Frozen Creek Woodworks {Handmade Giveaway #4}

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I couldn't believe it when I was notified that I had won this really cool wooden tote box from Frozen Creek Woodworks in a giveaway hosted by A Day in Motherhood. I knew that Little Guy would love it. He does. His tote has the coveted assignment of holding all of his prized Thomas trains. I cannot stress the level of honor he has bestowed upon this tote! Yesterday, I was helping him clean up all of his cars, trucks, trains, etc. for nap time and I made the huge mistake of tossing a few Hot Wheels into the tote. He freaked on me! "NO! That's Thomas trains' house!!! Car goes in other box!" Um... OK?

You can tell that this family is dedicated to creating safe, quality products when you read their profile on Etsy:

"We are a husband and wife team, and parents of two little boys. Chris started off making wood toys for our boys. They are the inspiration for our projects. We love creating toys that we know are completely safe and non-toxic. Our little family is nestled in the hills of Central/Eastern Kentucky. We love this area and look forward to raising our boys here.

From Chris:
I like to try a little bit of everything when it comes to woodworking. I use reclaimed wood from the house I grew up in on Frozen Creek in Breathitt Co., KY, to build many of these items. The wood came from trees logged by my grandfather over 30 years ago.

From Crystal:
I'm in charge of running the shop, and I've also began to get into the creative side by painting some projects. I hope to do more of that in the future."

In addition to the beautifully-made totes, Frozen Creek Woodworks caries  a variety of handmade wooden toys. There is the classic rubber band gun, beautifully painted bookmarks, and gorgeous vehicles (trucks, trains, etc.) I would like to give one of my readers this really cool Old Timie Pick-Up Truck:

This handmade wooden toy pick-up truck is perfect for small hands. Your little one will have a blast pushing this toy around, and you will feel good knowing it is all natural and safe for him/her to enjoy!
It is made with pine, maple, mahogany and oak woods. It is about 5 1/2" long and 2 1/2 inches wide (counting wheels). It is finished with safe, non-toxic salad bowl oil.

 So, what do you think? I know that Little Guy would have this truck carrying all kinds of interesting loads and vroom-vrooming all over the house!

And... Yes! Frozen Creek Woodworks is offering a discount code for my readers! You can use MCCRENSHAW to receive 10% off your order through June 10th. (Don't forget, you can use that code to get another 5 extra entries into this giveaway!)

Enter to Win!

One winner will receive the Old Timie Truck pictured above. This giveaway is open to US.

Mandatory Entry:

Go to Frozen Creek Woodworks and have a look around. Comment with one item that you would like to have most. **Leave you email address in your comment so I can contact you if you win.

Extra Entries:

For each extra entry, leave a separate comment. (If it says +2, leave two comments, etc.)

• +1 entries - Like Frozen Creek Woodworks on Facebook
• +1 entries - Follow Frozen Creek Woodworks on Twitter (leave your Twitter name in comment)
• +5 entries - Make a purchase from Frozen Creek Woodworks. Just let me know you did so and the First name, Last initial you used to order.
• +1 entries - Follow me on GFC - right sidebar
• +1 entries - Like me on Facebook - or right sidebar
• +1 entries - Follow me on Twitter
• +3 entries - Subscribe (& confirm) to my emails - right sidebar under Networked Blogs
• +3 entries – Share this giveaway on Twitter, Facebook, your blog, etc. Just leave me a direct link in the comments. ONE TIME ONLY!

This giveaway will end on May 27, 2011, at 11:59 PM EDT. Winner will be notified by email and have 48 hours to respond before a new winner is chosen. Winner will be chosen by the Random.org widget I have embedded at the bottom of this page. GOOD LUCK!

*I have NOT been compensated for this review or giveaway. I won an item from this business on another blog giveaway and liked it so much that I wanted to get the word out to my readers about this business.

Natural Parents Network's Wordless Wednesday

Hey! Go check out my photo at Natural Parents Network's Wordless Wednesday post today. The theme this week is "Gentle Parenting Put to the Test." There are a ton of photos from parents showing those times when their gentle parenting practices have been tested by their children. I think my favorite is the photo of a little girl who managed to get into some chickpeas and threw them ALL over the room - including the wood floors!




My photo shows the moment just before I ended up having to grab little guy's hand and march him home - screaming the entire way! (Really expected a police car to pull up - he's very loud!)

Samara Fibers Merino Wool Batting + Fun Craft Projects! {Handmade Giveaway #3 US}

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The next Etsy shop I want to highlight is Samara Fibers. I won this nifty bag to keep my knitting safe and secure from curious little hands in a giveaway on Graphoniac. Now, I used to knit all of the time - before Little Guy made his appearance. Even when he was sleeping, I couldn't get my knitting out all to often because it was inevitable that I'd leave it out (in its fancy plastic grocery bag) and he'd find it. I have one project that I started and re-started five times  thanks to his pulling all of my stitches out before I could rescue what was left! This bag has saved my sanity and allowed me to knit a little more often!


Now, I can't afford to give the bag away or else I'll have to cut out another shop. So, you can pick one up for yourself for $25 (see below for a discount code to make it even less!) TOTALLY worth it! The fabric is super soft and it is well-made. You could use it for almost anything. Toss a diaper, wipes, a snack, your wallet, and the camera into it and head out to the park!

For MY giveaway, I'd like to offer my readers these Merino Wool Batts.  

Aren't these colors beautiful???

Four, approximately 1/2 oz batts of luscious merino wool, curly Romney, and cruelty-free silk I have hand dyed and carded on my Strauch drum carder, in aqua, pale green, golden yellow, and sumac red.
92% merino
3% silk noil
5% romney
Perfect for spinning, art yarns, felting, etc.
Created in a pet-free, smoke-free environment. Only professional acid dyes were used.
Fiber can be spun into yarn upon request. Additional fee will be based upon yardage and number of plies.

Now, what can I do with these? Let me tell you! Have you heard of wool felting projects? You can make balls to play with, scarves, even bowls with this stuff. It only takes a short course in felting, some soap and warm water to get it done. See below for some great links! These are projects that you can do with children of all ages and they turn out looking so professional.

First, you need to know the basics on making wool felt. Then, you can create some really cool projects like these:

Wool Felt Beads

Felt Rocks (so cool!)

If you get good and want a challenge, check out this site! Yeah, this doll was made from wool batting!

AND, just in time for this giveaway, Stumbles and Stitches is having "Felt Week" with tons of ideas on how to use this stuff with lots of techniques, craft projects, and interviews with felt artists!

I think you've got the idea of what you can do with this stuff. I have seen purses, really cool-looking balls, baby blocks, cars... anything you can imagine made from wool batting. Hey, I have a great idea for baby-proofing the sharp edges of your coffee table!!! LOL I did a Google Search and found a ton of sites filled with ideas. Just go HERE to get to my search results.

And, just so you can get acquainted with the shop a little better, this is from her Etsy profile:

"Samaras are the seeds from maple trees that spin as they fall. My children squeal with delight as they throw these into the creek and watch them twirl! 

I dye fibers to spin with the hope of achieving that same childlike bliss. There is such a wonder in watching one’s fingers transform lovely fluff into silky yarn with a little twist. Whether the yarn is used for knitting, crochet, or weaving; both the process and the end result are delightfully satisfying."

And, she had offered my readers a coupon code for 10% off anything at Samara Fibers on Etsy through the month of June! Just put MCCRENSHAW into the coupon box when checking out. And, if you're thinking of buying anything, don't forget that a purchase means you get FIVE extra entries!

ENTER TO WIN!

One winner will receive the Merino Batts in "Sunny Days Sumac" pictured above.Open to the US.

Please leave one comment for each entry. If it says “+2 entries”, leave TWO comments.

Mandatory Entry:
Go to Samara Fibers and have a look around. Comment with one product that you would like to have most. **Leave you email address in your comment so I can contact you if you win.

Extra Entries:
For each extra entry, leave a separate comment. (If it says +2, leave two comments, etc.)

• +1 entries - Heart Samara Fibers on Etsy
• +5 entries - Make a purchase from Samara Fibers. Just let me know you did so and the First name, Last initial you used to order.
• +1 entries - Follow me on GFC - right sidebar
• +1 entries - Like me on Facebook - or right sidebar
• +1 entries - Follow me on Twitter
• +3 entries - Subscribe (& confirm) to my emails - right sidebar under Networked Blogs
• +3 entries – Share this giveaway on Twitter, Facebook, your blog, etc. Just leave me a direct link in the comments. ONE TIME ONLY!

This giveaway will end on May 26, 2011, at 11:59 PM EDT. Winner will be notified by email and have 48 hours to respond before a new winner is chosen. Winner will be chosen by the Random.org widget I have embedded at the bottom of this page. GOOD LUCK!

*I have NOT been compensated for this review or giveaway. I won an item from this business on another blog giveaway and liked it so much that I wanted to get the word out to my readers about this business.

Alien Invasion!!! {Wordless Wednesday - 5/18}

These guys (Praying mantis Nymphs) are about 1/2" long!

 Aren't they cute?!

 

I had found the egg pod on a walk a month ago. I read that there has to be a few weeks of consistently warm weather (around 75 degrees F) before they would hatch. So, I brought it inside. The cat found it - repeatedly - and kept waking me up at night batting it around in the kitchen. I finally got up and set it high on the pantry. I was getting some cereal a few days ago and I saw something dart over my hand. Yep - one of these guys. After an hour of searching, I found about 25 of them! It's too cold outside for them right now, so I brought in a plant for them. Now they're happily devouring the aphids for me! I sure hope it gets warm soon - hubby's freaking out LOL!

Have you seen the giveaway for a Radio Flyer Classic Dual Deck Trike on All Aboard (the review and giveaway train)? Oh, man! I had one of these when I was a kid - my dad painted it a sparkly purple and put purple and white streamers on it. I LOVED my tricycle! I want my little guy to have one just like it - well, maybe not purple, people already mistake him for a girl!

So, go take two minutes and enter to win!  It ends on 5/24 and has less than 200 entries. The odds are pretty good, don't you think? In fact, I don't know why I'm blogging about this giveaway because I really want to win and the less people who know about it means better chances for me! Guess I'm just cool like that - LOL!

Hopefully, I'll be blogging about Little Guy  learning to pedal his new tricycle in a month!!!

ElJay Plushie - Stuffed animals and MORE (TWO prizes!) {Handmade Giveaway #2 US}

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Hippie grazing in our yard.

A few weeks ago, I saw this great giveaway on Crum's This n' That and I just had to enter. The prize was a Hippo plushie and a little pillow with a hippo appliqued onto it - both fleece - from El Jay Plushie on Etsy. Little Guy's favorite books from the library have been Sandra Boynton stories and, recently, he's been asking to check out The Belly Button Book more times than I care to read it. (Hey, the good thing is he knows the words by heart and now he "reads" it to me!) It's about hippos and how much they love their belly buttons!

I have been informed that Hippie is a very polite hippo who loves sharing his pillow with others!

When our prize arrived, it was so much fun to watch him open it up! Out hippo had a big green bow tied around his neck and was as soft and fuzzy as ever. Little guy was in love at once and named him Hippie. Now, this particular hippo was born without a belly button (gasp!), so we found a teeny-tiny blue button and sewed it on for him.


Leah carries a ton of other animals and pillows in her Etsy shop. I just love this set Three Craft-Style Rattles, don't you? In fact, I am going to give one of you this set. I chose it because I think that, just because they are rattles, they can really be played with by children of all ages. And, with all of the flowers blooming around here, I'm really in the "spring spirit" and these colors and that great big flower are irresistible!

This listing is for three fleece rattles in a very simple craft style. The first is a flower rattle in three fleece colors with seams on the OUTSIDE, giving it a very unique and simple craft look. Please note that the flower rattle was sewn with a dark thread, so that it would stand out and have a crafty look to it. The second is a cube rattle with six different fleece colors, one for each side/panel. The third is a triangle shaped rattle in six different fleece colors with a heart patch on one panel.
The flower measures approximately 8" x 5", The cube approximately 2.5" x 2.5" and the triangle rattle approximately 1.5" x 2".
All three have been softly stuffed with a rattle in each one. The rattles have a clear and pleasant sound.

Here is what Leah has to say about her work:

"My favorite things to make are hand-cut original patchwork fleece baby pillows, original soft fleece baby rattles and stuffed animals with my own original fleece appliques.

I love the feeling I get from making and giving these adorable items. They are hugged and held and provide comfort and love to children and adults alike. There is a certain satisfaction in knowing I made that cuddly bundle of cuteness."

In addition to the Three Rattles Set, Leah has generously offered to add this cute Lion to the giveaway! I can't believe it! This guy is just too cute for words!

Dark brown, light brown and white fleece make up this adorable handmade plush lion. He has brown and black safety eyes and a dark blue ribbon around his neck. He stands 10.5" tall and 8" wide. He is perfect for a baby shower or a collector. Soft and cuddly. He has a hand stitched closure just above his tail.

AND - until May 31, Leah is offering my readers a 15% discount to anything in her Etsy shop! Just add the code MCCRENSHAW2011 in when you order for the discount. (Psst! You can use it to make an order and get those FIVE extra entries!)

Enter to Win!

The winner will receive the set of Three Plush Rattles AND the Adorable Lion (ARV $37)! Open to the US. 

Please leave a separate comment for each entry. If it says "+3 entries", leave three comments.

Mandatory Entry:

Go to ElJay Plushie and have a look around. Comment with one (or more!) product that you just love.
**Leave you email address in your comment so I can contact you if you win.**

Extra Entries:

For each extra entry, leave a separate comment. (If it says +2, leave two comments, etc.)

• +1 entry- Heart ElJay Plushie on Etsy (please leave your Etsy name)
• +2 entries - Like ElJay Plushie on Facebook 
• +5 entries - Make a purchase from ElJay Plushie. Just let me know you did so and the First name, Last initial you used to order so I can confirm.
• +1 entry - Follow me on GFC - right sidebar
• +1 entry - Like me on Facebook - or right sidebar
• +1 entry - Follow me on Twitter
• +3 entries - Subscribe (& confirm) to my emails - right sidebar under Networked Blogs
• +3 entries – Share this giveaway on Twitter, Facebook, your blog, etc. Just leave me a direct link in the comments. ONE TIME ONLY for each venue!

This giveaway will end on May 25, 2011, at 11:59 PM EDT. Winner will be notified by email and have 48 hours to respond before a new winner is chosen. Winner will be chosen by the Random.org widget I have embedded at the bottom of this page. GOOD LUCK!

*I have NOT been compensated for this review or giveaway. I won an item from this business on another blog giveaway and liked it so much that I wanted to get the word out to my readers about this business.

Guess What - I was Featured Again!!!

My post, Bubbles!!!, was featured on The Frugal Girls! Go check it out and then head over to their Thursday Chic and Crafty Party for lots of links to fun recipes and crafts.

Scrapin' Sara - Original Handmade Cards - 2 WINNERS! {Handmade Giveaway #1 US}

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The very first handmade giveaway I won was from Airplanes & Dragonflies. It was a set of six handmade Christmas cards from Scrapin' Sara on Etsy. Her cards were so imaginative and pretty that I asked her to wait on shipping my prize because I wanted to order more and figured it would be easier to ship them all together. Boy, was I excited when the package came!

Not only were the giveaway cards and the extra cards I had ordered in the box, there was also a handmade Christmas ornament AND a few extra occasion cards. Whenever you order from her, Sara will always tuck a few extras into the box for you! I think that little surprises like that just make everything more personal, don't you? And, let me tell you, her cards are my favorites - if you get a Scrapin' Sara card from me, it's because you're extra-special. Not everyone gets my best cards! LOL

In her profile on Etsy, Sara writes, "I'm a full time working mommy to two kids and a wife to a busy husband. I do scrapbooking, card making and homemade gifts for fun as well as for side income. I have been successful using word of mouth so I am expanding into the world of Etsy!" 

Sara doesn't just offer what you see in her Etsy shop. She will work with you on custom orders, so you can get just what you want. And, she's not just limited to cards! She also creates picture frames and scrapbook albums (would make a great wedding album or baby book!) Just ask her and I'm sure you can get pretty much whatever you need.


Oh, did I mention that when you make a purchase from Scrapin' Sara, she donates two cards to Operation Write Home? This is an organization that supplies American soldiers handmade cards donated by crafters. This enables them to write home, send birthday cards to family member, and anniversary cards to their spouses. How cool is that?! In addition to providing cards for the soldiers to send, Operation Write Home also send cards to the soldiers that express gratitude and provide sorely-needed encouragement to them. So, when you buy from Sara, you're also sending some love to those who need it!



For this giveaway, I'd like to give one winner the Greetings All Around set of six cards.

You never know why or when you are going to need to send a card, so having a variety set on hand is perfect!

Here are six round cards with a chipboard animal and glittered strip of paper, all with different sentiments on the front. The insides are blank and you'll get square envelopes to mail your cards. Here are the sentiments you'll receive and the quantities:

2- Birthday Wishes
2- Thanks
2- Thinking of You

PLUS! Sara has offered to add another prize to this giveaway!!!

This is a set of six Thank You cards  that Sara has made especially for this giveaway. Inside the flower on the front of the card is printed with "so sweet of you". (If the winner would like to forfeit this prize, I'd be very happy to take these off of your hands! LOL)

AND, not only has Sara added to the giveaway, she's also giving all of my readers a discount! Use this code at checkout for 15% off your order until June 10th: GIVEAWAY2011 (psst - use it now and get those extra entries!)

Enter to Win!

This giveaway will have two winners. The first winner drawn will have his or her choice between the sets of cards. The second winner will receive the other set. Open to the US.

Mandatory Entry:

Go to Scrapin' Sara's Gifts and have a look around. Comment with one item that you would like to have. **Leave your email address in your comment so I can contact you if you win.

Extra Entries:

For each extra entry, leave a separate comment. (If it says +2, leave two comments, etc.)

• +1 entry- Follow Sara's Organized Chaos on GFC
• +1 entry -  Like Scrapin' Sara on Facebook
• +5 entries - Make a purchase from Scrapin' Sara's Gifts. Just let me know you did so and the First name, Last initial you used to order.
• +1 entry - Follow me on GFC - right sidebar
• +1 entry - Like me on Facebook - or right sidebar
• +1 entry - Follow me on Twitter
• +3 entries - Subscribe (& confirm) to my emails - right sidebar under Networked Blogs
• +3 entries – Share this giveaway on Twitter, Facebook, your blog, etc. Just leave me a direct link in the comments. ONE TIME ONLY per venue!

This giveaway will end on May 24, 2011, at 11:59 PM EDT. Winner will be notified by email and have 48 hours to respond before a new winner is chosen. Winner will be chosen by the Random.org widget I have embedded at the bottom of this page. GOOD LUCK!

*I have NOT been compensated for this review or giveaway. I won an item from this business on another blog giveaway and liked it so much that I wanted to get the word out to my readers about this business.

Meet Me on Monday! {5/16}

From: ICanHasCheezburger.com

OK, now that I have your attention, I need to let everyone know a couple of things:

1) I have a new linky!!! See the little "Green Parenting Giveaway Linky" button over there in the sidebar? Yep, that's it! So, before you take off, go see what there is to win. And, if you've got any giveaways that are green or have to do with parenting (or being a parent), add them! I checked my stats and people are actually using the linky (I know! I was surprised, too!)

2) Starting today, I am going to be giving away lots of handmade stuff from online businesses (mostly Etsy.) I've saved up a little PayPal survey-taking money and I am using it to thank some of the shops I've won giveaway prizes from. Plus, many of the shops have offered to add to the prize I am paying for, give readers some pretty good discounts, or both! I'll be adding a new giveaway each day until I run out of money! Check my giveaway linky or homepage each day for the newest giveaway.

And now, back to your regularly scheduled program!

1.  Crunchy or smooth peanut butter?

Only smooth for me! and only Jif or Kroger (not the nasty red, white, and blue label - the all read one!

2.  What is your favorite color Rose?

Oooo... tough one. While I like red, yellow, pink, and those ones that are yellow inside and red on the tips, and just about any other colors, it's the SMELL that is most important to me. Roses, irises, and lilacs are my three very favorite smelling flowers!

My Sweet Rose by John William Waterhouse

3.  Do you remove your shoes when you walk into your home?

Um... it's kind of a rule. My rule. But, um... I'm exempt from it. Yeah. But here's the deal - I have a 13 year-old son who still loves jumping in puddles and traipsing through all kinds of nasty stuff. In fact, his shoes have been on the back porch since Friday because they're covered in mud and smell like something BIG dies in them and then sat out in the sun for three days. My husband just doesn't think and, it never fails, will wear muddy shoes right after I've scrubbed the kitchen floor. I swear, one day I just lost it and declared that no one was ever going to wear shoes in this house ever again - EVER!

4.  What is your favorite season?

Summer!!!
#1 - I absolutely HATE being cold.
#2 - I love fresh fruit and veggies.
#3 - And I love being outside (unless it's cold out - see #1 for explanation.)

5.  Approximately how many hours a day do you spend blogging?

Well... It all just depends. Sometimes I'll get on a streak and blow through a few posts and schedule them. Other days I can hardly get out of bed, yet alone think! And then, there are those days when all I want to do is screw around blog hopping, entering giveaways, and checking out what everyone's doing on Facebook. And, now that the weather's getting nice, I'm spending a LOT more time outside with my husband and kids. So, it's somewhere between 4 hours and 1 minute, depending on the day! 

Go Check Out This Child-Centered Craft Linky - LOTS of Great Projects!

 

I just stumbled upon (no, not THAT Stumble Upon!) this linky on Facebook. I love the crafts at Classified: Mom and will make sure to check back throughout the week for new additions! Do yoiu have any child-friendly crafts or are you looking for some new ideas? Stop by and check this out.