All In The Name Contest and Giveaway Part 1

Many of you may, or may not, have seen my post about the controversy I had started with my “Little Bitty” name for my soaps. Well some woman felt very threatened by the competition and I for one, would hate to feel like I stole her thunder, I so willing agreed to comply to a name change. Besides…..my soap is not little, in fact, the scent is HUGE and so are the bars. So I am bragging, whatever, at least I am confident in my abilities, you have to be in a doggy dog world.

Anyway, I have been stewing this weekend trying to devise a plan for a new name. I know I cannot do this job alone. I am not too proud to ask for help either, which is why I am asking YOU, my faithful friends, family, and readers to help me in the daunting task of formulating a new name for my soapery business.

Here are some helpful hints to play on:
My full name is Karie Noel Herring, Hudson is my maiden name, I live in Arizona, anything else you already know, or semi-know, or will know at the end of all of this! LOL

 

Here are the fun deets:

 

  • Visit the blog that I share with my sisters, that we have neglected lately. (I can hear a whip cracking as I say that we have neglected this.)
  • Come back and leave me a comment telling me a name you would suggest for the soap business.
  • Come back and leave me a comment telling me which soap you would like to have, which soap and or bath item you would like to try, and what soap, scent, and formula (dry skin, sensitive, baby, etc) you would like to see made
Those are the basic entries, here are the extra credit ones!
  • Fave my blog on Technorati (button at the top makes it easy. *wink)
  • Stumble this post
  • Follow me (if you don’t already)
  • Follow the blog I share with my sisters (if you don’t already)
  • Follow me on Twitter (if you don’t already)
  • Twitter this, get more ideas for names, post for the tweet and any new name ideas
  • Blog about this Giveaway and Contest with a Link Back (worth 5 entries!)
~~~*** But remember, the first three deets must be completed before any extra entries will be accepted. The more names submitted, the more chances to win!~~~***

 

Now here is how the winner will be chosen. I personally….WILL NOT CHOOSE!! I know, how crazy of an idea is that!!?? Seriously, I am putting this task in your hands, the power of the people, how very democratic of me right?! Yup, so then I don’t have to worry about hurting feelings! I will post all the names and you get a chance to vote on the name….and only one vote per person to be totally fair and allow everyone a chance to participate. So this is a 2-part giveaway!

 

What do you win when a name, or a few names are chosen? My bath products of course….but you will have to wait and see until Part 2 of the Giveaway and Contest!!
Part 1 of the giveaway ends July 13th at Midnight AZ Time.
Have fun!!

UPrinting Blog Sponsorship Rocks!

Not just because they have goods for me, but because they offer great discounts, get involved in the community, are green, I mean what else can you ask for? For instance, last night at my Busy Bee Mothers of Multiples meeting I could have chalked up tons of hits for the old blog by passing out cards from UPrinting. Just think about the opportunity to have business cards made with your name, blog, and URL to pass out to those you meet, promoting your blog, promoting UPrinting, getting the word out and promoting these incredible offers! Passing them out at BlogHer, Mom Summit, you name it!UPrinting is great for all the great opportunities they offer bloggers, bloggers like me. I wanted to thank them and give a big shout out! You guys rock! In the meantime, here is the skinny on UPrinting and what they have to offer. I applied with them for my Mothers of Multiples Club. I mean 65 ladies with the support of UPrinting, who tell their husbands, friends, they tell their friends….that’s a lot to go around for word of mouth promotion! Not to mention UPrinting is involved in Kiva to support growth in developing countries, just like Purex, how fantastic is that!

Why UPrinting.com isn’t your average printing company:

Blog Sponsorships:
If you are looking to find a sponsor for your blog, UPrinting.com is definitely interested. We offer giveaways, advertising and more for qualified bloggers.

Non-Profit Sponsorships:
The U-Community Program sponsors hundreds of non-profits and education to improve our local communities.

Social Justice Projects:
The UPrinting Kiva account promotes small business growth in developing countries.

Green Printing:
UPrinting supports a sustainable future by recycling, using non-toxic inks, and offering eco-friendly recycled paper stocks for business cards and postcard printing.

Purex 3-In-1 Laundry Sheets Review and Giveaway!

Have you all seen the new Purex 3-In-1 laundry system?

I have to say I was so pumped when I applied to be a Purex Insider. I wanted to know what all the buzz was about. Now that the product is out I really really wanted to know how it worked and how well it worked! Well I was able to get the chance. But before I get into that here is the deal with Purex and how they are changing lives for women around the globe:

Purex is trying to change lives not only with this revolutionary product but also by helping others. They have teamed up with Angie Harmon and Kiva to support women owned businesses around the globe. Visit www.purexchangeslives.com to view the profiles of women-owned businesses. You can support a femal entrepreneur of your choice just by entering the bar code form any Purex Complete 3-in-1 Laundry Sheets. For every bar code entered, Purex will make a donation to a Kiva approved woman-owned business.

Mom Select - Bringing Companies and Moms Together

When I received the package I was totally ecstatic! I immediately called my sister and asked if she was part of the Mom Select product opportunity. She told me she had not seen anything yet. We gabbed and I immediately had to do laundry! I know I am a huge geek. But I had to see for myself if the product was really as phenomenal as everyone was saying.

Purex 3-in-1 Laundry Sheets come in three different scents: Tropical Escape, Spring Oasis, and Pure & Clean. The packaging comes in a starter pack which is the sheet holder and 20 sheets and refill packs. I got the starter pack, so all I have to do is buy refills.

So I did some laundry. They smelled clean. They smelled fresh. But were they soft and cuddly like my clothes normally turn out after washing and drying?

To be honest I love my clothes feeling like wet noodles, just oozing softness and reeking of softener. Only because I am weird like that. So while the clothes were clean and crisp, they were not to my softness standards. But I figured okay, they still have to go through the dryer, lets see how they stand up. Once out of the dryer they were dry, soft, but not the soft that I am used to.

I truly love the product. I mean look at the room it takes up in my laundry room as opposed to the bulky bottles and other stuff. Plus the ease of use, no more pushing that pain in the neck button to dispense the soap and the softener. Not to mention the drip messes! ICK

My next test was that of the “stain.” Kids are kids, they are slobs and everything gets all over their clothes! My Little Bitty is the queen of stains. The girl can stain anything, anywhere, anytime if you give her something she will make it a stain somehow. So here is her shirt the night we had spaghetti (Tuesday night). I pre-treat all my clothes in Holy Cow, and if you have never heard of or used Holy Cow….HOLY COW are you missing out! Go check that post out later.
But I treated Little Bitty’s shirt with Holy Cow and threw it in the wash. Her shirt did not turn out the way I had hoped, remnants of the spaghetti sauce still remained, which required me to throw the shirt back into the laundry for yet another washing. However, the box does state that larger loads or dirtier loads may require an additional sheet….so maybe this might have helped.

All in all, I think the product is great, maybe a little more tweaking with the softener and detergent potency, but again, a great product! Plus look at all the extra space in the laundry room!

Now that I have had a chance to test out this fantastic product one of my lucky readers will enjoy the opportunity to WIN their very own starter package of Spring Oasis Purex 3-in-1 Laundry Sheets! Here are the rules….and remember rules are rules, everyone play fair!

THESE HAVE TO BE DONE PRIOR TO ANY ADDITIONAL ENTRIES. IF NOT, NO ENTRY.

  • Go to the Purex site and tell me why the Laundry Sheets are better.
  • Check out the entrepreneurs and let me know which one you would support with this package.

Extra entries

  • Follow this blog (or tell me you already do!)
  • Subscribe to my feed, or tell me you do (I do verify! So no monkey business)
  • Follow me on Twitter (or tell me you already do)
  • Tweet this giveaway and what it supports
  • Stumble this post, come back and tell me you did.
  • Fave my blog on Technorati (or tell me you already have)
  • Blog about this, spread the word about empowering women around the globe, come back and leave me the link. (Worth 5 extra entries, be sure to post a comment for each entry)
~~**CONTEST ENDS MIDNIGHT JULY 10TH ARIZONA TIME.**~~
Please leave me a valid email address. Scavenger hunts are not my forte! No valid email address no opportunity to win. Also remember, follow the first two rules in order to be considered for the giveaway. Good luck to each of you!

Little Bitty Soap Giveaway!!

You can have a piece, well pieces, of the Little Bitty Soap company in your home!

My sister Brittany is hosting a giveaway of my special blend that I made for her and a lucky reader to enjoy in their home and bath!

So please head on over to Brittany Greer’s casa and check out the Little Bitty Soap Giveaway!

Giveaways GALORE

So many giveaways on the blogosphere that I wanted to take a moment this Saturday to promote them. Not only are they fabulous, but some are just splendid for the kiddies too!Imagine all of your favorite girlie items in one giveaway!?

You can’t?!!!!!

Well go check out Fantabulously Frugal with a giveaway of some great Etsy products, some Marc Jacobs, some Smashbox Lip gloss, all things trendy, and what every woman would want in her handbag! Check out the giveaway, ends soon!

Now want something for your little princess? How about some super safe, super sweet girlie nail polish for your little darling?

My dear friend and sister at The Greer Five is having a Piggy Paint giveaway! So be sure to go check her out. Not to mention she is giving away a gift certificate to ECOStore USA, some great books for you and the kids, she has got it all!! Be sure to check her out, her giveaways end soon too!

Go Go Pets Review & Giveaway

Some families enjoy the pleasure of adopting a new pet into the family. They are loved, petted, caressed, looked after, named, and then finally cleaned up after. The cleaning job is generally left to mom and dad…..in my household namely me. The most common request for pets that I have heard from mom’s and dad’s have been dogs, cats, fish, and hamsters.

The folks at Mom Select and Cepia Toy decided to choose Phoenix and the Phoenix-metro areas to invade and unveil “Go Go Pets.” Go Go Pets are great because they mimic real life pets without all the fuss and my home was one chosen to review their hamster pets and the “habitrails” that were included.

So my family is the proud owner of a hamster named Mr. Squiggles. I am quite happy to have adopted and received Mr. Squiggles for a few reasons:

  1. No mess. Hamsters are stinky, they live in cages, and they have all sorts of junk they make messes with. YUCK
  2. Hamsters are a rodent….I hunt rodents like the pests they are. This rodent, you would never know he was and is a rodent.
  3. The feeding, the cleaning, all the excelsior cedar for their cages, we don’t need any of that.
  4. I never have to worry about him dying and explaining to the kids why we put him in a shoe box….I just crack him open and pop in new AAA batteries.

When the box arrived and I opened to see all the different habitrails I was a bit overwhelmed and spent a good amount of time putting the pieces together. Not that there is a lot to them, just there were a number of habit areas for the little rodent. Plus having an antsy five year old doesn’t help when you are trying to put something together as fast as you can so they can begin playing. So here is what some of the “habitrails” looked like partially assembled:

Now with any toy and or new animal you have to find a place for them and they all have little quirks, ticks, and annoyances for some parents, here are mine:

  1. Immediately had to change the batteries. As with any new toy as the batteries installed are for demo use only and not full play so they die within an hour of hard play.
  2. The habitrail comes apart easily requiring an adult to continuously put the contraptions back together.
  3. Mr. Squiggles didn’t like the wheel. He would fall over sideways, again requiring someone to fix him or get him off the wheel altogether.
  4. The hamster is ALWAYS making noise. I don’t mind toys that make noise, but there should be some shut off timer that after some time and no response the thing shuts up!
  5. He likes to back up A LOT, so going forward around the habitrail was a task for Mr. Squiggles.

Now I am not saying anything bad about the toy itself, just that I have higher preferences as a parent and mom about some of the toys my kids play with. Overall though my oldest boy LOVES Mr. Squiggles and the Go Go Pets toy. My twins, they like it because they can play demolition team on the house and chase the little fur ball. My philosophy is if the kids like it and are happy with the toy with no complaints….I’m good as well.

Here is a good deal about Go Go Pets…..you get one too!! Yup, you get your very own hamster and a habitrail. No muss or fuss of a real hamster, but your kids get to enjoy all the endless hours and entertainment that the cute little rodent brings! He has a love setting where he purrs for you and talks and his Go Go setting where he is on the move! Want to win your own Go Go Pet and habitrail? Here is what you will get:

One Hamster – Chunk

One habitrail – Car & Garage

Now here are all the rules for playing and you must post a comment for each entry and the additional entries thereafter to increase your odds (1 comment = 1 entry, Rinse and Repeat). Let me also say…if you don’t follow the rules…..no loot…….no email, no loot, rules are made for a reason and to avoid spammers! So let the fun begin:

  1. Follow my blog and tell me you do so or have done so, make sure you leave a valid email addy. (Worth 1 entry)
  2. Subscribe to my blog in a feed, then come tell me you did so. (Worth 1 entry)
  3. Follow me on Twitter @KariewithaK come back and tell me so (Worth 2 entries)
  4. Tweet my giveaway on Twitter, come back and tell me you did, one per day please! (Worth 3 entries)
  5. Grab my button to your right, add it to your blog, come back and give me the link showing you did! (Worth 5 entries)
  6. Tell me why you would want one of these cute little fur balls for your kiddos, with your valid email addy. (Worth 2 entries)
  7. Blog about this giveaway with the Mom Select button below and my button, come back and give me the link. (Worth 6 entries!!)
Now if you do not provide a valid email address you will be excluded from the drawing. The giveaway ends on June 7th @ Midnight AZ Time. I will choose a winner from Random.org

Good luck and have fun!

Sun Protection Zone, MFS EyeWear Review & GIVEAWAY

Summer is upon us. I really thought maybe the hot summer days wouldn’t creep in until say June, but I had to settle for mid-May. Which means in Arizona you are having 100+ degree days from the middle of May until say October. FABULOUS! This in turn means lots of outdoor time in the pool or playing in the water outside. So when I was contacted to review these products I was thrilled!

SPF, or your Sun Protection Factor, is a biggie when outdoors. While the temperatures may or may not be scorching your skin will be, especially for little gnomes and munchkins. Your typical sunscreen needs to be applied 30 minutes before outdoor or water activities. Most parents slather or spray the stuff on and send kids on their way, in most cases the kids are partially protected, but the sunscreen will need to be reapplied in a shorter amount of time.
Sunscreen generally is reapplied every two hours. Well when you are out by the pool or in the water swimming you lose all concept of time and in some cases protections. The same can be said for any outdoor activity like hiking, yard work, leisurely walks, literally any outdoor activity. Some people just totally forget to reapply until they see that they are turning a different shade of brown, pink, red, or purple for the severely sun burned individual. Adding sunscreen at that point is useless, you are burned and you will continue to do so even afterward.
So the folks at Sun Protection Zone and MFS EyeWear sent some super fantastic sun protection products for my little Squids and Big G to test out. Who better to test than these three! They are the ultimate destruction team. Give them less than a minute and they can destroy ANYTHING.
Before we go into all the cool things, here is what Sun Protection Zone has to say about their product offerings and some snippets about sun protection:
Understanding the Ratings:
What’s the difference between UPF & SPF?
SPF
SPF is the ratio of time required to produce minimal erythema (redness) when a sunscreen products has been applied compared to the time required to produce the same amount of erythema without the sunscreen. This means, if skin reddening takes 20 minutes with a person who is using no protection, theoretically, the use of a sunscreen with an SPF of 15 would prevent reddening 15 times longer (about 5 hours).
UPF

 

Australian researchers introduced the term Ultraviolet Protection Factor (UPF) in 1996. It defines the amount of Ultraviolet light (UVL) that penetrates a fabric. UPF is a ranking of fabrics according to how much UVL penetration occurs based on standardized criteria. For example, a UPF rating of 30 would indicate that 1/30 of the UVL hitting the fabric actually penetrates it. Therefore, fabric with tighter weaves and thicker fibers will have a higher UPF.
Factors Affecting the Rating
Tightness of knit or weave: basically the tighter the weave, the higher the SPF/UPF. When a fabric is stretched, the tightness of the weave diminishes, resulting in increased UVL transmission. *Thicker fabrics have higher SPF/UPF than thinner fabrics. When fabric gets wet, its SPF/UPF can decrease dramatically. Wet cotton can lose up to 50% of its SPF/UPF. This is because water reduces the scattering of UVL, thereby increasing its transmission of harmful ultraviolet rays. Dark colors are more protective than white. In a study of identical fabrics, which were either white or dyed, it was found that white cotton fabrics had an UPF of 12, whereas a similarly constructed black fabric had UPF of 32. In testing polyester, the studies showed that a white polyester was a 16 UPF and black polyester was a 34 UPF. The popular view that white is more sun protective than dark colors is erroneous.
Why Buy Sun Protection Zone
For every website purchase of Sun Protection Zone products, a portion of the proceeds will be given to the American Melanoma Foundation.
Products include:
  • SunSkinz – children’s rash guards/suits are composed of four- way breathable stretch materials designed to equal 100% SPF protection against harmful UVA/UVB rays and come in a variety of cool colors and patterns. Diaper snaps are conveniently available in toddler sizes to ensure maximum comfort for even the youngest of children.
  • DuckSkinz – adult rash guard/zip up jackets perfect for any outdoor enthusiast as it provides protection against the elements – including water. Tightly woven with proprietary fibers, the material effectively repels water while also providing 100% SPF protection against UVA/UVB rays.
  • Sun Hats – for children and adults are comprised of ultra protective microfiber for comfortable protection. Adult hats incorporate an adjustable feature while the children’s legionnaire hats are available in several fun and bold colors.Sunglasses – 100% UVA/UVB protective eye wear with wraparound adjustable neoprene band is available in an assortment of fresh colors, patterns and styles for infants and children to choose from.

 

  • UV Solar Monitor Wristbands – Coat the bands with the same sunscreen you’ve applied and it instantly activates! The band changes colors throughout the day to indicate when to reapply sunscreen and once more to indicate when to seek shade. Packaged as 7 bands per box, use them for the day and then throw them away.

So here is the skinny on my kids and the Sun Protection Zone gear. Pickles Magoo was less than enthused….fashion is not a big deal for the boy. Little Bitty, well she was more than happy to oblige. Big G, the boy couldn’t contain himself. You would have thought it was Christmas Day the way he grabbed the outfit and ran. Here is said outfit….at least I got some beauty shots before my beautiful son put it on:

Now here is the best part. Every good looking outfit needs accessories right? Well Sun Protection Zone and the folks at MFS EyeWear sent some great shades for the Squids! The twins got these really cool looking hats and sunglasses. I know…sunglasses?!!
Here is the skinny on MFS EyeWear:

KIDS ARE AT GREATER RISK FROM UV RAYS

How often do you see families out in the sun, the grown-ups wearing sunglasses while the kids are squinting, blinded by the light?

Just seeing in bright sunshine is difficult without shades, and the fact is that kids’ eyes are more susceptible to sun damage than adults’ eyes. The American Academy of Ophthalmology says, “Like your skin, your eyes never recover from UV exposure,” and, driving home the point, “exposure to bright sunlight increases the risk of developing cataracts, macular degeneration, and growths on the eye, including malignancies.”

According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, until they’re about 10 years old children are at an increased risk for permanent retinal damage from sunlight. Exposure to UVA and UVB rays can lead to eye disease, such as macular degeneration, which scientists now believe is a leading cause of blindness in adults.

Of course, some sunlight is good for everyone. Sunlight is one of our main sources of vitamin D. (It’s amazing what our bodies can do.) But just like sunburn on skin, too much sunlight causes sunburn of the eyes, a condition called photokeratitis. Extended exposure to the sun during childhood has been linked to cataracts in adults.

82% of parents encourage children to wear sunscreen, but only 32% do the same for sunglasses. It’s time to take seriously the health risk sunlight poses to our kids’ eyes.

Whose kid would wear sunglasses?

MINE

Squids are coated with SPF 50 Sunscreen

Needless to say Big G loved his suit. His pose is of him being a super hero (super villain is what he told DH and I) *insert sound effects by five year old boy. Now he is all excited to wear the suit on Thursday for his last day of school and water day…and we’re going to let him. Now here is the best part for all of my loyal readers and new subscribers!!!!

*Drum roll………
You get to win these goodies. Now here are all the rules for playing and you must post for each entry and the additional entries thereafter to increase your odds
(1 comment = 1 entry, Rinse and Repeat). Let me also say…if you don’t follow the rules…..no loot, no email, no loot, rules are made for a reason and to avoid spammers!

  1. Your first entry to win is to follow this blog, and tell me you did or you are currently a follower. (Comment to tell me you follow or are a new follower)
  2. Go check out MFS EyeWear and Sun Protection Zone, tell me what items you like the most for your munchkin or munchkins including sizes. Worth 2 entries.
  3. Follow me on Twitter @KariewithaK. Worth 2 entries.
  4. Tweet the giveaway, come back and tell me you did! (One per day please) Worth 3 entries.
  5. Grab my button, add it to your blog page, come back and tell me you did along with a little linky for me to check ‘er out. Worth 5 entries.
  6. Buy something from MFS EyeWear or Sun Protection Zone, email me your purchase confirmation (minus CC details and such), I will email you a code. Come back and give me the code which is worth 5 more entries!
  7. Blog about this giveaway, come back and tell me about it. Worth 2 entries.
Easy peasy right?!
You MUST provide a
valid email address in order to win. No valid email….no loot and the booty goes to the next winner in line.

Alright the contest ends on *June 3rd 2009 @ Midnight Arizona Time.
The Winner will be chosen by Random.org.
The contest date has been extended.