Angie – Page 971 – Luv Saving Money

Valentine Handmade with Love sponsor spotlight: Madame Koiteh

The Valentine Handmade with Love Gift Hop will be happening Feb. 2-6. Many blogs will be participating. All giveaway items are handmade items. I’m so excited to be sharing my wonderful sponsors with you. The next wonderful sponsor I have is: Madame Koiteh

I had the pleasure of trying some of Madame Koiteh’s handmade products myself. I had one a blog giveaway for a sampler pack from her shop that included African black soap, organic yellow shea butter, organic white shea butter, and coco butter. This was a new experience for me. The African black soap was in small chunks. They lathered and cleaned well. All of the products in the pack were in a form that I wasn’t really used to but I loved. Had I not one the giveaway I may have missed out on these organic products that were so good for my skin.

Since I loved the product so much I contacted her hoping she would be willing to sponsor a giveaway on my blog so I could talk about my great experience with her products and hopefully give one of my readers the opportunity to try her handmade products.

I asked Madam Koiteh if she could tell us a little about herself and her shop and here’s what she had to say:

“I started crafting many years ago, actually as a child. I always loved to sew, crochet, draw, and make perfumes. My mother and other relatives were always making something,from soap to clothes to incense. My first perfume was a sad little bottle of water with a peach pit and some of my mom’s Tabu. (I was 5!) Later I would collect flowers, add spices and perfume, and make potpourri. Only in the last few years did I decide to turn my crafty dreams into a business, and it has been the experience of a lifetime.

Now, I have the wonderful opportunity to share my lifelong love of shea butter with the rest of the world. I spend most of my days developing formulas that feature the goodness of pure African shea butter combined with the elegance of modern western beauty care. I use techniques that I learned from my elders in Africa to work with shea butter in a holistic way that preserves its legendary properties. I have also innovated some of my own techniques to make some unique products, such as a very limited edition “Shea Butter Pearl” bath product that will be available later! (Hint, hint)

2011 is a very special year for my whole family at Madame Koiteh, because this year we have launched our first independent fundraising campaign for one of the causes that is truly special to us. This year we are donating 10% of our net profits to the Sheikh Jobe Institute in the Gambia West Africa, where severe flooding has ravaged parts of the countryside and left thousands homeless and impoverished. The Institute is a school, children’s hospice, and orphanage that houses more than 300 children, ranging from age 4 to adulthood. The facilities were damaged during the floods and are in urgent need of repair. In addition, many of the parents have lost their livelihood, and subsequently the hospice has not been able to collect critically needed school fees in order to maintain operations. It is an honor and a priviledge for Madame Koiteh to sponsor the Sheikh Jobe Institute and its children for the year of 2011, and we thank you for your business which also supports this worthy cause. You can learn more at my blog madamekoiteh.blogspot.com/2011/01/raising-funds-for-children-of-brikama.html

We will be featuring special products throughout the year in our Etsy shop and other online venues to further support our goal of raising a minimum of $5000 to be donated to the Sheikh Jobe Institute. Please visit us frequently to check out these very special listings. Happy Valentine’s Day!”

So don’t forget to stop by her shop to make a purchase in support of the great cause throughout the year.

You can find Madame Koiteh products on etsy: www.madamekoiteh.etsy.com

Madame Koiteh products website: http://www.madamekoiteh.com/

Madame Koiteh also has another website called “The Shea Butter Queen” http://www.thesheabutterqueen.com/

and last but not least, Madame Koiteh’s blog: www.madamekoiteh.blogspot.com

Madame Koiteh will be offering The Romantic Lover’s Gift Basket in the Valentine Handmade with Love Gift Hop. The gift basket will include:

“The set is a 3-piece bath and body set featuring shea butter-enriched spa bath salts, a shea butter infused massage oil, and a moisturizing glycerin soap, all in Strawberry Kisses. I will also include a bonus handcrafted candle tin for the winner in Japanese Cherry Blossom scent. It will all be presented in a beautiful keepsake gift bag with a bow.” — Madame Koiteh

Oh my doesn’t that sound delightful! You lucky readers you.

Free Stuff, Fun Sites, Contests, and More

Review: InstantPeel natural alternative to acid peels

I’ve never tried a “peel” in my life. The idea of having a “peel” done just didn’t really sound like a good time. Especially, the acid peels. For all I know they may be wonderful but putting something called an acid peel on my face to peel dead skin away just…I don’t know…sounds like some form of punishment to me.

That is until I heard about InstantPeel by Earthen. It’s an all natural solution you can use anywhere on your body. The best place to use it is in the shower. It tells you to let your skin steam in the shower for at least 5 min. Apply the natural InstantPeel to your skin. Massage your skin until the peels of dead skin have ceased.

I was a little nervous still about trying it. I did feel better since it was all natural. Since it uses natural ingredients, it is safe for all types of skin. I watched in the mirror as I saw small little balls of skin sloughing from my skin. I, at first, thought it was just the InstantPeel cream itself that was rolling up on my skin. After my skin dried, my face felt so smooth and soft.

I did this last night around 9 PM and as I’m typing this today, my skin still feels soft and smooth. There are 6 single use packets in one box of InstantPeel. Though, I didn’t need to use a whole pack for just my face so I’m going to try to use the rest on another day to see if it works.

InstantPeel is a little pricey at $50 for a 6 packet box. I guess if you compare it to an Acid Peel at a spa or dermatologist though, it’s a real bargain. It did make my skin feel great.

I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commissions 16 CFR, Part 255 Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising. Tomoson Product review & giveaway Disclosure.

Free Stuff, Fun Sites, Contests, and More

Review: Color My World Globe from Educational Toy Planet

I received a 13 cm (5″) Color My World Globe to review from Educational Toys Planet.

The 5 ” Coloring Globe is recommended for ages 8+. This smaller globe would be just the right size to sit on your child’s desk at home. I think this would make the geography lessons just a little more fun. The Color My World Globe comes with 4 dry erase markers to color or mark countries, continents, ocean, etc.

My 7 year old seemed to be the one that was the most curious about this review item. He asked if he could be the one to try it out. I opened it up and explained the idea of it. The first thing my 7 yr old said was “What color should I make the oceans?” I told him it was up to him. Whatever color he wanted. I suggested blue but he said “Mom it doesn’t come with blue!” I was very surprised to see that a “color my world globe” did not come with a blue marker since most of the world is ocean. It didn’t seem to bother my son much though. He simply picked up the purple marker and went to town.

The globe uses dry erase markers and is easily wiped off with the erasers at the tip of each marker cap or a tissue. I think this would be a fun educational tool to use for one of my kids’ geography study session. I’m thinking I could have them name continents and then color in each one a little differently. I took the globe and showed my 2 oldest sons where about we lived in the world and marked it with an “X” with one of the markers. I showed them where in relation it was to Canada, Mexico, and Asia.

This would also be great for studying ocean names. I think I would have them write in with the markers the names of the oceans. There could probably be at least a dozen or more ideas as far as studying for geography. Aside from that, my son had an enjoyable time just coloring in the Color My World 5″ globe. At a sale price of $14.97 this would be an affordable learning tool. A great addition to the materials for a home schooling mom as well.

It’s made of very sturdy material. I believe this will survive a few falls from the table or being dragged around by my toddler.

Aside from this globe there is another Color My World globe that is slightly larger at 11″ and many more Geography learning toy in the Geography for Kids toy section of Educational Toys Planet.

Educational Toys Planet

***I received the above mentioned item at no cost to review as part of Educational Toys Planet’s Toy Review Network. I did not receive any monetary compensation for this post. All opinions expressed are my own.***

Free Stuff, Fun Sites, Contests, and More

What We Won Wednesday Jan. 19 #wewonwed

What We Won Wednesday is a weekly post to share your wins in the last week. The idea of What We Won Wednesday is:

1. To visit your winner post, share, and congratulate each other on our joy of winning.
2. Encourage others
3. Show that people really do win giveaways and sweepstakes if you enter.
4. Give some exposure to sites that are offering sweepstakes and giveaways

Your wins can be from anywhere. Whatever you’d like to share. They can be blog giveaways, national sweepstakes, lottery ticket wins, 50/50, basket party, Fantasy Football, etc etc.

If you won online and remember what site you won from or the name of the company feel free to include it. It would be nice to see where people are winning from. You can post your own wins on your blog then link them up in the linky below so we can hop around and congratulate and marvel at the prizes.

What I won this week:

1. Thirty-One Family game set from Just Married with Coupons

2. Ritter Sport German Chocolate assortment that contains 84 mini-bars from Mommy Reviews

What did you win??

http://gan.doubleclick.net/gan_click?lid=41000000009101193&pubid=21000000000335832

Free Stuff, Fun Sites, Contests, and More

Review: Valentine Smiley Cookies

I was lucky enough to grow up with an Eat n’ Park restaurant only about a 5 minute drive away from my house.
I’m born and raised in Pennsylvania. Eat n’ Park restaurants originated as one restaurant in Pittsburgh, PA. Now you can find them all over PA and several other states. Opened 24 hours a day, it was great to go for breakfast early for their great buffet. As a teenage we used to love to go late at night.

One thing that stands out is the bakery that makes fresh baked items all the time. You are greeted with the fresh frosted faces of the Smiley Cookies. Even the kids’ meals come with a Smiley Cookie. The kids always wanted to pick what color Smiley Cookie they wanted.

I have relatives that have moved out of state. When I saw the our sweet little Smiley Cookies now have their own website and can be shipped all over the US, I thought about sending some to my extended family.

Smiley Cookies come in several shapes and colors. I got to review the Valentine Smiley Cookies. These Valentines Day Cookies would be a cute and sweet treat to send off to your grandkids, a friend in need of some cheer, or just because.

I say review, it’s more like eat them again and remind myself why I crave them sometimes. They are simply frosted heart cookies. Just sugar cookies with icing and a smile. There’s just something about them that are so tasty. Just the right amount of icing, a nice sized cookie, baked to perfection, that cute smiled just looking at you as if to say “oh yea, you’re going to enjoy me!”

The kids enjoyed them too.

These generous sized cookies are so cute and so tasty. Try them once and you’ll understand where I’m coming from on these. They also have Steelers Smiley Cookies for all your Pittsburgh fans. Send a nice Cookie Gift Basket out for a birthday or congratulatory gift.

Free Stuff, Fun Sites, Contests, and More