Skoy Cloth review & giveaway - Save a Tree! ***CLOSED****

WINNER: Vivian
Vivian said... 4
tagged you on facebook on SKOY's page
versatilevivian@gmail.com

MONDAY, APRIL 11, 2011 12:55:00 PM
YES VIVIAN HAS RESPONDED>

I'm all about being green. And like Kermit the Frog best said, "Being green isn't easy", but this neat invention called Skoy cloths makes it that way. Skoy cloth is a bio-degradeable, re-useable, environmentally friendly inexpensive sponge like paper towel? For lack of a better word! Its basically a thin sponge/cloth. I really like this!

I know what a Carbon Footprint is, and I reduce mine by using SWAPTREE, RECYCLEBANK, I barely use paper towels, I recycle my bags at walmart/publix/winn dixie, and have preached about that subject for years! (See my myspace blog..) and I buy re-usable coffee mugs/drinking cups w lids.. because I know about the epidemic about water bottles... but thats a whole 'nother story.

True story? My dad Greg is obsessed with using paper towels at dinner. I am not messy eater, I do not require a napkin. I guess because he has a mustache and it gets in the hair? Anyway being a navy wife, I live a good ride out from my hometown, where my parents live. Well, he will come out and stay a few days at a time, and I will usually go buy one roll. Just one. Ha! Because I know if I don't, he gets upset! I dont use them.. I use rags. So these Skoy cloths will probably make quite an impression on him. But then, some people are just set in their ways, with little regard. But just because you know these things.. not everyone will do them. We think its such an insignificant thing, that our contribution matters not.. but it really does! Every little bit counts!

Well, I have to tell my readers that I will be giving away the cutest little set of Skoy Cloths.. Here is why you should want them:

The Skoy Story (click here!)

Reason # 1 - Oprah recommended! And you know she gets down and is in-the-know about what's hot and what's not! Read all about it HERE.

Reason # 2 - Quick fact - Paper Towels are evil. (Q & A That follows from WikiAnswers) "Are paper towels bad for the environment?

Yes they are. During the production and transportation it requires the burning of fossil fuels. They are also usually bleached white, which emits dioxins.

However, Paper towels are considered inferior among towels. Many experts argue that they should not be considered towels at all, due to their evil polluting nature! Paper towels don't count, don't let this put you off towels all together! Towels are your best friend, never be without your towel."


Read more: http://wiki.answers.com/Q/Are_paper_towels_bad_for_the_environment#ixzz1IrmSUJM

(OK, maybe thats an exaggeration, but they are certainly not good either!) It is our habit to reach for one after we wash our hands, (use a hand towel!) Or to clean up a mess in the kitchen. Or dust with, or many things, but your Skoy Cloth can be used for those things as well - PLUS it is good because it can be used as long as you want to keep cleaning it. Up to a year! You can wash it in the washer and dryer and it also can be steamed to get germs out on a plate of water for a minute or two in the microwave!

Reason # 3 - You can use it on anything.! Skoy has colored cloths that are great for hard surfaces and wont show little food messes that could potentially stain them. And they have white cloths as well, that they sell and recommended for cleaning carpets or things you might not want to stain , the color in the colored Skoy cloths can potentially rub on on something of a lighter color. So they are prepared for anything. Colored for big messes and white ones for treating stains and scrubbing other fabrics with!

Reason # 4 - You can use it in ANY room of your house. Or for whatever you like!

Reason # 5 - Skoy Cloths are biodegradable!

Reason # 6 - They are fun! They are cute and attractive sitting on your counter!

Reason # 7 - You can get a Skoy 4-pack for less than you can get 4 rolls of paper towels, and they last 15x as long (or longer!)

Be sure to check them out on their website here!

Read about their use & care HERE.

Know your facts! Another insightful & relevant story, if you are interested! Read Me.





Seven Planet Mindful Media | Skoy Cloths from Benjamin VanderVeen on Vimeo.




~FOR THE GIVEAWAY!~


One lucky Locomotions of Expressions reader will receive one 4 pack of the colored "hard-surface" cloths! They are so cute! (I got the white ones!) Theres two simple things that you have to do! (other than be a public follower - via Google Friend Connect on the right sidebar, of course!)

#1- Follow Skoy Cloth on twitter HERE or "like" thier facebook page HERE Both can be done for an "extra entry".

#2 - Tell me in a comment below that you did #1 - then, in the same comment tell me if there is a store local to you that sells Skoy,and which one it is. Or, tell me which online retailer you would use. Find one HERE!


For extra entries while the contest is running you keep checking back with my blog. As I will have 5 more giveaways written in the time span/duration of this sweepstakes, and enter my other giveaways. You may then, come back here and comment for each one you enter, for one extra entry per contest entered!

You may ALSO write on Skoy's Facebook wall that Locomotion of Expressions sent you!
EXTRA POINT (and Extra Entry separate comment to count)- If you tag the Locomotion of Expressions fan page in the post (you have to be a fan first! fan us by clicking here) Tag us by typing the @ sign on Skoy's wall!


This contest is over April 17th Sunday at noon Eastern! GOOD LUCK!

News of whats to come!

Locomotion of Expressions
also be looking for a review from therabreath and manhattan toy pj tots! :) Should all be up and running within a week or two. I am out of town on spring break right now! So count em, FIVE,
1 - skoy cloths
2 - girl leo clothes
3- therabreath
4 - manhattan toy pj tots
5 - sunglasseswarehouse.com

Are you excited? I am!

UPDATE! ~ Wed 4-6 two more

6 - Belli Kelocote scar therapy review and giveaway
AND
7 - Educational Toys Planet Foamfetti

Charm Factory review & giveaway ***CLOSED!!!***

Wow! What a busy week I've had! Today I get to give you my opinions about Charm Factory. Then, if you so choose, you may enter a giveaway by commenting on this post (after you read it, of course!) for a finished charm bracelet like the one they sent me!

First of all, let me say WOW at the assortment of charms they offer! They have everything! From fancy, to flashy, to funny (bacon? haha) , to contemporary, to Twilight inspired!!
Charm Factory is a website that specializes in charms, bracelets, stamps, tags, beads, and components. Charm Factory is your go-to for making and building your very own charm bracelet. You can also personalize your necklaces, bracelets and anklets with letter beads, and cute little charms. They have sterling silver, wooden, lead-free pewter. Best of all.. they offer free shipping on orders over 25$!!!

Since Charm Factory no longer offers a paper catalog (Just my opinion, a good thing. The environment.. just saying!) you can download a .pdf version of their catalog here. If you arent sure what you are browsing for.. thats especially helpful! Catalog CLICK HERE!

Let me tell you all about the kinda of charms they have.
I'm sure I will miss a few, because I am not sure if there is that much room on my blog!
When I picked out the extra charms that I bought, to add to what they sent me- I was a little overwhelmed. My advice? Just search for what is near and dear to your heart. Whether it be your dog (all breeds, they probably have. I saw quite a few.) or be it humpback whales (yes, I saw those too!) ...
OK, now heres some of the categories and links for you.

The CUTEST pendants, Gold plated, Lockets, Pewter beads, Pewter charms, Inspiring Affirmation rings, Awareness ribbons, and much more..
western, birthstone, military, travel & transportation, graduation, luck & money, sorority, any and ALL sports, think its not there? Please prove me wrong. (They even have team mom charms!) religious, careers, gardening, picture frames, music, band & dance, hearts, letters, sign language, hobbies, holidays, foods, all things family, messages, clothing, purses, shoes, crystal, enamel, (which I think are really cute & colorful), beachy, babies & lastly, animals & insects.
Dont forget my absolute FAVORITE category Pave. Pave basically means a a style of setting gems so closely that no metal shows. They are breathtaking!

WHEW! *wipes brow* That was a LOT!

This heart bracelet is what they sent me.

I added these charms to it. (below)

My finished bracelet looks like this

If you are very advanced at making your own jewelry (I am not. :) You will be intruiged to know that they sell signature stamps. You can find them HERE. As well as- if you are advanced you will be interested to know they also sell jewelry making tools for the crafter in you. Find those as well, HERE

Charm Factory has their own blog. You can see it HERE

About the giveaway. There will only be one winner. This contest will run from 3/14/2011 to 3/24/2011 (noon eastern). Charm Factory is responsible for shipping to the winner. If you are interested to see what you will win you may go HERE. You will win a finished charm bracelet. (I bought extra charms for mine.) You are free to do so as well. They dont cost much, and they have a neat Sale section!

~The giveaway!~

((To enter to win this giveaway you need to be a public follower of Locomotion of Expressions.))

PLUS you need to do two of the following six things. Must do two and leave ONE comment saying which two of the entries you chose to do. You can also do the other things, and earn EXTRA entries for doing them. One comment for each extra entry -per thing you do. Hope everyone understands this! Good luck!~

You may - "Like" Charm Factory's Facebook page. Please also comment on their wall and tell them Locomotion of Expressions sent you. You can find their Facebook page HERE

You may "Like" my Facebook fan page HERE

Grab my button and tell me where to find it. (Top right sidebar)

You may follow my twitter HERE and Charm Factory's twitter HERE. Please follow both for this entry method.

Enter this giveaway for a pregnancy pampering kit by Belli HERE and comment back here that you entered.

Enter this giveaway for a grab bag of BabyLegs baby leg warmers HERE. Comment back here and tell me that you entered.

Remember you only need to do two to be entered and you can choose any two!

Also, dont forget to sign up for their email updates HERE, and be informed about sales and new items!

They accept

Thats it for now! Good luck!

E-Beanstalk Review

www.ebeanstalk.com is a website I found that makes shopping for children's toys easy. EBeanstalk has been featured in Newsweek, Daily Candy, Cookie (among many other places..) Ebeanstalk makes it easy by organizing and breaking it down to many different sections by age and gender.
There is a highly recommended Grow & Learn series that groups developmental toys in lots of toys for a discounted price. Each set has Free Shipping + includes a baby's first dictionary (with pictures!). Here's how it works. You pay the total cost of the series and they ship a new toy every 3 months!

Wouldn't it be nice to have a website do all the thinking for you? EBeanstalk matches the toys to the child's development.

TOYS FOR 1 YEAR OLDS
My littlest baby, Devonny just turned 10 months old. I know, shes getting to be such a big girl! So when I found out I would be given the chance to review their website, I was excited! I really like the layout and design of the website. It made looking at toys for Devonny so much easier than any other website. Most websites you have to know exactly what your looking for... or else its hard to browse for a specific age group.

Are you a grandparent? Don't know what to buy the grandbaby? EBeanstalk has a special hotline AND discount codes set up! They will set you on the right path. Just give them a call and they will gather your information and help you chose a toy thats appropriate for your special little one! Read all about it HERE

TOYS FOR 1 YEAR OLD BOYS
You can sort the toys by top sellers, target age, gender and price ascending and descending.
I found a REALLY good deal on this Go Go Mini-town construction playsite! How cute! Most little cars are not made for one year olds! Its only 20$!

TOYS FOR 1 YEAR OLD GIRLS
There is such a huge selection of toys for little girls Devonny's age! It is good that they simplify it for you, because otherwise, it would be overwhelming. I like that you can orgainze the toys by brands too. Because I really like Melissa and Doug toys! I found something I think Devonny would really enjoy... a play phone called Moms on the phone. That baby is obsessed with my Blackberry!

Their brand section reads:
"Over 100 brands from around the world make up our selection of great baby toys and toddler toys. What makes a great baby toy or toddler toy? Is it because it’s a unique toy? Because it’s a wooden toy or Plastic? European or made in the USA? A learning or developmental toy? Don’t ask us, ask our child-experts. They selected, tested and approved each and every toy on the site. AND we lead-tested all the toys on the site as well. We hope you enjoy our collection of toys...we are very proud of it."
TOP SELLING TOYS FOR 1 YEAR OLDS
They are so confident in their ability to help you identify what toy is right for you. As well as confident in the toys they sell they have ebeanstalk Happy Kid Guarantee!
If your toy is not age-appropriate or your child doesn't like the toy, return it to them within 30 days from the date of purchase for a refund. All of the toys are tested, selected & matched to a child's stage of development by our experts. Plus, each toy comes with a custom instruction card, written by our experts, to help you and your child get the most out of each toy.
There is a Clearance section...
I am impressed that they stock toys all the way up to age 12. I found their website to be just what the doctor ordered and will definitely keep it in mind for upcoming birthday parties/gifts. Be it for my own children, or her schoolmates. I didn't find any errors within the website, or any problems navigating it. It was a lot easier than looking around Target or WalMart's websites! What do they know about children's development? They know about mass purchasing for price cuts! Actually .. I did fine one error. In their newsletter signup it reads, "save on all purchases in 2010 " Of course, it is no longer 2010.. :)
But I would notice that! ( You'd have to know me to fully understand that statement!)
I found eco-toys! -Go organic!- Bath toys, outdoor, ride-ons, wooden, pretend play... Well I don't want to keep droning on and on about it. Honestly there is too much! Just click HERE and go see for yourself!!!!
Something they say on their website really hit home with me, "problem parents often report is a lack of information about how to use toys with their children in order to provide the greatest benefit and have the most fun. Our team has developed instruction cards and graduated play ideas for each of our toys." Isn't that the truth! Much as we love our children, it doesn't take the place of some good old fashioned expert advice.
PLUS - They have an online chat if you need assistance.
You can set up a wishlist, set Birthday Reminders...
Most importantly, please be careful when selecting toys for children. Most have small parts that can come off easy. Babies especially you have to be very attentive when selecting a toy for them. Everything goes in their little mouth, and not all toys are made with materials that are safe for baby to be putting in their mouth.
SAFETY INFORMATION
PS Part my little girl Giana (five years old.. watch me navigate the website and borwse..) pointed out that I wouldn't have even noticed? There are Free downloadable coloring pages. "Print them for me Momma!"

Well, I'm going to wrap it up. Don't forget to bookmark the site for the next time you have a purchase to make!

Skin MD review + FREE samples!

Skin MD sent me some samples of their shielding lotion and sunscreen for review. I liked the absorption and quality of the lotions. Their lotions are recommended for people with highly sensitive skin and/or skin conditions. I get acne pretty bad sometimes. So I have to be extra careful of what I put on my skin.

I like that they are one of the most safe lotions on the market. Ranked #1 "Most Safe" by the FDA! Its not greasy, and I didn't see any new bumps while or after using their product! This stuff helps strengthen your own skins natural defenses!

It is $18 for a 4oz bottle, the a little goes a long way. Definitely affordable. Everyone knows you need to wear sunscreen to protect your skin. But most sunscreens are heavy, greasy, thick and fragranced. You can literally feel it clogging your pores! But not with the sunscreen that I used. Its not as thin as the shielding lotion, but it has a "just right" consistency and absorption. As with all Skin MD products, it also is paraben free, non-comedogenic, hypoallergenic and dermatology tested.

You can get some samples of your own, by clicking the little box below that is flashing "Samples" :)

Locate your skin care here!

Here what they say about their lotion:
A shielding lotion does the real work to prevent dry skin in two ways.

First, it assists the inner layers of skin to absorb moisture. The humectant (an ingredient that attracts moisture) used in Skin MD Natural is unique to it and has been laboratory tested to be 6 times more effective than any other you will find in common creams.

Second, a shielding lotion enhances the power of the top layer of the skin to resist environmental irritants while protecting the inner natural moisture.

This can be a big benefit for those who cook, wash dishes and garden because Skin MD Natural helps skin retain its natural moisture and oils in the face of all those irritating soaps and chemicals.

Read all about how it works on their website. Skin care explained!

The manufacturer's website has hundreds of dermatologist and user reviews including many addressing severe dry skin problems such as eczema and psoriasis. People with sensitive skin -- and those of us who like to live as naturally as possible -- will appreciate that Skin MD Natural is hypoallergenic, free of fragrances, parabens and colorants. It is made with more than 90% natural ingredients and 100% food-grade ingredients that are on the FDA's "most safe" list.

Watch videos about Skin MD HERE
Skin MD's twitter stream HERE
Connect with Skin MD (and any promotions they might be having) on Facebook HERE
Buy some of your very own Skin Care

Unfortunatley there is no "GiveAway" but you can score some of your own samples.