Gorton's Fisherman Friday: Enter to Win

When it comes to dinner, I like things that are simple and easy. I always want to offer my family food that is tasty, but also easy to prepare. Since I have four children, dinner needs to be on the table as quick as possible. One of the easiest and tastiest dinners we make is using Gorton's frozen foods. So, I was excited to be offered a few free product coupons to review their products.

Soft Clothing Review and Giveaway

As a mom to four, I know that some children develop sensory issues or preferences in regards to clothing. My oldest son has several mental health, behavioral, and emotional health issues, so sometimes he does have clothing preferences. He does not have specific sensory issues where certain things bother him all the time, but sometimes if he is anxious or having a difficult day, something small that normally doesn't bother him, may end up causing him to become upset. When I found the Soft Clothing Company, I thought their products looked fantastic for both children with special needs and just for children in general, so I was excited when they offered me a pack of undies to review.

Review of the Novel Blaze of Glory

I used to be an avid reader. I would often buy a new book and read through the book in one sitting. I could never put a book down without finishing it, since I just had to know what happened in the end. I no longer have the time to read as much as I used too, unless I'm reading lunch menus, report cards and an occasional article. I truly have missed reading, as it was one of my favorite hobbies. So, I was excited when I was asked to review the book Blaze of Glory, as I thought it may be just the thing I needed to get back into reading regularly.

Feature Post: Devi Crafts Review and Giveaway

 

I have two little girls that absolutely love crafts, jewelry, and accessories. When I was contacted by Devi Crafts about doing a review, I quickly looked on the Etsy shop to see what types of products they offered. While browsing through the site, my oldest daughter came in the room and saw the screen. She immediately fell in love with a set of beautiful pink flower hair clips and begged me to buy them for her birthday. I told Deidre from Devi crafts that she definitely had products we would enjoy reviewing, and she offered to send me a few items. I did have a difficult time choosing, because there were so many pretty items in the shop.

Pretty Green Bow Charm Earrings

Felt Flowers

Fabric Flowers

A Little Bit About Devi Crafts: Deidre came to Etsy in March of 2011 as a new business owner. She did not have huge expectations for her business, as she simply wanted "a bit of recognition and a few sales." She found that her friends and family members began purchasing items from her, and she also gained new customers. As she continued her business journey and began working with different materials and mediums, she realized that she had too many craft supplies and not nearly enough time to use them all, so she decided to de-stash by opening Devi Crafts. Her plan was to sell her extra craft items, until she discovered felt. Deidre said, " It quickly became my latest craft obsession and after finally creating flowers I was proud of, I decided to include handmade supplies." After this, she closed her jewelry store and combined that shop with her new one--Devi Crafts.

Lavender Flower Victorian Style Necklace

When it comes to the inspiration behind her designs, Deidre says, "My inspiration comes from nature, the material itself, vintage clothing, and my talented husband. I usually get my best ideas right as I'm laying down at night to sleep, it's annoying but I try my best to remember them." Although Deidre says she still feels new to this and clueless at times, she has found something that she truly enjoys. In addition to creating items for Devi Crafts, she also writes at The Kindall Krew blog and runs a shop with her husband, called LDk2, where they sell unique, artistic, and eye-catching jewelry.

My Review: Deidre may say that she feels new to this, but her work is exceptional and her designs are quite lovely. I am very impressed with her work, and really had a difficult time selecting which items to review, as there are so many beautiful things in her shop. I think that all of the products they offer are lovely, and Deidre and her family are very talented. We received a headband, two pink flower hair clips, and a DIY cotton canvas flower kit.

My daughters loved the hair accessories. Although my oldest fell in love with the pink hair clips, she decided to share those with her younger sister. She did claim the headband for herself, and apparently it has the power to turn her into a ballerina. As soon as she put the headband on, she began dancing and twirling around the kitchen. To say she likes it would be an understatement. My younger daughter also loved the hair accessories, and she was thrilled to put a pink flower in her hair. She enjoyed wearing it so much that she didn't even want to take it off at bedtime.

I found the products to be well-made and overall, very pretty. They are definitely cute enough for younger girls, but the headband is something a teen or woman would want to wear, as well. It is is elegant and not overly cute, where it would seem like it is only for little girls. I would probably try it on and take a picture, if my daughter would let me. For now, pictures of two little girls will have to do, and they model them better than I would anyway (they are cute too!).

I loved looking at all of the products that Devi Crafts offers, there are gorgeous felt flowers and the DIY kits are fun and an easy way to start making your own flowers if you have never done it before. They also offer hair accessories and jewelry that is stunning.

But It: Devi Crafts sells jewelry, hair accessories, craft supplies, and felt flowers. The prices of each item vary greatly, and there is sure to be something you find that is affordable and beautiful. To buy an item from Devi Crafts, you can visit the Etsy shop.

You can also stay up to date on everything new with Devi Crafts by visiting the Facebook page or the blog.

Win It: Devi Crafts is offering my readers a $15 credit for using at their shop. With the prices of their items, you are sure to find something wonderful. Simply fill out the Rafflecopter form below to be entered. Good luck!

Disclosure: I received free items to complete this review, but all of the thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.

Zubky Teething/Nursing Necklace Review And Giveaway

As a breastfeeding mom, I know how easy older babies and toddlers can become distracted while nursing. My youngest often gets distracted and will pull away while nursing, which usually leaves me completely exposed. This is OK when we are at home, but not something I would be comfortable with out in public. He also likes to twirl my hair, play with my shirt, or fiddle with a toy while nursing.

I have been searching for that perfect nursing necklace for quite some time, and when I discovered Zubky necklaces, I knew I had to try them. I was thrilled when Natalie, who creates the necklaces with her husband, agreed to do a review and giveaway on my blog.

A Little Bit About the Company: Zubky sells nursing and teething necklaces, as well as teething rings. Some of their designs are nursing necklaces that feature beads the baby can play with. The teething necklaces feature a wooden ring that is safe for the baby to chew on. The outer rings of the teething necklaces are handcrafted out of wood and quality-checked for safety and durability. The inner ring of the teething necklaces are set with colorful beads that are painted with food-based dyes or lead-free paints. The necklaces are eye-catching and give little ones something to fiddle with while nursing or even while babywearing. The necklaces are made by the entire family, as they all join in on creating each new new design.

My Review: I received Stephen's Legos for review, which doubles as a teething toy and nursing necklace. I opened the package to discover the necklace enclosed in a cute little bag. The bag is perfect for storing the necklace in when it is not being used. I immediately loved the bold colors and unique style. The fact that the necklace doubles as a teething toy is beneficial for us, as my little one is teething and sometimes bites me while nursing.

Even before I wore the necklace, my son was fascinated with the it. He immediately tried to grab the necklace off of the counter after I opened the package and run away with it, and he was quite upset when I took it back. (I didn't want it to get lost in the black hole that exists in our play room, so I had to hide it.) When I first put the necklace on, my little one was intrigued. He sat and nursed without pulling my hair or fidgeting, and he simply played with the necklace. 

Two of the beads can be pulled to adjust
the length of the necklace.

I absolutely love that the necklace is adjustable. There are two beads that can be moved to make the necklace any length you want. I like to wear it up higher, and it sits at just the right place for my little one to reach while he is nursing or I am holding him. My little one realized it can also be used for teething, and started chewing on it this evening. He still wants to play with it too, but he mostly associates it with nursing times. Every time he sees me wear it, he gets excited and wants to play with it while nursing.

Overall, this is one of the most unique takes on a nursing necklace that I have ever seen, as it can be used for teething and while nursing as a fidget toy. The beads in the middle are perfect for a baby or toddler to twirl and play with while nursing or being held, which means less pinching and hair pulling for me.

My little one loves to play with the necklace while nursing.

More About Zubky: Prior to posting my review, I wanted to find out more about Zubky, the shop owners, and the inspiration behind their designs. I spoke with Natalie who filled me in on all of the details about her shop. To read more about Zubky and the inspiration behind the designs, please visit this post. Here are a few things that Natalie shared with me about her shop.

How Natalie Started Making Nursing Necklaces

If you have ever had a little one that is constantly fidgeting while nursing or being carried, then you can probably relate to Natalie. Her little one would pull her hair and couldn't stay focused while nursing, so she knew she had to do something to reach her goal of breastfeeding for at least one year. " I was thinking about getting a nursing necklace and when I saw the prices for them, I thought it was a little pricey. Being a crafty mama, I thought I could make much nicer ones for a lot less than companies who outsource to China and mark up the prices. I loaded up my baby and went to our local craft store and I dangled a bunch of the pendants in front of her and found that she LOVED this one (the first baby approved design ), so I bought it and some silver cord and beads and went home to build my necklace. It worked out really well, so I went back to find another one, and then another, and then another... It was a fun thing to get out of the house and do with her so I really enjoyed it."  

Each Necklace is Crafted in Their Home with Love

Both Natalie and her husband create the necklaces in their home. Her husband used to make cornhole boards, but he has since stopped, so they can focus on time together. I was amazed at the amount of love that Natalie expressed for her family and the passion she has for her products. Family is something incredibly important to Natalie and her husband, so every piece is created by them, together in their home. She said,"2011 was a crazy year for us. Chuck got a ton of custom cornhole board orders and I had necklace orders rolling in left and right. This meant that he spent most of his time working in his shop, and I spent most of my time in the house with the kids. We really enjoy the time we spend TOGETHER so he decided to shut down the custom cornhole listings and focus on the necklaces with me."

The Necklaces Are Priced With Every Woman in Mind

One of the first things I noticed about Zubky's necklaces (aside from the unique designs!) is that the prices of the necklaces are affordable, and priced lower than other shops that sell similar products. I discovered that the price point for the necklaces was important to Natalie, as she wanted it to be something that every woman could afford. Natalie said, "I wanted to make sure the nursing necklace pricepoints were fair enough that any mom who wanted/needed one, could afford one. Many of our nursing necklaces cost less than $10, for that specific purpose. We also participate in many charitable organizations by donating our products to La Leche League fundraisers and other non-profit groups promoting natural parenting and breastfeeding awareness."

The Birth of the Original Zubky Teething Necklace

Picture of Stephen's Legos

The first Zubky teething necklace is called Stephens Legos, which was named after the Lego's Natalie's son plays with. "Then, when my daughter hit the teething stage, Chuck, my husband, made her some wood rings to chew on and she LOVED them, but soon learned how fun it was to throw them on the floor and then go up and down as I would pick them up when I was wearing her. (I personally think it was because I was wearing her in my Moby wrap and she liked the ride up and down to the floor - haha - She's a smart cookie!) It just made sense to tie the ring on a necklace cord like my nursing necklaces, but it seemed too plain with just a wooden ring. I spent a week working on designing a way to add beads and knot them onto a single strand that could attach to the ring in a safe way that wouldn't easily break. Finally, my rainbow bead knot creation worked and looked good."

After creating the first necklace, Natalie wanted to make one that was also girly and feminine. She added different colored beads and created McKenna's Marbles, which is named after her daughter. Since then, Natalie and her husband have designed numerous other teething necklaces that are unique and eye-catching.


The Inspiration Behind The Designs

I love the choices when it comes to Zubky's necklaces, there are ones that are fun and colorful and others that are more subtle and stylish. Natalie shared with me how they find inspiration for all of the new designs. "We like to create two different styles. There are fun, playful designs with vivid rainbow of colors that babies just love; and there are more subtle designs that are stylish enough for moms to pair with an outfit. Believe it or not, my husband designed one of the most popular designs, "Autumn Leaves." He's a very stylish guy and has really shown that he has an eye for designing, and he impresses me every time he comes up with something new. He tends to put the more subdued, natural colors together and I usually am behind the bright color combinations. It's funny how that works out because his personality is mellow and calm, and I'm the crazy one... you can definitely see the difference in our design work! He looks to nature for his designs, and I am inspired by the playful side of things. We get the kids involved in the design process too. The boys love to sit at the table with us and put together different color combinations."

Each Design Is Tested in Their Home

Natalie's daughter tests each new design in their home before it becomes available to buy. Her little one loves to chew on the rings and shake the necklaces like a rattle. Natalie says,"Before we list a new design, I always test it out on McKenna, our daughter, to make sure it's interesting enough to catch her eye and hold her attention."

Each Necklace is Made With Safe Materials

As a mom, I understand the importance of having products that are safe for our children to use. I discovered that Zubky also highly values having safe products for children, so they carefully select each material they use for each necklace. "We have always tried to use natural things with the kids... wood toys over plastic... organic fruits and veggies over conventional... cloth diapers over disposable... etc. When it came to the teething necklaces, I wanted to make them as natural as possible. We started using organic olive oil to polish the finished rings, and then eventually came up with a natural beeswax polish recipe. We source our beeswax from a local lady who doesn't use pesticides, antibiotics, or chemicals in or around her hives. I always try to source locally"  

The sensory beads on the teething necklaces are also created to be safe for children. Natalie first searched for a distributor with verified lead-free painted beads, and then she and her husband found another way to ensure the paint was as safe as possible. She said, "We use 100% safe, food-grade ingredients to dye some of the beads and rings and love the way the colors come out through that process."

The Meaning Behind the Name

I know many people probably wonder where the name Zubky came from. I know I was interested to find out! Natalie shared the story of the Zubky name with me. She said, "It's a tribute to my heritage. Zúbky means "teething" in Slovak and my paternal great grandmother was an immigrant to the US from Slovakia. Every now and then, I will use a Slovak word to name a new design too. I think that adds some fun to it."

 
Buy It: If you are interested in buying a teething necklace or nursing necklace from Zubky, you can visit the website or the Etsy shop.There are plenty of different styles to choose from, and each one is priced fairly. If you don't see something you like, contact Zubky through their website and they will help you create a custom necklace! Zubky is also offering my followers a coupon code for 20% off their entire purchase. Use the code BUTTERFLIES when you checkout.

Win It: Zubky has generously offered several necklaces for a giveaway, so there will be four winners. The necklaces pictured for the giveaway are all Zubky teething necklaces, you can view the entire collection of teething necklaces and the collection of nursing necklaces on Etsy.

For the giveaway, you will be able to vote on your favorite necklace and then leave a comment letting me know which one you like best. (You may leave the comment in the Rafflecopter form.) The necklace with the most votes is the one that will be given away.

Before entering, please view the following pictures. (You can also visit the links below each picture to learn more about each necklace.) Mention your favorite one in the Rafflecopter form. Good luck!

Wish You Were Here

McKenna's Marbles

Eternal Love

Autumn Leaves

Rainbow Abacus

Disclosure: I received a free item to complete this review, but all of the thoughts and opinions expressed are my own. 

Feature Post: Interview with Zubky

I was recently given the chance to do a review of the teething/nursing necklaces by Zubky. I was able to learn quite a bit about the shop through Natalie, who creates the necklaces with her family, and I appreciate the time she took to share this information with me. Natalie and her husband are passionate about their products and their family, so I thought it was important for everyone to be able to read about their shop. Zubky is currently sponsoring a giveaway on my site, so please be sure to check out my review, as well. (I will be posting the review and giveaway later today--so please check back!)

How Zubky Was Started

Waves Nursing Necklace by Zubky

Basically, my daughter, McKenna was a pinchy, hairpuller and couldn't stay focused while nursing AT ALL. I was committed to nursing her until at least the one-year mark and knew that I had to do something or we weren't going to last. I was thinking about getting a nursing necklace and when I saw the prices for them, I thought it was a little pricey. Being a crafty mama, I thought I could make much nicer ones for a lot less than companies who outsource to China and mark up the prices. I loaded up my baby and went to our local craft store and I dangled a bunch of the pendants in front of her and found that she LOVED this one (the first baby approved design :) www.etsy.com/listing/73000966), so I bought it and some silver cord and beads and went home to build my necklace. It worked out really well, so I went back to find another one, and then another, and then another... It was a fun thing to get out of the house and do with her so I really enjoyed it. My friends loved them, so I made some for gifts, and then after a few times of being stopped by someone wanting to know where I bought my necklace, I decided to make some and sell them online in my husband's Etsy shop (he was selling cornhole boards on Etsy under TheWoodChucksWood).

First Necklace by Zubky

How the Price-Point was Determined

I wanted to make sure the nursing necklace pricepoints were fair enough that any mom who wanted/needed one, could afford one. Many of our nursing necklaces cost less than $10, for that specific purpose. We also participate in many charitable organizations by donating our products to La Leche League fundraisers and other non-profit groups promoting natural parenting and breastfeeding awareness.


Why the Zubky Teething Necklaces Were Created

Then, when my daughter hit the teething stage, Chuck, my husband, made her some wood rings to chew on and she LOVED them, but soon learned how fun it was to throw them on the floor and then go up and down as I would pick them up when I was wearing her. (I personally think it was because I was wearing her in my Moby wrap and she liked the ride up and down to the floor - haha - She's a smart cookie!) It just made sense to tie the ring on a necklace cord like my nursing necklaces, but it seemed too plain with just a wooden ring. I spent a week working on designing a way to add beads and knot them onto a single strand that could attach to the ring in a safe way that wouldn't easily break. Finally, my rainbow bead knot creation worked and looked good. That's how "Stephen's Legos" - the original Zúbky teething necklace design - was born. (As a side note: Our youngest son, Stephen, is obsessed with Legos and the colors on the black cord just reminded me of his Legos I'm always stepping on, so I named it in that manner.)

I wanted a few other bright colored necklaces to grab her attention, so I designed a few more. One had to be girlie with some pink in it, and since she's my only girl, I named it after McKenna... that one is McKenna's Marbles. I put a few up on Etsy, and they sold out so I made more, and have had tremendous response ever since. I've gotten some great feedback about how babies just love them, and I know firsthand that they do... I wear one all the time when I'm home with McKenna. 

McKenna's Marbles

As she's gotten older, aside from chewing on it, she really likes shaking it around like a rattle too. It's like a fun, chewy toy for her that I don't have to pick up all the time. :) My husband actually designed one for her that has a large bead on a single string and she absolutely adores it at this stage.


How the Materials For The Necklaces Are Selected


We have always tried to use natural things with the kids... wood toys over plastic... organic fruits and veggies over conventional... cloth diapers over disposable... etc. When it came to the teething necklaces, I wanted to make them as natural as possible. We started using organic olive oil to polish the finished rings, and then eventually came up with a natural beeswax polish recipe. We source our beeswax from a local lady who doesn't use pesticides, antibiotics, or chemicals in or around her hives. I always try to source locally.

I knew that although the sensory beads in the middle of the necklaces wouldn't really be in the babies' mouths, they should be colored with lead-free paints for safety. I searched for a supplier with verified lead-free painted beads and purchased from them, even though it was at premium pricing... You have to pay a little more for quality sometimes... And to make the beads even more natural, my husband and I came up with a way color them with food-safe ingredients. We use 100% safe, food-grade ingredients to dye some of the beads and rings and love the way the colors come out through that process.

The Inspiration Behind the Designs

We like to create two different styles. There are fun, playful designs with vivid rainbow of colors that babies just love; and there are more subtle designs that are stylish enough for moms to pair with an outfit. Believe it or not, my husband designed one of the most popular designs, "Autumn Leaves" (www.etsy.com/listing/82890193). He's a very stylish guy and has really shown that he has an eye for designing, and he impresses me every time he comes up with something new. He tends to put the more subdued, natural colors together and I usually am behind the bright color combinations. It's funny how that works out because his personality is mellow and calm, and I'm the crazy one... you can definitely see the difference in our design work! He looks to nature for his designs, and I am inspired by the playful side of things. 

Who Creates the Necklaces


2011 was a crazy year for us. Chuck got a ton of custom cornhole board orders and I had necklace orders rolling in left and right. This meant that he spent most of his time working in his shop, and I spent most of my time in the house with the kids. We really enjoy the time we spend TOGETHER so he decided to shut down the custom cornhole listings and focus on the necklaces with me....We get the kids involved in the design process too. The boys love to sit at the table with us and put together different color combinations. Before we list a new design, I always test it out on McKenna, our daughter, to make sure it's interesting enough to catch her eye and hold her attention.

Where the Zubky Name Came From

As we begin 2012 with a new focus, we wanted to rename our effort to tie more appropriately with our products and we came up with a name for our new shop: "Zúbky"... It's a tribute to my heritage. Zúbky means "teething" in Slovak and my paternal great grandmother was an immigrant to the US from Slovakia. Every now and then, I will use a Slovak word to name a new design too. I think that adds some fun to it.



To view Zubky's products, please visit the website or the Etsy Shop.

You can also become a fan on Facebook and join the mailing list to stay up to date on all of the new designs!

Start to Finish DVD Review and Giveaway

I was thrilled to be asked to review a new DVD called Start to Finish. This DVD is both educational and entertaining, so I was excited to see how my children would like it.

We are introduced to two funny puppet characters in the beginning of the movie, Whoops and Bubbs. These two little guys pop in throughout the DVD and help keep the children entertained, while also sharing information, asking questions, and helping children learn how something is completed--from "start to finish."

We begin at the farm and learn where milk comes from. My children have asked me before where milk comes from and how it gets from the cow to the grocery store, and this DVD helped show them exactly how it happens.

Next, we move on to applesauce. What kid doesn't love a bowl of applesauce? Ever wonder just how it gets from the orchard to those little cups at the store? This part of the movie explains it completely. We get to see the apples at the factory and learn exactly how an apple turns into applesauce, and how they are able to fill so many little packages.

Next up is pizza. I am not sure about you, but pizza is definitely a favorite in our home. The children each have toppings they love, and they enjoy when they get to make their own. We get to see Whoops and Bubbs attempt to make a pizza on their own, which is definitely entertaining. My children laughed out loud as Whoops and Bubbs tried to flip the pizza dough in the air. We move on to watch an expert create yummy pizza in different shapes.

The last segment of the DVD is all about firefighters. This is particularly special for my children, as my husband is a volunteer firefighter in our community. We watched as the firefighters opened the firehouse and gave us a peek inside. We got to see the men and women do chores, cook and do duties around the firehouse. When the alarm went off, the firefighters quickly jumped into action. We were able to see the firefighters fight a real fire, and then return back to the firehouse to clean up and get ready for the next emergency.

Throughout the entire DVD, Whoops and Bubbs are "encouraging children to explore the world around them." The movie definitely does that, as it helps explain exactly how things are made and what people do, from start to finish. Questions are posed and answered, so children understand how things work. The characters are entertaining and will make your little ones giggle. Mine laughed so much throughout the movie, and I have not seen them sit and watch something like this in a long time.

During normal educational shows and even some cartoons, my little ones do not sit still. This movie kept them intrigued, and they were not only watching something "fun," but they were learning, as well. They were genuinely fascinated learning about different things, and this is definitely a DVD I will recommend to other parents. My daughter said the movie was "really great and really awesome." My son said it was, "Cool and double super duper awesome."

Buy It

Created by Beth Harvey, this DVD helps teach children about how things work from "start to finish." Children are kept entertained with two fun characters, while also learning. You can purchase the DVD through the Start to Finish website.

The Giveaway

Start to Finish is offering you the chance to win a copy of this DVD. Simply fill out the Rafflecopter form below to be entered. Thank you!