Gift Ideas at Lot26

Have you heard of Lot26? They have a lot of great wall art that would suit any nursery or child/teens bedroom. They also have wall art suitable for any sports fan.

Looking for a gift idea for that school age/tween in your house? Lot26 has Chalkboard Wall art which is a great way to add organization to your child's life and they just might feel a little mischievous each time they write on it. I know I feel mischievous when I write on the walls...

They also have a beautiful selection of trees and birds that bring to any room a nice "back to nature" feel.

Lot 26 also offers a collection of wall hangings in various quotes and sayings. There are some very beautiful pieces one in particular looks like a wall mount instead of a sticky and it is gorgeous. If you happen to browse that section, take a peak at the one titled Botanical Reflections! It is beautiful and motivational and I would love to have it in my own home.

#0001 - I ♥ Deals - U ♥ Deals: Shape Magazine [EXPIRED]

Every so often I receive emails with things to pass on to my lovely readers. Sometimes they are awesome deals. Sometimes, they are affiliate offers for reputable companies. Today, they are simply savings so ridiculous that I can't help but share.

Right now if you live in the United States you can get a 3 Year subscription to Shape Magazine for $12. This is 85% off the cover price. It works out to only $4 per year with a total savings of $95. Personally, I don't live in the United States and the only magazines I frequent are music or gardening magazines.

Review and Giveaway: Manitoba Harvest Hemp Hearts [Closed]

Deliciously nutty and crunchy, the Manitoba Harvest Hemp Hearts are a nutritious addition to many snacks and meals. They contain no-Gmo's and are an easy way to add omega's, protein and fibre into your diet. Specifically, Hemp Hearts contain a rare EFA called Gamma-Linolenic-Acid (aka GLA) which has been shown to help arthritis, hormone imbalance, migraines, menopause in women, healthy cholesterol levels

I was sent a package of Hemp Hearts to review by Manitoba Harvest. Incredible versatile, this product was added to cereal, yogurt and salad, all of which were delicious. I have even put some on top of toast with peanut butter and sliced banana's for an extra nutritional boost.

Like Almonds, Hemp Hearts are a little high on the fat content at a whopping 20 percent of the recommended daily value for 3 Tbsp (30 g) of Hemp hearts. Consider that this provides you with 10 grams of protein and 110 percent of the recommended daily intake of Manganese, 30 percent zinc and 70 percent magnesium to name a few; I consider Manitoba Harvest Hemp Hearts to be a dietary staple.

Manitoba Harvest would like to giveaway a bag of Hemp Hearts to one lucky Music and Mommies reader.

To Enter [Mandatory]:

1. Follow MAM via GFC [right sidebar, refresh if necessary]
2. Visit Manitoba Harvest and tell me something else you would like to try.

Bonus Entries [Optional]:

1. Subscribe via email [confirm your email address]
2. Subscribe via RSS
3. Follow MAM on Facebook
4. Follow MAM on Twitter
5. Share on any social network and comment back with the link [Maximum +3 daily]
6. Follow this blog via Networked Blogs (left sidebar) +2

Giveaway Rules:
Open to Canadian and US Residents until November 11th, 2011. Winners will have 72 hours to respond to the winning email before a new winner is selected.

Disclaimer: I received this product for the purpose of review. No money exchanged hands. All opinions are that of the reviewer.

Giveaway: Crofters Organic Spreads [US and Canada]

The lovely folks at Crofter's Organic spreads have offered some of their delicious organic fruit spreads to Music and Mommies readers.

1st Place: 3 spreads of choice.
2nd Place: 2 spreads of choice
3rd Place: 1 spread of choice

To Enter:
Visit Crofter's Organic and comment back with which item(s) you would purchase with your gift certificate.

Bonus Entries:
1. Follow me on Google Friend Connect.
2. Like Music and Mommies  and Crofter's Organic on Facebook
3. Follow Music and Mommies and Crofter's Organic on Twitter
4. Share on any 3 social networks and comment back here with the link. [Max +3 entries daily]
5. Subscribe via email and confirm your subscription.
6. Subscribe via RSS
7. Comment on my review of Crofters Organic. Comment back confirming you did this so your entry gets counted.
8. Comment on any Music and Mommies non-giveaway post and comment back with the link
9. Follow Music and Mommies on Network Blogs (left sidebar) comment back with your username (+2)

Giveaway Rules: 
Open to Residents of the US and Canada until  November 9, 2011           
[US Residents will receive full product coupons due to shipping regulations.]

Winner will have 72 hours to respond to confirmation email with address and telephone number or a new winner will be selected.

Review: Crofters Organic Premium Spreads

The lovely folks at Crofters Organic sent me 4 different spreads to review. Morello Cherry, Raspberry, Mango and one of their North American Super Fruit. Crofters Organic spreads are GMO free.

The flavor of the spreads is true to the fruit. They are delicious and contain very wholesome ingredients. For example the Morello Cherry Spread contains:

Organic Morello Cherries, Organic Fair Trade Cane Sugar, Natural Apple Pectin, Ascorbic Acid (vitamin C) and Citric Acid.

Simple and flavorful.

I had company at the time and the most common statement between all of us who tried the various spreads were how earthy and natural everything tasted. It was fresh and the chunks of fruit were a pleasant and well received surprise. The Mango fruit spread was my favorite even though all of them were delicious.

I really like the super fruit, in taste and concept. I think making a spread out of the super fruits and berries found in specific regions and naming them with appropriate names to suit their regions is a wonderful way to taste the corners of the earth.

While I was on the companies website I noticed that they had a page of recipes posted online. You could make full meals by slow cooking the meat and spreads. This was a very interesting idea. I cooked some pork in the Morello Cherry Premium spread with onions and then made a gravy out of it afterwards. I really didn't know what to expect. Not only was the idea of cooking a main course with a fruit spread a little strange to me, I opted to create my own recipe as well. I spooned some over some Rice of the Prairies and was quite surprised with how good it tasted. Not only are the spreads delicious but my experience with Crofters Organic in general has been very pleasant.

Review and Giveaway: Cavena Nuda - Rice of the Prairies [Canada Only]

Cavena Nuda pronounced ka-vee-na new-da, aka: "Cavena Naked Oats" or "Rice of the Prairies" is a prairie grain that cooks and functions like rice but has a unique texture and taste. It cooks well in a rice cooker and it is very hearty. The product currently sports a wheat free logo while the decision to include oats as a gluten free product remains held up by a Health Canada committee.

I cooked Cavena Naked Oats in my Rice cooker with some Ginger Syrup and a small amount of Soy sauce and steamed veggies. It was delicious. The texture is very chewy and wholesome and it isn't at all what you might immediately expect. My spouse loved the flavour but had a hard time getting past the texture of the product, while Jessi and I both completely enjoyed this interesting and hearty oat.

I tried it a second time with pork that I had cooked all day in the slow cooker and the result was amazing. This time I added a little extra water to the rice cooker to see if there was a difference in the consistency. It wasn't a tremendous difference but it was enough to shush the hubby's previous complaints. It was still chewy but it met his standards.

 I have one container of Cavena Naked Oats to giveaway to a Canadian reader!


To Enter [Mandatory]:

1. Follow MAM via GFC [right sidebar, refresh if necessary]
2. Visit MySmartFoods and tell me something that you learned about Cavena Naked Oats

Bonus Entries [Optional]:

1. Subscribe via email [confirm your email address]
2. Subscribe via RSS
3. Follow MAM on Facebook
4. Follow MAM on Twitter
5. Share on any social network and comment back with the link [Maximum +3 daily]
6. Follow this blog via Networked Blogs (left sidebar) +2

Giveaway Rules:
Open to Canadian Residents until November 7th, 2011. Winners will have 72 hours to respond to the winning email before a new winner is selected.

Disclaimer: I received this product for the purpose of review. No money exchanged hands. All opinions are that of the reviewer.

Giveaway: Organic Ginger Syrup Free Full Sized Product Coupon

The Ginger People have graciously donated a full sized product coupon for one of my readers. If you haven't read my review on their amazingly versatile Organic Ginger Syrup, please read it here.

To Enter:

1. Follow MAM on GFC [right column, refresh if necessary]
2. Visit The Ginger people and comment back with another product you would like to try.



Bonus Entries:

1. Like Music and Mommies  and The Ginger People on Facebook - Leave Username
2. Follow Music and Mommies and The Ginger People on Twitter - Leave Username
3. Share on any social network and comment back with the link [Maximum +3 daily]
4. Subscribe via email and confirm your subscription.
5. Subscribe via RSS
6. Comment on a non-giveaway post and comment back letting me know which one.
7. Follow this blog via Networked Blogs (left sidebar)

Giveaway Rules: 
Open to US and Canada until Nov 5th, 2011. Winner will have 72 hours to respond to confirmation email with address and telephone number or a new winner will be selected. 

Review and Giveaway: Taste of Nature [Closed]

Taste of Nature has a large selection of bars in all sorts of exotic flavors. Nova Scotia Blueberry Fields, Canadian Maple Forest, Persian Pomegranate Garden, Caribbean Ginger Island to name a few of the deliciously organic wonders. Made without fillers and nasty chemicals, Taste of Nature contains no GMO's or anything artificial. They are certified kosher, certified vegan and gluten free.

My first impression upon trying these bars was the quality of the ingredients. You can taste the purity of the product. They are remarkably nutritious. One of these bars could easily be a light breakfast and provide nutrients and energy to get you through a large part of the day. To top it off the nuts in these bars can help curb hunger cravings! My oldest son couldn't resist helping himself to one of these tasty treats. He enjoyed it and asked if we could pick up some more.

The Canadian Maple Forest bar contains:
organic pecans, organic apricots, organic brazil nuts, organic honey, organic brown rice syrup, organic raisins, organic whole brown rice crisps, organic agave nectar, organic maple syrup, organic maple flavour, organic vanilla flavour and sea salt.

Giveaway Entry [Mandatory]:
Taste of Nature has offered a box of their bars for one of my Canadian readers!

1. Follow MAM via GFC  - [right sidebar, refresh if necessary]
2. Visit taste of Nature and comment back with the name of the bar that sound the most appealing.

Bonus Entries [Optional]:

1. Subscribe via email [must be confirmed]
2. Subscribe via RSS
3. Follow MAM and Taste of Nature via Facebook
4. Follow MAM and Taste of Nature via Twitter
5. Comment on a Non-Giveaway post and let me know which one.
6. Share on another social network and comment with the link [Maximum +3 per day]


Giveaway Rules:
Giveaway open to Canadian Residents only until October 31, 2011. Winners will have 72 hours to respond to the winning email before a new winner will be selected.

WINNER: #73

SOOZLE

Review and Giveaway: Holy Crap Breakfast Cereal - [CLOSED]

Holy Crap is a Canadian made cereal with all natural ingredients. It is gluten free, lactose free, vegan and free of GMO's. It is high in important things like dietary fibre, iron and a great source of omega 3 & 6 and calcium and protein.

The ingredients are highly nutritious and the cereal is a little on the pricey side. However, because you are only using 2 TBS or the cereal mix with with your choice of milk (almond, soy, hemp....etc) the cereal does last quite a bit longer than you think it would. Since many of these ingredients expand slightly, they leave you feeling much more satisfied then you could ever imagine. The cereal softens after sitting in the milk for 3-4 minutes and does not taste gritty as one might expect being contrived of seeds. Oh yea, and your energy pretty much doubles! Seriously, I felt more energetic and lively after a serving of Holy Crap then I have in a long time. The nutritional value found within the chia seeds alone makes Holy Crap a dietary staple.

Holy crap contains:
organic chia, organic hulled hemp hearts, organic buckwheat, organic cranberries, organic raisins, organic apple bits, organic cinnamon. 

Holy crap tastes delicious in any kind of milk and on yogurt with fruit. It contains 6 grams of protein per serving which is a great source of protein for our vegan friends.

Holy Crap has given me an extra bag of cereal to giveaway to one Music and Mommies reader. Unfortunately because I have to pay for the shipping myself and my blog is not monetized this giveaway is open to Canadian residents only.

To Enter [mandatory]:

1. Follow MAM via GFC (right sidebar - refresh if cannot see) then comment below with GFC name and email... must be done for additional entries to count.

Bonus Entries [optional]:

1. Like MAM and Holy Crap on Facebook and comment with your username.
2. Follow MAM and Holy Crap on Twitter and comment with your username.
3. Subscribe to MAM via email
4. Subscribe to MAM via reader.
5. Comment on any non-giveaway post and comment back with the link post title.
6. Share on any social network and comment back with the link. [MAX +3 entries daily]

Giveaway Rules:

Winners will have 72 hours to respond to confirmation email. Open to Canadian residents only.
Once the prize has been mailed I am not responsible if winner does not receive it. Giveaway ends: Oct 30th, 2011.

WINNER: #130
DIANA

LaMomba - Where the brand meets the blog

Are you a blogger, a brand or perhaps a PR Marketing company?? Are you looking for other ways to connect network and connect with any of the above? Lamomba is a developing company that hasn't officially launched and right now they are offering free signups until 11-11-11.

Right now by referring your friends to sign up for free you are eligible to win 1 of 4 iTunes gift cards. In order to have your referral counted, the person signing up must select referral in the drop down box when they are asked how they found out about LaMomba and then they would tell who referred them.


If you were to sign up for LaMomba under me. You would select referral when asked how you found out about LaMomba and then type Crystal Porter in the field directly below marked "Other".


There is also a contest for the most referrals for those of you who are interested. The person who receives the most referrals will receive 1 year of BTM -Blog/Brand Track Management which is currently being built by LaMomba. According to LaMomba the initial feedback of the BTM is astonishing.

#Kindermom - Make time for play time

The children have returned to school for the year and their workloads have both increased. At times, it can be difficult finding balance between work and play. At times, it seems as though they are at the kitchen table for hours and in the blink of an eye the day is over. Providing a break in the day from homework and chores so your children get adequate playtime can keep your children happier.



Happy children make Mom and Dad happy.

Sometimes, it helps to make games out of their daily chores. If you have children close to the same age it can be fun to host a room cleaning competition between the both of them. It can even help the family complete some house hold chores as a family while still making time for play. You could include various rounds which could potentially include:

• Who can pick up and put away the most items in 2 minutes.
• Laundry sorting speed round

These are just a couple examples. You could even get your children to suggest ways to make their chores fun. Not only do the chores get completed in a way that is effective and efficient, it frees up more time for real family fun, inside or outside of the home.

My youngest really enjoys family game night. He often coordinates this event without consulting any other family members. Naturally, I find his excitement rather adorable. It is important to make time for these events, it teaches your children how to play fair and to respect others.

Finally, nothing gets the children more excited about their accomplishments then rewarding them with a nice Kinder surprise, some kind words and a hug for all of their hard work.

I would love to read all of your comments about the ways you have fun with your children.

In case you were not aware, Kinder Canada has a giveaway going on currently. Where 10 lucky Facebook Kinder Canada community members will win a $200 Kinder Gift Basket! So pop on over and like the page.

Disclaimer: This is a sponsored post on behalf of Kinder Canada and Mom Central Canada. The opinions in this post are my own and for being a #kindermom for 3 months I received compensation in the form of Kinder Eggs and a Visa Gift Certificate.

Review: The Ginger People's Organic Ginger Syrup

The Ginger People were kind enough to send me a bottle of Organic Ginger Syrup to review. The syrup comes in an 8 oz/237 ml glass bottle. The product branding is adorable. It is a animated piece of ginger root sitting on top of a stack of pancakes and syrup. The product arrives with a recipe for a ginger martini which sounds absolutely delicious. Unfortunately, I was missing a few ingredients and I just didn't want to compromise the taste.

I am a ginger lover. At home, I often drink cups of freshly infused ginger root for the health benefits and the spicy lemon-like flavor. Ginger is a known immune booster. It fights pain, combats nausea and helps increase digestive movement. Ginger helps to break down food which can aid your metabolic function. Did you know that ginger was called "the Great Medicine" by ancient Indian vaids as it removes toxins and restores balance to the body.

As soon as the bottle arrived my husband immediately opened up the bottle put some in his coffee as a sweetener and wandered off about his day. Later on he passed by and informed that the syrup tastes terrific in the coffee but he might have overdone it a little bit. He wasted absolutely no time, it was quite amusing to witness. His silent excitement echoed through his actions.

What I really enjoy about this product is that there are only 2 ingredients and that is Organic Cane Sugar and Organic Ginger. This makes me really happy. I have been making ginger teas with this and it is absolutely delicious on ice cream. It is so versatile that you can use it as a sauce for waffles, chicken, ribs. The list is endless.

If you would like to purchase a bottle of Organic Ginger Syrup it is can be purchased here and shipped anywhere within Canada and the United States.

Winners - The Book of Life and Madame Scodiolis Solid Perfume

Well I am terribly sorry for not getting the winners up before I went to bed last night. So here I am instead doing it immediately first thing in the morning! The oldest just walked out the door in search of a school bus.

A Copy of the Book of Life 

By Stuart Nadler

1. Chemmy - #13

2. Ann -  #3

3. Lukey Here - #17

Solid Perfume in the Winners Choice of scent.

1. Shenny

All of the winners have been notified and we are awaiting confirmation. Thank you to our wonderful sponsors and to everyone who entered! Don't forget about the giveaways that are currently running!

Beadforlife.org - Creating Sustainable Communities

Imagine wearing a bracelet hand rolled out of recycled paper. What if I told you that many of the women who crafted these bracelets were Ugandan mothers with HIV  or war refugees, all of which are suffering from extreme poverty? What if I told you that buy purchasing a bracelet you are helping these women (and some men) help themselves.

The goal of the BeadforLife program is simply to have their members become independent and self-sustaining. All net profits earned through BeadforLife sales are invested into holistic programs designed to eradicate poverty. These beads are made as part of the income generation program. One of the various programs that BeadforLife offers is a membership program in which beaders are trained to roll beads and make jewelry which is then bought from each beader twice a month at fair trade prices.

What can you do to help?

Among the many programs that BeadforLife offers one of the more interesting is the option to host a Bead Party. This can be done in your Home, Office or Community... heck, this can be done on Twitter. The bead parties are given by volunteer hosts in an effort to raise awareness about poverty. It is a great time to see the beads and share all of the amazing inspiring stories of the beaders. Not really much of a host/hostess? Read on...

Beadforlife's income generation program is not limited to rolling beads. 450 women and their families in rural Northern Uganda are rebuilding their lives by collecting shea nuts. A living example of this would be Akite Grace, a 37 year old woman. She cares for 9 children, has never set foot inside a school and was "inherited" by her brother in law after the death of her first husband. She and her 7 and 8 year old daughters were nearly abducted by rebels, but after realizing she had an injured leg and could not walk easily, they took Grace's 11 year old niece instead. She has not been seen since. 

When BeadforLife first met Grace she was struggling to support her family, she has now located her children to a remote bit of land where they are trying their best to farm local crops. With the markets that BeadforLife is creating Grace will have an income to buy a bull to plow the land so she can grow more food and pay school fees so that all of her children can go to school!

To support this cause and help women like Akite Grace, please purchase something for the BeadforLifeStore!

Giveaway: $20 Gift Certificate to BareFoot Yoga Co. [CLOSED]

While journeying the slow paced Eastern lands of India, the birthplace of yoga; Kelly, founder of the Barefoot Yoga Co., first realized the necessity of a yoga mat. It provided separation between herself and the ground where the people and the animals walked, allowing her focus to remain on her breath and pose. The beauty of India, from the saris to the bags of Basmati rice artistically inspired the look of the original yoga mat bag.

Kelly has graciously offered my readers a $20 gift certificate towards purchase at the Barefoot Yoga Co.

To Enter:
Visit the Barefoot Yoga Co. and comment back with which item(s) you would purchase with your gift certificate.

Bonus Entries:
1. Follow me on Google Friend Connect.
2. Like Music and Mommies  and Barefoot Yoga on Facebook
3. Follow Music and Mommies and Barefoot Yoga on Twitter
4. Share on Facebook, Twitter or Google + and comment back here with the link. [Maximum of 3 entries]
5. Subscribe via email and confirm your subscription.
6. Subscribe via RSS
7. Comment on a non-giveaway post and comment back letting me know which one.

Giveaway Rules: 
Open to everyone until October 19th, 2011. Winner will have 72 hours to respond to confirmation email with address and telephone number or a new winner will be selected.

WINNER: #73
T @ THE HAPPY CLIPPER