TruKid Winner

Tru Kid Winner

First of all I would like to thank my sponsor TruKid for the chance to review and give-a-way this item.

Now.... Who is my winner?

Congratulations to Jenilee!

Jenilee said...
I would choose

Helping Handwash
Happy Face and Body Lotion
Bubbly Body Wash

I LOVE TruKid! :)

Review- Lunette

Review-

Lunette

This review is for the Ladies!

(Warning... review may contain graphic content!)

First of all I need to thank Lunette for giving me the oppertunity to review their product. Now what is their product? Lunette is a menstral cup? A what?!?! This nice little contraption that replaces pads and tampons! Thats right REPLACES! Talk about eco friendly "mother nature"!

Ok so where to start.... oooohhh... how bout a photo so you can see what I am talking about...

So thats what it looks like! Now what do you do with it? The cup is inserted into your vagina so that it can catch your flow. I know what you are thinking... "you want me to put what where!?!?!" It is not hard and suprisingly comfortable! It may take a few trys to get it perfectly positioned, but once you get the hang of it you will never go back to pads and tampons again!

Ok so some questions I had... ANSWERED for you.

Q: What is it made of becuse I have latex allergies?

A. Lunette is made of medical grade silicone and it is odourless!

Q: How often do I have to empty the cup?

A. Lunette can be worn up to 12 hours at a time before you need to empty and wash. After washed and refreshed may be worn again for another 12 hours before repeating the process!

Q: How long does Lunette last?

A. Lunette taken care of properly can keep for as long as 10 years! Lunette Feel Better Liquid Wash is good for 24 months after opening (this is to clean the cup in between uses!)

Q: What activities can I do while wearing the cup?

A. Simple everything except have sex! (For obveous reasons!)

Q: Is it realy as easy to use as people say?

A. As long as you are familar with your anatamy and confident YES it is as easy as people say!

So that leads me to my next part... How do you use it?

There is a vidio on ways to fold Lunette found here

I am not sure how to say exactly how much I LOVE this product! I have been telling my friends non stop about this and I even bought my bestie one... her response to me when I first told her about it was "I am scared, but curious!" I think that is a fair responce when someone tells you they are never buying pads again! lol!

Anyway... here is my Lunette story.... I purchased my Lunette Diana here not that it makes a differance what one I purchased because they are all the same just color differance and each color comes is two sizes. (figure out what size you are here) After purchasing I not so patiently waited for my package to arrive in my mailbox. 5 minutes after I recieved my package from Lunette I recieved my package from 'mother nature'. Talk about timing! Ha! Anyway... right to work. Washed my cup for the first time with my Lunette Feel Better Liquid Wash (Found here) Then I folded and inserted... WOW! EASY! And just to test it... I did jumping jacks! (yup... Im a dork!) Next day I went to work... had one little flub, with a little investigation I figured out that I did not have the placement right. And for using the restroom... takes a little getting used to, but you dont have to remove the cup! Day 3 I put Lunette to the shopping test... Walk walk walk! EASY! Day 4 as my flow slowed... it didnt matter! Lunette can be used how much or how little your flow is! And no drying from tampons or sweating from pads!  O and did I mention bed time? This cup can be worn all night with no flubs! Even the morning gush was no match for the cup! (yall know what the morning gush is right? when ya stand up for the first time and Newtons law of gravity takes place... what goes up must come down!) Anyway now at the end of my monthly taking the cup out for the last time. All I have to do is wash it with FeelBetter Liquid Wash... then BOIL for 5 minutes... place in its cute little bag that it came with and VIOLA! Ready for next month when we start the process all over, but this time I am ready and actually looking forward to it!

 I highly recomend this product to EVERY lovely lady out there that has the pleasure of dealing with 'mother nature'! But as with anything make sure you contact your physician before using Lunette!

www.lunette.com

Review- Tru Kid

Product Review

TruKid

I recently had the chance to review a product called TruKid. These products are natural, non-toxic and safe for the kids (and anyone else that may use them). They are FREE of Parabens, Phthalates, Gluten, BPA, SLS, 1-4 Diozane and Fragrences. We all know that the kids dont know what any of this means nor do they care, but as a mom all this is important to me. I have struggled with psoriasis all my life, so finding a product that is natural and safe to use on my sensative skin is top on my list!

Even better than these products being natural and safe for you... they SMELL GREAT! My kids just love using all the products. Each bottle is labeled with what they are and a picture to show you where to use it!

These are just some of the products that TruKid offers, but I got to review everything in the photo! I have to say my kids loved the fact that their body care system had its own face wash along with body wash and that the lotion could be used everywhere on their body from their face to their fee!



See all the cute little stick figures telling you where to put it! I just love it and my 3 and 5 year old know where to use it without knowing how to read! O and did I meantion... a mother of 6 is the CEO and Founder of TruKid! Now that is dedication to her kids... and everyone elses!

This lovely lady is also hositing a give-a-way for you to win 3 of her products!

TruKid Give-A-Way!

Mandatory Entrys:

1. 'Like' TruKid on Facebook

2. 'Follow' TruKid on Twitter

3. 'Subscribe' to TruKid's mailing list

4. 'Follow' my blog with google friend connect

5. Browse the products at TruKid and let me know what 3 you would like to try!

Please leave one comment per entry. Be sure to include your e-mail address. Random.org with be choosing the random winner of this give-a-way. Give-a-way ends Friday March 18th at Midnight.



Walking Wednesday!

Walking Wednesday!

Well, I must admit... todays photos were taken while driving... the car was stopped, but I was not walking! I love the beautiful white snow backdrop that Northern Michigan delivers so abunduntly every year. What I love more is a beautiful old barn against that backdrop. Let me share with you...

See what I am sayin about the RED barn against the WHITE backdrop? I just love it...

This is one from afar!

A nice lil fence line...

And the last one for this week! I love all of them! I definately live in farm country!

Tutorial Tuesday- Recycled Ruffle Hat

Recycled T Shirt Ruffle Hat Tutorial

 

Materials:

1 Old T~ shirt or 2 if you want your ruffles a different color

Coordinating Thread

Pattern:

Cap size 12-18 Month

Cap Size 2T

You also can use a cap that fits your child already and use that for the pattern.

STEP 1. Cut out the cap using your pattern.

Step 2. Cut out the strips for the ruffles. This measurement will vary depending on how gathered you want your ruffles to be. The blue hat seen above had less gathering than the pink one shown below.  I like to double the length of where on the cap you want to place your ruffle. For example the bottom brim of the 12-18 month cap measures  approx 9" I would cut out my strip 18" for very gathered or 15" for less so.

Cut the strips to your length but they should be about 1 1/2 inches wide

 

Step 3. Ruffle your strips.

Using a BASTING STITCH (the longest stitch on your machine) sew along the center of the strip. Be sure to back stitch at the end in the strip as to secure the stitches. Pull the top thread and gather up the strip into a ruffle. EASY!

      

Step 4. Pin the ruffles onto the cap and sew!

 

Step 5.
 Take a photo of how cute your child looks in their new Recycled Ruffle Hat!

 
Tutorial curtousy of Tao Of Craft blog! Thank You!

Go Green- Chocolate!

Go Green

Chocolate!

Saving the Rainforest, One Morsel at a Time

The next time you bite into a bar of chocolate, consider that taste as a link to some of the world's most endangered forests—and to the millions of farmers who live near them. Chocolate comes from the seeds of the cacao, a small rainforest tree native to the Americas. Produced around the world, it is grown mainly on lands that have lost their original forest cover, sometimes to the cocoa itself. Today, all of the world's major cocoa areas are “biodiversity hotspots”—regions that are unusually rich in biodiversity, but which are also highly threatened.

The world's retail chocolate business is worth an estimated $42-60 billion annually. Yet only about 6-8 percent of this revenue actually makes its way back to the cocoa farmers, many of whom are poorer smallholders. Labor abuse is said to be rife in some cocoa regions, and reports of farmers enslaving thousands of child workers in places like Côte d'Ivoire have sparked widespread criticism of the industry.

Fortunately, a number of manufacturers now offer chocolate bars and other products that are more environmentally friendly and socially responsible. These products contain cocoa that comes from farms that conserve forest, that don’t use child labor, or are organic.



When buying chocolate, look for a brand with high cocoa content (more cocoa means higher quality and—at least potentially—more farm income). Look also for chocolate that carries a “fair trade” label or the mark of a similar socially responsible producer, and that is organic.

Encourage your favorite stores or supermarkets to carry chocolate brands that are certified as being fair trade, organic, or slavery-free.

The next time you entertain, try to serve a dessert made with only chocolate that is fair trade, organic, or both. Explain to your guests why you chose this type of chocolate and encourage them to reevaluate their own chocolate choices.

Winner - Diva Cup

Winner!

Diva Cup Contest

Thank you to Random.org for helping me choose a winner...



And just who is #12?

Venus said...

Left a comment on Diva Cup's facebook page and told them you sent me (venus reviews)

Thank you to everyone that entered this contest and be looking for more to come soon!

Venus I have e-mailed you and need a reply within 48 hours or I will be selecting a new winner. Thanks!

In the Garden- Paperwhites Update 1

In the Garden

Paperwhites Update

Well... Its amazing what a week can do! Last week I purchsed a do-it-yourself planting kid for paperwhites. Well here is what happened after a week in the closet...

They are so big! I love it! Nature rocks! Well I went back to the store that I purchsed these at and got a few more plants... for an even better deal! Woo Hoo! Here they are...

The best part about these are ... if I do it right they will be in bloom for Valentines day! I hope so! They will be so pretty... and I will be able to give them as a gift!

Stay tuned next week for another update on how these flowers are growin!

Give-a-way- Diva Cup

Give-a-way

The Diva Cup

The DivaCup Features

Have you ever…(?)

• co-opted toilet paper from a public washroom as a temporary measure
• planned a vacation around your period
• avoided white pants for that one 'special' week of the month
• done a supplies hand-off with a girlfriend while the dates weren't looking
• cautiously tucked the telltale string into your bikini
• accidentally pulled a mystery object from your purse in front of a curious male audience
• scuttled to the washroom to survey the leak damage after a sudden 'surge'
• clogged your toilet with "flushable" feminine products
• left a party with a jacket tied around your waist...?

The DivaCup to the rescue!!! 
The DivaCup is a non-absorbent menstrual cup that simply collects menstrual flow. It is inserted in the vagina and sits at the lower base of the vaginal canal. It is worn internally, yet because it is soft and smooth, it cannot be felt nor will it leak when inserted properly.
The DivaCup is the most clean and convenient method of feminine hygiene protection. No need to touch the flow. It is worn low in the vagina, not near the cervix, so it is easy to remove. No mess!
The DivaCup ends hassles with unreliable disposables in endless absorbencies, shapes and styles. It is perfect for all activities – giving women true freedom without the worry, guessing and unreliability that disposable feminine hygiene products pose.
The DivaCup can be worn for up to 12 hours before emptying, washing and reinserting for use for another 12 hours. It can be used for light or moderate flows and is emptied more often to accommodate heavy flows.  Perfect for overnight use.
The DivaCup’s expert, proprietary, patent-pending features make it comfortable and assures ease of use and reliability. Perfect for traveling, running, biking, hiking, dancing, camping, swimming, diving, scuba, yoga, extreme sports and more...

• Latex-free, BPA-free, plastic-free
• No dyes, colors or additives
• Comfortable, reliable
• Clean, convenient, easy-to-use
• Worn for up to 12 hours at a time

Mission Statement

Diva international Inc. makers of The DivaCup® (menstrual cup) and The DivaWash®, offers women an environmentally responsible and economical alternative to tampons and pads, thereby changing the face of feminine hygiene around the world.

Billions of tons of pads and tampons are dumped into landfills each year, and consumers are becoming more aware of this every day. Because of this, women are looking for a cost-effective way to make a positive impact on the environment. The DivaCup® significantly reduces one’s eco-footprint while providing the most convenient, clean, reliable, and comfortable way to address the monthly cycle and the issue of disposable feminine hygiene.

Get Entered!

Leave 1 comment per entry dont forget to include your e-mail address!

• Visit Diva Cup and let me know what your favorite feature is!
• Visit Diva Cup on Facebook... let them know I sent you!
• Make sure that you follow my blog using the Google Friend Connect button!
• Twitter this... dont forget to add the link!
• Post this on your facebook... dont forget to add the link!

Contest ends Friday February 4th @ Midnight EST.

This item will be shipped directly to you from Diva Cup International.

Go Green- Personal Care

Go Green!

Are Your Cleansers Really “Clean”?

Not long ago, the only beauty products available to most of us were ordinary soaps for our hair and bodies, toothpastes, and a few simple cosmetics. Today, in the United States alone, personal care products represent a $20 billion a year industry—and one that has changed dramatically in recent decades. The potions and lotions lining our shelves have morphed into chemical powerhouses pumped with dyes, preservatives, detergents, and antimicrobials, to name just a few of the agents promising cleaner, brighter, and disease-free living.

Contrary to their billing, however, many of these products have damaging effects on our health, as well as to our water and wildlife. Some of these impacts can occur during use, particularly to young children or to those of us with more sensitive bodies. Other consequences are felt far away, occurring only after the products are flushed down the drain. And almost all of these products come with extensive packaging that is quickly discarded, contributing to mountains of plastic and paper waste.

Look for product labels that indicate the presence of organic ingredients, or that note that the product was not tested on animals. Avoid using products labeled “antibacterial.”

Choose products with the smallest numbers of listed ingredients, avoiding entirely products that contain phthalates, detergents, and antimicrobial agents.

Consider the size of an item's packaging in relation to the size of the item. Opt for the paper-wrapped bar of soap, for instance, over a liquid cleanser packaged in a bottle that must be tossed out or recycled when the product is used up.

Ask your favorite stores to stock organic lines of personal care products.

Ask your local schools, workplace, and other institutions to think more critically about the cleansers and other products they buy. Large-scale purchasing can have large-scale benefits!

If the labels on your favorite products aren't clear about what's in the products and how they are tested, contact the company and express your concerns.

Spend an hour going through your home to identify any personal care products that may be hazardous to your health or your family's health—particularly products containing a wide range of potential toxins. The next time you go shopping, try to replace these items with safer alternatives that are free of these compounds. If they aren't available, encourage your retailer to carry them.

In the garden- Paperwhites

In The Garden

Now, if any of you are aware... Sunday here in Northern Michigan the temperature was a bone chilling -25 out side! YIKES! Well that didnt stop me from wanting a nice eco-friendly centerpiece for Easter. EASTER!? What? Its only January! I know I know, but these things take time.

While walking through the local convenient store today I found these boxes of paperwhites. Better yet... they were on SALE! Score! I picked up two boxes of this do it yourself planting kit. Tonight the kids and I put them together.

Now we wait! They have to sit in a cold dark place for two weeks so that they establish roots. Then we get to bring them out and let them grow! The box says they should be in full bloom within 3-6 weeks! I will be posting photos of the progress!

Go Green - Paint and Varnishes

Go Green!

The Freshest, Greenest Finish

Nothing brightens up a space like a fresh coat of paint. All too often, however, the “clean” smell of new paint is actually vapor released from the toxic ingredients used as solvents in conventional paints. Known as volatile organic compounds (VOCs), these include benzene, formaldehyde, kerosene, ammonia, toluene, and xylene, all of which are known carcinogens and neurotoxins. The more VOCs the paint contains, the stronger the odor. Exposure to VOCs can worsen asthma symptoms and cause nose, skin, and eye irritation; headaches, nausea, convulsions, and dizziness; respiratory problems; nerve damage; and, in some cases, liver and kidney disease.

The VOCs emitted by paint solvents also contribute to indoor air pollution and the formation of ground level ozone. A study conducted by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency showed that VOC levels indoors can be 1,000 times higher than outdoor levels when an indoor paint is drying. Another study found that the application and drying of paint releases VOCs at a higher rate than any other product used indoors. In sunlight, some organic solvents used in paint react with nitrous oxides in the atmosphere to form smog.



When renovating or doing home maintenance, avoid exposing your family, neighbors, or pets to lead-based paint hazards. Test for lead residues, keep surfaces clean of dust and chips, and if necessary hire a person skilled in correcting lead problems.

For your home painting jobs, choose VOC-free, no-VOC, or zero-VOC paints. Ask your office or building manager to use these paints as well.

Avoid alkyd- or oil-based paints, even if they are labeled low-VOC, and seek latex paints instead.

Ask your local hardware store or paint store to carry low-toxicity paints. Many leading paint companies now offer full lines of these paints.

I found these helpful paint and varnish tips at http://www.worldwatch.org/ and tomorrow... I will be going through my paints!

Craft Swap!

Craft Swap!

Here we go! New year new ideas! This is an idea for a craft swap! I am excited about this, but I need willing participants to join in!

The Idea:

Every month I will post a theme for example "wearable" then I will ask people to "sign up". Simply post your e-mail in the comment space below and I will contact you for the rest. After a week of getting people to sign up I will randomly pick partners. These partners will need to be kept a secret so the person you have does not know who has them... therefor allowing pictures to be posted of what you are making throughout the process without the person knowing what they are getting! (for obveous reasons the person you have will NOT have you!) You will then have two weeks to make something for your partner that fits the theme that month. At the end of the two weeks you will then mail your item to your partner so by the end of the month they will have a package containing a new handmade item just for them! And you will get one too! How great is that?!?!?! And dont forget to post photos along the way. I will post a link to my flickr page where everyone can upload their phots so others in the swap can view them. I want this to be an interactive swap and will randomly post thing that need a response to make sure you are still with us! I want everyone that signs up to follow throught because nothing is worse than working all month to get your item to your partner and then never recieving one!

So, any takers?

Know anyone who would like to participate?

I will be posting my first theme February 1st ONLY if there are 20 people on board!

Spread the word... This is going to be fun!

Go Green- Clothing

Go Green!

The High Price of Fashion

Everyone needs clothes. They shelter us from the elements and define our personal style. Unfortunately, the shirt on your back may be more expensive than you thought—both for the environment, and for the workers that made it. The conventional way of growing cotton, the most common fabric material, relies on heavy inputs of insecticides, herbicides, and chemical fertilizers, many of which are known or probable carcinogens. Dyes used in clothing can contain toxic chemicals, while permanent press treatment can release formaldehyde gas, also a likely carcinogen.

Most of the world's clothing is manufactured in sweatshops in poorer countries, where workers earn less than they need to live, face cramped or unsanitary conditions, and are often subjected to physical, sexual, and verbal abuse. First-hand accounts from factories producing for many designer companies report that people often work more than 100 hours a week, and unions are not permitted.

As global awareness of the real price of fashion grows, many consumers as well as some clothing manufacturers are leading the push for more eco- and worker-friendly apparel.

Avoid clothing brands that have been known to use sweatshops. In the United States, these include Wal-Mart, Gap (Old Navy, Banana Republic), and Target.

Purchase at least some items from up-and-coming fair trade brands and makers of organic cotton and natural fiber clothing.

Donate your old clothes to thrift shops, or buy inexpensive “recycled” garments from these stores.

Write to sweatshop-using companies to tell them you won't give them your business until they stop outsourcing to sweatshops.

Next time you shop for clothes, check labels before you buy. Educate yourself about how and where these items are manufactured. Buy fair trade and organic/natural fiber items, or shun the mall altogether and take your next shopping trip to a thrift store.

I found these helpful clothing tips at http://www.worldwatch.org/ and tomorrow... I will be going through my closet!