July 31, 2009

Mary Kaye: Music Box

I love discovering new music for Little Music Man, so I was excited to review Mary Kaye’s newest CD, Music Box (ARV $15.00).

Mary Kaye has combined her extensive experience in music, theatre and education to achieve critical acclaim as a singer/songwriter and musical performing artist for children. The Los Angeles Daily News writes, "Maine musician Kaye writes wonderful songs that nail the details of a child's experience and imagination." Parenting Magazine says of Mary's music, "Her songs, at once silly and melodious, provide an insider look at kid culture." Booklist comments, "Children will be immediately drawn to Mary Kaye's appealing, strong, and rich voice...Kaye's sensitive lyrics reflect her understanding of the world from a child's point of view." Mary's music has won national awards (Publisher's Weekly Listen-Up Award, Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Gold Award, Dr. Toy Smart Play/Smart Toy Product of Excellence, The Children's Music Web Award, and the National Parenting Publications Award Honors.) Mary's CDs have been played on radio shows for children across the United States and in Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia and New Zealand.

The first time we listened to Music Box, we simply thought the songs were fun, different, and folk-influenced. But the more we listened to it, the more we realized how Mary Kaye has a knack for creating a fantasy-world through her songs, which describe fairies, robots, birds, animals, and more.

My favorite track, Tasting Tea, is such a funny, tongue-twisting song! How she can sing that song without messing up is beyond me!

Little Music Man’s favorite track is Bug, a song which tells of a bug trapped in a kept. He kept on singing “ug, ug, ug…” and I think it’s a cute song too!

Mary Kaye’s Music Box is a CD filled with unique songs that may be like nothing you ever heard before. Her songs tell playful stories that tickle children’s imaginations and are fun for the whole family to listen to!

Shop: You can purchase Mary Kaye’s Music Box on
cdbaby.com and at various other retailers online and nationwide.

Win: Two lucky winners will each receive a copy of Mary Kaye’s Music Box!

***THIS GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED***
Congratulations to Beth, kathy pease!

  • To enter, preview the Music Box CD on cdbaby.com and comment on your favorite track (excluding anything mentioned in this post).
  • You’ll get one extra entry each if you do any of the following (be sure to leave a comment for each “entry”):
    1)Blog about this giveaway and link back to Sage and Savvy and
    Mary Kaye Music
    2)Subscribe to my feed
    3)Add my button to your sidebar
    4)Follow
    me on Twitter (leave your Twitter name in your comment)
  • The deadline for entries is August 7, 2009, 11:59pm HST.
  • If you submitted an eligible entry and it is chosen by random.org as the winner, you will be notified via email on August 8, 2009 (make sure your email address is in your profile or comment) and will have 3 days to accept.
  • Valid for US addresses only.
    Good luck!

Thank you to Mary Kaye Music for providing the product(s) for review and/or giveaway.

Sage and Savvy Spotlight: Baby Monkey

I did a review and giveaway for Baby Monkey last year, and I fell in love with many of the designs. I thought the Buddha Baby was just so cute that I ended up buying it for a friend's son!

I think the Feng Shui-inspired designs really make Baby Monkey's clothing unique, and I really like how mom's can get matching tees. And Baby Monkey's clothing is organic! These are just a few of the reasons why I'm happy to feature Baby Monkey and owner Elizabeth in this month's Sage and Savvy Spotlight!

Tell me all about Baby Monkey.
Baby Monkey (
www.babymonkeyny.com) offers organic cotton onesies and toddler tees printed with designs that bridge fashion and humor with the principles of Feng Shui and an organic lifestyle. It evolved from my childhood influence of Feng Shui and my desire to introduce Asian culture and Feng Shui to children in a fun way.

Congratulations on your newborn! How have you adjusted to motherhood?
I don’t think I’ll ever adjust to motherhood:) But it really is the best thing has happened to me.

How do you balance work and family?
I haven’t completely balanced work and family yet, but it’s getting better! I basically do as much work as I can after my son goes to sleep. It has become really important to prioritize and multi-task.

Baby Monkey features Feng Shui-inspired onesies. Can you share some simple Feng Shui principles or tips for decorating a child’s room?
Feng Shui can benefit a child from birth, so following Feng Shui principles should start as soon as possible. Three easy tips to implement are:
1. Color is important. Whichever color you choose, they should be light shade of the color. Green is for growth & good beginnings, yellow is for health, blue for calmness, pink is for love.
2. The bed should be positioned so that the baby can see who is entering the room. This is called the commanding position. The bed should never be directly placed in line with the door because the chi flowing in will hit the child directly and that is too strong for a child.
3. The corners of the furniture shouldn’t be too sharp. Rounder edges help move the energy around the room more smoothly resulting in a more calming atmosphere.

How has the state of our economy affected Baby Monkey, if at all?
I feel that the state of our economy hasn’t affected Baby Monkey as much as I had anticipated. I think it’s because Baby Monkey is a very small business with a small overhead. What has been happening to our economy is terrible and unfortunate, however, I decided to take this time as an opportunity to learn more about promoting and improving Baby Monkey.

What are some of the most popular designs on Baby Monkey?
Hands down, top three: Change my Diaper, Change my Chi, Double Happiness and Baby Monkey.

Can we find Baby Monkey on any social networking sites (e.g. Facebook, Twitter, etc.)?
Baby Monkey can be reached and found at:
Website:
www.babymonkeyny.com
Email: elizabeth@babymonkeyny.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Baby-Monkey/87419476769?v=info&viewas=528690518
Twitter: http://twitter.com/babymonkey
MySpace: www.myspace.com/babymonkeyny

What’s in store for Baby Monkey in the near future (promotions, new products, new designs, etc.)?
I have been really focusing on colors recently. I’m working on new designs that incorporate how Feng Shui and colors work together to promote better flowing Chi which directly relates to better health and moods.

Finally, Sage and Savvy features information on products, services, and websites that are sage (wise/eco-friendly) and/or savvy (practical/innovative). What is one sage and/or savvy product that you can’t live without?
Since the birth of my son, I started carrying everything in Ziploc baggies and hating myself for throwing them out after using them a couple of times. snackTAXI recyclable bags has completely changed that. I can wash and reuse them just like a Ziploc without the waste. They also come in such great patterns!


Thank you Elizabeth for offering such unique designs on your Feng Shui-inspired organic clothing, and wishing you many, many auspicious days!

July 30, 2009

Lapin Vilardi

When I worked for the airlines, I traveled a lot, and I could never have enough bags to organize everything in my carry-on—I had bags for my clothes, my makeup, my shoes…but none were as pretty as the ones offered by Lapin Vilardi!

As Candice and Erica will tell you, the story of Lapin Vilardi began with a dusty shoe bag and a missing La Perla bra…While looking for a lost pair of wedges, Candice came across a crumpled shoe bag and thought, why not design a bag that was as stylish as the shoes it contained?

That holiday season, everyone on Candice's list received a handmade shoe bag, including her long time pal, Erica Vilardi. Erica, a fellow patron of stylish things, immediately fell in love with her gift. Soon after, Erica presented Candice with a lingerie carryall that she had designed herself just a year earlier. As a fashion model, Erica had perfected the art of living out of a suitcase yet still found it challenging to keep her things neat and organized…It was however the loss of a beloved La Perla bra during a chaotic overseas shoot that prompted Erica to design her own lingerie carryall to keep all of her personal items safe and in one place...the two friends decided to combine their talents and start a business together. The bags would be designed for whatever a girl on the go might need. After much experimenting, Candice and Erica established a line of carryalls that reflected both their love of travel and their passion for all things pretty.

I was fortunate to receive the Nolita Shoe Bag (ARV $30.00). I love the pretty black and white floral design, and the pink lining is a nice contrast. I like that the bag is machine washable and large enough to fit almost any size pair of shoes. It's also quite
durable and easy to open and close with the drawstring closure.
Although it’s a shoe bag, I can really put anything in it—clothes or personal care products, and I could even use it to carry some of my kids’ items.

Lapin Vilardi offers pretty and versatile bags in various sizes and designs that will make traveling and anytime on the go more organized and efficient.

Shop: To purchase bags for your shoes, makeup, jewelry, and more, visit the
Lapin Vilardi, or click here to find a retailer near you.


Thank you to Lapin Vilardi for providing the product(s) for review and/or giveaway.

July 29, 2009

Smooshies

Thanks to One2One Network, we received a Smooshie from Creativity Inc., which the whole family gets a kick out of playing with!

Have hours of mix n’ match fun with Smooshies™ super soft & cuddly plush toys. Add legs, arms, hair, faces and other thing-a-majigs to the Smooshie body to create unique characters again and again. Smooshies™ are the proud recipient of multiple toy awards and have been praised by parents for being a fun and educational toy for children. Get a Smooshie and make playtime creative with your own kooky, cuddly creature!

We were fortunate to receive a Smooshie Kit Small Hourglass (ARV $9.99) along with two extra sets of parts (ARV $1.99 each). I don’t know who has more fun playing with Smooshie—my boys or DH! The Smooshie is bright, zany, and colorful, and the parts are all soft and “smooshy.”

You can add more arms, more legs, more eyes…or no arms, no legs, no eyes…or even legs where the arms should be, a mouth where the eyes should be…it’s totally up to your child’s imagination!

Although sometimes the legs and arms don’t stay attached to the Velcro straps too well, and I’m constantly finding “red fur” all over my carpet, the Smooshie is a whole lot of fun for everyone. The Smooshie Kit and parts are reasonably priced, are easy for kids of all ages to play with (recommended for ages 3+), and the different characters you can create are limited only to your child’s imagination!

Shop: You can purchase Smooshies on
Joann.com, or click here to find a retailer near you.

Thank you to Creativity Inc. for providing the product(s) for review and or giveaway.

July 27, 2009

Ouchies

Whenever we buy bandages for Little Music Man, we like to get ones with colorful, fun characters or designs. However, each time we look for bandages, there’s usually only character bandage available. Thanks to Ouchies, we now have a bunch of bandages with cool designs for those inevitable cuts and scrapes!

When my daughter turned five, her supply of bandages began to dwindle from all the boo-boos that kids get, so I decided to search the aisles of drugstores for some kind of alternative-something cool, something different, something stylish. To my complete surprise, I cam home empty-handed, only able to offer her one of my horribly, boring beige bandages…From that point on I started Ouchies-offering kids an array of adhesive bandages that allow them to show their style and personality.

We were fortunate to receive the following tins of Ouchies bandages (ARV $5.00/tin):
  • Teen-Ages Girl Bands: Includes 4 each of the following designs: Pink Camouflage with Hearts, Surfer, “Girls rule” Tattoo, Desserts, and Doodle
  • Teen-Ages Boy Bands: Includes 4 each of the following designs: Blue Camouflage with Lizards, Surfer, Dragon Tattoo, Fire and Skeleton, Bones spelling “Poison”
  • Make Your Own-Ages: Includes 4 each of the following colors: Pink, Orange, Yellow, Blue, Purple; Includes 3 markers: Blue, Red, Purple.

I’ve never seen designs on bandages like the ones on Ouchies. They’re quite cool! My favorite designs in the girl and boy tins are the Surfer designs, which also happens to be Little Music Man’s favorite designs.

Even though they’re called “Teen-Ages,” the designs are fun for kiddos of all ages…even kids at heart (I’ll be using them next time I need a bandage!).

The Make Your Own-Ages are such a fun and unique idea. Draw a picture or write a statement—your children can express themselves anyway they want!

Whether your children are into stuff that’s cute, cool, fresh, or funky, Ouchies has a bandage just for them. And if for some reason they don’t dig one of the bandage designs, they can always create their very own!

Shop: To purchase Ouchies, visit the
Ouchies website, or click here to find a retailer near you.

Win: One lucky winner will win a tin each of Teen-Ages Girl Bands, Teen-Ages Boy Bands, and Make Your Own-Ages (ARV $15.00) courtesy of Ouchies!

***THIS GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED***
Congratulations to Stacy!

  • To enter, become a fan of Ouchies of Facebook, and comment with your Facebook user name.
  • You’ll get one extra entry each if you do any of the following (be sure to leave a comment for each “entry”):
    1)Blog about this giveaway and link back to Sage and Savvy and
    Ouchies
    2)Subscribe to my feed
    3)Add my button to your sidebar
    4)Follow
    me on Twitter (leave your Twitter name in your comment)
  • The deadline for entries is August 3, 2009, 11:59pm HST.
  • If you submitted an eligible entry and it is chosen by random.org as the winner, you will be notified via email on August 4, 2009(make sure your email address is in your profile or comment) and will have 3 days to accept.
  • Valid for US addresses only.
    Good luck!

Thank you to Ouchies for providing the product(s) for review and/or giveaway.

July 26, 2009

New World Kids by Susan Marcus & Susie Monday

Even though Little Music Man will be starting school soon, he can still learn valuable lessons at home and on outings through activities I’ve discovered in the book New World Kids: The Parents’ Guide to Creative Thinking by Susan Marcus & Susie Monday (ARV $14.95, Foundry Media).

New World Kids help parents:

• Recognize and nurture their children’s natural skills, interests and ways of solving problems…their unique brand of imagination
• Understand how those innate strengths can shape and guide choices of extracurricular activities and informal learning environments for the best fit
• Explore with their children the sensory alphabet, the fundamental building blocks that go beyond words and numbers
• Promote in their children analytical and invention skills rarely fostered by the passive mass media environment

New World Kids emphasizes how children are unique and how encouraging creative thinking is critical. The book details the creative process and various activities and examples that will encourage creativity.

A section in this book focused on three children and how they each responded to different tasks, revealing each child’s way of thinking, which I thought was really enlightening.

I thought the most interesting section in New World Kids was about the Sensory Alphabet. The Sensory Alphabet consists of Color, Line, Shape, Sound Texture, Light, Movement, Space, and Rhythm. New World Kids describes each element and provides suggestions on how to “investigate” each element on your own and with your child. For example, for Sound, you’re asked to list sounds you hear in ten minutes while sitting in a natural setting, and then “imagine that you are from an alien planet, how would you characterize the sounds, what would they be ‘saying’?” And with your kids, one way to investigate sound is to create sounds using only your body.

Every day is a new day to foster your child’s creative thinking. Whether you take a trip to the zoo, the beach, or your backyard, or even if you remain at home, New World Kids offers numerous ways to help children explore their imagination and be as creative as they want to be.

Although our children will learn valuable information and social skills through school, New World Kids encourages us, as parents, to find other ways to tap into our children’s potential in ways that a school’s curriculum may not. We need to build on their strengths and promote their creativity, and by doing so, we are allowing them to grow into the unique individuals they were meant to be.

Thank you to Foundry Media for providing the product(s) for review and/or giveaway.

July 25, 2009

Wizards of Waverly Place: Release Date August 4, 2009


There's magic in the air as Walt Disney Records is set to release the new CD, Wizards of Waverly Place. Inspired by the Emmy-nominated hit Disney Channel series starring Selena Gomez, as well as the upcoming Disney Channel Original Movie of the same name, the Wizards of Waverly Place album features brand new songs and interpretations of classic tracks from the ‘60s, ‘70s and ‘80s, each one about magic. The CD arrives in stores August 4, while “Wizards of Waverly Place The Movie” premieres on Disney Channel August 28.

With the show recently ranked as the No. 1 TV series for kids, anticipation for the “Wizards of Waverly Place” film and soundtrack is running high. The CD includes several new songs performed by series star Selena Gomez, including “Disappear,” the rock ballad “Magical,” the show's theme song “Everything is Not as it Seems” and a new version of Pilot's 1975 Top 10 Hit “Magic.” The CD features exclusive behind-the-scenes interviews with Selena, plus her all-new music video.

Also included, are British rocker Steve Rushton (“G-Force,” “Hannah Montana The Movie”) with his version of the 1976 ELO classic, “Strange Magic;” Honor Society with an edgy update of the Cars' 1984 hit, “Magic;” “Hannah Montana” co-star Mitchel Musso with a faithful rendition of “Every Little Thing She Does is Magic” by the Police; all-girl rock band sensation KSM performing the 1968 Top 10 smash from Steppenwolf, “Magic Carpet Ride;” Meaghan Martin covering Olivia Newton-John's #1 1980 hit “Magic;” “You Can Do Magic” by Drew Seeley; Raven-Symone's straight-up R&B track, “Some Call it Magic;” and a favorite from Aly & AJ, their 2006 hit version of the Lovin' Spoonful's “Do You Believe in Magic.”

“Magic” by Selena Gomez, “Magic Carpet Ride” from KSM, and “Magic” by Honor Society are featured in “Wizards of Waverly Place The Movie,” an adventure comedy complete with more than 350 special effects, premiering Friday, August 28 (8:00 p.m., ET/PT) as part of the Disney Channel Original Movie franchise.

The Emmy-nominated “Wizards of Waverly Place” premiered in 2007, and has since become a global TV phenomenon. The show follows the Russos, a New York family that includes Alex (Selena Gomez), her brothers and parents. The three kids are wizards, able to perform amazing feats of magic, though they aren't supposed to do so without parental permission. Of course, that usually doesn't stop Alex. "Wizards of Waverly Place" ranks as TV's #1 scripted program among the targeted kid demographics in second quarter 2009. It registered all-time series highs in Total Viewers (6.0 million) on June 26, 2009.


Track list:
1. Disappear Selena Gomez
2. Magical Selena Gomez
3. Magic (Pilot) Selena Gomez
4. Strange Magic Steve Rushton
5. Magic (The Cars) Honor Society
6. Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic Mitchel Musso
7. Magic Carpet Ride KSM
8. Magic (Xanadu) Meaghan Martin
9. You Can Do Magic Drew Seeley
10. Some Call It Magic Raven-Symoné
11. Do You Believe in Magic Aly & AJ
12. Everything Is Not As It Seems Selena Gomez

The Wizards of Waverly Place CD will be available on August 4, 2009 wherever music is sold. All Walt Disney Records audio products can also be ordered by visiting DisneyRecords.com.

Seventh Generation

A couple of years ago I started to ditch the “toxic” cleaners for “green” cleaners, and one brand of “green” cleaners that’s often found in my home is Seventh Generation.

One of the country's first self-declared "socially responsible" companies, Seventh Generation is a business that operates according to a new and different set of principles and values that in many ways are a marked departure from those long considered "traditional." Its business practice is focused on offering people avenues to express their idealism, passion, and commitment to causes larger than themselves at every point along its supply chain—from suppliers and partners to shareholders, customers and its own staff.

I’m actually surprised that some of my friends have never heard of Seventh Generation before, and many of them still use a lot of toxic cleaners.

Do you know someone like that? If so, you should enter the Under the Sink Makeover Contest!

From now through August 14, 2009, you can nominate a friend in the
Under the Sink Makeover Contest for a chance to win some great prizes!

One grand prize winner will receive:
  • An in-home consultation for your friend with Dr. Alan Greene, a practicing pediatrician and specialist in green living (for the friend, but the winner can come too!)
  • A one-year supply of Seventh Generation® products (worth approx. $350) (for the winner AND friend)
  • A trip to New York City for the winner AND friend, complete with:
    -Round-Trip airfare to New York
    -A one-night stay at the W New York - Times Square hotel
    -A day of pampering at Manhattan’s
    Green Spa that will include a Body Polish, Wellness Massage, Ocean Vegan Spa Manicure/Pedicure, and a one hour make-up application and lesson

Four finalists and their friends will receive:

  • A Seventh Generation® Living Home Starter Kit ($35 value) containing a variety of home-cleaning products to do a complete under the kitchen sink makeover
  • A Lavera home spa kit ($65 value) to enjoy a spa day at home after all of that reorganizing

So enter today!

Click
here for official rules.

Shop: You can purchase Seventh Generation cleaners, baby products, and more at various retailers online and nationwide, or you can click here to find a retailer near you.

Savvy Savings: Become a Seventh Generation Nation member and access great coupons and special offers on Seventh Generation Products!
***THIS GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED***
Congratulations to DieselMonkey!

Win: Seventh Generation is sponsoring a giveaway of a Home Starter Kit (ARV $35) for one lucky winner, which includes: Glass Cleaner- Ruby Red Grapefruit; All Purpose Cleaner- Green Mandarin and Leaf; Shower Cleaner- Green Mandarin and Leaf; Toilet Bowl Cleaner- Emerald Cypress and Fir; Tub and Tile Cleaner- Emerald Cypress and Fir; Kitchen Cleaner- Wild Orange and Cedar Spice; Natural Paper Towels- 120 Count; Seventh Generation Reusable Tote.
  • To enter, visit Seventh Generation and comment on your favorite product or product you’d like to try (excluding anything mentioned in this post)
  • You’ll get one extra entry each if you do any of the following (be sure to leave a comment for each “entry”):
    1)Blog about this giveaway and link back to Sage and Savvy and
    Seventh Generation
    2)Subscribe to my feed
    3)Add my button to your sidebar
    4)Follow
    me on Twitter (leave your Twitter name in your comment)
  • The deadline for entries is August 1, 2009, 11:59pm HST.
  • If you submitted an eligible entry and it is chosen by random.org as the winner, you will be notified via email on August 2, 2009 (make sure your email address is in your profile or comment) and will have 3 days to accept.
  • Valid for US addresses only.
    Good luck!

Thank you to Seventh Generation for providing the product(s) for review and/or giveaway.

July 24, 2009

Mitchel Musso 2009 Tour Dates

WHO: Mitchel Musso, from the Disney Channel hit series “Hannah Montana” recently released his Walt Disney Records self-titled solo album on June 2 which debuted at #19 on Billboard’s 200 chart. The album also hit #2 on the iTunes Pop chart (second only to Lady Gaga) and #5 on iTunes Album chart on the very first day of release. The album debuted at #11 on Billboard’s Digital album chart with over 50,000 digital downloads.

Named MTV’s “Male Pop Rookie of 2009,” Mitchel proves himself every bit the showman behind the microphone that he is in front of the camera. The single “Hey” is in rotation on Radio Disney and the music video can be seen on Disney Channel. The song “Hey” rocketed to #8 on the iTunes Pop chart and #23 Overall during the week the album was released.

WHAT: Mitchel Musso will be hitting the road this summer with his older brother Mason and his band Metro Station, as well as his launching his own headline tour with Live Nation and House of Blues.

Tour Schedule:
Sun., July 26, 2009 Des Moines, IA Wells Fargo Arena/Shawn Johnson Event

Tuesday, July 28, 2009 Des Moines, IA People's Court / Metro Station
Wednesday, July 29, 2009 Sioux Falls, SD Ramkota Exhibit Hall / Metro Station
Thursday, July 30, 2009 Fargo, ND Playmakers / Metro Station
Saturday, August 01, 2009 Denver, CO Elitch Arena / Metro Station
Sunday, August 02, 2009 Kansas City, MO Uptown Theater
Monday, August 03, 2009 Columbia, MO Blue Note / Metro Station
Wednesday, August 05, 2009 Detroit, MI Clutch Cargo's / KSM
Thursday, August 06, 2009 Cleveland, OH House of Blues / KSM
Friday, August 07, 2009 Allentown, PA Crocodile Rock Café / Metro Station
Saturday, August 08, 2009 Burlington, VT Higher Ground / Metro Station
Wednesday, August 12, 2009 Grand Rapids, MI The Intersection / Metro Station
Friday, August 14, 2009 Madison, WI The Majestic Theatre / Metro Station
Saturday, August 15, 2009 Chicago, IL House of Blues / KSM
Sunday, August 16, 2009 St. Louis, MO The Pageant / KSM
Saturday, August 29, 2009 Valencia, CA Six Flags Magic Mountain
Sunday, August 30, 2009 Los Angeles, CA House of Blues / KSM
Tuesday, September 01 Sacramento, CA Crest Theatre / KSM
Wednesday, September 02 San Francisco, CA The Fillmore / KSM
Thursday, September 03 Anaheim, CA House of Blues / KSM
Friday, September 04 San Diego, CA House of Blues / KSM
Saturday, September 05 Mission Viejo, CA Lake Mission Viejo Park
Wednesday, September 09 Boston, MA House of Blues / KSM
Thursday, September 10 Hampton, NH Hampton Beach Ballroom / KSM
Friday, September 11 Wallingford, CT Chevrolet Theatre / KSM
Saturday, September 12 New York, NY The Fillmore / KSM
Sunday, September 13 Philadelphia, PA TLA / KSM
Wednesday, September 16 Charlotte, NC The Fillmore / KSM
Thursday, September 17 Myrtle Beach, SC House of Blues / KSM
Friday, September 18 Orlando, FL House of Blues / KSM
Saturday, September 19 Ft. Lauderdale, FL Revolution
Sunday, September 20 St. Petersburg, FL State Theater / KSM
Tuesday, September 22 Dallas, TX House of Blues / KSM
Wednesday, September 23 Houston, TX House of Blues / KSM
Thursday, September 24 New Orleans, LA House of Blues / KSM

Multiply-50 Free Prints

Whenever I print photos taken with my digital camera, I usually go through an online website to order prints. I recently found out about Multiply, a site through which you can order prints of your digital photos, as well as create lots of special items, cross-post media to Facebook and Twitter, and they are currently offering Summer Celebration Discounts, as well as a special discount just for Sage and Savvy readers!

Multiply, Inc.,
one of the world’s leading media sharing sites, has created a line of personalized gifts perfect for preserving your summer memories – whether you’re looking to show off photos from a European vacation or print snapshots from a backyard barbecue. Our line of photo products, including photo books, calendars, cards and prints are perfect keepsakes, all for under $30. And to help you commemorate your favorite summer celebration, Multiply is offering 50 free 4x6 photo prints*, as well as 25 percent off all of our photo finishing products.

Photo products are meaningful gifts for loved ones, and make the perfect keepsakes for ourselves. Multiply’s line of personalized products have almost endless possibilities for creating and capturing summer memories:

Get the celebrations rolling this summer by ordering Multiply’s personalized photo invitations for your Fourth of July barbecue or summer birthday party. Not only will your invitation stand out from the rest, but with the time you’ll save bypassing the lines at party stores, you’ll be able to stop in for a manicure before the party. Multiply’s selection of birthday invitation themes offer a personalized way to plan ahead for children’s birthday parties – and even feature the guest of honor on the cover! With our Summer Celebration discount, our personalized photo cards start at $1.87 for a 5x7 folded card and $5.24 for a pack of 10 flat photo cards.

Scrapbooks and photo albums are wonderful ways to capture the photos you’ve taken on your summer vacation, but with our busy schedules, who has time to actually complete one? This year, forgo the pile of photo prints and expensive scrapbook that sit around waiting to be assembled, and create a travel themed photo book. Not only will this elegant keepsake be something that you can be proud to share and display on a coffee table or book shelf, but with Multiply’s photo book editor, your book can be completed in hours, not days. What’s more, you can crop, edit and adjust your photos right from your browser on the Multiply site, with no need to download or install any software on your computer. Our travel and summer themed books are a perfect backdrop for your vacation photos. With our discount, photo books start at $22.49.

Who says calendars have to be purchased in January? While things are moving at summer pace, plan ahead for the upcoming school year with a Multiply photo calendar. These personalized photo calendars not only feature the photos you choose, but our custom design tool even lets you mark your own important dates – from little league games and school vacations to birthdays and anniversaries. Make one for yourself, or order for the whole booster club! The Multiply Kid’s Art theme gives a colorful backdrop for school year dates, and our photo album theme makes a great booster club fundraiser item! Discounted calendars start at just $14.99.


Multiply, Inc. now allows members to cross-post photo albums, videos, and other content to Facebook and Twitter, while maintaining their media's original, full-resolution format for viewing, storing and printing through Multiply. This gives Multiply’s members the peace of mind that comes from having their precious media backed up and safe from computer crashes or accidental deletion. Facebook, by contrast, stores images in Web resolution only, making them unsuitable for photo finishing.

Content cross-posted to Facebook and/or Twitter will include a link to view the original post on Multiply. The introduction of Multiply’s own shortened URL, http://mltp.ly, ensures that cross-posters are able to stay within Twitter’s 140 character limit.

So upload your 4th of July barbecue or summer vacation photos, visit
Multiply, and take advantage of the Sage and Savvy Special!

*Sage and Savvy Special: Get 50 free prints using code 50SAGESAVVY (must pay shipping costs; offer expires August 31, 2009)!

July 23, 2009

Urbanity

These days, many invites and other announcements are often sent electronically. Not that I think there’s anything wrong with that—I often send electronic invites myself, but it’s always nice to receive a cute birthday party invitation, a beautiful wedding invitation, or even a thank you card in the mail, and Urbanity offers stationery products that anyone would be happy to receive.

Urbanity began after President/Design Director, Meghann Kopecky got married. She and her husband could not find a wedding invitation that represented their special day and reflected the elegance of the event. The couple decided to make their own invitations and little did they know that it would start Meghann down a path of creating a design firm specializing in stationery, invitations, and announcements.

Four years after Meghann got married, she decided to move the business from a part-time venture to a full-time business. The company was officially launched May 2006.

I received some samples of the many products and designs that Urbanity offers: Oh Baby Boy photo birth announcement (ARV $.99-$2.25 depending on quantity/size), a Princess Party-Crown invitation (ARV $.75-$2.04 depending on quantity/size), and a Thank You Card Shout Out (ARV $1.05-$1.70 depending on quantity).

Not only are the designs of these products fun and fresh, but I thought it was really great that for most products you can change the wording and colors of any design element for free, there are different sizes offered for many designs, and once you meet the low minimum order, you order only what you need thereafter (Need 101 invitations? How about 67?), and you get a PDF proof of your personalized order!

Urbanity also offers unique items—such as announcements shaped like bibs and cribs, but my favorite product that Urbanity offers is the Message in the Bottle, which I also received a sample of in the Polka Dot design.

The Message in a Bottle Invitations and Stationery (ARV $3.99/6 bottles) are the cutest idea. The bottle is really light and can actually be mailed with first class postage. You can order the bottles to be filled with fun extras (rose petals, sand, etc.), and anyone who receives these bottles would definitely be delighted!

No matter what the occasion, you can find stationery to fit your style and your budget on Urbanity!

Shop: To purchase birth announcements, invitations, and more, visit the Urbanity website.

Win:
One lucky winner will receive a $35 Gift Certificate to Urbanity!
***THIS GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED***
Congratulations to A!
  • To enter, visit Urbanity and comment on your favorite product (excluding anything mentioned in this post, please be specific).
  • You’ll get one extra entry each if you do any of the following (be sure to leave a comment for each “entry”):
    1)Blog about this giveaway and link back to Sage and Savvy and
    Urbanity
    2)Subscribe to my feed
    3)Add my button to your sidebar
    4)Follow
    me on Twitter (leave your Twitter name in your comment)
  • The deadline for entries is July 30, 2009, 11:59pm HST.
  • If you submitted an eligible entry and it is chosen by random.org as the winner, you will be notified via email on July 31, 2009 (make sure your email address is in your profile or comment) and will have 3 days to accept.
  • Valid for US addresses only.
    Good luck!

  • Thank you to Urbanity for providing the product(s) for review and/or giveaway.


July 22, 2009

Steve Rushton's Ready to Rock

As featured in Walt Disney's G-Force movie, in theaters July 24, 2009! Steve Rushton's "Ready to Rock" is available on iTunes!


July 21, 2009

[me] & goji

If you want to create your very own cereal, granola, or snack full of healthy, delicious, and organic ingredients, then you just have to check out [me] & goji!

[me] & goji is the dream of three friends – adam, alexander, and carl – combining our passions for healthy food, unique products and good design: cereal couture, if you will. we are a mission-driven company that believes in using our resources in ways that benefit the environment and social needs.– and, most importantly, enjoying the journey.


[me] & goji lets you create your own custom cereal (average price of a custom mix is $12.00), with over 50 ingredients to choose from (many are organic!). Cereal bases begin at $4.90, and extra ingredients range in price from $.25 to $2.00.

It’s really simple to create your own cereal, and the process is a whole lot of fun!

You can click on the leaves above each ingredient for more information (price, health benefits, etc.), and if you want that ingredient in your mix, you simply drag it into your bowl, and the nutritional information and price of your mix is automatically updated.

I also think the idea of removing an ingredient by dragging it to the "compost pile" is really creative.

[me] & goji allows you to create a cereal with only the ingredients that YOU want, and they will even guarantee that you will be more than satisfied with your custom mix of cereal!

If you can’t decide on what ingredients to add in your own cereal, you can always check out the
recommendations.

Whether you want your own custom cereal or you're simply looking for a healthy, organic snack, check out
[me] & goji to create exactly what you want!

Shop: Create your own cereal mix or purchase one of several recommended mixes on the [me] & goji website.

Win: One lucky winner will receive a $20 Gift Certificate to
[me] & goji!
***THIS GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED***
Congratulations to Sarah Z!
  • To enter, visit [me] & goji and comment on three of your favorite ingredients.
  • You’ll get one extra entry each if you do any of the following (be sure to leave a comment for each “entry”):
    1)Blog about this giveaway and link back to Sage and Savvy and
    [me] & goji
    2)Subscribe to my feed
    3)Add my button to your sidebar
    4)Follow
    me on Twitter (leave your Twitter name in your comment)
  • The deadline for entries is July 28, 2009, 11:59pm HST.
  • If you submitted an eligible entry and it is chosen by random.org as the winner, you will be notified via email on July 29, 2009 (make sure your email address is in your profile or comment) and will have 3 days to accept.
  • Valid for US addresses only.
    Good luck!


Thank you to sponsor for providing the product(s) for review and/or giveaway.

July 20, 2009

Winning the Battle Within by Dr. Glen Albaugh and Michael Bowker

DH loves to golf. Although he doesn’t golf as often as he used to because he now has two little boys to look after, he's constantly looking for ways to improve his game, therefore he was quite eager to read the book Winning the Battle Within: Learn How the Pros and Top Teachers are Using this Book by Dr. Glen Albaugh and Michael Bowker (ARV $19.95, Kele Publishing).

Dr. Albaugh starts the book by writing that, "The perfect swing is the one you trust." With this profound insight, he begins a wonderful journey into the mysteries of the inner game that will help you play better golf and have more fun doing it. In Winning the Battle Within, you'll learn Dr. Albaugh's revolutionary new approaches to pre and post shot routines, which dozens of touring professionals worldwide already utilize. For the first time, Dr. Albaugh has committed these routines to paper. As Scott McCarron, winner of more than $10 million on the PGA Tour, says, "No golfer should leave home without them."

DH's review:

I didn’t expect much when I opened the book, “Winning the Battle Within” by Dr. Glen Albaugh because I feel my golf game needs a lot more technical help before any mental tips could do me any good (I’m an 18 handicap by the way). I guess Dr. Albaugh knew many of his readers would feel likewise so he addresses this early on. He says that the perfect swing isn’t the most technically sound swing, but rather the swing that you can trust. “Winning the Battle Within” is about how to gain that trust.

Dr. Albaugh starts out the process by teaching his S.A.T. post-shot routine which will help identify the cause of a bad shot and “immediately replace the image and feel with the image and feel that you want.” S.A.T. stands for strategy, aim and trust and a breakdown in any of these is what causes mis-hits. He suggests that the next time you hit a bad shot, you should be nonjudgmental when you evaluate your shot. Figure out what part or parts of S.A.T. you lacked and then make a practice swing as you imagine how your shot should have gone. This is something from this book that I can definitely try instead of my usual post-shot routine of slamming my club and calling myself an idiot.

Other things that I learned in “Winning the Battle Within” that I will try to apply to my golf game are: Choosing to be confident, positive self-talk, and developing an effective pre-shot routine. These are all areas that are lacking or non-existent in my golf game.

Early in the book Dr. Albaugh says that his strategies are for golfers of all skill levels. This may be true but I don’t think they are for all golfers or all skill levels. The reason I say this is because in one chapter he talks about finding balance among 12 elements that he labels the Circle of Performance. Some of the 12 are reasonable, such as equipment, philosophy and even relationships and school or business. However, the inclusion of “instruction” and, to a lesser extent, “quality practice” made me feel that he wasn’t writing this book, or at least this chapter, for me. I’m sure ideally that pro as well as beginning golfers would benefit from balancing instruction and practice with the 10 other elements, but for me, they are not practical due to their consumption of time and/or money.

If I do happen to find time to hit the practice range in the future, Dr. Albaugh includes some interesting drills that work your “inner game” as well as your golf game. Maybe I’ll try these out in the back yard sometime.

I am looking forward to trying the things I’ve learned from “Winning the Battle Within” on the golf course. The first thing that I’ll try is the S.A.T. process after I hit a bad shot. I’m tempted to say that “I’ll surely have many opportunities!” to put the S.A.T process into use, but that would mean I'm not "choosing to be confident."


Will I win the battle within? Hopefully I'll get to golf more often to see if I really can (hint, hint to my wife)...


Shop: You can purchase Winning the Battle Within on the
Kele Publishing website, or at various other retailers online and nationwide.

Thank you to Kele Publishing for providing the product(s) for review and/or giveaway.

July 19, 2009

Bake Me A Wish!

Those who have been reading Sage and Savvy for a while know that I’m a huge chocoholic, and last week I received a special cake from Bake Me A Wish! that would leave any chocoholic smiling in bliss.

Remember the excitement you felt as a child when your birthday cake was carried into the room? At Bake Me a Wish!, we believe we all still have some of that child inside of us, and our goal is to help you recreate that excitement and experience for your friends, clients or loved ones. Bake Me a Wish! is the premium nationwide service for delivery of gourmet birthday cakes. Our cakes are made with only the finest, freshest ingredients by an award-winning family run New York bakery that also supplies pastries to some of Manhattan's most elite restaurants…We believe there is no better way to celebrate that special day of the year than to send a little indulgence from someone who cares.

I was very fortunate to receive the
Triple Chocolate Enrobed Brownie Cake (ARV $39.95).

Our moist & fudgy brownie cake goes through three chocolate "passes" before it's "done": first it's enrobed in rich chocolate, then it gets completely blanketed with a shower of dark chocolate shaves; last, the cake is finished with milk and dark chocolate glazes drizzled all over and the Belgian chocolate plaque of your choice; for a brownie dessert that's over-the-top-triple-delicious!

Tell me your mouth isn’t watering!

The Bake Me A Wish! cake, delivered all the way to Hawaii, in all of its chocolatey goodness, was perfectly intact (even if it wasn’t I still would’ve devoured it).

DH actually told me that I “better not eat it all.” I probably could have eaten the entire cake myself, but how could I not share it with him? It was too good not to share, and I even shared some with Little Music Man.

We all thought it was so delicious.

So delicious.

I could keep on repeating that because that’s how delicious it was.

Just look at it.


I think anyone would agree.

Bake Me A Wish! offers many other varieties of cakes. The Carrot Cake, S’more Brownie Cake, and the Magic Bar Brownie Cake all look scrumptious!

Bake Me A Wish! also supports our troops through
Operation: Birthday Cake, through which 5% of your order goes towards donating birthday cakes each month to soldiers overseas.

You can read the soldiers’ responses to their special deliveries
here.

Whether you’re celebrating a birthday, an anniversary, or simply want to indulge in some deliciousness, Bake Me A Wish! will be a hit at any gathering, delivering decadence to your door, while sweetening the days of our troops at the same time.

Shop: To purchase super delicious cakes to celebrate any occasion, visit the
Bake Me a Wish! website. Note: 5% of your order will also be contributed to Bake Me A Wish!’s Operation: Birthday Cake.

Win: One lucky winner will receive a Triple Chocolate Enrobed Brownie Cake!

***THIS GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED***
Congratulations to SH!
  • To enter, visit Bake Me A Wish! and comment on your favorite cake (excluding anything mentioned in this post).
  • You’ll get one extra entry each if you do any of the following (be sure to leave a comment for each “entry”):
    1)Blog about this giveaway and link back to Sage and Savvy and
    Bake Me A Wish!
    2)Subscribe to my feed
    3)Add my button to your sidebar
    4)Follow
    me on Twitter (leave your Twitter name in your comment)
  • The deadline for entries is July 26, 2009 11:59pm HST.
  • If you submitted an eligible entry and it is chosen by random.org as the winner, you will be notified via email on July 27, 2009 (make sure your email address is in your profile or comment) and will have 3 days to accept.
  • Valid for US addresses only.
    Good luck!

Thank you to Bake Me A Wish! for providing the product(s) for review and/or giveaway.

July 18, 2009

Smart Mama's Green Guide by Jennifer Taggart

When I finally signed up for Twitter last year, one of the first people I followed was Jennifer Taggart (@thesmartmama). I always enjoyed seeing her tweets about green products and tips, so I was really excited to review her book Smart Mama's Green Guide: Simple Steps to Reduce Your Child's Toxic Chemical Exposure (ARV $14.99, Center Street).

Parents often feel overwhelmed and defenseless against a never-ending recall list of toys and baby products. Deciphering unpronounceable chemicals they encounter every day can be daunting if not impossible. With environmental exposures being closely linked to 70 percent of birth defects, new parents faced with the overwhelming responsibility for their babies' health frequently turn to organic products. But they quickly find they don't have the time to practice a completely green or natural lifestyle. THE SMART MAMA'S GREEN GUIDE delivers the information busy parents want and the tools to make informed, individual choices without the demand to go all-out green. Packed with practical tips on eliminating or reducing the hidden dangers of toxic chemicals that lurk everywhere, this book will empower readers to control what comes into their homes and make informed decisions instead of relying on government regulation of harmful chemicals.

Smart Mama’s Green Guide was a very informative and detailed reference. I felt like the book went into more detail than other “green” books, which I thought was really great. She discusses toxic chemicals in depth, revealing a lot of facts and scary statistics. Overall she provides a lot of useful information that I found very practical. For instance, the section on mold discussed not only the potential causes and dangers, but there was a table on how to clean mold depending on the object or surface the mold is found on. I found this table to be really handy, especially since in Hawaii mold is a common problem in many households because of our constant high humidity.

Since I'm currently nursing, the section I found most interesting focused on chemicals in breastmilk. Taggart doesn’t discourage breastfeeding—she highly encourages it, but she does inform you about the potential for breastmilk to contain certain chemicals. She discusses common contaminants, the sources, and the potential risks, and offers “Smart Mama’s Simple Steps to Reduce Exposure” to certain chemicals.

Taggart offers many “Simple Steps to Reduce Exposure” on a variety of topics, from furniture to food, and kitchenware to personal care products.

There are also handy charts throughout the book, including some on common household toxic chemicals, recipes for cleaners, and more.

I admit that the book did get me a bit more paranoid, especially with the Smart Mama Scary Facts and Warnings, but after reading the book, I did feel a lot more informed.


It can be hard and expensive to go green, and we can't completely eliminate our exposure to toxins--it's everywhere in our environment. But there are steps we can take and ways to reduce our exposure to certain chemicals. I’ve been on my own “green journey” for the past two years now, and I still have a lot to learn. Although I use a lot of green products, not everything we use is organic, nor everything we eat and drink. Thankfully, Smart Mama’s Green Guide offers many practical tips and ideas to help create a greener environment for ourselves and our children, and with each green step that I take I know that I'm becoming an even "smarter mama!"

Shop: To purchase Smart Mama’s Green Guide, click
here to find a retailer near you.

Win: Five lucky winners will receive a copy of Smart Mama’s Green Guide!

***THIS GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED***

Congratulations to Saving in Style, Mishia, Peggy, Donna M. Clark, ColleenMarie82!

  • To enter, view Smart Mama’s Green Guide in the OpenReader below, browse through the Table of Contents and comment on which chapter you think you’d refer to the most (please include the chapter title, not just chapter 1, 2, 3, etc.).
  • You’ll get one extra entry each if you do any of the following (be sure to leave a comment for each “entry”):
    1)Blog about this giveaway and link back to Sage and Savvy and
    Smart Mama's Green Guide
    2)Subscribe to my feed
    3)Add my button to your sidebar
    4)Follow
    me on Twitter (leave your Twitter name in your comment)
  • The deadline for entries is July 25, 2009, 11:59pm HST.
  • If you submitted an eligible entry and it is chosen by random.org as the winner, you will be notified via email on July 26, 2009(make sure your email address is in your profile or comment) and will have 3 days to accept.
  • Valid for US and Canada addresses only.
    Good luck!


Thank you to Hachette Book Group for providing the product(s) for review and/or giveaway.

July 17, 2009

Nature's Most Amazing Events

When we first got our High-Definition TV and Cable Box, I would always watch BBC’s Planet Earth--the scenes were just absolutely beautiful, so I couldn’t wait to watch Nature’s Most Amazing Events on DVD (ARV $29.98; $34.99 Blu-Ray), which features the same type of stunning images.

Combining the epic cinematography of BBC’s Planet Earth with the emotion, intimacy and powerful storytelling of a wildlife diary, (Nature's Most Amazing Events) -- presented by Sir David Attenborough -- charts the effects of global climatic phenomena which transform entire landscapes, drawing in thousands of animals and determining their fate. Utilizing sophisticated high-definition cameras and cutting-edge aerial, underwater and ultra slow-motion filming techniques, the world-renowned BBC Natural History Unit captures these epic wildlife spectacles and the intimate stories of the animals caught up in these events. Additionally, this program illustrates that as the Earth is rapidly changing, these remarkable events can no longer be taken for granted.

Episode 1: The Great Melt
As winter finally passes and the sun climbs over the Arctic, the four million square mile ice sheet rapidly begins to melt, revealing an archipelago of islands, channels and seas. For the masters of the ice, the polar bears, this is a moment of jeopardy but for others like arctic foxes, beluga whales, thousands of lemmings and immense flocks of birds, this brief summer transforms the Arctic into the richest place on Earth.

Episode 2: The Great Salmon Run
The temperate rainforest of British Columbia, Canada, harbors more life than any other forest in the world. Cloaked by the planet’s tallest trees, the last big carnivores of North America, the great grizzly bear and forest wolf, roam free. Yet their survival depends entirely on one great annual event. As the rivers teem with spawning salmon the bears and wolves are drawn together and a deadly conflict unfolds.

Episode 3: The Great Migration
The parched grassland of East Africa’s famous Serengeti Plain is the arena for bitter rivalries between warring cheetahs, lions and hyenas as they struggle over meager pickings. But with the arrival of the annual rains the plains momentarily flush green with fresh grass drawing in the greatest concentration of large animals on the Planet. Over two million wildebeest, zebra and Thomson’s gazelle have undergone an epic journey crossing crocodile-infested rivers to graze here, but how will they survive the arena of carnivores?

Episode 4: The Great Tide
As winter arrives along South Africa’s east coast the inshore waters cool, drawing billions of sardines northward from the Cape to feed on the plankton-rich soup. The Sardine Run is the greatest marine spectacle on the planet, attracting an awe-inspiring cast of ocean predators. Mega pods of common dolphins, battalions of sharks and greedy Bryde’s whales feast on the sardines as gannets rain down from above. For African penguins and bottlenose dolphins this movement of sardines is the defining moment of their lives. Both are living on a knife edge, and only the run of sardines can save them.

Episode 5: The Great Flood
In the intense heat of the northern Kalahari, a herd of elephants trek towards a life saving goal while prides of lions and marooned hippos fight to survive around the last remaining waterholes. Their fortunes change dramatically with the annual flooding of Botswana’s Okavango Delta, turning 6000 square miles of desert into a maze of lagoons, islands and swamps. As millions of animals are drawn to the oasis, including great herds of near-starving elephants, the scene is set for one of the greatest clashes in nature.

Episode 6: The Great Feast
The arrival of spring sunshine triggers an explosion of life in Alaska’s coastal waters so great that it eclipses even the Amazon rainforest. The feast draws in an amazing cast of characters, including humpback whales and their newborn calves that migrate from Hawaii to spend the summer feeding in the rich waters, and resident sea lions who are also in a race against time to make the most of the good times before the harsh Alaskan winter closes in. Can the whales and sea lions catch enough fish - and avoid the predatory killer whales - to see them through?


Nature’s Most Amazing Events was just that—AMAZING. Every single episode featured breathtaking views, stunning cinematography, and riveting scenes taking place in nature.

My favorite episode was about the Great Feast, especially since it featured whales in Hawaii. Whale Watching is a popular activity in Hawaii, and DH and I have actually gone Whale Watching off of the Leeward Coast of Oahu. It was such a memorable and awe-inspiring experience to see the whales swimming nearby.

Nature’s Most Amazing Events was also very educational. It was so interesting to find out that 5000 whales make the 3000 mile journey each year between Hawaii and Alaska, which takes 3 months.

Nature’s Most Amazing Events is great for the entire family to watch. Although it was at times hard to watch animals die (from being killed by other animals or from hunger), I know it’s all a part of nature, and something Little Music Man and Smiley Boy will eventually learn about.

I really enjoyed watching the Diaries at the end of each segment, in which you get a behind-the-scenes look at what the crew had to endure (getting so close to bears!), the types of equipment and vehicles they used, and the issues they had to resolve in order to capture the incredible shots.

Nature’s Most Amazing Events features some of the most riveting spectacles in nature. There are those who are fortunate enough to witness such amazing events in person, but for the rest of us, watching nature unfold on television is the next best thing, especially when it’s captured in quality, high-definition cinematography, as can be seen on Nature’s Most Amazing Events.

Shop: You can purchase Nature’s Most Amazing Events on the
BBC America Store website, or at various other retailers online and nationwide.

Thank you to BBC Worldwide for providing the product(s) for review and/or giveaway.

July 16, 2009

Skin Free

I often refer to the Environmental Working Group’s Cosmetic Database to search for products to use, so when I had the opportunity to review products from Skin Free, it was reassuring to see that the products I received had “0” ratings.

Skin Free's Skincare Products are recommended: for individuals with Extreme Dry Skin, Skin or Fragrance Allergies, Psoriasis, Dermatitis, Eczema; Pregnant Moms, Babies, The Elderly, Diabetics, Renal Patients, After Radiation or Chemotherapy.

Pharmacist formulated and doctor recommended patented formulas for delicate, sensitive and very dry or damaged skin.
  • All Natural, Vegan Ingredients
  • No Perfumes
  • No Petroleum Products
  • No Harmful Chemicals
  • No Steroids
  • No Colorants
  • No Greasy feeling
  • No Animal Testing, Cruelty Free

I was fortunate to receive the following Skin Free products: Super Moisture Body Balm (ARV $12.99), Extra Moisturizing Soap & Shampoo Bar (ARV $3.99), Niaouli Butter Stick (ARV $7.99), and After Shower Moisture Spritz (ARV $11.99).

My favorite Skin Free product of all those I tried was the Niaouli Butter Stick. It’s so easy to apply, especially on the parts of my body that are usually the driest—my heels and elbows, and my skin ends up feeling nice and smooth.

I also liked the Soap & Shampoo Bar. The bar simply looked and smelled clean and fresh, which is how it ended up making me feel. I also thought it was neat that I could use the bar to wash my hair too. I love multi-tasking products!

The Super Moisture Body Balm and the After Shower Moisture Spritz really helped to keep my skin soft and moisturized. However, initially I thought they were too heavy and oily, but as I began to use the products more, I got used to the consistency and feel of the products.

Skin Free’s Skincare Products leave my skin looking and feeling great, and best of all—I’m using only the safest, natural ingredients, meaning I can be worry-free with Skin Free.

Shop: To purchase Skin Free Skincare Products, visit the Skin Free website, or click
here to find a retailer near you.

Win: One lucky winner will receive a $30 Gift Certificate to Skin Free.

***THIS GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED***

Congratulations to Lisa!

  • To enter, visit Skin Free and comment on your favorite product or product you'd like to try (excluding anything mentioned in this post).
  • You’ll get one extra entry each if you do any of the following (be sure to leave a comment for each “entry”):
    1)Blog about this giveaway and link back to Sage and Savvy and Skin Free
    2)
    Subscribe to my feed
    3)Add my button to your sidebar
    4)Follow
    me on Twitter (leave your Twitter name in your comment)
  • The deadline for entries is July 23, 2009, 11:59pm HST.
  • If you submitted an eligible entry and it is chosen by random.org as the winner, you will be notified via email on July 24, 2009 (make sure your email address is in your profile or comment) and will have 3 days to accept.
  • Valid for US addresses only.
    Good luck!

Thank you to Skin Free for providing the product(s) for review and/or giveaway.

 
The review posts published on Sage and Savvy are personal opinions only. Press releases and other information from business are shared if I believe it may be of interest to Sage and Savvy readers. Press releases/information from businesses do not reflect my personal opinion. Unless otherwise specified, products are provided by the sponsor free of charge, and no monetary compensation is received. Sage and Savvy assumes no liability for any malfunction, injury, or other loss or damage, whether direct, consequential, or incidental, arising out of services, companies, or products that have been featured, reviewed, given away, advertised, or written about on Sage and Savvy. Click here for my Terms of Use.

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