Winner!

The winner of a $20 GC to Friendly Fish is:

Comment #83 - domesticbliss

Congrats! You'll have 72 hours to respond to my email before a new winner is chosen.

Kid-Powered Fun ~ GIVEAWAY!

Even though it is winter and that means no sandboxes or gardens to play in, we still do our fair share of digging and dumping around here. :) Tate, of course, is the main digger in our home. Especially now that he has a 'real digger' - a Sprig Excavator Truck from Bare Baby Earth. I love how simple, yet fun the Excavator Truck is. With it's flip-open cab, easy-grab handle, and the ability to dig and rotate it's so much more than just another truck that can be pushed around the house. Tate can spend hours digging and dumping piles of bean seeds, buttons, or blocks. My favorite features of the excavator are that it is eco-friendly, requires NO batteries (a big plus!), is perfect for indoor or outdoor play, and is a great way to encourage imaginative play! And if that isn't enough Sprig Eco-Trucks are also made from durable recycled materials. They're fun and safe for both kids and our earth!

Bare Baby Earth carries a bunch of other great eco-friendly products! Really...they have so much to choose from! Everything from eco-friendly products for meal time to laundry time. Their bath and body products sound amazing as well! Olive Baby is one of the brands you'll find on Bare Baby Earth. Their products are perfect for infants and adults alike! You'll find that there are no chemicals, no fragrances or essential oils, no petroleum, and no nut oils in any of their products! For example, check out Olive Baby's Head-To-Toe Body Wash. It's ideal for anyone with sensitive skin or allergies...it is gentle, cleansing, and nourishing. The Skin Saver Balm is another product filled with healing ingredients which makes it perfect for a variety of things - diaper rash, dry skin, eczema and more! As you can see, Bare Baby Earth really does their best to provide you with the best of the best when it comes to natural and eco-friendly products!

WIN IT!
Bare Baby Earth is giving away the 2 fabulous Olive Baby Products mentioned above (Head-To-Toe Body Wash and Skin Saver Balm) to one of our readers. In order to get one entry, head over to Bare Baby Earth and let us know what one of your favorite items was.

EXTRA ENTRIES - Please leave an additional comment for each extra entry
~ Add our button
~ Subscribe to our blog/feed
~ Follow our blog
~ Follow us on Twitter
~ Blog about this giveaway and leave the link in your comment
~ Tweet about the contest (tweet ONCE PER DAY for extra entries and leave the link in your comment(s) please.

CONTEST OPEN TO CANADA AND US ONLY! CONTEST ENDS FEBRUARY 15, 2010.

Winner of the Cotton Cupcake shoppe GC!

The winner of the $25 Gift Certificate to the Cotton Cupcake shoppe is:

Comment #10 - Shelly

Congrats Shelly! You now have 72 hours to contact me and claim your prize!

stacey.glimpse@gmail.com

Quiet Please! Felt stories and more!

Those crazy noisy toys! Sometimes, if we move or step the wrong way in the play area, we can set off one or more noise-making toys: maybe it's the mechanic sounds on the toy garage, or the knight approaching the castle, or the song-playing telephone or...well you get the idea! :) The kids love the different noises, and some days it's ok, but some days, we just want QUIET!! :) It's especially a problem now that Daniel naps and Jonathan doesn't; our house is built such that noise really carries to the bedroom area, and what to do to keep playing for the whole nap time without being a disturbance? I went looking for a calm activity, and this is what I found: felt stories!

A few weeks ago, Jonathan and Daniel received the felt story of The Emporor's New Clothes and 2 felt hand puppets. Jonathan knew the story of The Emporor's New Clothes, and immediately recognized the different characters and started to play out the story! The kit comes with the story in case you've forgotten all the details! :) This story included the following pieces: an emporor in boxers to dress up, 6 different outfits for him to try on (including pyjamas, a superman suit and a tropical shirt/shorts combo!), several hats, a full-length mirror, a bath tub, a tricky weaver, the prime minister, a group of townspeople, and an emporor on parade (wearing his new “suit!”).  The story characters and puppets are very well made, with enough detail to recognize what everything is, but with just enough left to the imagination so the child can add his/her own details as well, and Jonathan's imagination has certainly been kindled! He's even made up new stories for the characters, and for the first time (he's 4) I've heard him acting out voices and storylines on his own. In fact, I've had a hard time to get him to stop playing sometimes when we've had to go somewhere. Daniel seems to be interested in gloves a lot, and likes to put on the hand puppets and play with them, thinking they're like mittens! :) He brings the puppet to my cheek and makes a kissing sound – it's so cute!


The felt stories and puppets are made by adults in the Vancouver area who are unable to seek and maintain regular employment due to physical challenges and/or mental illness. Through the 3H Craftworks craft therapy program,  participants make a wide range of unique products and gifts including: felt stories, hand & finger puppets, sock monkeys, baby and children's clothing & accessories, kitchen and houseware items (ie. aprons, tea cosies, towels etc.) and Christmas decorations & accessories.  They have over 100 felt stories on the list – surely a story your child enjoys as well! A new item for the Olympic season is a maple leaf hand puppet (not featured on the website).  Buying something from 3H Craftworks is a great way to support people who might not otherwise be able to participate in meaningful work – helping your family be “socially conscious.”

If you live in the Vancouver area, you can visit 3H Craftworks' shop in Kitsilano. For those who don't live in/near Vancouver, fortunately you can view the various products online at the 3H Craftworks website.  You're sure to find a unique gift or toy!  To place an order, email: 3H Craftworks.

Winner!

The winner of a Kiss Naturals DIY Lip Balm Kit is:

Comment #215 - Susan Margaret

Congrats! You'll have 72 hours to respond to the email before a new winner is chosen.

Potty Time!

Potty training/potty learning. Both terms can bring out the fear in any parent! I'll admit, I thought that training Bria was going to be a breeze. We had dabbled in Elimination Communication a bit, and she knew what to do on the potty. What I didn't take into account was her personality... and ultimate stubborn streak (Where did she get that anyway? From me? Haha....)

So when Elizabeth Pantley offered to send me a copy of her book, 'the no-cry potty training solution', I jumped at the chance! I loved reading some of her other books, and was willing to give it a try.

I have had the book for a few months now, and I wasn't ready to write about it til now. Bria just wasn't ready for learning, and I wasn't ready to train :) I'm happy to say though, that after reading through the book, figuring out how Bria and I can work together, I'm really impressed!

The first thing I loved about this book is that it is not your typical 'train them in one easy day' kind of book. That just isn't realistic, and I was thankful for a different perspective. Don't get me wrong, I personally believe that most people do wait too long to try potty training, and they miss that window of opportunity, but I also think you can't push the issue without ruining your chances of success sometimes! This book really focuses on knowing your own child, and how they work.

The second thing that I really loved about this book was the information on bed wetting. This is a real issue for us, and was something that I didn't want to stress over. I was happy to read, again, some REAL information on this situation, and know that bed wetting is not something that a child always has control over.

Overall, I found the book to be very encouraging, and incredibly positive! If you are stressed and ready to throw in the towel, give this book a read. I think you'll be pleasantly surprised :)

Pretty, Pink and Pregnant ~ GIVEAWAY! (2 WINNERS!)

Well, the months are slipping by...and the belly is growing bigger. As any pregnant mama knows, a growing belly means you need a wardrobe change - at least for a few months! :) Anne Geddes recently sent an adorable Fairy Maternity T-shirt for my maternity wardrobe. It is absolutely precious, beautiful, delicate and unique. And as much as I used to dislike girly pink products, it seems that I've had a change of heart since having a little girl of my own. :) Now it seems I can't get enough of pink and purple, or of fairies and butterflies! I love the image of the little fairy...and the butterflies that trail a path down your pregnant belly add just the right 'extra' touch. In my opinion, it is simple, but gorgeous. The fabric is also VERY comfortable. I found that the sizing was right on, and it has just the right amount of stretch to use from the early months of pregnancy, right until the end. This is the kind of maternity top that I'd love to wear everyday...it's that comfy. :)

Anne Geddes also carries a few other maternity shirts - all simple but stunning as well. And if you're not pregnant...well, there are equally as adorable sections for baby clothes, toddler clothes, toys and more!

WIN IT!
Anne Geddes is giving away TWO Fairy Maternity T-Shirts! In order to get one entry, head over to Anne Geddes and let me know which product(s) you loved best.

EXTRA ENTRIES - Please leave an additional comment for each extra entry
~ Follow Anne Geddes on Twitter
~ Become a fan of Anne Geddes on Facebook
~ Subscribe to Anne’s regular newsletters
~ Add our button
~ Subscribe to our blog/feed
~ Follow our blog
~ Follow us on Twitter
~ Blog about this giveaway and leave the link in your comment
~ Tweet about the contest (tweet ONCE PER DAY for extra entries and leave the link in your comment(s) please.


CONTEST OPEN TO CANADA AND US ONLY! CONTEST ENDS FEBRUARY 8, 2010.

Open Sky

A few months ago I was reading a favorite blog of mine, Mama Notes. She had posted about this great new shop she had opened up with Open Sky. I had never heard of Open Sky, so I decided to check it out. Well, it turns out they were looking for more shopkeepers, and I signed up!

So, what exactly is Open Sky? It's like a mini mall of sorts. There are a bunch of shopkeepers who get to choose what products we want to promote, and then get a percentage of the sale. But that isn't really it. The really cool thing is that it is interactive. There are conversations going on about the different products, and as shopkeepers, we share our personal experiences with the products. So if you are interested in a product, you can get some great feedback on what it's like, before you make your purchase. I think this is a great concept, that I am proud to be a part of!

I have decided to sell mostly pregnancy/parenting/baby items, and you can check them out here. I will slowly be adding products as I find ones that I would love to share with you. For now, my shop hasn't gone live yet, but it will very soon! Keep checking back as I add products.

Winners!

The winner of a $50 GC to Eco Bebe Boutique is:

Comment #43 - Kim


The Winner of an outfit of their choice from Nosilla Organics is:

Comment #92 - Carol


Congrats! You each have 72 hours to contact me before a new winner is chosen.

Two Little Kittens, they KEPT their MITT-ONS ~ GIVEAWAY! (Closed)

Have you ever sent your kids out to play, only to have the mittens come off, or snow get in the sleeves? So you as a parent are constantly looking for the lost mitten or you have to go inside early because there's snow inside your child's sleeve or mitt and they've gotten chilled.  ONS GEAR has solved the age-old problem of children’s mittens falling off (usually with help!) and snow getting in between the coat and the mitt. These mittens are great!!!! I remember having some with a long cuff as a child and I'd often wondered why I couldn't find any now for our kids. As soon as I saw these MITT-ONS, I knew this was the answer for our kids. The inventors of MITT-ONS are parents themselves, with 2 children under 5, trying to enjoy Canadian winters with their family. MITT-ONS™ are available in 3 colours and 3 sizes and can be purchased exclusively on-line at the ONS GEAR e-store.

MITT-ONS™ are innovative Thinsulate waterproof mittens which stop snow from getting in, keeping little hands warm and dry! The best thing about MITT-ONS™ is the long fleece sleeve to the elbow attached to the rest of the mitt by a zipper at the wrist for easy access to hands. This also gives you the option of wearing them without the fleece sleeve. Other features are:

• an adjustable wrist strap;
• a fleece lining attached in the thumb and in the fingers part (so the thumb lining can't come out on it's own – how clever is that!);
• a grippy surface on the palm – pushing a shovel, holding on to a toboggan or grabbing toys is much easier;
• a rip-resistant tip;
• a cotton thumb for runny noses.

Watch the ONS GEAR YouTube video to see MITT-ONS closer up!

Jonathan and Daniel were both sent a pair of MITT-ONS to try out, and we've been having some perfect snow-play weather to test them! :) And, we've been able to play outside much longer than other times, as everyone is warm and dry and no one has snow in their mitts or sleeves, well at least the kids don't! :) Now, if only we could get something that would keep the snow out of our own mitts/gloves! :)

Although they're a bit big for Daniel, he's still been wearing them, and he's been nice and toasty. His whole hand fits in the “fingers part”, but he has that with most mitts anyway – it's hard to get his little thumb coordinated! He's so little there's more outerwear than boy when I send him outside! :)

The fleece sleeve goes past Jonathan's elbow (almost to his armpit), and helps to keep his arms warm. I love the wrist zipper – it's great for reaching in and pulling up shirt sleeves that got away! :) The adjustable strap at the wrist helps make the mittens go on a lot easier and fit better. And, just like his dad, Jonathan really took to the cotton thumb and loves to rub his drippy nose! :) (ewww!) When the kids come in and we pull off their MITT-ONS, their hands, arms and wrists are nice and warm and dry – something we didn't have with other mitts.

ONS GEAR's vision is to make children's and parents' lives easier by innovating one product at a time. Watch their website, as more cool and practical products are added. You can also follow them on Facebook. Keep following Glimpse for another ONS GEAR product in the spring!

WIN IT!

ONS-GEAR is giving one of our readers a pair of MITT-ONS in their choice of colour and size! In order to get one entry, visit ONS GEAR's website and comment telling us which colour and size you would choose.

EXTRA ENTRIES: (please leave an additional comment for each entry)

• Become a fan of ONS GEAR on Facebook.
• Suggest a children's clothing item you're frustrated with that you wish someone would re-invent!
• Add our button to your blog

CONTEST OPEN TO CANADIANS ONLY AND ENDS FEBRUARY 1st, 2010.

Snugglywunkins ~ GIVEAWAY!

Some days it's hard enough just to keep track of my 2 active toddlers...never mind keeping track of all the items that come along with them! ;) Pacifiers, sippy cups, toys, blankets, mittens, shoes...and now with a girl - all her little hair accessories! haha. :) It seems we're almost always searching for something...whether it's a toy car or that VERY important paci! Snugglywunkins is a fabulous online shop filled with adorable and quality handmade items which are created to make our lives as moms just a little bit easier. Emily received a beautiful pacifier clip to help us keep track of her soother. She's a 'drop and run' kinda girl...whenever she sees something better than what she's currently holding in her hand (or her mouth ;) ), she drops it...anywhere...and takes off to get what she's got her heart set on now. So all to often you can find us on a family pacifier hunt! Not only does our new pacifier clip help us keep the paci close by, but it's handy when you're out and about - no worries about dropping the soother on a dirty floor, etc. The metal clip on this product is certified lead-free, and has a plastic clip insert inside to protect your little one's clothes. The ribbon comes in several different styles and is heat-sealed to prevent fraying. And my favorite part of the pacifier clip is the looped end. I love how it simply loops through and holds the pacifier in place - virtually impossible for a child to get undone!

Now perhaps you don't have any pacifiers at home...or maybe your kids are past this stage. Snugglywunkins has another great product for moms with kids of any age! Pacifiers are not the only things that get lost...now that it is winter, another of the most common things that we are losing around here are mittens. Snugglewunkins sent Tate a set of very handy mitten clips. After losing his most favorite pair of red mittens, we are have attached his new pair of mittens to his jacket sleeves and it's working wonderfully! We always know where to find our mittens now. These are also made out of certified lead-free clips and heat-sealed grosgrain ribbon in a ton of great styles.

Snugglywunkins also has a great selection of other handcrafted items including adorable hair clips for your little princess, nursing covers, diaper pouches, bibs and more. Each and every single item is made by a SAHM who's tested and tried these products on her own kids...and I have to say it again - When it comes to stores that carry children's products, Moms really do know best!

WIN IT! Snugglywunkins is giving one of our readers a set of mitten clips of their choice! In order to get one entry, head over to Snugglywunkins and let us know what product (and in which fabric/ribbon style) was your favorite.

EXTRA ENTRIES - Please leave an additional comment for each extra entry
~ Which ribbon style would you pick for your mitten clips if you won?
~ Add our button
~ Subscribe to our blog/feed
~ Follow our blog
~ Follow us on Twitter
~ Blog about this giveaway and leave the link in your comment
~ Tweet about the contest (tweet ONCE PER DAY for extra entries and leave the link in your comment(s) please.

CONTEST OPEN TO CANADA ONLY! CONTEST ENDS FEBRUARY 1, 2010.

BUY IT!
Snugglywunkins is giving our readers a 15% discount off of any order of $10 or more. When you send your order in to Snugglywunkins, just mention that you read about them on Glimpse and the discount will automatically be applied to your order! Expires on February 14, 2010.

Winners!

The Winners of a fabulous Dodo-Sac each are:

Comment #90 - Misusedinnocence
Comment #5 - Stephy905

Congrats! You'll each have 72 hours to contact me before a new winner is chosen.

We Were Featured!

Simply Stacie recently asked if she could do a feature on Glimpse...she's featuring Canadian review & giveaway blogs! :) So we couldn't turn down a great opportunity like this. :)

Check out our 'feature post' HERE!

Thanks Stacie!!

Friendly Fish~ GIVEAWAY!

I recently read a very revealing fact...and probably a little known fact as well! Did you know that the skin of newborns and young children is so thin that 90% of what you put on their skin gets absorbed...into all their cells and organs? That's a big deal...especially when so many of the baby products that are sold today contain harmful chemicals, preservatives, etc. That's why when it comes to our kids and our family we are always striving to find and use products that are natural and safe. Friendly Fish is a fabulous little online store where you can find just these types of products! We received a few items from the Dimpleskins line to try out. Dimpleskins is made in Canada and is 100% Canadian and 100% safe! We loved the Bum Bum Balm that they sent along for Emily. It is full of healing oils, has no perfumes, chemicals, etc. and it's even stored in a neat little tin which is made of 'food grade' and 'rust proof' materials. Even little bums deserve the best treatment when they suffer from rashes and irritations. :)

Dimpleskins Sweet Cheeks natural body balm is another fabulous product! It works marvelously on Emily's cheeks which often become chapped and red from the dry winter air. Sweet Cheeks is not a greasy cream either...smooth and delicate - perfect for sensitive skin. It's been great for our whole family actually! Even I tried it out on my dry hands and it was moisturizing and comforting for me as well.
And yes...I saved the best for last! The Dimpleskins Kiss Me, Baby natural lip/cheek balm from Friendly Fish has been SO helpful! Tate recently decided to spend a lot of time picking at his lips...which were already dry and cracked in the first place. Let's just say that this didn't go over well and he ended up with extremely sore, cracked and bleeding lips - even a bit swollen at one point! After a little chat about 'not picking our lips ;)' and a few days of applying the Kiss Me, Baby lip balm things were healed up and I'm sure a LOT less painful for the little guy! This is one product that I wouldn't want to be without during our dry Canadian winters here in the prairies! It comes in a handy little tube which I love as well...great for tucking into my pocket or the diaper bag. Of course, the lip balm is all natural as well. It's such a relief to me to know that I've found a lip balm that can be used on even the tiniest babies and that will be 100% safe for them...even if they eat it! ;)

Friendly Fish also carries a great selection of other kid and baby-geared, natural and organic products! You'll find clothing, toys, bedding and more!

WIN IT!
Friendly Fish is giving one of our readers a $20 gift certificate to their shop! In order to get one entry, head over to Friendly Fish and let us know what item(s) you loved in their shop and what you'd like to see more of (ex. diaper bags, more clothes, etc.)

EXTRA ENTRIES - Please leave an additional comment for each extra entry
~ Add our button
~ Subscribe to our blog/feed
~ Follow our blog
~ Follow us on Twitter
~ Blog about this giveaway and leave the link in your comment
~ Tweet about the contest (tweet ONCE PER DAY for extra entries and leave the link in your comment(s) please.

CONTEST OPEN TO CANADA ONLY! CONTEST ENDS JANUARY 28, 2010.

Tea for ... however many you want!

The Gathering Place Trading Company is a family-run business that supports family operations in various parts of the world. Its strong environmental and ethical policies are impressive: products are sold in recyclable and reusable packaging, hand packed on Cortes Island and shipped in re-used packaging; labels are made using soy-based inks. The company donates 13% of profits to African children in need and has established a Safe House for abused children in South Africa. They sent me a sampling of their products, and I was excited to try them all as soon I opened the box! :) The smell alone was very tempting! :) The Gathering Place Trading Company sells Teas, Sea Salt and Spices.

Tea

If you remember from my introduction, tea after the kids have gone to bed has become a nightly ritual for my husband and I. Until just recently, I was a breast-feeding mom, and was more careful to drink caffeine-free tea, plus, at night I never have anything but honeybush or rooibos as sleep has become an increasingly precious commodity! :) So, when I found and tried the Rooibos and Honeybush teas from the Gathering Place, I was delighted! Since we moved back to Canada 3 years ago, I've tried a variety of rooibos teas but these are the ones I like the best! Both teas are organically grown, from the current year's harvest. They are hand-harvested and sun-dried in South Africa and packaged in BC. Our kids have also tried the rooibos, honeybush and rooibos chai teas (mixed about half and half with milk and with a little honey) and they are both very fond of tea! Rooibos is also great as an iced tea in the summer, on its own or with rhubarb or raspberry juice added. I'm sure you could think up many other delicious combinations as well, but these are the ones we've tried!

Green Rooibos is made by stopping the natural fermentation of Rooibos leaves. It has a mild, pleasant taste, and seemed energizing to me! 

Rooibos Chai is a hand-blended mix of Rooibos tea and 6 organic spices. It's one of the most popular teas they sell, and I can definitely taste why! It has a nicely spiced, mellow taste (not unpleasantly sharp like some Chai).

Chai Spice can be used as a hot drink on its own, or added to any tea. It smells delicious, even before you've steeped it, and I'm sure it would make your kitchen smell wonderful as well! :)

Sea Salt


Antarctic Pure Sea Salt is also produced by a family business. It is sun and wind-dried, hand-harvested, then blended and hand-packed into the grinders or refill bags in BC. The grinder works really well, and looks good too! The Sea Salt is unrefined, so it contains many trace minerals that are removed from table salt.

Sea Salt and Organic Pepper adds a good flavour to various dishes and it's great to grind both salt and pepper at once!

Sea Salt and Kelp adds essential trace minerals, like iodine, to the food as well as enhancing the flavour. The kelp is harvested on Vancouver Island's West Coast.

Spices

The Gathering Place's Spices are grown on certified organic family farms, soon also to be fair trade certified. They are also from the current year's harvest so are noticeably fresh. 13% of the spice profits go to support Amma for farmer relief in India. Contact them directly for pricing and ordering while they work on getting the spices up on the website.

Cinnamon has a mild taste and aroma and made delicious cookies and cake with a hint of cinnamon!

Cumin has an intense aroma and complemented our ground beef for quesadillas/burritos wonderfully.

Fennel – we tried this as tea, as it's soothing to the stomach (indigestion and gas). It's great for adults, but safe also for kids to drink. The taste is more intense than other fennel we've purchased from a local health-food store.

With the Vanilla Beans you can make your own vanilla extract by allowing the beans to “steep” in vodka or brandy for 2 months. You could also make your own vanilla sugar, or use them in a variety of recipes for a great vanilla taste – ice cream comes to mind, but I'm too cold for that right now! :)

Buy it!

The Gathering Place Trading Company is happy to offer a discount code for Glimpse readers. The code is: Tea 13. They will give anyone quoting that code a discount of 13% off of their order. Shipping is free with a minimum of $150 order. Expiry is Dec. 31, 2010.

Winners!

The three winners of 1 bag of Organic Cookies each from Sweetpea Baby Food are:

Comment #99 - Stephy905
Comment #35 - remarker/fcffollower
Comment #77 - Lee P.


The 2 winners of the Reinder Baby Plush Toy from Anne Geddes are:

Comment #87 (Canadian Winner) - Annie1
Comment #172 (USA Winner) - paula michele

Congrats to all our winners! You'll each have 72 hours to contact me before a new winner is chosen.

Sweet Creations from the Cotton Cupcake shoppe! ~ Giveaway

There's been a bit of buzz where I live, about a certain little shop that mommies just can't get enough of! The Cotton Cupcake shoppe has been receiving rave reviews everywhere I look, and I decided it was time I checked into it!

This sweet little Etsy shop is full of yummy creations, designed just for your child. Personalized, monogrammed, appliqued, you choose. And whatever you decide on, everything is finished to perfection, made with love.

We received the most exciting package in the mail from the Cotton Cupcake shoppe! My kids were thrilled to find t shirts with their names on them, and a sweet little hat for baby Friesen, who is due to arrive in about 6 1/2 weeks! Rowan wanted to wear his shirt right away, and is incredibly proud to wear the title of Big Brother :) Bria, of course, drooled on hers right away, and was equally as proud to wear her name on her shirt.

The Cotton Cupcake shoppe has some fantastic Valentine's designs available right now, and I've already decided what my first purchase will be :) Isn't this shirt just adorable? I think it will be just perfect for some newborn pictures in a month or two...

WIN IT!
The Cotton Cupcake shoppe is generously offering one lucky reader a $25 gift certificate! Read carefully for how to enter.

~For one entry, visit the Cotton Cupcake shoppe on Etsy, and choose a favorite item, then come back here and leave a comment stating which item is your favorite, and why it caught your eye.

~For a second entry, become a fan of the Cotton Cupcake shoppe on Facebook, and leave a comment here, letting us know!

~For a third entry, stop by the Cotton Cupcake shoppe blog and say hi! Make sure to come back here and mention that you did.

Contest closes January 26th, 2010.

PURCHASE IT!
Anyone interested in free shipping? Just use the code glimpse2010 when you checkout, and you will receive free shipping! Offer expires February 28th, 2010.

Kiss Naturals ~ GIVEAWAY

I love to think of fun and creative crafts and activities to do with my kids...especially with Tate now that he is getting older and is able to do more than color with those big fat crayons! ;) We find that crafts and activities around the home make time go by a lot faster...and are great for teaching and learning new things and new skills as well. So you can imagine how delighted I was when I found a Canadian company who combines three of my favorite things - fun activities, all natural ingredients and products, and the chance to teach and learn. Kiss Naturals creates four fabulous DIY kits which are definitely one of a kind. I've never seen anything like these kits before...and well, I have to say that we LOVE them! Kiss Naturals DIY Craft Kits include a Bath Fizzie kit, a Lip Balm kit, a Solid Perfume kit, and a Natural Soap kit. Each kit comes with everything you need to make your own lip balm, soap, etc. Tate and Emily have both had SO much fun making each of these kits...and using them too! Oh, and I must say...Kiss Naturals Craft Kits are incredibly easy to make. Almost too easy! haha. :) It took us about 10 minutes total to make each of the kits...and that was with some extra mixing from the kids since they just weren't ready to be finished with their creations yet...they were definitely a big hit! My favorite parts? I love how easy they are to create, I love how much each kit makes ($$$ saver!), and I absolutely am the biggest fan of the fact that their products are all 100% natural (that means NO fillers, additives, dyes or synthetics). So no worries if Emily decides to 'taste' the soap, or if Tate eats a bit of the lip balm instead of just putting it on his lips. :)

Kiss Naturals DIY Craft Kits are affordable too...and let's face it...it's SO much more fun to have a bath with soap that your child had a hand in making! I found that the Kiss Naturals products are affordable as well. Their goal is to provide all of you with the ingredients to make practical products, to give you an exciting and fun activity to do on a rainy day, and to make sure that you and your family are using the safest ingredients possible!

WIN IT!
Kiss Naturals is giving away one of their fabulous Lip Balm making kits! In order to get one entry, head over to Kiss Naturals and tell us which kit is your favorite or what you love most about their products.

EXTRA ENTRIES - Please leave an additional comment for each extra entry
~ Add our button
~ Subscribe to our blog/feed
~ Follow our blog
~ Follow us on Twitter
~ Blog about this giveaway and leave the link in your comment
~ Tweet about the contest (tweet ONCE PER DAY for extra entries and leave the link in your comment(s) please.

CONTEST OPEN TO CANADA AND USA! CONTEST ENDS JANUARY 25, 2010.

BUY IT!
For all our Canadian readers, Kiss Naturals has an ongoing policy of offering you FREE shipping when you buy 3 or more kits at the same time! They make fabulous gifts and are perfect for birthday parties, etc. Kiss Naturals also believes in making a difference. One dollar from every kit sold is donated to a charity or nonprofit organization of your choice!

Nosilla Organics ~ GIVEAWAY!

What child doesn't love a set of clothes that is comfortable? You know...easy to crawl, run, and make trouble in! ;) And what mom doesn't love a set of clothes that looks great and is made with care and quality? You'll find that the clothing from Nosilla Organics meets these standards and more! Tate received the Chocolate Brown Drawstring Pants from Nosilla Organics and they have had their share of wear already. These pants are made with soft organic french terry and are perfect for toddlers and babies alike! They come complete with pockets to keep little treasures and toys in, a soft elastic waist and a drawstring to keep them up on skinny little boys like mine. haha. :) Really though, I LOVE the drawstring feature as it is very hard to find pants that will stay up on my tall, thin 3 year old. The clothes from Nosilla Organics are so versatile too. Just take one peek at their site and you'll see how much you can mix and match their tops and bottoms. There are all sorts of fun and adorable combinations that you can come up with for both girls and boys. Every single fiber of their clothing is made from 100% Certified Organic Cotton, and is Fair Trade Certified. And that means that they didn't just take "people's word for it" when they were searching for fabrics that were from facilities who respected and paid each worker fairly. After a full year of digging and searching Nosilla Organics found what they were looking for and is currently the very first company in North America to produce a line of Certified Organic baby clothing that carries the Fair Trade Certified Logo! You can be sure that the products you'll get from this company are of the highest quality and are made by companies who respect and treat their workers fairly. Head over and check out their great selection of practical clothes for babies and toddlers...you'll find prints and colors of all sorts! Something to suit the personality of every child. :)

WIN IT!
Nosilla Organics is giving one of our readers ANY outfit of their choice (ex. sleeper and hat or a pants and a top). In order to get one entry, head over to Nosilla Organics and let us know which outfit you'd choose.

EXTRA ENTRIES - Please leave an additional comment for each extra entry
~ Add our button
~ Subscribe to our blog/feed
~ Follow our blog
~ Follow us on Twitter
~ Blog about this giveaway and leave the link in your comment
~ Tweet about the contest (tweet ONCE PER DAY for extra entries and leave the link in your comment(s) please.

CONTEST OPEN TO EVERYONE! CONTEST ENDS JANUARY 18, 2010.

BUY IT!
Nosilla Organics is also giving ALL our readers a great discount! In order to receive a 20% discount on all purchases use the coupon code: GLIMPSE_0110. (Uses per Coupon: Unlimited!! Uses per Customer: 1) Expires on January 31, 2010.

Bubbles 'n Milk ~ GIVEAWAY!

If there are two things that my kids love, it would be bubbles and milk. Tate thinks that bubbles IN milk is even better! haha. :) Usually we try to keep most of our bubbles in the bathtub though...and what could be more fun that bubble hair-do's, driving boats through bubbles, washing your hands over and over and over again with the bubbles, and of course going for a nice, bubbly swim! Eco Bebe Boutique recently sent us a container full of Little Twig Bubble Bath, and it sure does the trick when it comes to making bathtime fun! My favorite part about this bubble bath is that it is 100% organic and safe for my kids. NO harmful ingredients whatsoever. Which is great since my kids also like to eat the bubbles from time to time. :)

And milk...mostly we use this for drinking around here. :) But did you know that Eco Bebe carries a different kind of milk? Little Twig's Body Milk is a creamy, milky lotion that is perfect for rubbing into your little one's skin after bathtime...or anytime! It is nourishing and moisturizing, and perfect for the sensitive skin of young children. Plus it smells delicious! :)

Eco Bebe's selection of Little Twig products have all the markings of quality and safety! They are:

* Made with Organic Ingredients
* Pediatrician Tested
* No Tears
* Sulfate Free
* No Synthetic Fragrances
* No Artificial Colors
* Ideal for sensitive skin

Eco Bebe Boutique also carries a huge selection of other natural products. Everything from items for your laundry room to unique and special gift ideas.

WIN IT!
Eco Bebe Boutique is giving away a $50 gift certificate to one lucky reader! In order to get one entry, head over to Eco Bebe Boutique and let me know what product(s) you'd spend the gift certificate on.

EXTRA ENTRIES - Please leave an additional comment for each extra entry
~ Subscribe to Eco Bebe's Newsletter
~ Add our button
~ Subscribe to our blog/feed
~ Follow our blog
~ Follow us on Twitter
~ Blog about this giveaway and leave the link in your comment
~ Tweet about the contest (tweet ONCE PER DAY for extra entries and leave the link in your comment(s) please.

CONTEST OPEN TO CANADA ONLY! CONTEST ENDS JANUARY 18, 2010.

BUY IT!
Eco Bebe Boutique is also giving ALL our readers a 10% discount! In order to receive 10% off your order, use the code: glimpse. Expires January 21, 2010 (so hurry! :) ).

Happy New Year!

New year, new team member, seems somehow fitting, doesn't it? So for my first post to Glimpse (well, really 2nd, as I did introduce myself to you!) I want to wish everyone a wonderful 1st day of the new year, and a great year for 2010! I'm sure there'll be great reviews on Glimpse to look forward to - I've got my first one coming up, and I'm really excited about it! :) (Just received the products yesterday and I have to try them all first!)

So, stay warm and cozy, however you celebrate today, and enjoy the first weekend of the year!