Peter Pauper Press Review and Giveaway

Let's just get one thing straight: I think paper is magical.  I love the freshness of a white, lined (or unlined) page, the smell of a new book, the moment before I set pen to paper in a new journal or planner.  My generation transitioned into computer technology (instead of being born with it) so while typing on a keyboard is faster than writing in longhand, the act of writing, of putting a piece of yourself down on paper, is still amazing to me.

And that's why I was a bit giddy when I got to review paper products from Peter Pauper Press.  I was sent several things (a few I'm saving for our Spoiling Dad gift guide for Father's Day) and all of the ones I'm featuring here make wonderful Mother's Day, birthday and graduation presents for the special people in your life.

First some info about Peter Pauper Press from the website: 


PETER PAUPER PRESS, founded in 1928, is one of America’s leading publishers of fine gift books, humor books, compact references, travel guides, unique journals, quality stationery, holiday cards, and innovative children’s activity books. We publish approximately 100 books and ancillary products per year.
Our product lines include:

• Little Black Books. Hip little reference books on popular topics, from Barbecue and Beer to Casino Games, Cocktails, and Coffee to Sex, Sushi, and Wine.
• Little Black Travel Books. Compact guides to top destinations with insider tips and foldout neighborhood maps. Available now: London, New York, Paris, Rome, San Francisco, and Washington, DC. Coming soon: Boston and Walt Disney World.
• Our Little Pink Books are sophisticated guides to Elegance, Entertaining, Weddings, and more.
• Charming Petites,™ our famous line of mini gift books with ribbon markers and 24K gold-plated charms.
• Gift Kits, lively little Petites Plus and Holiday Petites Plus books combined with bonus gifts. New Petites Plush titles combine some of our most popular books with endearing toy animals.
• BookNotes™ with Music CDs. Attractive gift books combined with set-the-mood music. For holidays and everyday.
• Illustrated Keepsakes gift books, whether heartwarming or humorous, are perfect to treasure or share.
• Pocket Gift Editions offer wisdom and wit on a variety of topics.
• Stationery, including our new Letter-Perfect boxed stationery and our bestselling thank you and blank note cards, feature contemporary designs and inviting prices.
• Personal Organizers. Perfect for brides, moms-to-be, new parents, new homeowners, creative cooks, and busy families.
• Our popular Scratch & Sketch™ and other Kids' Activity Books entertain (and educate) kids at home or on the go!
• Our Journals offer a variety of formats for inspired writing, including Artisan, Leather, Pocket, Locking, and Foldover.
• Engagement Calendars include a variety of appealing design options and formats, featuring the practical weekly planner our customers prefer.
• Holiday Cards. We’ve got lots of fresh, festive ways to say “Season’s Greetings!”

I looked at the opportunity to review some paper products from Peter Pauper as a badly-needed "organize me" opportunity just before the kids get out for summer break.  And so just like a new piece of paper represents the potential of a new beginning for me, the products I reviewed from Peter Pauper Press provide me with spaces for reminders, quick notes, to-do lists, even feelings.  For each product I received, I will include the basic info about it from the site as well as my take and evaluation of it. Ready?

Mom's Weekly Planner is an inspired 18-month planner that makes managing your family's activities and appointments a snap! (Well, almost.) View your weekly master plan on each two-page spread; there's a column for each family member. Monthly tabs, an elastic band place holder, address pages, and tear-out "To-Do" lists round out the package. It's indispensable! Concealed wire-o binding; 7" wide x 9" high.

I really love this organizer.  It comes in two solid colors and two designs.  I have the one pictured on the right and I love it.  Because of the binding, it lays flat when you're using it and there is plenty of room to keep track of everyone's schedule.  The one I have starts in July 2011 so for now I'm adding lots of info to the pre-schedule pages which keep track of importat contact info, etc.  It will be our Master Book for the hub and I as well as the kids.  I can leave it out and open to the current date to keep myself and everyone else up-to-date and on task (I love that!).

Compact Engagement Calendars: These tote-, backpack-, and purse-sized Compact Engagement Calendars come in a variety of appealing design options; all feature the practical weekly planner our customers tell us they prefer. Each engagement calendar covers 16 months (from September 2011 to December 2012) and provides space for notes and addresses. A handy elastic band marks your place, and binding lies flat for ease of use. Measures 5" wide x 7" high.

This compact calendar comes in several awesome designs (I received one that starts in January 2011).  I kind of wanted more than one even though I didn't need them because they're gorgeous.  I use this smaller calendar at work and take it to my classes I teach.  Yes, I have a smartphone and I add appts, meetings, etc to it to keep up with my life but it's hard to jam appts or notes into my phone when I have 6 students waiting for me after class (I am so not a txtr).  This is my teaching calendar.  In it, I put in student appts, handouts I have to Xerox for the next class, notes about student behavior or about something I need to teach, etc.  All the stuff that's easy to scribble down in a minute and that I'll forget if I don't write it all down. This small book helps me keep my head on at work and the design is beautifully calming.  It is a visual oasis in my work day and my veritable collection of Post-its on the go.

Oversized Journals: Take pen in hand and spin your tales with bold ingenuity in our handsome bookbound Oversized Journals! Each journal features a beautiful design and its own special features, such as foil accents, a ribbon marker, classic corner and spine treatments, or gilded page edges. Each has 192 lined pages of acid-free, archival-quality paper that takes ink or pencil beautifully. 7-1/4" wide x 9" high.

This is the kind of journal that makes me want to write!  First off, I love this design.  To me it acknowledges the colorful potential of women who join hands to work together.  I should be keeping a personal journal but I don't.  I'm crazy busy (isn't every woman?).  What I regret most about not keeping a journal is missing those moments with my family that are amazing and deserve to be retold over and over again but often fade with time.  Or those moments when I want to tell my daughter how proud I am of her or my hub that I appreciated that thing he did but I get so busy putting out the next fire in our lives that I never follow through and the opportunity is lost.  I'm making the unity journal my family slam book.  I have already started recording those moments when I'm having fond thoughts about my family members and I'm going to try to pose a question every Sunday that each of us can answer.  Maybe this is more of a family journal.  I love the idea of my kids having something like this when I'm not around any more and, for me, it will be easier to build over time in the unity journal.

My overall verdict is that Peter Pauper Press makes beautiful tools to help you put pen to paper as well as wonderful gifts for all sorts of occasions.  If I had a recommendation to make, it would be that Peter Pauper start a "green" line (if they don't already have one in development) where they offer journals and/or other gifts made from recycled materials.  I would love that!

SHOP: You can shop online for Peter Pauper Press products here where orders of $30 or more ship free.  Every day.  No exceptions.  No black-out dates.

WIN:  You can win a Mom's Weekly Planner of your choice by telling us what Peter Pauper product you would love to try (check out their selection here) and then leaving a comment below about it.  This is the mandatory entry for this giveaway and must be done before all of the additional entries.
   
To earn an additional entry, do one (or all) of the following and leave a separate comment for each thing you do:

1. Become a Google Friends Connect follower of Moana Saves (in the sidebar).
2. Become a Networked Blogs follower of Moana Saves (in the sidebar).
3. Follow Moana Saves on Twitter.
4. Follow Peter Pauper Press on Twitter. 
5. Tweet about this giveaway (limit one tweet per day) using the following: #win a Mom's Weekly Planner from @peterpauperpres and @moanasaves ends 5/23 http://bit.ly/jud2OS

6. Subscribe to the Moana Saves feed via RSS reader and/or email updates (in the sidebar).

7. Like the Moana Saves Facebook page.

8. Like the Peter Pauper Press Facebook page.

Only one person per email/household/IPaddress can enter this giveaway. He/she must be 18+ years old and reside in the U.S. This giveaway ends on Monday, 5/23 at 11:59 PM HST (Hawaii Standard Time). One winner will be chosen randomly via Random.org. I will notify the winner via email and he/she must respond to claim the prize within 48 hours or I will draw another winner.

I was not compensated for this post although I did receive free products to facilitate my review.  Any and all opinions here are mine.

Review: Emerson Creek Pottery-Iris Drizzle Bottle

Oh lands. There I was, refilling the most beautiful drizzle bottle on the planet when I realized that I have to review this product! It's no longer just a product either. It's a member of the family!

I had been looking years. Yes, YEARS for a drizzle bottle with both form and function. And I'm not kidding when I say that browsing through the website of Emerson Creek Pottery made my heart patter. Their products are gorgeous. And when I received their Iris Drizzle Bottle, it was love. At first sight.

I use this bottle every day. The spout. Oh, the spout. It doesn't pour, it literally drizzles. Roasted potatoes are a big side dish in our family. Anna's daughters will attest to this. Roasting potatoes (or any other dish) really should be stress free. But for me, it wasn't. I always stressed out just a tad bit about pouring olive oil into a spoon and then attempting to distribute the oil evenly over the potatoes. And of course, there was always more oil on some parts of the pan then on others. But this bottle literally takes care of that. The oil definitely distributes evenly, but also because of this, I use less oil!

It's a beautiful piece of artwork too. Handmade, handcrafted, microwave and dishwasher safe, ovenproof, and lead free. This will keep forever and I'm excited to pass it on to generations after me. I feel so lucky to have been able to review this product. If I didn't get to review it, I would have purchased it as I have purchased other products from Emerson Creek Pottery.

And do not get me started on their Go Green Chili Bowls. I'm so getting me a set of six for Cinco De Mayo.  Check out all of the Emerson Creek Pottery goodness HERE.

I was not compensated for this post although I did receive a free product to facilitate my review. Any and all opinions here are mine.

Review and Giveaway of SchoolHouse Kitchen Spreadable Fruit

Ask the hub or my kids: I'm a saucy girl.  As important as the dish I'm eating (or making) is the sauce I put on it, whether it's sweet or savory.  So imagine my excitement when I got the opportunity to review a series of spreadable fruit spreads--each of which has an herb or spice partnered with it.  As the website points out, "Wherever they are, the fruit drives and the herb rides shotgun. Enjoy the ride!"

SchoolHouse Kitchen sent me Fruit x4 which is a 4-pack of their low-sugar spreadable fruit.  These are jam-like spreads that contain all natural ingredients.  For instance, Strawberry Black Peppercorn (my current favorite!) contains strawberries, sugar, cranberries, lemon juice and black pepper. That's it!  Now I have to admit that the "gentle infusion" of black peppercorn worried me before I tried it.  After I tried it, I was sold on the herbal afternote paired with fruit.  It is fairly light and enhances the flavor of whatever you eat with the spread.  For my favorite, the pepper adds kind of an 'up' note at the end of your bite.  (I know this doesn't make sense, just trust me!)  Let's just say that my family ate a whole loaf of banana bread because it was SO GOOD with butter and Strawberry Black Peppercorn.  As for the other flavors, my second fave is Peach Rosemary but they all are yummy and worth hoarding sharing.

If the products aren't enough to gush about, SchoolHouse Kitchen is a family-owned business that started with Patsy Smith's recipes and extended to include her children in various positions in the growing company.  I love that the mission of SchoolHouse Kitchen is "to raise funds for educational organizations and to make [Patsy Smith's] gourmet products available to more people" Even better, their purpose is two-fold: 

• We create original, all-natural, specialty food products of superior quality.
• Profits from the sale of our gourmet goods enable us to support educational causes. 

Between the mouth-watering condiments and the company's giving-back goals, SchoolHouse Kitchen is a business venture that I'm very comfortable supporting.  And did I mention how good their spreadable fruit is?

SHOP: SchoolHouse Kitchen also offers mustards, dressings and marinades as well as chutneys.  Ordering a Festive Foursome or one of the Trios is a great way to introduce your favorite foodie to the creative sauces of SchoolHouse Kitchen--say for Mother's Day or Father's Day!

WIN:  You can win your own Fruit x4 ($26 value!) from SchoolHouse Kitchen by going to their website and joining their mailing list (bottom of the main page towards the right) and then leaving a comment below telling us you've done so.  This is the mandatory entry for this giveaway and must be done before all of the additional entries.
   
To earn an additional entry, do one (or all) of the following and leave a separate comment for each thing you do:

1. Become a Google Friends Connect follower of Moana Saves (in the sidebar).
2. Become a Networked Blogs follower of Moana Saves (in the sidebar).
3. Follow Moana Saves on Twitter.
4. Follow SchoolHouse Kitchen on Twitter. 
5. Tweet about this giveaway (limit one tweet per day) using the following: #win a 4-pack of spreadable fruit from A@schoolhouserkitc and @moanasaves ends 5/30 http://bit.ly/kAgwHB

6. Subscribe to the Moana Saves feed via RSS reader and/or email updates (in the sidebar).
7. Like the Moana Saves Facebook page.

8. Like the SchoolHouse Kitchen Facebook page.

9. Tell us which SchoolHouse Kitchen mustards, dressing, marinade, chutney or spreadable fruit you'd love to try.  

Only one person per email/household/IPaddress can enter this giveaway. He/she must be 18+ years old and reside in the U.S. This giveaway ends on 5/30 at 11:59 PM HST (Hawaii Standard Time). One winner will be chosen randomly via Random.org. I will notify the winner via email and he/she must respond to claim the prize within 48 hours or I will draw another winner.

I was not compensated for this post although I did receive a free product in exchange for my review.  Any and all opinions here are my own.

A Review of Sibu beauty products

As someone with sensitive skin, I was excited to find something I could try for the Spoiling Mom gift guide for Mother's Day.  When looking at the ingredients list, I felt comfortable with trying the Sibu beauty products made with Sea Buckthorn from Tibet.  These products seemed right up my alley as an essential oils user also.

First I used the Sibu Cleanse & Detox Sea Buckthorn Facial Soap, 3.5-Ounce and my face felt definitely clean and ready for the day.  What interested me is that it is 100% natural, has a natural astringent, promotes tissue recovery and revitalizes skin cells. Some of the ingredients in the soap: Coconut oil, palm oil, safflower oil, purified water, oatmeal, sea buckthorn puree, soybean protein, sea buckthorn leaves.

The Sea Buckthorn Facial Cream Repair & Protect is amazing- after using the soap, I applied the cream and felt everything tightening right up!  My skin felt great!  It also rejuvenates sun-damaged skin and protects it from environmental stress.  This is a daytime cream, meant to put on in the morning before you get your day started.

I definitely want to look into other products by Sibu Beauty like the balancing facial cleanser for the end of the day to with exfoliation particles to help remove excess oil and impurities and also removes make-up. Sibu also offers supplements to treat your skin from the inside out as well!

Sibu beauty products are paraben-free and cruelty-free, and contain NO dairy, yeast, wheat, gluten, sodium or preservatives.

Check out their site http://www.sibubeauty.com/ for more products: eye cream, soft gels supplement, oil and even a supplement drink.  These products are also sold at Amazon.  Sibu skincare would be a great way to pamper the mom in your life--naturally!

I was not compensated for this post although I did receive free products in exchange for my review.  Any and all opinions here are my own.

NOVICA Review and Giveaway

Working with both visual (painters, sculptors, photographers) and performing artists (musicians and actors) on a daily basis at my job has helped me develop a sense of appreciation for the creative process, beauty, and value of ART. 

When I came across the mission of  NOVICA, I was impressed and felt fortunate for the opportunity to review one of their products.  The mission of NOVICA is: "We want to give artists and artisans around the world a global platform to express their true artistic talents and to spur their creativity. And, we want to provide you with access to unique, hard-to-find items at great values that only the Internet infrastructure can allow."

NOVICA has a beautiful, wonderful, colorful assortment of home decor, handmade jewelry and apparel, paintings, and is just a great place for unique gifts!  Plus Novica has started a consultant program at Novica Live where they can help folks celebrate world culture and fair trade in homes across the nation.

I chose to review a pair of sterling silver dangle earrings, named 'Tiger Lily' created by an artist named Wadarat Supasirisuk from Thailand.  My cute earrings came by FEDEX express mail in a beautiful gift box with a handwritten note from the artist!  I was very impressed by the quick delivery, presentation of the product, and happy that it was exactly as pictured and described on the website.  My daughters were most impressed of all and they can't wait for the day when mommy lets them "borrow" her (my) jewelry.

SHOP: Earrings are probably the easiest accessory to buy as a gift as they are practical, take little space, thoughtful, and one of the accessories that I don't believe I'll ever have "too many" of. Check out NOVICA.com for awesome gifts for Mom!!

WIN:  You can win a Novica $30 gift certificate by going to the Novica website and then leaving a comment below telling us what you love at Novica.  This is the mandatory entry for this giveaway and must be done before all of the additional entries.
 

To earn an additional entry, do one (or all) of the following and leave a separate comment for each thing you do:

1. Become a Google Friends Connect follower of Moana Saves (in the sidebar).

2. Become a Networked Blogs follower of Moana Saves (in the sidebar).
3. Follow Moana Saves on Twitter.

4. Follow Novica on Twitter.

5. Tweet about this giveaway (limit one tweet per day) using the following: #win a $30 GC from @novica and and @moanasaves ends 5/30 http://bit.ly/kKv1iY

6. Subscribe to the Moana Saves feed via RSS reader and/or email updates (in the sidebar).
7. Like the Moana Saves Facebook page.

8. Like the Novica Facebook page.

Only one person per email/household/IPaddress can enter this giveaway. He/she must be 18+ years old and reside in the U.S. This giveaway ends on 5/30 at 11:59 PM HST (Hawaii Standard Time). One winner will be chosen randomly via Random.org. I will notify the winner via email and he/she must respond to claim the prize within 48 hours or I will draw another winner.

I was not compensated for this post although I did receive a free product in exchange for my review.  Any and all opinions here are my own.

A Mothers Day Discount courtesy of Fox Home Entertainment

To celebrate Mothers day this coming Sunday we’re offering a 24hr exclusive discount on a selection of Family Friendly titles courtesy of the Fox Home Entertainment catalogue.

In order to receive $3 off your purchase and FREE shipping in time for Mothers Day, simply visit http://www.foxconnect.com/blogs  and enter the promotion code MOMMY

Treat your Mom to one of her favorite films from our large array including:

- Devil Wears Prada
- Ice Age
- Ice Age: Meltdown
- Romeo and Juliet
- Ever After
- Australia
- Mr. & Mrs. Smith
- Moulin Rouge
- Alvin & the Chipmunks
- Horton Hears a Who

Hurry fast though as DVD purchases are based on a first come first served basis.

I did not receive compensation for this post.  Any and all opinions here are mine.

Swell Skin: A Review (for Mother's Day)

Swell Skin Care is... well, pretty doggone SWELL! I was intrigued with the claims of this miraculous healing berry that is used in the facial soap and oil - Seabuckthorn - and wanted to see if it really did what it said it could. While I don't have really bad acne, I am no stranger to minor breakouts or the occasional, uh maybe frequent, ginormous pimple... especially when it's that time of the month. Lucky for me, I started using the Swell Face treatment a few days before that lovely time of the month, which was almost two weeks ago. My face is happy. No, really, it is. It feels good, but more importantly it looks good... thanks to the soap bar and amazing Oil of Seabuckthorn. Okay, so I usually get at least one honker around that time of the month in the most conspicuous place possible (think tip of my nose or smack dab in the middle of my forehead). This month, the pimplesaur was on my left cheek and was one of those under-the-skin-painful-bump-pimples... anyone feeling me here? Anyway, I was a little dubious that the seabuckthorn oil could make my blemishes magically disappear, but alas, it did. You won't believe it until you try it yourself. I am surprised that I hadn't heard of this extreme goodness before...
The REALLY cool thing about SWELL Skin Care is that it's just a two-step skin care regimen. Just two steps for awesome looking and feeling skin? That, in itself, makes this stuff worth a try... and then when you see the results you'll see it was more than worth it. And, it's not just for pimples, it's for all-around wonderful-looking skin, so use it for rashes, fine lines, and whatever other blemishes you might have. And let's face it, as crazy busy moms, we're prone

to a blemish or two every other hour, er, day. This will make a fabulous Mother's Day gift... if not for your own mother, for yourself, because you need to be spoiled, too!

You can buy the facial bar for $32 and the Swell Oil of Seabuckthorn for $22, if you buy them separately, OR you can save some money and purchase both - the Swell Union - for just $49. Okay, you might be thinking, "JUST $49?" but when you see what these products can do, you'll be saying the same thing. I will definitely be purchasing the Swell Union once I run out of my supply. Check out the SWELL website to find out more about (and buy) these Swellicious products!

 I was not compensated to write this post although I did receive some products to facilitate my review here.  Any and all opinions are mine.

Chuao Chocolatier Review and Giveaway

CHOCOLATE! I love that I had the chance to try these out! Before I tell you what I thought, here's some background information about the company so you can see how awesome they are.

Chuao Chocolatier (pronounced chew-WOW) is the first Venezuelan Chocolatier based in the USA and Southern California's premier artisan chocolatier. Founded in 2002 by Master Chef Michael Antonorsi and his brother, CEO Richard Antonorsi, Chuao Chocolatier has pioneered “fusion chocolate” through a commitment to creating uniquely delicious chocolate experiences. Michael wanted to open a unique chocolate boutique that blended modern-day innovations with his Venezuelan family traditions.

Their signature flavor is Spicy Maya, a modern twist on the Mayan's ancient hot chocolate recipe made with pasilla chile and cayenne pepper. (Isn't your mouth just waiting to try some?)

Unusual flavor combinations, the heart of Chuao Chocolatier’s unique experience, include: Pan con Chocolate: a dark chocolate bonbon filled with toasted panko breadcrumbs, olive oil ganache and a touch of sea salt and Firecracker: caramel fudge with chipotle chile and salt, rolled in popping candy and enrobed in dark chocolate. (You know you want to try it!)

I was given four samples to try out. The first two I tried were the Choco Pods, Spicy Maya and Firecracker. Choco Pods are .39 oz (11g) and shaped like a chocolate bean pod (at least that's what I'm getting - the picture is not the actual Choco Pod I tasted).

I tried Spicy Maya first, it's dark chocolate with pasilla chile, cayenne pepper and cinnamon. When I first took a bite, I thought to myself, it's not spicy at all and it tasted like a regular chocolate bar. But as I passed around the pod to my family, the spiciness crept up on me and it hit me! The spice is subtle and doesn't kick you in the face with its flavor. It sneaks up on you and when it shows up, you're pleasantly surprised. You can definitely taste the cinnamon which doesn't overpower the other flavors. 

The next Choco Pod was the Firecracker - (dark chocolate chipotle, salt and popping candy) The wrapper described it as unusual, unexpected and delicious, which is a perfect description. I was excited to try this one because I wanted to see what the popping candy would do to the chocolate. My first bite and the popping candy did it's job. I love the popping candy! The little tingles of the candy with the taste of chocolate and chipotle is amazing! The chipotle spice is a lot more prominent, not an "in-your-face" kind of way but it's definitely more powerful and more flavorful. Since I like spicy food, chocolate and candy, the Firecracker is the winner. However if you're more into subtle spice and chocolate, the Spicy Maya is for you! 

Next up on the list were two bars, MORE chocolate! I was excited and unsure of what to expect. The bars are 60% cacao (yum! I love me some dark chocolate!) and 2.8 oz (80g). First up the Panko (dark chocolate bar with toasted panko breadcrumbs and sea salt). When I first read panko breadcrumbs, I pictured the chocolate covered in panko crumbs like tempura batter. Silly me! The panko is mixed in with the chocolate! I took a bite and I could definitely taste the panko breadcrumbs, not in a bad way. It reminded me of a Crunch bar but with much better tasting chocolate and less rice crispiness. My husband liked how the salt brought out the chocolate flavor and I have to agree with him. It is really chocolatey and yummy. 

 

I was quite sad when I ate the last bar because that would mean that the review was over. The Honeycomb bar is dark chocolate with caramelized honey. I thought it tasted just like a chocolate bar and wondered what those little bits were doing in the bar and then I realized it was the honey! It reminds me of little toffee bits but better! They don't get stuck in your teeth! It melts in your mouth along with the chocolate like one smooth chocolate ride! 

These chocolate bars are amazing! 

Oh and did I tell you? These guys are so awesome! They are so committed to their roots and strive to sustain and revitalize the cacao industry in Venezuela that their company has an initiative called Aguasanta Growth Initiative. It provides needed funding to the Venezuelan cacao farmers for plant seedlings as well as training to increase growth of their cacao crops. 

If you are unsure of what to get your mom/wife/sister/girlfriend/female for fill-in-the-blank Day, ahem, Mother's Day and you know they like/love/obsess/crave chocolate, you need to walk, no, sprint to the closest computer (or store) and get some of these chocolates! It's unusual, unique, one-of-a-kind and (did I mention) delicious chocolate! They have fun flavors for all kinds of tastes! When you go check out their website, you'll see that there are so many different options besides chocolate, there are brownie mixes - for the moms who love to bake (which would most likely be your mom), hot chocolate, gift boxes and more!

Right now, there's even a page of goodies dedicated to making your mom/wife happy! 

BUY: You can go online at www.chuaochocolatier.com. While you're there, can you get me some Firecracker? Thanks.  If you'd rather go to a physical store, you can find Chuao Chocolatier creations at fine specialty retailers including Whole Foods Market, Pier 1 Imports, Wegman's and Crate and Barrel, as well as premier restaurants, select hotels and resorts including Omni Hotels, La Costa Resort & Spa, Four Seasons, Hard Rock Hotel and more.  

WIN: One lucky Moana Saves reader will win the ChocoPod 8 piece Assorted Gift Box! Experience all 8 ChocoPods in one cute box- Coco, Coffee & Anise, Firecracker, Honeycomb, Leche, Oscuro, Panko and Spicy Maya!  All natural & just 50 calories each! For your mandatory entry in this giveaway, go to Chuao's homepage and sign up for their newsletter (lower right hand side).

To earn an additional entry, do one (or all) of the following and leave a separate comment for each thing you do:

1. Become a Google Friends Connect follower of Moana Saves (in the sidebar).
2. Become a Networked Blogs follower of Moana Saves (in the sidebar).
3. Follow Moana Saves on Twitter.

4. Follow Chuao Chocolatier on Twitter.

5. Tweet about this giveaway (limit one tweet per day) using the following: #win the chocopod 8 piece gift box from @chuaochocoholic and @moanasaves ends 5/11 http://bit.ly/eapQwg

6. Subscribe to the Moana Saves feed via RSS reader and/or email updates (in the sidebar).
7. Like the Moana Saves Facebook page.

8. Like the Chuao Chocolatier Facebook page. 

 

Only one person per email/household/IPaddress can enter this giveaway. He/she must be 18+ years old and reside in the U.S.  This giveaway ends on 5/11/11 at 11:59 PM HST (Hawaii Standard Time). One winner will be chosen randomly via Random.org. I will notify the winner via email and he/she must respond to claim the prize within 48 hours or I will draw another winner.

 *I was not paid, but did recieve products to facilitate this review.  Any and all opinions here are my own.

Scandle Candle Review & Giveaway

Do you want to be pampered this Mother's Day? I have just the gift for you! I was privileged to test out a fabulous massage product made by Scandle Candle, their shimmering lotion candle. This isn't just any ordinary massage candle but a candle that burns at 2 degrees above body temperature. Just light the wick, wait a few minutes, and enjoy the scented ambience and the wonderfully smooth massage oils.


Scandle Candle has a very informative website which includes an in-depth FAQ page with answers to questions like who shouldn't use Scandle (those with nut allergies), the average burn time of the candle and how you can tell when a massage candle is made mostly of soy wax. (Soy wax is a bad thing, by the way. Massaging with wax? Ew.) I love a good massage but I was especially pleased with the foot rub my husband gave me. We're sandal wearing people but I hate dry heels. This oil was so luxurious it left me feeling moisturized and soft for days!


What I loved about my lotion candle:
*Made from all natural ingredients including soy, shea butter, jojoba & vitamin E.
*I sampled the shimmering lotion candle and honestly the shimmer isn't overpowering. I live in a very sunny environment and I had to look closely in the sunlight to see the shimmer. Supposedly it hides imperfections by deflecting light. How cool is that? Filling my wrinkles and aged skin with soft & slightly luminescent oils. What a genius idea!
*The oil feels so light and soothing. I was afraid of feeling sticky like I was coated in something but instead my skin felt soft to the touch.
*I like the candle holder design with the lip. My sample was actually the travel sized container without a lip and I found that I struggled to pour precisely where I wanted without spilling. Definitely order the lipped candle.
I must admit that the Lily of the Valley wasn't my favorite scent but that's because I'm not a floral girl. I would love to smell their vanilla or fig & brown sugar scents.


BUY: You can purchase Scandle Candle products online at their site. Plus, for the month of April, Scandle is donating $1 from all orders to the Arbor Day Foundation in celebration of Earth Month. Show your support and purchase eco-friendly candles today!

WIN: Scandle Candle is offering one Moana Saves winner the chance to win their very own travel-sized tin in Lilly of the Valley scent. To enter tell me one thing you like about Scandle Candle's product. Is it their eco-friendly soy candle, the lipped canister or the idea of a smooth massage oil that comes in the form of an aromatic candle?

To earn an additional entry, do one (or all) of the following and leave a separate comment for each thing you do:

1. Become a Google Friends Connect follower of Moana Saves (in the sidebar).
2. Become a Networked Blogs follower of Moana Saves (in the sidebar).
3. Follow  Moana Saves on Twitter.
4. Follow Scandle Candle on Twitter
5. Subscribe to the Moana Saves feed via RSS reader and/or email updates (in the sidebar).
6. Like the Moana Saves Facebook page.  

7. Like Scandle Candle on Facebook

8. Tweet about this giveaway (limit one tweet per day) using the following: #win a travel scandle candle from @scandlecandle and @moanasaves ends 5/11 http://bit.ly/ehgg3T

Only one person per email/household/IPaddress can enter this giveaway. He/she must be 18+ years old and reside in the U.S. This giveaway ends on 5/11/11 at 11:59 PM HST (Hawaii Standard Time). One winner will be chosen randomly via Random.org. I will notify the winner via email and he/she must respond to claim the prize within 48 hours or I will draw another winner.

I was not compensated for this post although I did receive product to facilitate my review.  Any and all opinions here are my own.

Bottled Up Designs Review and Giveaway

Even better than lovely jewelry for mom on Mother's Day is jewelry made with repurposed materials and rich with history.  That is what makes Laura Bergman's line of jewelry special--every piece in the Bottled Up collection has been made from pieces of broken antique glass.  On her website she talks about how she sees potential in the pieces of glass she collects: "To me, though broken, this glass still has beauty and history, so I decided to pick up the pieces and turn them into something beautiful again, in my remarkable line of recycled glass jewelry. Each piece of this eco friendly jewelry is truly 'A Little Piece of History for you to Wear.'" 

Not only is every item "a little piece of history for you to wear," they're also quite stunning! Laura sent me the golden amber depression glass rectangle earrings to review.  I loved them when I saw them on the Bottled Up site but in person they're even more amazing.  They kind of glow!   These earrings, as with all of the Bottled Up pieces, came with its own "story of the glass."  Bottled Up jewelry is eco-friendly, beautiful and wrapped with sterling silver (are you checking out all of these recycled glass pieces in these pics?).  For the mom in your life who values creating the new from old, who loves antiques or history, a pendant or earrings from Bottled Up will make her very happy!

SHOP: You can browse and buy these one-of-kind pieces at Bottled Up.  You can also sign up for Bottled Up's mailing list and receive 15% off your first purchase.

WIN: Laura is giving one lucky Moana Saves reader a Bottled Up piece of his/her choice (pair of earrings or pendant).  To enter this giveaway, your mandatory entry will be to sign up for Bottled Up Designs newsletter HERE.  This is your mandatory entry which means you have to do it first before earning additional entries.

To earn an additional entry, do one (or all) of the following and leave a separate comment for each thing you do:

1. Become a Google Friends Connect follower of Moana Saves (in the sidebar).
2. Become a Networked Blogs follower of Moana Saves (in the sidebar).
3. Follow Moana Saves on Twitter.

4. Tweet about this giveaway (limit one tweet per day) using the following: #win recycled glass jewelry from Bottled Up Designs and @moanasaves ends 5/10 http://bit.ly/e2AhAt

5. Subscribe to the Moana Saves feed via RSS reader and/or email updates (in the sidebar).
6. Like the Moana Saves Facebook page.

7. Like the Bottled Up Designs Facebook page. 

Only one person per email/household/IPaddress can enter this giveaway. He/she must be 18+ years old and reside in the U.S.  This giveaway ends on 5/10/11 at 11:59 PM HST (Hawaii Standard Time). One winner will be chosen randomly via Random.org. I will notify the winner via email and he/she must respond to claim the prize within 48 hours or I will draw another winner.

 *I was not paid, but did recieve products to facilitate this review.  Any and all opinions here are my own.