Giveaway Winner Announced!

First off, I'd like to thank everyone that participated in our giveaway for a Spiced Pumpkin Cheesecake lip balm! I love all of the feedback and interaction and suggestions, they truly mean a lot to me!

The winner has been chosen through Rafflecopter and notified via email - I won't post the name here, because some people really appreciate their privacy (I know I do!) but the initials are S.C.

Mom Reviews: KRE-O Cityville Invasion Marina Madness Building Set

I love doing product reviews, and did quite a few on my old blog. So, I've decided to bring back the review series! Mom Reviews are my reviews of kids toys from both a parent and kid perspective.

We received this kit through BzzAgent for free to try. KRE-O is really up and coming in the world of kids building toys, and I have to say their newest sets provide some steep competition for LEGO. We got the chance to try the KRE-O Cityville Invasion Marina Madness set, loosely based off the popular CityVille game by Zynga (on Facebook). 

The set consists of 260 pieces, and assembles in the same way as the LEGO systems do, a series of interlocking bricks. Bear in mind, a good portion of the piece count does include the pieces to build each character (about 6 pcs. per character), the large base, etc. A nice feature is that this set does include a big base plate, something that LEGO does not. The main base measures about 8"x10" which is a nice, manageable size. The main build is the marina and dock, which encloses a battery operated mechanism that, with the push of a button, has several sound effects included a shark-chomping sound, "Jaws"-like music, seagulls and more, and a vibration effect, which makes the shark, boat, and characters "move" across the "water" through the use of special bases on the bottom of the figures.

We've had a LOT of fun with this and even adults that see it appreciate the adult-humor factor ("Jaws" music, the fact that it is a shark attack themed building set). Very reasonably priced, fairly easy to put together - this set retails for $19.99 on Amazon, or between $19.99 and $29.99 in stores. It took us about 45 minutes to fully assemble. Batteries aren't included, which would have been nice. Sound effects and the vibration really elevated it as a whole - so much that we plan on picking up the other kits too. 

That's my son, making the creepy "look at my shark kit" face!

There is a corresponding app for iOS and Android devices, however we couldn't get it to work properly (froze and crashed several times) - this in NO WAY impacted how enjoyable the kit is though, and isn't the point of toys to encourage more interactive, non-electronic imaginative play? Ronan is already requesting more KRE-O sets for Christmas, including the corresponding series of "Zombie Attack" sets that are also part of the Cityville series. These are definitely a winner, and have found a spot in our home alongside our other building sets.

Overall rating: 4 out of 5 stars - Mom approved!

Pumpkin Mania!! Part 3 - Sam's Club Artisan Fresh Pumpkin Pie

I'm really knocking out the holiday treats this week, aren't I? We're going to end up having a "post-holiday-season" diet and exercise review series starting in January at this rate.

The newest item up for review is Sam's Club Artisan Fresh Pumpkin Pie.

Looks yummy, right?!

So, my husband, who means well texted me at work with a picture of this pie. He's a smart man. He knows I love pumpkin. By the time I actually got to read the message, it was about 20 minutes later, and trying to be mindful of the waistline I shot back, "No pie."

Well of course the bugger had already bought it. Again, smart man. I'm always a bit skeptical of store-bought pumpkin pie. My grandma's pumpkin pie was the greatest in the world, even the year there was soap in it. Long story there - when I was about 8 or 9, at Thanksgiving dinner the entire family insisted that grandma's pie tasted "soapy". Like maybe the pie pan wasn't rinsed enough or something. But, I loved my grandma, and damn did she really make the best pies EVER. So, soapy or not, I insisted that there was no such thing and this was just the best pie she ever made. And I proceeded to eat half of it just to prove that fact.

But, this pie, made by Sam's Club under their Artisan Fresh brand is a very, very close second to the best. First off, it is MASSIVE. You can't really tell from the picture, but this pie is about 18" across. The crust is thick on the bottom, so that it doesn't get that soft-wet cookie consistancy, but rather a nice, firm crust. And the filling is about 1" thick, which is just right.

The best parts though, aside from the crust, is the consistency and flavor of the filling. It is just the right density, and smooth and creamy with no uneven chunks or lumps of pumpkin puree. There is a nice spice blend, well balanced with cinnamon, nutmeg, and what seems to be a hint of clove. If you're going to go for a store-bought pie this holiday season, THIS is the one to get, hands down. It's also a great value - this massive beast of a pie was only $5.99.

And that about wraps it up, bringing the Pumpkin Mania! contenders score now to 3 Wins, 1 Loss. I'm going to go have some pie, folks - have a good night!

Free Printable - Halloween Stickers/Labels

I've got another free printable up for grabs! With all the talk of pumpkins around here, what better way to get into the fall spirit than to kick off Halloween?

This set of four different stickers is laid out 12 per page, with 3 of each design. Each sticker is 2" square, so you can print the full sheet on 8.5"x11" sticker/label stock and hand cut them out, or use a 2" square punch. Formatted to fit Avery 2" Square label sheets as well. Great for sealing Halloween Party invites, Halloween cards, or as teacher rewards. Not too scary!

Secure download through Dropbox here!

Pumpkin Mania!! Part 2: International Delights Pumpkin Pie Spice Coffee Creamer

Continuing with our Pumpkin Mania!! review series, as the ongoing pumpkin-hysteria of the season grows, I present to you today a new review! Today we've got International Delights Pumpkin Pie Spice Coffee Creamer.

I'm on my second cup of coffee since I got home with this about three hours ago. So, I guess that alone says something, and that something is this is really freaking good. If you're not fortunate enough to live near a Dunkin Donuts for the Pumpkin Coffee from my previous post (or just can't afford it every day - I know I can't!), then this needs to be your pumpkin fix go-to for the season. Much like the DD flavor I reviewed, this truly has a pumpkin flavor, not nothing-but-spice. It's rounded out with sweet cream and notes of cinnamon, nutmeg, and just a tiny hint of vanilla. And unlike DD, it does not have big grainy bits of spice, just a nicely infused flavor. The spice isn't overwhelming. Although it is important to note, this creamer is definitely sweetened. I had to cut the normal amount of sugar I put in my coffee by half when I made the second cup.


There's an awesome deal on these if you've got a Sam's Club (and membership, of course) nearby, which is how I found this one. Sam's Club is quite literally the closest food store to our house, so we shop there more than anywhere else, and they are just awesome at getting in neat holiday themed seasonal foods. I found a 2-pack of International Delight Pumpkin Pie Spice coffee creamer for just about $6 for two HUGE 32 ounce bottles. That's a LOT of creamer and way more cost effective than the average $2.49 - $3.49 each for a 12 ounce bottle at other grocery stores. I will need to stock up on these before the season ends.

I wasn't sure about them, but at that price (and Sam's Club awesome return policy) I had to try them. For review and research purposes of course. I can't let you all down! And so the Pumpkin Mania!! tally now stands at 2 winners, 1 loser.

Enter to win one of our new Spiced Pumpkin Cheesecake Lip Balms!

In honor of Pumpkin Mania, we're giving away one of our all new Spiced Pumpkin Cheesecake handcrafted lip balms! If you're a fan of pumpkin, you'll love this one! Just follow the steps below to enter. Contest begins 9/15/13 at 12:00 a.m. EST and ends 10/1/13 at 11:59 p.m. EST. We'll announce the winner shortly afterwards!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Pumpkin Mania!! Part 1: Dunkin Donuts Pumpkin Pie Donut & Pumpkin Spice Coffee

Ok, I'll admit it. This is my favorite time of the year for food. I am an absolute sucker for pumpkin-anything, and as soon as Labor Day passes the restaurants and fast food places are alive with pumpkin mania, in which anything and everything is pumpkinfied.

I'm not complaining. 

So, since I'm going to consume all these delectable fall treats anyway, I figured this year I may as well just go ahead and review them as well. You know, for research purposes. Yes, dear readers, I just feel completely obligated to provide this service for you.

On with Pumpkin Mania!! Part One - in which I review Dunkin' Donuts "Pumpkin Pie" Donut and Pumpkin Spice coffee. 

I'm already a huge fan of Dunkin' Donuts and generally I'm not disappointed with their newest offerings. And I'll start out by saying the Pumpkin Spice coffee is Ahhhhh-mazing! This is NOT the "Pumpkin Latte", "Pumpkin Mocha", or "Pumpkin White Chocolate drink with too many words in the name" that they are advertising. This is just good 'ol DD coffee with a few pumps of Pumpkin Spice in addition to my regular cream and sugar. This really feels like warm pumpkin pie in some sort of coffee-hybrid form. The flavoring is a tad bit grainy due to the spice - there's definitely some nutmeg and cinnamon going on in there - but it also tastes distinctly of pumpkin. Which is important for a product going around advertising itself as PUMPKIN flavored.

Along with my cup of liquid awesome, I grabbed two of the new for this year "Pumpkin Pie" donuts, pictured here:

 

 

 

Photo property of Dunkin Donuts.

 The pumpkin pie one is the one on the left - the one on the right is their traditional pumpkin cake donut, which is what they've had in years before. The pumpkin pie donut is a filled doughnut with the same base as the classic jelly doughnut, frosted with vanilla frosting, cinnamon cookie crumblies, and filled. From the picture, see that dark creamy filling? You would think that with a name like "PUMPKIN PIE" doughnut that would be a pumpkin pie filling, right?

Well, you would be terribly, terribly mistaken. Much like I was. To my dismay, that filling is a painfully sweet CINNAMON BUTTERCREAM. With an awful texture. It was like a mouthful of sugared lard with just way too much cinnamon. This doughnut tastes nothing like pumpkin whatsoever. Avoid at all costs. 

So, tallying up the Pumpkin Mania so far, we stand at 1-1. The pumpkin spice coffee at Dunkin' Donuts is a must-buy, with the Pumpkin Pie doughnut being a must-avoid. Stay tuned for our next installment of pumpkiny treats in the next few days!

"Back to School" ideas for the homeschooling parent

We are a homeschooling family. Our son is just-turned-9 and is working on a rough equivalent of 3rd grade - higher levels in some areas, and just-about-3rd-grade level in others. Not bad, considering he has Aspergers in the worst - well, most interesting - sort of way. Homeschooling is a shared effort between myself and my husband, and obviously this isn't the right family choice for everyone. But this post isn't about homeschooling, why we do it, why some people should, etc. It's about cute ways to help kick start the "back to school" season, and to help get your little homeschooler in the mood when everywhere you look, that's the trending theme. Maybe their friends are going back to public (or private) school and going to back to school parties - why not celebrate a new school year too? I found these adorably awesome homeschool-kid ideas and gifts on Etsy.

"Homeschool Princess" shirt by ThePlaidPolkaDots on Etsy

I absolutely love this shirt! ThePlaidPolkaDots also offers it customized with a grade level, if desired.

Montessori Sorting Circles by TheEnchantedCupboard on Etsy

 

 

 If you have younger children, there are tons of great Montessori toys to be found on Etsy, but I love these colorful sorting circles by TheEnchantedCupboard!

Adventure Box - Travel with Kids by TheIdeaBoxKids on Etsy

One of my personal favorite Etsy shops is TheIdeaBoxKids. They make little boxes filled with ideas to help on those days when you've got some homeschool-block, or just need a good boredom buster. Filled with coins with pre-filled "ideas" on them, choose one and see where the adventure takes you!

Free Back To School Bookplate Printables

Back to school season - either you love it or hate it, but either way it's the inevitable sign of the end of summer and jump into the fall and holiday season. But, you can make back to school -or any day- a little more fun with these adorable crayon-themed bookplates!

Use them for identifying books, pencil cases, lunchboxes, whatever your heart desires! Download is in PDF format - simply print onto sticker paper (either 8.5"x11", or preformatted to fit 4" x 3.33" 6-up label stock). Includes 2 sheets - one in the red background, and one in the blue!

Download bookplates here! 

Safe, secure download via Dropbox.

Product Information Regarding Allergens and Other Important Things

Given that I got into soapcrafting due to having extremely sensitive skin, I've been planning for a while to go through each of our products and include information regarding common allergen ingredients, which products are vegan, etc. An informed customer is a happy customer! Listed below are our various product lines and which items you may want to look out for. As a side note, ALL of our products are gluten free.

Lip Balms

Allergen alert - contains beeswax. Some also contain small amounts of saccharin (due to sweetener used in flavored balms).

Perfumes

Roll-ons - no specific allergy alerts. Solids - contain beeswax. Roll-on perfumes are also vegan!

Glycerin Soaps

No specific allergy alerts. Certain fragrances may contain cinnamon in trace amounts, which can bother some people with extremely sensitive skin or who are sensitive/allergic to cinnamon. (Generally indicated by fragrances with "spice" in the description, but please ask if you're not sure!). Our glycerin soaps are vegan.

 

Goat's Milk Soaps

Again, no specific allergy alerts other than using caution if you are sensitive to cinnamon (which only affects about 5 of the fragrances in our entire collection). Obviously not vegan ;)

 

Fluffy Stuff! Whipped Soap, Moisturizing Bath Salts, Gimme Sugar! Scrubs, and Body Butters

Allergy warning - we commonly use Sweet Almond Oil, a nut product, in our Fluffy Stuff. However, we can make it with Safflower, Olive, or other oils upon request. Fluffy Stuff! is vegan.

Bubble Me Up! Bubble Bath/Shower Gel and Smooth As Satin Hand & Body Lotions

No common allergy warnings. Both are vegan.

 

 

 

A note about allergy warnings: All of our products are made in the same production area, which means that there is a slim chance of your product coming into contact with an allergen, even if it does not contain one! If you have severe allergies you may want to refrain from ordering, or please contact us for more information regarding your specific situation.