Green Your Mom Prize Package [Giveaway]

I am very excited to be participating in my first Green Your Mom Giveaway Hop! This hop is hosted by Happy Mothering, Easy Green Mom and Brittleby's Corner through the Green Moms Network! Each participating blog is offering a prize package to help you turn Mother’s Day GREEN this year! Enter at All Natural Katie to win a prize package just for mom! The prize contains a vitamins and supplements package from Nordic Naturals, a delightful rose soap and a handmade scarf.

After entering my giveaway, be sure to hop around and enter all of the other giveaways listed on the linky at the bottom of this post!

Be sure to enter the grand prize giveaway with two winners! One winner will receive a pair of two queen sized Nature’s Perfect Pillows from Nest Bedding; an Aurorae Yoga Classic Yoga Mat, Sling Backpack and Soy Pledge Candle; a CHEWBEADS Necklace and Stanton Bracelet Gift Set; and 1 subscription box full of eco-conscious products from Yuzen. A second winner will receive an Efy Tal Japanese Cherry Blossom Necklace; 3 Nectar Essences Breathe Me Essential Oil Formulas; 1 subscription box full of eco-conscious products from Yuzen; and a Mighty Leaf Taste of the Tropics Gift Sampler with TeaTop Brew Travel Mug! Enter here.

Please use the Rafflecopter entry form below. Open to the US only. All entries will be verified. Duplicate and invalid entries will be deleted. 

Giveaway

Nordic Naturals Vitamins Package ($35)
Rose Soap ($5)
Handmade Scarf ($12.50)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

  
Disclaimer: All Natural Katie, Happy Mothering, Easy Green Mom, Brittleby's Corner, the Green Moms Network and the Green Your Mom event bloggers are not responsible for sponsors that do not fulfill their prizes. We have represented each sponsor with the expectation they will fulfill their prize and in a timely manner. We will contact the sponsor regarding your prize(s). The sponsors, in most cases, are shipping their items to you directly. I will make every effort to assist you obtaining your prize. If there is an issue with a sponsor, please notify the blog you won a prize from within 4-6 weeks for assistance, after that we may be unable to assist you.
  

Home Laser Teeth Whitening [Giveaway]

A smile can be one of the best assets of a person, or it can be something that makes them hide with embarrassment. Most people believe that white teeth are very important in helping making their appearance more attractive. I consume the three teeth staining culprits: coffee, tea and red wine. Keeping my teeth looking as white as I can at home is one of my priorities. Laser Teeth Whitening with an LED Accelerator Light offers professional teeth whitening at home. Enter for a change to win your own home whitening system below.

Please use the Rafflecopter entry form below. Open to the US, UK, Australia, Canada. All entries will be verified. Duplicate and invalid entries will be deleted. 

Giveaway

LED Teeth Whitening System ($39.95 value)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

  
Disclaimer: All Natural Katie is not responsible for sponsors who do not fulfill prize obligations.
  

Home Laser Teeth Whitening [Review]

A smile can be one of the best assets of a person, or it can be something that makes them hide with embarrassment. Most people believe that white teeth are very important in helping making their appearance more attractive. I consume the three teeth staining culprits: coffee, tea and red wine. Keeping my teeth looking as white as I can at home is one of my priorities. Laser Teeth Whitening with an LED Accelerator Light offers professional teeth whitening at home.

LED Teeth Whitening        ($39.95)
Rating: total green check marks out of 5.

The Good	The Not So Good
It works!	Potential toxicity of Carbamide Peroxide
No fillers or mixed blends
Tooth structure remains unchanged

Smile Brilliant's LED Teeth Whitening system is one of the closest home whitening systems that closely resembles professional teeth whitening you would purchase at a dental office. The package contains the following.

1. High intensity LED accelerator light
2. Teeth whitening gel pen
3. Lip and cheek protector
4. Detailed instruction brochure

Teeth Whitening Gel Pen Ingredients: Glycerin (77.1%), Carbamide Peroxide (22%), Carbomer (0.5%), Menthol (0.2%), EDTA (0.2%).

Smile Brillian's LED Teeth Whitening system contains the highest amount of the whitening ingredient that is used by dental offices. Cabamide Peroxide is also known as Perhydrol Urea (rated as 3 by EWG's Skin Deep Database). The rest of the ingredients are of low or no potential toxicity or health implications. 

Now that we have covered the ingredients, let's talk about the whitening process. The gel pen is used to apply the thick whitening gel. The lip guard goes into the mouth and the LED accelerator light is placed up to the teeth. The light is turned on and left on for 20-40 minutes. The protective trays stay in for 1-3 hours.

The results: before and after photos:

 

The at home teeth whitening system was easy to use. I only kept the LED accelerator light on my teeth for 20 minutes because that is all of the time that I have with a 1 year old boy. With only 20 minutes, I was able to see results. I would recommend this system for those who are looking to whiten their teeth at home instead of paying the high prices at the dentist's office. The kit is easy to use and works!

Disclosure: I received one or more of the products mentioned at no cost to facilitate this review. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

How I Save the Bees [#CTWW]

I have always been scared of bees because of the fear of getting stung. I remember walking through a grassy field when I was a kid and getting stung on the bottom of my foot. Ouch! As I have grown into an adult and started to question more of the world around me, I realized there is no need to be afraid of bees. Society makes us think that bees are dangerous. People always seem to run away from them. If you leave the bees alone, they will leave you alone. I tended to the tomato container garden behind the purple cone flowers being frequented by huge bumble bees with no stings. The buzz of the bumble bees actually became comforting for me.

Let's change our perception of bees to being the source of our food. Bees pollinate the majority of food crops in the world. Therefore, the decline of bees should alarm everyone. What foods will we lose if the bees are not around to pollinate the majority of worldwide crops?

This week's challenge:

This week, take action to protect honey bees. Please choose at least one action from the following list:

• Plant at least one native, flowering plant in your yard. Avoid hybrid plants ... they don't produce enough nectar or pollen and are useless to bees and other pollinators.
• Plant a vegetable garden.
• Let pests live (natural pest controllers, like Lady Bugs, need them for food).
• Keep your lawn and garden pesticide-free.
• Eliminate chemicals in your home.
• Provide a year-round, clean source of water for bees (rainwater collection, a small garden water feature, bird bath, etc.).
• Leave some dead trees or plants in your yard ... bees will nest in them. Or, place a bee house in your garden.
• Buy organic food.
• Take up beekeeping.

As the gardening bug has already bit me for this season, I have been buying plants and planting, and buying and planting. I have spent a lot of time outside during the past week. As I do the daily "garden and yard tour," I have made notes about where I can apply the above actions to protect bees. Below, I cover what actions I have already implemented and the actions I am planning on implementing in the coming month.

Native, Flowering Plants
Every year, I purchase a 3-5 plants to plant in the garden bed in front of the house. I focus on perennial, cold temperature tolerant, flowering and deer resistant plants. A variety of different colored and sized flowers is important to attract different bees.

To Do - start a flower garden in the back yard, close to the vegetable garden. The blackberry and newly planted blueberries bushes also need some bees. Maybe I can add some flowering plants to the herb garden.

Question - how can I tell if the flowering plants are hybrid or not? I have been able to find some heirloom vegetable plants, but how do I know if the Shasta daisy or the phlox is a hybrid or not?

Vegetable Garden
Check! Vegetable garden, herb garden, blackberry and blueberry bushes in the back yard. Tomato container garden in front of the breezeway.

To Do - plant more herbs in the front garden bed (edible garden). They are deer resistant and edible.

To Do - expand the container garden in front of the breezeway is companion plants for the tomatoes.

To Do - add a water feature to provide clean source of water for bees.

Dead Trees and Plants
There is an area behind the back fence between us and the house behind us. Honeysuckle, wild grape vine, weeds and other random plants provide a natural habitat for animals, critters, and bugs. Whatever is too big for the compost or will take a long time to break down goes over the fence.

Chemical Free House and Yard
A bucket a day keeps the weeds away! I have reinstated the daily weed pulling, at least until I get most of them knocked down. I stopped using chemicals in the yard 3.5 years ago and after a couple of years of not pulling weeds, we have grown super weeds in the yard. Luckily, weed pulling is therapeutic and relaxing for me, so I have been spending 30-60 minutes outside during baby's naps pulling weeds.

>> Are there any features of your garden or yard that help to protect and sustain the bee population??

Organic Vegan All Natural Deodorant [Review]

Disclosure: I got this product as part of an advertorial.

I eat a pretty clean diet, consistent mostly of organic foods, home cooked meals, and very little (organic) processed foods. There are the occasional meals at restaurants, but for the most part, I do not eat synthetic ingredients, additives or preservatives. Still, I battle underarm stink. I stopped using standard drug store deodorant/antiperspirant brands a few years ago and made the switch to all natural deodorants. Simple ingredients paired with essential oils can keep underarm stink at bay. North Coast Organics creates handmade, vegan, USDA Certified Organic deodorants that are effective.

USDA Certified Organic Deodorants        ($8.99)
Rating: total green check marks out of 5.

The Good	The Not So Good
USDA Certified Organic
Natural ingredients
Great scents
Works!

I received a 3 pack of travel size deodorants (0.35 fl oz each): Death by Lavender, Naked and Revolver. This is a great package to order to decide which scent works better with your body's chemistry and which scent you prefer. The 3 pack of travel size deodorants is very cost effective. The travel sizes will be great to keep in the diaper bag and in my purse.

Before I get into the details of how the deodorants worked for me, let's talk about natural deodorants. Natural deodorants are just that, they deodorize by neutralizing the pH that causes bad (stinky) bacteria to grow with ingredients such as baking soda and/or arrowroot powder and help to cover up the bad (stinky) bacteria with natural scents such as essential oils. Natural deodorants do not stop your body from perspiring, so you will still experience wetness. However, wetness is not a bad thing. Thought wet under arms are not socially acceptable, I really worry about the bacteria that causes the stinky smell.

North Coast Organics makes products that are USDA Certified Organic, vegan and cruelty free and labels that are made from tree free/fair trade certified paper. I like that North Coast Organics offers products that are naturally scented and products that are unscented (Naked) for those who just do not prefer a scent. The Naked deodorant still has a slightly sweet smell from the coconut oil, but it was not noticeable when applied to the under arms.

I started off with the Revolver deodorant. If you think this scent is only geared toward men, think not! As a woman, I loved the smell of Revolver. Lavender (Death by Lavender) is always a favorite of mine, but Revolver has something new and exciting to offer also! Revolver is scented with Atlas Cedar, Mediterranean Cypress and Clary Sage. The smell is a little woodsy, but the combination smells really good.

Now, onto the results. I applied Revolver deodorant 3 times throughout the day. I reapplied the third time because I took a shower after my run. Usually, by the end of the day, after running around after a one year old inside the house and walking with him in the yard, I sweat and start to smell. After my husband comes home from work, one of the first things he usually says to me is that I need to deodorize. I get stinky! I was pleasantly surprised that I did not experience bad odor throughout the day. Revolver kept my stink away.

Organic ingredients, clever scents and easy application make North Coast Organics organic, vegan deodorants my new favorite body product.

Disclosure: I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Surpahs Bamboo Cutting Board [Review]

I remember the days of plastic cutting boards. I still have the different colored, thin, flimsy ones in the cabinet. I do not keep them for cutting foods, I keep them to use as place mats for messy foods. Wooden cutting boards have been a favorite of mine for quite some time. There is something about a nicely weighted wooden cutting board that makes me feel like a real cook. Bamboo cutting boards are a good take on traditional cutting boards because they absorb less moisture, are durable and long lasting, and warp. Surpahs bamboo cutting boards are constructed of high quality eco-friendly bamboo in 3-layer overlapping joints of solid wood to ensure no warping, cracking or splitting.

Surpahs Arc Juice Groove Bamboo Cutting Board       ($24.59)
Surpahs 3 Piece Set Bamboo Cutting Boards                ($19.48)
Rating: total green check marks out of 5.

The Good	The Not So Good
Eco-friendly, renewal resource	Bamboo "hairs" come off during washing
Knife-friendly	Cracked/split on the ends
Low moisture absorbency

Surpahs Arc Juice Groove Bamboo Cutting Board has been used frequently in my kitchen. I like a bit cutting board to cut vegetables on or to roll out dough for scones. This cutting board is sized 17" x 11". Either side can be used. I have been using the size without the grooves to roll out dough. This side has edges that angle down. The grooved side would be great for cutting oranges or roasted chicken, which both could release a lot of juice. I like the ability to use either side. I have liked using the cutting board for different purposes. The knife does not get stuck in the wood and I can quickly chop vegetables for a meal.

Surpahs 3-Layer Overlapping Joins Bamboo Cutting Boards come in three different sizes: 8", 11", 13". I like the ability to use a smaller or bigger board depending on what I need cut (cheese, fruit, vegetables, etc.). These are a little bit thinner than the Arc Juice Groove Bamboo Cutting Board. The thinness helps to prevent cracking and splitting.

The construction of Surpahs wooden cutting boards (3-layers of overlapping joints) help to ensure no warping, cracking or splitting. Wooden cutting boards will split over time from moisture, whether you leave them in the kitchen sink or not. I always place any wooden cutting board on the counter by the sink to prevent this from happening. I did notice that after a few uses and washes of the Surpahs Arc Juice Groove Bamboo Cutting Board, the bamboo wood split on the side in the middle. There was also a crack on one of the edges, though this could have been due to where the wood was cut.

Washing the bamboo cutting boards with a natural soap and a soft bristled brush released little bamboo "hairs." If I use the cutting board afterwards, then the "hairs" get into my food. This makes me leery about using the cutting boards. I might try washing the bamboo cutting board by hand to see if less "hairs" come off.

Surpahs recommends applying mineral oil to the new cutting board surface, with reapplication once a month. Mineral oil is a petroleum based product, so please do your research if you are avoiding potentially toxic chemicals getting on and in your food. Applying oil to the bamboo cutting board will help to reduce the "hairs" that come off during use.

Surpahs Bamboo Cutting Boards are constructed of high quality eco-friendly bamboo in 3-layer overlapping joints of solid wood. Though cracking and splitting still did occur because of the nature of a natural wooden product. I have enjoyed using the cutting boards and will continue to use them, but I would NOT purchase these again.

UPDATE 12/16/2014: I have been using this board on a daily basis. I still love the big size of the board. The little bamboo "hairs" are no longer coming off (maybe this was an initial wear-in period thing). The bamboo board has continued to split and crack. I know how to properly take care of wood products. I clean with mild, all natural soap, rinse immediately and put to dry. I limit getting the bamboo wet as little as possible. After regular use of this cutting board, I would NOT RECOMMEND this product to anyone. My husband and I have both scratched and cut ourselves on the split bamboo pieces and cracks. The crack pictures above has become bigger and the wood has split at the joints. A lot of reviews might be positive because of the initial use, but after prolonged use, I found the board to be of low quality.

Disclosure: I received one or more of the products mentioned above at no cost to facilitate this review. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Why We Don't Take the Bus [#CTWW]

This week's challenge:

This week, for at least one day, leave your car parked. Instead, walk or ride a bike.

OR ...

If you don't drive or can't do without your car, please choose other actions designed to reduce air pollution. Need some ideas? Avoid power tools (such as lawnmowers, weed whackers, leaf blowers, etc.) and use manual tools instead. Stop smoking! Choose water-based products (paints, solvents, etc.) instead of products which contain harmful volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Avoid commercial indoor air fresheners. Drive smart (accelerate slowly, turn off the engine if the car is stopped for more than 30 seconds, combine errands for one trip, etc.). Reduce energy use (much of the world's energy is derived in ways which pollute ... think smoke stacks). Add house plants to your home. Plant a tree. Use natural, safe cleansers. Buy locally produced items (reduces transport pollution).

The first thing I thought of when I read this week's challenge was taking the bus. Taking the bus is one of the easiest and most accessible ways to reduce your carbon footprint on the environment. While taking the bus to work is often thought of as a cheaper alternative than driving your car, most people do not ride the bus to be environmentally friendly. In our culture, riding the bus carries the stigma that one cannot afford a car. Maybe someone who earns a low income or someone who does not have a job at all. Riding the bus (for purposes other than work) has a negative connotation attached to it.

When I worked in the corporate world, people would talk about taking the bus to/from work and how much money it was saving them. Never once did I hear about someone taking the bus to the grocery store or to the post office. And never once did I think about taking the bus to Whole Foods. I even despised taking the express bus to work when my husband and I would travel and he would pick me up on the way out of town. Something about having to play by someone else's schedule...

Why wouldn't one take the bus to locations other than work? 

First, it would take a lot longer to take the bus to the grocery store than to drive there. While work routes are usually express routes, regular city routes have many more stops. Maybe people would choose to drive over the bus because it would take longer. Though if you live closer to a grocery store, it might not take too much longer. Whole Foods Market is a 12-15 minute drive from my house. Taking the bus would end up taking closer to 30 minutes (one way).

Second, the western world is focused on achieving the status of having your own car. Most teenagers are probably thinking all the time about saving up to buy a car and/or getting their driver's license. There is something about having this freedom and independence to go where you want to go. Taking the bus means that you are dependent on someone else. Furthermore, taking the bus might give the perception that one cannot afford a car. Many people might not want that perception. 

Growing up, my parents had one car, so a lot of travel within city limits was by bus. I remember standing for long periods of time waiting for buses with my mom or my grandma. Personally, I have a negative perception of taking the bus because it reminds me of a challenging time in my childhood. 

Whether or not I have this perception or connotation, it does not mean that I should never take the bus. In the meantime, while I work up the courage to take the bus, I will walk and run. With the recent warmer temperatures, I have tested the following simple plan: run with the baby in the jogging stroller around the neighborhood, then walk to the shopping center (1/2 mile away) to take care of small errands (mailbox, library, Walgreens, clothes shopping, wine/beer shopping, etc). This plan has worked well and I look forward to taking care of errands car-free while getting my runs in during the day. 

>> What are your thoughts on riding the bus? Love it? Hate it?
  

Update: Growing Your Own Food with Gro-ables

This post brought to you by Gro-ables. All opinions are 100% mine.

Garden planning has begun, some seeds have been sowed and I am eager to start shopping for seedlings to compliment the seeds I sowed directly into the soil. The first seeds I sowed were Miracle-Gro Gro-ables Globe Tomatoes and Cilantro.  I picked out two containers, tilled the soil and placed the Gro-ables pods right in. Add a little water and sunshine (and time) and the seeds sprouted. Miracle-Gro Gro-ables pre-packaged seed pods offer an easy way to grow your own herbs and vegetables from seed.


Planting the Miracle-Gro Gro-ables pods was very easy. I made a hole in the soil and placed the top of the container at the same level as the top of the soil. I watered right after and then about every other day to ensure the soil stayed moist. I love that the Gro-ables pods provide the right medium and fertilizer for the seeds to sprout and grow.



The seeds did take a while to sprout. I began to get worried. Finally, the cilantro broke through and the globe tomatoes came shortly after. The containers have been in the breezeway, which tends to be a bit chillier than the house, but warmer than the outside. We have only had warmer temperatures in the past week, so I attribute the late sprouting to the temperatures and little sunlight. I rotate both containers daily so that the plants grow evenly. I have noticed the cilantro has become leggy, so I will keep an eye on it and make sure it gets enough sunlight.

   
My seedlings are still small. However, I am hopeful they will grow quickly during the warmer weather. Once I thin out the smaller seedlings, it will make more room for the others to grow. I look forward to making my easy salsa with the tomatoes and cilantro and adding the cilantro to guacamole. I also love pico de gallo on baked fish or on fish tacos.

If you are a beginner gardener or are looking to try something new, Miracle-Gro Gro-ables pods are a great addition to our garden. They pods are easy to plant and the germination rates are high. Growing your own food is easy with Miracle-Gro Gro-ables.

>> What favorite recipe would you make with globe tomatoes or cilantro??
  

MIRA Stainless Steel Snack Containers [Review]

Disclosure: I got this product as part of an advertorial.

I began researching food containers, plates, utensils and sippy cups a while before getting pregnant. I knew that I wanted to avoid plastic as much as possible. Glass was a good option, except that there was a high probably of breaking if dropped by a baby. Stainless steel became my focus. Fast forward to today. The baby just turned one and has been experiencing and eating table food for about 6 months. When I leave the house, I need small and non-toxic containers to store his food. MIRA stainless steel food containers provide durability, containment, and light weight to store the baby's food.

MIRA Stainless Steel 2 Container Set (Small)          ($14.95)
Rating: total green check marks out of 5.

The Good	The Not So Good
18/8 food-grade stainless steel container	Slide when stacked
Non-toxic LDPE #4 plastic lids
Great size for babies and children
Leak-proof lid

MIRA Stainless Steel Container Set is a set of two food-grade stainless steel containers that are perfect for small snacks, whether you use at home or take it with you on-the-go. The stainless steel containers come with recyclable, leak-proof, BPA-free plastic lids. The lid is made from a harder plastic, but is still bendable and easy to remove. However, I did find that with a full container, I had to make sure the lid was on all the way. Also, the lids are a little bit slick, so when you stack containers on top of each other, they tend to slide (slick stainless steel against slick plastic).

The size of the containers (small, 4" x 2") was perfect for storing foods and snacks for the baby. I have been using the containers for storing dried fruit, strawberry halves, and almonds (for me). I love that I can throw the containers into my purse or diaper bag and not worry about the lids popping off and food spilling everywhere. The lightweight of the stainless steel does not weight my bag or diaper bag down.

MIRA stainless steel containers can also be used for adults. They are perfect for storing dips such as hummus and salsa or holding a serving of salad dressing.

I recommend MIRA Stainless Steel Container Set for reusable, durable and lightweight storage containers. I plan on purchasing more of these stainless steel containers in a variety of sizes to complement the two that I have. The fact that this set is made from food grade stainless steel and does not leach toxic chemicals into my food is a winner in my book.

Disclosure: I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

A Birthday and A Death

My birthday has become a defining point over the past couple of years. My birthday is no longer just a day of celebration, but a season of happiness and sadness.

Last year, I celebrated a milestone birthday. This milestone birthday was supposed to be celebrated by a luxury beach vacation to the Caribbean. I was in my third trimester of pregnancy. Instead, we went to visit my parents and enjoyed a delicious gourmet dinner at a winery. I had some wine. That was the extent of my celebration. Even though the celebration was not what I imagined it would be like, that weekend was very special for me anyways.

This year, my birthday was celebrated with my parents again. They watched the baby, the husband and I went out to lunch at a winery and then did some shopping. I greatly enjoyed the few hours that we had to focus on each other. We had champagne and my mom brought dessert from a local boulangerie.

A few days later, on the way to Gatlinburg for vacation, I find out very sad news about my grandma passing. She passed suddenly. The day after my birthday. Everyone was in shock. The thoughts that keep running through my head:

• She will never get to meet her only great grandchild (she lived in Russia),
• I'm glad I called her a few weeks earlier and talked to her,
• I hope she is watching over the baby now,
• I can no longer call her and talk to her.

The passing of a grandparent is a difficult event for everyone. I am sad that she is no longer around. I also forget at times that she is no longer around. But, I try to focus on the positive memories. I try to remember her. I tell the baby stories about her. While working on a small sewing project for the baby's first birthday, I remembered when my grandma showed me how to use her sewing machine. She left the sewing machine to me when she moved back to Russia. I do not want to forget her, so I am trying to find ways to help us all to remember her.

With the warmer outside temperatures and a huge itch to get the garden going, I decided to plant a few plants in the garden to commemorate her. One of my earliest memories of grandma was going to the park. I do not remember what the park looked like, but I remember a huge field of poppies. Whenever I see poppies, I am always reminded of grandma. Yesterday, at Whole Foods, I picked up a packet of poppy seeds and sowed the seeds in the herb garden. I would also like to plant a tree or a bush in honor of grandma.

March brought other sad news as we found out about a loved one of a friend also passing the week prior to my grandma, acquaintances being diagnosed with serious medical diagnoses, and little girls in church having potentially terminal diseases. March also brought happy news, like births of babies.

This year has already brought so much change, growth, happiness, and sadness. Yet, life keeps moving on. Life forces us to move on. There is always something to keep us moving or distract us from the challenges that the days bring. The baby keeps growing and developing. I have to be flexible and adapt to his needs. We accept loses of loved ones and try to remember only the good times and we welcome births of babies and rebirths of ourselves.

>> How has your year been so far?? Have you experienced any surprises??
 

Efy Tal Jewelry [Giveaway]

Welcome to the Efy Tal Jewelry Giveaway Event, hosted by Happy Mothering and the Green Moms Network! The Green Moms Network and All Natural Katie are hosting a giveaway to win 1 of 3 gorgeous necklaces made by Efy Tal Jewelry. Efy Tal pieces help you to express yourself and feel empowered, feminine and sexy. The collections include large, bold pieces and elegant nature themed pieces like flowers, branches, animals, trees and blossoms. Efy's inspiration come from her experience and joy in becoming a mother. Efy Tal works out of her studio in Glen Rock, New Jersey, where she enjoys spending time with her daughter Lia, family and friends.

      

Happy Mothering had the opportunity to review Efy Tal's Tree of Life necklace. This giveaway will have 3 winners, who will take home one of the following necklaces.

Large Striking Japanese Cherry Blossom Statement Necklace ($88 value)

Large Lotus Necklace ($46 value)

Tiny Gold Two Initial Necklace with Birthstone ($29 value)

Aren't each of these necklaces unique and beautiful? Would you like the opportunity to win one?

 Enter the Giveaway!

Three winners will each take home one of the necklaces above! Enter via the Rafflecopter form below. This giveaway is open to US residents ages 18+ only through April 30, 2014 at 11:59 p.m. EST. Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

All Natural Katie was not compensated for this post and is not responsible for prize fulfillment. Please contact Chrystal at Happy Mothering with questions about this giveaway or for help organizing one for your brand.
  

Winner Announcements

The giveaways for Carrier Teething Pads and Royal Fluff Cloth Diaper have concluded! Thank you to all those that entered! Winners are listed below and have confirmed.

Recaro Performance Sport Harness Booster Seat [Giveaway]

Sponsored By: RECARO
Prize: Performance SPORT Booster Seat in VIBE
Open to US residents only
Dates: May 1st at 8am CST - May 17th at 11:59pm CST
Sign-ups CLOSE: April 27th at 12pm CST (NOON)

One free link w/announcement post. The announcement post must be visible on your blog, you may share your blog post on your social media site. Grab the announcement post HTML.

If you wish to not post the announcement please send $5 via Paypal to mamis3littlemonkeys@yahoo.com

Additional paid links are available, please see form below for their fee(s).

You will be required to post this giveaway w/in 24hrs of the start date/time and you must promote this giveaway via Facebook, Twitter and other social media at least 4 times per week during the entire event.
 

SIGN UP HERE!

Questions and payments should be sent to mamis3littlemonkeys@yahoo.com