Hi everyone,

I wanted to take a moment to introduce you to the latest edition in our now family of five. Baby Noah was born October 27th. After lots of twisting and turning in the womb, Noah appears to have brought his acrobatics into the world. He rolled from his tummy the first time at 5 days and several times since ( I kid you not!)  Do you think it is some kind of record?   Here is a video we filmed on Day 7 (one week).

My hubby is anxious to move on to crawling, though me… not so much:)

I was excited when offered a chance to review a handmade sterling silver and fourteen karat gold personalized necklace from the small studio in Boulder, Colorado Hot Mama Designs. This is a great jewelry company that offers customized and personalized options. I got a personalized piece with my 3 sons names and birthdates.

This was an especially exciting product to sample because I just had our third son.  It was exciting to give myself this birthing gift and to recognize the love that I have for my three children.

The jewelry is sharp, stunning, and solid and the customized look and personalized touch is awesome!

Enter to win $100 Gift Certificate in our Giveaway

About Hot Mama Designs

Hot Mama Designs Jewelry is a small jewelry studio in Boulder, Colorado owned by Shannon Sunderland and Sahra AlSamarraie. We make custom heirloom jewelry that is personalized with names, initials, words, and anything else your customers can dream up.

As artists we are intrigued by the Japanese concept of wabi-sabi, which is (loosely translated) the beauty of things that are unpretentious and unconventional. In our mass-produced world our jewelry celebrates the one-of-a-kind feeling of the handmade object.

All pieces are 100 percent sterling silver and 14 karat gold. We use real semi-precious and precious stones in our designs and everything is made by hand in our Boulder, Colorado studio. We are metalsmiths, and all of our work has the highest attention to detail. Every piece goes through a rigorous five-part process, which includes stamping letters onto the metal one-by-one, soldering, adding patina, setting stones with special hand tools and adding a lustrous brushed finish.

Shannon started making the Hot Mama Designs jewelry line in 2003 around the time she gave birth to her first son. She started giving the work as gifts to other “new mama” girlfriends. Nearly every woman who received a piece of jewelry with their new baby’s name on it would cry, and she realized that this line of work is something really amazing. When Sahra serendipitously moved in next door to Shannon in 2008 they both recognized their similar passions for jewelry design and business and have worked happily together ever since. This feeling of connectedness, of celebrating mothers and families, is what Sahra and Shannon love about their work.

Want even more value?  Through December 8th, you can enter the discount code brr09 to receive a 10% discount on any purchases.

To Enter: Visit www.hotmamadesigns.com and tell me what you would like to use your $100 gift certificate for!

EXTRA ENTRY: Sign up for the newsletter on Hot Mama Designs and leave a comment here that you did.

This contest will end November 23rd and I will e-mail the winner.  You will have 48 hours to respond.  Good Luck!

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About Hot Mama Designs

Hot Mama Designs Jewelry is a small jewelry studio in Boulder, Colorado owned by Shannon Sunderland and Sahra AlSamarraie. We make custom heirloom jewelry that is personalized with names, initials, words, and anything else your customers can dream up.

As artists we are intrigued by the Japanese concept of wabi-sabi, which is (loosely translated) the beauty of things that are unpretentious and unconventional. In our mass-produced world our jewelry celebrates the one-of-a-kind feeling of the handmade object.

All pieces are 100 percent sterling silver and 14 karat gold. We use real semi-precious and precious stones in our designs and everything is made by hand in our Boulder, Colorado studio. We are metalsmiths, and all of our work has the highest attention to detail. Every piece goes through a rigorous five-part process, which includes stamping letters onto the metal one-by-one, soldering, adding patina, setting stones with special hand tools and adding a lustrous brushed finish.

Shannon started making the Hot Mama Designs jewelry line in 2003 around the time she gave birth to her first son. She started giving the work as gifts to other “new mama” girlfriends. Nearly every woman who received a piece of jewelry with their new baby’s name on it would cry, and she realized that this line of work is something really amazing. When Sahra serendipitously moved in next door to Shannon in 2008 they both recognized their similar passions for jewelry design and business and have worked happily together ever since. This feeling of connectedness, of celebrating mothers and families, is what Sahra and Shannon love about their work.

Early Moments™ is a Children’s Book Club Publishing Company

I am excited to offer you a fun coloring contest and prize packages available to you now on behalf of Early Moments. A coloring page from Early Moments’ popular Dr. Seuss & His Friends book club selection, “Green Eggs and Ham” is available at the link below.

To Enter: Leave a comment letting us know you’re favorite Dr. Seuss book.

The winner gets a quarter-year subscription to Early Moments’ Dr. Seuss & His Friends Book Club.

For more information about the contest and prize and to view the coloring page please see this link: http://www.stylegroup.com/seuss.jpg

Here are a couple of the more must have children s toys available for your holiday gift giving this year!

Sassy Toys

Sassy Toys is a leading provider of quality baby and infant toys.  You can find some great product options for yourself or to share with friends and family that have brought a newborn into their lives.  I had a chance to try some of their great products including:  Stim-Gym playmat, Spin Shine Rattle, Flutterby Teether, Hello Baby! Phone and Pop ‘n Push Car.

What I like is that the products are not only safe and baby friendly, there are some extremely innovative ideas.  The play mat is designed as a ladybug and is very versatile.  It offers mobile toys for your baby to bat at and the headrest is very soft and can be used to lay your baby down or for a prop for tummy time.  This his worked very well for us.  The toys are also very affordable ranging in price from only $3.99-34.99!

The entire toy line has been redesigned to keep Sassy on the cutting edge of infant development, incorporating the latest findings in research and insights from developmental experts.  Our new products have been created to enhance the development of the senses, which is critical to learning as we grow.  The more developed the senses become during infancy, the richer and better the information received as one grows and learns.  It all begins with the belief:  “Developing the senses provides a pathway for learning.”    Child Development experts Lise Eliot, PhD, associate professor in the Department of Neuroscience at the Chicago Medical School and Beth O’Connor, MAECD, professor at St. Mary’s College, Notre Dame, Indiana, collaborated with Sassy to produce infant products that are best suited to baby’s developing senses You’ll notice lots of bold geometric patterns, symmetrical faces, high contrast patterns and bright colors.  These are all sights that baby prefers. They help babies developing vision focus.  This gives baby a sense of calm.  There are many soft sounds.  Some are reminiscent of the womb.  Others provide classical and upbeat music for baby’s development.  Many textures encourage baby to reach out and learn about the world through touch and mouthing.  This is a sweeping change!  We are introducing more than 40 new toys ranging from rattles and teethers to larger items such as our new Stim-Gym playmat and a variety of boxed toys. All new Sassy toys will be available at Kohls.com.

Growing Tree Toys Marble Run

Growing Tree Educational Toys offers great value in kids toys with affordable, yet imaginative and fun toy concepts.  The Marble Run is a great product that helps teach your child assembly and laws of nature including gravity.  You assemble a collection of tubes and connection pieces and then run the marbles through the tunnels and let your child discover how the marbles naturally follow paths and twists.

This toy immediately became my son’s obsession for several days and ongoing!

The company offers many other great products including a vast array of educational toys.

If you are a review blogger, they are interested in hearing from you to review their toys, the link is below on how to contact them.

Growing Tree Toys Blog Sponsorship Review Program

Here are some great food and dessert ideas as you look to find some stocking stuffers, or perhaps some gift ideas for colleagues or others this season.

Choclatique Premium Chocolate Boutique

Choclatique is a premium chocolate boutique company that specializes in more than 195 very unique, amazing flavored chocolate confections, along with various chocolate baking mixes, chips and much more. They have special holiday treats including gourmet chocolate truffles, holiday chocolate marshmallows, holiday chocolate covered graham crackers and their holiday sweet stacks.

Tastefully Simple Gift Boxes

Tastefully Simple is a leading provider of holiday gift packs that are an awesome food gift package for the holidays.  The spreads and preserves are all amazing, though our family’s favorite is the Spicy Olive Cream Cheese Dip.  Below is a description of a couple of their most popular packs.

Berry Medley

You are sure to stir up sweet emotions this holiday season with the Berry Medley gift pack from Tastefully Simple. The Seedless Black Raspberry Preserves and Rhubarb Strawberry Fruit Spread each fill charming, footed glassware to be reused for years to come. Wrapped in a ready-to-give gift box with a bow, the fruit-filled spreads make the perfect gift for nearly anyone on your list. For $19.95, it’s just right for a gift under $20.00. Available at tastefullysimple.com.

Open & Enjoy

Add a twist to your holiday giving this year with the Open & Enjoy gift pack from Tastefully Simple. It comes ready to consume and makes a great gift to share with the office. Packaged to please anybody on your list, be sure to keep a few on hand for last-minute gifts. The gift pack includes Spicy Olive Twist™ Cream Cheese Dip, Mild Red Pepper Dip and Cheese It up! Crisps™ Baked Asiago & Cheddar Crackers all wrapped in a richly designed gift box with bow. Available at tastefullysimple.com for $24.95.

2 Fab Designs

This is a company that specializes in chic designs.  It also offers some great food packages for your holiday gift-giving.  The following are three great products that I had a chance to sample and am glad to recommend for your friends and family.

1. Bucket of Cheer – Who doesn’t love tasty holiday confections?  The 2 Fab Designs Bucket of Cheer will put a smile on any host or hostess’ face.  This fun, holiday-themed,  tin bucket is filled to the brim with delicious Santa Fireflies – hand-made, cool white chocolate candies topped with peppermint crunch – and scrumptious peppermint salt-water taffy.  This holiday splurge will have everyone cheering, and the decorative bucket can be used time and again for future holidays.  The Bucket of Cheer is available for $28.

1. Southern Charm Red-Velvet Delight – What better way to say “thank you” than with a delicious classic red velvet cake (as good as Grandmother ever baked) beautifully presented on a green and white polka dot ceramic plate?  This little taste of the South is a memorable gift that delivers a delicious treat with a fun plate that can be used for any occasion.  The Southern Charm Red-Velvet Delight is available for $32.

1. Winter Chill Carry Tote – The Winter Chill Carry Tote is a festive and useful thank-you gift.  This vivid red, insulated, compact carry tote holds six bottles or cans.  For a little extra holiday touch, the gift recipient will find a yummy package of handmade, white-peppermint chocolates tucked inside the tote’s pocket.  This gift will definitely add warmth to someone’s heart and is available for $24.99.

Taylor Swift and SNL spoofed Twilight last night and it was hilarious!  Her impersonation of Kristen Stewart was perfect.  What did you think?  Funny or Not?  Are you looking forward to New Moon on November 20th?  You can watch the video below.

Wouldn’t it be great if we could combine our passion for nicely scented candles with our desire to have our significant others give us a soothing relaxing massage?  Creating this possibility is the essence of The Scandle, a candle that burns at 2 degrees above body temperature to produce a soothing oil massage, manicures, pedicures, or a solution for your daily moisturizing needs.

The Scandle is part of The Scandle Holiday Spa Treatment Kit.  This holiday kit includes a 10 oz Scandle Candle in a refillable canister and a 10 oz Scandle refill in limited edition holiday fragrances.  The kit is packaged in a handmade Sinamay packaging made of natural plant fibers.

The Scandle is an award-winning product:

*Winner The Best of Best Spa Tools & Accessories 2008- Skin, Inc. Magazine
*Winner of Best Candle 2008 Beauty Awards – H2O Magazine
*Finalist in the 2008 Fragrance Business Product of the Year Awards – GCI Magazine

This truly is an amazing product.  The smell is extremely pleasing and my husband enjoys the feel of the lotion once the process is complete.  It works like a very effective and soothing massage oil and you have a nice smell in the background.

Be A Scandle Affiliate: http://www.abodycandle.com/affiliate.php
Tweet With Me: http://twitter.com/ScandleCandle
Blog: http://naturalspabeauty.blogspot.com/
MySpace: www.myspace.com/scandlebodycandle
FaceBook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Scandle-Candle/173291740075
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Homedics Massaging Cushion

Another great relaxation company I’d like to share with you is HoMedics.  This is a company that makes top quality and affordable massage products.  I got a chance to experience their massaging cushion.  It is extremely relaxing with a deep tissue massage that you can control in terms of location.  With a $99 price point, the value is amazing.  Below is some more information.

• Shiatsu Massaging Cushion – Enjoy a full back massage in the comfort of your home.  The comfy cushion features deep kneading Shiatsu massage plus invigorating vibration massage that travels up and down your back.  Add soothing heat for even more relaxation.  The foldable design and new convenient carrying bag allows for easy transportation.  MSRP $99.99.

Progresso soups wants you to know that there are four new, great tasting soups that have 28% of the recommended Daily Value of fiber per serving (7 grams) and have no added MSG* or artificial flavors. The new varieties include Chicken Tuscany, Creamy Tomato Basil, Hearty Vegetable and Noodles and Home style Minestrone. I love to eat soup in the winter and was excited to try out a can of Progresso. We have eaten it before and I can honestly say, the Chicken Tuscany does taste good because it comes with a good amount of chicken and veggies. They also sent us some adorable soup bowls, spoons, coupons and soup and want to share this prize package with you. You can download coupons and check out more about Progresso soups, including calories and fiber amounts at their website Progressosoup.com.

CONTEST:

TO ENTER: Leave a comment here letting us know what kind of Progresso soup you would like to try. I will e-mail the winner when the contest ends on November 13^th. Good luck!

Progesso and My Blog Spark provided the review and giveaway product.