Winner!

The winner of a set of adorable hair clips from Ari's Bow-tique is:

Comment #22 - Amy

Congrats! You'll have 72 hours to get in touch with me before a new winner is chosen.

Winner!

The winner of a $20 gift certificate to Little Tree Hugger is:

comment #31: littlelamb

Congratulations! You have 72 hours to contact me before a new winner is chosen!

Great sale at Big Fat Hen!

Big Fat Hen is having a great sale! For 1 week only, their 1.0 tog sleep sacks are 50% off, to celebrate the launch of their organic sleep sacks. "Tog" is an international standard measurement of how well a blanket, duvet or sleep sack keeps you warm, or in this case, your baby! Sleep sacks are great for keeping baby covered up during the night, as they can't be kicked off. Big Fat Hen's new sleep sacks are made in Canada with Canadian-made fabric from organic cotton yarn. Available in 3 cute designs, they are dyed with certified eco-friendly dyes!

Here are the details of the sale:

From October 30th - November 7th, the 1.0 tog sleep sacks are $39.95 CAD instead of $79.90 CAD. This is an amazing price for an organic sleep sack!

Head over to Big Fat Hen right now to check out the sale - these would make a perfect baby gift!

Sleep snug!

It seems like fall has hit with a vengeance - at least the weather is very "fall!" This is the time of year when I like to sleep under the duvet - and because we do, our kids do too! :) Daniel moved into a toddler bed late this summer, and we knew we needed some bedding for him, as the crib bedding would be used in the crib for #3!  My kids tend to be very warm at night, and they need something that keeps them cozy but still breathes.

Enter SnugSleep! They manufacture wool and latex bedding products in Vancouver, BC. Using high-quality New Zealand wool, they make pillows, duvets and mattress overlays for various bed sizes. Visit their website to find out about their products and the benefits of wool bedding.

SnugSleep came to Daniel's rescue! They make a great crib or toddler-sized duvet. It fits into the appropriate size duvet cover, and so it goes with any bedroom decor. Daniel looks very snuggly under his duvet - and he is so pleased to have the same kind of "blanket" as everyone else! Wool allows the sleeping body to breathe, and helps control temperature and moisture, so you don't get too hot (or too cold) or too sweaty while you sleep. The duvet is covered in natural cotton, so you end up with a 100% natural product on your child's bed.

wool knop pillow fill

Daniel also got to try a toddler-sized wool-filled pillow. It's filled with loose wool knop fill, which conforms to the shape you need. It can also be easily fluffed up. He's been sleeping great - this is a perfect pillow for starting out on, as it's not too thick or big.

SnugSleep's products can be purchased at many retailers across Canada, and also through their online shop, Sleepy Sheep in Canada and Sleepy Sheep Bedding in the USA.

BUY IT!!

SnugSleep is offering Glimpse readers their best discount ever when you purchase through one of their online shops! Use the code GLIMPSE2010 to receive 15% off on all orders. Offer is valid in Canada and the US and expires on November 14, 2010, so act fast!

Hotness Flat Irons ~ Giveaway!!

I mentioned a few weeks ago that I received a Karmin Professional Flat Iron to review. Well, I'm happy to say that I'm still loving it! It's been a time saver for me in the mornings, and I love the way it makes my hair look.

I've been offered the chance to give away another flattening iron! I'm so excited that one of you will be the lucky owner of a new Hotness Flat Iron! These are tourmaline hair straighteners, and they come in a bunch of funky designs. You can see them all if you click the previous link. They would definitely spice up your morning hair routine!

Here is a description of the great features of the Hotness Flat Iron:

If you are looking for a Flat Iron that performs unlike any other, the Hotness Professional Styling Iron is a great choice!

Hotness Styling Irons feature IntelTek advanced technology and combine it with ceramic tourmaline for accelerated ion generation, meaning vast amounts of negative ions for the smoothest, sleekest results. The lightweight and ergonomic design allows the stylist and client to achieve exceptional salon results quickly and effortlessly.

Features

• Adjustable temperature settings with a maximum of 450° F (230° C) for quick results on even the most difficult to straighten hair types.
• Ceramic – conditions and protects hair, keeps color from fading.
• Digital Temperature Display - allows you to precisely control temperature according to hair type.
• Programmable auto shut-off
• Instant HOTNESS! - heats up In seconds
• Flexible plates to eliminate gaps
• Professional length swivel cord – no more tangling cords
• Lightweight & ergonomic design
• Suitable for thin or thick hair
• Rounded plate edges to straighten, flip or curl
• Plate width: 1”
• Four year warranty
  

WIN IT!
In order to win, please visit this link and let me know which design is your favorite. Please post your comment here.

EXTRA ENTRIES - Please leave an additional comment for each extra entry.
~ Grab our button
~ Subscribe to our blog/feed
~ Follow our blog via Google Friend Connect (publicly)
~ Follow us on Twitter & tweet about the contest (tweet ONCE PER DAY for extra entries and leave the link in your comment(s) please.
~ Become a fan of Glimpse on Facebook
~ Blog about this giveaway and leave the link in your comment

Contest ends on November 11, 2010. Please view our giveaway rules for more info.

**Disclaimer: The product/s mentioned above have been given free of charge from the company or PR firm in exchange for being featured on Glimpse. The product features expressed in this post are those of Glimpse and have not been influenced in any other way. Please see the full Terms of Use.

Winner!

The Winner of a super cute doll diaper bag from La Chiffoniere is:

Comment #12 - Dianne

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

Jeans Worth Wearing ~ GIVEAWAY!

Shopping for clothes...for myself? That rarely happens anymore...it seems that once kids enter the picture we think more about what they need and most of the shopping is for the kids. And that is fine...expect every once in a while us moms need a little something to brighten up or fill up our wardrobe too. :) When that happens, there is always one store that I LOVE shopping at. It's been one of my favorites since I was in high school, and there's never been a time that I haven't been able to find comfortable, stylish and best of all - AFFORDABLE - clothes at this store. Curious? It's none other than Warehouse One. This is our store of choice when it comes to buying casual clothes for both myself and my husband. Warehouse One generously sent me a gift card to go shopping with...to get a few new things and to check out the knowledge and service of the staff as well. I am pleased to say that we were not disappointed at all! The staff was friendly and very knowledgeable...she even guessed what size I was by just looking at me, and was very informed about sizes, styles and prices of the items in their store. The store was neat, clean and organized as well...so it was very easy and enjoyable to shop there. By the end of the trip, I had two fabulous new outfits...one for casual wear and one that is a little more dressy. A pair of wonderfully comfy pair of flare jeans & belt, along with a French Terry Peached Hoodie was my first choice of outfit. And secondly I chose two simple long sleeved shirts and a versatile black ladies pant that can be rolled up into capri's or worn as a pant. The quality of each of these items is fabulous - and this mama has made very good use of them already! :)

Warehouse One's main product is jeans...they are committed to providing you great jeans and always will be! Did you know that Warehouse One started up in 1977...and they were simply selling jeans from the trunk of a car?! They obviously had something special to offer because look at them now! :) Warehouse One offers a huge selection of men's and women's jeans...all at great prices. I love the fact that they offer so many different styles & fits of jeans - there really is something for everyone! Besides jeans you'll find a full range of casual apparel and accessories that'll complete your outfit. Warehouse One stores are located all across Canada...just check their Store Locator to find one near you.

WIN IT!
Warehouse One is giving away a voucher for a FREE pair of jeans! In order to get one entry, head over to Warehouse One's website and let us know which pair of jeans you would choose if you won and WHY.

EXTRA ENTRIES - Please leave an additional comment for each extra entry.
~ Like Warehouse One on Facebook
~ Follow Warehouse One on twitter
~ Grab our button
~ Subscribe to our blog/feed
~ Follow our blog via Google Friend Connect (publicly)
~ Follow us on Twitter & tweet about the contest (tweet ONCE PER DAY for extra entries and leave the link in your comment(s) please.
~ Become a fan of Glimpse on Facebook
~ Blog about this giveaway and leave the link in your comment

CONTEST OPEN TO CANADA ONLY! Contest ends on November 11, 2010. Please view our giveaway rules for more info.

**Disclaimer: The product/s mentioned above have been given free of charge from the company or PR firm in exchange for being featured on Glimpse. The product features expressed in this post are those of Glimpse and have not been influenced in any other way. Please see the full Terms of Use.

Gifts that Really Give ~ GIVEAWAY!

One of the greatest seasons of giving gifts is just around the corner, and I know that I really enjoy giving gifts to my friends and family. It's so special to see their excitement and joy at receiving a gift that was meant just for them. Giving Gifts recently sent us a wonderful gift that is perfect for bathtime. We received a set of three Shoo-Foo Organic Bamboo Washcloths. They are absolutely luscious and are used during bathtime as often as possible. The washcloths are thick, soft and fluffy - very high quality! Did you know that they are actually 400 percent more absorbent than cotton? Wow!! The washcloths are also anti-bacterial and mold and mildew resistant. Between that and the fact that they are made from bamboo - which replenishes itself very quickly, these washcloths make a great gift for your family - and since they are completely eco-friendly, they give back to our environment as well!

Giving Gifts is a shop that is ALL about giving. They love to encourage giving gifts to your family and friends (or even to yourself! :) ). Giving Gifts has a wonderful selection of unique and fun gifts for the whole family...if you're looking for that "perfect" gift, Giving Gifts would be a great place to start looking! Every one of their gifts are both fair trade and eco-friendly so through that you are also giving to the environment, and to others around the world. Finally, Giving Gifts gives a portion of their earnings to Carli's Kids which helps to build the Abetavu Children's village for street kids in Uganda. So you see, you really can't deny that Giving Gifts really believes in giving...to you, to others and to our world!

WIN IT!
Giving Gifts is giving one of our readers a $25 gift certificate to their online shop! In order to get one entry, head over to Giving Gifts and let us know what you would buy with the GC if you won.

EXTRA ENTRIES - Please leave an additional comment for each extra entry.
~ Like Giving Gifts on Facebook
~ Follow Giving Gifts on Twitter
~ Sign up for Giving Gifts' Newsletter
~ Grab our button
~ Subscribe to our blog/feed
~ Follow our blog via Google Friend Connect (publicly)
~ Follow us on Twitter & tweet about the contest (tweet ONCE PER DAY for extra entries and leave the link in your comment(s) please.
~ Become a fan of Glimpse on Facebook
~ Blog about this giveaway and leave the link in your comment

CONTEST OPEN TO CANADA & USA ONLY! Contest ends on November 11, 2010. Please view our giveaway rules for more info.

**Disclaimer: The product/s mentioned above have been given free of charge from the company or PR firm in exchange for being featured on Glimpse. The product features expressed in this post are those of Glimpse and have not been influenced in any other way. Please see the full Terms of Use.

hotSACKS - a Green shopping alternative ~ GIVEAWAY!!

I see many people at the local supermarket using reusable bags, although I do still see plastic bags going out too, and then we see them blowing all over the fields near our city dump. It makes me cringe, but to each his/her own I guess. What really was starting to bother me lately was that, although I was using reusable shopping bags, I still had an ever-increasing collection of plastic produce bags waiting to be taken back to be recycled whenever I should remember (if ever!). Even more annoying was that the grocery store where we go most often has stopped providing ties, and the bags have gotten so thin you have to be super careful if you want your fruit or veg to stay in. I was sure there must be a solution to my produce bag problem, so I started looking around for an alternative.

Well, it turns out I wasn't alone in wanting reusable bags. Diana Nethercott, a professional photographer from Victoria, BC, had the same desire, but she also wanted bags to be esthetically appealing. Many designs later, and after a long search for a green-certified manufacturer, hotSACKS was born! The company sells their own reusable shopping bags, and - hooray! - produce bags!

We were sent one Essential shopping bag to try out. It has a removable plastic bottom that helps keep it sturdy as you're filling it at the store. I'm not allowed to carry very much at one time now (midwife's orders) but this bag will hold a lot of groceries. It's also easy to carry (either over the shoulder or in my hand) and folds up nicely. The bags are made from non-woven polypropylene and are completely recyclable. The design makes it look good too and it's great for carrying anything - we used it at the library, and that's a good test of any bag in our family!

We also got to try the Meshy hotSACKS.They come in colours that coordinate with other hotSacks bags. They are made in Canada of recyclable polyethylene resin. They are great for most fruits (everything we tried worked well except the bananas), vegetables and bigger bulk items such as wrapped candies or nuts in shell. They are lightweight, so easy to bring along, and they fasten easily in a knot. A nice benefit is that they also allow produce to breathe. I've been really pleased with how these Meshy bags work. I've also let my parents try them out on their shopping trips (my mom has been reusing her plastic produce bags for a while now, but they're not sturdy enough) and they were very impressed.

WIN IT!!

hotSACKS is giving away 1 set of Meshy hotSACKS (8 in a set) to 2 different winners! To enter please visit hotSACKS and comment on a feature of your favourite bag.

EXTRA ENTRIES - Please leave an additional comment for each extra entry.

• follow Glimpse on Facebook
• subscribe to Glimpse either by email of GFC
• post the Glimpse button on your own blog or website (leave the link in your comment please)
• blog about the review
• tweet the review (limited to once daily and please leave the link in your comment)
• share the review/contest on Facebook (limited to once and please leave the link in your comment)

CONTEST OPEN TO CANADA AND USA! Contest ends on November 10, 2010. Please view our giveaway rules for more info.

BUY IT!!

hotSACKS are available from various retailers as well as online via the hotSACKS website. Check them out, as they have some great sale prices on right now! :) They'd make great presents or stocking stuffers for the eco-conscious person on your list.

**Disclaimer: The products mentioned above have been given free of charge from hotSACKS in exchange for being featured on Glimpse.  The opinions  expressed in this post are those of Glimpse and have not been influenced in any other way.  Please see the full Terms of use.

Knitted Warmth ~ GIVEAWAY!

Now that fall has arrived, (and well...as of today WINTER has also arrived here in a big, blustery storm!), we are all about layering. You never know...some days start out cool-ish and you need some extra warmth, but by noon it's warmed up and you can go through the rest of your day in a t-shirt. It's hard to find good "layers" for babies though. Onesies work pretty good - but that doesn't cover their little legs...or their head. We recently discovered a special onesie that goes FAR above and beyond the normal onesies we own. Beba Bean creates a gorgeous Knit Onesie that is absolutely perfect for fall outings. It is a one piece outfit that covers your babe from head to ankle and snaps shut with a few simple snaps in the front. I can't tell you how handy this Knit Onesie has been for Jenna. It's a simple layering piece for fall and I'm certain that we will also be using it during the winter season. They are made from 100% cotton, are machine washable, and come in three great colors. Beba Bean's knit onesies are soft, comfortable, practical and 100% adorable! They would make a great gift for any new baby or expecting mom!

Beba Bean carries a great selection of other products - all equally as precious and practical as the Knit Onesie. Check out their Knit Hoodie and Pant Set (I'm loving this one!), or maybe their newest blanket, the Nuzzle Throw, is more your style...OR if you're looking for the ultimate practical gift for little boys, check out their Pee-pee Teepee. Beba Bean has a great line of quality products...head on over and take a peek!

WIN IT!
Beba Bean is giving one of our readers a $25 gift certificate! In order to get one entry, head over to Beba Bean and let us know what your favorite product is.

EXTRA ENTRIES - Please leave an additional comment for each extra entry.
~ Like Beba Bean on Facebook
~ Follow Beba Bean on Twitter
~ Grab our button
~ Subscribe to our blog/feed
~ Follow our blog via Google Friend Connect (publicly)
~ Follow us on Twitter & tweet about the contest (tweet ONCE PER DAY for extra entries and leave the link in your comment(s) please.
~ Become a fan of Glimpse on Facebook
~ Blog about this giveaway and leave the link in your comment

CONTEST OPEN TO CANADA & USA ONLY! Contest ends on November 10, 2010. Please view our giveaway rules for more info.

**Disclaimer: The product/s mentioned above have been given free of charge from the company or PR firm in exchange for being featured on Glimpse. The product features expressed in this post are those of Glimpse and have not been influenced in any other way. Please see the full Terms of Use.

Winners!

The winner of a One Step prize package is:

Comment #49 - Dianne



The winner of a towel and drying hat from Farah's Room is:

Comment #99 - Dianna

Wow...Dianne was sure lucky this time! And get this - BOTH her winning entries were from Daily Tweets on twitter! Just goes to show that those really do make a difference. :)

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

Winners!

The winner of a water bottle from Otterbottle is:

comment #57: pamalot

The winners of a 3-month premium membership to Zoodles.com are:

comment #1: Ivy
comment #2: Patrick and Emillie
comment #4: Cathleen

Congratulations!

You have 72 hours to contact me before new winners will be chosen.

A Laugh A Day With Danna Banana's~ GIVEAWAY!

One of the greatest seasons of giving is just around the corner, and Danna Bananas is a great online gift shop that carries a PILE of unique and fun games, toys, gifts, novelties and products that you won't find in many other places! They've looked far and wide for their products...even in other countries! You'll find all sorts of fun gift ideas for family, friends, etc. - even items for those "hard to buy for folks!"

One of their unique items is «REW! What is that you ask? Well...it's one of those "old school meets new school" items - the type of thing that would be a perfect stocking stuffer for your teenager! It’s a cool homage to the old Walkman era when it was all about the cassette (oh, and sadly...I remember all those cassette days!!! ;) ). These days things are better, except for those dangling earphone wires. No problem — that's where «REW comes into play and wrangles those pesky cords and spools them in style.

Danna Bananas also has a huge selection of other fun and laugh-filled gadgets and gift ideas. Be sure to check them out for a unique supply of items that you just won't find anywhere else!

WIN IT!
Danna Bananas is giving one of our readers a «REW of their own. In order to receive one entry, head over to Danna Bananas and let us know what other product you'd love to receive or give as a Christmas gift this year.

EXTRA ENTRIES - Please leave an additional comment for each extra entry.
~ Become a Like Danna Bananas on Facebook
~ Follow Danna Bananas on Twitter
~ Grab our button
~ Subscribe to our blog/feed
~ Follow our blog via Google Friend Connect (publicly)
~ Follow us on Twitter & tweet about the contest (tweet ONCE PER DAY for extra entries and leave the link in your comment(s) please.
~ Become a fan of Glimpse on Facebook
~ Blog about this giveaway and leave the link in your comment

CONTEST OPEN TO CANADA ONLY! Contest ends on November 8, 2010. Please view our giveaway rules for more info.

**Disclaimer: The product/s mentioned above have been given free of charge from the company or PR firm in exchange for being featured on Glimpse. The product features expressed in this post are those of Glimpse and have not been influenced in any other way. Please see the full Terms of Use.

Bare Organics

Hand soap is a big necessity in any household, but especially with kids! It seems like one of us is always washing our hands after some dirty experience or other. I have a lot of trouble with dry skin on my hands, and I've found that many soaps make it a lot worse. When I use natural soaps, the dryness is much less or goes away altogether. Most natural soaps are bar soaps, but the kids do better with liquid soap or foaming soap, so I started searching for a natural foaming soap for our bathroom sink. Soap in a pump is much tidier than a bar soap too, once the kids start using it!

In my search, I came across Bare Organics, a Canadian company making high quality, truly safe and organic skin care and baby care products. They have a great variety of products, from skin care products for adults to cleansers and creams for babies and children. Also part of their collection are organic crib sheets and blankets, as well as wash cloths and cloth diapers. They'll also put together a gift basket for you, or a cloth diaper cake! After the birth of her first child, Karen, "chief organic mama," was tired of finding natural and organic products for her baby that still contained unsafe chemical ingredients. She started researching and testing her own recipes and "Bare Organics" was born.

We were able to try out a few of Bare Organics' products. One great item they have is an All-in-One cleanser. Available in 3 scents (Unscented, Rise 'n Shine, and Lavender Dreams), it can be used for washing your face, body and hands. Put it in a foaming bottle (diluted with water) and you have organic foaming soap! Exactly what we needed! Bare Organics also sells the foaming bottles.  We chose the unscented variety as we're not big on scents here. It smells, like, well, soap!We've been using the soap for over a month now, and everyone likes it. We've only used it as foaming soap as that's what we needed, but I can imagine it would be great in other uses as well.  And, best of all, for me, is that it doesn't dry my skin! Hooray - one product we can all use! I'm really looking forward to not having such dry hands this winter - especially with all the hand washing after diaper changes. My parents have been over here quite a bit lately and they are very scent-sensitive, and are happy to use the soap as well. Many people using the All-in-One cleanser as a facial cleanser have reported a decrease in acne, and the soap can be "personalized" with essential oils (like tea tree or cypress) to make it even more effective. The cleanser is on sale right now, so be sure to check it out!

Another product we tried was the Organic Baby Balm. It's a super gentle diaper/barrier cream and moisturizes and protects dry or chapped skin. It can also be used dry hands, cracked feet and eczema patches for children and adults. I think every member of the family has used this one since we got it! Daniel for his lingering diaper "rash," and eczema patches on his face and the rest of us to heal sores and cuts. It works wonderfully! I had sores at the corners of my mouth for about a month before the balm arrived - the dr suggested various creams, including hydrocortisone, but nothing took them away. I decided to try the baby balm and it all healed up in about a week. Yeah! - there's nothing worse than yawning or laughing and have your lips start bleeding again.

Remember that 2-year old possessive streak that has rubbed off on me? Well, there was one product just for me: Organic Belly and Baby Oil. I know, I'm supposed to share it with the baby, but s/he is still happily kicking inside, so MINE, all mine! :) It has a pleasant scent (it's unscented so it's fine to use on newborns as well), and spreads well. It comes in handy, easy to use pump bottle. I don't have as much time for tummy massage with this pregnancy as with the others (especially the first), but so far there don't seem to be any new stretch marks visible, although I can't see past my belly button anymore!

BUY IT!

Bare Organics is offering Glimpse readers a 15% discount off purchases made from their website. Orders over $50 will receive a free lip balm as well. Use the code "Glimpse" in the comments section at checkout, and the discount will be applied after the order, but before payment processing and shipping.

**Disclaimer: The products mentioned above have been given free of charge from Bare Organics in exchange for being featured on Glimpse.  The opinions expressed in this post are those of Glimpse and have not been influenced in any other way.  Please see the full Terms of use.

Letter Magic - GIVEAWAY!

A-to-Z Illusions is the brainchild of David Matthews, a freelance photographer living in Manitoba. Over the years he has worked as a photojournalist and then as an industrial and commercial photographer; these experiences have helped him to develop a keen eye for photographing everyday items in the most unique way imaginable. He photographs natural occurrences of letters in the alphabet and his "Lettergraphs" are becoming increasingly popular!

What started out as a project to help a special needs child find and recognize the letters of the alphabet quickly became a big collection of photographed letter shapes! That child, and other children in the class and many in subsequent classes were able to make their names and other words using the letter photographs. Now you can choose from over 500 photos to make up your word(s) - letting you be the "artist" decorating your walls.

When David contacted me about being featured on Glimpse, I was immediately intrigued by his work. How cool is it to put photos of everyday objects together, to spell a word?! The objects are recognizable for what they are, but so are the letters; Jonathan knows all his letters and can easily tell us what the different objects represent.

The A-to-Z Illusions website also includes a demonstration "movie" to help you with choosing letters and putting them together. Then it's on to "Create," where it's all up to you. The photos are all 4X6" and sepia-toned, matching every decor scheme. You can choose any word or words you like, select the letter photograph of your choice from the collection, and order directly from the A-to-Z Illusions website. Orders can be sent as photos or local orders can also be already framed. Once the website is updated in early 2011, framing options will be available to all. The letter photographs are reasonably priced and shipping is free, world-wide! Think of what an awesome Christmas present this would make!

Check out A-to-Z Illusions' Facebook page for some examples of what has been ordered. Also, there's a listing of shows and exhibitions they'll be at from now until Christmas. If you happen to see them at one, stop by their booth, have a look, and mention that you heard about them on Glimpse!

David brought the word "LOVE" to us the other day, and we're all very impressed. Our bedroom is in the process of being repainted, and when it's done our word art will find it's place on our wall! David chose the letters for us, knowing a little about us. The tire swing "O" was chosen with the kids in mind, while the garden border "L" represents our interest in gardening.

WIN IT!

A-to-Z Illusions has offered a great prize to one lucky reader: the word "LOVE" in either the same letters as we received or in the letters of their choice. The word will be framed - making it immediately ready to be hung in its place! To enter, please visit A-to-Z Illusions and sign up for their newsletter.

EXTRA ENTRIES - Please leave an additional comment for each extra entry.

• follow A-to-Z Illusions on Facebook
• follow Glimpse on Facebook
• follow Glimpse on Google Friend Connect
• subscribe to Glimpse either by email or Google Friend Connect
• grab our button
• blog about the review
• tweet about the review (limited to once daily)

Contest open to CANADIAN residents only and ends on November 5, 2010. Please view our giveaway rules for more info.

**Disclaimer: The product mentioned above has been given free of charge from A-to-Z Illusions in exchange for being featured on Glimpse.  The opinions expressed in this post are those of Glimpse and have not been influenced in any other way.  Please see the full Terms of use.

The Smarter Way to Clean ~ GIVEAWAY!

Cleaning...it has to be done whether we like it or not! (at least to some extent, right?! ;) ). I know, my home is never 100% clean any more now that we have young children...but I still like to try to keep it as tidy as possible. One thing that we've changed a LOT since having kids is the kinds of cleaners we use in our home. All of a sudden, all those chemical-filled, harmful cleaners and soaps didn't look so attractive, and we started to investigate some of the other options out there. Recently I came across the iQ line of cleaning products, which are created by Planet People - a great Canadian manufacturer. The iQ line is unlike any that I've come across before. It is plant-based, toxin & chemical free yet features a really unique and 100% smart way of packaging their products! They really do take "reuse" to a new level. Did you know that most cleaners are made of about 95& water? Well, iQ has taken advantage of this and allows you to fill the spray bottles with your own tap water and then simply mix in a small cartridge of earth friendly concentrate to create your bottle of iQ cleaner. Really...it's SUCH a great idea! Each time the cleaner runs out, you just add more water to your existing spray bottle, pop in a new cartridge and watch it dispense a complete new bottle of cleaner. This helps reduce plastic waste by a whopping 80%! Let's take a closer look at their cleaners:

iQ All-Purpose Cleaner
This cleaner is perfect for surfaces like countertops, stainless steel, appliances, fixtures, furniture and any other surface not normally harmed by water. We've used it for cleaning off all sorts of "dirt", and it works very well. I love that it leaves zero residue behind - and it makes your house or room smell like a cup of delicious green tea. :)

iQ Glass Cleaner
This Bamboo Berry scented cleaner works just as well, if not better, than any of the the regular glass cleaners. I was very impressed with the streak-free look that it left behind on our windows and mirrors.

iQ Bathroom Cleaner
This was one of my favorites. It has a yummy Nectarine Plum scent and not only does it make your bathroom smell fresh and fruity but really does the job well. We mainly used it in our sinks and bathtubs and we have no complaints whatsoever!

iQ Floor Cleaner
Finally...the floors. I have to admit, these don't get cleaned nearly as often as they should in our home. But iQ's Floor Cleaner is a great option to use while mopping up all the grit and grime that gets stuck to your floors, and we found that the floor was shiny and residue free after a good cleaning!

So, to wrap it all up...iQ cleaning products are one of a kind, and we found that they do their cleaning jobs very well. Not only is iQ smarter for your home, but it is also smarter for the planet and even smarter for your wallets! (On average, iQ cleaning products cost 25% less than the national brands on the market). It really is "The Smarter Cleaner."

WIN IT!
iQ would like give one of our readers a great iQ prize which will include the equivalent of two bottles of each of the cleaners. (so 8 bottles worth!) In order to get one entry, head over to the iQ website and tell us something you learned about their products!

EXTRA ENTRIES - Please leave an additional comment for each extra entry.
~ Like iQ Cleaners on Facebook
~ Follow iQ Cleaners on Twitter
~ Grab our button
~ Subscribe to our blog/feed
~ Follow our blog via Google Friend Connect (publicly)
~ Follow us on Twitter & tweet about the contest (tweet ONCE PER DAY for extra entries and leave the link in your comment(s) please.
~ Become a fan of Glimpse on Facebook
~ Blog about this giveaway and leave the link in your comment

CONTEST OPEN TO CANADA & USA ONLY! Contest ends on November 4, 2010. Please view our giveaway rules for more info.

BUY IT!
Where can you buy your own iQ Cleaners? They are available at many retailers across the country, including ones such as Pharamasave, Foodland and Nutters. Check out the Where to Buy page to find a store near you!

**Disclaimer: The product/s mentioned above have been given free of charge from the company or PR firm in exchange for being featured on Glimpse. The product features expressed in this post are those of Glimpse and have not been influenced in any other way. Please see the full Terms of Use.

Winners!

The 6 winners of a sleeve of Probiotic Gum from Cultured Care/Prairie Naturals are:

Comment #83: Marybeth I.
Comment #91: Dianne
Comment #74: Elleah
Comment #11: stephy905
Comment #56: carol
Comment #13 Patrick and Emillie

Congratulations! Please contact me within 72 hours or new winners will be chosen.

Winner!

They winner of a Swaddle Me blanket and a pair of no-Scratch mitts from Go-La-Rolla is:

Comment #82 - Terra

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

Put your name on the wall!

Since our boys started sharing a room, Daniel has been talking about baby's room (his old one) and Jonathan's room. We thought that was kind of sad - he didn't ever talk about his own room! He just had to get used to the idea, but to help him along, we thought it would be good if his name was on the wall in their room, along with his stuff! We started looking around for wall letters and stopped looking when we found Shannon's Custom Creations.

Shannon's Custom Creations is a family owned Canadian company based in Ontario. Shannon custom makes names and signs in many designs and colours: letter are available in several font types and colours as well as script. You can also choose to have your word(s) painted in a theme: Shannon has several available on her website, or will match any room or bedding decor. A great feature is that the letters can be hung on ribbons or using embedded pins (which we chose), depending on the look you'd like. Custom engraved signs in many designs, suitable for hanging outdoors (think house number and family name, or a favourite motto) can also be ordered.

We were given one name and purchased the other, so both kids would have something of their own. We chose solid colour letters for both Daniel and Jonathan. Letters are available in 7 different sizes, and you can choose which colour(s) you'd like - we thought it would be fun to have alternating colours, and different colours and fonts for each name.

Communication with Shannon, and her office assistant (for payment) went smoothly, and the letters were completed and received in good time. Reading through the customer comments on the website, I noticed that other people's experiences were much the same.

BUY IT!

Shannon's Custom Creations has an ongoing coupon for 20% off your purchase. Type in "TJOO" at checkout.

Karmin Flat Iron

A while back I was sent a Karmin G3 Pro Flat Iron. I have never used or owned a flat iron before, so I have no idea what to compare it to. However, I'm really loving it! Especially now that I have shorter hair. It's just what I needed to get a good style.

It features a great temperature control dial, which heats super fast, and a slim design. It also has a tangle free cord, which is greatly appreciated in my house!

If you are interested in a flat iron, you can check out Professional Flat Iron Reviews for more information on different types. I know Chi is a popular name brand, and you can check out the Farouk CHI Flat Irons here.

I will be giving away a flat iron in a couple weeks, so make sure to check in again!

**Disclaimer: TheKarmin G3 Pro Flat Iron listed above has been given free of charge from a PR firm in exchange for being featured on Glimpse. The product features expressed in this post are those of Glimpse and have not been influenced in any other way. Please see the full Terms of Use.

The Purest of Alternatives

Ever since we've had children, I have been all for finding alternatives that are safer, purer, and just plain healthier for our bodies and our home! It really matters to me. I came across a new and expanding Canadian online shop that offers a large selection of non-toxic, natural and safe personal care products for the entire family! Pur Alternatives is a great place to shop for yourself and your family. One thing that I loved when I started looking at their website is that they have HIGH standards when it comes to the ingredients that are allowed in the products they sell. You will not find anything that is known or suspected to be harmful or irritating to the skin...this is very comforting to me as a shopper - especially since I don't even know what could all be harmful! Pur Alternatives sent us a couple of their quality, natural products to try out. The first was a Natural Hair Styling Spray. This is one thing that I have never tried before, nor have I been able to find anywhere! I LOVE the idea of having hairspray that is totally safe. This natural hair spray is sugar based with natural multi-sugar - so no icky chemical plastics! It is also enriched with flax protein and vitamin E to protect hair from environmental damage and has a very mild, but nice scent that is created by using natural essential oils. And if that's not enough, the hairspray is even vegan! Pur Alternatives natural hair spray works 100% as well as any of regular brands I've tried and I feel so much better using something that I know is not going to harm us!
Secondly, Pur Alternatives sent a little something for our kids and bath time. We received a 5 pack of some fabulous Bamboo/Organic Cotton Baby Washcloths. These are made from 70% Bamboo and 30% hand-picked, organically grown cotton! (Yes, I did say hand-picked!!) To top it all off, the washcloths are even hand sewn by a WAHM, and we just love to support WAHM's around here. :) I found the washcloths to be very soft and gentle for cleaning your babies in the tub. They are little on the small side for older children, but work absolutely perfectly for a newborn or younger baby.

Pur Alternatives is packed full of great alternatives for your family! There's something for everyone, and as I mentioned before, you can be sure that you are getting good quality, natural products when you shop at Pur Alternatives!

BUY IT!
Pur Alternatives has a store-wide discount going on right now. They are celebrating their 1 year anniversary and are giving ALL customers a 15% discount on any purchases for the month of October (2010).

Winner!

The winner of a set of reusable snack bags from The Silver Bobbin is:

Comment #5 - Elleah

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

Winner!

The winner of the Happy Heinys One Size Diaper from Enfant Style Diapers is:

Comment #23: YogaMama

Congrats! You now have 72 hours to get back to me and claim your prize!

stacey.glimpse[at]gmail[dot]com

Zen Ghosts - Scholastic Monday

One of the things that many families and children look forward to in October is Halloween. In our home, we do not put much focus on this holiday, though I'm sure it will be talked about more as our kids grow older. In the box of books for our great Scholastic Monday feature, we received a book called Zen Ghosts, by Jon J Muth. The book features a giant panda named Stillwater along with three siblings, Karl, Addy and Michael. In Zen Ghosts, the three children are getting ready for Halloween when Stillwater drops by their house, offering to go trick-or-treating with them, and promising to take them to a storyteller for a ghost story afterward. After trick-or-treating, the children follow Stillwater to the storyteller, who looks suspiciously like Stillwater himself. The children wonder if it is, and this theme of ‘what is real?’ repeats throughout the book. The story that the children in the book are told includes aspects such as arranged marriage, elopement, and a young girl running from her parents. Although some may feel that the story could be read as a fairy tale, I felt that it was not suitable for our family, and our children.

The book has some teachings from Buddhism in it which we do not believe and will not be teaching to our children. I would not recommend this book for young children. It is a little spooky, and has many concepts that I feel should not be taught to children until they are much older (if even then). That said, the book did have beautiful illustrations with gorgeous fall colors included in it, and does have a few sweet moments, such as when the children are deciding what to dress up as and one suggest he could possibly be an "owl-pirate" since he likes the idea of both those costumes.

My final thoughts? Although there was obviously thought put into the creating of Zen Ghosts, it is not something I would read to my children, and would endorse as a whole. If you are interested in finding some books on Halloween, Scholastic Canada does have a seasonal page where you can browse through what they have to offer.

Safe and cool kids stuff - Rockpretty Baby! - GIVEAWAY!!

Rockpretty Baby is an online shop based in Calgary. Their goal is to make safe and hip children's products available on the Canadian market - the items we read about in magazines and ads but can't always find in local (chain) stores. They sell a variety of products, from meal-time accessories to bed and bath wares. There's also a section for products for parents! And, they're constantly bringing in new products, so check back often! The site is very well organized, with an easy-to-find search option. The items are sorted by category, as well as by organic, eco-friendly and 'Made in Canada', and a new sorting option, by colour! Imagine if you have a child who only wants things of a certain colour - here is the place to look! :) Communication with Rockpretty Baby has been easy, with responses coming in a timely manner. Shipping happened exactly when it was promised, and we had the products in house very quickly.

We were sent a couple of items from Rockpretty Baby's collection. Jonathan and Daniel received a set of Bambu utensils each, and our little one (still to come) will be trying out a cloth diaper - that review will come later!

Bambu utensils are very light weight. They come in 2 lengths: baby (5") and child (5.5") and are smoothly sanded, so very suitable for children. Rock Pretty Baby also carries the Bambu spork. Jonathan has used the utensils in his lunch a few times, and they're a great alternative to plastic - even less to throw away. The tines on the Bambu are slightly bigger than the tines of a metal fork, so it's a little bit trickier to poke pieces of soft fruit, but the spoon has been very successful. I can see that these utensils would also be great for picnics or other "take-along" adventures - they're just the right size for the kids to use (we got the smaller ones).

I also purchased a set of Lunch Punch animal sandwich cutters. These work great on firm sandwiches (chicken salad filling was to soft and squishy!) to change up the school lunches! There are different sets available. They wash up easily and make a fun surprise in the sandwich bag! :)

WIN IT!

One lucky Glimpse reader will win a set of their choice of Lunch Punch cutters or the equivalent value in a gift certificate ($17). To enter, please tell visit Rockpretty Baby and comment on which Lunch Punch set you'd choose, or which other item you'd choose with your gift certificate.


EXTRA ENTRIES - Please leave an additional comment for each extra entry.

• Follow Rockpretty Baby on Twitter
• Become a fan of Rockpretty Baby on Facebook
• Sign up for the Rockpretty Baby newsletter
• Grab our button
• Subscribe to our blog/feed
• Follow our blog
• Become a fan of Glimpse on Facebook
• 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 CANADIAN residents only and ends on October 30, 2010. Please view our giveaway rules for more info.

BUY IT!

Rockpretty Baby is also offering Glimpse readers a 15% discount. Use the code "glimpse" at checkout. Discount code is open to anyone.

**Disclaimer: The products mentioned above have been given free of charge from Rockpretty Baby in exchange for being featured on Glimpse.  The opinions expressed in this post are those of Glimpse and have not been influenced in any other way.  Please see the full Terms of use.

Bring a Little Beauty into Your Water

Evian has just unveiled their 2011 limited edition bottle design, and all three of us Glimpse moms were sent one for our enjoyment.

The image on the bottle was designed by Issey Miyake, with Evian's signature message, 'Live Young'. The bright, simple flower is beautiful, and makes this bottle a little bit more fun than the average bottle of water.

"Evian encourages everyone to live life by seeking memorable experiences, trying new things, and seizing every moment. The Issey Miyake bottle design, glowing with both optimism and freshness, is a perfect pairing with the brand," said Jerome Goure, vice president of marketing for Danone Waters of America, Inc. "This simple yet vibrant creation uniquely decorates our all natural and perfectly pure evian water – we are thrilled to add it to our collection."

These bottles will arrive at select retailers and restaurants across Canada, just in time for the holidays. They will be available for a suggested retail price of $4.99 for a 750ml glass bottle. Make sure to check them out!

Stacey's Thoughts:
I think this is a simple, elegant design. To me, it adds to the whole idea of the mineral water, with the image being so natural. I think it would make a great hostess gift, and I will enjoy using it to hold fresh flowers.

As for the water, it's the same clean taste as always, which is nice when you need to buy bottled water. We don't really drink bottled water normally, but we enjoyed trying this bottle of Evian.

Andrea's Thoughts:
I also really enjoyed the "fresh" design of the bottle. I think it'd be a great item to have on the table for a special meal, such as Thanksgiving! We really enjoyed the taste of this mineral water. Currently we drink distilled water in order to avoid the chlorine in the city water. Distilled water has this weird after-taste...but Evian's mineral water tasted pure, delicious and had none of the funny aftertastes as the distilled water does. Our family enjoyed our bottle of Evian mineral water right to the last drop!



Julie's Thoughts:
Evian has always been our favourite brand of bottled water, dating back to when we lived in Europe and didn't appreciate our municipal tap water as much as we do now! :) It's the same great taste we were used to, in a artistic bottle. My husband pointed out that the design is made of bottle-shaped parts - very clever! Jonathan was amazed to find out that Evian water takes 15 years to flow from high in the French Alps to the spring at Evian. Everyone in the family enjoyed the taste of the water, and the bottle looked so elegant sitting on our table!

Zoodles GIVEAWAY!

When it comes to online play for kids, we are pretty careful in our home...nothing goes unsupervised! A few weeks back we reviewed a great site - Zoodles! Zoodles takes all the popular children's websites and brings them together in one safe place. There is no way that your child can accidentally click away from Zoodles and find themselves on a page they shouldn't be. Once you log on, your browser will no longer be visible, and they have to follow specific instructions to log off.

Our kids have really enjoyed using Zoodles and we want to give you and your family a chance to enjoy it as well! We're currently running a giveaway for Zoodles to give THREE families the chance to try Zoodles in their home FREE for three months!! The entrants for this contest are VERY low...so your chances of winning are excellent! Head over and enter now!!

Accessories for Boys & Girls! ~ GIVEAWAY!

In order to complete an outfit, sometimes all you need is one little accessory! You know, like a hair clip, necklace, etc. Ari's Bow-tique is a fabulous online etsy shop that creates some of the cutest and most stunning accessories for both boys and girls. She generously sent a little something for each of our children, and we've put our newest items to very good use in our home in the past month! Emily received a headband...which is both exquisite and beautiful! It has several colors of crocheted flowers as decoration, and is just perfect for little girls. This would be a great headband for special occasions - though we love using it just for every-day use too! The headband has no-slip strips on the inside of it to help it stay put...and it actually works very well! Emily does not have trouble with this headband falling off when she bends over, etc. I also like the fact that it is not too tight on her, and it is very flexible, so if your toddler decides to 'open it up' as far as it can go, it won't snap - at least it didn't snap when Tate and Emily decided to "open up" the headband. ;) Secondly we got a precious little baby snap clip for Jenna. Ari's Bow-tique has a TON of great ribbons to pick from for these clips, and they are no-slip as well. Jenna does not have an abundance of hair yet, so this tiny hair clip is just perfect for her.

Finally...an accessory for the boys! This may be my favorite product we received because it's just SO practical! Tate received a Fantastic Elastic from Ari's Bow-tique and it has been used time and time again. What is it? The Fantastic Elastic is simply a piece of high quality elastic with several sets of snaps on it. You loop it into the back three belt loops of your child's pants and tighten it accordingly. It's great! Tate can go to the bathroom on his own without needing any help to do up a belt afterwards...and he is not constantly hiking up his pants anymore either. We LOVE our Fantastic Elastic! There are a bunch of fun designs that you can choose from for these as well. Ari's Bow-tique will make the Fantastic Elastic just the right size to fit your child (or you! :) ).

WIN IT!
Ari's Bow-tique is giving away a set of Christmas/winter clips to get us ready for the season of giving! In order to get one entry, head over to Ari's Bow-tique and let us know which of her great handmade products you loved the most.

EXTRA ENTRIES - Please leave an additional comment for each extra entry.
~ Grab our button
~ Subscribe to our blog/feed
~ Follow our blog via Google Friend Connect (publicly)
~ Follow us on Twitter & tweet about the contest (tweet ONCE PER DAY for extra entries and leave the link in your comment(s) please.
~ Become a fan of Glimpse on Facebook
~ Blog about this giveaway and leave the link in your comment

CONTEST OPEN WORLDWIDE! Contest ends on October 28, 2010. Please view our giveaway rules for more info.

**Disclaimer: The product/s mentioned above have been given free of charge from the company or PR firm in exchange for being featured on Glimpse. The product features expressed in this post are those of Glimpse and have not been influenced in any other way. Please see the full Terms of Use.

Winners!

The winner of a hair clip from Craftsbykeri is:

Comment #17 - Elleah

~~~~~~~~~~

The Winner of an item from Cuda Creations is:

Comment #113 - Annie1

You'll each have 72 hours to respond before a new winner is chosen.

Little Tree Hugger "in training!" GIVEAWAY!!

My littlest man, Daniel, is in training - potty training that is! :) We're making progress, but we're not "there" yet! I used disposable pull-up pants with Jonathan, but this time around I'm trying a different approach - partly because I have a hard time with all the disposable stuff we're throwing away, and partly because Daniel categorically refuses to wear anything that doesn't look like underwear! (We are still insisting on a diaper at nap and night for our own sanity!) I'm not sure if every 2nd child is like this, but often, Daniel's goal in life seems to be "like Jonathan." So underwear it is. But, what do you do when you're really not in the mood to clean up the occasional puddle?

Little Tree Hugger is an online shop run by 2 sisters, with local service in the Edmonton/Beaumont area, and soon in the Winnipeg/Oakbank area as well. We had a review about them a while ago - you can read all about it here. They offer a variety of cloth diapering products, including diapers, liners, covers and accessories, swim diapers and potty training helpers.

Jungle/Zoo print

In the collection are the Imse Vimse training pants. These are the perfect option for someone who wants to wear underwear but still has the occasional "leak." Imse Vimse training pants have 3 layers: an inner layer of organic cotton terry, a hidden middle layer of waterproof polyester and an outer layer of printed organic cotton. The cotton terry is soft and somewhat absorbent, and the outer print makes the training pants fun! Daniel's have the farm print - Little Tree Hugger also sells the Jungle/zoo print; solid white, orange balls and green balls are also available. Imse Vimse pants are available in 3 sizes with a weight and height range, and the fit is good. The nice thing about cloth training pants is that it allows the child to feel wet. The pants are not as absorbent as a diaper and aren't meant to be, but a liner or a cover could be added for nap time if needed. My favourite feature of the training pants is their waterproof layer, as I can take Daniel out of the house without worrying about a messy accident. I think his favourite thing is that they look like underwear! :)

WIN IT!

Little Tree Hugger is offering one lucky reader a $20 gift certificate! Read carefully for how to enter.

1. Visit the Little Tree Hugger website, and choose a favourite item, then come back here and leave a comment stating which item is your favourite, and why it caught your eye.
2. Become a fan of Little Tree Hugger on Facebook, and leave a comment here, letting us know!
3. Join Little Tree Hugger's newsletter network by sending an email to littletreehugger@live.ca with the subject line "Glimpse giveaway."  Make sure to come back here and mention that you did.

CONTEST OPEN TO CANADA ONLY! Contest ends on October 27, 2010. Please view our giveaway rules for more info.

BUY IT!

Little Tree Hugger is also offering a 10% discount on your entire purchase! Use the code "glimpse2" when checking out of their online shop. Expires November 30, 2010 and valid for Canadian residents only.

**Disclaimer: The product mentioned above has been given free of charge from Little Tree Hugger in exchange for being featured on Glimpse.  The opinions expressed in this post are those of Glimpse and have not been influenced in any other way.  Please see the full Terms of use.

The New Bum Genius 4.0!

Going back to my very first cloth diaper purchase ever... it consisted of 3 Bum Genius 2.0 pocket diapers, and 3 Baby Kangas pocket diapers. I was just dipping my toes in, testing the waters of this cloth diapering idea.

Fast forward 3 1/2 years, and I've had the chance to try out the all new Bum Genius 4.0 pocket diaper from Enfant Style Diapers! Having tried the 2.0 years ago, I feel like there have been some HUGE improvements made.

First of all, this diaper comes with SNAPS!!!! Horray!! I believe it is also still available with velcro/aplix closures, but I'm pumped about the snaps. The velcro was the biggest issue on the old diapers that I hated. It wore out so fast, and got full of lint in the washer. And yes, I always used the laundry tabs! So having the option of snaps is amazing in my opinion. For what it's worth, I know they have improved their velcro/aplix since the 2.0 as well.

The second thing I noticed is that they wrapped the PUL around the top of the diaper to prevent leaks. Very nice.

This diaper has been wonderful for us. We got it in the Bubble color, which I love! We've been using it for a couple weeks now, and I'm impressed with the functionality of it. No leaks, Emery stays dry, and it's very trim under clothing. Emery is almost 8 months old, and she's on the second rise setting, so lots of room to grow into this diaper. I love that the stretchy tabs give a great fit.

The only issue I have with the Bum Genius 4.0 pocket diaper is the microfiber. I know I had issues in the past with awful stink from the microfiber. It's a lot harder to get clean than a more natural fabric, but it does it's job at being super absorbent! I should mention that so far we have no stink issues. It may be that I used a different detergent back when I tried the 2.0.

Right now y0u can pre-order some awesome Bum Genius 4.0 Artist Series Prints! Check them out at Enfant Style Diapers and place your order.

WIN IT!
Enfant Style Diapers already has a giveaway running with Glimpse, so if you are Canadian, make sure to check out that post here! Enfant Style Diapers only ships within Canada, and has a great flat rate of $4.99 for any order under $99. Anything over $99 ships FREE!

PURCHASE IT!
There are just a couple weeks left to use the 5% off discount code for Enfant Style Diapers! Make sure to check out what's available before it runs out! Use the code 'glimpse' when you check out. Expires October 31, 2010.

**Disclaimer: The product/s mentioned above have been given free of charge from Enfant Style Diapers in exchange for being featured on Glimpse. The product features expressed in this post are those of Glimpse and have not been influenced in any other way. Please see the full Terms of Use.