances brought you to opening a shop and selling on Etsy. I loved making bows and decided to try to sell my creations on-line

3. How did you choose the name of your shop? My name is Amanda which means Loveable so I decided on Luvable Creations Boutique

4. Where do you get your inspiration? My sweet daughter Sarah

5. Apart from creating things, what do you do? Play with my almost 2 and 4 year old, Involved in my local church, craft shows.

6. How did you feel when your first item sold I was so excited and though that maybe this was going to be a good way of making a little extra for my family.

7. How long have you been selling on Etsy? I have been selling on etsy for almost a year and a half.

8. Do you have a day job or is Etsy it for you? Etsy turned out to be such an amazing thing for my business that I had to move my shop out of my house and into a local store front because it was taking my house over. I now have a two story shop with my work area and play room upstairs and store front downstairs

9. Do you sell your products elsewhere, or only on Etsy? I am currently on etsy, in my local store, and I also sell to many boutiques all over the world. I plan to try new avenues of growing my business even more in the near future.

10. What is your favorite item that you sell? I love the real feel peony flowers and huge curly ostrich puffs.

11. If you could give any advice to someone aspiring to sell on Etsy, what would it be? Love what you are doing and let it show in everything you do. Have great customer service. Make sure that you have really high quality so people will want to continue shopping with you in the future.

These are the awesome clippies that Amanda sent us. They are so stinkin cute! I love the crochet clips. Amanda added slip resistant pads to the clips so that they are extra secure in her hair.

Emma, however, thought that the flowers were very "petty." That means pretty in English. She even attempted to smell them and said they smelt good. HAHA. I was very impressed with the quality of the flowers. They are very realistic looking. The petals are attached very securely to the clip, which is very important with 2 year old fingers.

This headband has to be the cutest thing ever. This will go perfect with several church dresses. But I can also dress it down by removing the puff and adding a less frilly clippy. The puff is awesome. The quality is above and beyond anything similar that I have seen. Amanda takes great care in constructing her headbands. In addition, it fits her head perfectly.

Bet you want one, huh?

Head over to Luvable Creations and pick out your favorite clips and headbands.

Bet you would rather win one, huh?

Amanda is awesome so she offered 1 of my readers a $10 Gift Certificate to her shop!!

Mandatory Entry:

You must be a follower of Luvn Life and then head over to Luvable Creations and tell me what you love.

Optional Entries:

~Heart Amanda's Etsy shop

~Subscribe to my blog

~Follow Amanda on Facebook

~Follow me on Twitter and tweet this giveaway(can be done daily): @luvnlifeOO Enter to win $10 Gift Certificate to Luvable Creations Etsy Shop http://tinyurl.com/2e3l9wp

~Grab my new button (5 entries)

~Grab my Birthday Bash Button (1 entry unless you grabbed early then it is 5)

~Enter another giveaway on my blog (1 entry each)

~Blog about my giveaway with a link to the giveaway here and to Luvable Creations(5 separate entries if you blogged early, 1 if you blogged on or after July 1st)

~List my giveaway on a giveaway site or Mr. Linky and leave me the link (1 entry per listing)

~Make a purchase from Luvable Creations before the Giveaway is finished (10 entries)

Each entry needs to be a separate comment. Also, please leave a valid email address for me to contact you unless it is in your profile. Luvable Creations giveaway will end at 11:59pm on August 22nd, 2010. Winners will be chosen via randomorg.com and the winner has 48 respond and to send correct mailing information or I will draw another winner.

**I received the above stated product to review. No other compensation was received. Receiving the sample in no way influenced my statements in the review. The opinions expressed are my own and your opinions may differ.**

Pillow Sew Cute Review and Giveaway

2010-07-30T23:48:00.006-04:00

What do you pack in your diaper bag? Diapers? Wipes? Tylenol? What do you carry after you no longer need a big diaper bag? Smaller wipes and less diapers? What about when your little one gets a boo boo? I have always had a first aid kit in the car but I've never carried anything in the diaper bag. Until recently that is. About 2 months ago, I was playing with the kids at the park when Emma, my graceful kid, fell on the gravel and skinned her knee. Since we parked at the duck pond and walked to the playground, my car was quite a distance away. I felt like the worlds worst mom...That was until another mom brought her medical kit over and offered me her supplies. I vowed right then to make a kit to put in my diaper bag. Not long after, I had the chance to review the Ouch Pouch from Pillow Sew Cute.

Here is a bit about Karen:

My name is Karen. I've been married 26 years, have
2 grown children (1 cop, 1 student) and am a San Diego Native. I was previously a Creative merchandiser for beautiful Home Decor/Garden Art Shop.

When I found out the shop I work for was closing it's doors, the thought of going out canvasing for work was very unappealing... I needed plan B!

The "Ouch Pouch" came to me in a dream. I woke up at 2am one morning last July shaking my husband...Honey, wake up!! I have an idea!! and the Ouch Pouch was born. I have been selling on Etsy since the creation back in July 2009 as a full time job. I am one of the very lucky ones who got to "quit the day job"! Have sold over 2300 Ouch Pouches to moms all over the world.

I get my inspiration from the wonderful feedback from family, friends and now customers. I love love love buying fabrics...now I get to scout for and find the newest most fun designs.

I didn't sell any the first week I listed. I was worried that this product wasn't going to be a success. My husband insisted that I keep at it and told me that my idea would catch on, it just needed to be seen! Now I am being featured in Child Style Magazine!

Here's some advice for artists wishing to sell on Etsy...don't give up, be unique, be friendly and open to custom work, and relist as often as possible and get your "avatar" (icon) out there.

A little more info:

The Ouch Pouch(TM) For all your monkey's scrapes and boo boo's..... is a hand held pouch using the most updated designer fabrics, both "mom fashionista" and "child-friendly " with a clear view front pocket. Snaps closed with a colorful cowgirl snap. It holds all necessary first aid supplies for your toddler's little boo boo's and emergencies that happen while out at the park, beach, or anywhere on-the-go! Small enough to fit in your purse, backpack, stroller, car but large enough to hold: Neo-to-go, bandaids, antiseptic wipes, tweezers, headache meds, an inhaler, travel sized sunblock, (for us California babies), a small thermometer, It also has room for a lollipop...which of course makes the boo boo go away! With an Ouch Pouch(TM) you will no longer be scrounging at the bottom of your purse for a bandaid! The clear vinyl front pocket makes everything visible so you know right where to find your supplies in a hurry.

This is a New Mommy "Must-Have".

My Ouch Pouch is in Trademark/Patent process. Each pouch is handmade to order. I try to keep up on the latest styles of fabrics to keep it fresh. They sell for under $6 (empty) + shipping. They also come "Basic-Loaded" & "Super-Loaded" for more instant gratification.

Aren't they cute!! And they were just what I needed. These pouches are perfect sized for all we need them for. I carry bandaids, antibiotic ointment, gauze pads, forehead thermometer, chapstick, orajel, and handy wipes...and a cherry sucker to make all the boo boo's better. Emma is now making up boo boo's in order to get a bandaid and sucker :)

Karen offers her wonderful Ouch Pouch in several sizes and tons of fabric designs. Karen offers deals often such as buy 3 pouches and get 1 small pouch free. Karen welcomes custom and wholesale orders so just convo her to work out the details.

Bet you want one, huh?

Head over to Pillow Sew Cute and pick out your favorite size and design.

Bet you would rather win one, huh?

Karen is awesome so she offered 2 of my readers the Ouch Pouches in the picture!!

Mandatory Entry:

You must be a follower of Luvn Life and then head over to Pillow Sew Cute and tell me what you love.

Optional Entries:

~Heart Karen's Etsy shop

~Subscribe to my blog

~Follow me on Twitter and tweet this giveaway(can be done daily): @luvnlifeOO Enter to win an Ouch Pouch from Pillow Sew Cute Etsy Shop

http://tinyurl.com/2a4xy7z

~Grab my new button (5 entries)

~Grab my Birthday Bash Button (1 entry unless you grabbed early then it is 5)

~Enter another giveaway on my blog (1 entry each)

~Blog about my giveaway with a link to the giveaway here and to Pillow Sew Cute(5 separate entries if you blogged early, 1 if you blogged on or after July 1st)

~List my giveaway on a giveaway site or Mr. Linky and leave me the link (1 entry per listing)

~Make a purchase from Pillow Sew Cute before the Giveaway is finished (10 entries)

Each entry needs to be a separate comment. Also, please leave a valid email address for me to contact you unless it is in your profile. Pillow Sew Cute giveaway will end at 11:59pm on August 20th, 2010. Winners will be chosen via randomorg.com and the winner has 48 respond and to send correct mailing information or I will draw another winner.

**I received the above stated product to review. No other compensation was received. Receiving the sample in no way influenced my statements in the review. The opinions expressed are my own and your opinions may differ.**

Snuggy Baby Review and Giveaway

2010-07-30T00:05:00.008-04:00

As most of my readers know, I am a big cloth diapering, baby wearing advocate. I have cloth diapered and baby wore since Emma was first born. She still loves to be in the sling even though she is really only able to sit up at this point. For many months I would catch Emma sticking her babies in the bottom of her shirt hem as if she was wearing them too! As cute as that was, I knew I had to find a sling for her babies. So I was very excited when I was given the chance to review a child's toy doll sling from Snuggy Baby.

Here is a bit about Jo:

1. Please tell us a little bit about yourself.
I am a mom to 2 amazing little girls (3 y/o and 18 months). I will have been married for 6 years in July. I am an ex English teacher for alternative schools and at risk kids. As much as I loved working with those kids, I love what I do now even more, and I get to stay home with my girls.

2. What circumstances brought you to opening a shop and selling on Etsy.
When my girls were born, I was not able to find any slings to carry them in. The only thing that I could find was a very sorry excuse for a sling and it broke after only 2 months of VERY light use. So I learned how to make my own. The first slings were not the greatest designs, but after several tries and years of people telling me that I should sell my slings, I finally came up with a design that I really wanted to share with other moms, making it easier for them to have a beautiful, comfortable sling. Etsy was the perfect venue for me do that.

3. How did you choose the name of your shop?
My Husband and I sat down one night and brainstormed for hours. We wanted something that was fitting for babies, but not too cutsie. Something that said sling but was not limiting to babywearing. When I made up the word "Snuggy" we both knew that it was the right answer.

4. Where do you get your inspiration?
I spend way too many hours in fabric stores wandering around looking for the right fabric that I know other moms will LOVE

5. Apart from creating things, what do you do?
A great day is one where I get to take my girls to the Zoo. It is defiantly one of their favorite spots. My life pretty much revolves around my girls and Snuggy Baby. If I am not enjoying one then I am enjoying the other.

6. How did you feel when your first item sold
It was great! My first sale was to a wonderful mom in England. So not only did it confirm that someone was actually going to buy my slings, but we also were able to start joking immediately that I was an "International Seller" :)

7. How long have you been selling on Etsy?
I started selling in July of 2009. I am coming up on my 1 year anniversary.

8. Do you have a day job or is Etsy it for you?
Between Snuggy Baby and my girls, I don't have time for anything else. This is defiantly a full time job.

9. Do you sell your products elsewhere, or only on Etsy?
I have my own website www.SnuggyBaby.com

10. What is your favorite item that you sell?
I love everything, or else I would not sell it. I will say that Snuggy Baby was started as a sling company, so the slings will always have a special place in my heart. My current favorite slings are the linen ones since they are so cool for summer. But I am also really excited about the new Prestige line. It is just so hard to choose.

11. If you could give any advice to someone aspiring to sell on Etsy, what would it be?
Branding is important, so choose a great name. List and renew several times a day. Unfortunately it can get expensive, but you make it back in the increased exposure and sales. Sell things that you are passionate about. Etsy should be fun and it is a lot more fun when you are passionate about what you are doing.

Emma is in love with her new sling. It took her a few trys to be able to get the sling on all by herself but now she is a pro. She has actually mastered putting 2 babies in the sling, one on each side and then putting it on. She often asks to go on walks, which is what I do with her in her sling. It is very common to hear Emma singing "Rock A Bye Baby" to her doll while rocking on her bed. Too CUTE!

I was very impressed with the quality of the doll sling. It is a very soft flannel fabric and all the stitches are also soft so there is nothing to rub Emma's skin. It also is a great size, fitting her well. But there is room to grow in the sling which is nice.

I have my eye on several other items in Jo's store too...

I am in love with this ring sling. This sling is so much easier to use than others I've seen and can be used between different sized people. A definite of mine with the next papoose.

This is the cutest wetbag on the planet. And very reasonably price I might add. Available in 2 sizes.

Jo is on Etsy and owns the website Snuggy Baby.

Bet you want one, huh?

Head over to Snuggy Baby and pick out your favorite patterned baby sling. Use the code LUVNLIFE for 10% off.

Bet you would rather win one, huh?

Jo is awesome so she offered one of my readers a $15 Gift Certificate to her store!!

Mandatory Entry:

You must be a follower of Luvn Life and then head over to Snuggy Baby and tell me what you love.

Optional Entries:

~Heart Jo's Etsy shop

~Subscribe to my blog

~Follow Snuggy Baby on Facebook

~Follow Snuggy Baby on Twitter

~Follow me on Twitter and tweet this giveaway(can be done daily): @luvnlifeOO Enter to win a $15 Gift Certificate to @SnuggyBaby http://tinyurl.com/29qmq6f

~Grab my new button (5 entries)

~Grab my Birthday Bash Button (1 entry unless you grabbed early then it is 5)

~Enter another giveaway on my blog (1 entry each)

~Blog about my giveaway with a link to the giveaway here and to Snuggy Baby(5 separate entries if you blogged early, 1 if you blogged on or after July 1st)

~List my giveaway on a giveaway site or Mr. Linky and leave me the link (1 entry per listing)

~Make a purchase from Snuggy Baby before the Giveaway is finished (10 entries)

Each entry needs to be a separate comment. Also, please leave a valid email address for me to contact you unless it is in your profile. Snuggy Baby giveaway will end at 11:59pm on August 19th, 2010. Winners will be chosen via randomorg.com and the winner has 48 respond and to send correct mailing information or I will draw another winner.

**I received the above stated product to review. No other compensation was received. Receiving the sample in no way influenced my statements in the review. The opinions expressed are my own and your opinions may differ.**

Girlfriend Made It Review and Giveaway

2010-07-28T23:45:00.005-04:00

Even though Emma is 2, she doesn't have much hair. What she does have is fine and quite short. We have tried several types of hair products but only small rubber bands have been successful. Emma wants her hair done like her big sister's hair and often cries when I can't give her those hairstyles. So, I was very excited to be able to review headbands and clippies from Girlfriend Made It.

Here is a bit about Dametria:

1. Please tell us a little bit about yourself.
I am a 31 year old Auntie who loves to create!

2. What circumstances brought you to opening a shop and selling on Etsy
After many years of making for my friends and family, they finally pushed me to
take my creative juices to the masses!!

3. How did you choose the name of your shop?
The name of my shop came directly from my nieces. They call me "Girlfriend." So,
whenever they had some that I made them and someone asked where they got it, their
response was always..."Girlfriend made it!" It just stuck!

4. Where do you get your inspiration?
I am totally inspired by the children in my family! They range in age from 9 months to
teenagers. They all love to have the things that no one else has and they usually
come to me for that stuff.

5. Apart from creating things, what do you do?
I love to spend most of my free time creating, but I am also an avid reader. I love
to watch movies and spend time with my family and friends.

6. How did you feel when your first item sold
I was super excited when I saw my first item sold. It actually sold about 3 hours
after I opened the shop. My initial response was, "Did my family go and buy something
to make me feel better!" I was sooo happy!

7. How long have you been selling on Etsy?
I have been selling on Etsy for a little over a year. It is been an amazing year.

8. Do you have a day job or is Etsy it for you?
By day I am an income analyst for Wells Fargo bank. There is no opportunity to let
my creative juices flow. By day I think about all the things I can create at night!

9. Do you sell your products elsewhere, or only on Etsy?
Currently, I only sell on Etsy. Everything else I sell via word of mouth. My direct
sales are a large portion of my sales.

10. What is your favorite item that you sell?
My favorite item to sell are bandana dresses. They look so cute on the little girls!!

11. If you could give any advice to someone aspiring to sell on Etsy, what would it be?
My advice would be to go with your gut. Don't be intimidated looking at other
sellers who have a lot of sales. Check them out for tips, but don't be discouraged!
Success can be yours!!

We were also sent a pair of flip flops. However, they are a bit big so we haven't been able to review them yet.

We love Dametria's hair clips and head bands. The clips were very dainty with small small ribbon bows. The metal clippy was covered with ribbon, making the clip visually appealing. The head bands are awesome. They are created with a weaved pattern ribbons. They are very strong and sturdy, standing up to Emma's brute strength. These are the first headbands that I have found that are small enough to fit Emma's head. Also, she wore them for several hours and didn't complain of them hurting her head, which is problem I have found with my oldest daughter.

Dametria also offers sippy cups, plates, bowls, wipe cases, and stretchy headbands. She also loves custom orders. We are very happy with the quality and design of Emma's hair products and will use Girlfriend Made It in the future.

Bet you want one, huh?

Head over to Girlfriend Made It and pick out your favorite hair clips and headbands.

Bet you would rather win one, huh?

Dametria is awesome so she offered one of my readers a pair of flip flops and matching headband!!

Mandatory Entry:

You must be a follower of Luvn Life and then head over to Girlfriend Made It and tell me what you love.

Optional Entries:

~Heart Dametria's shop

~Subscribe to my blog

~Follow me on Twitter and tweet this giveaway(can be done daily): @luvnlifeOO Enter to win a pair of Flip Flops and matching headband from Girlfriend Made It Etsy Shop http://tinyurl.com/2g23ms9

~Grab my new button (5 entries)

~Grab my Birthday Bash Button (1 entry unless you grabbed early then it is 5)

~Enter another giveaway on my blog (1 entry each)

~Blog about my giveaway with a link to the giveaway here and to Girlfriend Made It(5 separate entries if you blogged early, 1 if you blogged on or after July 1st)

~List my giveaway on a giveaway site or Mr. Linky and leave me the link (1 entry per listing)

~Make a purchase from Girlfriend Made It before the Giveaway is finished (10 entries)

Each entry needs to be a separate comment. Also, please leave a valid email address for me to contact you unless it is in your profile. Girlfriend Made It giveaway will end at 11:59pm on August 17th, 2010. Winners will be chosen via randomorg.com and the winner has 48 respond and to send correct mailing information or I will draw another winner.

**I received the above stated product to review. No other compensation was received. Receiving the sample in no way influenced my statements in the review. The opinions expressed are my own and your opinions may differ.**

Winners!

2010-07-28T23:16:00.002-04:00

Saasyfras Designs:

CarrieAnn13 said... 86
I heart the etsy shop

July 23, 2010 2:46 PM

Little Sweetie Boutique:

Chelsey said... 3
I like so many of the dresses including the Cupcake dress and the KITTY CATS Aqua Pink DOTS dress. Thanks for the giveaway. I follow. mybabyappleseed(at)yahoo(dot)ca

July 11, 2010 4:48 PM

No Paparazzi Please:

Nell said... 60
I entered the OhBayBee giveaway.
oldsockfarm At gmail D0t com

July 27, 2010 6:11 PM

Congrats! You all have 48 hrs to contact me before I draw another winner.

Redraw for Mama Runs with Scissors Giveaway

2010-07-28T23:11:00.002-04:00

I did not hear from my 1st winner so I had to redraw! I hate that but this winner marked her profile private and did not include her email address in her comments..,.

So the new winner is:

caedmen said... 52
tweet
http://twitter.com/Caedmen/status/18776082951

richardrachel at hotmail dot com

You have 48 hrs to email me with your info before I draw another winner.

Mommy Pads and More Review and Giveaway

2010-07-27T23:23:00.006-04:00

Several months ago, I held a review and giveaway for Mommy Pads and More. You can read that review here.

I loved working with Susie and her Mommy Pads so much that I asked her to join the Birthday Bash. This time I chose the Maguire Pad.

The pad included a matching ribbon on top. My mommy pad and family pad have been the talk of the town. The mommy pad from the last review was featured at my kid's PTA meeting! I use my new pad to send notes to family, leave notes for sitters, and for my daughter to use to give her friends her phone number. The stationary is very high quality. Markers do not bleed through nor does the pen make creases on the page underneath.

Susie offers a huge selection of products including mommy pads, sitter pads, family pads, address stamps and mommy necklaces (which I have my eye on)!

Its so cute, isn't it!!

Susie does wonderful work and welcomes custom orders. Nothing Susie won't try! She will send you a proof promptly and her shipping is swift too. She even did a gift order to my mom for me, wrapped in a pink ribbon.

Bet you want one huh?

Head over to Mommy Pads & More and buy your very own Mommy Pad

Bet you would rather win one, huh?

Susie is awesome so she offered one of my readers a Pad of your choice!!

Mandatory Entry:

You must be a follower of Luvn Life and then head over to Mommy Pads & More and tell me what you love.

Optional Entries:

Subscribe to Mommy Pads and More Blog

Subscribe to my Blog

Follow Mommy Pads and More on Twitter

Follow me on Twitter and tweet the Giveaway:
Copy and Paste: @luvnlifeOO Win your choice of a Mommy Pad from @mommypadsnmore http://tinyurl.com/27dou9t

Grab my button (5 entries)

Blog about this giveaway and link back to Luvn Life and Mommy Pads and More (5 entries)

Purchase something from Mommy Pads and More before the Giveaway ends (10 entries)

Each entry needs to be a separate comment. Also, please leave a valid email address for me to contact you unless it is in your profile. The Mommy Pads & More giveaway will end at 11:59pm on August 15th, 2010. Winners will be chosen via randomorg.com and the winner has 48 respond and to send correct mailing information or I will draw another winner.

**I received a Mommy Pad and Stamp to review. No other compensation was received.The opinions expressed are my own and your opinions may differ**

QTBunns Review and Giveaway

2010-07-27T22:17:00.005-04:00

For several months now, Emma has shown great interest in the potty. I think it comes from having older siblings and wanting to do what they do. Being a strong believer in cloth diapering, I struggled with how to handle working with the potty. I wasn't sure if I should continue to cloth diaper or use training pants, be it disposables or cloth. Then I also considered using just underwear because Emma seemed to be encouraged by the pretty prints. She has several pairs of Princess undies but she was having accidents so the underwear wasn't the best idea. When I went back to cloth diapers, she seemed to regress and had lots of accidents. I was struggling with the best solution so when I had the chance to review cloth training pants from QTBunns, I was very excited.

A Bit About Sheriee:

A little about me, I'm a mother of 4 adult children and grand mother of 8. My fondest childhood memories are those of sitting next to my mother at a very young age and watching her sew. She would give me a huge needle and some fabric and I would sit for hours creating what I thought,were the most beautiful barbie doll clothes I get restless if I am not creating something. I also crochet, cross stitch, card making, painting, scroll saw woodwork and just about anything else but haven't mastered the knitting thing yet. When I am not creating new things I relax by fishing, 4 wheeling, snow machining, berry picking, camping or hanging at the cabin with family and friends.
My daughter inspired me to make my first diapers. She asked if I could make the for her new little one. She was impressed enough with them and thought we could sell them. Well little did I know they would be a hit and from there I branched out to potty trainers, diaper covers, bibs, wipes, blankets nursing pads, etc. After selling for 2 years on Ebay on not to satisfied with their fees, my daughter ran across Etsy and, well, the rest is history.
I was extremely happy when my first item sold on Etsy because it just reassured me that I really did have a product that was well worth selling. Self doubt, Oh yes but not any more. This business has taught me how to stand on my own 2 feet and have the confidence to push beyond my own limits.
I have been selling on Etsy for 2 years now.
My shop name- I wanted something just a bit different. I had a cat named C A T and pronounces it Seady (see a dee ) so I though why just have cutie buns when I could have QTBUNNS.
Selling my products is my sole job. I have 3 stores in my home state of Alaska that carry my products as well and hope to branch out into more stores. I have a website but it's not up and running yet. That's my next priority.
My favorite items at this time to make and sell are my pull up training pants. They turned out better than I could of imagined. I think they are so cute.
My advice to others who may want to start selling on Etsy. GO FOR IT , it's so easy to learn how to use Etsy and that's coming from someone who had no computer skills when I started out except how to turn one on. I found that once I gained the courage to put my first item on Etsy and have others see it, ask questions about it,comment on it, and then eventually have some one actually buy it, made me feel quite proud of myself. Etsy had been therapeutic for me. I was able to over come my fears and doubts about myself and find the courage and self confidence in knowing that what I create is quality products. I am very proud of myself for that. Just go for it!!

Emma was thrilled when I put her training pants on her. She kept saying "pretty undies" over and over. She didn't think they were more like a pull up. Emma worked very hard all day to say dry. However, right before bedtime, she had an accident. I was concerned that the trainer may not hold up but I was very wrong. The trainer didn't even get damp. The trainer is made with an inner and outer layer of flannel with a layer of PUL in between. This kept Emma's skin dry as it also kept my couch dry! Sheriee also offers cloth diapers made very similar to the trainers. Sheriee offers a vast selection of fabrics and loves custom and large orders. We are very happy with the trainers and will be using QTBunns in the future.

Bet you want one, huh?

Head on over to QTBunns and pick up your favorite cloth trainer.

Bet you would rather win one, huh?

Sheriee is awesome and she is offering 1 Luvn Life reader the chance to win a trainer in their choice of size and cloth design.

Mandatory Entry:

You must be a follower of Luvn Life and then visit QTBunns and tell me what you love.

Optional Entries:

~Heart Sheriee's shop

~Subscribe to my blog

~Follow me on Twitter and tweet this giveaway(can be done daily): @luvnlifeOO Enter to win Cloth Training Pull Up from QTBunns Etsy Shop http://tinyurl.com/22v9e8g

~Grab my new button (5 entries)

~Grab my Birthday Bash Button (1 entry unless you grabbed early then it is 5)

~Enter another giveaway on my blog (1 entry each)

~Blog about my giveaway with a link to the giveaway here and to QTBunns(5 separate entries if you blogged early, 1 if you blogged on or after July 1st)

~List my giveaway on a giveaway site or Mr. Linky and leave me the link (1 entry per listing)

~Make a purchase from QTBunns before the Giveaway is finished (10 entries)

Each entry needs to be a separate comment. Also, please leave a valid email address for me to contact you unless it is in your profile. Cozy Toes giveaway will end at 11:59pm on August 15th, 2010. Winners will be chosen via randomorg.com and the winner has 48 respond and to send correct mailing information or I will draw another winner.

**I received the above stated product to review. No other compensation was received. Receiving the sample in no way influenced my statements in the review. The opinions expressed are my own and your opinions may differ.**

Cozy Toes Baby Shoes by KathyDee Review and Giveaway

2010-07-24T23:19:00.005-04:00

Emma is much like her mother when it comes to shoes. The only rule I have is that you can never have too many pairs of shoes. My husband gets so upset with me and all my shoes. He says I won't ever wear them all enough to get my money worth. I have to strongly disagree. I love shoes and some pairs only go with 1 outfit. That's just the way it is. Emma has definitely inherited my "shoe genes." She is unable to leave a store without looking at the shoes. She even has almost mastered walking in heals, such as her Cinderella shoes. So I was very excited when we were given the chance to review the Purple Polka Dot shoes from Cozy Toes.

Here is a bit about Kate:

Hello, my name is Kate Alton. I am a California native born and raised on the sunny central coast until six years when we relocated to Idaho. We moved from the beach to one of the smallest towns in Idaho to help out with elderly parents. Does everyone hear the sound of "cabin fever"? I live an hour from any city life so I do most of my shopping on Etsy. I share my home over-looking the Snake River with my husband Kris and we share our yard with two fat dogs, Maggie our yellow lab and Zoe our golden retriever.

Due to an overabundant desire to create and cabin fever I discovered Etsy. I actually opened my Etsy account two years ago to sell my homemade soap. My Dad made beautiful molds for me and I have been very successful at local craft fairs so I thought I would try Etsy. It didn't work for me so I let my shop sit for a few months except for purchasing supplies. One day I was in my wonderful craft/sewing room working on needle felting and I happened to glance over and see my oldest companion, Susie, a doll I have had for 53 years, and I decided her bare feet needed a pair of shoes. Hence, CozyToes was born. I made my first pair and couldn't stop smiling. I posted my CozyToes late 2009 in time for they holiday's and my designs were a big hit. I still create batches of homemade soap for special orders and craft fairs.

When I sold my first pair of baby shoes I was so excited. Within a month I was combing through every fabric store and the internet looking for new and wonderful felt color combinations. I started getting into re-cycled wool and once I started selling booties made from brushed and felted wool sweaters I began getting requested for leather soles......hence CozyToes with leather bottoms.

Aside from Etsy, I work outside my home as a P/T bookkeeper/office manager for a utility company and I also work P/T for the local elementary school in an after school grant program. Although I have pretty much a full time job I am still able to fill my orders within 48 hours.

I sell CozyToes on Etsy, I am just starting my personal website cozytoesbykathydee.com, I sell at local craft fairs when I have the time and I have my little shoes in specialty baby stores around the US and Canada.

I don't really have a favorite item. Each and every design inspires me to make something new or try a new color combo. My customers come up with the greatest ideas of all. Can you take the zebra and add a hot pink lining? Can I have the cheetah with racer red lining? I love it.

The best advise I could pass on to a new Etsy member would be to hang in there. Don't be too nervous if you don't get sales right away because Etsy has gotten huge and is full of very talented folks and remember, many of Etsy's members are there to buy, not just sell. Have faith in your product and love what you do.

I really struggled with the name for my Etsy shop. It is a decision you have to stick with and the creative flow just wasn't happening so I settled for using my name, Kathydee. I kept thinking I would open a second store with a better name but the sales started coming in and my ego wouldn't allow me to give up the sales count!

The four seasons inspire me to create new designs however most of my shoes are custom orders to match a dress or favorite outfit. I love bright colors and holiday ideas. I will imagine a color combination and I can't wait to get started on a new shoe. I normally use darker colors in the winter and giggley colors in the spring. It has been harder for me to create shoes for boys so I am focusing on that at the moment with a new boot pattern.

Apart from creating I love dinking around my home and and soaking up the sunshine whenever I can. I love long walks by the river and antiquing or junking with my husband.

It was a great pleasure working with Kate. Her customer service skills were above excellent. She made sure that our Cozy Toes fit Emma perfectly and that would be the perfect shade and design to make the perfect outfit. Kate sent us the Purple Polka Dot Cozy Toes. The shoes are made with Purple Felt on the outside and white with purple dots on the inside. Kate added the leather bottoms to the shoes for added foot protection. I think that since Emma is walking it is important to add that extra layer of protection. The inside of the shoes do not contain seams for added comfort. Kate personally makes every pair of Cozy Toes ordered and uses both machine and hand stitching to make them perfect for your little one.

I also really like that the shoes snap. I have found that the velcro closing shoes do not have as long a life and tend to tear off. Kate is also able to add embellishments to Cozy Toes for an even more unique look for your little one. But Kate doesn't only make girl shoes. She has several boy creations and loves working with customers to complete a custom order.

Bet you want one, huh?

Head on over to Cozy Toes and pick up your favorite pair of felt shoes.

Bet you would rather win one, huh?

Kate is awesome and she is offering 1 Luvn Life reader the chance to win a pair of shoes in their color and size of choice.

Mandatory Entry:

You must be a follower of Luvn Life and then Cozy Toes and tell me what you love.

Optional Entries:

~Heart Kate's shop

~Subscribe to my blog

~Follow me on Twitter and tweet this giveaway(can be done daily): @luvnlifeOO Enter to win a pair of Felt Shoes from Cozy Toes Etsy Shop http://tinyurl.com/37qw5nz

~Grab my new button (5 entries)

~Grab my Birthday Bash Button (1 entry unless you grabbed early then it is 5)

~Enter another giveaway on my blog (1 entry each)

~Blog about my giveaway with a link to the giveaway here and to Cozy Toes(5 separate entries if you blogged early, 1 if you blogged on or after July 1st)

~List my giveaway on a giveaway site or Mr. Linky and leave me the link (1 entry per listing)

~Make a purchase from Cozy Toes before the Giveaway is finished (10 entries)

Each entry needs to be a separate comment. Also, please leave a valid email address for me to contact you unless it is in your profile. Cozy Toes giveaway will end at 11:59pm on August 12th, 2010. Winners will be chosen via randomorg.com and the winner has 48 respond and to send correct mailing information or I will draw another winner.

**I received the above stated product to review. No other compensation was received. Receiving the sample in no way influenced my statements in the review. The opinions expressed are my own and your opinions may differ.**

Winners!

2010-07-24T02:56:00.002-04:00

Here are the first set of winners:

Mama Runs With Scissors:

Julia said... 92
like the SWEET VALENTINE'S DAY STRIPEY HEART--APPLIQUED ONESIE and LEG WARMER

Homemade Building Blocks:

andrea v said... 35
http://twitter.com/vickers2622/statuses/18190397249

Mari Mac Kids:

Chelsey said... 65
http://twitter.com/Yeslech/status/19024643678

Congrats to the winners....More winners to come and many more giveaways!

Im emailing you now. 48hrs to respond!

Xpressions That Stick Review and Giveaway

2010-07-24T01:51:00.005-04:00

As most of you know, I have just begun to decorate Emma's room because for almost 2 years, she has been in my room. I am very excited to making this step except that I am NOT a decorator. I have not been given the gift of the decorating eye. So, I use Emma's bed set, which is pink and brown circles, and with help from the pros, I have begun to bring her room together. One huge part of her room came from Xpressions That Stick Etsy Shop. I was given the chance to review the Caterpillar Decal with Emma's name.

Here is a bit about Dawn:

My name is Dawn. I’m 30 years young and married to superman. I have 4 super kids and 2 super dogs. Together we are taking on the world one day at a time. 3 of my kids are in school. There ages are 11,9,7,3. I am the owner of Xpressions That Stick, a vinyl art business that I launched back in May of 2009 on Etsy.com. I love Etsy! When I started creating vinyl art I had no Idea what fun it could be. I started going above and beyond my competitors very quickly for two reasons. One, I design my own art. Most of your vinyl shops out there copy and paste from other sellers….boo! Two, I layer my vinyl for a very detailed and dimensional look. This takes more time than a single layer or printed design. Other sellers of vinyl are not willing to put in the time without raising their prices or may just not know how to do it. It is a talent that a machine can’t do for you. Most of my designs that are in my Etsy shop started as customer requests.
I named my shop Xpressions That Stick because I like the X in Xpressions and I love to Xpress myself with art. I did not intend on doing Children’s art when I first started Xpressions. I actually loved car graphics and large wall graphics. I owe my nursery line of vinyl art to the Monkey on a branch that is listed in my shop (my #1 seller). I was playing around one night with my design program and BAM! Plus at the time my son loved monkeys. From there on out I received request after request to match baby bedding designs and characters. Now I find it hard to break from the Children’s line of art because I love it and it is so much fun to design!
I started selling on Etsy because a friend of mine suggested it. I do not have a website up and running yet. It’s a work in progress ;). When I first started selling on Etsy I had 2 other jobs. As of November of 09 I am all Esty! For someone considering selling on Etsy, go for it! It is super easy to get started and list your items in your shop. Be sure to have great pictures of your product!
I look forward to creating a custom vinyl art for your home!

I was truly impressed by Dawn's customer service. I felt that she worked very hard to make sure our decal matched perfectly with Emma's room. I love when I, as a customer, feel that my wants and needs are important. You don't get that in the big box stores. When the decal arrived, it was very well packaged. This too is important because the USPS doesn't always Handle With Care. The decal included very easy to read and understand instructions. I was able to apply the decal with my husband's assistance. I felt that it was too big to handle alone. It went up easily without any problems. This decal has changed Emma's room completely and I absolutely love it. Emma is quite impressed with it too. She shows everyone her "patikider."

Bet you want one, huh?

Head on over to Xpressions That Stick and personalize your very own Caterpillar Vinyl Decal.

Bet you would rather win one, huh?

Dawn is awesome and she is offering 1 Luvn Life reader the chance to win a Bumble Bee Vinyl Decal Set.

Mandatory Entry:

You must be a follower of Luvn Life and then Visit Xpressions That Stick and tell me what you love.

Optional Entries:

~Follow Xpressions That Stick Blog

~Heart Dawn's shop

~Subscribe to my blog

~Follow me on Twitter and tweet this giveaway(can be done daily): @luvnlifeOO Enter to win a Bumble Bee Vinyl Decal Set from Xpressions That Stick Etsy Shop http://tinyurl.com/2b7snbx

~Follow Xpressions That Stick on Twitter

~Follow Xpressions That Stick on Facebook

~Grab my new button (5 entries)

~Grab my Birthday Bash Button (1 entry unless you grabbed early then it is 5)

~Enter another giveaway on my blog (1 entry each)

~Blog about my giveaway with a link to the giveaway here and to Xpressions That Stick(5 separate entries if you blogged early, 1 if you blogged on or after July 1st)

~List my giveaway on a giveaway site or Mr. Linky and leave me the link (1 entry per listing)

~Make a purchase from Xpressions That Stick before the Giveaway is finished (10 entries)

Each entry needs to be a separate comment. Also, please leave a valid email address for me to contact you unless it is in your profile. Xpressions That Stick giveaway will end at 11:59pm on August 11th, 2010. Winners will be chosen via randomorg.com and the winner has 48 respond and to send correct mailing information or I will draw another winner.

**I received the above stated product to review. No other compensation was received. Receiving the sample in no way influenced my statements in the review. The opinions expressed are my own and your opinions may differ.**

Giveaway Scout

2010-07-23T18:27:00.002-04:00

I love entering giveaways but finding them can be overwhelming. I was introduced to Giveaway Scout, a new site listing the newest and hottest giveaways. They have the giveaways listed by categories so you can find just what your looking for. Head on over and check them out!

Mircea Bugs Bowtique Review and Giveaway

2010-07-21T22:42:00.005-04:00

I knew when I began planning the Birthday Bash, that no ordinary outfit was going to be right on Emma's birthday. I had to find the most girly, frilly, bright and beautiful outfit that would make her look just like the princess that she is(and knows she is). It took me quite awhile to find a product that covered all the requirements, was birthday themed and assured a high level of quality. When I came across Mircea Bug's Bowtique, I instantly knew that Amy Jo and her birthday ensemble was perfect.

Here is a bit about Amy Jo:

1. Please tell us a little bit about yourself.- I am a SAHM with a knack for crafting! I have three beautiful children ranging from a teen to a toddler, and a newborn. I am a former Marine and pursued law enforcement for a small amount of time. Currently I am a full student of law and craft not only as a hobby but as a supplemental income. My husband is currently an active duty Marine and military is our way of life! I love what I do and do what I love.

2. What circumstances brought you to opening a shop and selling on Etsy- I wanted to be able to provide beautiful and affordable ensembles for the chic mammas on a budget.

3. How did you choose the name of your shop? My first born daughter Mircea aka "bug" inspired many of my creations, and the name befitting of a princess inspired our shop name.

4. Where do you get your inspiration?- My children inspire my each and every thought, activity, and craft. From their hearts through my hands we create the items.

5. Apart from creating things, what do you do?- Is there any other activities besides wrestling babies and crafting?

6. How did you feel when your first item sold-Elated, my self confidence came flooding back and I felt substantiated as an "official" crafter.

7. How long have you been selling on Etsy? Over a year

8. Do you have a day job or is Etsy it for you? Yes! I am a mom, that is a full time job!

9. Do you sell your products elsewhere, or only on Etsy? On military sites.

10. What is your favorite item that you sell? Hmmm...probably my newborn tutu ensembles. They sell like hot potatos and everybody loves that first picture of thier new princess in an affordable one of a kind MirceaBug and mommy creation.

11. If you could give any advice to someone aspiring to sell on Etsy, what would it be? If you make it, they will come :P

No picture or internet description could have come close to how it looked when I opened the box. The bright pin shirt was adorned with matching ribbons and crystal accents on the sleeves and a perfect cupcake applique on the front. The tutu was multi-colored and so fluffy. Just the right size for a princess. I was very impressed with the tutu's quality. It is multi-layered unlike some cheaper quality tutu's I have seen in the past. Amy Jo also includes a waistband for longer life of the tutu and sews the waistband for extra support and durability. We also received a matching party hat. This hat is nothing like the hats you can buy in the store. This one is cloth covered and ties with a matching ribbon and can be used over and over again without crumpling.

But birthday outfits isn't the only thing in Mircea Bugs Bowtique. Amy Jo also offers shirts, shoes, socks, costumes, diaper covers and much more. She loves and welcomes custom orders and can even put together the perfect outfit for you little man!

Bet you want one, huh?

Head on over to Mircea Bugs Bowtique and check out all of the unique designs.

Bet you would rather win one, huh?

Amy Jo is awesome and she is offering 1 Luvn Life reader the chance to win a $25 gift certificate to her shop.

Mandatory Entry:

You must be a follower of Luvn Life and then Visit Mircea Bugs Bowtique and tell me what you love.

Optional Entries:

~Heart Amy Jo's shop

~Subscribe to my blog

~Follow me on Twitter and tweet this giveaway(can be done daily): @luvnlifeOO Enter to win a $25 Gift Certificate to Mircea Bugs Bowtique Etsy Shop http://tinyurl.com/2ekbbh7

~Grab my new button (5 entries)

~Grab my Birthday Bash Button (1 entry unless you grabbed early then it is 5)

~Enter another giveaway on my blog (1 entry each)

~Blog about my giveaway with a link to the giveaway here and to Mircea Bugs Bowtique(5 separate entries if you blogged early, 1 if you blogged on or after July 1st)

~List my giveaway on a giveaway site or Mr. Linky and leave me the link (1 entry per listing)

~Make a purchase from Mircea Bugs Bowtique before the Giveaway is finished (10 entries)

Each entry needs to be a separate comment. Also, please leave a valid email address for me to contact you unless it is in your profile. Mircea Bugs Bowtique giveaway will end at 11:59pm on August 9th, 2010. Winners will be chosen via randomorg.com and the winner has 48 respond and to send correct mailing information or I will draw another winner.

**I received the above stated product to review. No other compensation was received. Receiving the sample in no way influenced my statements in the review. The opinions expressed are my own and your opinions may differ.**

Silly Me Design Review and Giveaway

2010-07-20T23:46:00.005-04:00

Until this year, I have always bought pre-made birthday invitations for my kids and then just filled them out. I don't know about you but after I receive the invite, I write it on my calender and toss the invite in the trash. What a waste really. I'd rather "Go Green" and just make calls to everyone but who has time for that either. Then it came to me...Design (or find someone clever enough to design) a birthday invitation that people will keep. I wanted to have a catchy line or two but also feature Emma, and her year of growth, on the invite. I wanted these pictures to be an update to the family members that are unable to see her often. So when I had the opportunity to review birthday invitations from Silly Me Design, I was thrilled.

Here is a bit about Kim:

1.Please tell us a little bit about yourself.
Hello! I’m Kim Henrie. I live in beautiful St George, UT
I am a working mother to a TWO year old boy and have a
baby on the way. I love all things creative.......
especially sewing, photography & scrapbooking.

2. What circumstances brought you to opening a shop and selling on Etsy
I started designing cards for family and friends when a friend told me
about etsy. I have been HOOKED ever sense.

3. How did you choose the name of your shop?
I was driving to work one day, and there was a new ice cream shop
opening in town called {Spoon Me} Shop names had been on my
mind.... Silly Me Design just came to me.

4. Where do you get your inspiration?
I LOVE fabric. My favorite fabric designers are Amy Butler, Heather Baily,
and Michael Miller. Who would of though fabric would inspire cards?

5. Apart from creating things, what do you do?
I love spending time with my family. My husband is a full time student, so when he has time we like to do things together as a family.

6. How did you feel when your first item sold?
I can still remember! I had opened my shop in October,and had a bunch of Christmas Cards designed and listed. I have a lot of people inquiring, but no buyers. It was a little discoursing. It wasn't until February {4 long months later} when I sold my first card. It was a custom design for a Pink Poodles in Paris party. I was a little overwhelmed, but SOOO excited.

7. How long have you been selling on Etsy?
Almost a year and a half

8. Do you have a day job or is Etsy it for you?
I have a part time job,where I am a Sleep Consultant at IntelliBED.
They feature the best mattresses in the whole world.

9.Do you sell your products elsewhere, or only on Etsy?
Only Etsy for now. I am hoping someday have my own website.

10. What is your favorite item that you sell?
My favorite item I sell is birthday invitations. I Love how excited the parents are when they see the finished design, and then they contact me later and tell me how much everyone loved the invitations. It makes me feel really good about all the hard work I put into each design.

11. If you could give any advice to someone aspiring to sell on Etsy, what would it be?
Don't give up. I think it is hard to get started on Etsy, but once you get a couple sales under your belt you are good to go.
Have good customer service. Your customers are EVERYTHING to your shop.
Have good communication, and go above and beyond for every customer.... even if they are driving you CRAZY :)

Here is the invite:

Words couldn't even describe how much I fell in love with this invite before I even held it in my hand. Kim was wonderful to work with. She wanted my invitations to be perfect and worked with me, making several proofs, before we had it perfected. When I received the invitations, they were perfect. The quality was above standard. The color and details were amazing. Also, Kim included envelopes that fit my invites perfectly.

Kim also offers endless options which is nice when you have an idea in mind. If you see something you like, Kim will work with you to make it your own. Not only does she do invitations for birthdays, she also produces amazing shower invites, wedding invites, announcements and party's. Kim is able to print your invites for you or send you the jpeg file, allowing you to print at home or at a local printer. Kim also loves custom orders and challenges her customers to be creative.

I will defiantly be using Kim and Silly Me Designs for all my invitations in the future.

Bet you want one, huh?

Head on over to Silly Me Designs and check out all of the unique designs.

Bet you would rather win one, huh?

Kim is awesome and she is offering 1 Luvn Life reader the chance to win a 100 invitations, envelops and the jpeg file of any design of their choice.

Mandatory Entry:

You must be a follower of Luvn Life and then Visit Silly Me Designs and tell me what you love.

Optional Entries:

~Heart Kim's shop

~Subscribe to my blog

~Follow Silly Me Designs on Facebook

~Follow me on Twitter and tweet this giveaway(can be done daily): @luvnlifeOO Enter to win 100 custom designed invitations with envelopes from Silly Me Designs Etsy Shop http://tinyurl.com/2au3kf2

~Grab my new button (5 entries)

~Grab my Birthday Bash Button (1 entry unless you grabbed early then it is 5)

~Enter another giveaway on my blog (1 entry each)

~Blog about my giveaway with a link to the giveaway here and to Silly Me Designs(5 separate entries if you blogged early, 1 if you blogged on or after July 1st)

~List my giveaway on a giveaway site or Mr. Linky and leave me the link (1 entry per listing)

~Make a purchase from Silly Me Designs before the Giveaway is finished (10 entries)

Each entry needs to be a separate comment. Also, please leave a valid email address for me to contact you unless it is in your profile. Silly Me Designs giveaway will end at 11:59pm on August 8th, 2010. Winners will be chosen via randomorg.com and the winner has 48 respond and to send correct mailing information or I will draw another winner.

**I received the above stated product to review. No other compensation was received. Receiving the sample in no way influenced my statements in the review. The opinions expressed are my own and your opinions may differ.**

Darcey Lane Designs Review and Giveaway

2010-07-19T23:32:00.006-04:00

When it comes to girly, My Emma takes the cake. If it's not frilly, dressy, and fancy she cares to have nothing to with it. Even though I look for unique items that highlight her features, I also have to consider what she is going to think about the outfit. Since she is only 2, I feel that I have quite a road ahead of me. However, it could be my fault {grin}. When looking for just the right outfit for a special event, had the chance to review the Disco Dot Darlin from Darcy Lane Designs. No boutique compares to her work.

Here is a bit about Darlene:

1. Please tell us a little bit about yourself.

I’m SAHW who watches her grandchild. My husband is my best friend, we have 3 kids all grown up, two boys and one girl. We have four grandchildren. Our oldest son has two girls and our Daughter has two boys. I started sewing when I was 15years old. We live in Middle Ga. Where is never snows..but this past year we received four inches on Feb. 12.. I’m a Christian and go to the best church in Warner Robins.

2. What circumstances brought you to opening a shop and selling on Etsy?

I wanted to try some where else besides ebay!!

3. How did you choose the name of your shop?

A friend Sharon was helping me think of names to use about 4 years ago. This is one of two she came up with. I pick this one because my daughter name is Darcie!!

4. Where do you get your inspiration?

I made a bib for my granddaughter first birthday with a cupcake on it that said Happy Birthday. From there is went into making a Dress/outfit for little girls for their first birthdays. Also my inspiration comes from granddaughter Jordyn!! She loves clothes with ruffles..

5. Apart from creating things, what do you do?

I love to cook(or say Bake)

7. How long have you been selling on Etsy?

Just over a year.

6.How did it feel when you sold your first item?

Very Excited. Every time I sell one. I guess I like it more when the reply with how they LOVE the Dress and quality is great.

8. Do you have a day job or is Etsy it for you?

I watch my grandsons now!!

9. Do you sell your products elsewhere, or only on Etsy?

I’m Still on Ebay.. I have done one Craft show and would love to do more.

10. What is your favorite item that you sell?

I love making outfits with lots of ruffles.. What was my favorite thing I ever made? I would have to say my daughter wedding dress. People at the wedding didn’t even know it was custom made.. I love to take an idea and redo it into what you want…

11. If you could give any advice to someone aspiring to sell on Etsy, what would it be?

Try it and stick to it.. don’t give up.

A picture says a thousand words...Precious! Darlene was so wonderful to work with. She wanted to make sure my Emma had the perfect fitting outfit so she made sure that she had the exact measurements before making her outfit. I was very impressed with the quality of the outfit. The A Line top is lined inside and makes for a sturdy shirt. This could be worn alone in the summer or with a turtleneck or long sleeved shirt in the winter. The shirt was also monogrammed with Emma's initials and Darlene also included 2 matching hair bows that attach on the shirt or can be worn in the hair. The ruffle bottom pants were just as great quality. I was very excited to receive pants. They will fit this summer and winter but I will also get wear out of them next summer because I can use them as capris.

Darlene also offers heirloom dresses, ruffle bottom diaper covers, sun suits, birthday outfits and more to come. Darlene loves to custom design your perfect outfit and includes precise washing and drying instructions. You can't find quality and prices like Darcey Lane Designs in stores or the Internet.

Bet you want one, huh?

Head on over to Darcey Lane Designs and check out all of the unique designs.

Bet you would rather win one, huh?

Darlene is awesome and she is offering 1 Luvn Life reader the chance to win a $25.00 Gift Certificate to her shop.

Mandatory Entry:

You must be a follower of Luvn Life and then Visit Darcey Lane Designs and tell me what you love.

Optional Entries:

~Heart Darlene's shop

~Subscribe to my blog

~Follow darceylanedesig on Twitter

~Follow me on Twitter and tweet this giveaway(can be done daily): @luvnlifeOO Enter to win a $25.00 Gift Certificate from Darcey Lane Designs Etsy Shop @darceylanedesig http://tinyurl.com/23qrmrn

~Grab my new button (5 entries)

~Grab my Birthday Bash Button (1 entry unless you grabbed early then it is 5)

~Enter another giveaway on my blog (1 entry each)

~Blog about my giveaway with a link to the giveaway here and to Darcey Lane Designs(5 separate entries if you blogged early, 1 if you blogged on or after July 1st)

~List my giveaway on a giveaway site or Mr. Linky and leave me the link (1 entry per listing)

~Make a purchase from Darcey Lane Designs before the Giveaway is finished (10 entries)

Each entry needs to be a separate comment. Also, please leave a valid email address for me to contact you unless it is in your profile. Darcey Lane Designs giveaway will end at 11:59pm on August 7th, 2010. Winners will be chosen via randomorg.com and the winner has 48 respond and to send correct mailing information or I will draw another winner.

**I received the above stated product to review. No other compensation was received. Receiving the sample in no way influenced my statements in the review. The opinions expressed are my own and your opinions may differ.**

Rhonda D Designs Review and Giveaway

2010-07-19T00:09:00.005-04:00

Guess who loves unique clothing?? Did you guess me? Well if you did, you are correct. I am defiantly a clothing freak. I love dressing my Emma in cute, unique clothing. And the only thing better is a cute, unique, personalized outfit for Emma. She is so funny when she wears something with her name or initials. She will rub the shirt and say "dis say Emmy." It it a great feeling to see my child in an outfit that no other child has or will have. So when I was able to review the Initial Outfit from Rhonda D Designs, I was very excited.

Here is a bit about Rhonda:

1. Please tell us a little bit about yourself.
I am a stay-at-home mother of 2 fun, energetic, and beautiful daughters. I have been married to my high school sweetheart for the past 15 years. I love the Lord, good friends and heartfelt laughter.

2. What circumstances brought you to opening a shop and selling on Etsy
When I resigned from the business world several years ago, I knew that I would need to find an activity to keep myself busy, (this was before I realized just how busy I would be as a stay home mom!). My youngest daughter was still in preschool at this time and was taking naps there twice a week. Instead of hauling her bed pillow to and from her school, I bought her a small “kids“ pillow. The problem was that the pillow, like most, was not washable, yuk! That’s when I decided to make my own. I made one for each of my girls and they loved them so much they showed all their friends, who began requesting their own pillows. After a couple years of making these plush pillows, I had scrap fabric coming out of my ears! I put that fabric to good use by adding them in creative designs to onesies and toddler shirts. The matching pants followed and have now led me to open my own ETSY shop

3. How did you choose the name of your shop?
I'm a creative person, but when it came to choosing the name of my business, I had a brain fart (pardon the language). I decided to keep it simple.

4. Where do you get your inspiration?
I can find inspiration everywhere, but usually when I am not actively looking for it. I have come to realize that it can't be forced. I will have moments when I have more new design ideas than the time it would take to create them. Other times, when I really need a new idea, I can be "blank" for weeks.

5. Apart from creating things, what do you do?
I stay very active with my daughters. They are involved in Dance, Swim Team, and Soccer. We are also involved in Youth activities through our church. I also spend time substitute teaching during the school year.

6. How did you feel when your first item sold
Incredibly excited! My first sell was actually from a family member in Washington.

7. How long have you been selling on Etsy?
I began selling my product on Etsy in mid-January, 2010.

8. Do you have a day job or is Etsy it for you?
Aside from part-time substitute teaching, Etsy is it.

9. Do you sell your products elsewhere, or only on Etsy?
I have been selling my items in a local boutique for the past year. However, I have recently decided to focus my efforts solely on Etsy.

10. What is your favorite item that you sell?
I love my Birthday Girl sets, but my favorite creations are the ones that are custom designed for my specific customers. Custom orders allow me to think outside my box and create something amazing and unique for someone who really will appreciate it.

11. If you could give any advice to someone aspiring to sell on Etsy, what would it be?
I still have much to learn about selling on Etsy, but I have discovered that if you put the time and effort into "selling" on Etsy, it pays off.

(Don't look at the shoes!)

Seeeee??? I could not describe it without a picture to pair with my words. The little shirt is a nice cotton fabric and is cut in a girl style instead of a normal t-shirt cut. The letter "E" is an applique that was ironed on and then hand stitched for both visual appeal and durability.

The cute, cute pants are just the same. Very soft and comfortable. The hem of the pants have matching fabric that is ruffled around the leg and paired with ribbon and a button! They are long enough for pants but she will get another summer out of them because in a few inches they will be capris.

Rhonda also pre-washes the material so that the clothes are true to size. She also does pillows, blankets, dresses and also loves to do custom orders.

Bet you want one, huh?

Head on over to Rhonda D Designs and check out all of the unique designs.

Bet you would rather win one, huh?

Rhonda is awesome and she is offering 1 Luvn Life reader the chance to win a $15.00 Gift Certificate to her shop.

Mandatory Entry:

You must be a follower of Luvn Life and then Visit Rhonda D Designs and tell me what you love.

Optional Entries:

~Heart Rhonda's shop

~Subscribe to my blog

~Follow me on Twitter and tweet this giveaway(can be done daily): @luvnlifeOO Enter to win a $15.00 Gift Certificate from Rhonda D Designs Etsy Shop http://tinyurl.com/22utngs

~Grab my new button (5 entries)

~Grab my Birthday Bash Button (1 entry unless you grabbed early then it is 5)

~Enter another giveaway on my blog (1 entry each)

~Blog about my giveaway with a link to the giveaway here and to Rhonda D Designs(5 separate entries if you blogged early, 1 if you blogged on or after July 1st)

~List my giveaway on a giveaway site or Mr. Linky and leave me the link (1 entry per listing)

~Make a purchase from Rhonda D Designs before the Giveaway is finished (10 entries)

Each entry needs to be a separate comment. Also, please leave a valid email address for me to contact you unless it is in your profile. Rhonda D Designs giveaway will end at 11:59pm on August 6th, 2010. Winners will be chosen via randomorg.com and the winner has 48 respond and to send correct mailing information or I will draw another winner.

**I received the above stated product to review. No other compensation was received. Receiving the sample in no way influenced my statements in the review. The opinions expressed are my own and your opinions may differ.**

Mile End Soap and Candle Review and Giveaway

2010-07-18T23:18:00.005-04:00

Today was my Emma's 2nd Birthday Party! We had an absolute blast. Everything was great. I really didn't have a theme simply because Emma is not really into anything. She likes a few things like Elmo and Dora but not really. So, I made a really neat HUGE cupcake and decorated it myself. I have never done such things. I am not a baker...not at all. However, it turned out really nice. When I finished, I stood back and looked at it. Only one thing made this cake better...the candle. Now I could have used a store bought candle but I was lucky enough to review the #2 candle from Mile End Soap and Candle Etsy Shop. I am so glad I did.

Here is a bit about Sheryl:

1. Please tell us a little bit about yourself.
I am a mother of 2 little girls, living in Montreal.

2. What circumstances brought you to opening a shop and selling on Etsy?
When I opened my etsy shop a year ago, I had been making and selling my wares locally for 8 years. A friend told me about etsy, and I finally took the plunge and got it all set up.

3. How did you choose the name of your shop?
The name, "Mile-End Soap & Candle Supply" was borne out of the neighbourhood where I was living when I first started out. This part of Montreal is a creative cradle, nurturing countless artists, artisans and musicians. My idea was to be a local supplier of useful products that would bring pleasure to our daily lives.

4. Where do you get your inspiration?
I am inspired by what makes me feel good. The combination of essential oils, the smell of melted beeswax, the feel of the soap in my hands.

5. Apart from creating things, what do you do?
This is my part-time job and therapy. Full-time, I am a mom.

6. How did you feel when your first item sold?
My first sale was some birthday candle and tapers to a woman in Alaska. It was less than a week after I opened shop, and it was thrilling to make contact with someone so far away like that.

7. How long have you been selling on Etsy?
1 year.

8. Do you have a day job or is Etsy it for you?
I sell my candles and soap in 6 stores in Montreal, and I also do local craft fairs from time to time.

9. Do you sell your products elsewhere, or only on Etsy?
I sell my candles and soap in 6 stores in Montreal, and I also do local craft fairs from time to time.

10. What is your favorite item that you sell?
My favorite thing to make is the custom name candles. Each name is a new challenge and allows me to get really creative.

11. If you could give any advice to someone aspiring to sell on Etsy, what would it be?
Make sure you enjoy the process of creating your products, and the rest will follow.

I have to say that all around I was very impressed with Sheryl's work. This is not your ordinary store bought candle. Each candle is hand dipped in pure beeswax and shaped by Sheryl. Each candle is unique. I noticed that the beeswax candle does not burn or smell like a paraffin. No black smoke or smoke smell when the candle is blown out. Also, there was no wax dripping down the candle and onto the cake since Emma was a bit confused about what it meant to "blow out the candle." It took about 2 minutes to make her understand. Very little of the wax even melted. Not that I would use this again for Emma, it could be used again by someone else. I feel that the neutral and unique candle was perfect to top Emma's cake. Sheryl also offers personalized Name Candles, candlesticks, taper candles, and many varieties of soap. I am a very happy customer and will definitely be using Mile End Soap and Candle again.

Bet you want one, huh?

Head on over to Mile End Soap And Candle and check out all of her hand crafted designs.

Bet you would rather win one, huh?

Sheryl is awesome and she is offering 1 Luvn Life reader the chance to win a their own Birthday Number candle.

Mandatory Entry:

You must be a follower of Luvn Life and then Visit Mile End Soap and Candle and tell me what you love.

Optional Entries:

~Heart Sheryl's shop

~Subscribe to my blog

~Follow me on Twitter and tweet this giveaway(can be done daily): @luvnlifeOO Enter to win a Homemade Birthday Number Candle from Mile End Soap and Candle Etsy Shophttp://tinyurl.com/32jrthy

~Grab my new button (5 entries)

~Grab my Birthday Bash Button (1 entry unless you grabbed early then it is 5)

~Enter another giveaway on my blog (1 entry each)

~Blog about my giveaway with a link to the giveaway here and to Mile End(5 separate entries if you blogged early, 1 if you blogged on or after July 1st)

~List my giveaway on a giveaway site or Mr. Linky and leave me the link (1 entry per listing)

~Make a purchase from Mile End Soap and Candle Shop before the Giveaway is finished (10 entries)

Each entry needs to be a separate comment. Also, please leave a valid email address for me to contact you unless it is in your profile. The Mile End Soap and Candle Shop giveaway will end at 11:59pm on August 5th, 2010. Winners will be chosen via randomorg.com and the winner has 48 respond and to send correct mailing information or I will draw another winner.

**I received the above stated product to review. No other compensation was received. Receiving the sample in no way influenced my statements in the review. The opinions expressed are my own and your opinions may differ.**

OnMyOwn Review And Giveaway

2010-07-15T23:39:00.006-04:00

One thing that I have never been good at it decorating. I am crafty and love to scrapbook and sew and bead but I can't decorate my walls for the life of me. Luckily, there are people in this world that are decorating savvy. When my Emma was born, we lived in a 3 bedroom home. I struggled with the rooming situation because I already had 1 girl who was 7 and 1 boy who was 5. I did not feel it was fair to bunk Emma with Leya so Emma spent her first year plus in my bedroom. I didn't have much to worry about along the way of how to decorate her room. However, when Emma was given her own room, I found myself standing in the room saying "wow, this is a boring room." Emma's bed set was the only color in there. I needed help and fast. When I was able to review a pink butterfly coat rack from OnMyOwn, I was ecstatic.

Here is a bit about Sheryl:

1. Please tell us a little bit about yourself.
Art has always been a major part of my life. I graduated from college with a degree in Art Education and even did Art Therapy for a short time. I love to paint! I am the mother of 2 grown sons. I keep telling my newly married son that I am practicing for when he or his brother decide to make me a grandmother. I will even do a mural!

2. What circumstances brought you to opening a shop and selling on Etsy
A good friend of mine and fellow artist opened a shop on Etsy over a year ago. She explained about the on line concept and although I was computer illiterate I decided to give it a try--I have since learned how to use the computer just so I can answer my conversations.

3. How did you choose the name of your shop?
I have been in business for 30 years. When I first started out I was a young stay at home mom with a two year old and a dream. When I told this to my husband he said, "you are on your own". So "ON MY OWN" has been my business name for all these years. For Etsy we I added 14 (that's my lucky number.

4. Where do you get your inspiration?
I get my inspiration from everything I see around me--nature, people, books, art work, etc.

5. Apart from creating things, what do you do?
I must say that most of my time is spent painting. My husband and I seem to work 24/7 these days. But in my spare time I love interior decorating, gardening and spending time with family.

6. How did you feel when your first item sold?
My first sale was phenomenal--I had just learned how to use the computer and there I was on it all alone when that wonderful Etsy convo appeared--WOW!!

7. How long have you been selling on Etsy?
I have been on Etsy for six months.

8. Do you have a day job or is Etsy it for you?
9. Do you sell your products elsewhere, or only on Etsy?
"ON MY OWN" is my day and night job. Along with my Etsy shop I also do some juried arts and crafts shows from Massachusetts to Virginia.

10. What is your favorite item that you sell?
I really love painting table and chair sets. I treat the table tops like a canvas and can paint an entire scene or design. I recently painted a special order with the Candyland game board as the table top--it was so much fun.

11. If you could give any advice to someone aspiring to sell on Etsy, what would it be?
I am fairly new to Etsy myself but would tell any artist that I think it is a great way to reach many new customers that you would not otherwise reach. The information is always coming in and the opportunities are out there. One of my first sales was to a customer in Australia--I could not have done this without Etsy!

I was very honored to work with Sheryl. When shopping for decorative items, customer service is more important to me than anything. I need someone that is patient and understands what I need. Sheryl was just that. She knew that Emma's bedroom scheme is Pink and Brown so she sent me something that would coordinate with her pattern. I LOVE IT! It makes my life easier *grin*

So, check it out...

Sheryl's products are all handmade in the USA and hand painted. The quality of this coat rack is above and beyond anything you are ever going to buy in the store. I quickly noticed that when you feel the rack with your fingers, you can feel that raise of the paint. Also, the paint has distinct boundaries. So in my opinion, it looks truly handmade and not built in a factory by a machine.

But coat racks is only the beginning for Sheryl and OnMyOwn. She crafts and paints everything from potty and rocking chairs to complete bedroom suits that coordinate with each other. I did quite a bit of research and Sheryl's prices for her handcrafted and hand painted furniture is a fraction of the price of the big box stores that only offer machine pressed items. This is hands down the best option. And, Sheryl loves custom orders for that perfect look in any room.

Bet you want one, huh?

Head on over to OnMyOwn and check out all of her hand painted designs at very reasonable prices with the coat racks starting at $27.00.

Use the code LNL for 10% off your order.

Bet you would rather win one, huh?

Sheryl is awesome and she is offering 1 Luvn Life reader the chance to win a their choice of a double hook clothes rack in a boy or girl pattern.

Mandatory Entry:

You must be a follower of Luvn Life and then Visit OnMyOwn and tell me what you love.

Optional Entries:

~Heart Sheryl's shop

~Subscribe to my blog

~Follow me on Twitter and tweet this giveaway(can be done daily): @luvnlifeOO Enter to win a Double Hook Clothes Plaque from OnMyOwn http://tinyurl.com/2dyzl29

~Grab my new button (5 entries)

~Grab my Birthday Bash Button (1 entry unless you grabbed early then it is 5)

~Enter another giveaway on my blog (1 entry each)

~Blog about my giveaway with a link to the giveaway here and to OnMyOwn(5 separate entries if you blogged early, 1 if you blogged on or after July 1st)

~List my giveaway on a giveaway site or Mr. Linky and leave me the link (1 entry per listing)

~Make a purchase from OnMyOwn before the Giveaway is finished (10 entries)

Each entry needs to be a separate comment. Also, please leave a valid email address for me to contact you unless it is in your profile. The OnMyOwn giveaway will end at 11:59pm on August 3rd, 2010. Winners will be chosen via randomorg.com and the winner has 48 respond and to send correct mailing information or I will draw another winner.

**I received the above stated product to review. No other compensation was received. Receiving the sample in no way influenced my statements in the review. The opinions expressed are my own and your opinions may differ.**

OhBayBee Review and Giveaway

2010-07-14T22:22:00.005-04:00

Again I have to say how much I love finding clothing that is unique and high quality but not for an outrageous price. I don't enjoy paying a great deal of money for an item that she may wear 2 months. As I have said many times, I hate having my kids in the same clothes as someone else in the play group. I also love that my kids are able to develop their own unique style that is different from everyone else. But above all, I love finding personalized items that are made just for my children. I was so excited to review the Letter Shirt from OhBayBee.

Here is a bit about Kim:

1. Please tell us a little bit about yourself.

I’m a mom to two little nuggets – a 2 year old boy and a 6 month old little girl. I work part time with my husband’s software development company and the rest of my time is divided between my kids, crafting and my etsy shop.

2. What circumstances brought you to opening a shop and selling on Etsy?

I’d had a sewing machine in my basement, unopened and still in the box for years. A friend had sent me some pictures of the cute stuff she was having made for her little baby with Amy Butler fabrics and I just fell in love. I got my sewing machine out, learned out to use it and started obsessing over beautiful fabrics and cute things to make.

3. How did you choose the name of your shop?

Ha! I wish I had a better explanation for it. I just started toying with some variations of “baby” since I started selling just baby clothes and…whalaaa! “ohbaybee” was born.

4. Where do you get your inspiration?

Great pictures, magazines, beautiful fabrics, blogs, my kids and the things they like.

5. How did you feel when your first item sold?

Ecstatic! I had only been on etsy for about a week and had no clue what I was doing. I did some kind of silly dance around my kitchen and had a smile on my face for the whole day. But I think the positive review from that first sale was actual even better :)

6. How long have you been selling on Etsy?

Sine June 2009.

7. Do you have a day job or is Etsy it for you?

I try to balance both…but my heart lies solely with my etsy shop

8. Do you sell your products elsewhere, or only on Etsy?

Only on Etsy.

9. What is your favorite item that you sell?

I love my double sided ruffle bum onesies. I took an idea that was out there and gave it my own spin – the double sided ruffles definitely take more time, energy and fabric but the end result is fabulous and so cute for little baby girls just learning to crawl or walk.

10. If you could give any advice to someone aspiring to sell on Etsy, what would it be?

My advice would probably be to really take advantage of all the help that Etsy provides. The Etsy folks do such a good job sending out tips and advice, they are a great resource when you are just starting out.

I really am impressed with Kim's work. The actual T Shirt is a name brand tee. The shirt is cut for a girl and was in the perfect girly color. I really liked that the stitching around the letter "E" blends in well and is not obvious at all. Emma walked around all day saying "Mine E Shirt." It was not easy to get it off of her. I am positive that she understands that the shirt was made for her and only her. This makes me smile. However, Miss Sunshine was not herself (yet again) and I couldn't get a picture but I will in the morning. But for now, here is the shirt...

I have washed the shirt 3 times and it held up wonderfully. It did not shrink or fade. The stitching has stayed strong and has not frayed at all.

Letter Shirts are not the only item that Kim sells. She makes a wide variety of shirts such as Number Shirts, Birthday Shirts, Name Shirts. Kim welcomes custom orders. However, I have my eye on the Personalized Totebags. Kim also does amazing graphic work. Check out her Baby Announcements and Birthday Invitations.

Bet you want one, huh?

Head on over to OhBayBee and check out all of her original designs and reasonable prices starting as low as $11.50. Kim welcomes custom orders to ensure your baby is just as unique as Emma.

Bet you would rather win one, huh?

Kim is awesome and she is offering 1 Luvn Life reader the chance to win a their choice of a short or long sleeve Number or Letter Shirt.

Mandatory Entry:

You must be a follower of Luvn Life and then Visit OhBayBee and tell me which item is your favorite.

Optional Entries:

~Heart Kim's shop

~Subscribe to my blog

~Follow me on Twitter and tweet this giveaway(can be done daily): @luvnlifeOO Enter to win a Personalized Letter or Number Shirt from OhBayBee http://tinyurl.com/2vun3y8

~Grab my new button (5 entries)

~Grab my Birthday Bash Button (1 entry unless you grabbed early then it is 5)

~Enter another giveaway on my blog (1 entry each)

~Blog about my giveaway with a link to the giveaway here and to OhBayBee(5 separate entries if you blogged early, 1 if you blogged on or after July 1st)

~List my giveaway on a giveaway site or Mr. Linky and leave me the link (1 entry per listing)

~Make a purchase from OhBayBee before the Giveaway is finished (10 entries)

Each entry needs to be a separate comment. Also, please leave a valid email address for me to contact you unless it is in your profile. The OhBayBee giveaway will end at 11:59pm on August 2nd, 2010. Winners will be chosen via randomorg.com and the winner has 48 respond and to send correct mailing information or I will draw another winner.

**I received the above stated product to review. No other compensation was received. Receiving the sample in no way influenced my statements in the review. The opinions expressed are my own and your opinions may differ.**

db By Designs Review and Giveaway

2010-07-11T22:26:00.003-04:00

Do you remember playing Memory with your mom or dad? Have you played it with your children? I have wonderful memories of playing with my mom when I was younger. I loved sitting on my floor of my bedroom and playing round after round. That was until my sister was born. Not long after her arrival, my Mickey Mouse Memory game was ruined. She CHEWED on my pieces. UGH! Now as a mom, I love playing with my little ones. Memory does so much more for your children other than entertaining them. It straightens their motor skills, encourages the concept of same and different, increases cognitive development and introduces/improves a child's ability to name colors and shapes, just to name a few. When I found the cloth memory game from db By Design, I could not wait to try it out with my little Emma.

A bit about Diane:

1. Please tell us a little bit about yourself.

I am a mom of two little boys (in July they'll be 2 and 10 months). I love it! Before starting a family I got my Bachelors in German and two minors: Art and Horticulture from Utah State University. I've been doing/creating art ever since I can remember and I LOVE it! :) I also loves the outdoors and any kind of outdoor activity! I am going to compete in my first Triathlon in June! And am really excited. Now I stay home with my boys and during their naps and quiet times I like to sew, draw, create and have fun.

2. What circumstances brought you to opening a shop and selling on Etsy

When I first opened my shop, my oldest son was about 8 months old. I seemed to have a lot of free time and decided it would be fun to try it out! I love etsy and seeing all the fun things on there, and thought maybe someone would also enjoy the things I make.

3. How did you choose the name of your shop?

For a pottery class in college I came up with an awesome stamp of my initials. Though that was before I got married, so after that I had to come up with something else. I just like the simplicity of the lowercase db, plus it is my initials so it's me. The By Design is, I don't know. I just came up with that. Sometimes I wish I had something more creative, but it works for me. And I guess it just puts my mark on everything I make as my own style.

4. Where do you get your inspiration?

I love checkout out blogs and books and every where I can look for inspiration and ideas. I also sketch a lot, and my mind is constantly turning over ideas in my head. Most of the time I see something that I like and then just think about it for a couple days or a week, or I still have some ideas that I've been thinking about for months, until I come up with my own version of it, or figure out just how to put it all together. I wouldn't want people copying my ideas as their own, so I really steer away from doing that. I try to either come up with my own original ideas, or take something that is so common and put my own style to it. Like my tissue holders, or the drawstring bags - what could be more simple? Yet it's fun to coordinate colors and make different sizes, or the match game cards - I'm sure we've all played that game before. etc.

5. Apart from creating things, what do you do?

Before I had kids I loved to rock climb! I think that will have to wait until they can come with me. :) I also love to swim, bike, hike, camp, hang out, make desserts, eat good food, buy fabric, read, just about anything I guess. Oh, and travel!

6. How did you feel when your first item sold

I was SOOOO excited! It's really satisfying to know that someone else likes what you do, and that first sale, and every following sale is very rewarding for the hard work you put into making your items. I still get just as excited and I think with every sale I've called my hubby and told him right away. ;)

7. How long have you been selling on Etsy?

about a year and a half. Since January of 2009.

8. Do you have a day job or is Etsy it for you?

I'm a 24 hour mom. And Etsy is something fun on the side.

9. Do you sell your products elsewhere, or only on Etsy?

Only on etsy. I was going to try to sell stuff on my blog too, but it just seems easier to keep it all in one place. I've also thought of doing craft fairs, but I've never really had a big inventory, so that always deterred me from that.

10. What is your favorite item that you sell?

Everything. I have fun making the things in my shop. Though if I had to pick one, perhaps the afghans, or I love the bags. I always want to just keep them and not sell them. I love bags! (And we do have a lot of the drawstring bags all over my house keeping stuff together!)

11. If you could give any advice to someone aspiring to sell on Etsy, what would it be?

Do it for you. Don't do it for everyone else. Some times I get caught up in trying to please the people I'm selling to and I put my own life on hold. That's when it gets stressful and I loose all the fun out of it. If it's just something on the side, make sure you're enjoying everything you're doing. If you are doing it as a source of income, try and build up your inventory before you open up shop. Also, the more you post new items, the more visits you get. You can either always be adding something new, or re-list your items. This really brings in a lot of traffic! Also, be CREATIVE! There are a lot of things out there that are the same and that everyone is selling. Make what you do your own, find your own style. Put yourself into an item, and people will see it as yours and not just another person selling the same ol'. And again, enjoy it! It's really fun! :) (and can be really tiring.)

Emma really enjoyed playing with her memory game once she got the hang of it. She is now able to match the colors to each other since we aren't really good with shapes quite yet. Her siblings think that her game is so neat that they have sat down and played with her several times already. Emma loves packing it up and carrying it with her and then pulling it out and showing everyone who comes around. We are very impressed with Diane's quality and style in her shop. She offers not only kids games but also neat camera covers, clothing, blankets, bags and more.

Bet you want one, huh?

Head on over to dbByDesign and check out all of her unique designs.

Bet you would rather win one, huh?

Diane is awesome and she is offering 1 Luvn Life reader the chance to win a $20 Gift Certificate.

Diane is also offering 10% off all orders using the code LuvnLife (wait until you receive the 2nd statement to make payment)

Mandatory Entry:

You must be a follower of Luvn Life and then Visit dbByDesign and tell me which item is your favorite.

Optional Entries:

~Heart Diane's shop

~Subscribe to my blog

~Follow me on Twitter and tweet this giveaway(can be done daily): @luvnlifeOO Enter to win $20 Gift Certificate from @dbByDesign http://tinyurl.com/263jseq

~Follow dbByDesign on Twitter

~Follow dbByDesign on Facebook

~Follow dbByDesign Blog

~Grab my new button (5 entries)

~Grab my Birthday Bash Button (1 entry unless you grabbed early then it is 5)

~Enter another giveaway on my blog (1 entry each)

~Blog about my giveaway with a link to the giveaway here and to dbByDesign(5 separate entries if you blogged early, 1 if you blogged on or after July 1st)

~List my giveaway on a giveaway site or Mr. Linky and leave me the link (1 entry per listing)

~Make a purchase from dbByDesign before the Giveaway is finished (10 entries)

Each entry needs to be a separate comment. Also, please leave a valid email address for me to contact you unless it is in your profile. dbByDesign giveaway will end at 11:59pm on July 30th, 2010. Winners will be chosen via randomorg.com and the winner has 48 respond and to send correct mailing information or I will draw another winner.

**I received the above stated product to review. No other compensation was received. Receiving the sample in no way influenced my statements in the review. The opinions expressed are my own and your opinions may differ.**

Sew Lindsey Review and Giveaway

2010-07-11T01:38:00.005-04:00

With all the choices that we as parents have to make each day in order to keep our children safe and our planet green, one could feel very overwhelmed. So many times I have found myself wondering if I am making the best choice for my family and the earth. I have made so many changes over the past year. I no longer use plastic bottles, I became a cloth diapering mama, I grow many of my families vegetables, we carpool, and list goes on. One big thing that bothered me is when I learned the chemicals that could be inside the plastics that I allow my family to come in contact with. My daughter no longer uses a plastic sippy. But it wasn't until just recently I thought about the food that played with in her kitchen set. I had never heard of it being unsafe, but whose to say that it's not. This is why I was very excited to review the felt food from Sew Lindsey.

A bit about Lindsey:

1. Please tell us a little bit about yourself.

My name is Lindsey. I’m a mom of two little ones who are 6 and 3. I am a stay at home mom and they are pretty much my life! I’m a tad ocd about things like organization and how the towels are folded. Not so much about toys being strung about. I think feeding my children’s imagination is a way of enriching their lives. Believe me they do have huge imaginations. I think together they have about 7 imaginary friends. I love it!

2. What circumstances brought you to opening a shop and selling on Etsy?

I had been making Birthday T shirts and felt food for my kids and for friends and family. They all loved them and I loved making them. I had been trying to think of a way to make some extra money and decided to give Etsy a try. If I had known how easy it was I would have done it sooner.

3. How did you choose the name of your shop?

I wanted something that incorporated my real name. Sew Lindsey just came to me and I decided that was it.
4. Where do you get your inspiration?

Well I love to eat, so inspiration is really no problem for me. I analyze foods now… I’ll be at the grocery store and see something and think “Can I make that into a felt food?” It’s pretty much an addiction! I have more ideas than I have time right now. I always have to get approval from my kids after I’m done making something new. I’ll ask them “What does this look like?” Hopefully they can tell!

5. Apart from creating things, what do you do?

I LOVE to bargain shop! There is nothing better than getting a great deal on something. I never leave the house without my coupons.

6. How did you feel when your first item sold?

It was like winning a lottery! I was so super excited. Even though I sell only felt food now my first purchase was actually a birthday shirt.

7. How long have you been selling on Etsy?

I opened my Etsy shop in July of 2009. I didn’t get my first sale until September and had almost given up!

8. Do you have a day job or is Etsy it for you?

My day job is taking care of my kiddos but being home with them allows me to work on Etsy quite a bit.

9. Do you sell your products elsewhere, or only on Etsy?

I mainly sell my items on Etsy. I do sell to friends and family and anyone else local that hears about my items. I have set a goal to try out craft shows this year as well.

10. What is your favorite item that you sell?

My favorite item I have listed right now is the cookie dough set. I love how interactive it is. Kids can use the cookie cutter to cut the dough, put the dough in the oven and have baked cookies ready to serve.

11. If you could give any advice to someone aspiring to sell on Etsy, what would it be?

Just go for it! Etsy makes listing so affordable for sellers. I know it’s a bit overwhelming at first but if look around in their community and the forums and you can learn SO much! The support from the Etsy team is amazing.

I was amazed to see how much Emma enjoyed playing with the Pepperoni Pizza that Lindsey crafted for her. I was very impressed to see all that Lindsey did make and offer on her Etsy Shop. Not only are the piece made from Eco Felt, that is constructed from recycled post-consumer plastic bottles but they are also very interactive. Emma had so many learning opportunities that isn't available with the plastic foods. She loves her pizza and I don't see us using the plastic play food anymore.

Bet you want one, huh?

Head on over to Sew Lindsey and pick out your favorite food item.

Bet you would rather win one, huh?

Lindsey is awesome and she is offering 1 Luvn Life reader the chance to win a set of Blueberry Poptarts from her shop.

Mandatory Entry:

You must be a follower of Luvn Life and then Visit Sew Lindsey and tell me which design is your favorite.

Optional Entries:

~Heart Lindsey's shop

~Subscribe to my blog

~Follow me on Twitter and tweet this giveaway(can be done daily): Enter to win Felt Food from Sew Lindsey @luvnlifeOO http://tinyurl.com/2bdj38a

~Follow Sew Lindsey on Twitter

~Follow Sew Lindsey on Facebook

~Grab my new button (5 entries)

~Grab my Birthday Bash Button (1 entry unless you grabbed early then it is 5)

~Enter another giveaway on my blog (1 entry each)

~Blog about my giveaway with a link to the giveaway here and to Sew Lindsey(5 separate entries if you blogged early, 1 if you blogged on or after July 1st)

~List my giveaway on a giveaway site or Mr. Linky and leave me the link (1 entry per listing)

~Make a purchase from Sew Lindsey before the Giveaway is finished (10 entries)

Each entry needs to be a separate comment. Also, please leave a valid email address for me to contact you unless it is in your profile. Sew Lindsey giveaway will end at 11:59pm on July 29th, 2010. Winners will be chosen via randomorg.com and the winner has 48 respond and to send correct mailing information or I will draw another winner.

**I received the above stated product to review. No other compensation was received. Receiving the sample in no way influenced my statements in the review. The opinions expressed are my own and your opinions may differ.**

No Paparazzi Please Review and Giveaway

2010-07-07T22:39:00.005-04:00

As most of you know, I am a sucker for cute girl clothing. I am an even bigger sucker for the little girls cute clothing because my youngest is such a girly girl. As she gets older, and my quest for unique items becomes more fierce, I have grown to love personalized items. Her name is quite common so I feel that the personalized items sets her apart (I know it's not really logical). Emma has a personalized blanket, piggy bank and sippy cups. Something about the personalization just makes my heart melt. So when I had the opportunity to review a personalized shirt from No Paparazzi Please, I was very excited to say the least.

A Little Bit about Shawna:

1. Please tell us a little bit about yourself.

Well, my name is Shawna, and I’m 28 years old. I’ve been married for about 2 ½ years to my husband whom I met on Yahoo personals. (Yes, I thought I was crazy too at first!) We had our first daughter Miss Raya Marie in May of 2009, and she is pretty much the funniest (and cutest of course) baby ever! My hobbies are shopping, scrapbooking, and most recently making children’s clothing.

2. What circumstances brought you to opening a shop and selling on Etsy?

The day I found out I was having a little girl I immediately went to the mall and bought her a onsie that said “Mommy and I love to shop!” From that moment on the child’s wardrobe grew exponentially, partly through my love of Etsy. Not too long ago my husband questioned whether I spent my entire paycheck on dressing our little diva, and that is when I came up with the idea of making a little extra money on the side so that I could continue buying adorable baby clothes without feeling guilty! I also wanted to help other moms dress their own little divas (and dudes) in cute and affordable custom clothing creations.

3. How did you choose the name of your shop?

Before heading out in public with my daughter I would often joke that she looked so darn cute that I would need to fight off the paparazzi. I also obsessively take pictures of her! I decided that all little ones should be able to look so cute that they’d have to learn how to say, “No paparazzi please!” when out and about, and from there my store name was born.

4. Where do you get your inspiration?

I get inspiration from many people. First and foremost my daughter inspires many of my designs, especially the girlie girl ones! I also enjoy doing personalized items, and that stems from my daughter having a unique name. It’s impossible to find anything store bought with her name on it, and I know that little ones just LOVE seeing their name on things. My husband also inspires some of my designs by giving me ideas of things he thinks would be cool, trying to add a little manliness and curb the hot pink flower explosion that might otherwise take place.

5. Apart from creating things, what do you do?

6. How did you feel when your first item sold

Actually I was shocked when my first item sold. Just from talking to others and doing my research I knew there was a lot of competition on Etsy, especially for children’s clothing. I was fully prepared for it to take days or even weeks before my first item sold, so when I had my first customer in just a couple hours of opening my store I nearly died! I had to make a supply run the following day, because I had sold so many items I needed more shirt sizes!

7. How long have you been selling on Etsy?

My store just opened in February of 2010.

8. Do you have a day job or is Etsy it for you?

I work full time outside of the home as a School Psychologist actually. By day I work with struggling learners, special education students, teachers, and parents helping to design academic and behavioral interventions. By night, after my daughter has been played with, fed, and tucked into bed I like to work on my clothing creations…often with a little American Idol or Grey’s Anatomy on in the background (my guilty pleasures).

9. Do you sell your products elsewhere, or only on Etsy?

No, before opening my Etsy shop I had only started making children’s clothing about two weeks prior! My only “customers” had been family and friends who gladly test drove some of my creations for me so that I could open my Etsy shop with a few designs under my belt. I received a lot of positive feedback from everyone and decided to jump right in to the world of Etsy!

10. What is your favorite item that you sell?

Boy, that’s a tough one. I think it might have to be the camo outfit with matching pants and tee. That one was inspired by my husband who is a hunting fanatic and convinced that he will never have a son, so he’s trying his hardest to win our daughter over and start her hunting early! I didn’t tell my husband though that I was going to girl up his camo design with hearts and a ribbon bow; he was a little disappointed that I hadn’t done a giant moose or deer head instead! I’ve since added a pink camo version to my shop as well, which my husband believes is sacrilegious. Camo isn’t real camo in his mind when it’s pink.

11. If you could give any advice to someone aspiring to sell on Etsy, what would it be?

I don’t really feel qualified to give anyone advice, with only a few weeks of Etsy selling under my belt! However I will say that I decided that if I was going to give Etsy a try I was going to go all out and really give it my best effort. I think that has really been a benefit to me. Not only do I feel a lot better knowing that I did my research beforehand and put a lot of though into my store concept, but I think that buyers can see when they visit my shop that I take my craft seriously. I work hard to make sure all of my buyers are happy customers and come back to see me again!

Quality aside, this is 1 of my favorite shirts because it is SO STICKIN CUTE! When I first opened the package, I showed my husband and my Emma saw it too. I said to him "look, it has Emma's name on it." Ever since then when she sees the shirt she says "look Emmy's name on it." She also calls it her paterpidder shirt. It makes me smile every time. As far as quality is concerned, I am very impressed. I was slightly intimidated because of the fact it was made with felt. I was nervous about messing it up when I washed it. After Emma wore it the first time, I had to spray the shirt with stain remover and was very worried about that. But, I sprayed it and turned it inside out. It came out clean and still in perfect condition. Since then, Emma has wore it several times (sometimes I can't get her out of it at bedtime) and it still looks good as new. Check her out...

We have had so many compliments on this shirt that I've lost count and I am definitely concerned with the Paparazzi HAHA.

Bet you want one, huh?

Head on over to No Paparazzi Please and pick out your favorite shirt. Shawna loves to do custom orders so just convo her with any questions.

Bet you would rather win one, huh?

Shawna is awesome and she is offering 1 Luvn Life reader the chance to win a $20 Gift Certificate to her shop.

Mandatory Entry:

You must be a follower of Luvn Life and then Visit No Paparazzi Please and tell me which design is your favorite.

Optional Entries:

~Heart Shawna's shop

~Subscribe to my blog

~Follow me on Twitter and tweet this giveaway(can be done daily): Enter to win a $20 Gift Certificate to No Paparazzi Please @luvnlifeOO http://tinyurl.com/26vug34

~Grab my new button (5 entries)

~Grab my Birthday Bash Button (1 entry unless you grabbed early then it is 5)

~Enter another giveaway on my blog (1 entry each)

~Blog about my giveaway with a link to the giveaway here and to No Paparazzi Please(5 separate entries if you blogged early, 1 if you blogged on or after July 1st)

~List my giveaway on a giveaway site or Mr. Linky and leave me the link (1 entry per listing)

~Make a purchase from No Paparazzi Please before the Giveaway is finished (10 entries)

Each entry needs to be a separate comment. Also, please leave a valid email address for me to contact you unless it is in your profile. The Little Sweetie Boutique giveaway will end at 11:59pm on July 27th, 2010. Winners will be chosen via randomorg.com and the winner has 48 respond and to send correct mailing information or I will draw another winner.

**I received the above stated product to review. No other compensation was received. Receiving the sample in no way influenced my statements in the review. The opinions expressed are my own and your opinions may differ.**

Little Sweetie Boutique Review and Giveaway

2010-07-06T00:06:00.005-04:00

Being a mom of 2 girls, and as I have said before, I am always on the lookout for unique clothing for my girls. I don't like when I take Emma to an event and see several children in the same outfit. However, I don't have the budget to spend on expensive clothing that she is going to outgrow by next month. However, my girls are totally different so saving clothing from Leya and using it for Emma is out of the question. Leya is not a girly girl and Emma is very much so a girly girl. Emma likes to be dressed in bright, fancy dresses, hair done, matching earrings and bracelets, and fancy shoes. WHEW! and she is only 2 so can't wait til she is a teenager. When putting together my Birthday Bash, I was given the chance to review a Pillowcase Dress from Little Sweetie Boutique.

Here is a bit about Laurie:

1. Please tell us a little bit about yourself. I've been married 19 yrs, have a 24 yr old son and 16 yr old daughter. Live in Texas. Love my family and my sewing business!

2.What circumstances brought you to opening a shop and selling on Etsy? I was a preschool teacher for 3 yr olds for many years and one day a little girl in my class wore a pillowcase dress to school. I knew I could easily make one and had seen similar ones at the mall so I decided to give it a try. I bought a pattern online, changed some things to make it my own, made my first Easter dress and listed it on eBay.

3. How did you choose the name of your shop? I think pillowcase dresses make a little girl look really sweet so I wanted the word "sweet" somehow in the shop name

4. Where do you get your inspiration? I LOVE fabric and coordinating them together!

5. Apart from creating things, what do you do? I cook, shop, watch tv and movies...kinda boring but I love to be at home! I love playing board games with my family and going shopping with my daughter.

6. How did you feel when your first item sold? very HAPPY

7. How long have you been selling on Etsy? almost 3 years

8. Do you have a day job or is Etsy it for you? I quit my preschool teaching job this school year to devote full time to the dresses, so Etsy is it!

9. Do you sell your products elsewhere, or only on Etsy? have a store on eBay too and working on an ecrater store

10. What is your favorite item that you sell? the pillowcase dress!

11. If you could give any advice to someone aspiring to sell on Etsy, what would it be?
Just do it! Start slow, offer great customer service and a quality product and people will buy from you!

I have seen pillowcase dresses in the past, but Laurie's pattern sets her shop above the competition. My mom used to wear these when she was younger and my grandmother had one put away. It concerned me that the neck of the dress had ribbon running through it. I feel that is a choking hazard. Laurie does use ribbon but she stitches the center of the ribbon so it doesn't move. Super great idea. The material she uses is very high quality and still looks brand new after several washings. Laurie also makes her dresses using as few seams as possible. I have seen some dresses with very obvious seams and I think that takes away from the dress. I have also noticed that some fabrics that are paired together, don't coordinate. However, I have searched Laurie's shop and have found nothing but beautiful fabrics and patterns.

Laurie's design and fabric definitely has Emma's approval. She wanted to sleep in her new dress tonight. Laurie has my approval for all these reasons in addition to her very affordable prices. You wont find deals like this anywhere else!

Bet you want one, huh?

Head on over to Little Sweetie Boutique and pick up your favorite pillowcase dress.

Bet you would rather win one, huh?

Laurie is offering 1 lucky Luvn Life reader the chance to win a $20 Gift Certificate to use in her shop.

Mandatory Entry:

You must be a follower of Luvn Life and then Visit Little Sweetie Boutique and tell me which dress is your favorite.

Optional Entries:

~Heart Laurie's shop

~Follow Laurie's Blog

~Subscribe to my blog

~Follow me on Twitter and tweet this giveaway(can be done daily): Enter to win a Boutique Styled Pillowcase Dress @luvnlifeOO http://tinyurl.com/337d85l

~Grab my new button (5 entries)

~Grab my Birthday Bash Button (1 entry unless you grabbed early then it is 5)

~Enter another giveaway on my blog (1 entry each)

~Blog about my giveaway with a link to the giveaway here and to Little Sweetie Boutique (5 separate entries if you blogged early, 1 if you blogged on or after July 1st)

~List my giveaway on a giveaway site or Mr. Linky and leave me the link (1 entry per listing)

~Make a purchase from Little Sweetie Boutique before the Giveaway is finished (10 entries)

Each entry needs to be a separate comment. Also, please leave a valid email address for me to contact you unless it is in your profile. The Little Sweetie Boutique giveaway will end at 11:59pm on July 25th, 2010. Winners will be chosen via randomorg.com and the winner has 48 respond and to send correct mailing information or I will draw another winner.

**I received the above stated product to review. No other compensation was received. Receiving the sample in no way influenced my statements in the review. The opinions expressed are my own and your opinions may differ.**

Turtle Soup Kids Review and Giveaway

2010-07-04T23:28:00.005-04:00

Being that I am a cloth diapering, coupon clipping mom, I have a hard time buying things that are absolutely necessary. So when summer time comes around, I just can't bring myself to buy the swimming diapers. I think that they are a complete and total waste of my money. So, I set out to find a bathing suit that had a built in cloth diaper. When I came across Turtle Soup Kids, I was very excited to try them out.

Here's a bit about Cortney:

My name is Cortney Kelleher, native to California. I am married to the love of my life on this earth, blessed with six beautiful children, two happy labs, and five naughty kitty-cats. Throughout my day, I am so blessed to be surrounded by my children. I love homemaking and in my quiet time, reading. I love to sketch, craft, create, and sew for my children and for others. My Art/Sewing room was always full of ideas and plans for different projects... just like TURTLE SOUP! A lot goes into the mix and the name suited my budding business. I started selling my Original Button Beanie back in 1983 styled after the Jughead beanie from Archie's comic. To my surprise, my beanie was a real success along the central coast of California. Plums for Children [San Luis Obispo] would purchase a dozen at a time. In recent times, the internet has become a real friend to Turtle Soup. Etsy is a wonderful way of making friends as well. I have been selling on Etsy only recently, but have been a member since 2008. I also have a home site, www.turtlesoupkids.com where I am able to market other items I specialize in. My most favorite product is my Lil' Swim Snapper & Teeny Weeny Bikini top. The inspiration for all my work comes from my family, but the real gift is from the Lord. Anyone aspiring to create a new business would find Etsy a wonderful starting point. Design something unique, wholesome and practical; Something of your very own that defines you.

The bikini top and Lil' Swim Snapper happen to be the cutest thing I've seen in a long time. Cortney offers many different patterns for you to choose from and is able to make them in the size you need. The lining inside the diaper provides a moisture barrier and soft microfiber layer that contains the waste. The Snapper can also double as a diaper cover.

Please pardon Ms. Grouch! She is going though a phase I guess and Hates her pic taken???

I love the fact that Emma has plenty of room to grow. The Snapper is on the smallest size so she has several inches of growing room. Also, the top is adjustable and she has plenty of room to grow in that too. I enjoyed that the strings on the top are somewhat stretchy so they don't dig into her neck. She wore her suit outside to play on the Slip 'n Slide and run in the sprinkler and I was very impressed that there was no drooping of the Snapper or rising of the top. The bottom does hold a bit more water than a regular suit but that is to be expected.

Cortney also offers Tankini suits that cover the belly, hats, leg warmers, diapers, diaper covers, and bibs/burp cloths. She welcomes custom orders at no extra charge and offers Free Shipping!!!

Bet you want one, huh?

Head on over to Turtle Soup Kids and pick up your favorite suit in your favorite print.

Bet you would rather win one, huh?

Cortney is offering 1 lucky Luvn Life reader the chance to win a bikini top and snapper set (from several pre-selected patterns)!

Mandatory Entry:

You must be a follower of Luvn Life and then go to Turtle Soup Kids and tell me your favorite piece.

Optional Entries:

~Heart Cortney's shop

~Friend Turtle Soup on Facebook

~Subscribe to my blog

~Follow me on Twitter and tweet this giveaway(can be done daily): Enter to win a child's Bathing Suit @luvnlifeOO http://tinyurl.com/22okbo9

~Grab my new button (5 entries)

~Grab my Birthday Bash Button (1 entry unless you grabbed early then it is 5)

~Enter another giveaway on my blog (1 entry each)

~Blog about my giveaway with a link to the giveaway here and to Turtle Soup(5 separate entries if you blogged early, 1 if you blogged on or after July 1st)

~List my giveaway on a giveaway site or Mr. Linky and leave me the link (1 entry per listing)

~Make a purchase from Turtle Soup before the Giveaway is finished (10 entries)

Each entry needs to be a separate comment. Also, please leave a valid email address for me to contact you unless it is in your profile. The Turtle Soup giveaway will end at 11:59pm on July 24th, 2010. Winners will be chosen via randomorg.com and the winner has 48 respond and to send correct mailing information or I will draw another winner.

**I received the above stated product to review. No other compensation was received. Receiving the sample in no way influenced my statements in the review. The opinions expressed are my own and your opinions may differ.**

Sassyfras Designz Review and Giveaway

2010-07-03T11:23:00.006-04:00

Having a toddler is a full time job. So many things that my Emma needs from her parents because she is just not able to do it herself. However, there are many activities that Emma tries hard to do on her own. Most of these, include her standing on unsafe items such as the toilet or a kitchen chair. I worry about her falling off of these and really getting hurt. This is why I was so excited to review a step stool from Sassyfras Designz.

Here is more about Kim:

Tell us a bit about yourself:

1- I am a full time artist, married to a very talented man who can build anything and is an awesome musician who plays keyboard and guitar, so music- especially praise and worship music is an important part of my life. I am mom to 3 sons,2 step sons and 2 step daughters and a new (very young of course!)grandmother! I love Jesus, my family and painting and my kids have always said I would paint anything that stands still long enough!

2-Although I have been painting and selling my work for may years, selling online is a new venture for me. I came across the Etsy site while searching for other hand made items and felt that it would be a good fit for my art as well. So I set up my shop with a few of my items and have loved it.

How did you choose the name of your shop?
3- Most of my recent work is art for children's spaces or whimsical and funky items for the home and garden. I feel that most of my art is a combination of sweet and sassy and I wanted a name that reflected that- so Sassyfras Designz was born!

Where do you find your inspiration?
4- I find inspiration in so many things but the young children in my life- grand child, nieces, nephews etc, often inspire me to create something whimsical and fun for their spaces.

Other than Etsy, what do you enjoy doing?
5- When I am not painting, I love to read, play games and cards with our family and friends, and going to the beach to just sit and listen to the wind and waves.
I love to decorate and my husband and I often have a project going on in our home or someone in our family's home. I also enjoy gardening on a small scale, so we usually plant a small garden and harvest and preserve the produce.

How did you feel when your first piece sold?
6- Since selling online was a new venture for me, I was a little nervous and anxious to see if my work would appeal to people online. So when my first piece sold, I was thrilled! Because there are so many wonderful artisans on Etsy and other online venues, I feel that for someone to choose to purchase my art is an honor.

How long have you been selling on Etsy?
7- I joined Etsy on June 30, 2009 so I have been selling on Etsy for almost a year.

Do you have a day job or is Etsy it for you? Do you only sell on Etsy or are their other places you sell?
8&9- I am a full time artist so painting and creating art is my day job- and sometimes my night job too!! I sell my work online through my Etsy shop and my website www.sassyfrasart.com and several online boutiques. I also sell retail through 2 shops close to my home and I wholesale to brick and mortar stores.

What is your favorite item in your store?
9- I enjoy painting different things so much it is difficult to say which is my favorite but I am really loving creating the growth charts I am painting right now. The possibilities are endless and knowing I am painting something people will keep and treasure for years is very satisfying.

What advice would you give to someone considering selling on Etsy?
10- My advice to anyone considering selling on Etsy would be- Just do it! There is so much available on Etsy to help sellers at every level- from beginner on up- I have learned and continue to learn so much from the great tutorials and forum posts and the other info on the site and would strongly encourage others to take advantage of these helps. In my opinion, Etsy has done many things right! As you can tell, I am a fan!

I really have enjoyed using the step stool for the past few weeks. Emma has begun to uses it very consistently instead of asking to be picked up or standing on an unsafe surface.

I can't begin to describe how beautiful Kim's work is. I sent her a picture of Emma's bed sheets and she was able to custom paint a beautiful step stool. The details are amazing and the colors and vibrant. The stool is very high quality. The base is somewhat wider than the top which decreases the chance that Emma could tilt the stool over. The stool is solid but not too heavy for her to pick up and carry where she needs it to be.

Not only can Kim design a step stool to match any decor, she also paints growth charts, birthday banners, wall art, and frames. Kim loves doing custom orders for the perfect piece so be as creative as you like.

Bet you want one, huh?

Head on over to Sassyfras Designz and let Kim design that perrfect piece for that perfect space.

Bet you would rather win one, huh?

Kim is offering 1 lucky Luvn Life reader the chance to win a $50 gift certificate to use for anything in her store!

Mandatory Entry:

You must be a follower of Luvn Life and then go to Sassyfras Designz and tell me your favorite piece.

Optional Entries:

~Heart Kim's shop

~Subscribe to my blog

~Follow me on Twitter and tweet this giveaway(can be done daily): Enter to win a $50 Gift Certificate to Sassyfras Designs @luvnlifeOO http://tinyurl.com/2d8qtdy

~Grab my new button (5 entries)

~Grab my Birthday Bash Button (1 entry unless you grabbed early then it is 5)

~Enter another giveaway on my blog (1 entry each)

~Blog about my giveaway with a link to the giveaway here and to Sassyfras Designz(5 separate entries if you blogged early, 1 if you blogged on or after July 1st)

~List my giveaway on a giveaway site or Mr. Linky and leave me the link (1 entry per listing)

~Make a purchase from Sassyfras Designs before the Giveaway is finished (10 entries)

Each entry needs to be a separate comment. Also, please leave a valid email address for me to contact you unless it is in your profile. The Sassyfras Designz giveaway will end at 11:59pm on July 23rd, 2010. Winners will be chosen via randomorg.com and the winner has 48 respond and to send correct mailing information or I will draw another winner.

**I received the above stated product to review. No other compensation was received. Receiving the sample in no way influenced my statements in the review. The opinions expressed are my own and your opinions may differ.**

Mama Runs with Scissors Review and Giveaway

2010-07-02T23:35:00.005-04:00

I know as a working mom of 3, life is far from simple. Many days it is just about survival. But when I come across items that make my life more simple, I am ecstatic. So being that I choose to cloth diaper and now am potty training, clothes are not convenient sometimes. However, with a crawling, rolling, jumping, running toddler, no pants are not an option. I found that Emma's knees were getting red and raw. So I was very excited when I had the chance to review the Onesie/Kool Kid Legs set from Mama Runs With Scissors.

The onesie was super cute and after several washings, it is holding up great. I love the Kool Kid Legs. They slip on to cover Emma's Legs but can also be worn on the arm under short sleeved shirts. Mix and match them to give your older child a very unique look. Kool kid legs can be made anywhere from 10-14inches depending on the size of your child and are made of 79% cotton, 20% polyester and 5% spandex.

I actually have other brands of Legs and after a few washings, they became piled. I have washed and worn these on Emma 8 times and they are in perfect shape. Hands down, the quality of this outfit is second to none.

I am have technical difficulties but will post Emma's picture tomorrow. Sorry!

Bet you want one, huh?

Head on over to MRWS and pick up your favorite Onesie/Kool Kid Legs Combo.

Bet you would rather win one, huh?

Jen is offering 1 Luvn Life reader the chance to win a Onesie/Kool Kid Legs set of their choice.

Mandatory Entry:

You must be a follower of Luvn Life and then go to MRWS and tell me your favorite piece.

Optional Entries:

~Heart MRWS shop

~Follow MRWS RSS Feed

~Subscribe to my blog

~Follow me on Twitter and tweet this giveaway(can be done daily): Enter to win a Onesie/Kool Kid Legs from Mama Runs with Scissors @luvnlifeOO http://tinyurl.com/26zwtg5

~Grab my new button (5 entries)

~Grab my Birthday Bash Button (1 entry unless you grabbed early then it is 5)

~Enter another giveaway on my blog (1 entry each)

~Blog about my giveaway with a link to the giveaway here and to MRWS(5 separate entries if you blogged early, 1 if you blogged on or after July 1st)

~List my giveaway on a giveaway site or Mr. Linky and leave me the link (1 entry per listing)

~Make a purchase from MRWS before the Giveaway is finished (10 entries)

Each entry needs to be a separate comment. Also, please leave a valid email address for me to contact you unless it is in your profile. The MRWS giveaway will end at 11:59pm on July 23rd, 2010. Winners will be chosen via randomorg.com and the winner has 48 respond and to send correct mailing information or I will draw another winner.

**I received the above stated product to review. No other compensation was received. Receiving the sample in no way influenced my statements in the review. The opinions expressed are my own and your opinions may differ.**

Mari Mac Kids Review and Giveaway

2010-07-02T00:36:00.001-04:00

Have a house full of girls, I understand how hard it is to find quality clothing that is age appropriate at a reasonable price. This makes it hard to find anything at all, much less something unique. So when I had the chance to review the Peasant Top and Ruffle Pants from Mari Mac, I was thrilled. The hardest thing I had to do was to pick out the colors! There are so many to choose from.

Here is a bit about Rachael:

1. Please tell us a little bit about yourself.
I am a Tarheel by location but a Bluegrass girl at heart! Mom to two wonderful children and married to my one and only for almost 10 years!! My sewing has really taken off in the past couple of years and I am blessed to say that I LOVE my job!

2. What circumstances brought you to opening a shop and selling on Etsy
So many customers and friends said that I should open a store on Etsy and after thinking about it for a while I dove in and it has been a wonderful experience! Etsy is what I wished the "real" world was like! If you have ever bought or sold on Etsy you know what I mean! :)

3. How did you choose the name of your shop?
My best girl friend from my childhood...her name is Mary McNair and we call her Mary Mac so with a little change in Mary there you have it MariMac! She is by the way still one of my very best friends!

4. Where do you get your inspiration?
I have been blessed with a daughter and it all started with making things for her...the orders came flooding in from there! She is my marketing department! :)

5. Apart from creating things, what do you do?
Hopefully my husband will read this!! I am the carpool service for the kids, the maid, the cook, household triage nurse, school volunteer, homework assistant, husband's calender keeper....the list goes on and on!

6. How did you feel when your first item sold
SO EXCITED!! If you know me you knew about my first Etsy sale!

7. How long have you been selling on Etsy?
About 5 months!

8. Do you have a day job or is Etsy it for you?
Etsy is IT! I will say though that local orders keep me busy enough for it to be my day and night job! Moms out there know that the term "day job" was created by a man anyways....moms don't have "day jobs" we just work until it is all done! MOMS ROCK!!!

9. Do you sell your products elsewhere, or only on Etsy?
Just Etsy and locally through home shows and private appointments!

10. What is your favorite item that you sell?
Hmmm....that is tough! I will have to go with the new Gracie P. top because it is new and it was born from one of my customers wanting some changes to the original peasant top so it was fun to create and is named after her daughter!

11. If you could give any advice to someone aspiring to sell on Etsy, what would it be?
Go for it!! Your success is based on your willingness to try..if you do not try you will never know what your possibilities are!

Rachael did an amazing job. My Emma is small for her size. At age 2 (in 11 days) she is still wearing some 12 and mostly 18 months clothes. However, she is really tall and has big feet. So, Rachael felt that making it to custom fit Emma was very important. It fits her perfect. Just FYI she wasn't very happy in the picture...

I love the fact that the shirt is long enough to wear as a dress with leggings and as she grows, the pants can be capris. The outfit is so versatile since it can be wore with leggings, jeans, or even a solid colored shirt. What I like best about this outfit is that I'm not going to see Emma's friend in the same outfit at our next play date. The outfit is almost as unique as my Emma.

Bet you want one, huh?

Head on over to Meri Mac and make your perfect outfit.

Bet you would rather win one, huh?

Rachael is so great that she is offering 1 lucky Luvn Life reader the chance to win the Gracie P. top in their choice of size.

Mandatory Entry:

You must be a follower of Luvn Life and then go to Mari Mac Kids and tell me your favorite piece.

Optional Entries:

~Heart Rachael's shop

~Follow Rachael's Blog

~Subscribe to my blog

~Follow me on Twitter and tweet this giveaway(can be done daily): Enter to win a Gracie P Top from Mari Mac Kids http://tinyurl.com/28q2g3j

~Follow Mari Mac on Facebook

~Grab my new button (5 entries)

~Grab my Birthday Bash Button (1 entry unless you grabbed early then it is 5)

~Enter another giveaway on my blog (1 entry each)

~Blog about my giveaway with a link to the giveaway here and to Mari Mac Kids(5 separate entries if you blogged early, 1 if you blogged on or after July 1st)

~List my giveaway on a giveaway site or Mr. Linky and leave me the link (1 entry per listing)

~Make a purchase from Mari Mac Kids before the Giveaway is finished (10 entries)

Each entry needs to be a separate comment. Also, please leave a valid email address for me to contact you unless it is in your profile. The Mari Mac Kids giveaway will end at 11:59pm on July 22nd, 2010. Winners will be chosen via randomorg.com and the winner has 48 respond and to send correct mailing information or I will draw another winner.

**I received the above stated product to review. No other compensation was received. Receiving the sample in no way influenced my statements in the review. The opinions expressed are my own and your opinions may differ.**

Homemade Building Blocks

2010-07-01T00:00:00.001-04:00

Today, parents worry about the materials used in their child's toys. So many items have been recalled due to lead paint or unsafe materials or choking hazards, that one can never be too careful. I was very excited to be able to work with Chris who owns Handmade Toy Building Blocks Etsy Shop.

Here is a bit about Chris and his Etsy shop:

A little bit about myself:

My name is Chris Howells. I was born and raised in Happy Valley, Oregon, a suburb of Portland. Our family business is Howells Custom Cabinets, which at one time employed nearly 40 workers. Currently we have about 9. I've been doing cabinetry for over 10 years. Between the years 2000 and 2007 I was also a volunteer youth pastor at my church in SE Portland, volunteering nearly 14,000 hours during those years.

I am currently in the process of changing careers. I am a reserve (volunteer) police officer for the city of Troutdale, Oregon, and I hope to one day be employed full time with the department.

I am most happily married. My wife and I have a two year old son who has taken over our lives...for the good! I am living the most blessed life imaginable!!

What circumstances brought you to opening a shop and selling on Etsy:

In September 2009 I made some toy building blocks for my son. After throwing them up on Cragislist and selling over 2 dozen sets during the holidays, I explored other Internet possibilities, and came to the conclusion that my product was a great fit on Etsy.

How did you choose the name of you shop:

My shops name is pretty lame...it is just what I sell, Solid Wood Toy Building Blocks.

Where did you get your inspiration:

My two year old son, Isaiah, is the inspiration behind this product.

Apart from creating things, what do you do:

Aside from creating things, working full time at our cabinet shop, and volunteering as a police officer for the city of Troutdale, Oregon, I love spending time with my family, wife and two year old son! I dabble a bit in photography. Just a side hobby of sorts. My faith is a big part of my life, and my wife and I are active members of our church and involved in many areas of ministry there.

How did you feel when your first item sold:

It felt great! Someone out there actually wanted my handmade item enough to fork out money for it! It gave me confidence in what I already believed, that I have a product that would be in demand if I could just put it out there in front of the eyes of the consumer.

How long have you been selling on Etsy:

Since January 2010

Do you have a day job or is Etsy it for you:

My day job is currently production manager of our custom cabinet business. One day I would like to go into law enforcement full time.

Do you sell your products elsewhere, or only on Etsy:

I sell locally on Craigslist. I also have my products in several small retailers here in the Portland area.

What is your favorite item that you sell:

While I love the 50 piece building block set, I would have to say that my favorite item are the domino blocks. Reminds me of the toys I played with as a child.

If you could give any advice to someone aspiring to sell on Etsy, what would it be?

Do it for the fun of it, not the money. When the money starts coming it makes it just that much more enjoyable.

Treat every customer as you would want to be treated. A happy customer will refer you to friends and family. I had one customer that I went above and beyond for to ensure that they were fully satisfied with my product...and she was. I recently got a message from her telling me that she came across someone in the forums looking for a gift idea for a three year old. She told me in the message that she referred this person to my shop.

Spend time in the forums. Have you shop critiqued. Take criticism well and in stride. Learn from others. BE PATIENT!!

I was truly excited that Chris makes all of his blocks handmade! No splinters!! And they are all made from recycled wood. Chris does not use any paint, stain or varnish that could contain toxins that are harmful for children to put in their mouths. In the set I received, there were 50 pieces in 6 different sizes. They also came in a bucket with a lid for easy storage and transportation. Emma loves these blocks and they go everywhere with us. These have become one of Emma's favorite toys.

Bet you want some, huh?

Head on over to Homemade Toy Building Blocks and pick up a set for yourself.

Bet you would rather win some, huh?

Chris has offered 1 lucky Luvn Life reader the chance to win a set of blocks of their own.

Mandatory Entry:

You must be a follower of Luvn Life and then go to Homemade Toy Building Blocks and tell me what your favorite feature of the blocks is.

Optional Entries:

~Heart Chris's shop

~Subscribe to my blog

~Follow me on Twitter and tweet this giveaway(can be done daily): Enter to win a set of Homemade Building Blocks @luvnlifeOO http://tinyurl.com/23u4bk6

~Grab my new button (5 entries)

~Grab my Birthday Bash Button (1 entry unless you grabbed early then it is 5)

~Enter another giveaway on my blog (1 entry each)

~Blog about my giveaway with a link to the giveaway here and to Homemade Toy Building Blocks(5 separate entries if you blogged early, 1 if you blogged on or after July 1st)

~List my giveaway on a giveaway site or Mr. Linky and leave me the link (1 entry per listing)

~Make a purchase from Homemade Toy Building Blocks before the Giveaway is finished (10 entries)

Each entry needs to be a separate comment. Also, please leave a valid email address for me to contact you unless it is in your profile. The Homemade Toy Building Blocks giveaway will end at 11:59pm on July 21st, 2010. Winners will be chosen via randomorg.com and the winner has 48 respond and to send correct mailing information or I will draw another winner.

**I received the above stated product to review. No other compensation was received. Receiving the sample in no way influenced my statements in the review. The opinions expressed are my own and your opinions may differ.**

Birthday Bash starts tonight!

2010-06-30T21:47:00.002-04:00

Wow! I can't beleive it is July already. My Emma will be 2 in just 12 days. I have been working really hard on bringing you a huge Birthday Bash with Reviews and Giveaways galore!

I know I have been absent lately and have some housekeeping issues to do on my blog. But I recently lost my computer and all the files on when it crashed and life just hasn't been the same. So, stick with me as I catch up but the first review will go live at midnight. So to earn 10 extra entries, post my button on your blog (5) and blog (5) and then come back and comment with the link so I can take a look.

Hope you enjoy all the Reviews and Giveaways!

Birthday Bash

2010-06-06T17:26:00.000-04:00

Guess What? My Emma is turning 2 in July! I am so excited to be able to share this with all my wonderful followers. In celebration of this special time, I will be hosting her Birthday Bash. I will be posting 31+ reviews/giveaways during this time. Almost all of these reviews are Etsy shops and a few WAHM that aren't on Etsy. I will be posting a list of all my sponsers later this week, but for now you can earn 10 extra entries by posting my button (5) and blogging (5). Leave a comment that you did on this post. Can't wait for this event...its going to be a big one!

Seventh Generation Disinfecting Kit Review and Giveaway

2010-05-29T18:06:00.001-04:00

Last year, my family and I began our transformation to living Green. In this process, I was given the chance to review Seventh Generation's line of cleaning products. You can read that review here.

Needless to say that I loved their products and I am still using Seventh Generation in my home daily. I was thrilled to learn that Seventh Generation has a brand new line of Disinfecting products that include Disinfecting Wipes, Disinfecting Multi-Purpose Cleaner, and Disinfecting Bathroom Cleaner. I was very excited when Seventh Generation allowed me to review this new line.

Since using these products, I have never forgot Seventh Generation's motto: "In our every deliberation, we must consider the impact of our decisions on the next seven generations."

Seventh Generation's Focus:

Restore the Environment
Restore is the next reduce, reuse, recycle. We are working to ensure that our products have a circular lifecycle, meaning natural resources are being used and renewed at a rate that is always below their rate of depletion.

Systems Thinking
As suggested by The Great Law of the Iroquois, we strive to act with the knowledge that our business belongs to a larger system in which everything is interconnected, and that everything we do affects everything else.

Radical Transparency
Our focus is to inspire thoughtful consideration of each purchase—from the immediate impact of the products you buy (Is it safe? Is it gentle on the earth? Does it work?), to the broader impact throughout their lifecycle.

Inspire Conscious Consumption

We believe that the best way to ensure that we live up to our aspirations is to be completely transparent about our business and product practices. You should expect to see all of our values and principles in everything we make, say, and do. It’s really that simple.

Influence Beyond Our Size
We’re committed to making sure that everyone our company interacts with—from the farmers who grow our lavender to the customers who use our products—are treated fairly and with respect.

Create a Just and Equitable World

We are determined to inspire others through innovation, education, and interaction. We proudly donate 10% of our profits to support organizations that work for positive change.

In addition to all this, you can also see all the ingredients in every product here. The ingredients in the Disinfectant line are too all natural. Using the disinfecting power found in thyme, Seventh Generation has produced a product that kills germs naturally and is safe for our families. As a matter of a fact, they kill over 99.99 percent of germs naturally and are effective against the Influenza A Virus, including H1N1, on all surfaces.

I have jumped right in on my Spring Cleaning using my Seventh Generation Disinfecting products. My favorite is the wipes. They are so convenient and easy to use. Best of all, there are no strong smells or any reside left behind.

Bet you want some, huh?

Head on over to Seventh Generation to find out where you can purchase all of the Seventh Generation line.

Bet you would rather win one, huh?

1 lucky Luvn Life winner has the chance to win the same set that I reviewed!

Mandatory Entry:

First you must be a follower of my blog and then head on over to Seventh Generation and tell me something that you learned.

Optional Entries:

~Subscribe to my blog

~Follow me on Twitter and tweet this giveaway with a link Copy and Paste: Enter to win Seventh Generation Disinfecting Kit @luvnlife http://tinyurl.com/2dqe25q (1 entry per day)

~Follow Seventh Generation on Twitter

~Follow Seventh Generation on Facebook

~Sign up for Seventh Generation's Newsletter

~Grab my new button (5 entries)

~Enter another giveaway on my blog (1 entry each)

~Blog about my giveaway with a link to the giveaway here and to Seventh Generation (5 separate entries)

~List my giveaway on a giveaway site or Mr. Linky and leave me the link (1 entry per listing)

Each entry needs to be a separate comment. Also, please leave a valid email address for me to contact you unless it is in your profile. The Seventh Generation giveaway will end at 11:59pm on June 19th, 2010. Winners will be chosen via randomorg.com and the winner has 48 respond and to send correct mailing information or I will draw another winner.

**I received the above stated product to review. No other compensation was received. Receiving the sample in no way influenced my statements in the review. The opinions expressed are my own and your opinions may differ.**

Ouchies Bandages Review and Giveaway

2010-05-26T01:11:00.006-04:00

Luvn Life is approaching it's 1 year anniversary in June. I remember my very first review and giveaway. Ouchies Bandages was the first brave company to take a chance on my little ol' blog. You can read the review here. Well, 1 year and many reviews later, I am honored to be able to review Ouchies again.

I have continued to use Ouchies and we have no other bandages in our home. My children are very accident prone and we use quite a bit of bandages. My children won't wear anything but Ouchies. They love the Teenage designs and the Make Your Own styles. However, these were too old for my 2 year old. She enjoys character bandages. So I was thrilled to learn that Ouchies has expanded their selection to include Oliva and Trucktown designs. Emma loves them.

Now Emma is just a possessive over her "bannade" as my older children are. Something about Oliva helps Emma's boo boo feel better. I love that the adhesive is strong and sticks well but doesn't leave redness or irritation on her skin when we remove the bandage.

Our household is sold on Ouchies and will never use the boring band aids again.

Bet you want some huh?

You can head over to Ouchies and purchase your favorite designs for $5.00 each.

Bet you would rather win some, huh?

The wonderful people at Ouchies has offered 1 lucky Luvn Life reader the chance to win 2 tins of bandages in their favorite design.

Mandatory Entry:

You must be a follower of Luvn Life and then head on over to Ouchies and tell me your favorite design.

Optional Entries:

~Subscribe to my blog

~Follow me on Twitter and tweet this giveaway using: Tired of boring Band Aids? Enter to win 2 Ouchies bandage tins @luvnlifeOO http://tinyurl.com/2d79adz

~Grab my NEW button (5 entries)

~Enter 1 of my other giveaways (1 entry each)

~Head on over to Growing A Baby in Seattle and enter any of her giveaways (1 entry per GA)

~Blog about this giveaway and link it to Ouchies and Luvn Life (5 entries)~Enter this giveaway in a linky and leave link in a comment (1 per linky)

Each entry needs to be a separate comment. Also, please leave a valid email address for me to contact you unless it is in your profile. The Ouchies giveaway will end at 11:59pm on June 17th, 2010. Winners will be chosen via randomorg.com and the winner has 48 respond and to send correct mailing information or I will draw another winner.

**I received the above stated product to review. No other compensation was received. Receiving the sample in no way influenced my statements in the review. The opinions expressed are my own and your opinions may differ.**

Smelly Towel Review and Giveaway

2010-05-26T00:21:00.003-04:00

For over a year now, I have struggled with my towels smelling sour. One time, long ago, I forgot my towels in the washer too long. Ever since then, I have struggled with them smelling sour. So when I was contacted to review Smelly Towel, I jumped on the chance.

I have since learned quite a bit about why towels and clothes smell.

Overuse of detergents, using fabric softener and/or using only low water temperatures for washing will cause odor in your washer. The odor-causing residue and mold spores are transferred to towels and clothing and are impossible to remove until the washer has been cleaned. This was next to impossible to do, by the way. I bleached my washer using the hot cycle several times without results before I used Smelly Towel.

Smelly Towel was very easy to use. Fill your washer with HOT water, a full cap of Smelly Towel and then add your towels or clothing. Do not use detergent. Sometimes, if the smell is extreme, you might need to soak them for up to 2 hours.

I ended up washing all the clothing and towels in my home just to be sure I got rid of all the mold and mildew. Since then I have had no problem with any smells. I am very pleased with the fresh and clean smell that Smelly Towel leaves behind. I do continue to use Smelly Towel with all my towels. Also I have reduced the amount of detergent that I use and I am also using hot water in these loads.

Bet you want some huh?

Head on over to Smelly Towel and purchase your bottle for $16.99.

Bet you would rather win some, huh?

The wonderful people at Smelly Towel are offering 1 lucky Luvn Life reader the chance to win a full size bottle of Smelly Towel.

Mandatory Entry:

You must be a follower of Luvn Life and then head on over to Smelly Towel and tell me something that you learned.

Optional Entries:

~Subscribe to my blog
~Follow me on Twitter and tweet this giveaway using: Smelly Towels?Enter to win Smelly Towel Cleaner @luvnlifeOO http://tinyurl.com/2e5baak
~Grab my NEW button (5 entries)
~Enter 1 of my other giveaways (1 entry each)
~Head on over to Growing A Baby in Seattle and enter any of her giveaways (1 entry per GA)
~Blog about this giveaway and link it to Smelly Towel and Luvn Life (5 entries)
~Enter this giveaway in a linky and leave link in a comment (1 per linky)

Each entry needs to be a separate comment. Also, please leave a valid email address for me to contact you unless it is in your profile. The Smelly Towel giveaway will end at 11:59pm on June 16th, 2010. Winners will be chosen via randomorg.com and the winner has 48 respond and to send correct mailing information or I will draw another winner.

Black Diamond Top Spot Cleaner Review and Giveaway

2010-05-25T23:16:00.001-04:00

Awhile back, I posted about Black Diamond WOW! Wood and Laminate Floor Cleaner here.

I was recently contacted by Black Diamond again to review their product Top Spot carpet and upholstery cleaner. I was very pleased with the floor cleaner and felt confident that the Top Spot would yield equal satisfaction. However, my carpets are bad! They are almost white and I have 3 kids a husband...Need I say more?

I have used several products on this 1 spot and have not been able to get it up. I have no idea what it is except that it is stubborn.

I vacuumed first. Then I sprayed the cleaner on the spot, waited 1 minute, agitated it with a cloth and then dabbed several times. Voila! It is gone. It really doesn't even look like my carpet...in that spot anyway.

Here's some information from the website:

~Quickly removes spots & stains
~Leaves no chemical residue
~While it cleans, it adds a protective coating that resists re-soiling & food stains
~Perfect for cleaning house carpet, area rugs, cloth sofas and chairs, automotive carpet, cloth car upholstery, and all colorfast carpets & upholstery.

I loved that it dried quickly, leaving behind no smell or residue. It has the ability to reach even the deepest of stains. So, as I was with the Floor System, I am sold. I just wish they sold Top Spot in large quantities. I will need it!

Bet you want some, huh?

Head on over to Black Diamond and purchase your own supply of Top Spot.

Bet you would rather win some, huh?

Black Diamond has offered 1 Luvn Life reader the chance to win their own supply of Top Spot.

Mandatory Entry:

Head on over to Black Diamond and tell me 1 other product that you would love to try.

~Subscribe to my blog

~Follow me on Twitter and tweet this giveaway using: Got a tough spot?Enter to win Top Spot from Black Diamond @luvnlifeOO http://tinyurl.com/24dmroc

~Follow Black Diamond on Twitter

~Follow Black Diamond on Facebook

~Grab my NEW button (5 entries)

~Enter 1 of my other giveaways (1 entry each)

~Head on over to Growing A Baby in Seattle and enter any of her giveaways (1 entry per GA)

~Blog about this giveaway and link it to Black Diamond and Luvn Life (5 entries)

~Enter this giveaway in a linky and leave link in a comment (1 per linky)

Each entry needs to be a separate comment. Also, please leave a valid email address for me to contact you unless it is in your profile. The Black Diamond giveaway will end at 11:59pm on June 15th, 2010. Winners will be chosen via randomorg.com and the winner has 48 respond and to send correct mailing information or I will draw another winner.

Winners, Winners, Winners

2010-05-16T09:39:00.002-04:00

I am so sorry that I have been so behind on these. Im still trying to get back in my groove. Thanks for being patient with me.

Flexi 8 Hair Clips~simplymerry said...
7
button #1simplymerry.wordpress.comsimplymerry at gmail dot com
April 21, 2010 3:56 AM

ImagiPlay~Katrina said...
22
I entered the knickernappies giveaway
April 23, 2010 2:45 PM

Yoplait Greek Goddess Package~trixx said...
102
Every few weeks I get my nails done. It's my one little splurge!
May 14, 2010 11:33 PM

Creatvity for Kids~anthy said... 65
I have your button on my sidebar here (entry #3): http://lolmybloglol.blogspot.com/anthy_stl [ATT] yahoo [DOTT] com
May 2, 2010 3:19 PM

Yoplait Simply...Go GurtMummatutu said... 45
blogged here http://galsathms.blogspot.com/2010/04/simply-go-gurt-yoplait-prize-pack-512.htmlmumma905708 at gmail dot comentry 3
April 24, 2010 12:09 AM

Congrats To all my winners. Please email with your information within 24 hours or I will have to draw another winner.

Sunday Giveaway Link Up

2010-05-09T09:11:00.001-04:00

Its been a long time since I've posted a linky and boy I miss entering everyone's giveaways. So please link up and Ill enter. And while your here, enter my current giveaways.

Zestra Rush Review and Giveaway

2010-05-09T00:00:00.000-04:00

~My blog is always G Rated. However, I felt that this product is more PG13. Caution is advised~

With day to day life that includes kids, house, school, my blog and working a full time job on an opposite schedule as my husband, the bedroom doesn't see much action. I find myself telling my husband no more often than not.

When I had the opportunity to review Zestra Rush, due to my involvement with TwitterMoms, I was very excited. This product stated that it would increase a woman's desire to be intimate. This happens to be my main issue. I'm so tired at the end of the day, I would rather die than be intimate sometimes.

A bit about Zestra:

Zestra is a safe, patented blend of botanicals oils and extracts, created to help women feel more — effortlessly. Topically applied Zestra works within minutes by heightening your sensitivity to touch – for deep, pleasurable sensations, sexual satisfaction and fulfillment.

I received the samples in a very discreet package which is nice. Who wants the mailman to know all your business?

I was leery of using this product because honestly nothing has worked for me in the past. But boy I was wrong. The package states that some women will use a pack and some will use more or less. The 1 pack was great for me. After about 5 minutes, I felt a great tingling feeling. Every touch and motion after that was heightened. I have to say that this product increased my desire but also increased the levels of achievement over and over (if you know what I mean!!)

I have heard that some people don't enjoy the smell but it didn't bother us. There was no sticky feelings afterwards either. It wore off after about an hour which was a nice time frame. On the Zestra website, you can try it for FREE and only pay shipping. Also, Zestra has a money back guarantee so you have nothing to lose and everything to gain.

Bet you want some, huh?

Head on over to Zestra and try it for yourself.

Bet you would rather win some, huh?

3 Luvn Life readers have the chance to win a 2 pack of Zestra.

Mandatory Entry:

You must be a Luvn Life reader and then head over to Zestra and tell me something that you learned.

Optional Entries:

Subscribe to my my blog (current subscribers count)

Follow me on Twitter and tweet this giveaway using: Need some spice in your marriage? Enter to Win a 2 pack of Zestra @luvnlifeOO

Grab my NEW button (5 entries)

Enter 1 of my other giveaways (1 entry each)

Head on over to Growing A Baby in Seattle and enter any of her giveaways (1 entry per GA)

Blog about this giveaway and link it to Scrubz and Luvn Life (5 entries)

Enter this giveaway in a linky and leave link in a comment (1 per linky)

Each entry needs to be a separate comment. Also, please leave a valid email address for me to contact you unless it is in your profile. The Zestra giveaway will end at 11:59pm on May 30th, 2010. Winners will be chosen via randomorg.com and the winner has 48 respond and to send correct mailing information or I will draw another winner.

Scrubz Body Scrub Review and Giveaway

2010-05-08T11:34:00.004-04:00

I love any and all bath and body products! I recently learned about Scrubz all natural sugar body scrub and knew I had to try it out! The hardest part was picking from their huge selection of scents.

Scrubz Mission Statement:

The mission for Scrubz Body Scrub, Inc. is to bring top quality, natural, yet affordably priced skin care treatments to people of all ages and skin types. Our goals include teaching our customers the best ways to protect and take care of the largest organ in his/her body, the skin.

I had the opportunity to review the Ginger Teaze. I was so excited to try it because Ginger has so many wonderful benefits to it. I love the smooth skin feeling after you exfoliate but the best feeling ever is using it on your feet. After you use the product, the remaining oils on your skin are used as a moisturiser. You can use it for body scrub/cleanser, facial scrub, pre-shave/shaving oil, and moisturizer. My skin felt and smelt wonderful afterwards. Click here to see the oils that are in each Scrubz.

The Scrubz are available in 4oz and 16 oz sizes. They also come with a scoop and both items are packaged in a cute reusable mesh bag. These are perfect for gift giving with no extra work involved.

Scrubz is not just for women! They offer a mens line that is safe to use on the face and preps the hair for shaving. It lifts the hair follicle, exfoliates the skin, and prepares the skin for a super close shave.

There is also a children's line called Scrubblez in the Cotton Candy Scent. This product is triple whipped for a super gentle clean that leaves the skin soft and moisturized. The best part? Each Scrubblez comes packaged with a Rubber Ducky!!

Bet you want some, huh?

Scrubz also offers moisturizers, body butters and massaging oils. These products are also offered in gift baskets, great for any occasion. Hop on over there and pick up items for all of your gift giving needs.

Bet you would rather win some, huh?

Scrubz is offering 2 (two) Luvn Life readers the chance to a $20 Gift Certificate (shipping not included)

Mandatory Entry:

First you must be a follower of my blog and then

Head on over to Scrubz and tell me your favorite scent.

**Open to US/Canada. All entries that do not meet the mandatory entry will not be eligible to win.**

Also, by entering you are giving Scrubz permission to send you a 15% off coupon via email at the close of the giveaway.

Optional Entries:

Subscribe to my my blog (current subscribers count)

Follow me on Twitter and tweet this giveaway using @luvnlife in the tweet

Become a Facebook Fan of Scrubz (1 Entry)

Follow Scrubz on Twitter (1 Entry)

Join Scrubz Newsletter located on bottom left corner (2 Entries)

Grab my NEW button (5 entries)

Enter 1 of my other giveaways (1 entry each)

Head on over to Growing A Baby in Seattle and enter any of her giveaways (1 entry per GA)

Blog about this giveaway and link it to Scrubz and Luvn Life (5 entries)

Enter this giveaway in a linky and leave link in a comment (1 per linky)

Each entry needs to be a separate comment. Also, please leave a valid email address for me to contact you unless it is in your profile. The Scrubz giveaway will end at 11:59pm on May 29th, 2010. Winners will be chosen via randomorg.com and the winner has 48 respond and to send correct mailing information or I will draw another winner.

A Bunch Of Winners

2010-05-07T10:13:00.002-04:00

Tommee Tippee:

Katrina said... 93
I like the super sipper. =)
March 31, 2010 5:06 PM

Scandle Candle

Jennifer H said... 30
ent Snorg tees-Jenprincess88 at aol dot com
March 23, 2010 5:41 PM

Snorg Tee:

trixx said... 64
I'm a follower
March 24, 2010 10:49 PM

CSN Melissa and Doug Set:

Carrie said... 6
#4 I have your new button up at http://www.growingababyreviews.com

Rockin Green:

MommyMonkey said...84
Tweet http://twitter.com/MSU_MOM_TO_2/status/12575721595sully_debbie11 at msn dot com

Preston's Pants:

skgaff said... 136
I entered the rockin green giveawayglass.stephanie(at)gmail(dot)com

Kissaluvs:

simplymerry said... 105
blogged early #1http://simplymerry.wordpress.com/2010/03/26/cloth-diaper-event-at-luvn-life/simplymerry at gmail dot com

KnickerNappie Diaper:

MommyMonkey said... 28
Have your new button on my blog, entry 4 http://proudestmonkeymommy.blogspot.com/p/links.htmlsully_debbie11 at msn dot com

Whew! That was a lot. Im sorry that I havent been around much but that was a much needed vacation to the beach. Im back now with lots of reveiws/giveaways going live very soon.

Ok Ladies! If you won, email me your info. I will give you 48 hours to get back to me before I draw another winner.

SodaStream Review and Giveaway

2010-05-05T22:35:00.003-04:00

My family and I drink a lot of beverages. A good portion of those beverages happen to be soda. So, I was thrilled when I had the chance to review the SodaStream machine.

About SodaStream

SodaStream soda makers are fashionable, fun, sleek and easy to use! SodaStream offers a wide variety of styles and colors to match any kitchen decor. All SodaStream models allow you to prepare great-tasting, fresh, fizzy beverages precisely to your taste - with no bottles, cans, electricity...and no clean-up.

SodaStream sent our family the black Fountain Jet Starter Set along with 10 soda flavors.

Everyone in my family drinks Coke and Diet Coke except for me. I like Mt Dew. My husband and kids said that they really liked the Coke. SodaStream makes their own version of Mt. Dew but I did not receive that one. My favorite flavors were the Orange Mango and Ginger Ale. They taste wonderful.

Making the soda couldn't be easier:

Fill the bottle with tap water and refrigerate until chilled

Screw the bottle into the machine

Press the CO2 button until you hear 3 loud buzzes

Unscrew the bottle slowly

Add your favorite flavor,

Gently shake until mix...and Enjoy!

Altogether it takes about 5 minutes or less to make a great soda.

The bottles are 1 liter in size and are very durable and reusable. My math calculated that 1 SodaStream bottle costs less than .25. That is a huge savings compared to $1.75 or so when you buy one at the store. There is no waste so it is much better for the environment. SodaStream sodas are also healthier for you with less calories. carbs and sugar than the store bought sodas.

I love my SodaStream machine and would recommend this machine to anyone who enjoys drinking soda.

Bet you want one huh?

Head on over to SodaStream and pick out your favorite model and flavors.

Bet you would rather win one, huh?

SodaStream is offering 1 lucky Luvn Life reader the chance to win SodaStream is giving one of my reader their Fountain Jet Soda Lover's Start-Up Kit that includes the winner's choice of black/silver, white or red/silver Fountain Jet, CO2 tank, 2 reusable carbonating bottles, a sample pack of flavors, and 3 full-sized flavors of the winner's choice.

First you must be a follower of Luvn Life and then head on over to SodaStream and tell me your favorite flavor.

Optional Entries:

Subscribe to my my blog (current subscribers count)

Follow me on Twitter and tweet this giveaway using @luvnlife in the tweet

Follow SodaStream on Twitter

Like SodaStream on Facebook

Grab my NEW button (5 entries)

Enter 1 of my other giveaways (1 entry each)

Head on over to Growing A Baby in Seattle and enter any of her giveaways (1 entry per GA)

Blog about this giveaway and link it to SodaStream and Luvn Life (5 entries)

Enter this giveaway in a linky and leave link in a comment (1 per linky)

Each entry needs to be a separate comment. Also, please leave a valid email address for me to contact you unless it is in your profile. The SodaStream giveaway will end at 11:59pm on May 26th, 2010. Winners will be chosen via randomorg.com and the winner has 48 respond and to send correct mailing information or I will draw another winner.

Another Winner!

2010-04-29T02:05:00.002-04:00

The Rockin Green Winner~

Sarah said... 69

I would love to try Baby Powder!
girottih@yahoo.com

April 14, 2010 11:46 AM

Congrats! Please email me within 48 hours to claim your prize.

I am taking a small vacation until Sunday. I will attempt to draw winners while Im there but no promises. I do promise however to post winners on Sunday evening.

Winners!

2010-04-27T21:38:00.002-04:00

I want to thank everyone who has entered and tweeted the diaper giveaways! I have the first round of winners.

Best Bottom Diaper~

Misfit Momma aka Missy said... 100
I have your button in my blog #2: http://misfitmomma.blogspot.com

Fuzzi Bunz Diaper~

SCMOMOF2BOYS said... 151
I would pick the orange one and I follow your blog.

Tiny Tush~

Misfit Momma aka Missy said... 200
tweet http://twitter.com/Missy_wpg/status/12069959490

Charlie's Soap~

Sarah Osborne said... 131
I entered Grandloving @ Gabis!

EcaWare~

Katrina said... 20
I blogged early! http://mrsjuicebox.blogspot.com/2010/03/cloth-diaper-event.html#5

Thanks again for all the great support. There are still several giveaways that are live and I still have 2 diapers to post that were shipped late. Stay tuned for those. Please email me within 48 hours or I will draw another winner.

Awesome Giveaway Alert!

2010-04-23T08:31:00.002-04:00

Laura at The Ethertons is putting together a 2nd Birthday Bash for her son, Shane. Is will be posting an awesome giveaway...

Neat huh? So head on over to The Ethertons be on the lookout for chance to enter this great giveaway! Good Luck!

Friday Follow

2010-04-23T00:11:00.004-04:00

I just love meeting all the new bloggers out there. Have a great weekend!

Welcome to the April 16 Friday Follow celebration hosted by One 2 Try, Hearts Make Families and Midday Escapades! We invite you to join us every Friday to get more blog followers and to follow other interesting blogs. It is all about sharing and having fun.

Here’s how YOU can join the Friday Follow celebration:
Link up your blog name and URL using the MckLinky below. Only need to add on one blog to be seen on all the blog hops.
Grab the Friday Follow button and include on your Friday Follow blog post.
Follow the Friday Follow hostesses listed in the first 3 slots.
Follow as many other blogs on the linky as you’d like.
Take a moment to comment on the blogs telling them you’re from Friday Follow.
Follow back when you get a new follower through Friday Follow.

This list is new each week. The links do not carry over. Please link up each week for new participants to find your blogs. The list is only open to add your blog links on Fridays. It will be visible all week to visit the blogs listed.

ImagiPlay Review and Giveaway

2010-04-23T00:00:00.000-04:00

As a mom of 3 children, I have seen, bought and thrown away my fair share of toys. My children range in age from 9-1 so the variety of toys in home has to wide. With my first two children, I didn't consider the harmful chemicals that were in toys because there wasn't much ever said about that kind of stuff. This day and age, all you hear about is the harmful chemicals that are in everything from toys to sippy cups so parents have to beware of what they buy and allow their children to play with.

With my 3rd child, I have been very careful to encourage her imagination beyond the TV and battery powered toys. I want her to learn how to play because most kids don't have any idea how to do that anymore. At only 21 months old, I have found her playing quitely in her room with a puzzle or a book. She already understands the idea of play.

When I had the chance to review the 3 Ducks Puzzle from ImagiPlay, I was so excited. She love puzzles so this would be a great product for us to review. This companys motto is "Toys with Intergrity." I was very impressed with this. You can go here to read about how ImagiPlay was born.

First, Emma's favorite animal is a duck! She calls it a quack quack. When I opened the box, Emma squealed in delight just because it was a duck. Once I showed her what to do with them, she went to town. It took several tries and I had to model it to her several times but she got. After playing for awhile, Emma asked to put the quack quacks in the bath tub : ) After playing, these ducks will stand in an upright position as a decoration on her dresser.

I am very happy with ImagiPlay. They offer toys that are made from rubberwood, hand painted with Lead free paint, and are all natural and non toxic.

Bet you want one, huh?

Head on over to ImagiPlay and check out the huge line of all natural toys that they have to offer.

Bet you would rather win one, huh?

ImagiPlay has offered 1 lucky Luvn Life reader the chance to win the same set I reviewed.

Mandatory Entry:

First you must be a follower of Luvn Life and then head on over to ImagiPlay and tell me another toy you would love to have for your child.

Optional Entries:

Subscribe to my my blog (current subscribers count)

Follow me on Twitter and tweet this giveaway using @luvnlife in the tweet

Grab my NEW button (5 entries)

Enter 1 of my other giveaways (1 entry each)

Head on over to Growing A Baby in Seattle and enter any of her giveaways (1 entry per GA)

Blog about this giveaway and link it to ImagiPlay and Luvn Life (5 entries)

Enter this giveaway in a linky and leave link in a comment (1 per linky)

Each entry needs to be a separate comment. Also, please leave a valid email address for me to contact you unless it is in your profile. The ImagiPlay giveaway will end at 11:59pm on May 13th, 2010. Winners will be chosen via randomorg.com and the winner has 48 respond and to send correct mailing information or I will draw another winner.

Yoplait Greek Yogurt Review and Giveaway

2010-04-22T02:02:00.004-04:00

I recently was given the opportunity by My Blog Spark and Yoplait to review the new Yoplait Greek Yogurt. Yoplait has teamed up actress Izabella Miko, who plays Greek Goddess Athena in Warner Bros. Pictures´ and Legendary Pictures´ film new epic feature film "Clash of the Titans," to encourage women to nourish our inner goddess.

In addition to 2 coupons for my choice of Greek Yogurt flavors, I was also sent a robe, slippers, loofah, hand held massager and other spa items that I can use to pamper myself.

The new Greek Yogurt is available in Strawberry, Blueberry, Honey Vanilla and Plain and offers 12 grams of Protein-twice the amount of leading companies. I chose to review the Blueberry and the Honey Vanilla. I have to say that this was definitely a different experience for me. This yogurt is much thicker than any other yogurt that I have ever tried. The flavor was not as powerful as other yogurts but I enjoyed the Blueberry very much. The Honey Vanilla was not my favorite but next time I will add some fresh fruit to boost the flavor. My toddler loved it which is an accomplishment. She is very picky so I feel good about that.

My husband stole my robe before I got a chance to use it and reported that it was wonderful. The remaining spa products worked wonderfully and made me feel like a Goddess.

Yoplait is also offering all my Luvn Life readers the chance to print a .30 off coupon on your purchase of Greek Yogurt.

Bet you want one, huh?

Print your coupon and head to your favorite grocery store to purchase your own Yoplait Greek Yogurt.

Bet you would rather win one, huh?

Yoplait and My Blog Spark are offering 1 lucky Luvn Life reader the chance to win the same package that I reviewed! Includes 2 coupons and all the spa products.

Mandatory Entry:

Tell me what you do to nourish your inner goddess.

Optional Entries:

Subscribe to my my blog (current subscribers count)

Follow me on Twitter and tweet this giveaway using: Yoplait Greek Yogurt Prize Pack Giveaway http://tinyurl.com/2gyecc7 @luvnlifeOO #giveaway

Follow Yoplait Yogurt on Twitter

Grab my NEW button (5 entries)

Enter 1 of my other giveaways (1 entry each)

Head on over to Growing A Baby in Seattle and enter any of her giveaways (1 entry per GA)

Blog about this giveaway and link it to Yoplait and Luvn Life (5 entries)

Enter this giveaway in a linky and leave link in a comment (1 per linky)

Each entry needs to be a separate comment. Also, please leave a valid email address for me to contact you unless it is in your profile. The Greek Yogurt giveaway will end at 11:59pm on May 14th, 2010. Winners will be chosen via randomorg.com and the winner has 48 respond and to send correct mailing information or I will draw another winner.

**I received the above stated product to review from My Blog Spark. No other compensation was received. Receiving the sample in no way influenced my statements in the review. The opinions expressed are my own and your opinions may differ.**

Creativity For Kids Coloring & ARTivity Book Reivew and Giveaway

2010-04-22T00:16:00.009-04:00

I was recently contacted by Creativity for Kids to review their new line of products called Coloring & ARTivity Books.

A bit about the company ~From the site:

In 1976 Phyllis Brody and Evelyn Greenwald, the founders of Creativity for Kids, had a dream that their unique concept of enriching, open-ended creative activities would inspire children all around the world. With hard work, a dedicated mission and respected friendships along the way, their dream became reality.
Their mission statement:
Our mission is to provide children with experience that stimulate and encourage their natural creativity
Children are Important to Us
We strive to be the leading innovator and provider of the best creative children’s activity products
Children Deserve Our Best
We operate our business in a responsible and caring way, valuing the contribution of each customer, employee, and friend
Children Inspire Us

I was able to pick the book that best fit my family. My oldest daughter loves to draw and color so I chose the "How do you Doodle." I was very impressed with the selection that they offered. There are 18 styles on the site and each book varies in the age range that is appropriate for your child.

This title offers 24 pages and each page is designed open ended. This allowed Leya to transform her pages into anything that she wanted to. Each page offered a prompt to spark her imagination but there was not right or wrong way to complete the doodle. She sat at the table for over an hour working on her first masterpiece and she was super proud of her accomplishment.

To go along with the coloring book, we also received a pack of 12 Jumbo
Triangular Crayons. Leya really liked these crayons. These are intended for little fingers and help grow small motor skill. Leya is 9, so these may not have been age appropriate for her but she really enjoyed using them and the crayons colored a bright and vibrant color. She noted that it would be hard to break them : )

These are ACMI approved.

Retails for $4.50

We also received the 12 count Jumbo Triangular Colored Pencils. Again, they are intended for small fingers but Leya loved them. She said they were comfortable to hold and color. It was great that the pack includes a jumbo sharpener since standard sharpeners wont fit these pencils.

Retails for $9.50

Bet you want one, huh?

Head on over and visit Creativity for Kids and check out all the books in this line.

Bet you would rather win one, huh?

Creativity for Kids is offering 1 lucky Luvn Life reader the chance to win a coloring book of their choice plus the Colored Pencils and Crayons.

Mandatory Entry:

Visit Creativity for Kids and tell me one other product you would like to have other than the one I mentioned in this review.

Optional Entries:

Subscribe to my my blog (current subscribers count)

Follow me on Twitter and tweet this giveaway using: Creativity for Kids Coloring&ARTivity Book Giveaway http://tinyurl.com/23qsn86 @luvnlifeOO #giveaway

Follow Creativity for Kids on Facebook

Grab my NEW button (5 entries)

Enter 1 of my other giveaways (1 entry each)

Head on over to Growing A Baby in Seattle and enter any of her giveaways (1 entry per GA)

Blog about this giveaway and link it to Creativity for Kids and Luvn Life (5 entries)

Enter this giveaway in a linky and leave link in a comment (1 per linky)

Each entry needs to be a separate comment. Also, please leave a valid email address for me to contact you unless it is in your profile. The Creativity for Kids giveaway will end at 11:59pm on May 14th, 2010. Winners will be chosen via randomorg.com and the winner has 48 respond and to send correct mailing information or I will draw another winner.

Yoplait Simply Go Gurt Review and Giveaway

2010-04-21T10:06:00.005-04:00

I have to say that Go Gurt has been a family favorite in my household for quite some time. When we are out shopping, Go Gurt is the first thing my kids ask for and the first thing I'm happy to purchase for them. I love the simplicity of this yogurt. I can just hand them to the kids as a quick and easy snack. There is no need for a spoon or a bowl, making cleanup a breeze. My toddler went through a phase when she would eat nothing but Go Gurt. I was worried about her but the doctor assured me that she would be okay with only eating GO Gurts. Also, I have found that if they are frozen, my kids prefer to eat them instead of a Popsicle. I can also pop a frozen one in their lunch box and it will still be cold when they have lunch.

I just learned that it is now called Simply Go Gurt. Now there is no high frutose corn syrup or artificial colors or flavors. This only makes me more happy to offer these to my children and they did not notice a difference. They are available in 2 flavors; mixed berry and strawberry.

Free Coupon for 30 Lucky Readers

The first 30 readers to click on the link below will receive a coupon for a FREE box of Simply Go Gurt. If you aren't 1 of the first 30, you will still be able to print a coupon for $1.10 off. That is a great coupon since the Go Gurt is only about $2.98 a box. This coupon offer for free Simply... Go-Gurt is not valid in some states, including California, Idaho, Louisiana, Minnesota, New Jersey, Nevada, North Dakota and Tennessee

With my coupon for Simply...Go Gurt, I also received a back seat organizer, a weekly organizer and a mini Etch A Sketch. I love the organizer. I have it my car already and have loaded it up with activities for my kids to do in the car.

Bet you would like some, huh?

Please print the coupon and head on out to your favorite store and pick up the new Simply...Go Gurt.

Bet you would rather win some, huh?

Yoplait and My Blog Spark are offering 1 Luvn Life reader the chance to win the exact prize pack that I won.

Mandatory Entry:

You must be a follower of Luvn Life and then tell me what your snacking issues with your children are.

Optional Entries:

Subscribe to my my blog (current subscribers count)

Follow me on Twitter and tweet this giveaway using: Yoplait Simply Go-Gurt Prize Pack Giveaway @luvnlifeOO http://tinyurl.com/y7xpalv #giveaway

Follow Yoplait Yogurt on Twitter

Grab my NEW button (5 entries)

Enter 1 of my other giveaways (1 entry each)

Head on over to Growing A Baby in Seattle and enter any of her giveaways (1 entry per GA)

Blog about this giveaway and link it to Yoplait and Luvn Life (5 entries)

Enter this giveaway in a linky and leave link in a comment (1 per linky)

Each entry needs to be a separate comment. Also, please leave a valid email address for me to contact you unless it is in your profile. The Go Gurt giveaway will end at 11:59pm on May 12th, 2010. Winners will be chosen via randomorg.com and the winner has 48 respond and to send correct mailing information or I will draw another winner.

Knickernappies Diaper Review and Giveaway

2010-04-21T00:00:00.002-04:00

Thoughout the Diaper Event, I have tried several great diapers but I have to say that I was most excited about trying out the KnickerNappies diaper. First of all, what a great name :) I was very intriged with the side snaps. This is something I have never seen before.

I actually was in contact with Anne at The Diaper Wagon. Anne provided the best customer service of anyone I have ever worked with, hands down. She not only allowed me to choose my dipe color, but went out of her way to get that exact color and did it in a very timely manner. She kept in close contact with me and kept me up to date at all times.

The Diaper Wagon offers the widest range of cloth diapering supplies that I have seen so far. She has a great selection of diaper brands and accesories. I have my eye on a great wetbag *wink* Her prices are very competitive and shipping is very reasonable.

Anne sent me the chocolate One Size KnickerNappie diaper to review. From the start, I knew that this was going to be a great diaper. Because it snaps on the side, a lot of the front bulk is reduced. The diaper over all was trim and not noticeable under her pajamas or jeans.

The dipe came with 2 inserts. We use 1 insert during the day and we stayed dry for 3 1/2 hours and even then it didn't leak. At night we used both insert and were dry in the morning. This will definatly be a long car trip diaper.

As of now, Emma is on the next to smallest side snap setting and will have 2 more snaps to go. However, most toddlers are potty trained before outgrowing their dipe.

Knickernappies OneSize Diapers have some great features: (from site)
~Four size adjustments to fit your baby best -- Small, Medium Short, Medium, and Large.
~Tested to fit babies from about 8 lbs to 40 lbs.
~Two microfiber inserts with every diaper, sizes small & large, and our inserts are Made in the USA!
~A scooped tummy panel & topstitching for best fit under chubby baby bellies.
~Elastic on both sides of the pocket opening to hold the insert in place.
~Very gentle Lastin elastic in the leg and waist - no red marks!
~Lastin elastic is long lasting and can't "go out" like regular elastic.
~Two Year Guarantee on elastic and snaps.

I am very impressed with my KnickerNappies Diaper and will be a returning customer at The Diaper Wagon.

Bet you want one, huh?

Head on over to The Diaper Wagon and have a look at all the diapers and accessories that they have to offer.

Bet you would rather win one, huh?

Anne is offering 1 lucky Luvn Life reader the chance to win a Butter colored Knickernappie diaper with 2 inserts.

Mandatory Entry:

You must be a follower of Luvn Life and then head on over to The Diaper Wagon and tell me something else you would like to try.

Optional Entries:

Subscribe to my blog

Follow me on Twitter

Follow The Diaper Wagon on Twitter or on Facebook~1 entry each

Copy and Paste: Enter to win a One Size KnickerNappie diaper @luvnlifeOO http://tinyurl.com/yywuzrz #clothdiapers~1 tweet per day

Grab my new button~5 entries

Enter another one of my diaper event giveaways~1 each

Visit Growing A Baby in Seattle and enter any of her giveaways(1 entry per GA)

If you blogged or grabbed the event button EARLY (5 entries each) ~If not 1 entry for each

Each entry needs to be a separate comment. Also, please leave a valid email address for me to contact you unless it is in your profile. The Diaper Wagon giveaway will end at 11:59pm on May 4th, 2010. Winners will be chosen via randomorg.com and the winner has 48 respond and to send correct mailing information or I will draw another winner.

Flexi 8 Hair Clips Review and Giveaway

2010-04-20T20:41:00.006-04:00

I have very thick, very curly hair. This limits me to the amount of things I can do with it on a daily basis. Typically, I will either wear it curly and use hair products to help my hair stay curly or I will pull it up in a pony tail. I have never been able to use a butterfly clip or a fancy barrette because my hair is too think and they just don't hold well.

When I was given the chance to review Flexi 8, I was very excited but also very skeptical. I have tried so many different fancy and expensive clips before with no luck.

About Flexi8:
“The Flexi 8 is a completely unique, flexible barrette that holds thick, thin, curly, straight, fine and coarse hair. The Flexi 8 comes in a variety of sizes and hundreds of ever changing styles. Flexi 8 uses an ingenious patented locking mechanism to secure it in your hair. It’s such an attractive and unique accessory for your hair, once you try the Flexi 8, LOOK OUT! (you’re in love)”

When I received my clips, I was very impressed with the quality and they were beautiful. I had clips to go with any outfit. I ran into the bathroom to try some styles right away. Again I mention that my hair is thick. I was sent a large, medium, extra small, small and mini. The small was perfect for pulling up about 1/4 of my hair on the top of my head. The medium allowed me to do the ponytail and with no problem. With the large I was able to do the tails up and it was beautiful. I did master the french twist but it was very tight so I think I need an X Large to do that one. I would strongly advise you to check out the video on sizing the Flexi8 before purchasing to make sure you have the correct size.

I was not able to use the mini or extra small in my hair but my daughter was able to use them and her hair and they worked great. These clips were able to hold her hair in place all day at school and that is impressive.

It takes a few tries to master using them though. I could not make my brain understand that the decorative part of the clip is flexible, not the pin part. Once I understood that, it was very easy to use and holds all day. And it was a genius that decided to connect the pin to the barrette so that nothing gets lost!

Bet you want one, huh?

Head on over to Flexi 8 and choose your size and favorite styles.

Bet you would rather win one, huh?

Flexi 8 is offering 2 clips to 1 lucky Luvn Life reader.

Mandatory Entry:

You must be a follower of Luvn Life and then head over to Flexi 8 and tell me which clip and size you would choose if you won.

Optional Entries

Subscribe to my my blog (current subscribers count)

Follow me on Twitter and tweet this giveaway using @luvnlife in the tweet

Grab my NEW button (5 entries)

Enter 1 of my other giveaways (1 entry each)

Head on over to Growing A Baby in Seattle and enter any of her giveaways (1 entry per GA)

Blog about this giveaway and link it to Flexi 8 and Luvn Life (5 entries)

Enter this giveaway in a linky and leave link in a comment (1 per linky)

Each entry needs to be a separate comment. Also, please leave a valid email address for me to contact you unless it is in your profile. The Flexi 8 giveaway will end at 11:59pm on May 11th, 2010. Winners will be chosen via randomorg.com and the winner has 48 respond and to send correct mailing information or I will draw another winner.

Gro Baby Diaper Review

2010-04-19T00:00:00.000-04:00

I was very honored to have the opportunity to review a Gro Baby Cloth Diaper in Manderine Orange from Diaper Junction. A little on this great shop:

Bryana provides amazing customer service
Multiple Cloth Diapering Brands
Baby Accessories
Baby Registry
Cloth Diaper Care Tutorial

I was very excited to work with Bryana. She was very professional with me and was very prompt in shipping the diaper. The Gro Baby diaper has impressed me and my husband the most so far. The diaper is a great combo between a g dipe and an AI2. The velcro area was actually soft unlike some competitors dipes. The elastic in the legs stretched well and did not leave marks on Emma's legs. I really enjoyed the design. I liked the simplicity of snaps and velcro. Once the diaper is snapped, you really don't have to change that until the baby is bigger, making this diaper change very easy. When I washed the diaper and line dried it, I noticed that the drying time is reduced. This is due to the liner and shell. The liner has 2 layers for extra absorbency but the two layers are not sewn all the way together, making them able to dry faster. But the best feature here is the absorbency. Emma sleeps through the night for as much as 10 hours. I put the diaper on her at 8 pm and she woke up at 7 am...no leaks, no rash! My husband was skeptical and said that he knew it would not hold her for the night. He ate his words : )

How does the one-size feature on my Gro Baby work? Simple actually.
Gro Baby will fit babies from 8-35 lbs. The Gro Baby Shell features three sets of rise snaps that adjust to fit your baby. The unique one-size Organic Soaker Pad fits from 8-35 lbs as well. When your baby wets, pop out the liner and pop in a new one. If the shell gets wet, allow it to air dry. It is only required to wash if the shell is soiled.

The only not so great feature is the price, starting at $24.95. But this price includes the shell, snap in soaker and organic booster.

You can begin your own stash of these wonderful diapers by visiting Diaper Junction.

**Many thanks to Diaper Junction for allowing me to review a Gro Baby Diaper. I received the above stated product for review. The opinions in this review are my own and receiving the product did not alter my opinion.**

Winners

2010-04-17T22:31:00.002-04:00

Sorry! Late as usual!

My Princess Party:
Jennifer H said...
entered GAB's Pampers-Jenprincess88 at aol dot com
March 5, 2010 9:52 PM

Sprout Baby:
Khrys { Mom of 3 Dolls } said...
Follower
March 5, 2010 12:00 PM

Blog Design Makeover:
Universe Package-
justicecw said...
If I could have any background I would probably go with polka dots or funky flower shapes...and I love color! Thanks for the chance, justicecw@hotmail.com
March 20, 2010 1:10 AM

Dreams Package-

Chrissyb said...
I have your button.http://lilbabybootie.blogspot.com/transamws602(at)yahoo(dot)com
March 24, 2010 11:15 AM

Thank you so much for entering and supporting Luvn Life. Please enter my Diaper Event and other giveaways

Kissaluvs Diaper Review and Giveaway

2010-04-16T23:16:00.003-04:00

In my diapering experience, I have tried several different diapers from many different brands. However, I had not tried a hybrid diaper yet. So when I was offered the chance to review the hybrid diaper from Kissaluvs, I was very excited.

One main reason that I have not tried these yet is because of the awkward fit. Not with this diaper. The material is very snuggly around Emma's legs and belly. She fits well into the size without adjustment but if I needed to make this dipe smaller, I would just tuck it to make the rise smaller. The elastic around the leg made the diaper successful in keeping it all in :)

The absorbency was very surprising. I was a bit worried about using a hybrid because it is not waterproof. I was very surprised that Kissaluvs attaches a microfiber soaker with a fleece topper to keep baby's skin dry and free from irritation.

I received the purple hybrid Kissaluv. The outside of the diaper is made in custom knit fleece and available in several colors. We did not use cover just to test out the length of time we could use without leaking. I was very impressed. I used the dipe for 4 hours and there was no leaking when we changed but the dipe felt damp. With a cover, the dipe could have lasted at least 1-2 more hours.

Overall, I was very impressed with the hybrid. They are very economical, priced at only $10.95. The only downfall was it took me several tries to get used to using a closure system. This only comes from my inexperience. With practice, it will be just as easy as a snap or velcro diaper.

Bet you want one huh?

Head on over to Kissaluvs and pick out your favorite color.

Bet you would rather win one, huh?

1 Luvn Life reader will have the chance to win the same Kissaluvs hybrid diaper in their choice of color.

Mandatory Entry:

You must be a Luvn Life follower and then head on over to Kissaluvs and tell me what other item you just can't live without.

Optional Entries

Subscribe to my blog

Follow me on Twitter

Follow Kissaluvs on Twitter

Copy and Paste: Enter to win a hybrid Kissaluvs diaper @luvnlifeOO http://tinyurl.com/y4unkf2 #clothdiapers~1 tweet per day

Grab my new button~5 entries

Enter another one of my diaper event giveaways~1 each

Visit Growing A Baby in Seattle and enter any of her giveaways
(1 entry per GA)

If you blogged or grabbed the event button EARLY (5 entries each)
~If not 1 entry for each

Each entry needs to be a separate comment. Also, please leave a valid email address for me to contact you unless it is in your profile. The Kissaluvs giveaway will end at 11:59pm on May 1st, 2010. Winners will be chosen via randomorg.com and the winner has 48 respond and to send correct mailing information or I will draw another winner.

Preston's Pants Review and Giveaway

2010-04-15T00:00:00.006-04:00

I am so excited to have Preston's Pants in our event. From the first time I saw these diapers online, I was in love with them. They have the cutest prints and minky diapers. I know that cute shouldn't be a huge factor but who doesn't want their baby to have a cute bum?

We were able to review the Owl print, 1 mil soft, polyester pul, with matching micro fleece inner, and chocolate snaps. Emma said "Awww pitty diaper." This dipe came with the 2 liners; 1 for the pocket and 1 more for extra absorbency. I decided to give it the BIG test. Using both liners, I put Emma to bed for the night. I was pretty convinced that it would leak because most do regardless of if they claim to be waterproof. Well....It did not leak. It was very wet and heavy but it did not leak.

I love the leg gussets because they hold the mess in the diaper where it belongs. The adjustable snaps were great. They held together well, keeping the diaper tight but not so tight that it hurts her.

Also, the dipe was 1 of the slimmest that we have reviewed. This too I feel is important because you still have to put pants on your child. I do not think that bulky pants are cute at all.

This diaper is priced just right. The PUL runs $22.

Bet you want one, huh?

Head on over to Preston's Pants and choose your favorite styles

(That would be easy BTW)

Bet you would rather win one, huh?

Colleen at Preston's Pants is awesome and is offering 1 Luvn Life reader a $20 Gift Certificate!

Mandatory Entry:

You first MUST be a follower of Luvn Life and then head on over to Preston's Pants and tell me something that you learned.

Optional Entries:

Subscribe to my blog

Follow Prestons Pants on Twitter

Follow me on Twitter and tweet this giveaway

Copy and Paste: Enter to win $20 GC from Prestons Pants @luvnlifeOO http://tinyurl.com/y8yp5y6 #clothdiapers~1 tweet per day

Grab my new button~5 entries

Enter another one of my diaper event giveaways~1 each

Visit Growing A Baby in Seattle and enter any of her giveaways

(1 entry per GA)

If you blogged or grabbed the event button EARLY (5 entries each)

~If not 1 entry for each

Each entry needs to be a separate comment. Also, please leave a valid email address for me to contact you unless it is in your profile. The Preston's Pants giveaway will end at 11:59pm on April 28th, 2010. Winners will be chosen via randomorg.com and the winner has 48 respond and to send correct mailing information or I will draw another winner.

Rockin Green Review and Giveaway

2010-04-14T00:00:00.001-04:00

As a cloth diapering mama, it is hard to find a detergent that is safe for my child and the earth that works with diapers and clothes. I have struggled to find a detergent that knocks out the horrible ammonia smells that diapers get sometimes.

I was very excited to be able to review Rockin Green detergent during the Diaper Event. I could not wait to wash all my dipes in the Rockin Green and have a fresh start with them all.

Rockin Green offers 3 different formulas. Classic Rock is the original formula and is for both dipes and clothes. Hard Rock is for cloth diapering mamas that have hard water problems. Soft Rock was formulated scent free and is for babies that have sensitive skin. The first 2 formulas are available in 10 yummy scents and unscented too!

Rockin' Green Soap is Dye Free, No Fillers, No enzymes or optical brighteners, 100% Phosphate free, Vegan, Great for sensitive skin, easy rinsing formula and approved military use. HE compatible, reusable packaging bag, great for all water types and Economical at about .13 cents a load.

I decided to soak the dipes for 1 hour before the wash. After the wash, the diapers smelled refreshed and clean. I also love that I can wash Emma's other clothing in the same detergent for simplicity...every little bit helps :)

Bet you want some, huh?

Head on over to Rockin Green and place your order.

Bet you would rather win some, huh?

Kim from Rockin Green has offered to give 1 of my readers the chance to win a 45/90 bag of Rockin Green detergent in their favorite scent.

Mandatory Entry:

First you must be a follower of Luvn Life and then head on over to Rockin Green and tell me what scent you would love to try.

Optional Entry:

Fan Rockin Green on Facebook~Leave a comment on Facebook and
here too

Follow Rockin Green on Twitter

Subscribe to my blog

Subscribe to Rockin Green's RSS feed

Follow me on Twitter and Tweet~Copy and Paste: Win a 45/90 bag of @RockinGreenSoap in fav scent @luvnlifeOO #clothdiapers~1 tweet per day

Grab my new button~5 entries

Enter another one of my Event giveaways~1 each

Visit Growing A Baby in Seattle and enter any of her giveaways
(1 entry per GA)

If you blogged or grabbed the event button EARLY(5 entries each)~All others 1 entry each.

Each entry needs to be a separate comment. Also, please leave a valid email address for me to contact you unless it is in your profile. The Rockin Green giveaway will end at 11:59pm on April 28th, 2010. Winners will be chosen via randomorg.com and the winner has 48 respond and to send correct mailing information or I will draw another winner.

Try Black Diamond WOW! Wood & Laminate Floor Cleaning Kit FREE

2010-04-12T23:51:00.002-04:00

A few months ago, I reviewed the Black Diamond WOW! Wood & Laminate Floor Cleaning Kit. You can read my review here.

Black Diamond is offering Luvn Life readers the chance to try this product FREE! Here are the details:

Black Diamond Cleaners FREE TRIAL OFFER:

Try our WOW! Wood & Laminate Floor Cleaning Kit FREE for 45 days!

Pay ONLY shipping!

If, after 45 days you are thrilled with our products, keep them and we will charge your card for the kit at our reduced rate of $24.98! If our WOW! Cleaning Products don't wow you, simply ship them back to us and owe nothing.

It's a win/win situation!!

Black Diamond Stoneworks Wood Floor Cleaning System is the complete wood floor cleaning set for all un-waxed natural wood and laminate floors. This kit comes ready to clean with the WOW Wood Floor Cleaner, a heavy duty cleaning mop and a Microfiber Cleaning Pad. For the ultimate in wood floor care, use the WOW Wood Floor Restorer with the Microfiber Restorer Pad to restore and protect your floors after cleaning.

I did not receive any product or money for this post. I am only posting helpful information that I believe in.

Face It: What Women Really Feel as Their Looks Change

2010-04-12T22:38:00.004-04:00

As I near the big 3-0, I have felt many new feelings about myself, my looks, my body. I remember a time when I thought 30 was so old. I look at the older and confident women that I come in contact with and wonder how it is that they are so proud of aging, wrinkles and gray hair. I have gone as far as to look into some plastic surgery to tighten up the face and perk up the ladies, no to mention dying the hair and using every anti wrinkle cream on the market.

So when I was offered the chance to read "Face It," I jumped on the opportunity. Just from reading the blurb on the website, I knew this was exactly the book I needed to read.

Face It is written by Vivian Diller Ph.D. and Jill Muir-Sukenick Ph.D. Both of these women are former model turned psychotherapists. These women have been on the side of beauty where nothing but the best is accepted. This is how the Western world views women. Now, they work closely with models on the other side...The side of developing a better view of yourself from the mental stand point, not the physical one.

This book goes in great deal about the 6 step plan to help one understand why and how you feel this way about yourself and then how to deal with the feelings. Healing from our child and adolescent thoughts and actions, examining our families and our roles within them, mourning our lost pasts and striving to be the best we can be at any age releases us from the masks we hide behind.

I greatly enjoyed reading Face It and greatly recommend all women to read this title. Even though this topic is a hard one to face, much less discuss, Face It approaches it in a way that teaches you to correct the thinking errors that most women has. Then you have the ability to be proud of who you are, regardless of age.

Bet you want one huh?

You can purchase your own copy on Amazon.com for $16.47

Bet you would rather win one huh?

One lucky Luvn Life reader will have the chance to win a copy of Face It!

Mandatory Entry:

Tell me if you struggle with the results of aging. If so, what has been your biggest struggle?

Optional Entries:

Follow my Blog

Subscribe to my blog

Follow me on Twitter and tweet this giveaway

Enter to Win your copy of "Face It" @luvnlifeOO http://tinyurl.com/2bql9sv #giveaway~Daily Tweet

Grab my new button~5 entries

Enter another giveaway

Visit Growing A Baby in Seattle and enter 1 of her giveaways

~1 entry each

EcaWare Baby Review and Giveaway

2010-04-12T00:00:00.001-04:00

My little Emma had been working with the potty on and off for many months. She has displayed a great interest in the potty simple because of her older siblings. She has used the potty almost every time she sits on it...pee that it. She chooses to poop on my floor :) But over the last month, her hobby has developed into a job. She is going all day now with no accidents.

I am a cloth diapering mama but when we began potty training, I realized what a pain it was to use the cloth diapers so I went on a hunt for a cloth training pant. When I found EcaWare, I just had to try them.

Lisa at EcaWare is awesome! She sent us a pink velco EcoWare training pant to try. I think that this item has to be the best invention ever.

From the site:
EcaPants are a specially designed training pant for babies and caregivers practicing elimination communication (EC); also known as Infant Potty Training, Natural Infant Hygiene and Elimination Timing. They also work great for traditional potty learning for those children who still require assistance undressing, or for any child who hates changes!

EcaPants stay secure around a baby's waist for potty breaks, while the front panel flips down and back up again for easy potty access. No more struggling with undressing all day long! Plus, ecaPants are designed especially for the squirmy; your little one can be standing, crawling, sitting, or laying down and they can be put on with ease.

EcaPants were invented by a EC practicing mom who saw a need for training pants that worked for her early potty training. The design really is genius, and works wonderful for all stages of EC. EcaPants are available with snaps or velcro, come in sizes from newborn to toddler, and are come in a beautiful array of fabrics and colors. I also love that EcaPants are sewn in the US, either by the business owner herself or in a fair-trade setting.

We have had great success with our EcaWare. Emma loves her "pitty (pretty) diaper." I love the belt feature. The belt wraps around her waist to hold the pant on and the front flap pulls behind her so that she can use the potty without undressing. Also, it is so easy to do that she can undo it herself and can almost rehook it herself. The shell is made with a waterproof PUL making it leak proof. The inside of the diaper features a damp layer, reminding her how it feels when she pottys in her training pant. Even though this pant is not a diaper and is designed to hold only a miss or maybe two, on a longer car ride I insert the extra liner to insure that there are no accidents. So far, Emma has been able to get to her potty, get her EcaWare off and potty without missing. I feel that this is partly due to the simple design of one awesome and determined mommy!

So I really have to invest in several more of these because Emma is loving this "pull up and shoe" look. Isn't she cute.

Bet you want one, huh?

Head on over to EcaWare and pick out your favorite designs and colors.

Bet you would rather win one, huh?

One Luvn Life winner has been given the chance to win an EcaWare training pant in their choice of design.

Mandatory Entry:

You MUST be a follower and then visit EcaWare and come back and tell me 1 cool thing you learned.

Optional Entries:

Subscribe to my blog

Subscribe to EcaWare's Newsletter

Follow me on Twitter (button on the top right) and Tweet~Copy and Paste: Enter to win training pants from EcaWare @luvnlifeOO http://tinyurl.com/y4ttuxz #clothdiapers~1 tweet per day

Grab my new button~5 entries

Enter another one of my diaper event giveaways~1 each

Visit Growing A Baby in Seattle and enter any of her giveaways(1 entry per GA)

If you blogged or grabbed the event button EARLY (5 entries each)~If not 1 entry for each

Each entry needs to be a separate comment. Also, please leave a valid email address for me to contact you unless it is in your profile. The EcaWare giveaway will end at 11:59pm on April 26th, 2010. Winners will be chosen via randomorg.com and the winner has 48 respond and to send correct mailing information or I will draw another winner.

Great Giveaways to Enter

2010-04-11T00:38:00.003-04:00

I just wanted to share some awesome giveaways with my wonderful readers! I have a great bloggy friend, CooCooCourtney and I love her and her giveaways. Hope you will take a looksie!

Win a personalized wallet from Name that Thing

Win a $30 Gift Card to Tee Wit~Cute Shirts!!

Win your choice of product from the Cream Perfume Company

Win the "All In One Cosmetic" from Go Natural

Win a Scandle Candle

Win a $25 Surprise Box from Cover Your Hair

Win a Kissa from Edens Fantasy

Win over 40 cosmetic samples from the All Natural Face

Win 2 hair clips from Flexi 8

Win an eye primer and 4 eye shadows from Overall Beauty

Win a T-Shirt from Snorg Tees

Friday Follow

2010-04-09T23:36:00.003-04:00

Thanks for stopping by and deciding to follow Luvn Life. I can't wait to read your blog too.

This weeks sponser is...

Friday follow is hosted by One 2 Try, Hearts Make Families, and Midday Escapades you will find them in the top 3 slots of the Friday Follow Mcklinky!

Participation in Friday Follow is easy enough just
1. Write up your Friday Follow post with the Friday Follow Button
2. Follow your hosts (first 3 links)
3. Follow as many other blogs as you would like
4. Leave a comment in each blog you follow saying that you are from Friday Follow
5. Then follow your new followers back!

Can't wait to get to know everyone

Charlie's Soap Review and Giveaway

2010-04-09T00:00:00.004-04:00

Finding a safe, effective detergent for yourself and your family is not an easy task. I personally have several allergies to laundry soap so I have to be very careful. Of course, my 2nd child had worse allergies than I ever did. We used a well known baby detergent on everything to reduce the amount of reactions that he had. When I had my 3rd child, this particular detergent, being so pricy, did not do all that I needed it to do. In addition, stains are horrible in my house of 3 children and a sloppy husband : ) but using a stain fighting spray is out of the question due to my son allergies.

This sparked my mission to find a safe, earth friendly detergent that is safe on our clothes and our skin and nice to my pocketbook. When I was offered the chance to review Charlie's Soap, I was very excited.

I received the Laudry Powder. This bag is 2.64 lbs of product. It will do at least 80 loads of laundry! Each load only requires 1 tablespoon of powder per load. Charlie's Soap will remove the reside that other detergents has left not only on your clothes but also in your washing machine. The bag retails for $15.49 making each load of laundry less than .20 a load

I also received the Charlie's Soap Liquid Detergent. This bottle contains 17oz and will do 16 loads of laundry. Other than it is liquid, this product does the same for your family and your clothes as the powder. At $13.22 per bottle, each load equals about .83 a load. The liquid is a bit more pricey.

Charlie's Soap All Purpose Cleaner has become a saving grace in my home. I am very concerned with keeping a clean home to reduce allergins that are present. However, I am unable to clean with smelly chemicals due to my son's allergies. Charlie's Soap All Purpose Cleaner was initally made to clean industry machines and is now available for your home use. This cleaner will do everything from eliminate the soap scum on your tub to pretreat your stains to clean grease off your hands ------>>Check out this chart:

After reviewing all these products, I have to say that there is a new detergent in my home. Being a cloth diapering mama, I like that this product will gently clean my diapers just as well as it will clean my husbands greasy shirts. I have noticed that set in stains on my clothing are fading with continued washes and my whites come out bright with no bleach being used. Also, my clothes come out and only smell clean. No perfumes or flowers...just clean.

Bet you want some, huh?

Head on over to Charlie's Soap and figure out what products would be a perfect fit in your home.

Bet you would rather win some, huh?

Sherry at Charlie's Soap has offered 1 of my lucky readers the chance to win an 80 load bag of laundry powder, a 17 oz. sprayer of all purpose cleaner and a reuseable tote!

Mandatory Entry:

You must be a follower of my blog and then head on over to Charlie's Soap and tell me another product you would love to try.

Optional Entry:

Follow Charlie's Soap on Facebook

Subscribe to my blog

Follow me on Twitter and Tweet~Copy and Paste: Enter to win Charlies Soap and Cleaner @luvnlifeOO #clothdiapers~1 tweet per day

Grab my new button~5 entries

Enter another one of my diaper event giveaways~1 each

Visit Growing A Baby in Seattle and enter any of her giveaways
(1 entry per GA)

If you blogged or grabbed the event button EARLY (5 entries each)~If not 1 entry for each

Each entry needs to be a separate comment. Also, please leave a valid email address for me to contact you unless it is in your profile. The Charlie's Soap giveaway will end at 11:59pm on April 23rd, 2010. Winners will be chosen via randomorg.com and the winner has 48 respond and to send correct mailing information or I will draw another winner.

Tiny Tush Diaper Review and Giveaway

2010-04-08T00:00:00.003-04:00

In searching for the perfect cloth diaper, I have mentioned that I weigh several important factors. Since I can't go to the store to look and feel the cloth diaper (at least no where in my area), I have to trust the reviews I read and base my choices on whatever I get from the Internet. I use my experiences with the customer service representatives to make a final decision.

When I contacted April to review the Tiny Tush, she was so helpful. She answered all my questions to make sure I had just the right diaper. Wee Little Changes is a awesome cloth diapering store, featuring the top cloth diapers and accessories, making cloth diapering even more simple. Every mom needs simple.

We reviewed the Tiny Tush in Sea Spray. I loved the PUL on the outside. The PUL on this diaper is the softest of any other waterproof I have tried. The inside pocket was so easy to stuff. It loads from the rear of the diaper with a very large opening so it couldn't be easier to stuff. The inside material is a super soft micro-fleece. According to the site, this prevents the diaper from piling and keeps it looking new wash after wash. The only con to this is I had to pull the insert out of the pocket even after I did the first cold rinse cycle.

The Tiny Tush was so easy to get on Emma...who hates laying still so I have only a few seconds to get the diaper on her before she is trying to get away. The snaps are high quality. They are easy to snap and snaps hold together firmly. The diaper is adjustable 7-35 lbs which makes this the only diaper you need from birth to potty training.

I really loved the fact that the diaper is not bulky. I did not have to unbutton Emma's pants to pull the pants up.
Here you can see that the diaper is covered by Emma's pants and there is no bulk. The leg gussets held in Emma's business for several hours. She wore it for 2 awake hours and through a nap. The diaper was really full but the clothes and bed were DRY!!

Bet you want one, huh?

Head on over to Wee Little Changes for all of your cloth diapering needs.

Bet you would rather win one, huh?

April is awesome and has offered one Luvn Life reader the chance to win a Tiny Tush Diaper in their choice of color.

Mandatory Entry:

You must be a follower of my blog and then head on over to Wee Little Changes and tell me what color you would choose if you won.

Optional Entries:

Follow my blog

Follow Wee Little Changes Blog

Subscribe to my blog

Subscribe to Wee Little Changes Newsletter

Follow me on Twitter and tweet this giveaway. You can copy and paste: @luvnlife00 Enter to win a Tiny Tush dipe from @WeeLittleChange http://tinyurl.com/y9omcmt ~Tweet Daily

Follow Wee Little Change on Twitter

Follow Wee Little Changes on Facebook

Grab my NEW button (5 entries)

Subscribe to Wee Little Changes Newsletter

Enter my other giveaways (1 entry per giveaway)

Head on over to Growing A Baby in Seattle and enter any of her giveaways (1 entry per GA)

Each entry needs to be a separate comment. Also, please leave a valid email address for me to contact you unless it is in your profile. The Wee Little Change giveaway will end at 11:59pm on April 22nd, 2010. Winners will be chosen via randomorg.com and the winner has 48 respond and to send correct mailing information or I will draw another winner.