Stuff Parents Need

Easing the chaos in the nest, one find at a time.

Whimsical Art for Homes with Children (GIVEAWAY!!!)

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If you look around my house, it takes all of 1 second to realize I have kids. Toys and lessons and stuffed animals and blankets are found in pretty much every room of the house.

But if you were to look strictly at the walls of my house, it would not be as apparent that children live here (aside from our wall of family pictures). We could definitely do a better job of incorporating more free-spirited and fun pieces of art in our home; pieces that will delight children.

I was delighted when Nidhi Chanani, a well-respected artist from San Francisco, contacted me to see if I’d like to check out her work. She makes art that most anyone would enjoy, but I think she has a very special knack for pieces that will speak to children.

Darah and I spent about 15 minutes admiring Nidhi’s work, and Darah kept coming back to the print of the bear taking a shower. It made her giggle, and she said she’d love to look at it while she takes her baths. So now this print is in our bathroom for Darah to enjoy, and it certainly makes me smile to see it, too.

 

There were so many great prints from which to choose on Nidhi’s site. Here are the two honorable mentions for Darah:

I mean….how cute are these pieces?! I’ve definitely got Nidhi’s Etsy site bookmarked to return to when it is time for Layah to graduate to a “big girl” room from the nursery.

Win it!: One lucky Stuff Parents Need reader is going to win Everyday Love Volume 2 (a 124 page art book for children!)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Be sure to enter my other current giveaways, found on the sidebar of my page.

Disclosure: I received a complimentary product for review purposes. All thoughts and opinions expressed here are strictly my own. 

Pillowcase Purse: Affordable, Green, Unique Gift Idea

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Are you currently trying to come up with ideas for gifts to give to others this holiday season? Have you been asked to give ideas for yourself and are drawing a blank? Well going green is HUGE for a second year in a row, so I would love to suggest that you think closely about gift ideas that support reducing, reusing and recyling in all its various forms. One way that has really caught on big is something called “up-cycling.” This is basically when you take an item and repurpose its parts to make something way cooler than what it originally was. Today I’m bringing you a very cool up-cycled product!

pillowcase purse from uniquerabbit Check out these pillowcase totes from Unique Rabbit! Kimberly, the owner of Unique Rabbit, has taken vintage pillowcases and turned them into fabulous bags that can serve a variety of purposes. These can hold your groceries, serve as a diaper bag, a toy holder, a library book holder (that’s what I use mine for every single week!) or any other number of purposes. And since it is made from vintage fabrics that are pretty much one-of-a-kind at this point, what you have will be totally unique. And isn’t it fun to have something that NOBODY else has? You know it is! The bag is also super soft, which simply makes it nice to carry! 🙂 Every time I take my bag out (which is every week!) someone comments on how very cool it is.

I can’t say enough about what a fantastic gift idea this is, especially if you are on a tight budget. Including shipping, this bag will set you back $10.50. That’s $10.50 for a handmade, one-of-a-kind, super cute, super green, super functional gift. Kimberly only has a few of these in stock, so jump on them now before they are gone!

Unique Rabbit is one of the very first stores that I ever featured on my blog. For that reason, and because Kimberly makes wonderful products, this is a store that I have so much love for in my heart! Please take a moment to look around her shop and see if anything catches your eye. Oh, and if you aren’t using paperless towels at this point in your kitchen, please do yourself a favor and purchase some right now. Her prices can’t be beat!

Win it!: Would you like to win an up-cycled tote? Of course you would! Here’s your chance! The contest will run until November 7th at 11:59pm EST when a winner will be selected using Random.org. The winner will have 48 hours to respond to the notification before the prize is forfeited and a new winner is drawn Open to residents of the United States. Limit one entrant per household, please.

Mandatory entry: Tell me about a time you re-purposed something. Sewing doesn’t have to be involved! For example: I recently re-purposed a beautiful short stem vase that hadn’t been used in years into a pencil and pen holder on my desk!

Additional entries:
1. Sponsor love: Add Unique Rabbit to your Etsy favorites!
2. Blogger love: Follow Stuff Parents Need on Google Friend Connect (totally easy and no big deal to sign up if you haven’t before! Just check out my sidebar).

Be sure to check out the other current giveaways, found on the sidebar of my homepage. My giveaways typically have good odds!

Disclosure: I received a complimentary product for review purposes. The opinions expressed here are strictly my own.

Party Favors I Actually Love: Custom Art Chalk

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I’m starting to realize that part of the culture of children’s birthday parties includes party favors. I think when I was little, I would occasionally go to a birthday party where we could go home with a pencil and some stickers (actually, I distinctly remember getting one of those funky mechanical pencils that was glittery and thinking that it was the greatest party EVER). But I think the bar has been raised a bit, and now parents are left scrambling to find favors that won’t disappoint. I find this very strange, and I hope that I don’t fall into that mindset when Darah gets a little bit older and starts to have birthday parties with guests.

I don’t mind sending kids home with a little something fun, but I’m totally not interested in loading them up with plastic crap (which is what the affordable favors are) or with spending a lot of money just in impress the kids and/or their parents (and also give them anxiety about what they will have to buy for favors when it is their child’s party).

art chalk party favors I found an Etsy store that has a PERFECT solution for the favor dilemma. Check out The Chalk Shop! Mel is an awesome mom who runs this store out of her smoke-free home. She started out making art chalk for her 21 month old daughter, and then she learned how to make the chalk in all sorts of different shapes. This makes for unique chalk pieces that are so much fun. They are fun to look at, fun to play with (what kid doesn’t LOVE chalk?), and they are reasonably priced, so that you don’t bust your party budget!

Mel enjoys working with her customers to make the perfect shapes and colors to meet you needs. I actually found the store in February when I was looking for the perfect gift for one of my nieces. At the time she was really into trains and she also liked chalk. Well, The Chalk Shop happened to offer chalk in the shape of trains. PERFECT!!! If you have an idea for a chalk design, send Mel a convo through Etsy and she’ll let you know if she can make it happen! It takes two weeks for custom orders to be shipped, as they need adequate time to dry before shiping.

art chalk party favors Mel can also wrap up the chalk into beautiful little packages, which makes them perfect to hand out as favors. They are also gift-ready for any other special occasion!

Buy it!: I highly recommend The Chalk Shop as a go-to resource for party favors and stocking stuffers. Mel can help you come up with something perfect for you at a price that will make you smile! Each piece is just over $1! Hard to beat, I think!

Win it!: Mel sent me a delightful set of flower chalk (3 pieces of chalk, total), beautifully wrapped, for one lucky Stuff Parents Need reader! The contest will run until August 16th at 7:59pm CST when a winner will be selected using Random.org. The winner will have 48 hours to respond to the winning email before the prize is forfeited and a new winner is selected. Open to residents of the United States. Limit one entrant per household, please.

Mandatory entry: Tell me your thoughts on party favors for kids. Do you provide them for your parties? Are they fun or do they stress you out? Any comment related to the topic will work!

Additional entries:
1. Add The Chalk Shop to your etsy favorites
2. “Like” The Chalk Shop on Facebook
3. Give Mel a suggestion for a chalk shape
4. Subscribe/follow Stuff Parents Need by RSS, email or Google Friend Connect (one extra entry, even if you subscribe multiple ways)
5. Follow Stuff Parents Need on Twitter
6. If you are a blogger (wrote a post in the last 3 months) add my button to your site and leave the url so I can see it.

Be sure to enter my other current giveaways, found on the sidebar of my main page.

Disclosure: I received a complimentary product to facilitate my review. The opinions expressed here are strictly my own.

Have a Happy Birthday? YES WE CAN! (GIVEAWAY!!!)

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Darah is part of what is now called the “Obama Baby Boom.” There is a slight jump in the number of births that happened 9 months after our fearless leader was elected. 🙂

Tim and I make no secret about our admiration of our current president, and how our world was rocked (in a positive way) when he was elected. We know that one day we will tell Darah about when we voted for him, and how crazy busy the polls were, and how there was this vibrant energy that we had not yet witnessed in our time as registered voters. It was almost magical.

We officially announced our pregnancy to people outside of the family on Inauguration Day. Again, that was such a magical day, and I’ll never forget it. Change was in the air, snow was falling lightly in Memphis (which is relatively rare), and we were telling the world that our baby was on the way.

President Obama’s birthday is today, August 4th. I have to confess that I tried to convince my OB to induce me on the 4th, and I listed Obama’s birthday as a key reason. Yes, the crazy was in FULL FORCE by the end of my pregnancy. I’ll never forget how much she laughed when I listed that as a compelling reason to induce me. It made perfect sense to me, at the time! Also, I was miserable, but I digress…

In light of Darah’s Obama connection, we wanted to celebrate her first birthday with a little tribute to our White House resident. I found a Progress shirt at Truly Sanctuary, and I totally fell in love. They have an entire section devoted to Obama onesies! Yipee!

Now, I realize that not all of my readers will share the same affinity I have for our remarkable president. And that’s ok. I celebrate the fact that in this country we have freedom of thought and expression! If an Obama onesie probably wouldn’t find its way onto your baby, Truly Sanctuary still has something you’ll like, I guarantee it! Check out their selection of canvas totes (Mr. T bag, you MUST come home with me…), their tattoo art onesies and their extensive selection of music-related clothes!

Buy it!: Basically, Truly Sanctuary is the perfect place to shop for something unique, inspiring, or just plain quirky for your little one. Onesies start at $14.99!

Win it!: One lucky Stuff Parents Need reader is going to snag a onesie of your choice from those currently listed on Etsy. Yipee! The contest will run until August 14th at 7:59pm CST when the winner will be selected using Random.org. The winner will be emailed and will have 48 hours to respond before the prize is forfeited and a new winner is selected. Open to residents of the United States. Limit one entrant per household, please.

Mandatory entry: Tell me the onesie you would pick and the size (and choose wisely, as you will get what you choose if you are the winner!)

Additional entries:
1. Follow Truly Sanctuary on Twitter
2. Add Truly Sanctuary to your Etsy favorites
3. Subscribe to Stuff Parents Need by RSS/email or Google Friend Connect
4. “Like” Stuff Parents Need on Facebook
5. Follow Stuff Parents Need on Twitter

Be sure to check out all my other current giveaways (located on the sidebar of my homepage)
Disclosure: I was sent a complimentary product in order to facilitate my review. The opinions expressed here are strictly my own.

YoungBloods Diapers Review

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Cloth diapers are becoming more and more popular at my house, folks. Tim and I have been a bit at odds with each other on cloth diapers, but as soon as I realized that he didn’t mind, and in fact, even enjoyed using the all in one (AIO) diapers, I focused my efforts there, and we haven’t really looked back. I still use the fitted and pocket diapers we have, but I have tried to make sure that we have a decent supply of AIO diapers on hand so that Tim can just grab them and go. He wants diapers that are just as easy to use as disposables, and that’s pretty much AIO diapers, in a nut shell.

youngbloods diaper Today I want you to meet Jenny, a fabulous work at home mom from Savannah. She has a degree in fibers and textile design, and she has put that degree to work in an effort to come up with beautiful and functional cloth diapers through her Etsy shop, Young Blood. She has been putting her diaper designs to the test with her own baby, and over the past 1 1/2 years, has worked hard to create the perfect AIO diaper.

Jenny sells her AIO diapers for $18.00 (the price of a 1 week supply of Huggies Pure and Natural diapers!) and she offers them in very cool patterns. My favorites include the newborn diaper (with a cut out for the umbilical cord!) in the blue hearts pattern and the small blue cloth diaper that has the gorgeous blue fabric on the inside (guess I’m in a “blue” mood today!). Give Young Blood diapers a try if you are in the market for something new!

youngbloods diaper If you are curious about trying out cloth, or if you are already a convert and would love to add a new diaper from a great small business, now is your chance! Jenny is offering one lucky Stuff Parents Need reader an AIO cloth diaper! The winner will receive their choice of size (newborn, medium or large) in this fabulous monkey print. I love it! The contest will run until June 17th at 7:59pm CST when a winner will be selected using Random.org. The winner will be emailed and will have 48 hours to respond before the prize is forfeited and a new winner is selected. Open to residents of the United States.

Edit: This giveaway is CLOSED

Mandatory Entry: Tell me the size diaper you want if you win AND one other diaper that you really like in the shop!

Additional Entries:

1. Subscribe to my blog via RSS, email or Google friend connect (only one extra entry, even if you subscribe more than one way)
2. Follow Stuff Parents Need on Twitter (leave your Twitter ID)
3. “Like” Young Blood on Facebook
4. Tweet about this giveaway

Affordable Art: Professional Photography Prints (GIVEAWAY!!!)

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Edit: This giveaway is CLOSED….but the coupon for 15% off any purchase has been extended until June 19th! If you didn’t win but still want a print, now’s the time to order!

Even though I have been able to spruce up my desk space at home and work with the most precious picture frames (from Round the Bend and Quilly Nilly!), the walls at my house are still mostly bare. I’m actually not a big fan of putting family pictures on the wall (with the exception of the HUGE collage of pictures of my baby hanging in my dining room). I don’t think there’s anything wrong with it, it just doesn’t suit me for some reason. I’d rather have art of some sort to admire. But I have trouble finding paintings that aren’t either really bad, really cheesy, or REALLY expensive. One medium that provides beautiful images at affordable prices is photography. Too bad I stink with a camera. Fortunately, there are folks out there who are quite handy with a camera lens, and today I’m going to introduce you to one.

I’m excited to be featuring a photographer from my hometown of Enterprise, Alabama! Blogosphere, meet Erin Johnson! Erin is a graphic designer by trade, but her heart belongs to photography. She is highly skilled, having the ability to photograph landscapes, animals, flowers, architecture AND people! Many photographers will specialize in just one area, but Erin does them all!

Erin sent me a beautiful picture of a pink zinnia to help breathe new life into my home. It currently is hung in my bedroom, at the wall opposite my bed. I’m really enjoying having the very first thing I see every morning be a beautiful image from nature. It lifts my spirits!

Erin has so many beautiful photos on her site, and I’m sure that there’s at least one that would look great on your walls at home or work. A few of my personal favorites include The Old Mill, Sunset Fields and the Ladybug. Erin can print these photographs in almost any size, so contact her if you see a print you like but you want a size other than the one offered! Her 8 x 10 photographs are only $18.00, which makes this art not only lovely, but also affordable. And that makes it a winner! During the contest, Erin is offering you 15% off any purchase. Just include the code, “Stuff” in your notes to seller, and she’ll refund your discount through paypal!

Speaking of being a winner, here’s your chance to win! Erin is offering up one 8 x 10 photo from her collection to a lucky Stuff Parents Need reader. Fantastic! The contest will run until Saturday, June 12th at 7:59pm CST when a winner will be selected using Random.org. The winner will be emailed and will have 48 hours to respond before the prize is forfeited and a new winner is selected. Open to residents of the United States.

Mandatory Entry: Tell me the print you want to win and where you would hang it. Choose wisely, as you will get what you select in your entry!

Additional Entries:
1. Subscribe to my blog via RSS, email or Google friend connect (only one extra entry, even if you subscribe more than one way)
2. Follow Stuff Parents Need on Twitter (leave your Twitter ID)
3. Follow Erin Johnson on Twitter (leave your Twitter ID)
4. Add Erin Johnson Photography to your Etsy favorites
5. Make a suggestion to Erin for something she should photograph
6. “Like” Erin Johnson Photography on Facebook
Disclosure: I received a complimentary product for review purposes. The opinions expressed here are strictly my own.

Gorgeous Frames for Your Gorgeous Family (Memphis in May GIVEAWAY!)

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Do me a favor a take a quick look around the desk you are likely sitting at right now. Is it somewhat lacking in the “cute” department? Does it have a picture of someone you love on it? The odds are pretty good that the picture frame holding that photo pales in comparison to the image. That’s as it should be…to a point. I’ve realized that most of the frames I own are quite simply dull and don’t add any color, texture or fun to my desk (both at work and at home!).

Well that’s all about to change, thanks to my next Memphis in May featured artist, Erin. Erin owns a wonderful Etsy shop called Round the Bend. This store features absolutely beautiful frames of various sizes. Erin loves any opportunity to express her creativity, but her very favorite thing to make are the small frames with paper. She says, “There are so many pretty papers available, I love going to the scrapbook store and searching for ones that I think would look great. Plus, I can make so many different styles – modern, formal, girly, young, bright, etc, that hopefully everyone can find something that appeals to them.” I have to agree…there’s something for everyone at Round the Bend! Erin also really enjoys making things for her kids such as playmats, bibs and blankets. Those will likely be making an appearance in her shop soon, so stay on the lookout!

Erin sent me a 3.5 x 3.5 transportation frame to check out. This was perfect for our family, because Tim is a Transportation Planner! It now sits on his desk and has the cutest picture of Darah in it. Erin decorated the frame using really cool paper. The back and sides are painted black, and the front has been painted over with acrylic sealer. The end result is a very smooth and glossy finish. I can tell that this frame is going to hold up beautifully for years to come. Tim absolutely loves it, and it is so much cooler than anything I could have found at TJ Maxx (which is the brick and mortar store with the best frames, in my opinion). The price tag for these frames also rivals that of TJ, starting at just $12.00. I don’t know any other place where can you get such a cute product that is handmade with pride for such a bargain. On my current wish list is a fabulous tweet tweet frame, which looks just perfect for Darah’s nursery.

Since Erin has a husband and two sons, she gravitates towards pinks and pastels in her creative work. With that said, however, she really enjoys working with people to create custom designs that meet their needs. If you are looking for something in particular to help add to your home decor, whether it be the girliest of girly looks or something more masculine, Erin can help you out!

Erin is a native Memphian, having lived her almost her entire life. She’s lived in east Memphis, Cordova, Midtown and Arlington, so she’s really been all over the area! She loves the diversity she has found in each part of the city. She also says, “I love the small community feel in each of the different parts of Memphis, but still having access to all the big city amenities, especially the Zoo, Shelby Farms, and the sports (go Tigers!). Plus you can’t beat the beauty of the dogwoods and azaleas at this time of year. Gorgeous!” I have to agree with her. Memphis is positively splendid right now, crazy flash floods aside…

Buy It! During the giveaway, Erin is offering readers a 20% discount for any purchase. That is so awesome! If you have a beautiful picture that is just waiting for a beautiful frame, now’s the perfect opportunity to buy one. At checkout, include “Memphis” in your note to seller and 20% will be refunded to you after payment is made.

Win it! Erin wants to offer one Stuff Parents Need winner a 3.5 x3.5 frame of your own from the ones currently listed. So exciting! The contest will run until Friday, May 21st at 7:59pm CST when a winner will be selected using Random.org. The winner will be emailed and will have 48 hours to respond before the prize is forfeited and a new winner is selected. Open to residents of the United States.

Mandatory Entry:
Tell me which 3.5 x 3.5 frame you would choose if you are the winner (and choose wisely, as the winner will receive what s/he selects for this entry!).

Additional Entries:
1. Subscribe to my blog via RSS, email or Google friend connect (only one extra entry, even if you subscribe more than one way)
2. Follow Stuff Parents Need on Twitter (leave your Twitter ID)
3. Add Round the Bend to your Etsy favorites
4. Become a Fan of Round the Bend on Facebook
5. If you left a Memphis in May comment on this post before May 2nd, leave a comment for an extra entry

Disclosure: I received a complimentary product sample for review purposes. The opinions expressed here are strictly my own.

Celebrate Memphis BBQ with an Adorable Pig Onesie (etsy GIVEAWAY!)

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EDIT: Giveaway CLOSED

We all know that there is no shortage of adorable children’s clothing on the market. I’d say that kids under the age of 5 safely have the most options of us all for looking too cute for words. But sometimes, our beautiful children can get lost under all of those ruffles, bows or zany patterns. I think my daughter is the star of the show in my world, and I don’t want her outfit to upstage her! That’s why I like to have a good chunk of her wardrobe be simple. But simple doesn’t mean boring, by any means!

Kim, the owner of gurleygurl design based out of Memphis, totally understands this idea. She says, “I love the simplicity and brightness of children’s design. It’s not over thought, it’s just fun and happy.” She makes so many cute onesies that are very simple, but also very fun! In honor of Memphis in May and the National BBQ competition that is taking place this month, Kim sent Darah a precious pig onesie. I absolutely love it, first because a pig is just SO MEMPHIS, and she doesn’t have any outfits yet that pay homage to her hometown (no, I haven’t bought her an Elvis jumpsuit…yet). I also love it because her appetite is growing so fast, and she is currently eating many different types of veggies and grains at dinner time, which sort of reminds me of how pigs eat (just being honest, here!). I’ve washed the onesie several times (due to all of the food that is getting on it!) and the pig print has held up beautifully. Kim also has some other cute onesies for sale, such as the airplane onesie (which reminds me of FedEx, a company you’ve probably heard of that is based in Memphis) or the giraffe onesie (which reminds me of our zoo!).

Kim works at an ad agency during the day, which is exciting work in its own right. However, after 10 years working on ads, Kim decided that she wanted to resurrect gurleygurl design, which had been her senior graphic design project at the University of Memphis. She’s had a wonderful response from local folks, and her presence on Etsy allows her to reach beyond our beautiful river city. She says, “I love to see someone open a gift I’ve made and hear the ooo’s and aah’s in the room. That instant gratification makes me so happy. No one is ooo’ing and ahh’ing when they see a print ad for a bank in a magazine.” That really made me laugh, because the truth is, she’s right!

When I asked Kim what she loved about Memphis, she couldn’t choose just one or two things. You can tell she has a lot of pride in her city by her response, which was, “Midtown. Tiger basketball. Best people, best food, best music. The arts, the festivals, the parks…I could go on for days!”

There’s a lot to be proud of here in Memphis, and Kim just adds to that with her company, gurleygurl design. Whether you want a onesie for your little monkey, a bold tote bag, or even some custom note cards, Kim can design it for you.

Win it! gurleygurl design wants to send a taste of Memphis your way in the form of your very one pig onesie! The contest will run until Wednesday, May 19th at 7:59pm CST when a winner will be selected using Random.org. The winner will be emailed and will have 48 hours to respond before the prize is forfeited and a new winner is selected. Open to residents of the United States.

Mandatory Entry:
Tell me what item you like the very best at gurleygurl design.

Additional Entries:
1. Subscribe to my blog via RSS, email or Google friend connect (only one extra entry, even if you subscribe more than one way)
2. Follow Stuff Parents Need on Twitter (leave your Twitter ID)
3. Tell Kim one thing you’d like to see her sell in her shop
4. Add gurleygurl design to your favorites on Etsy
5. If you left a Memphis in May comment on this post before May 2nd, leave a comment for an extra entry

Don’t forget to check out these other giveaways! handmade stuffed animal (ends 05/13), silky scarf (ends 05/15), $25 jewelry gift certificate (ends 05/17), handmade detergent-free soap (ends 05/18)

Disclosure: I received a product for review purposes. The opinions expressed here are strictly my own.

Cold Process Soap and Hot Process Soap

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Since becoming a mother, I have a whole new appreciation for quiet moments to myself. They are extremely rare, to say the least, and I know that they will become even more rare as Darah grows and learns how to follow me all over the house! I have always enjoyed shower time because it just feels good to get clean, and I also tend to keep a supply of nice smelling shampoos and soaps on hand to either rev me up in the morning or help me wind down at the end of the day.

cold process soap My next featured Memphis in May business is Mocha’s Handmade Soaps, and this is yet another company that I’m so glad to have found and to now share with you. Vikki, the woman behind the company, makes a wonderful variety of cold and hot process soaps made with ingredients you can pronounce, and even has a nice selection of vegan soaps for sale. Vikki has been making soap and perfecting her craft for 3 years now. She loves being able to create something new and original that will bring people joy and also promote healthy skin, especially as we age (a fact I’m becoming all-too-aware of now that 30 is just a few months away!). I really enjoyed learning that Vikki makes all of her soaps by hand and cures them for 3 to 6 weeks. Furthermore, her soaps are detergent-free, which is not the case for the vast majority of soaps that you find in the stores.

The soaps I have sampled from this shop smell heavenly, lather beautifully, and help provide a peaceful space just for me when I step into the shower. I was so excited to read about the ingredients that are used in her soaps: “Saponified oils of Olive, Soybean, Palm Kernel, Coconut, Cocoa Butter, Shea Butter, Mango Butter, Palm, Sunflower, Avocado, Sweet Almond, Fragrance, Goats Milk, Vitamin E and other skin-loving oils and butters. Herbs and grains are also added to some recipes for a natural, gentle exfoliation. Some soaps are colored with natural oxides from the earth, ultramarines, & micas.” I recognized every single thing! I had the opportunity to try a cold process soap, and I was so impressed with how silky smooth (but not greasy!) I felt after using it. The bar also produced a great lather, so I can tell that one bar is going to last a good long while! I also had the opportunity to try the Hollywood Pink soap (Vikki’s version of an Avon scent). This was not a scent that I was familiar with before, but let me tell you, the first time I used it I just kept sniffing it again and again! It is light, but warm. I loved it! Finally, I tried the Peppermint Soap with Goat’s Milk. This is definitely going to be my go-to soap in the morning when I need some help waking up. It smells so refreshing and I feel nice and clean after using it!

I asked Vikki to share what she loves most about our great city. Her answers: the weather and the BBQ. May must just be the best month ever to her, then! 🙂 I’m sure she’s still making time to fill orders in between playing outside and eating some of the world’s best BBQ, though!

hot process soap Vikki takes great pride in her work and stands behind every product she makes. If you can’t decide which soap to try first, though, she did say that if she had to choose 3 favorites, she would suggest Love Spell, Black Raspberry Vanilla and Baby Grace Philosophy. I say that you can’t go wrong if you go with the artist’s recommendation! If you have a particular kind of scent in mind and wish you could have it in a soap form, convo Vikki…the odds are decent that she can make it for you, which is really cool! Also, Vikki gives free samples with each purchase, so what are you waiting for?! Her bars of soap start at just $4.00.

EDIT: Giveaway CLOSED

Win it!: Here’s your chance to bring Mocha’s Homemade Soaps (and a little bit of Memphis) into your home! Vikki is giving one lucky Stuff Parents Need reader a cold or hot process soap of your choice from the ones she has listed on her site. Nice! The contest will run until May 18th at 7:59pm CST when a winner will be selected using Random.org. The winner will be emailed and will have 48 hours to respond before the prize is forfeited and a new winner is selected. Open to residents of the United States.

Mandatory Entry:
Tell me which bar of cold process soap or hot process soap you would like to win (and choose wisely, as you will get this pick if you are the winner!)

Additional Entries:
1. Subscribe to my blog via RSS, email or Google friend connect (only one extra entry, even if you subscribe more than one way)
2. Follow Stuff Parents Need on Twitter (leave your Twitter ID)
3. Add Mocha’s Homemade Soaps to your Etsy favorites
4. Tell me one scent you would like to see Vikki offer in her shop
5. If you left a Memphis in May comment on this post before May 2nd, leave a comment for an extra entry

Disclosure: I received product samples to facilitate my review. The opinions expressed here are strictly my own.