Sugar Lips: Pink Sugar Sugar Scrub

Today's review belongs to my solitary Second Place winner...Sugar Lips. Sugar Lips is a wonderful store on Etsy and is owned/operated by Hilary. I love Etsy, you can find so many good things there

Just to recap my judging categories so you can follow along. I judged all the scrubs on four areas. Appearance: packaging, how the product looks in and out of the jar, any leaks, coloring etc. Scent: how strong or weak is the fragrance, does the fragrance smell as it should and how long does the scent last after rinsing.

Exfoliation: How did the scrub feel between the fingers, how did it feel during scrubbing, does it stick well to the skin and does it do its job? Moisturization: did it rinse easily, how did the skin feel after rinsing and after towel drying, how long did the moisture last, etc.

Hilary presented me with her Sugar Scrub in Pink Sugar. It arrived in good condition with no leaks. I love her style on the jar. I really like seeing how each individual's style comes out in their labels and packaging. The labels were simple but had a unique style and were of course: waterproof. The scrub had oil on top but the oil mixed in very well with the scrub and there was no separation after I mixed it (it stayed mixed overnight!). The scrub stuck together really well coming out of the jar.

The scent had a good moderate strenght to it and was a really good "pink sugar" fragrance. The scent lasted about a half an hour on the skin after rinsing.

I really liked the texture of this scrub, it was almost creamy. Even though there had been oil on top, it didn't have an "oily" feel to it at all. During scrubbing it felt good and gritty, just the way a sugar scrub should feel. It did a great exfoliation job and the sugar melted away the more I scrubbed. That made for a good and easy rinsing!

After I was done rinsing, my skin had a very silky and very smooth feeling to it. There was no greasy or oily residue or anything on my skin. Even after towel drying, I still felt moisturized. The moisture lasted over half an hour after drying. All in all, excellent moisturization.

I know I've mentioned before that this was a tough competition. There's only 2 points separating first from second and 2 points again separating second from third place. Sugar Lips' scrub is a wonderful product. I'm glad that Hilary was a part of my contest and I hope to see more of her products in my house in the future.

Somethin Special's Pink Sugar Sugar Scrub

Sue Leeseman is the owner of Somethin Special and she presented me with her Sugar Scrub in Pink Sugar. I applied the same criteria in all my scrub judging. Appearance, Scent, Exfoliation and Moisturization. And Sue's sugar scrub tied for first place and rightly so.

The first thing that impressed me was that Sue only uses 6 ingredients in her scrub. A combination of sugar, sweet almond oil, shea butter, jojoba oil, rice bran oil and scented oil. Alot of the samples I received had many more ingredients. I was really surprised that this scrub not only had just these few ingredients but really performed so well.

The package arrived without any leaks and everything was listed on the label on the cap. This sample was also sealed which protects against any leaks. Sue's scrub has an ivory color to it and came with the oils on top. However, the oils mixed in very well with the rest of the scrub and did not separate once mixed.

The fragrance was right on the money. I felt this was the best "Pink Sugar" fragrance out of all of the pink sugar samples. It was exactly as it should be. The fragrance lasted over an hour on my skin after rinsing and drying. An added bonus!

The sugar of this scrub is also a fine grain sugar and felt good and gritty! Very easy to use and the sugar melts away as you scrub. Sue's scrub does exactly what a sugar scrub is supposed to do!

It was very easy to rinse off and left my skin feeling very soft and silky. I didn't even need lotion at all during the day, even after drying off. The moisture lasted long after towel drying. My skin felt like I had put lotion on except unlike lotion, this feeling lasted all day.

Sue offers a large variety of sizes for her scrubs. You can get this sugar scrub in a 4 ounce size for only $3.99, an 8 ounce for $5.99 or a 16 ounce for $11.99. She offers sugar scrubs with 50% more oil if that's your preference and she offers a salt&sugar scrub too. For the scrub addicts, you can even get a gallon size jar of sugar scrub!!!

Please visit these lovely ladies and try their scrubs for yourselves. Let me know what you think by leaving me some comments. I'd love to see what you think of my Best Sugar Scrubs!!

Bidwell Botanicals: Spun Sugar Sugar Scrub

Now I'd like to start reviewing my sugar scrub winners so you know why I felt they were the best.

I had four areas that I looked at when trying the scrubs and judging the scrubs. First is appearance. That includes packaging, labels, jars etc. Appearance was worth 10 points.
Second is Scent. Was the scent exactly what is said it should be? How long did it last after rinsing? Scent was worth another 10 points.Third was exfoliation. I was looking to see if the scrub did it's job and how it felt during use. Exfoliation was worth 50 points. Finally comes Moisturization. I looked to see how easily the scrub rinsed off, how my skin felt afterwards and how long the moisture lasted. Moisturization was worth 30 points.



Jill Jones, the owner of Bidwell Botanicals, sent me a sample of her Spun Sugar Sugar Scrub. It arrived in great condition with no leaks at all. The presentation of her product was lovely, settled in it's own box. All of the ingredients were listed and the labels were easy to read. She also used an inside seal on her jar which is really a must for sugar scrubs. Sugar was the first ingredient and there were plenty of moisturizing oils in the mix. When I opened the jar the scrub looked like pink shaved ice. It really stayed together well and had a good consistent color.


The fragrance reminded me almost like Pink Sugar meets cheesecake. It was very pleasant and was just right...not too strong and not too light. It was right on the money. The scent lasted on my skin for well over an hour after rinsing.


The sugar she uses is a fine grain sugar, which seems to work the best in any sugar scrub (and it is the primary type used in most of the scrubs I tried). It was thick, silky and good n gritty! The scrub really stuck to the skin and I did not lose much of it to the shower floor. It was an excellent exfoliant and rinsed very easily.


After I rinsed it off, my skin felt smooth and silky all over. The scrub gave my skin a silky finish and it did not feel greasy or oily. Even after towel drying, the moisturization lasted and continued to last all day. I did not need to use any lotion on my body after using this scrub, even after towel drying.


Bidwell Botanicals' Spun Sugar Sugar Scrub hit a home run on everything I was looking for. It was packaged in an excellent manner, the fragrance was just right, it provided fantastic exfoliation and more than excellent moisturization.


Now, I know everyone has their own opinion about things. Please remember that I was the judge and jury for this contest. I'm sure some people reading this may think someone else's scrub is the best and I respect everyone's opinion. If you think someone has a better scrub, let me know. Next up is Somethin Special...

CONGRATULATIONS TO THE WINNERS OF THE BEST OF SUGAR SCRUBS CONTEST!

The scrubbing is done and the judging is finished. It has been a very very tough decision. I want to express my deepest admiration to all the ladies who have worked so hard to create these scrubs and their other products. Running your own business isn't easy but all of these ladies deserve praise and respect!

Now for the big announcement!!!!!!

There is a TIE for First Place! I went over and over all of my notes and both of these scrubs came out on top together no matter what. So The Best Sugar Scrubs are:

Bidwell Botanicals: Spun Sugar Sugar Scrub

and

Somethin Special: Sugar Scrub in Pink Sugar

Tomorrow I will post on each of these to let you know why they are the best sugar scrubs around!!!!

Second Place goes to....

Sugar Lips: Pink Sugar Sugar Scrub

Thursday I will give you all the review on Sugar Lips' scrub and why that one took second place.

Third Place also has a tie....

Relaxation Works: Cranberry Cocktail Body Sorbet Scrub

and

Klean Bath and Body: The Devil Made Me Do It Chocolate Body Polish


Friday you will be able to read the review on both of these wonderful scrubs.

I do want to give some Honorable Mentions to the other top scrubs:

Sublime Dragonfly: Shea Sugar Scrub in Almond Oatmeal
Heavenly Bubbles: Cranberry Lime Sugar Scrub
Skin & Tonic: Sugar Scrub in Pink Grapefruit
Auntie Rhubarb: Sugar Frosting in Lemon Cake

So Congratulations to all of the winners!!! You all make a fantastic sugar scrub and should be proud of what you have accomplished!!!! And, to all you consumers out there, be sure to visit their sites and try the scrubs for yourselfs. Decide for yourself or just get yourself a darn good product!!!!

Thank you to all the entrants!

Stay tuned, my next contest will be coming in August!

The Scrubbing is DONE!

Well, I have scrubbed and scrubbed myself raw the past month. I have finally finished sampling the last entry into the Best of Sugar Scrubs Contest. Now, the judging begins! And, this is going to be tough. These ladies all have produced wonderful products and today I want to give them all kudos here on Products of the Day!
So please feel free to visit their sites and see what they have to offer. I'll be announcing the winners next week!

Again, thank you to all the fantastic Indie Etailers who entered the contest!

Ginger's Garden
www.gingersgarden.com

Two Rivers Soaps
www.tworiverssoaps.com

Heavenly Bubbles
www.heavenlybubbles.com

Bidwell Botanicals
www.bidwellbotanicals.com

Sweet Spice
http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5045885

JojoElle
www.jojoelle.com

Lindsay's Candles
www.lindsayscandles.com

Relaxation Works Spa
www.relaxationworks.net

Skin and Tonic
http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5013070

Not Soap Radio
www.notsoapradio.com

Coon's Farm
www.coonsfarm.com

Sugar Lips
http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=53073

Sublime Dragonfly
http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=24664

Somethin Special
www.somethinspecial.com

Auntie Rhubarb
www.auntierhubarb.com

Pacific Scents
www.pacificscents.com

Hollyrose Aromatherapy
www.hollyrosearomatherapy.com

Lushbox
www.lushbox.com

Foster's Creations
www.fosterscreations.com

Klean Bath and Body
www.kleanbathandbody.com

Kudos to Quarry Jewelry!!!!

I have a wedding to goto in a couple of weeks. We are GETTING RID OF THE KIDS!!! Whoohoo! Yes, as you can tell I'm very very excited that the kids are going to their Uncle's for the night and I get a night out with the man. Anyway, since we're sans kids, I want to look nice. I actually was able to find a nice dress the second time out shopping (that never never never happens). I have an appointment to get the hair done up nice. So, next I needed to find myself some jewelry.

My dress is a chocolate brown dress with a little gold sparkle to it. No beading or anything like that but nice draping over the bodice that drapes a little down the back. In the words of my husband "You finally found something that doesn't make you look 5 feet wide!" Don't think bad of him, that's actually a compliment and, he is right. I finally found a nice dress that doesn't accentuate my fatty parts (plus with the additional help of my Spanx it's even better).

I started my search for jewelry a few days ago. I figured I'd goto Kohl's or JC Penney and find something. Then I thought, DUH, look at the Indie jewelry makers. I mean the craftwork and quality will be much better and I'll probably have way more to choose from. So, I posted on the Switchboards forum looking for jewelry. Let's just say I got alot of messages back lol. What's great is they all know that I'd get alot of messages and that there would be no hard feelings if I didn't go with their work. I love that forum, if only this country worked like that forum community then it would be a better place to live. Anyway, I digress.

I looked through all the websites of these wonderful artists and then I came across these earrings...

The pretty pink stone is a Peruvian Opal with Smokey Quarts and freshwater pearls. I thought these were perfect. The brown is there in the Quartz with a bit of sparkle but then there's this wonderful pink stone to add some really pretty color. So, I emailed Jennifer at Quarry Jewelry back (yes, there are quite a few "Jennifers" in the Indie world) and we started to talk about necklaces to go with these beauties. I kinda had a design in mind and sketched it out on paper. I don't have a scanner so I had to take a picture, upload it and email it to her.

And, this is what she came up with:

This is EXACTLY the necklace that I had in my head. She did a wonderful job in a short amount of time. So I wanted to give a huge KUDOS to Jennifer at Quarry Jewelry. She has many many other beautiful pieces so please go check out her site:

www.quarryjewelry.com

I would also like to thank all the other jewelry artists who got in touch with me to show me their wares. Please feel free to visit their stores...I'm sure you'll find something that catches your eye on one of these sites.

Blue Pirahna Jewelry

www.bpjewelry.com

Rosaries and Jewelry by Laura

www.rosariesandjewelrybylaura.com

808 Girl Designs

www.808girldesigns.com

Weekend Jewelry

www.weekend-jewelry.com

dejarnette New Orleans

http://www.dejarnettenola.com

Casto Creations

http://www.castocreations.com

Yndigo Designs

http://www.yndigo.com

Kimmchi

http://www.shop.kimmchi.com

Updates on Past Posts

The Best of Sugar Scrubs contest is winding down. I only have 3 more scrubs to go and then the final judging begins. This has probably been one of the hardest things to judge. Stayed tuned as next week I will be announcing the winners. I give my hardy congrats to all of the women who work so hard on their bath and body businesses. Even if you aren't chosen as having the Best Sugar Scrub, take pride in knowing you have a great product (trust me they all are great) and you are a success!!

Penzey's Spices are the best spices I have ever used. And, I just got the summer catalog recently. As I read the introductory letter from Bill Penzey in the front I was pleasantly surprised to find out that they are going to be opening a Penzey's store right here in Northern Virginia!!!! I am soo soo happy!! The new store is going to be opening in a couple of months and is going to be located at 513 W. Broad St. in Falls Church (that's Rt. 7). There's also a store that should be open now in Rockville, Maryland! I love Penzey's spices and now I don't have to wait or pay shipping anymore! If you haven't tried Penzey's please by all means take a look at their website: http://www.penzeys.com and make sure you sign up to get a catalog. I promise you will be very satistfied with their products. I am slowly replacing all my spices (yes, even McCormick) with Penzey's. Trust me, the quality is phenomenal!

The Body Perfumery: Self Tanning Body Glaze
I blogged about this a while back. I love this stuff because it works and it comes in any fragrance they offer at The Body Perfurmery. So, last night I'm browsing various online stores to see if there's any sales or clearance and I came across my Self Tanning Glaze on clearance!!! The Body Perfumery is discontinuing the self tanning body glaze and it is half price right now. So instead of $9.99 it is only $4.99! I ordered 2. If you like self tanning lotions and would really like one in a terrific scent of your choice...I suggest you move your butt! I have no idea how many they have left, but once they're gone they're gone! http://www.thebodyperfurmery.com click on "Bargin Bin"

Surveys, Mystery Shopping and Free Stuff

First, I must apologize for not writing for a few days...I've had an awful cold, drooled into me by my younger son. I've had no sleep for a few days (up all night coughing) and am just now becoming human again.

Now that that's out of the way...ok, I know I'm not blogging about a "product" today. But, being a stay-at-home Mom with no real income of my own...I thought I would pass along things I know about that can help you get a little of your own spending money or, at the least, some free stuff.

First is My Points. If you've never heard of My Points before then listen up. My Points, www.mypoints.com, is a site where you sign up and you earn points towards all kinds of gift cards. You can get emails sent to you with offers (you are not obligated to fulfill any offers, you get 5 points for just clicking on the link and more points if you do the offer), you can shop online via their links (you must shop through their links to get points) and you get points for each $ spent and there are other kinds of things you can do for points. Usually the minimum amount of points you need to get something (a $10 gift card) is around 1400 points. Some of the places you can get gift cards for include: Barnes & Noble, Bloomingdales, Bath & Body Works, Panera Bread, GAP, JC Penney and much more. If you'd like me to send you a referral link, just email me with your name and email address and I'll get that done for you.

Surveys
Gosh there are many many many survey companies out there. I think I've signed up for all of them, but there are some that send out surveys all the time and some that I've gotten 1 in the past year. Each survey company and in fact each survey can give you a different reward. Some will pay you CASH for a survey you complete (some do require a minimum balance in your account before you can request your cash). Some surveys offer product tests in which they send you a new product, you use it and then fill out a survey they send you. Some companies have online discussion groups and if you qualify for them, they are where the big payouts are. Some surveys earn you points that you can redeem for cash, sweepstakes, prizes etc. Since there are more survey companies than I feel like typing addresses for...I'm going to refer you to another site/blog that I love: FreeLanceByU. Here's the address that will take you straight to the survey page:
http://www.freelancebyu.com/survey.htm
On this page you will find links to every survey company out there. It's very extensive so take your time. On average I get about maybe 10-40 surveys a week. Sometimes it's for points, sometimes for $$. I don't do them all, some subjects like financial surveys I just don't do. Most of them I do though. I also get about 5 product tests a month which is cool.

Mystery Shopping
Just like with the survey companies, there are alot of mystery shopping companies. Some are picky and require you to have certification. Others just want to get the shops done and don't care if you have certification. I haven't done one in awhile, people seem to beat me to the punch. These are fun to do, especially if it's a restaurant, that way you can usually feed the family and get reimbursed. Some companies pay you a set fee and others will pay you just a reimbursement for your meal or purchase. You have to be very detailed in your reports and you need to have a good memory. Again, I will send you to my friend Angie at FreeLanceByu, because she is the goddess who has all these companies in one place. Here's the link to the mystery shop page:
http://www.freelancebyu.com/mysteryshop.htm

So take a look around. As a stay-at-home Mom, every little bit I can bring in helps. I feel like I'm contributing to my own purchases this way and I don't feel like I'm spending all my husband's earnings on stuff for myself. Feel free to email me with any questions, I'll try to answer them if I can.

Fix Your Butt and Take a Couple Inches Off...ok, Temporarily

A while ago I posted about a wonderful book called the Lingerie Handbook. I also have a review on it that I wrote at Epinions.com (before I started my blog). Well back in March I received an email from Emily Ryan, who is in charge of PR and Media with La Petite Coquette, the lingerie store owned by the author of the book. She said if I was ever in the store or on the website and needed help to just ask. Well I did!

I'm going to a wedding next month. I have alot of shapewear but none of it does a good job. I have a pair of shapewear shorts that just suck. They roll up on the leg and down from the waist and are just crappy. I have a pair of Shapewear panties that are just a pain in the a$$ to get on and again it rolls down from the waist. Then I have one of those full size slip things that's supposed to nip and tuck but it makes me look horrible and uneven. So that's why I ended up taking Emily up on her offer and I asked for help.

She got back to me very quickly and said that I needed to get the Spanx High Waisted Power Panty! She told me it covers from thigh to like right below the "girls" and it doesn't roll up or down etc. So I shopped around on the net and it cost $34 and that was the price everywhere (it was just a matter of finding a site with a coupon code..which I did for free shipping).

I got it a week or so ago and of course, my husband, being a man, had to comment on the name (Spanx!!!). I had a meeting to goto on last Sunday for my Sorority Alumni Group and I thought,what the heck let's put it on.

It was alot easier to get on then my other shapewear pieces. I still had some pulling and tugging but not nearly as much as before. I remembered what I read in the Lingerie Handbook about putting shapewear on and made sure everything was put in it's place. What a difference it made! I was truly impressed with what it did. For example, I have those "saddlebags" on my thighs and the Spanx came within an inch of getting rid of them altogether. It easily took an inch to 2 inches off of those saddlebags! Whoo hoo! Then, my stomach, which has been a trouble spot since my second son was born. The Spanx tucked away that spare tire look I've had. It was truly a miracle!

The Spanx Higher Power Panty (as is its true name) comes in either black or bare and also comes in 5 sizes. They have an easy to follow sizing chart on the website with each product. As well as a before and after photo.

If you need shapewear, and every woman really ought to have some in her drawers, then Spanx is the brand to buy. Forget the stuff you'll see in the stores at the Mall. I have been enlightened and I hope that you will be too. Spanx is the way to go!

Welcome Things that Make Scents

I just want to welcome my newest advertiser to Products of the Day: Things That Make Scents.

Things That Make Scents is a woman owned soy candle business based in my former home state of New Jersey.

Here's what Things That Makes Scents is all about, directly from their website:
"Things That Make Scents offers an enchanting array of scented soy wax candles, wax dipped teddy bears and other critters, candle gift baskets, aromatherapy candles and much more...Illuminate your room and your senses with beautifully fragrant, all-natural handmade soy candles. Things That Make Scents, a New Jersey-based candle manufacturer, serves up a diverse menu of soy candles including wholesale soy candles—all hand poured and available in jars, votives, tealights and tarts."

So please visit Janine's wonderful online store and if you live in southern NJ, visit her store in Manasquan! You can click the title of this post or click on her banner in my Shop Shop Shop section.

Purple, Pink and Orange Closing Sale

I just wanted to post today about a wonderful online store, Purple Pink and Orange. Purple, Pink and Orange sells handmade goods from a variety of Indie Etailers and Amy is closing her store at the end of the month. You can find everything from handbags to baby clothes to bath&body here.

Since Amy is closing the doors in two weeks, she's having a huge sale right now. Everything is up to 40% off. For example, this sugar scrub from Sugar Lips (one of my Best of Sugar Scrubs contestants by the way) is on sale for $8.78 (original price $13.50).

Or, this adorable Chocolate Chip Cookie necklace for only $14 (regular price $20). How cute is this?

There is just so much variety to choose from and all are handmade by really talented people.

So, please help support the designers and Amy as she says goodbye to Purple,Pink and Orange. It's always hard to close a store you love and I'm sure this was not an easy decision for Amy. I know you'll find something you'll love at her site. Only 2 weeks left until Purple, Pink and Orange is history so why not be a part of it?

Lemming Central Sampler Box Came Today

I just got my Lemming Central May Sampler Box (sponsored by Scents of Yourself) and as promised, I want to share what I got. So you all can be jealous cause you didn't get one!

Pebble Creek Candles
3 gel tarts in Citrus Smoothie, Secret Waterfall and Granny's Kitchen. Plus a 10% off coupon!
Bath and Body by Tracy
Soap in Romantic Wish
Love Potion® Magickal Perfumerie
2 perfume vials: one in Pink and one in Fairy Massacre (who would not love that name). Plus $5 off any order of $20+.
Frontier Angel Soap
Soap in Lemon Coconut Cream and a sugar scrub in Lemon Chiffon. Plus a 20% off coupon.
A Natural High
Jasmine Mist perfume.
Rain Barrel Soap
Patchouli Soap
Blue Diamond Candle Co.
A votive candle and a 15% off coupon on any order $35+.
Solas Candle & Bath
2 tarts in Be Delicious and Lemon Sugar.
BuggyTown Candle Company
Body Cream in Girly Girl, Tea light in Apple Pie and Body Lotion in Milk and Honey. Plus a 20% off coupon.
Things That Make Scents
An odor eliminating Aroma Bag plus a coupon for $5 off of a $20+ order.
Round Top Natural Soap
Body Butter, soap in Honeysuckle and Lotion in Girlfriends. Plus a coupon for free shipping.
The Rainforest Soap Shack
Mango Tango bath fizzy and soap in Strawberry Lane. Plus a coupon for 15% off.
Barcelona Bath & Body
A Room Refresh spray in Lemongrass Fennel and a soap in Vanilla Lavendar. Plus a coupon for a free gift on my next order.
Cherriflip
Lotion in Candypants. Plus a coupon for 25% off.

Well, that's everything. I'll let you know when the next sampler goes on sale so keep your eyes open!

Bubbles, Bubbles Everywhere!

As you know I have two boys. When you have kids you know that the warm weather is bubble blowing time. Both my boys love blowing and popping bubbles for as long as they have breath!

Now, as a Mom, I have tried every bubble solution known to man. These two kids have gotten just about every bubble set that Toys R Us or Walmart sells. Everytime, I think that "wow, the wands with this set ought to make super cool bubbles"..then I try to use the bubble stuff...and nothing is super cool. As long as I'm blowing just small bubbles, it's fine but beyond that it stinks. And, making my own, well that never really worked either.

So, this summer I thought I'd try this Gazillion Bubbles bubble stuff. I bought a small container of it and I think it was like $3, which I thought was a bit much for bubble stuff. Heck, I've spent that much for 6 bottles at the Dollar store. But, I found out there is a reason for the higher price..this is Bubble Stuff that WORKS! It works with small wands, it works with big wands, it just works and works well. With just one dip into the Gazillion Bubbles solution I must've been able to blow 100 bubbles easy.

So when that small bottle ran out, I bought a BIG bottle of the Fan Wang Gazillion bubbles from Target for about $8. The Fan Wang version comes with a unique wand that blows little and big bubbles. And, apparently (if you goto the Funrise Toys website) there's several more Fan Wang bubble kits that you can buy with even cooler bubble wands.

I also bought a small "bubble gun" set for my older son, one that you just dip and press the trigger, then a fan blows the bubbles. I was amazed at how far just one dip of the wand gets you so many bubbles.

The best thing about these jars of bubble stuff is that the wand attaches to the cap. Yes, you still have to get your hands all soapy the first time digging it out of the jar, but then you just click it inside the cap and your done..no muss no fuss.

So check out the Funrise Toys website and you'll see just how many different activity sets they sell with the Gazillion Bubbles. And, be sure to click on Fan Wang on the homepage for an amazing video of Fan making his bubbles..it's pretty cool to watch.

Expensive? Yes. Worth the money? Yes. Kids happy? Yes. Need I say anymore? No.

There's Still Time to Get Something Nice for Mom

I thought since Mother's Day is next Sunday the 13th and I'm sure there are way too many procrastinators out there, that I would give you all a little shopping guide. I have asked and searched for anyone having Mother's Day specials..most have told me that if you want to get your gift to Mom in time then you MUST order NO LATER THAN WEDNESDAY!! So get up off your duff and check out these wonderful Indie sites and their Mother's Day specials!

Funky Utopia is having a Mother's Day Sale. They have all kinds of goodies for Mom from Aprons to earrings and all the stuff inbetween. Nicole offers 3 shipping options so choose wisely and order no later than Wednesday or Thursday (if you ship overnight). Here's the link that will take you directly to the sale page:

http://www.funkyutopia.com/sale.html

A Planet 4 Creation is giving away 3 free gifts to the first 10 orders placed in May. As of this morning there were only 8 orders left so get going fast if you want some cute freebies! This really nice "Mom" necklace is only $45 and is made with Sterling Silver and Swarovski crystals in your choice of birthstones.
Here's a link to APAC's Mother's Day Gift Guide:

http://www.aplanet4creation.com/mothers-day-c-28.html

The latest you can order with USPS Priority Mail to get it there by Saturday is this Wednesday.

If you'd really like to spoil mom why don't you take a look at the jewelry at Wishgiving.com. She's got some really nice pieces and some are on sale for up to 50% off. Plus they're also offering Free Shipping, which is always nice, until Sunday the 13th. Again get your order in by Wednesday at the latest. Here is the link the Wishgiving.com's Gift Guide for Mother's Day:

http://wishgiving.com/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=123_124

Or, perhaps your Mom loves tea, like me! SBS Teas has a really nice gift basket just for Mother's Day and it's only $19.95. Right now there are only 18 left so I suggest you order them asap if this is what you know your mom would want.

http://www.sbsteas.com/Mother-s-Day-Basket-pr-1848.html

If Bath and Body is more your Mom's style then I can direct you to many!
One of my favorite Indie Etailers, Aloha Coconut, is offering Free Shipping on your first order. But, you have to email Jennifer at: service@alohacoconut.com
with your order and she'll send you an invoice. You can put together a nice gift set with many of the things at Aloha Coconut. I highly recommend the Monoi de Tahiti oil and the Body Wash!! They even have "Coconut Soap" that looks just like a piece of coconut! This Free Shipping offer is only good thru Saturday but you want to place your order really really soon if you want it to get to Mom in time. http://www.alohacoconut.com

Maybe you might want to get something for the little one in Mom's life. Emily Allyn is having a Mother's Day Sale on t-shirts and onsies for Mom's little love bug. Spend $40 or more and you get free pants for them too. Wednesday is the cut off day for shipping so visit http://emilyallyn.com

That's all I have for now..but, if I find anymore deals..I'll edit my post!!

Lemming Central Sampler Boxes On Sale

The Lemming Central Sampler box is on sale now!! I just checked (4:20 Eastern Time) and there are 28 boxes left. I got mine this morning and you can still get yours. Priced at only $20 and it includes shipping.

These sampler boxes have been really good lately so don't miss out. This month is sponsered by Scents of Yourself, one of my beloved advertisters. There are many many Indie Etailers contributing this month (remember you may not get a sample from all of them but you will get a good box).
Here they are:

Pookie Products, Inc.
Morgan Street
ThingsThat Make Scents
The Rainforest Soap Shack
Celestial Soy Candles by Heather
ScentsofYourself.com
Sheer Miracle, LLC
Pebble Creek Candles
Blue Diamond Candle Co.
Youthful Essentials by Sun Country Naturals
Love Potion® Magickal Perfumerie
Round Top Natural Soap
Taylor Made Minerals
Lavender Moon Aromatics
Dale F. Schock
Rain Barrel Soap
Cherriflip
Avon
Ginger's Garden
Soymagic candles & Lotion Bars
Chunky Butt Candle Company
Cactus & Ivy, LLC
BuggyTown Candle Company
Frontier Angel Soap
Vampyrz
Solas Candle & Bath
Barcelona Bath & Body
Aloha Coconut
A Natural High
Bath and Body by Tracy
Scentsational De' Lights
Jojoelle
Arizona Sun

Some of my favorite stores are here like Aloha Coconut and some of my Contestants for the Best of Sugar Scrubs like Ginger's Garden and Jojoelle.
So hurry while you can cause once they're gone they're gone!

Do you love chocolate????

If you're anything like me then you love chocolate. I absolutely have to have a secret stash of it in my house. I basically think and dream in chocolate, it's an obsession really. Now, I can smell like chocolate any time I want to!

How you might ask? Well, I've got a great new moisturizer from Bidwell Botanicals called Hydrating Body Milk in Chocolate Truffle! I had been eyeing some things from Bidwell Botanicals during the Happily Handmade Giveaway (which I didn't win anything again *sigh*). And, most recently Rare Bird Finds features Jill's Chocolate Obsession Gift Box (pictured left here).

So, I got my hands on a bottle of the Hydrating Body Milk cause, well, I am a lotionaholic (yes and I don't want an intervention or anything thank you) and I can ALWAYS use more!! This stuff just flows like silk on the skin and the smell is just out of this world. I actually thought about eating my hand off because it smells so good. And, I'm not talking about a Hershey Bar kinda chocolate here..I'm talking like a Dove bar or even a piece of Godiva milk chocolate. It's a really high quality chocolate scent. It's a really good lotion and a excellent fragrance. I went to have lunch with my son at school yesterday and before I left I used it on my hands. Every adult I came in contact with was asking who's got the chocolate? It's that good!
There are 7 other fragrances you can get the lotion in, including Spun Sugar. A 4 ounce bottle runs for $11 and it is a very good lotion.

With Mother's Day fast, and I mean fast approaching...I asked Jill of Bidwell Botanicals if she was having any Mother's Day specials (I need something different this year for my Mother-In-Law) and this is what Jill told me. Starting today, May 5th, through Thursday May 10th you can get 20% off of the regular prices at Bidwell Botanicals. Use the code MOM (type it as you see it) for the 20% off, it does NOT apply to items already on sale so shop wisely. Also, you can get free gift wrapping (boxes and bows) and a complimentary card with your order. If you want it to get to your mom in time for Mother's Day, you must place your order no later than Wednesday the 9th for standard shipping or Thursday the 10th for Fed Ex Overnight (extra charge). Free shipping on orders over $75. Jill has plenty of really good gift sets for your Mom (don't forget the chocolate!), so get on over to Bidwell Botanicals and do a little Mom shopping!

Do Something Nice for Your Feet

I was not blessed with pretty feet! My mother, God rest her soul, had nice little petite feet. I got stuck with thick ankles and size 10 flat feet!!! They're always dry, I think I have a callous and it looks like there's small planters warts growing, I'm not sure. OK TMI, I know..sorry.

So, in my last Crafty Cube purchase, I got some really good sized samples of some foot products from Coon's Farm.
I got a sample of her Exfoliating Foot Soap and her Refreshing Foot spray.

The Exfoliating Soap has a really nice Berry Mint scent. It also scrubs really well. You can't tell by just feeling the dry soap, but once you get it wet and start rubbing your feet you can really feel the exfoliation going on. The soap has Pumice (the ultimate foot exfoliator), Peppermint Oil and Vitamin E.

The Refreshing Foot Spray really does a number on hot, tired feet. I've been going on a lot of walks lately and it really feels good to spray this on my feet when I get home. It's made with Witch Hazel, Rosemary Oil (a natural deoderant), Peppermint Oil and Tea Tree Oil (a known antibacterial). It cools on contact and the mint fragrance is just right. I've had some foot products that just overwhelmed you with the smell of peppermint. This is a refreshingly light scent.

The soap costs $4.50 for a 4.5 ounce bar. The spray can either be bought in a 4 ounce size for $4.95 or an 8 ounce size for $7.95. There's also a Foot Soak that sells for $7.95 for 12 ounces. I did not get a sample of that nor have I tried it so I can't comment on it personally. You can even buy all three (you'll get a 4 ounce spray) for only $14.95 which is a pretty good deal.

I know there are alot of foot products out there to pamper your feet. I've tried these two from Coon's Farm and I found them refreshing and they do what they say they do. So go ahead and do something nice for your feet!