Monday, March 5, 2012

AlphaBeasts Review

This review has been long awaited. The post was lingering alone in my edits and never was posted. A huge apology to Alphabeasts! 


The Alphabeasts are some pretty cool characters! Over the summer I was sent two simply adorable beasts, Pogey "P" & Flika "F!" Why those two letters for Layla? She chose them and has loved them since she tore them out of the box they came in! :) 

Alphabeats are not only super cute stuffed monsters! They are an excellent learning tool! Obviously, learning the alphabet but also pronunciation & letter recognition (upper and lower case are on each beast!) 

There are many ways to teach lessons and skills with the Alphabeasts:
- Home schooling lessons
- Classroom lessons
- Daycare activities
- Imaginative play
- Spelling and/or word games
- Parental coaching
- Group activities with friends and family

When I was pregnant with my Daughter, I totally jumped on the bandwagon for doing the wooden letters on the wall to spell out her name! What I really would love to do with my second child would be to place these adorable little guys on a shelf above the changing table to spell out his or her name! Very unique and at changing time from very early on you can reach up for easy access to any upper and lower case letter to occupy your little squirmer and get a head start on letters!


A recent price change has been made bringing these brightly colored, snuggly, lovable monsters to a super affordable price @ just 15.99/each! :) They also offer a 26 pc. ABC book set which features each letter in their own book for just 15.99 

I would highly recommend the Alphabeasts to anyone I know and am sure to pick a few up for our best friends second son due this June! 

Thank you again to Alphabeasts for sponsoring this review! I will be a long time customer for sure!! 


Saturday, February 4, 2012

COMING SOON!

Dear Bloggy followers, 

I am deeply sorry for the absence. Medical issues and family matters arose and I couldn't possibly find the time to keep up with reviews. (2) reviews were written and lost during a computer crash. Alphabeasts-  http://www.thealphabeasts.com/ & Stitchin Sally- ttp://www.etsy.com/shop/StitchinSally

All winners of past giveaways were contacted via email! :) 

A revitalized blog will be back soon with many exciting reviews, giveaways and a new section! :) I hope you'll all continue reading and entering! I've miss you all! :)

Kelly <3

Thursday, December 1, 2011

LivvyLousBoutique Review and Giveaway

LivvyLousBoutique 

Handmade hair accessories and more


As some of you know, we attended my Aunt's (Layla's God Mother) wedding in October. Layla was a flower girl ( a very adorable one!) The wedding was held in Central Park in NYC! So pretty and perfect weather! 

On my quest to find a peacock feather hair clip I came across the PERFECT one at LivvyLousBoutique  on Etsy! I love etsy!!

Basically, I love this clip & so did the Bride! It matched perfectly with the wedding which was..obviously, white with a hint of teal and a little peacock! ;)  The perfect size. Not to big to take over my 2 year old's head and steal the show, but not little enough to not get noticed (and boy did it get noticed!) 







It's well made and lasted through ceremony, subways (see right hand photo!) ,taxis, 4 hours of a toddler breakining it down on the dance floor & then mistakenly sitting in the flower girl basket with damp rose petals! ( Oh and getting a bottle of water splashed on it before the wedding and surviving a bathroom blowdryer!) MOMMY FAIL!




LivvyLousBoutique offers a variety of other items. She sells hairbows, boys bowties, (how cute!) headband/hats, bow holders and wipes cases and her newest gorgeous item...Chloe Dresses!! These dresses are a new twist on the pillowcase dress. The dress has so many possibilities & can be made to fit size newborn- 8 years! It grows with your child to eventually become a shirt after it's dress life has worn out & don't doubt the quality. Her stuff is made very well! 
Not only was Jessica kind enough to donate a peacock hair clippy for Layla to wear in the wedding, but she also donated one for one of my super awesome readers! The giveaway will be open for 2 weeks and end on December 15 at 11:59 pm est. 

To enter: You must be a MMR Follower and leave a comment telling me that you are! 

"like" her facebook and thank her for the giveaway at MMR! 
Take a peek at her store &  tell me your favorite item! 1 entry
buy something and leave your order number for an extra 2 enties
Share this giveaway on twitter (leave permalink) - 2 entries each- up to 3x a day!
Share this giveaway on  facebook (leave permalink) - 2 entries each - up to 3x a day!

Good luck!! 



Wednesday, November 9, 2011

Epibi Diaper Liner review- Guest review!!

This is a  review of the Epibi Diaper Liner by Dr. Elly Hann {Website here}
Colleen Fox from Basic Baby Shop in Syracuse NY is my VERY special Guest Reviewer!


The Epibi Diaper Liner was sent to us by Dr. Elly Hann of Persimmon Scientific to test and review. The product is a white, thin hourglass shaped liner with one smooth, silky side and the opposite side, a soft fabric weave. The liners come in size small and large. Size small is for babies under 15 lbs and the large size is for babies 15lbs+. I used a large sized diaper liner on my 17month old daughter for this review
Lately I have been having problems with diaper rash on my daughter’s bum. Because she is a heavy wetter, the only thing absorbent enough to make it through the night is a prefold or fitted diaper with a cover. Because the prefolds and fitted are not fleece lined, they do not wick away moisture and thus, my daughter has ended up with a rash from laying in her urine overnight. I have used fleece liners in her diaper and have even used zinc oxide products trying to clear her rash. I have tried using the Epibi liner for a number of applications.
The first night, I placed the liner in my daughter’s fitted diaper (silky side up) and used a wool cover. The next morning, I noticed that her rash was not any worse, but there was no noticeable improvement. However, after the 3rd night of using the liners, I noticed that my daughter’s rash was actually clearing up without the use of diaper creams.
As many of us cloth diaperers know, diaper cream is the enemy of micro fleece, causing it to repel. I have actually used our Epibi liner as a liner on my pocket diapers to protect my diapers from diaper cream after my daughter had a food-induced yeast infection diaper rash and I used medicated diaper cream. The Epibi liner effectively protected my diaper from the diaper cream and, even though it was coated in diaper cream, the liner did not repel and seemed to still wick away the urine from my daughter’s bottom. I did wash the liner with a bit of unscented dish soap afterwards to strip the cream off the liner.
The only downside I found with the liners, is that when my daughter poops while wearing the liner, it isn’t always easy to clean of the liner. I have come to keeping one finger holding the liner to the diaper while holding over the toilet and using a diaper sprayer to clean the diaper and the liner at the same time. Aside from this, I have really liked this product. The cost of the liners is worth the reduction of diaper rash I have seen since I started using these on my daughter.. Also note, in the product description on Epibi’s website, it states that these can be used both in disposable and cloth diapers. Honestly, I don’t see parents using disposable diapers using a reusable liner and washing the poop off them and throwing the diaper away, but perhaps I am so far detached from the disposable diapering community, I am mistaken. I see this product with a target market of cloth diapering parents using prefolds, flat or fitted diapers on babies with occasional diaper rash or chronic skin conditions (i.e. sensitive skin, eczema, allergies). Even at $12.99 for a 3 pack, I feel the ability to make my absorbent fitted diapers into a skin friendly, all-night diapering option is well worth the money.  

Please check back soon for a post from another guest reviewer for the Epibi Washable Nursing Pads! I was sent these as well and was unable to review them due to milk production. 
If you're interested in being a guest reviewer for this product, please send me an email Bratt_Kelly@yahoo.com 

A special thank you to Colleen Fox for helping to write this review! 
Epibi Diaper Liners and Nursing pads can be purchased at Basic Baby as well!
For ALL your cloth diaper & smart parenting needs... Check out Basic Baby!


KAEL&KAED trendy handmade (Baby) things

KAEL & KAED


Wetbag, snack bags & toy leash! 





The long awaited review for KAEL & KAED handmade (Baby) Things has arrived. I received a snack bag and leash as review products and purchased a wetbag and larger (or smaller..I don't remember) snack bag also. I am in l.o.v.e. with her stuff. Not only are all of her prints so freaking adorable, but she has so many to choose from. She also offers deep discounts frequently when you choose a mystery print. 


Wetbag- I love this bag because it keeps the stink inside! If your a cloth user, this is a big deal when choosing the right wetbag. I also love that I can wash AND dry it and when it comes inside out, the fabric is smoothe and doesn't stick, making it super easy to put back together and put away. :) 


Snack bags- I love these because of the adorable prints (seriously...there's SO many!) The inside is the same as the wetbag, making it easy to clean! They keep food fresh!! My husband found one that had slipped under the seat and was probably there a week or so... but he tried the goldfish and they were still GOOD! :) These snack bags also feature something I haven't seen on any other snack bags. A loop! For the leashes! GENIUS! This is one of those things I bang my head on the table thinking..durr! Why didn't I think of that? I use the leashes for cups and toys, but not the snck bags?! It's been awesome! You want these! 


Toy,cup,snack bag & sophie leash- These leashes are awesome! Made out of the same fabric the outside of the snack bag and wetbags are made from giving you total control over print! Snaps are well made and not flimsy! The only thing I would have liked to see would have been another snap for bigger cups! 


Overall, I love all the products that KAEL & KAED has to offer. She has many more neat products other than what I have been able to try. 




Check her out on facebook {here} for codes and steals!
Check her out on Etsy {here} for amazing products you NEED!

Tuesday, November 1, 2011

Little Hoppers Hammock Ring Sling review & giveaway!

Alright, I'm about 1 bazillion reviews and giveaways behind. I just had so much going on with my health lately and am on an emotional roller coaster ride. Now winter...yay! :( lol 

Anyway, back in August I co-hosted the Big Latch on and met one of the sweetest mom's ever, the owner of Little Hoppers on Etsy, Kelly Delaney. She was beyond generous and offered me one of her gorgeous hammock ring slings to review.  <3 

I love this ring sling & that's a shocker because when Layla was about 3 months old I ordered one from another etsy seller and just couldn't quite grasp the concept. It had an extra long tail which I thought I would love for nursing but since I'm more worried about smothering my baby with all the extra fabric, it more so just got in my way. 

By the way, most of these are just user error and it was more difficult with a smaller baby, for me anyway! 

So anyway, back to the sling! As soon as Kelly handed over the beautiful sling, she helped me get it on correctly and I fell in love! There wasn't an extra mile of fabric, the rings were strong and secure, there was plenty of butt room for my 20 month old, and it was so so comfy. Something unique about little hoppers slings, there's a pocket on the shoulder for keys, cellphone or money! :) 

Ring slings are great because they're so customizable. From fabric and print to length of the tail and any care giver can wear it because of the adjustablilty! 

"Littler Hoppers hammocks are made of 100% breathable cotton fabric for mommy and babies comfort. They are not too hot to use during the summer months, nor too thin to use when the weather is less than perfect.
The design not pleated for a comfier fit, which allows for more fabric to be fanned across the shoulder and back to displace the babies weight. Also there is a small pocket that is a great space for storing your key, wallet or cell phone."

 If a ring sling is in your future, check out Kelly at Little Hoppers! She also sells Taggy Blankets (Layla has this one & l.o.v.e.s. it) & baby leg warmers!


How about a giveaway? 

Layla's not one to sit still anymore and with our fertility troubles we have decided to put baby #2 on hold till after my husband graduates in July. So, I'm going to giveaway my sling and a taggy blanket to one lucky MMR reader! :) 

To enter you already know the mandatory entry. Must be a MMR follower & leave a comment saying so! :)

Then go toLittle Hoppers and add her to your favorites! +1 entry
Stop by her facebook and thank her for the review at MMR! +2 entries
Tweet and share on facebook this giveaway up to 3x a day! 2entries each *3 hours apart* Make sure to leave your permalink!

Goodluck! I'll choose a winner on November 14 at 11:59pm est.


UPDATE!! Adding an addition week to this giveaway due to this update having an error and not posting. If you use code "MODERN" at little hoppers etsy shop you'll get 20% off! Also, place an order (great gift idea!!) leave the order number for an additional 5 entries!! 
Contest ends Wednesday Nov. 23rd at 11:59 pm est.

Thursday, October 6, 2011

My Big Star Chart! Review and Giveaway!

This is a review I'm overly excited about, for many reasons! The Victoria Chart Company contacted me and asked me to review one of their charts & I am so so soo glad that they did. As a Mother of a almost 2 year old I've learned the benefits of bribing my Daughter. Sometimes into behaving, other times into getting into the habit of a routine. Layla just loves loves loves stickers! So when I took a peek at the charts that The Victoria Chart Company offered I was more than happy to have to chance! They offer a wide variety of charts that range for children ages 1+ , school charts and even a really neat credit chart!!


I chose the My Big Star Chart  for Layla since she's only going to be turning 2 November 7th! It's working wonders for her. Especially for getting her to go on the potty, eat her meals and for the times I'm in desperate need of a bribe! The chart comes with four very large sheets of stickers. Two with yellow stars and 2 that have multi-colored smiley faces. The smiley faces help her to pick a favorite color and she's got almost all of them mastered! The package also contains pre-labeled stickers for sharing,being active,using the potty,being good at bedtime, being brave and eating meals. There are even blank labels and a dry erase marker/pen to create your own activity...we often use the one we made for "Did what mommy and daddy asked me to do!" because it's easy for a toddler.  There's a supportive information sheet with tips to get the best results from your child using the reward chart.


Overall, I would highly recommend the Victoria Chart Company's My Big Star Chart for any parent with a young child or toddler! Since rewarding our little girl's good behavior with a sticker that she chooses and she gets to place where it goes, she's so much better and repeating her good behavior and listening to follow directions when bribed! ;)






The Victoria Chart Company was not only kind enough to send me a chart for review, they are also going to give one of my readers the chance to choose their own chart!


BUY IT - With school into it's second month (where I'm from,) now would be an awesome time to reward your kiddos with one of the many charts offered by The Victoria Chart Company. You can order them here!








WIN IT - Usual rule apply- Must be a MMR follower and be at least 18 years of age or older. Must be a Fan of the victoria chart company on Facebook and tell them you entered the giveaway at MMR! (one comment " I'm a MMR follower and I "liked TVCC on Facebook and thanked them!)


Be a fan of MMR on Facebook and let me know you entered! ( one comment )
Place an order and leave your order number (these would make awesome holiday gifts!) and pssst. there's a coupon code on their facebook page!  (5 extra entries, 5 comments!)
Join their mailing list! ( 3 extra entries- 3 comments! )
Follow my blog by email! (one comment!)
Share this giveaway on facebook and twitter- ( up to 5 times a day *at least 3 hours apart* 2 entries per post!) Then come back here and leave the permalink!




This contest is open until 11:59 pm EST. Oct. 20th
Gooodluck! :)