Hickory Farms is a company that everyone knows and I don’t think I know anyone who hasn’t sampled their delicious meats, cheeses and spreads. When I was provided a Hickory Farms Party Planner Gift Box to sample, I was delighted. Their products are always a hit in my family.

When the gift box arrived, I was pleased with the packaging. Though the packaging is fairly simple, the presentation is still beautiful. These gift boxes are definitely a gift worth giving and/or receiving!

Here is what came in the Party Planner Gift Box:

• Signature Beef Summer Sausage, 7 oz
• Italian Style Beef Summer Sausage, 5 oz
• Turkey Summer Sausage, 5 oz
• Smoked Gouda, 6 oz
• Farmhouse Cheddar, 4 oz
• Smoked Cheddar Blend, 4 oz
• Mission Jack Blend, 4 oz
• Creamy Swiss Blend, 4 oz
• Sesame, Caraway & Sea Salt Crackers, 1.5 oz
• Sweet Hot Mustard, 2.25 oz
• Cranberry Mustard, 2.5 oz

If you are still looking for last minute gift ideas, I would recommend a Hickory Farms Gift Box. With the wide array of products available at pretty much any price point, you are bound to find a gift to please even the pickiest people on your shopping list.

Giveaway: Hickory Farms Gift Box

One lucky Thrifty NW Mom reader will win a Hickory Farms Gift Box ($50.00 value).

This giveaway will end on Monday December 19th at 9pm pst.

The winner will be drawn using “And the Winner Is” plug-in and announced on the blog. I will also email the winner. The winner will have 48 hours to contact me. Otherwise a new winner will be drawn. US residents only & you must be 18 yrs or older to enter the giveaway.

Here’s how to enter this giveaway:

1st Entry (required entry): Tell us what your favorite Hickory Farms Product is

Extra Entries: (make sure these are all separate comments, with a comment for each entry)

2) Subscribe to the Thrifty NW Mom feed via a reader of your choice or email (must be verified) or become a Google follower

3) Leave a comment here saying you “like” the Thrifty NW Mom Facebook page (on this post – not on Facebook! )

4) Leave a comment here saying you “like” the Hickory Farms Facebook page

Disclosure: I was given a Hickory Farms Gift Box to facilitate my review of this product. A Hickory Farms Gift Box will also be given to 1 winner randomly chosen. All opinions are 100% mine. See my disclosure statement for more details.

Hickory Farms – Review & Giveaway for Hickory Farms Gift Box ($50 Value) is a post from: Thrifty NW Mom

It’s time for another giveaway this week to celebrate you, our readers, & to let you know how thankful we are for your support! This is a fun giveaway item that your kids (or maybe even the parents) would enjoy for Christmas!

A little about the Rockboard Scooter:

It’s always hard to find gifts for the tweens and teens on parents’ holiday shopping lists. The options are often high-priced electronics and video games that stick kids to the couch. This year, there’s a fresh, new alternative that will get kids up and active and out the door. The Rockboard Scooter is the coolest new hybrid on two wheels.

The innovative Rockboard Scooter is a hybrid that combines the drive-chain propulsion of a bicycle with the practicality of a kick-scooter and is going to on the top of every tween and teen’s must-have list for the holidays.

The Scooter’s patented advanced Rockboard Propulsion Technology™ incorporates a revolutionary power drive chain that will have kids racing down the block and tearing through their neighborhoods with every up-and-down propel. The faster kids rock up and down, the faster it goes!

My experience with the Rockboard Scooter:

My family and I had a lot of fun on this scooter. It can be set into two different set ups – regular scooter mode or Rockboard mode. Every member in my family was playing on this scooter – including myself and my husband.

We really liked that in the regular scooter set up, the platform was large enough that we could put each of our boys on it with us and scoot along. In the Rockboard set up, it is very easy to use and my 5 yr old was able to get the motion down very quickly. This was a lot of fun and believe it or not, provided a great workout! This may be my new favorite piece of workout equipment.

What I love most is that it provided an opportunity for my entire family to get outside, get some exercise and have some fun! What could get any better than that?

Giveaway: Rockboard Scooter

One lucky Thrifty NW Mom readers will win a Rockboard Scooter ($200.00 value).

This giveaway will end on Monday November 28th at 9pm PST.

The winner will be drawn using “And the Winner Is” plug-in and announced on the blog. I will also email the winner. The winner will have 48 hours to contact me. Otherwise a new winner will be drawn. US residents only & you must be 18 yrs or older to enter the giveaway.

**NO Facebook or email entries will be accepted! The entries must be comments on this blog post (just scroll to the bottom of the post & the bottom of the comments & add your comment at the end). Thanks for understanding! **

Here’s how to enter this giveaway:

1st Entry (required entry): Tell us why you would love a Rockboard Scooter.

Extra Entries: (make sure these are all separate comments, with a comment for each entry)

2) Subscribe to the Thrifty NW Mom feed via a reader of your choice or email (must be verified) or become a Google follower

3) Leave a comment here saying you “like” the Thrifty NW Mom Facebook page (on this post – not on Facebook! )

4) Leave a comment here saying you “like” the Rockboard Scooter Facebook Page

Disclosure: I was given a Rockboard Scooter to facilitate my review of this product. A Rockboard Scotter will also be given to 1 winner randomly chosen. All opinions are 100% mine. See our disclosure statement for more details.

Rockboard Scooter Giveaway (a $200 value) is a post from: Thrifty NW Mom

With the Holidays right around the corner, it is nice to have high quality labels to use on for mailing your personalized photo holiday cards or gorgeous seals for gifts for teachers, co-workers and neighbors. So I was excited to get the opportunity to receive a Gift Seals and Address Label Pack to review….as I was impressed!

About Loveable Labels:

Personalized durable labels and tags are Loveable Labels specialty. They developed the best quality labels that are durable and beautiful! Their labels are waterproof, dishwasher and microwave safe, washer and dryer safe, sun safe, bleach safe, sunscreen safe and temperature safe. From multipurpose sticker labels to shoe labels and clothing labels, Loveable Labels  makes sure to have you covered!

What did I think about my products?

I received my package and was excited to open it. I have always made my own labels and even have made my own gift seals on my laser printer at home. I was skeptical before I opened my package. What makes these labels and seal better than what I can produce on my own? I opened my package and was in total awe of what I saw inside.

Inside I saw gorgeous full-color, glossy labels. They were absolutely stunning and very professional in appearance. They definitely were not the flat, paper-like labels I had been using. The quality of these labels and seals was amazing. I must admit…I am a convert!

I spend decent money every year to make sure that I have the highest quality photo cards to send out for the holidays. Now, I will beautiful labels to greet my friends and family upon receipt that will match the quality of what is inside!

After receiving my labels and gift seals, I can’t wait to try out some other products from Loveable Labels. If they save me one less trip to the school to locate my son’s lost jacket or one less fight between the boys arguing over whose stuffed animals is whose, I am sold!

Giveaway: Loveable Labels Gift Seals and Address Label Pack

Two lucky Thrifty NW Mom readers will win a Loveable Labels Gift Seals and Address Label Pack ($22.00 value).

This giveaway will end on Monday, November 7th at 9pm PST.

The winners will be drawn using “And the Winner Is” plug-in and announced on the blog. I will also email the winners. The winners will have 48 hours to contact me. Otherwise a new winner will be drawn. US residents only & you must be 18 yrs or older to enter the giveaway.

**NO Facebook or email entries will be accepted! The entries must be comments on this blog post (just scroll to the bottom of the post & the bottom of the comments & add your comment at the end). Thanks for understanding! **

Here’s how to enter this giveaway:

1st Entry (required entry): Tell us what your favorite Loveable Labels Product is

Extra Entries: (make sure these are all separate comments, with a comment for each entry)

2) Subscribe to the Thrifty NW Mom feed via a reader of your choice or email (must be verified) or become a Google follower

3) Leave a comment here saying you “like” the Thrifty NW Mom Facebook page (on this post – not on Facebook! )

4) Leave a comment here saying you “like” the Loveable Labels Facebook page or follow Loveable Labels on Twitter (@myloveablelabels).

Disclosure: I was given a Loveable Labels Holiday Pack to facilitate my review of this product. Loveable Labels Gift Seals and Address Label Pack will also be given to 2 winners randomly chosen. All opinions are 100% mine. See my disclosure statement for more details.

Loveable Labels – Review & Giveaway is a post from: Thrifty NW Mom

Meal planning is always recommended to help save money on your grocery bill, however, coming up with new, healthy meals can be a challenge. I had the opportunity to try a great meal planning site that can help you solve those problems.

About E-Mealz:

For $5.00 per month, subscribers download a recipe plan for the week with a matching aisle-by-aisle grocery list. The easy-to-follow recipes usually contain fewer than seven ingredients to allow for prep times of less than 30 minutes. The E-Mealz program provides a consistent and reliable approach to food budgeting by factoring the weekly cost of ingredients into each menu plan. Menus are created around a budget of $75 per week for families and $35 per week for couples.

To get recipes, tips on how to simplify your life, organize your days and plan family fun, be sure to check out the E-Mealz Blog.

My Experience with E-Mealz:

The Meal Plan Options:

I was very excited to see the variety of meal plans offered on E-Mealz. There are plans for families and for singles/couples. There are also a variety of specialty plans available from Vegetarian to Gluten Free to Low Fat. It was great to see the specialty plans available (even though the regular plans are also healthy). You can really tailor the plans to your family’s specific dietary needs.

The E-Mealz plans are also broken out for specific stores as well. If your store is not listed, you can choose the generic “any store” menu plan. The specialty plans are more limited in store options. My only complaint about the store options is that options are limited for the Pacific Northwest. Your options are pretty much any store or Wal-Mart.

The Weekly Meal Plan:

I love the format of the weekly mean plans. The plans are very easy to read and they fit nicely on the page. The weekly meal plan shows the meal with side dishes, ingredients for the entire meal and the cooking instructions. It is great! 

The Grocery List: 

I also love the format of the grocery list on E-Mealz. It shows you very clearly what you need broken out by category and shows you what meal you need each ingredient for. So if you are only needing six meals one week due to a special occasion, you can very easily locate the ingredients for the omitted meal and take them off your list.

The other thing I love about the grocery list is that you can very easily identify the “staples” needed for the week so you can check quickly to make sure you have them all in your pantry and fridge. I always have to go to the store for butter or eggs or something else because I assumed that I had them but I didn’t

Overall Impressions:

E-mealz a great site and definitely offers value to the consumer. The meals were a hit in my house and it made meal planning very easy. My family and I decided to commit to the program and we pulled up the meal plan and used that for the week. It was awesome! I had so much more time for my family because I wasn’t trying to figure out what we were having for dinner this week.

I also appreciated the ease in cooking the meals. They were quick and easy! I also had more than enough leftovers using the family plan for my husband to have leftovers the next day for lunch. We even had my mom over a few nights for dinner and still had plenty to feed us all.

The big question….did I save money? I think actually using this plan I spent a little more money than I usually do on my weekly shopping but I am a very frugal shopper. However, to me my time is worth money! I am willing to pay a little more to have more time with my family and with this plan, I definitely had that!

Giveaway: E-Mealz 3-Month Subscription – 4 Winners

Four lucky Thrifty NW Mom readers will win a three-month E-Mealz Subscription ($15.00 value).

This giveaway will end on Wednesday, November 2nd at 9pm PST.

The winners will be drawn using “And the Winner Is” plug-in and announced on the blog. We  will also email the winners. The winners will have 48 hours to contact me. Otherwise a new winner will be drawn. US residents only & you must be 18 yrs or older to enter the giveaway.

Here’s how to enter this giveaway:

1st Entry (required entry): Tell us why you would like an E-Mealz subscription and which subscription you would like

Extra Entries: (make sure these are all separate comments, with a comment for each entry)

2) Subscribe to the Thrifty NW Mom feed via a reader of your choice or email (must be verified) or become a Google follower

3) Leave a comment here saying you “like” the E-Mealz Facebook page.

4) Leave a comment here saying you follow E-Mealz on Twitter.

Disclosure: I was given a E-Mealz subscription to facilitate my review of this product. E-Mealz subscriptions will also be given to 4 winners randomly chosen. All opinions are 100% mine. See our disclosure statement for more details.

E-Mealz Product Review & Giveaway is a post from: Thrifty NW Mom

This is the time of year where many of us are hosting different holiday events and/or dinners in our homes and want our house looking its best. I had the opportunity to use some SC Johnson products that are definitely going to help me this holiday season. Most of these products were ones that I have never used before and I have now found some new favorites that will remain in my cleaning caddy!

Below is a list of the different products that I was provided and my reviews of each product.

Scrubbing Bubbles Extend-a-Clean Mega Shower Foam – This product did a great job of cutting through the soap scum in my shower. With daily baths (most of them with bubbles) for my two boys, the residue builds up quickly. After spraying the product in my shower and tub (I used in my sink as well), I walked away for a while (as the directions recommend) and then came back. I was able to effortlessly take a sponge and wipe the residue away. There were a couple spots that I had to scrub a little but it was minimal. My only complaint about the product is that this is an aerosol and does give off some fumes while it was not as bad as other products I have used. Be sure to keep plenty of air circulation in the bathroom while using this product if you have asthma or are sensitive to cleaner fumes and/or smells.

Shout Color Catcher – This product works as it says. You can put together a mixed load of laundry and the sheet catches any running color. I don’t normally mix the colors of my loads for my husband and I but I always mix the loads for my kids’ clothes. This is going to be a laundry essential for me because my oldest loves the bright colors (especially red) and now I won’t have to worry!

Scrubbing Bubbles Toilet Cleaning Gel – This has to be the most interesting of the products that I tried out and it was definitely the one that received the most comments. It says that it is supposed to last a week per application and help with the staining in the toilet. It does work that way and my toilet bowl is sparkling clean and fresh. The only thing to be aware of is that I have received many comments from company wondering what that was in my toilet. It has been a topic of many conversations after guests use my bathroom. You also need to position the gel exactly as it says in the directions. If you position it too low, it ends up sitting in the water and washes away very quickly.

Pledge Multi Surface – This was the product I was the most skeptical of because it claims to be able to be used on almost everything. I was definitely pleasantly surprised. I was able to go into my bedroom with just this one product and dusted my wood furniture, my glass table lamps, my mirror and my television. It left no streaks and no residue. It worked like a charm and can definitely save you money on products for every surface. This is a new favorite for me!

Pledge Fabric Sweeper – This has always been a favorite of mine. I have multiple cats and dogs that love to get up on our furniture and leave their hair behind. I have used this product since it came out and would recommend it to anyone with pets. It is great! It takes a little practice to learn to use because you need to make sure you get the appropriate stroke length to effectively pick up pet hair. I use this on my comforters, couches, chairs and throw pillows. It is a must have in my house.

Windex Electronics Wipes – This is also a new must have in my house. I am always so careful about what I use on my electronics because they would be so expensive to replace. I used these wipes to clean my laptop, my television, my cell phone and my digital camera and they worked great. They didn’t leave large amounts of moisture behind and they left everything streak free. To me they are well worth the investment.

Glade Fall Collection Refillable Candle Holder and Oil Candle – The candle holder is beautiful and easily fit into my home décor. The candle smelled great and did an excellent job of filling up the room with subtle fragrance. I love candles and love a great smelling house so I always have things going in my home. The only complaint with this product is that I usually keep my candles burning all day and due to the size of these, they burned out after a few hours. However, they are something that I would use again for parties or gatherings in my home.

For more home care and organizing tips, be sure to check out SC Johnson’s digital booklet.

Giveaway: SC Johnson Product Pack

Two lucky Thrifty NW Mom readers will win a package of SC Johnson products (approx. $25.00 in retail value).

This giveaway will end on Thursday, October 13th at 9pm PST.

The winner will be drawn using “And the Winner Is” plug-in and announced on the blog. I will also email the winner. The winner will have 48 hours to contact me. Otherwise a new winner will be drawn. US residents only & you must be 18 yrs or older to enter the giveaway.

Here’s how to enter this giveaway:

1st Entry (required entry): Tell us what your favorite SC Johnson product is to use.

Extra Entries: (make sure these are all separate comments, with a comment for each entry)

2) Subscribe to the Thrifty NW Mom feed via a reader of your choice or email (must be verified) or become a Google follower

3) Leave a comment here saying you “like” the SC Johnson Facebook page.

Disclosure: I was given the SC Johnson products to facilitate my review of this product. Select SC Johnson products will also be given to 2 winners randomly chosen. All opinions are 100% mine. See my disclosure statement for more details.

SC Johnson Products – Review & 2 Winners Win Package of Products is a post from: Thrifty NW Mom

This is the time of year that I begin many of my holiday crafting adventures. When the opportunity came along to review some of the X-Acto Precision Products, I was more than excited. I thought that this would be a great way for me to complete my paper crafts and scrapbooking projects. To my surprise, I was presented with many new ways to use X-Acto products that made life easier, not just my craft projects.

The first product that I tried out was the X-Acto Designer Series Craft Knife. This knife is designed for precision cutting and trimming and comes in a great color that has women in mind. I loved the color and the ergonomic design of the craft knife. I also loved the feel of the comfort grips. It was very easy to use and performed wonderfully. I felt very stable using the craft knife, however, at times I did feel that the knife was a little bulky in my very small hands. Use a little caution when putting the safety cap on the first few times until you get the hang of it.

The next product that I tried out was the X-Acto Designer Series Gripster Craft Knife. This knife was also designed for precision cutting and trimming and also comes in the great pink color. This knife is was more like the X-Acto knives I have used in the past. Since I am quite skilled with using X-Acto knives like this one, I had no problems using it. It is a much more traditional shape and worked well in my little hands. If you have never used a X-Acto knife like this one, be careful when getting started. Even though it is called a “Gripster”, the barrel of this craft knife is still a little slick.

The final product I tried out was the X-Acto Retract-A-Blade. I think this is my new favorite “all purpose” blade! I like the ease of opening and shutting the blade and there are no caps to keep track of. I really liked the comfort grip and it provided me some cushion and made keeping a hold of the knife quite comfortable. This knife was designed for light trimming and cutting, so if you are looking for very precise line, this one may not be quite right for you.

Now that I told you a little about the knives that I was using and what I liked and disliked about them, I want to tell you about the traditional and “outside the box” uses that I found for my craft knives. X-Acto has published a web book listing many ways to use the X-Acto knives. I decided that I was NOT going to look at the book ahead of time and to see all the different things I could think of to use the products.

More traditional uses:

• Hand-Made Routine Chart
• Hand-Made Birthday Party Invitations
• Scrapbooking Projects
• Opening Boxes and Packaging

“Outside the Box” Uses:

• Fine Julienne of Veggies for Soup – I make a soup that I cut veggies (carrots, peppers, onions, zucchini, etc.) into a fine julienne. I love this soup but hate prepping the veggies and am always afraid of cutting myself with my knife. I was able to use a knife to cut the veggies into manageable thin slices and then used the Retract-A-Blade knife to do the fine julienne. I felt very comfortable with this use and wasn’t afraid of cutting myself. The carrots were a little trickier to cut this way but if I got the initial piece cut thin enough, I was able to do this. I know have dedicated this tool as part of my kitchen arsenal.
• Ripping Out a Seam – I had a seam that was coming out and could not find my seam ripper so I pulled out the Gripster knife and used that and it worked very well.
• Cutting Off Linen Pants to Re-hem – I had a pair of linen pants that got a stain on them so I decided that I wanted to cut them off to make capris out of them. I used the craft knife with a metal ruler to cut the fabric off. Since the fabric was this, this worked out really well for me.

Giveaway: X-Acto Precision Craft Knives and Self-Healing Mat

Two lucky Thrifty NW Mom readers will win a package of X-Acto products that includes a Retract-a-Blade knife, a Designer Series Gripster craft knife and a Self-Healing mat (approx. $36.53 in retail value).

This giveaway will end on Sunday, October 2nd at 9pm PST.

The winner will be drawn using “And the Winner Is” plug-in and announced on the blog. I will also email the winner. The winner will have 48 hours to contact me. Otherwise a new winner will be drawn. US residents only & you must be 18 yrs or older to enter the giveaway.

**NO Facebook or email entries will be accepted! The entries must be comments on this blog post (just scroll to the bottom of the post & the bottom of the comments & add your comment at the end). Thanks for understanding! **

Here’s how to enter this giveaway:

1st Entry (required entry): Tell us how you currently use X-Acto products

Extra Entries: (make sure these are all separate comments, with a comment for each entry)

2) Subscribe to the Thrifty NW Mom feed via a reader of your choice or email (must be verified) or become a Google follower

3) Leave a comment here saying you “like” the Thrifty NW Mom Facebook page (on this post – not on Facebook! )

4) Leave a comment here saying you “like” the X-Acto Facebook page.

Disclosure: I was given the X-Acto products to facilitate my review of this product. Select X-Acto products will also be given to 2 winners randomly chosen. All opinions are 100% mine. See the disclosure statement for more details.

X-Acto Precision Craft Knives– Review & Giveaway – 2 winners is a post from: Thrifty NW Mom

Back in March, I had the opportunity to review & give away a Protect-A-Bed mattress cover to a lucky Thrifty NW Mom reader.  Ever since trying out their mattress cover, I’ve been impressed with their products.  They contacted me again recently about trying out a different product – their pillow protectors & I thought this was a great chance to put it to the test since I have significant allergies….to dust mites (bed bugs – not a pleasant topic, I know!)  I do have other allergies as well, but dust mites are the top allergen for me & the number one place to find dust mites is in your bed.  This is why it’s so important to use a high-quality mattress protector.  But it is just as crucial to use a high-quality pillow protector since this is what will affect your allergies the most since your head is in direct contact with your pillow, with just a pillowcase separating it. You need a barrier to protect you from dust mites.

Protect-A-Bed sent me the pillow protectors to try out & honestly I was a little worried how I would like them.  I have tried out pillow protectors before – my allergist had given me information about ordering them when I was first diagnosed with a dust mite allergy. Let me tell you, those things were not comfortable at all – so crunchy. I am a person who is very particular about my pillows and I like soft, fluffy pillows  - not crunchy hard pillows. So, I’ll admit I wasn’t the best at using those pillow protectors because they annoyed me when I slept.  However, I thought I’d give the Protect-A-Bed pillow protectors a try since my allergies are much worse when I’m not using a pillow protector.  I put them on my pillows a few weeks ago & just today I had to go check out my pillows to see if I’d remembered to put them on – I had completely forgotten about it since I have noticed no difference in how the pillows feel on my head.  The Protect-A-Bed pillow protectors are soft, absorbent yet ultra thin & they offer a miracle membrane with a total heat transference formula. This makes a world of difference in the softness of the pillow cover and they didn’t detract from the comfort of my pillows at all.  I am definitely impressed – and even better my allergies are improved when I’m using the Protect-A-Bed mattress cover and pillow protectors.  They provide that impermeable barrier between dust mites & other allergens (pet dander, pollen, etc) that can collect in your mattress & pillows.

Sweepstakes:

In honor of Protect-A-Bed’s 30th anniversary, they have a “Long Live your Mattress” sweepstakes taking place from now thru October 31st, open to all US residents 18 & over.  One lucky Grand Prize winner will receive $30,000 and a complete bedding protection kit. There will also be 10 first prize winners who will receive a complete bedding protection set valued at nearly $500.

Giveaway: Choice of Protect-A-Bed Mattress Protector, Set of Pillow Protectors or Crib Mattress Protector

Now is your opportunity to try out the Protect-A-Bed mattress or pillow protectors. One lucky Thrifty NW Mom reader will win your choice of a Protect-A-Bed mattress protector, crib protector, or set of pillow protectors. You must be 18 & over & live in the US to enter this giveaway.  This giveaway will end on Thursday September 9th at 9pm pst.  The winner will be drawn using Random.org and will have 48 hours to contact me, otherwise a new winner will be drawn.

Here’s how to enter this giveaway::

1st Entry (required entry)- Share how many pillows you sleep with at night.  {Here’s my confession – ideally I like to sleep with 3-4 pillows – in a queen size bed. :O Yes, my poor husband – he gets squished over on the side of the bed – but he does steal the covers, so I think we’re kind of even. . }

Extra Entries : (make sure these are all separate comments, otherwise they won’t be counted)

2) Subscribe to the Thrifty NW Mom feed via a reader of your choice or email (must be verified) or become a Google follower.

3) Become a Facebook Fan of Thrifty NW Mom – leave a comment letting me know you did this or if you are already a fan. {You do not need to leave a comment on the Facebook fan page.}

4)  Follow Thrifty NW Mom on Twitter and “Tweet” about this giveaway, with a link to this post (or my twitter name w/the tweet)! You must “tweet” in order to receive the extra entry (you can do this once per day) & leave your twitter name or link here.

Disclosure: Protect-A-Bed sponsored this giveaway by providing a choice of a mattress protector, set of pillow protectors or crib mattress protector to 1 Thrifty NW Mom reader, randomly selected. I also received a set of Protect-A-Bed pillow protectors.  No other compensation was given.  All opinions are 100% mine. See my disclosure statement for more details.

Protect-A-Bed Review & Giveaway – Choice of 3 Products is a post from: Thrifty NW Mom

{Giveaway Now Over}

Do you have a little girl in your life – daughter, granddaughter, niece, friend? If so, you’ll definitely want to check out Tiptoeing Tutus, a website featuring all sorts of fun tutus for little girls! The gals behind Tiptoeing Tutus, Colleen & Meghan, are two sisters & they are based out of the Seattle area.  They custom make tutus for every occasion & to suite every taste – if you don’t see a color or embellishment you’re interested in, they can custom make one for you.  Tiptoeing Tutus are different from many tutus in that they are sewn around elastic & not tied.  Having the elastic waistband allows for your child to be able to use it as they grow & it makes them less bulky at the waist.  The waistband is also lined with satin ribbon so there’s no discomfort for your child.  Tiptoeing Tutus also offer special prices if you’re interested in having a “tutu party” for your child and a group of friends!

Tiptoeing Tutus sent us a pink tutu for my daughter’s to try out & I have to say that it is very popular with my girls – in fact, they argue over who gets to wear it! My 19 month old has actually figured out how to put the tutu on herself & she loves to run around with it on. We’ve had a few tutus in the past & this one is different in that it is much fluffier, which is just adorable for pictures! They also offer lined clippies, which can be used with the  tutu or separately as a hair accessory.  My older daughter loved being able to wear this beautiful, pink flower in her hair! She loved all the attention she got while wearing it!

10% off Discount for Thrifty NW Mom Readers

Tiptoeing Tutus is offering a special discount of 10% off your order if you mention you are a Thrifty NW Mom reader when ordering.  This is a great chance to buy a fun tutu for your daughter or buy it as a special gift for that special little lady in your life!

Giveaway: One Custom Tutu of your Choice (up to $25 value)

Tiptoeing Tutus is offering a special giveaway for Thrifty NW Mom readers – you’ll have a chance to win a custom tutu of your choice (up to a $25 value).  Even if you don’t have a little girl of your own, this would make a great gift!  They even have “Twilight” themed tutus – Team Jacob, Team Edward & a general Twilight theme!

This giveaway will end on Friday, June 25th at 9pm pst! The winner will be drawn using Random.org and the winner will have 48 hours to contact me, otherwise a new winner will be drawn. US residents only & you must be 18 yrs or older to enter the giveaway.

Here’s how to enter this giveaway::

1st Entry (required entry): Visit the Tiptoeing Tutus website & tell us which tutu is your favorite.

Extra Entries : (make sure these are all separate comments, with a comment for each entry)

2) Subscribe to the Thrifty NW Mom feed via a reader of your choice or email (must be verified) or become a Google follower.

3) Head over to the Tiptoeing Tutus Facebook page & “like” the page. Leave a comment saying you did this.

4)  Follow Thrifty NW Mom on Twitter and “Tweet” about this giveaway, with a link to this post (or my twitter name w/the tweet)! You must “tweet” in order to receive the extra entry (you can do this once per day) & leave your twitter name or link here.

Disclosure: I was given a tutu to review & a custom tutu of winner’s choice (up to $25 value) will be given to  a winner randomly chosen, provided by Tiptoeing Tutus.   All opinions are 100% mine. See my disclosure statement for more details.

Tiptoeing Tutus – Review & Giveaway {Ended} is a post from: Thrifty NW Mom

Giveaway Now Ended!!

For those of you who have young kiddos, you know how hard it is to keep shoes on their feet! Both of my girls were constantly taking off their shoes & socks as babies & toddlers (in fact, my little one still does!). That’s why I love starting off with the leather soft soled shoes….as they actually stay on their feet & are great for beginning walkers at the same time! Most of you may know the Robeez brand, as the popular soft-soled crib shoes for babies & toddlers.  However, for many of you, paying $20-$30 for a pair of shoes that your child will outgrow in a few months may not be the thriftiest option!

Did you know that Target also carries soft-soled leather crib shoes called Ministar shoes made by Bobux? Ministar shoes are made from natural leather, which is what pediatricians recommend for a baby’s growing feet.  They have suede soles to provide a good grip for beginner walkers and are very flexible  to give a very comfortable fit for your children.

My oldest daughter actually had extra wide feet – and we bought several pairs of Ministar shoes when she was a toddler as they were the only shoes that fit her. They were perfect for her as there was elastic around the  ankle so we could get them around her feet, but  then they still stayed snug so she couldn’t pull those shoes off constantly. The same is true with my younger daughter, too – she also has wider feet, so the Ministar leather shoes are a great option for a size that fits her comfortably & will stay put!  She loves to throw her shoes when she’s in the stroller – so the Ministar shoes definitely slow her down & make it much harder to get those shoes off!

Target.com now has a large selection of Ministar shoes by Bobux and the prices are at least half of what you’ll find for the other soft-soled leather shoes on the market!  There are some super cute styles for boys & girls! The prices are $12.99 for the shoes & $19.99 for the boots. You’ll also find these in Target stores as well!

Giveaway: 2 readers will win 1 pair of Ministar Shoes – Your Choice

Target is offering 2 lucky Thrifty NW Mom readers a pair of Ministar Star shoes.  If you are one of the winners, you’ll be able to pick out your choice of a pair of Ministar shoes! Even if you don’t have little ones – these shoes make great baby shower gifts!!  This giveaway will end on Friday, May 14th at 9pm pst.

The winner will be drawn using Random.org and the winner will have 48 hours to contact me, otherwise a new winner will be drawn. US residents only & you must be 18 yrs or older to enter the giveaway.

Here’s how to enter this giveaway::

1st Entry (required entry)-  Head on over to Target & leave a comment with your favorite Ministar style shoe.

Extra Entries : (make sure these are all separate comments, with a comment for each entry)

2) Subscribe to the Thrifty NW Mom feed via a reader of your choice or email (must be verified) or become a Google follower.

3) Head over to the Ministar Facebook Page & “Like” the page as an extra entry. Leave a comment saying you did this.

4)  Follow Thrifty NW Mom on Twitter and “Tweet” about this giveaway, with a link to this post (or my twitter name w/the tweet)! You must “tweet” in order to receive the extra entry (you can do this once per day) & leave your twitter name or link here.

Disclosure: I was given a pair of Ministar shoes for review and 2 pairs of Ministar shoes will be given to winners randomly chosen.  All opinions are 100% mine. See my disclosure statement for more details.

Giveaway: 2 pairs of Ministar Baby / Toddler Soft Soled Shoes {Ended!} is a post from: Thrifty NW Mom

Boy, we sure have a battle with sippy cups in our house, I tell ya! We have been on the search for the perfect sippy cup for years now, starting with our 3 1/2 yr old and especially now with our 16 mo old.   Our little one loves to put sippy cups to the ultimate test.  Both of our girls have always loved to throw their cups (ugh!)…but little “O” also loves to experiment with how to get as much liquid as possible, anywhere & everywhere she can.  What a mess! I have to say…I’m all about a bargain, but those cheap sippy cups are not even worth it – she’s managed to dump all the liquid out of those each & every time! Even the Gerber ones she has totally figured out how to get them to leak! So, I jumped at the chance to review a new line of sippy cups from Tommee Tippee, a well-known company in the UK.  Tommee Tippee is actually the  #1 brand of infant & toddler teething products in Great Britain and they’ve just launched a new line of products – Closer to Nature bottles & accessories as well as their BPA-Free Explora Sippy Cups & accessories here in the US.  The Tommee Tippee products are now being sold at Babies R Us (online & in stores)

I was sent the Tommee Tippee Trainer Cup (Stage 1) and Sippy Cup (Stage 2) to review & I have to say we LOVE both of them!! My little “O” has seriously put  them to the test & currently they are the ONLY sippy cups we have that do not leak.  And she has shaken them, thrown them, left them laying sideways on the kitchen floor…you name it! I am impressed enough to go out & buy more & hopefully replace all of our sippy cups, as well as get some of the advanced stage cups for my older daughter.  Seriously! This is the first sippy cup that I’m not disappointed in.  They even have an extra attached lid that you can keep on or off (there’s a convenient little area where it fits right into the lid when not being used–too cool!

Now for some more facts about these sippy cups – their Explora Toddler cups are BPA-Free and feature advance-flow valves that were actually designed by a physicist so that almost no force is needed for the child to drink from the sippy cup.  They’re meant to help toddlers transition from sippy cups to real cups easier.  The Stage 1 & 2 sippy cups that we tried have rubber grips on the sides & bottom, making it easier for toddlers to hold & stand up on their highchairs.

I highly recommend these sippy cups if you’re having the same issues that we’ve faced with sippy cups- the constant leaks!  They really are awesome products.  And make sure to check out the rest of the Tommee Tippee feeding & accessories line – everything from their Closer to Nature bottles to toddler bowls & spoons and even a cool Easi-Mat for when you’re eating out at restaurants & want a cleaner safer option.

Tommee Tippee products are now sold at Babies R Usand are currently on sale for Buy 1 Get 1 50% off .  I’m not sure if this sale ends today (BRU sales run from Sun – Sat) or if it will be continuing.  But, I think I’ll be ordering mine quickly online today, just to be sure!

Disclosure: I received the products mentioned above from Tommee Tippee as a member of the Mom Bloggers Club.  All of the opinions I expressed are 100% my own & no other compensation was given.

Review of Tommee Tippee Sippy Cups is a post from: Thrifty NW Mom

I know many of you {including me} made New Years Resolutions {or rather “goals” – I like that word better!} to get back into better shape!  Whether  it be at a gym, working out at home or with a buddy running or walking outside, these motivational towels by Words to Sweat By are a fun addition to any workout!  Words to Sweat By offers quite a variety in their 100% cotton white workout towels – everything from humorous sayings to motivational mantras to keep up your spirits in the middle of a tough workout! Dana, the designer of these motivational towels, had this to say about her product: “I created the towels for people who want a little motivation and humor in their workouts but don’t want to shout it from the rooftops with a t-shirt, bag, or hat.”

Here are just a few of the phrases you can buy on these workout towels:

• “C” is for crunches, not cookies
• Whatever you do, don’t hold your breath
• Carpe Dumbells
• “Squat” is a 4 letter word
• Healthy. Strong. Happy
• No excuses

I had the opportunity to try out these towels as I was sent 2 motivational towels & given the opportunity to keep one for myself &  give one to a friend.  I picked these 2 phrases: “10 more reps & the cupcake is history” {I love sweets – so this is a good one for me! } as well as “Exert.Hydrate.Repeat” {gotta remember that water!}.

I think this is a great idea to share with friends because not only can it be a fun idea for you – but  what a unique gift for a friend, especially for someone who may be struggling with the motivation to keep up with those workouts!  All they need to do is take a look at one of the towels & it will either give them the laugh they need in the middle of their workout or inspire them to keep going.  The towels come with unique packaging as well – wrapped in cute, little organza bags  - all for just $8! Now that’s a fun & frugal gift idea! So, head on over to Words to Sweat By & check it out for yourself!

Giveaway – 2 winners will win 2 workout towels – 1 for yourself & 1 to give to a friend

Now, on to the giveaway….Words to Sweat By has offered to give 2 readers the chance to check out these motivational towels – not only for yourself, but also giving you an extra towel to give to a friend to hopefully inspire a friend who’s trying to get healthy!  That means that 2 readers will win 2 towels of your choice!!

This giveaway will end on Thursday, February 25th at 9pm pst! The two winners will be drawn using Random.org.  The winners will have 48 hours to contact me; otherwise a new winner(s) will need to be drawn.

How to Enter:

1st Entry (required entry)- Head on over to Words to Sweat By & share your favorite workout  towel phrase!

Extra Entries : (make sure these are all separate comments, otherwise they won’t be counted)

2) Subscribe to the Thrifty NW Mom feed via a reader of your choice or email (must be verified) or become a Google follower. (If you previously subscribed, you may need to resubscribe as your subscription may have been lost in the move.)

3) Add Thrifty NW Mom to your blogroll or add my new button (on the right sidebar with html) to your blog. Leave a comment saying you did this.

4)  Follow Thrifty NW Mom on Twitter and “Tweet” about this giveaway, with a link to this post (or my twitter name w/the tweet)! You must “tweet” in order to receive the extra entry (you can do this once per day) & leave your twitter name or link here. Here’s an example you can use:

Enter to win 2 motivational workout towels by @wordstosweatby. 2 readers can win 2 towels over @thriftynwmom http://bit.ly/bAwYxc

5) Follow Words to Sweat By on Twitter

Disclosure: This giveaway was made possible by Mom Made That.  Words to Sweat By sponsored this giveaway by providing me with 2 workout towels – one for myself as well as one to give to a friend. They are also providing 2 workout towels for 2 Thrifty NW Mom readers, randomly selected. No other compensation was given.  All opinions are 100% mine. See my disclosure statement for more details.

Words to Sweat By – Review & Giveaway is a post from: Thrifty NW Mom

I’m excited for this first giveaway that we have to kickoff our week of giveaways! This is a must-read book for any shopper -whether you are just starting out & wanting to learn about couponing or if you’re a seasoned shopper! Stephanie Nelson ,the founder of the popular “Coupon Mom” website has just released her new book, The Coupon Mom’s Guide to Cutting Your Grocery Bills in Half.

This book is filled with Stephanie Nelson’s steps for significantly slashing your grocery bill, shopping smart at wholesale clubs, buying organic while on a budget, budget-friendly recipes & much more!  It is full of information with over 21 chapters – basically learning her systematic system for reducing your grocery & drugstore costs, while not sacrificing a healthy diet or foods your family likes .  What I like about the book are all the visuals – she illustrates how the sales work & the savings you’ll find by using a number of charts, graphs & more- to show you just how significant are the savings once you start clipping coupons & following the sales. One other cool feature of this book that I found – in the back of the book in the Appendix, she listed several pages of companies which regularly send out coupons in response to customer emails! This is a great way to get some high-value coupons for those brands you love (and which may not regularly have coupons available).

The Coupon Mom’s Guide to Cutting Your Grocery Bills in Half: The Strategic Shopping Method Proven to Slash Food and Drugstore Costs the first book that is tailor-made for every kind of shopper and covers a variety of retailers including mass merchandisers, wholesale clubs, natural-food stores, and drugstores. Whether you’re a dedicated coupon clipper feeding a large family, or an on-the-go professional cooking for one or two most nights with little time to shop, The Coupon Mom’s Guide will help you and your family save money and live better.

Giveaway: 1 copy of “The Coupon Mom’s Guide” book

The Coupon Mom’s Guide to Cutting Your Grocery Bills in Half is currently being sold in stores – you can find it on Amazon for just $9.  Even better, you can enter to win 1 copy of the book here at Thrifty NW Mom!!  This giveaway will end on Saturday, February 6th at 4pm pst.

Here’s how to enter:

1st entry: Leave a comment telling me why you’d like to win The Coupon Mom’s Guide.

Extra Entries:

2)  Subscribe to the Thrifty NW Mom feed via RSS or email (must be verified) or become a Google follower. Become an email subscriber at top of blog on right side. Mention you’re a subscriber in a separate comment.

3)  Follow Thrifty NW Mom on Twitter and “Tweet” about this giveaway, with a link to this post (or my twitter name w/the tweet)! You must “tweet” in order to receive the extra entry!

4) Blog about this giveaway with a link to Thrifty NW Mom in your blog post. Leave a comment with the Url to your blog post.

5) Add Thrifty NW Mom to your blogroll or add my button (on my right sidebar) to your blog. Leave a comment saying you did this.

A winner will be drawn using Random.org on Saturday, February 6th at 4pm pst! Winners will have 24 hours to contact me; otherwise a new winner will be selected.

Note: Sorry for the delay in posting this – I’ve had some unexpected things come up this weekend! But, this now begins our fun week of giveaways!

Disclosure: This giveaway is sponsored by Stephanie Nelson by providing a Coupon Mom’s Guide book for myself to review as well as 1 copy to be given to a reader selected by random.  I did not receive any other compensation for this review and all opinions shared are my own.  See my disclosure policy for more information.

{Now Closed} Giveaway: The Coupon Mom’s Guide to Cutting your Grocery Bills in Half is a post from: Thrifty NW Mom

For those of you who are moms, I’m sure you all have experienced this problem at some point – those annoying sippy cups with straws that you can never get clean! The regular sippy cups all come apart, so you can clean them pretty easily in the dishwasher…but I find that it’s just impossible to get those silly straws clean. It seems like no matter how many times I run it thru the dishwasher, there’s always some “gunk” that stays stuck in the middle. Or for those of you with older children or if you yourself use a thermos or water bottle with a straw – it’s just hard to really get in there to clean – you just run them thru hot water & hope it gets it clean!

Sippy Straw Cleaner – Review & Giveaway is a post from: Thrifty NW Mom

Do you find that your kids are frequently losing items at school, church, camp, playgroups, friend’s houses and more? School’s always have a lost and found, but after working in a school, it seemed like there would be so many items that were never claimed by the kids since they weren’t sure if it was their jacket, sweatshirt, etc. Even if you have younger kids, it seems like there’s always an opportunity to leave a sweatshirt, jacket, sippy cup at a playgroup, activity, or outing! I am actually famous for leaving sippy cups behind – my daughter has always been one to leave them in strange places and so we have gone thru quite a few sippy cups!

, I’ve found a solution which will help you to find those items that were left behind much easier! Personalized labels for clothes, shoes, dishes (sippy cups, bowls, spoons), backpacks, you name it!! I recently had the opportunity to try out Mabel’s Labels, which are personalized labels for all those things that kids leave behind!! Mabel’s labels was created by a group of Canadian moms, who were fed up with their kids always leaving things behind and never getting them back! So, they created these extremely durable labels which can withstand the microwave, dishwasher, washing machine/dryer and more to stay put on your children’s items – so you can always find them! They are also UV-resistant, so the names won’t be faded from the sunlight!

Here are just some of the types of labels they offer:

-Skinny-Mini’s- These are smaller labels which can fit on spoons, toothbrushes (wouldn’t that be great for a sleepover – no confusion for the host as to who left their toothbrush ), small toys, school supplies, etc

I had the opportunity to try the Back-to-School combo, which included shoe labels, skinny mini’s (for dishes, bottles, tupperware, etc), and tag mates (for clothes labels)! I wanted to put them to the test by trying them out for a week or two and so far, they have held up really well, even thru several washings/cleanings and wear and tear from a preschooler (and my 3 yr old is pretty hard on things, too, so that’s saying a lot ). It’s fun finding all sorts of items that I can label such as sippy cups, jackets, sweaters, shoes, backpack/bags – all those items that you’d really hate to lose! And my daughter loves to see her name on her stuff – we even picked out a cute butterfly graphic to go along with her name!

I’m curious if anyone else has ever used Mabel’s labels or if you have any other suggestions of ways you could use these labels! I’m sure there are all sorts of creative ways you could put these labels to use!

Mabel’s Labels – Personalized Labels for Clothes, Bags, & more is a post from: Thrifty NW Mom

Have you spotted the new snack in stores from Nature Valley? They’ve just recently debuted their Nature Valley Granola Nut Clusters in stores and I had the opportunity to try them before they hit the stores, thanks to MyBlogSpark! Basically, they are bite-size clusters of nuts, granola and a little bit of honey. We were able to try all four of the flavors – Roasted Cashew, Nut Lovers, Honey Roasted Peanut, and Roasted Almond, and I have to say that I enjoyed all of them. My favorites were probably the Roasted Cashew and Honey Roasted Peanut, just because those are my two favorite nuts!

These are a great healthy treat for when you’re on the go! They are 100% natural with no high fructose corn syrup. It was perfect for us as we brought them on our trip out to central Washington for my husband’s teacher conference–and it was a nice little treat while in the car (didn’t have to worry about sticky or messy hands) or while out at the park! The clusters are a nice portion-size, too, so that you feel full pretty quickly, even after eating just a few of the clusters (although they are addictive – I have a hard time putting them down! ). Even better, they come in resealable packages–so you don’t have to worry about everything spilling out, refilling into ziplocs and your treats staying fresh!

Nature Valley Granola Nut Clusters – Review & Coupons is a post from: Thrifty NW Mom

I recently had the opportunity to review several products from Pevonia Botanica and I am *quite* impressed!!! First of all, just to give you a little background, Pevonia Botanica is a natural skin care brand, which is completely organic and offered by luxurious spas around the world for men, women, and teens. During your treatment, you would have a certified skincare specialist discuss your concerns with you and select the products they feel would be most beneficial for your face and body. You can then purchase products to use at home to continue a healthy skin regimen, unique to your individual skincare needs. An added benefit is that Pevonia products are all completely natural, with no animal testing and all packaging is fully recyclable and biodegradable. I was impressed by the testimonials - there are a number of celebrities who rave about the Pevonia products (even Matthew McConaughey uses their products-that was a surprise to me!)

I was very impressed when my products arrived as they were all beautifully packaged! I tried out the Combination Skin Line, which included a skin cleanser, eye makeup remover, skin lotion and skin cream. It came in a cute, green makeup bag! And I also tried out the Tropicale De-Aging Gift Set, which came in a very fun, chic box with a orange bow and satin surrounding the products inside. What a way to make you feel pampered!

I’ve been using the Pevonia products for several weeks now and honestly I am very pleased with all of them. I have very sensitive skin (for my entire body, but especially my face)–so I’m always a bit hesitant to try new products as it often results in breakouts or a burning feeling on my face. However, all of the products I’ve used from Pevonia have been extremely gentle on my skin and I have not had any problems at all! In fact, I love the feeling of the products as they feel so light and non-greasy!! I have definitely noticed an improvement in my skin as it feels softer & less dry! The Combination Skin Line products have a very pleasant scent–not too strong, but very fresh and clean-smelling! And the Tropicale De-Aging Set has a fun, tropical scent in Papaya-Pineapple – but again, the scent is not overpowering, but just light and fresh with a hint of the tropics (my hubby loves the tropical scents so he’s enjoying those scents)!

So, the good news is that you all have a chance to win the Tropicale De-Aging Gift Set in Papaya-Pineapple, which is valued at over $80 (pictured above)!! This is an awesome giveaway which Pevonia has generously offered to Thrifty NW Mom readers!!

Here’s what you’ll win::

1) De-Aging Saltmousse–”This aromatic De-Aging Saltmousse Papaya-Pineapple delivers an aroma-sensory experience. Its fluffy lather removes impurities and toxins by gently polishing your skin. As the salt dissolves, negative ions and repairing tropical fruit extracts are quickly absorbed. Your body emerges velvety-smooth. Ideal for all skin types.”

2) De-Aging Mist–”Awaken and infuse your skin with a refreshing boost of hydration any time. Deeply moisturizing, De-Aging Mist Papaya-Pineapple replenishes your skin with an aromatic blend of tropical fruits including Pomegranate, combined with Hyaluronic Acid, Aloe, Chamomile, and other natural ingredients. Ideal for all skin types.”
{This is my favorite–I enjoy spritzing it on from time to time during the day!}

3) De-Aging Body Balm–”Seductively rich and creamy, the De-Aging Balm Papaya-Pineapple awakens the senses with its delightful aroma and silky texture. Formulated with microemulsified Shea Butter, it is also enriched with Collagen and Elastin Polypeptides, Tegospheres with Retinol, Pomegranate, and other anti-aging tropical fruit extracts. Your skin is wonderfully replenished and visibly repaired. Ideal for all skin types.”

How to enter this giveaway::

(**Please make sure to leave an email address if there’s no way to contact you thru a blog link–you can email me at thriftynwmom@hotmail.com if you prefer not to leave your email address on here)

Required Entry::

1) Go to the Pevonia Botanica website and look around at all of their products. Then, come back and leave a comment on this post with your favorite product. (This step must be completed first in order for the extra entries to count)

Extra Entries:: (leave a separate comment for each entry)

** Subscribe to the Thrifty NW Mom feed via RSS or Email.

**Blog about this giveaway and post a link to your blog entry in a comment.

** Join the Thrifty NW Mom Facebook group.

**Follow Thrifty NW Mom on Twitter and “tweet” about this giveaway. Leave the link to your tweet or your twitter name in a separate comment. You can use this if you’d like::
” @ThriftyNWMom Enter to win a Pevonia Botanica Skincare Tropicale De-Aging Gift Set worth over $80 http://bit.ly/O4PBl “

** Add Thrifty NW Mom to your blogroll.

This giveaway will end at 9pm PST on Monday, June 1st. The winner will be selected by Random.org and will be posted on this blog as well as emailed or contacted on your blog. You will have 48 hours to contact me, otherwise a new winner will need to be selected!

Pevonia Botanica – Product Review & Giveaway – Ends on 6/1 at 9pm PST is a post from: Thrifty NW Mom

I am SO excited about this giveaway!!! I am absolutely in love with these adorable beanie hats made by the Portland Beanie Company!! They are each crocheted by hand with some very unique and trendy styles and colors!! The Portland Beanie Company is a small, family business based out of Portland, Oregon – I love that they are a Northwest company and in talking with Nili (the designer of the beanie hats), I found out that they are Christians as well! I love having the chance to support a NW company as well as a Christian-based company!!

(Here’s my little girl modeling the hat we received, although she didn’t want to smile on cue–isn’t that how it always works?!)

When I first saw these beautiful beanies, I knew they would be just gorgeous in person and I definitely was not disappointed when this super-cute beanie arrived for my (almost) 3 year old to wear! I’ve been a little wary in buying hats for my 3 year old as she’s been blessed with a larger head, so it’s hard to find a hat that will fit her just right. However, this visor beanie is just the perfect fit – seems to mold so well to her head!! Not only are these beanie hats absolutely adorable, they are more importantly very quality-made!! My daughter is the ultimate tester of that as she is tough on pretty much everything–clothes, toys, books, you name it!! She’s already tried out pulling it way down over her face, turning it every which way, you name it–and it goes right back to its original shape! Now, that is a well-made product!!

The Portland Beanie Company offers such an amazing variety & huge selection in their beanie hats. Their hats range from adorable, little newborn beanies for little boys or girls all the way up to adult beanies for men and women! They are very fun and trendy with their flapper, earflap, newsgirl, or visor styles!! They even sell Mary Jane slippers and scarves for girls! All of their products are made from 100% cotton.

They really would make the perfect baby gift for an expecting mother, or a fun birthday gift for an older child!! I also think they’d be awesome to use in a professional photography session – definitely something very unique to really make your pictures stand out!!

The exciting part is that the Portland Beanie Company is offering one FREE Children’s Beanie Hat as part of this giveaway!! The winner will be able to choose your favorite style, color and size for your beanie, from anywhere between the 0-3 months all the way up to the 5t-preteen size (so basically any of the children’s sizes in the beanies).

Furthermore, if you’re interested in buying any of these adorable beanies (or other products), The Portland Beanie Company is offering a special discount for Thrifty NW Mom readers!! You will receive a 15% rebate on all of the products you buy until the end of May. Here’s how it will work::

1) Put the code “Thrifty” in the “message to seller” section of checkout
2) You can pay by either Paypal or RME (Revolution Money Exchange)
3) You will then receive that 15% discount as a rebate sent back to you thru Paypal or RME after you place your order and send the payment.

How to enter this giveaway:::
*PLEASE make sure to leave an email address if there’s no way to contact you thru a blog link (you can email me at thriftynwmom@hotmail.com if you prefer not to leave your email address on here).

1) First, go to the Portland Beanie Company’s Etsy shop and look around at all of their cool products. Then, come back and leave a comment on this post with your favorite product. (This step must be completed first in order for the extra entries to count).

2) Follow Thrifty NW Mom on Twitter and Tweet about this giveaway. Leave the link to your tweet or your twitter name in a separate comment. You can use this if you’d like: “@ThriftyNWMom Enter to win an adorable children’s beanie hat of your choice: http://bit.ly/f3qd6 “

3) Subscribe to the Thrifty NW Mom feed via RSS or Email and let me know in a separate comment. If you already subscribe you can mention that in a separate comment as well.

4) Blog about this giveaway and post a link to this giveaway on your blog. Leave the link to your blog post on a separate comment.

5) Add Thrifty NW Mom to your blogroll or add the button to your blog and leave a separate comment (if you already have done this, leave that in a comment as well).

**6) Earn 5 EXTRA entries if you buy an item from the Portland Beanie Company. Leave that in a separate comment as well. Remember, you will get the 15% rebate by mentioning the code: “Thrifty” in your order.

This giveaway will end on Monday, May 18th at 2pm!! The winner will be selected by Random.org and will be posted on this blog as well as emailed or contacted on your blog.

Portland Beanie Company – Product Review & Giveaway is a post from: Thrifty NW Mom

I am excited to share with you an awesome, new website I’ve found. Pixie Bows is a fairly new company which has the most *adorable* hair accessories for little girls!! They feature the coolest baby snaps, bows, and clips for the tiniest babies to little girls of all ages. They are so unique and creative with their designs!

This is the perfect place to shop if you’re looking for very unique, trendy, and fun products for little girls! They have the sweet, dainty bows for your little girly girls….and then they also have fun, funky, eclectic clips for your gals who love to show their own unique personality & style! Their bows and clips are special in that they showcase different themed centers, such as popsicles, ice cream cones, butterflies, ladybugs, and strawberries.

I have to say that I’ve been on the hunt for bows for my oldest daughter ever since she was a baby. She has a lot of hair, but it is so fine, that bows and clips just slip thru her hair. When she was a baby, I could never get bows to stay in her hair. As she got older, I’d have to put her hair in a half ponytail and then put the bow above it in order for the bow to stay put for several hours. And I’ve found that my younger daughter, who’s 6 months old, also has that super fine hair where bows and clips just slip right out.

Pixie Bows sent me an adorable hot pink crochet baby snap for me to try out with my baby! It is all hand-made with a crocheted flower and little jeweled center on a tiny baby snap clip. Of course I had to put it on her right away!! I ended up keeping it in her hair several hours and *not once* did it even move — boy, that thing stayed put (even after all her rolling around on the floor), looking so pretty in her hair!! It’s just the sweetest, daintiest little clip!! And it didn’t leave any marks on her head, like some of the cheaper quality bows might do. They use velcro between the clip for a soft, but firm grip! So, even those of you whose babies have very little hair–these baby snaps are perfect because they will stay put!! They also heat seal the ribbons so you know you’re getting a long-lasting, quality product!! Oh, and for a special, extra touch – the bows arrive in darling, little organza bags!

Here’s a picture of my little one wearing the bow (it’s not the best picture as she is a FAST mover these days so it’s literally impossible to get her to stay still to focus on the bow!) But, as you can see, it’s the perfect size for your baby.

Pixie Bows is offering Thrifty NW Mom readers a special discount right now, where you can get 15% off your entire purchase, using the coupon code: TNW15. You’ll definitely want to head on over to Pixie Bows and see the large assortment of bows, clips, and baby snaps they have to offer for your precious little girls!! They have a great website which shows pictures of the various products on children, so you can see what the sizing and products look like in real life! The best part is that all the products are handmade by two stay-at-home moms who both have a background in the fashion business, so they stay on top of the latest & greatest styles!

Pixie Bows – Product Review is a post from: Thrifty NW Mom