Suki Saves Me

When you make the switch to using natural skin and body care, you immediately notice a difference. I liken it to your body detoxing. Suddenly synthetic smells and chemicals are easier to identify and avoid. Winter is here, so we have to work extra hard to protect our delicate skin. One of my favorite lines is Suki . Suki is natural, bio dynamic & uses food grade ingredients. Their packaging is environmentally responsible, and most importantly the the products work. They are all formulated to be effective, yet gentle for people with sensitive skins and those with eczema. We fall into the eczema family in our house. Once it starts getting cold, my daughter always gets a touch of eczema somewhere. While Suki might seem like a brand just for adults, it is so gentle that I use it on my daughter.
We use the
Exfoliate Foaming Body Cleanser. It was formulated for all skin types, especially dry, eczema, dermatitis-prone & acneic skin. I use it on myself and my daughter with amazing results! Her skin is super soft and not itchy anymore.

Butter Cream Healing Salve is perfect for sealing in vital moisture and also for getting rid of rashes. It is a multi-functional, non-greasy, therapeutic balm. Formulate for those with especially dry skin, including babies. especially formulated for eczema, dermatitis, stretch marks, rough dry spots, feet & elbows. My daughter had scratched her leg and I put a coating of the Butter Cream Healing Salve. The itching, redness and scratch marks were gone overnight.
I cannot wait to try more products. Their skincare is one of the few brands that actually show results immediately, and never irritate. Go natural, go eco-friendly, go Suki.

Kitchen Carvers

You may notice, I have been posting a lot more about cooking. It is truly a family sport in my house, we all pitch in. we get excited about cooking. I learned a long time ago, that in order to make cooking enjoyable and easier, we need the right tools. I am really dislike plastic, and I feel metal often scratches my cookware. I use wooden cooking tools whenever I can. My new do everything tool is the Kitchen Carvers Spurtula. The child of a spoon and spatula marriage, the Spurtula replaces your wooden spoon and spatula because it does it all. I use mine to make pancakes, and to mix my quinoa and rice to perfection. It does everything. It is American-made and so wonderful. They come in maple or cherry wood. You have to get this for your favorite cook. It is the go-to tool in our house.

B.I.C. Bands

It seems that I am always running around these days. I am frantic to get my holiday things done before my daughter is home again full-time for her vacation. To add to the fun, I have taken up exercising again. That means my wavy hair goes haywire. I sometimes have mere minutes to grab something to tame my Rosanna Dana hair and get out the door. I choose BIC Bands. They actually stay in (no slipping) and keep my hair looking cute and tame. I can even exercise in them!

BIC Bands were started as a fundraiser by Sandy for her run with Team In Training. She was looking for a way to raise the necessary funds to run her first half marathon. She donated the profits to The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. OVER $1000 was raised through the sale of B.I.C. Bands!
Sandy now makes B.I.C. Bands to give back to people in need.

B.I.C. Bands~ Because I Can Bands ~We raise funds because we can…for those who can’t so that one day they will!

Each month they donate from the sale of every band to a different charity.
How amazing is that?! My daughter loves her B.I.C. Band (which Sandy kindly made smaller-sized for my little one). It is is literally the only hair accessory she ever walks out of school still wearing at the end of the day. No more slipping, or frustration, and you are helping to give back. Everyone wins with B.I.C. Bands.

They also make a fabulous stocking stuffer (just saying).

Giveaway Winner!

Mary was the winner of the Stockmar Modeling Wax.

Don't forget to enter to win this adorable Pitcher and Glass set from For Small Hands:
For Small Hands Glass Pitcher and Glasses Giveaway-ends 12/16

Jammin!

I always find the holiday season to be a bit tricky. We have so many people whom we love and want to get them something to express that. We also have limited funds, so I like to think of homemade gifts. This holiday season, we are giving the gift of Jam, Marmalade and Jelly (oh my!).

I am not an experienced jam maker by any means, so I turned to The Blue Chair Jam Cookbook by Rachel Saunders. It has so many delicious recipes with super easy instructions.

In addition to offering more than 100 original jam, jelly, and marmalade recipes, master jam artisan Rachel Saunders shares all of her technical preserving knowledge, as well as her unique jam maker's perspective on fruit.
Rachel combines nostalgia with a modern, sustainable approach to creating fresh and vividly flavored preserves. The recipes are divided into chapters based on the seasons, and each chapter is organized by month and type of fruit.

I decided to go big or go home. My family members all love tomatoes and citrus fruits, so we made Early Girl Tomato Marmalade as gifts. The taste is amazing. I recently served it for a little gathering with some goat cheese and toast. The guest were raving and I was secretly smiling knowing they would all be getting their own jar for the holidays.

My daughter was desperate to help, so we made the tried and true Strawberry Jam together. She stirred (using our fabulous Michael Ruhlman Acacia Paddles), and I supervised. She decided we could only give a jar or two away since it was "too delicious" to give up. Our next jam making session will be the Blueberry Mint Jam. I can finally "preserve" the season.

Sweet Kisses

Winter is already doing a number on my daughter and my lips. My whole family tends to get dry lips; you know the kind that leaves you looking like an old lady with leftover lip liner? Regular lip balms will now do. We look to Hurraw! to quench our parched pouts. Hurraw! started out with the intent of making the perfect lip balm. They suceeded. Hurraw! is all natural, vegan, made from premium raw, organic and fair trade ingredients. The flavors are numerous and one more yummy than the next. Hurraw! does not melt in your pocket, and it goes on like buttah! It feels like you are gliding deliciously flavored silk across your lips. This is super-important when your lips feel like they are going to fall off.

Each tube is hand mixed and individually poured. Hurraw! sources fair trade, organic, vegan and raw ingredients from reputable suppliers. Hurraw! is also Gluten Free. Their ingredients contain no GMO's and all are certified Kosher Parve.
Best of all there is are No petroleum, preservatives, artifical flavors or colors. Hurray for Hurraw!

A Colorful Cooking Day

It seems that even through my best efforts to prevent it, we all have a cold. Secretly, a part of me loves just sitting back cuddling with no school run or obligations...we are sick, you know! It brings out the child in me. My daughter and I use our time together to cook things that make us feel good, and we play and have puppet shows and watch fairy tale theater. One of my favorite cookbooks is Apples for Jam by Tessa Kiros.

Tessa Kiros has circled the globe working in restaurants in Australia, Greece, Mexico, and London. Her extensive travel and multicultural background lend authenticity to more than 200 recipes, which are grouped by color and presented alongside vibrant photographs, sound cooking advice, and heartwarming anecdotes about friends, family, and the whimsies of childhood.

I adore her stories and the grouping by color is so genius. This cookbook reads almost like a diary of childhood (Tessa as a mum and a child) with such specific memories that are sure to make you smile and reminisce as well. We made the Vermicelli Soup with Tomato and Basil; it warmed our hearts and our bellies. I could not resist the little anecdote that went along with Honey Cake and Lemon Frosting (Tessa Kiros likened it to a party with Winnie the Pooh). It deliciousness was the perfect complement to an improptu tea party.

Whether you have a child, want a child, or simply loved being a child, Apples for Jam is the cookbook for you. I have it wrapped and ready to go for a few loved ones who I know will relish the cooking journey.

For Small Hands Pitcher and Glasses Giveaway

Remember my recent review of For Small Hands? Lots of readers wrote in that they would love a For Small Hands giveaway. You ask, I listened. Enter for a chance to win the For Small Hands Glass Pitcher with Lid and Durable Juice Glasses, so you little one can join in the fun!

Giveaway Rules:
This contest is only open to US readers. You must be 18 years or older to enter. You must be a Product Mommy follower. All entries must be received by 11:59pm on December 16, 2011. Please include your email address in each entry. Winners will be chosen at random. I will notify the winners on December 17, 2011 via email (please respond within 48 hours) and your Glass Pitcher with Lid and Durable Juice Glasses will be mailed directly to you.

How to Enter: You must be a Product Mommy follower. Leave comment after the post with your email.


Extra Entries:
You must do the "How to Enter" first and be sure you leave a "comment" for each extra entry and tell me which one you did. Don't forget your email address too.
1.Become a fan of For Small Hands on Facebook
2.Become a fan of Product Mommy on Facebook
3.Become a fan of Product Mommy on Twitter
4.Subscribe to Product Mommy by email (top left of blog page)
5, Twitter about this contest (and leave a link to the Tweet)
6. Post this giveaway on Facebook (and leave a link)

Giveaway Winners!

Congrats to Anna for winning the Mohawk Valley Trading Honey!

Congrats to Clenna for winning the Le Creuset Heart Casserole!

Thanks everyone for entering. Stay tuned for more exciting giveaways, and do not forget to enter to win the Stockmar Modeling Wax from A Toy Garden.

Stockmar Modelling Beeswax set of 12-ends 12/7

The Right Tools

I became a big fan of chef Michael Ruhlman after reading his fabulous book Ruhlman's Twenty: 20 Techniques 100 Recipes A Cook's Manifesto. He taught me some fundamentals of cooking that I was not aware I was really doing completely wrong. He truly believes that anyone can cook. And you know what, anyone really can.

I have also learned that the right tools are super important when trying to make the meal you want. I gave up on plastic tools (cannot bear them), and have been slowly switching to wooden and metal cooking tools. Be still my heart when I saw Ruhlman's new line of cooking tools...most specificially the Spanker and Spanky. The Spanker and Spanky are flat-edged wood paddles made of acacia wood. They are super sturdy.

The Spanker is unbeatable for stirring big pots of stewing goodness. Spanky is your all-purpose everyday tool for stirring. The flat edges lifts food off the bottom of the pot and the angled tip gets into corners of your pan.

We try to cook at home as much as possible. It is not only healthier, but really helps to bond my daughter and I. Our most recent recipe rumble was making strawberry jam. I used the Spanker and my little one used the Spank (perfectly sized for her needs). She was stirring away. I had to rush to wash them to make our homemade beef stew. Sounds crazy, but now I cannot live without them. Envy away! Or better yet, get your favorite chef these fab Acacia Wooden Paddles as the ultimate holiday treat!

For Small Hands

Anyone with children knows that they love to help and do the same things we do. Children learn by watching their parents and adults and emulating their actions. That is why I cook and clean with my daughter. I learned from Montessori teachings that those seemingly simple actions are actually teaching a child about measurement, actions, and even practice for writing by simply holding a sponge. Amazing! Montessori Services was founded in 1976 to provide Montessori teachers with the tools they need to bring child-sized items to the classroom. For Small Hands was created in 2004 as their family resource catalog at the request of Montessori teachers.

For Small Hands gives parents access to many of the same child-size items children use at school, enabling children to participate in the home environment with the same ease and success they enjoy in the classroom.

We are a huge fan of the For Small Hands catalog and online shop. I find the most amazing items that my daughter can use in everyday life. The new favorites are the Glass Pitcher with Lid and the Durable Juice Glasses. They are scaled to a child's size, so your little one can get their own water, juice or milk. The feeling of independence is so special for children. For weeks before we got the set, my daughter kept arguing that she was old enough to use the family glasses. I was wary, but this set made it possible for her to feel grown-up and learn the skills you need to hold and be careful with a glass. With the holidays coming up, I cannot wait to stock up on more items that allow her to participate in family activities with ease.