Storybook Stitches Giveaway Winner

Nobel Beeyotch is the winner!!

Thanks to all who parrticipated!

Lily Knitting Review + Giveaway

Lily from Lily Knitting is one talented woman!

Take a look at her shop and you'll know what I mean.

From leg warmers to apple cozys, girls beanies to flowers, she has so many beautiful items to choose from!

I would love a pair of these for fall or winter time!

And this little apple cozy is just too darling to pass up.

What a great gift for a teacher at the beginning of the school year!

Of course what you've all been waiting to hear....

Lily Knitting is giving away a baby beanie hat to one of you!

Choose either a 0-3 or 3-6 month size of any style you want!

To enter into this great giveaway:

You must be a follower of this blog and visit Lily Knitting and leave a comment here telling me what you would choose!

Additional entries:
(please leave a comment per additional entry telling me you did so)

1. Add my blog button to your blog/website (leave url)
2. Add my Sweety Baby button to your blog/website (leave url)
3. Subscribe via email to my blog.
4. Blog about this giveaway (leave url)
5. Purchase something from Lily Knitting (5 extra entries, leave 5 additional comments telling me what you purchased)

The winner will be chosen at random Thursday August 6th!

Besoz Review + Giveaway

Aprons on little girls.

Absolutely darling.

Especially if it's one from Besoz.

And one thing I can't live without (now that I have it) is my key fob.

Ivonne from Besoz sent me one right after my sister-in-law told me her horror story of locking her kids & keys in the car.

In Nevada.

In 103 degree weather.

Enough said.

Needless to say I was so thankful to receive it,

and it makes it so much easier with little ones!

Anything that will free up an extra hand is well worth it!

AND Besoz is giving away any one item from the shop to a lucky reader!!

To enter into this great giveaway:

You must be a follower of this blog and visit Besoz and leave a comment here telling me what you would choose!

Additional entries:
(please leave a comment per additional entry telling me you did so)

1. Add my blog button to your blog/website (leave url)
2. Add my Sweety Baby button to your blog/website (leave url)
3. Subscribe via email to my blog.
4. Become a follower on twitter and tweet about this giveaway (leave username)
5. Blog about this giveaway (leave url)
6. Purchase something from Besoz (5 extra entries, leave 5 additional comments telling me what you purchased)

The winner will be chosen at random Tuesday August 4th!

Sweety Baby Dolls - Sneak Peak

I have fallen in love with these little dolls!

These dolls are an original Sweety Baby pattern,

which keeps evolving every time I make a new one :)

The new line of dolls will hopefully be added to my shop sometime next week.

I would love to know what you think of them!

{storybook stitches} + giveaway

Hats, Quilts, Purses, Bows

Storybook Stitches has it all!

Handmade from Colorado, Sharrie, the owner of Storybook Stitches

has a love for quilting and other "cozy projects".

Ever heard of a car seat blanket? Well, now you have! Sharrie designed this blanket to fit perfectly in a car seat without hanging down, and what cute patterns too! Gotta check em out!

This quilted blanket is one of my favorites, it's so cheerful!

And this purse would make ANY little girls day!

What a perfect present!


The best part (of course) is that Storybook Stitches is

giving away a sun hat of your choice!


This is the one I would pick if I won!

To enter into this great giveaway:

You must be a follower of this blog and visit Storybook Stitches

and leave a comment here telling me what you love!

Additional entries:

(please leave a comment per additional entry telling me you did so)

1. Add my blog button to your blog/website (leave url)

2. Add my Sweety Baby button to your blog/website (leave url)

3. Subscribe via email to my blog.

4. Become a follower on twitter and tweet about this giveaway (leave username)

5. Blog about this giveaway (leave url)

6. Purchase something from Storybook Stitches
(5 extra entries, leave 5 additional comments telling me what you purchased)



The winner will be chosen at random Friday July 31st!

Ginger Blossoms Giveaway Winner is.....

Ilja who said...
"I Subscribed to Ginger Blossom's feed through google reader!"

Thanks to all who participated!

Foster Kade Designs Review & Giveaway

Unique.

Creative.

Fun.

Colorful.

This Etsy shop is THE one stop shop for any mother!

Foster Kade Designs carries it all! From blankets to nursing covers, burp cloths to bibs, you will find everything you need here!



The owner, Angie, definitely has an eye for taste and style.



This is one of my favs, it's a Love Me Square.








Perfect size for your little one and super soft!



And her nursing covers are to die for.




Foster Kade designs also sells burp cloths that have a contoured shape to them, helping it to stay on your shoulder....what every mother needs!








AND Foster Kade Designs will be giving away one Burp Cloth free to one lucky reader - your choice!



To enter into this great giveaway:

You must be a follower of this blog and visit Foster Kade Designs and leave a comment here telling me what you love and what burp cloth you would choose!



Additional entries:

(please leave a comment per additional entry telling me you did so)
1. Add my blog button to your blog/website (leave url)
2. Add my Sweety Baby button to your blog/website (leave url)
3. Subscribe via email to my blog.
4. Become a follower on twitter and tweet about this giveaway (leave username)
5. Blog about this giveaway (leave url)
6. Purchase something from Foster Kade Designs (5 extra entries, leave 5 additional comments telling me what you purchased)



The winner will be chosen at random Tuesday July 18th!

Should young children watch TV?

I heard a while ago that Dr. James Dobson suggested that children not watch television until age two. At that time my daughter was very young and not at all interested in TV so I wasn't concerned.

Well, Dr. James Dobson's suggestion slipped my mind and about a month ago, my daughter fell in love with Elmo. So I thought I would get her a Sesame Street DVD (we don't have cable). Needless to say, she became addicted and EVERY morning she repeats "Melmo, melmo, melmo!" until I put the video on for her. I was thrilled in fact that I could get 45 minutes of computer/work time in while she was being "educated" by Sesame Street.

But then reality hit home this morning as I was doing research for this post. I was shocked in fact to read that the American Association of Pediatricians recommends that children shouldn't watch TV at all — not until they are age two.

Even Sesame Street? But it's so educational! Well, this sort of burst my bubble:

"In the early days of "Sesame Street," producers noticed that the program wasn't moving fast enough on street scenes to keep kids' attention. What did they do? They utilized advertising research which showed that the best way to engage viewers was through ad-like shorts with quick movement, bursts of color, and loud noises. The result was a cross between entertainment and education, which became known as "edutainment." Sure enough, it's kept kids attention since 1969. But can fast-paced ad-like programming make kids hyperactive? Some researchers think so. "

There was a study done of 2,500 children, ages birth to 3, who watched one hour of television daily. The study showed direct ties to as much as a 10% loss of attentiveness when they reached age seven. The reason for this is the "considerable plasticity" that exists in a childrens brain at this age. By watching TV children's brains are being wired to respond to visual stimulation and multiple visual exposures simultaneously. For more info read this article.

Yikes. Well that's enough proof for me. I hope a months worth of TV watching didn't fry my daughters brain for good.

I guess now my biggest challenge will be breaking her morning "Melmo" habit.

Wish me luck!

Eat Seaweed?

Yes! In the form of a kelp supplement! Sound crazy? Well listen to all the health benefits you can recieve from it!

I started taking kelp a few years ago when I thought I had an underactive thyroid. Iodine, found in kelp, is a necessary mineral to help the body produce thyroid hormones. I didn't end up having a thyroid problem so I eventually stopped taking it. It has been sitting in my vitamin

Image via Wikipedia

stash ever since.

A few days ago I read an article by a man who took kelp to counteract all the radiation from cell phones, among other things, he encounters on a daily basis.

Hmmm, I thought...I didn't know it helped for that! So I recovered my kelp bottle from the closet, dusted it off and did some research!

This is what I found. Kelp has been used for thousands of years for a variety of reasons. Here are some specifics:

- Having a decreased thyroid function because of the lack of iodine in your diet can lead to weight gain and lethargy. So people take kelp to boost energy and weight loss.

- Japanese scientists have shown that kelp may inhibit the development of breast cancer.

- Kelp may help remove heavy metals, radioactive particles, and other potentially toxic substances from the body.

- Kelps and other seaweeds rich in iodine and other nutrients were shown in an animal experiment to suppress the thyroid's ability to absorb radioactive iodine, thus potentially preventing the organ from being injured by the harmful effects of radiation.

***I must note though that Kelp can also be high in sodium and may need to be taken with caution by anyone following a salt-restricted diet.***

AND kelp is dirt cheap!! I got a bottle of 100 tablets for under $4 at GNC.

Needless to say I added kelp to our daily vitamin menu :)

Doesn't it feel good being healthy? :)

Ginger Blossoms Review & Giveaway - Felt Food!

I am very excited about this review! I personally LOVE wool felt, my Etsy shop is full of it! But Ginger Blossoms uses felt for a different purpose...to make food with!



Play food that is (obviously, haha!). I love being able to offer my daughter something other than plastic to play with, especially since she puts everything in her mouth! And there are no worries with Ginger Blossoms food since it has been tested does not contain lead or phthalates.

Check out the DARLING cupcakes!! I almost want to buy them just for decoration!! What a work of art!

Ginger Blossoms offers almost every type of food. Eggs, bacon, corn, potatoes...you name it!

The owner of Ginger Blossoms lost two very important people in her life to Cancer. So she started "Cookies for Cancer", for all the cookie purchases made on her site, 50% of the profit will be donated to the Huntsman Cancer Foundation in Salt Lake City, Utah.

What a great reason to buy her darling cookies!

Now for the greatest part!! Ginger Blossoms is offering one reader of Organic Mamas a small fruit set for free!

This fruit is just so PERFECT for a little one to play with! Included is an orange, apple, 5 strawberries and a banana that you can peel!

To enter into this great giveaway:

You must be a follower of this blog, visit Ginger Blossoms and leave a comment here telling me what you love!

Additional entries:
(please leave a comment per additional entry telling me you did so)

1. Add my blog button to your blog/website (leave url)
2. Add my Sweety Baby button to your blog/website (leave url)
3. Become a follower on twitter and tweet about this giveaway (leave username)
4. Blog about this giveaway (leave url)
5. Purchase cookies from Ginger Blossoms (5 extra entries, leave 5 additional comments telling me what you purchased)
6. Become a follower of her blog www.gingerblossoms.typepad.com
7. Visit her other Etsy shops and tell me what you love about them! www.ladydoodles.etsy.com www.prettypaperpieces.etsy.com www.hessmagma.etsy.com

The winner will be chosen at random Wednesday July 22nd!

See Kai Run Giveaway!

I am so excited about this giveaway!!!

The Bragging Mommy is hosting a giveaway for these FABULOUS shoes,

you choose what style you want!!!

See Kai Run offers very flexible, very high quality shoes

for every stage of your child's development.

Go check it out!!

Pacifier Guilt

We decided before our daughter was born not to give her a pacifier.

I was preparing to exclusively breastfeed and according to WHO (World Health Organization) and UNICEF that meant for the first six months:

Image via Wikipedia

- The infant only receives breastmilk without any additional food or drink, not even water
- Breastfeed on demand – that is as often as the child wants, day and night
- No use of bottles, teats or pacifiers

Supposedly if these steps are not followed that can mean an early return of fertility for some women.

Okay easy enough. Plus I had heard that one should wait until nursing was well established before giving a pacifier, around 3 months.

I wanted to do everything PERFECTLY as a new mother. I knew babies had a high need for sucking, and why would God create this in a child if he didn't want them to nurse frequently, right?

Well....I still believe that. BUT I did end up giving my daughter a pacifier at six months. And she didn't willingly take it. I had to teach her to like it.

We mainly wanted to introduce it to her for car rides and sleep. She hated the car, nursing was the only thing that would calm her down. And sleeping? Well, she pretty much needed to be attached to me to do that.

Image via Wikipedia

So now she is 18 months old and occasionally takes a pacifier. Mostly when she first goes to sleep and in the car when I can't do anything else to make her happy.

It pacifies her so well that it really is so tempting to give it to her when she gets fussy or won't be quiet in church.

And if I do, there's always a feeling of guilt. Guilt of what? I'm not sure. Maybe of not living up completely to my ideals of being a perfect mother.

That fact became crystal clear to me in the first few days of her life! I am NOT a perfect mother, and I never will be. I try to be. But I fail. Often.

I suppose I have come to the realization that it is OKAY to give your child a pacifier in certain circumstances. I probably won't give my next newborn one, I just don't want to foster that dependency on a pacifier so early in life.

Although my daughter uses a pacifier now she is by no means dependent on it. She likes it. But she doesn't need it. And I guess that's the most important thing to me.

Meet "Summer"

This is the first doll I have ever made.

And I have to say I am pretty proud of myself.

This little 10 inch doll has stolen my heart.

And my daughters.

I keep saying to my husband, "Isn't she so cute?!"

He agreed the first couple of times.

But he finally looked at me and said, "Honey, it's just a doll."

I guess guys don't get excited over those kinda things, huh?

I am currently working on my own doll pattern and

will soon be adding dolls to the Sweety Baby line!

Bits 'n Pieces, etc. Giveaway Winner!!

Congrats!!!

LuvnLife00 said...
"Follow on twitter"

Thanks to all who participated!!

Don't forget to enter the Dr Felt Good Giveaway, THREE winners will be picked and there's only THREE DAYS left to enter!!

Kristin Herrin Giveaway Winner!

Drumroll please.....

"Miss" Anita said...

"I love the Girl Modern Baby Blocks."

Congrats!

Thanks everyone for participating!!!

Dr. Felt Good Review Discount AND Giveaway!

This shop is as great as it's name! Felt, felt, felt in every color under the sun. You gotta check out what Dr. Felt Good creates!

Erin, the creator of Dr. Felt Good, prefers crafting with felt because she "likes what felt represents - it's fun, bold, and approachable. perfectly casual and not at all fussy. kids don't need fancy things - but they should have well-made things that inspire creativity."

Well she has definitely succeeded in making well-made creative items for children, that's for sure!

One of my favs is this Peek-a-Boo Photo Book, created so her son would be able to see his relatives faces on a daily basis even if they live on the other side of the country! I think I definitely need one of these:

Dr. Felt Good also makes Personalized Growth Charts that are SO darling and come in SO many different styles! Love, love, love.

Now for what you've all been waiting for....

Dr. Felt Good is offering you FREE Shipping until July 16th, coupon code: OMamaFREEShip (will be reimbursed via paypal) AND we will be picking THREE winners to receive Personalized Bookmarks, aren't they just so great?!

To enter into this great giveaway:

You must be a follower of this blog, visit Dr. Felt Good and leave a comment here telling me what you love!

Additional entries:

(please leave a comment per additional entry telling me you did so)

1. Add my blog button to your blog/website (leave url)

2. Add my Sweety Baby button to your blog/website (leave url)

3. Suscribe to my blog via email (leave email)

4. Become a follower on twitter and tweet about this giveaway (leave username)

5. Blog about this giveaway (leave url)

6. Purchase something from Dr. Felt Good (5 extra entries, leave 5 additional comments telling me what you purchased)

The winner will be chosen at random Thursday July 16th!

Houshold Words Review & Discount

I love decorating. I am always looking for unique things to do with the space around me, and for those who know me well they know I tend to redecorate often...I just like a feeling of freshness every once in a while. Enter Household Words from Etsy.



Household Words offer vinyl decals of practically everything! This is an easy and a mess free way to decorate. Clean, smooth flat surfaces. No stencils, no paint, no time. You can apply and remove these vinyl decals for a professional painted appearance!

All of their vinyl decals are made to order after you choose from their 35 colors to match your decor!

This decal is a must for every mother, why not have a decal to honor the thing that takes up so much of our time? :)

And why not also have a decal for the one thing mothers wish they could actually get time to do, taking a carefree bath....








I wish I could soak my cares away!!!









Now to the important stuff, drum roll please....

Houshold Words is offering FREE Shipping for all Organic Mamas readers until July 15th. Coupon Code: OMamaFREEShip

There are a TON of decal to choose from, so head on over to Household Words and pick a few out!!

Happy Decorating!

The Woobie Shop Discount for all who partipated in Giveaway

Natalia from The Woobie Shop has generously offered FREE SHIPPING to all who participated in the giveaway! Just convo her at her Etsy shop and she will reserve a custom listing in your name for you to purchase free of the shipping charge!!

Thanks Natalia! We love your stuff!!!

Start Your Day Healthy - Drink Coffee!!

I LOVE coffee. Words cannot describe how much I look forward to that warm cup of freshly ground french roast in the morning with a generous serving of french vanilla creamer.

My day wouldn't be the same without it.

Because of my love of coffee I am so thrilled when I read about it's numerous health benefits. Maybe I am behind the times but I just read the other day that coffee has antioxidants in it! In fact coffee is the number one source of antioxidants in the American diet! Wow! (especially when you grind the beans right before brewing)

Coffee has so many things going for it, check out just a couple of it's other benefits:

- Cuts the risk of type 2 diabetes and Parkinson's disease, especially when you drink a lot of it.
- Two cups daily translates to a 25% reduced risk of colon cancer, and nearly half the risk of gallstones.

And what about the saying that coffee dehydrates you? Well, it's not true!!

The caffeine in coffee has a mild diuretic effect, increasing the frequency of urination but not the amount of fluid passed. According to science caffeine in fact is no more a diuretic than water.

After reading all these benefits of coffee who wouldn't want to drink it?!

I can't wait for tomorrow morning to come....

Montreal Canadiens Train

I just finished a train for a boy in Canada, sporting the colors of the Montreal Canadiens Hockey team.

I think it turned out pretty well! His aunt loves it so let's hope he does too!

Bits n' Pieces, etc. Review & Giveaway - Coloring Wallet

For those of you who didn't win the Crayon Caddy giveaway last week, check out this giveaway!

Bits n' Pieces, etc. makes quilts and coloring wallets that you would love!!!

The children’s coloring wallet is home to 8 crayons and a blank memo pad (both included). It also has an interior pocket to store their masterpieces! It closes securely with an elastic/button closure.

Measuring approximately 6.5" x 4.5" when closed, and 6.5" x 14.5" when opened, this coloring wallet is great to keep the kids busy. It is the perfect size to tuck in the diaper bag or purse for on the go fun. Works great for waiting rooms, restaurants, or in the car.

Check out these fun wallets!

Storage for crayons:

Memo pad included:

And it buttons up so nicely!

And of course the best part is that Bits n' Pieces, etc. is giving away one coloring wallet to one of you!!

To enter into this great giveaway:
1. You must be a follower of this blog and visit Bits n' Pieces, etc. and leave a comment here telling me what wallet you would love to win!

Additional entries:
(please leave a comment per additional entry telling me you did so)
1. Add my blog button to your blog/website (leave url)
2. Add my Sweety Baby button to your blog/website (leave url)
3. Become a follower on twitter and tweet about this giveaway (leave username)
4. Blog about this giveaway (leave url)

The winner will be chosen at random Thursday July 13th!

TheWoobie Shop Giveaway Winner!

Michelle is the winner of the Crayon Caddy!!

"I would choose Apples and Pears. I'm following, too. Thanks for the chance to win."

Please send your contact info to jflborn@gmail.com by Wednesday July 8th to redeem your prize

Thanks everyone for participating and make sure to check out all the other great giveaways/discounts!!

Art Whims Review & Discount - Happy Fourth of July!

Happy Fourth of July!

I hope everyone's day is filled with lots of family, food and fun!

I am excited about this review today. I always love when I find unique one-of-a-kind things on Etsy, and that's definitely what you will find in this darling shop, Art Whims. There you will find magnets, dishwasher buddies, laundry buddies and more!

Here is a picture of one of their magnets in celebration of that day:

One of the first items that caught my eye though was Art Whims Dishwasher Buddies.

What a simple idea! But so needed in the kitchen!

Jeananne, the creator of Art Whims was "inspired by the need for clearer communication in my kitchen regarding clean and dirty dishes, my husband suggested that we make ourselves some magnets to mark whether or not the dishes in the dishwasher were clean. Now with the help of the first set of Dishwasher Buddies I ever painted, my husband and I both know when the dishes are clean! We are even saving water because the dishwasher is only ran once per load! It is great!"

All items in her shop are hand painted with love and detail in Tacoma, Washington!

For the next week until July 11th Art Whims will be offering Organic Mamas Blog readers 20% off any one item in her shop! All reimbursements will be made through paypal. Coupon code OMBLOG20.

So go take a look and get yourself a deal!!!

Kristin Herrin Review & Giveaway - Personalized Blocks!

My daughter loves blocks, she stacks them and unstacks them and stacks them and unstacks them.....it could go on all day long I swear. And now she LOVES pointing out letters, although she says "E" for every letter she sees, she's still learning right? :)

Enter Kristin Herrin, an Etsy seller. Darling blocks custom designed for you!!! Aka letters on blocks!! I know this is not a new thing, but these blocks are definitely the most unique alphabet blocks I've seen so far!

Check these out!

All blocks are made with non-toxic materials in case a little one gets them and tries to nibble :)

Kristin Herrin graciously is giving away one set of blocks with your child's name or initials on them in the custom design of your child's nursery color scheme or room.

To enter into this great giveaway:

1. You must be a follower of this blog

2. Visit Kristin Herrin and leave a comment here telling me one thing you love!

Additional entries:

(please leave a comment per additional entry telling me you did so)

1. Add my blog button to your blog/website (leave url)

2. Add my Sweety Baby button to your blog/website (leave url)

3. Become a follower on twitter and tweet about this giveaway (leave username)

4. Blog about this giveaway (leave url)

The winner will be chosen at random Thursday July 9th!