Wednesday, May 6, 2009

Quirky, Good Leisure Reads! -- Book Reviews

I have been reading a lot of non-fiction lately and I am truly fascinated by the stories about the experiences of others but I have always loved getting lost in a good fiction! My latest read was one of those hap hazard finds...you know you are on an excursion to the grocery store and a table of books marked 25% off calls you to it! Have you ever had a book "come to you"? The Sugar Queen by Sarah Addison Allen was one of those books for me. The Sugar Queen is a book that finds magic in the everyday and makes magic seem ordinary!
Josey is the heroine, an overweight and secluded 27 year old who's secret is her closet full of candy. Josey's life is limited by her now mature southern belle mother's strict regime until she finds Della Lee Baker, a rough local waitress, hiding in her closet! Yes, this is a book full of quirky characters. The former ski bum with the bum leg turned mailman, the sandwich shop owner who is followed by books {it's true they find her and follow her}, and the old cab driver who must always keep promises. The woman in the closet opens a door for Josey; The door to the world of possibilities life has to offer. Della is like a spark which causes a wild fire of experiences Josey could before only dream of! I cannot tell you more for fear of spoiling this quaint tell for all of you!

I am a fan of unusual tales. Tales of original thought or bizarre reasoning! Think of this, the gods are immortal so what do you think would happen if the Greek gods lived amoung us today? According to Marie Phillips the 21st century would present hard times and great challenges for those decadent gods and the gods would...well be Behaving Badly! And that is precisely what most of them do from start to finish in the book "Gods Behaving Badly". Mythology comes to life with a vengance and a twist in this sexy, fast-paced, and quirky read. Aphrodite is a phone sex operator, Apollo a television psychic, and Artemis a dog walker! Their lives are falling apart as fewer people believe in them and to help they decide to hire a housekeeper. It is the ill-fated Alice who takes on this challenge and soon becomes the object of war between the gods. Alice's boyfriend becomes the unlikely hero, coached by Artemis, in a quest to save Alice and ultimately restore the gods to their original glory! This witty satirical romp is raw, yet somehow charming!

Wrap N' Mat Review and Giveaway!


I have always tried to be conscious of waste when it comes to my children's school lunches but today's packaging certainly doesn't make this easy for us environment conscious moms and dads! All those
individually wrapped snacks that don't come in bulk packs that can be divided into reuseable containers can be impossible to avoid. I try to focus on the things I can do! I used to always use those reuseable plastic Tupperware containers but many people use disposable plastic baggies now there is an alternative! Wrap-N-Mat is a cloth sandwich wrapper with a velcro closure and is lined with Low-density Polyethylene which is durable enough for long term reuse and is BPA free, Phthalate free, and lead free. Now I know baggies can also be washed and reused but because they do not lay flat they may not dry properly nor be washed thoroughly. The Wrap-N-Mat is easy to wipe down and what I love is that it also acts as a placemat. Yes...a nice clean eating surface!! My kids love that they come in a wonderful variety of patterns to suit everyone's tastes and style! The Wrap-N-Mat is also lightweight compared to my old bulky tupperware. The Wrap-N-Mat is made under fair trade work conditions and is available in bulk for school fundraisers. The Wrap-N-Mat is now manufacturing in Canada as well and will soon have a Canadian website page. Currently Wrap-N-Mat is being sold at these Canadian retailers: http://www.envirobottles.ca/ and http://www.lavishandlime.com/.
One Northern Mama reader will have the opportunity to try a Wrap-N-Mat in the red checked pattern!
To Enter:
  • Visit Wrap-N-Mat and tell me your favourite wrap pattern{Required}
  • Non-bloggers may enter just leave your email with your comment.

Extra Entries:

  • Follow Northern Mama
  • Subscribe via email
  • Grab My Button
  • Blog about this giveaway with a link back here {Please leave me the link to your post}

{Please leave a separate comment for each entry}

Giveaway open to US and Canadian residents. Giveaway closes May 20, 2009 10:00pm CT. Read General Giveaway Rules for further details.

Tuesday, May 5, 2009

The Craggy Moor Winner!


14. dolls123 said...
Blog followerluckydolls123[at]verizon[dot]net
May 2, 2009 2:55 AM
Congrats again dolls123! Lucky lady! I will email you shortly.

Piggy Paint Winner!



16. dolls123 said...
I like the Tea Party for Two colorluckydolls123[at]verizon[dot]net
May 2, 2009 2:57 AM

Congratulations dolls123 you have won the Mistle Toe Piggy Paint set! I will be emailing you shortly!

Monday, May 4, 2009

Posie and Me Review and Giveaway!


There is a children's book which makes me chuckle entitled "Parts" by Ted Arnold. The little boy in the book loses a tooth and believes his body is falling apart piece by piece! The reality is losing a tooth is one of the most exciting events in a young child's life! My daughter is thrilled by the fact that she is losing her teeth. For her it is a right of passage...oh and a visit from the Tooth Fairie certainly may have a part to play in her utter delight! I had a Tooth Fairie pillow when I was a child but hardly anything as delightful as the one Emma is now using from Posie and Me . It is a magical age and there is nothing so fantastic as the sparkle in my child's eye as she pulls her mystical treasure from that delicate pocket! Michele from Posie and Me makes the most magical tooth fairie pillows and the most delicious felt baking and tea sets with the greatest of care and quality!
All Posie and Me items are made with wool felt. Wool felt is recycled and made from natural fibers! Michele prides herself in making her products "the way they used to be". Her products are made to last and to cherish! I honestly was impressed by how perfectly crafted with perfect hand stitching the tooth fairie pillow we received was.

Posie and Me bake sets and tea sets are so precious including small baking utensils or dishes and finely finished wool felt dainties! The cookies look so scrumptious and because the wool felt with which they are created is of the highest quality they will not pill or lose their shape even after much love. What a lovely gift for a young child who loves creative play! What a lovely giveaway for one lucky Northern Mama reader!
Yes, Michele is graciously offering one Northern Mama reader a Sweetheart Bakery Play Set!
This play set includes six felt cookies, a cookie cutter, a wooden rolling pin, and a cookie sheet!

To Enter:
  • Visit Posie and Me and tell me what your favourite item is {Required}
  • If you are a non-blogger you may still enter but please include your email address with your comment!

Extra Entries:

  • Follow my blog
  • Subscribe to my blog via email
  • Grab My Button
  • Blog about this contest with a link back here {Please leave me the link to your post}

{Please leave a separate comment for each entry}

This giveaway is open to US and Canadian residents. Giveaway closes May 18, 10:00 CT. Read General Giveaway Rules for further details.

Saturday, May 2, 2009

Lost Art Designs Review, Discount, and Giveaway!

I often spend a lot of time trying to find toys and gifts for kids that are more traditional and out of the ordinary. Children today are inundated with expensive electronics and cheap plastic through-away toys that it's hard for a parent to take a step back and find ways to bring their children back to the use of their imaginations and developing their minds. It is the simple things that help to do this. Leslie at Lost Art Designs knows this well. She creates lovely simple toys and practical items for kids to enjoy.
Young children of all ages can enjoy the I Spy bags from Lost Art Designs. Replace that hand held game with one of these soft, quiet and engaging toys! Each bag contains items that a child must find, similar to those popular I Spy books. You can even have your child's name added to the mix of searchable items for FREE! These bags encourage reading, and develop hand-eye coordination, verbal and fine motor skills. They are great for travel and anywhere your child needs a quiet distraction!
My children had the pleasure of trying Lost Art Designs letter crayons! These letter crayons are made from non-toxic crayons and are fun and educational letter shapes. My children received their initials but when you order you can purchase a set of 6 which spell out your child's name. You can also purchase extra letters at an additonal cost. What a fun way to teach your child to spell his/her name! These would also make great party favours. My children really enjoyed colouring with their letters especially my 4 year old, Bronwynn. Having their own special letter crayons made them that much more personal. The crayons have an attractive mottled appearance and produce excellent colour when colouring!
Leslie produces some very practical items including the pop ice cozies my children also enjoyed testing. My children love yogurt tubes. We freeze them because it makes them more fun to eat and less mess. It used to irritate my environmental conscience that my children always wanted to wrap them in paper towels when eating them so their hands would not become too cold! Lost Art Designs ice cozies have solved this dilemma wonderfully. The children now slide their yogurt tube into the ice cozie which is brightly coloured, soft and warm, and well...just more fun as well as practical. I love that they are not disposable and are easy to throw into the washer and drier. They come in a variety of patterns and colours and you can purchase them in sets of 4. A simple idea but very effective. I was worried they may not fit over the thicker yogurt tubes since they are made for the freezies/ice pops but they do which is perfect for our yogurt addicted family!

You can enjoy the simple pleasures of Lost Art Designs with a 10% discount until May 16th, 2009! Just convo Leslie at her Lost Art Designs Etsy shop when ordering to let her know you are a Northern Mama reader and would like the 10% discount.

Also until May 16th you have the opportunity to enter a Lost Art Designs giveaway for your choice: A set of 4 Ice Pop Holders or a set of 6 Letter Crayons!
To Enter:
  • Visit Lost Art Designs and tell me what's your favourite item {Required}
  • If you are a non-blogger you may still enter but please remember to leave your email with your comment!

Extra Entries:

  • Tell me whether you would choose the set of 4 ice pop holders or the set of 6 crayons.
  • Follow my blog {publicly}
  • Subscribe to my blog via email
  • Grab my Button
  • Blog about this giveaway with a link back here {Please leave the link to your post with your comment}

{Please leave a separate comment for each entry}

This Giveaway is open to US and Canadian residents. Giveaway closes May 16th, 1009, 10:00pm CT. Read General Giveaway Rules for further details.

Friday, May 1, 2009

Here are the Skin Free Winners!



Well, here are our three Skin Free Winners. The first winner will receive the After Shower Moisturizing Spritz and the moisturizing bar. Congratulations to Pam!

3. Pam said...
I'm a subscriber.melacan at hotmail dot com
April 16, 2009 7:22 PM

Our other two winners will receive a moisturizing bar. Congrats to Cpullum {Carla} and Niki!

5. cpullum said...
I would love to try the Skin Renewal System !!!!!! My face is a mess and this would be great to try!Carlacpullum(at)yahoo(dot)com
April 16, 2009 10:26 PM

6. niki said...
I would like to try the Niaouli butter stick on my feet.
April 17, 2009 7:08 AM

Congratualtions again to all the winners!