New Years Eve Traditions Around The World

Little Passports New Years Eve Traditions Around The World

5, 4, 3, 2, 1...Happy New Year! As people in the United States start the new year with fireworks, parades, and resolutions, people around the world are also doing everything they can to welcome 2014. Join Sam and Sofia of Little Passports as they visit friends in other countries to see how they start the year!


 
Colombia
Are you looking for travel and adventure? In Colombia, they say that if you grab your suitcase and run around the entire block as fast as you can at exactly midnight on New Year’s Eve, you will get to travel in the new year. Sam and Sofia love joining their Colombian friends to participate in this tradition—they are always looking for their next adventure!


 
Greece
Sam and Sofia join their friends in Greece to celebrate New Year's and St. Basil’s Day on January 1st. The Greeks start the year off with a fun-filled day of food, festivities, as well as time with family and friends. One favorite way to celebrate is eating the Vasilopita or St Basil's cake, which is similar to a pound cake and is baked with a silver or gold coin inside. Whoever finds the coin in their slice of cake will have a very lucky year!

Japan
When it’s cold outside, you might want to slurp down a giant bowl of steaming-hot noodles! But for the new year, not just any bowl of noodles will do. Little Passports always enjoys joining their Japanese friends to eat “long-life” noodles. Imagine a dish piled high with long, winding, uncut noodles! Many Japanese believe that eating these long noodles will bring health and longevity. What a yummy way for Sam and Sofia to start the new year!


 
Scotland
Do you pay attention to who enters your house first on New Year’s Day? In Scotland, on January 1st, people keep a close eye on the door because whoever enters first determines the family’s luck the next year. According to tradition, the “first-foot” must bring gifts—such as coal to wish others’ warmth and shortbread to wish everyone full bellies throughout the year. When Sam and Sofia visit their friends in Scotland on New Year’s Day, they always bring gifts!

Bring Little Passports into your child's life in 2014 to teach them about all of the fascinating cultures around the world!

Disclosure: I did not write this post, it was provided by Little Passport. This post may contain affiliate links. 

Thanks Mama - Sbish Cloth Diaper & BabyLegs & $25 GC Giveaway! WW 1/13

Thanks Mama is based in Boston, MA and is a family owned cloth diapering and natural parenting store. As parents themselves they strive to raise their own children in a natural and healthy environment. Bringing value to their customers from their vast personal knowledge and experience with all types of natural products and a lot of what they carry at Thanks Mama, they use themselves for their own families. These products include cloth diapers and accessories, baby carriers, toys, baby and mom natural care products, baby room furniture and much more. Thanks Mama looks for innovative and green products that are made for moms and babies and they look for economical and practical solutions for modern parents.

Sustainablebabyish Organic Overnight Bamboo Fleece Fitted

Sustainablebabyish Organic Overnight Bamboo Fleece Fitted Cloth Diaper ($24.95ARV) is a fitted diaper made with organic bamboo and cotton fleece inner and an outer layer of soft jersey. Since this is a fitted diaper, you do need a cover for over it. We've used this with a fleece soaker, wool soaker and even a Flip cover. All have worked great.

 This fitted diaper comes with a snap in soaker as well as a shorter lay in soaker. They are made with three layers of bamboo fleece and also topped with soft jersey.

Cade is 3 years old and weighs 40 pounds, but is fairly slim and tall. It is very hard to find diapers that fit him and do not dig into his hips and cause him pain. Sbish has an X-Large size which fits from 32 pounds and up! I was so excited to see this larger diaper available and even more so when I tried the diaper on him and seen how much more room he has to grow into! This is very rare when looking for a diaper for Cade. As you can imagine, with Cade being 3 years old he is a heavy wetter and while we do have other diapers that fit him, he really can't be in the same diaper no matter what diapering system it is for more then about an hour usually! I don't have enough diapers large enough for him to be changing him 16+ times per day and then still manage to have diapers clean and available to use for him over night. As for this diaper!! He can wear it all night long, about 12 hours give or take! Yes, 12 hours in this one diaper, all through the night and wakes up with his pajamas and bedding dry! Oh, it was like a miracle the first few times he wore this diaper. I refuse to use this diaper during the day because it is so awesome as a night time diaper for Cade. It is most definitely our night time solution diaper! He has even woken up after a full 12 hours of sleep and the diaper not even be fully soaked and from a guesstimate I'd say he could go about 14 hours in this diaper, while I would not allow him to unless he were sleeping! Both of the boys have very sensitive skin so during the day the longest we let them go is about two hours in one diaper. 

I love how absorbent this diaper is, yet it doesn't take forever to dry. When washing the diaper, obviously you take the lay in soaker out, but you also unsnap the snap in soaker. Why should you un snap it before washing? If you leave it snapped together you will put too much stress on the snaps, causing them to rip or pull out of the fabric leaving you with a ruined diaper. It also helps the soakers and the diaper get cleaner, the more open the diaper is, the better water and detergent can flow through the fibers of the diaper and get a nice and deep clean. As for drying, I dry all of my diapers on low heat. When using 4-6 wool dryer balls this diaper is dry in just one low heat, automatic sensor drying cycle. If I do not use the wool dryer balls then I do have to run it through the dryer one more time, but for me that is not an issue. I don't complain about diapers taking forever to dry because I look at it this way, if the diaper is absorbent and can hold more then other diapers or other layers of diaper of course it will take a while longer to dry as it has more absorbency.

Sale!
Sale pages on cloth diaper and all natural shops have to be my favorite! Tons of great sales right now at Thanks Mama! Be sure to check it out. My favorite sale of theirs currently is the Flip Cover at 50% OFF! 

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Giveaway! 
 One lucky reader will win a $25 GC to Thanks Mama! This giveaway is open Worldwide and will close on January 13th at 11:59pm CST. To enter for your chance to win, simply complete entries through the Giveaway Tools form below. Winner will be chosen at random and entries will be verified. Winner will be notified via email and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. 

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Disclosure: I received the above products in exchange for my honest review. All opinions and experiences are 100% my own and may very from those of your own. I hold no responsibility for the fulfillment of the prize nor am I responsible for the shipment of any item(s) you purchase with your gift certificate.

Angel Lea Designs - Owl Softie Pattern Review

Angel Lea Designs was created by Anthea Christian in 2008, she has been creative since she was a young girl and created her own Barbie doll clothes and doll house furnishings. She has spent years sewing clothing for herself as well as her children and even items for around her house. Soon after opening her Etsy shop for her creations she discovered that her passion was in the design process rather then the repetitive sewing of items so this is why she decided to launch her own line of patterns.

Available at Angel Lea Designs you will fine an array of fun sewing patterns that include children's clothing, soft toys, bags, applique designs and more. These patterns are easy to follow and include detailed step-by-step instructions which include photos making them achievable even for beginner sewers.

Owl Softie Pattern

Angel Lea Designs' Owl Softie Pattern ($10.48ARV) is an immediate PDF Download. The file contains 12 pages with brightly colored and easy to view photos through out the step-by-step instructions. This pattern comes in a set of a 12" pattern as well as an 8" pattern so you can make both owls. Although this file is 12 pages you only have to print 3 - 6 of those pages for the pattern, the rest are colorful photos and instructions for cutting out and assembling the owls.

You can have the owl sit on a shelf as decor, gift it at a baby shower or birthday party, give it as a gift for Mother's Day, use it as a couch pillow, and so much more. Use your creativity. The one I made is a gift for Jedilynn for her 8th Birthday coming up in January, she will either have it sit on her bed or use it as a pillow I'm assuming. 

The instructions provided were easy to follow and I'm not exactly an experienced sewer. I've made a few pairs of upcycled pants for Ezio just by tracing a pair that fit him as well as a few patchwork skirts for Jedilynn and a couple diapers for the boys. The directions for cutting out the pieces were easy and very well explained including photos to help. I did not cut out the wings and feet as directed as I did not having any batting and I filled them with fiber fill so they are a little different. For the appliques to apply to the front of the owl body, I didn't have the fusible webbing so the belly did move a slight bit. 

Stitching is very easy! You just need to use a tight zig zag around the appliques and then a simple straight stitch for everything else. My machine was having a bit of an issue so my owl is a bit wonky, however it's pretty good for my first one. I was too impatient to wait until I could get coordinating thread, but I like the navy blue for the zig zag. With using the tight zig zag, I recommend using quilting fabric, which I got from Five Monkey Fabrics as it will hold better with all of the tiny needle holes so close together and the tight stitching so close together as well.

Punky Bruster Owl Softie!

 

Here is my Punky Bruster Owl Softie I made for Jedilynn who loves to dress with different knee high socks and in all sort of fun and crazy patterns and combinations! Please ignore the flap of fabric on the lower left side of the owl, I can't find my hand sewing needle. My wings and feet are bit more fluffy/stuffed then they would be if you were to follow the instructions directly and use batting. You can definitely tell where my machine kept getting hung up, but I figured out and fixed the problem once I was finally done with the face appliques. I will update with a picture of the next owl I make for one of the boys where the stitching should be in a coordinating color as well as much better! 

Over all this pattern was great! I was a bit nervous, but just skimming over the pattern I felt a lot more comfortable with sewing up a cute little owl myself. Plus, practice makes perfect! Even off of my horrible owl, I already have a couple people wanting me to make them owls as well! I better get on the ball here and start cutting and sewing more owls. 

Angel Lea Designs has so many awesome patterns for similar items as well as clothing and more. The next pattern I'd love to try is her Dinosaur pattern. Which would you like to try? 

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Disclosure: I received this pattern in exchange for my honest review. All opinions and experiences are 100% my own and may differ from those of your own. 

Five Monkey Fabrics Review

Five Monkey Fabrics was created by Ginger Robertson a few years ago as she loves fabric! Her shop has grown larger then she had ever dreamed it would and has allowed her to leave her full time job to work out of her home. Ginger's grandmother taught her to sew on a vintage Singer sewing machine when she was a little girl and she impatiently awaiting the moment she gets to begin teaching her own daughter to sew, who already has the "fabric obsession bug". Ginger loves how fabric inspires you to create something beautiful for someone you love and it can be passed down for generations. Ginger has quilts that her great-grandma made and remembers her grandma telling her about the fabrics in the quilts. It is a really neat quilt and contains pieces from her dresses when she was a little girl and from her father's shirts.

My (Sarh) sister made my aunt a quilt, using one square of fabric from everything she made in the previous years! It brought tears of joy to my aunt's eyes and was great fun for all of us to point out which fabrics we had pj pants in or blankets made of, etc. Memory quilts are definitely a great thing and I hope one day, I will be able to teach Jedilynn how to sew so she can make me one with all of the fabrics I've used for clothing and fun stuff for her and her brothers. 

Okay, on to the awesome bundle of fabrics Ginger so generously sent me! I honestly love them all!

Half Yard Bundle of Micheal Miller Fabrics

I requested that Ginger send me a random half yard bundle of boy, girl or gender neutral fabrics and above is what I received. I was excited when I opened the package from Ginger! All of the fabric measures appropriately and is cut straight! I've received some fabrics from other fabric shops that have a huge angle in the cut which causes you to loose out on fabric, definitely not the case when it comes to Five Monkey Fabrics! Not stains or snags either! It is all just literally perfect as if it came directly from the manufacturer! 

I love all of the prints and colors. Jedilynn is currently getting into the Paris thing so the Eiffel Tower print was great! She is also pretty girly so all of the girly prints are just perfect!! As for the boy or more gender neutral prints, I love those as well. I can't seem to decide what I want to make the boys and out of what fabrics, but I have made Jedilynn a Punky Bruster Owl Softie! 

Okay, so the owl isn't perfect and I was way too impatient to wait to run to the store to pick up some coordinating thread and navy blue is all I had. Plus, the loose fabric on the lower left side of the owl isn't stitched up as my hand sewing needle has disappeared. Anyhow, this fabric is awesome! I've done a close zig zag stitch on some other fabrics and it often causes it to tear, but not a single tear in this fabric nor has it loosened the fabric any! It is still strong quilting fabric. Even after stuffing the owl and stitching over the wings and feet four times, the fabric is still strong. On some other fabrics I've used in the past, seams have also ripped within minutes of being sewn and as you can tell this fabric holds up great even with the added stress on the seams from stuffing. I will definitely be ordering some more adorable fabrics from Five Monkey Fabrics!! 

Five Monkey Fabrics carries fabric from a few different designers as well as different designs and styles. Lets not forget about her trims, buttons, patterns and threads as well. So be sure to head on over to her Etsy shop to check out all of the awesome bundles and you can even order by the yard! With over 1,000 listings in her shop I bet there will be at least a handful of fabrics you have to have! Perfect for anyone who loves to sew or craft with fabric. 

SALE!

Five Monkey Fabrics currently has a bunch of fabric on sale! Fat quarters of Organic Cotton for as low as $1.27 and fabric by the yard for up to $5.95/yd. Awesome deals on some adorable and stylish fabrics. 

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Which prints should I use to make a boy Owl Softie for Cade or Ezio?

Disclosure: I received the above fabrics in exchange for my honest review. All opinions and experiences are 100% my own and may differ from those of your own. 

Freshly Picked Moccs Secret Word Page

Find today's word(s) below and enter it in the Giveaway Tools entry text box.

Jan. 4th - Iced Mint

Jan. 5th - Ebony

Jan. 6th - Chocolate

Jan. 7th - Blush

Jan. 8th - Steel

Jan. 9th - Fools Gold

Jan. 10th - Cobalt Suede

Jan. 11th - Grass Suede

Jan. 12th - Frosted Rose

Jan. 13th - Smoke

Jan. 14th - Grape Suede

Jan. 15th - Walnut

Jan. 16th - Sapphire

Jan. 17th - Bubble Gum Suede

Jan. 18th - Radiant Orchid

Freshly Picked Moccs Twitter Follows

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Stella & Dot - Dot Dollars!

Did you get everything you wanted for Christmas? If not, then splurge and treat yourself to a little bauble or two. Going on right now at Stella & Dot for every $50 you spend before 12/31 you will get $25 in Dot Dollars to spend on yourself again in January! It's the gift that never stops giving! And, to make this offer even sweeter, right now all of their sale items are an additional 30% off! 

Don't wait, visit Stella & Dot today and get yourself something sparkly, you deserve it!

Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links.

Get Your GLAM Look by NYE at ModCloth!

Do you have last minute plans for NYE? Well don't despair, you can still look fabulous and not worry about fighting all those post-Christmas bargain hunters at the mall. ModCloth is offering FREE asap shipping when you spend $150. If you order by December 29th, your package will arrive by 12/31. They have so many snazzy party dresses to choose from, you will love the amazing selection.

Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links.

Freshly Picked Moccasins Review

Freshly Picked was started in 2009 when Susan Petersen stated making baby moccasins because she became frustrated by the lack of well-designed baby shoes. Her second child, Gus, was her mocc-tester and a she used a bag of leather scraps that she picked up at a yard sale, this began her experimenting with her designs. She worked at her kitchen table and persisted through some disastrous attempts until she created a pair of moccasins that not only looked adorable on Gus' chubby feet, but that also stayed on his feet. Over the past almost five years, she her moccasins have gone through about six design changes. These changes were to perfect the look and sift of the moccasins. All of Freshly Picked moccasins are made in the USA and each pair of moccasins are made with care, perfection and a love for the little feet they are intended for.

Ebony Moccasins & I <3 moccs="" t-shirt="">

We received this awesome package from Freshly Picked! Size 7 Ebony Moccasins ($60ARV) and nice drawstring bag that they came in, 2 t-shirts ($17/ea ARV) one for Cade and one for Ezio, a bunch of temporary tattoos and pins! Freshly Picked moccasins are available in sizes 1 through 10. Cade wears a size 11, however after receiving Ezio's moccasins I think a 10 would have fit Cade, but that's okay. Freshly Picked was nice enough to send Cade a t-shirt, tattoos and a pin as well as Ezio. I love these t-shirts on the boys, they look great with sweats, jeans and even just a diaper and moccasins! Who knew? 

Ezio leaned towards the left right as I tried taking a picture of him and Cade both wearing their t-shirts and then Cade ran off to play. Anyhow, back to the moccasins. These moccasins are made of 100% Genuine Leather and handmade right here in the USA. These moccasins are made with a unique design with elastic at the opening, helping for ease of putting the moccasins on as well as taking off and the elastic also helps them stay on your child's feet. They are soft-soled, which is perfect for new walkers to keep their feet warm and protected, but to also allow proper stepping and walking. We didn't put shoes on our children until they were walking for SEVERAL months. The durable soft-sole of these shoes are suitable for babies and toddlers alike.

These gorgeous moccs have been featured in Parenting Magazine, IN TOUCH, US weekly, People.com, Keeping Up with the Kardashians and Kourtney and Kim Take New York. 

Ezio usually takes his shoes and socks off, however he loves wearing his moccasins! I have to say he leaves these on the most, which is awesome since we are in our cold WI winter right now. The moccasins come as a pair of universal feet and they form to your baby or child's feet. Ezio's are already forming to his feet, however that doesn't mean they will create any issues with his feet or how he walks as if you were to put tennis shoes on the wrong feet all the time. I love when he brings me his moccasins because it reassures me that he loves them. The elastic in the ankle of the moccasin make is so easy to put them on and helps keep them on, but it's not too tight and all of the elastic is covered by 100% genuine leather so there is no irritation to baby's skin. Unlike other soft-soled baby shoes with the elastic in the ankles, these do not leave any marks or cause discomfort. The 100% genuine leather is thicker and more cushiony then those really thin fabrics. I want a pair of Freshly Picked moccasins for myself!! 

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Giveaway!

One lucky reader will win a pair of their own Freshly Picked Moccasins ($60ARV). 

Giveaway will begin on January 4th, 2014 and run til January 18th, 2014 and will be open to US residents whom are at least 18 years of age at time of entrance. 

So give us a like on Facebook and watch for the announcement of this giveaway being live! 

What color moccasins would you choose from Freshly Picked? Do you or your child(ren) have a pair of moccasins? 

Disclosure: I received the above product in exchange for my honest review. All opinions and experiences are 100% my own and may differ from those of your own. 

The Eczema Company - Hazelwood Necklace & Oatmeal Cookie Bath Soak Review AND $30 GC Giveaway! WW 1/9

The Eczema Company is a family built company which was created to help others dealing with the daily challenges of managing eczema. The Roberge family knows first hand about the intense itching and how desperate you can get for finding something to help make your little one more comfortable as their son was diagnosed with eczema at three months old. At just three years old 90% of his body was covered in what looked like severe burns, caused by his eczema worsening as he grew older. Around the age of three years old they discovered that he has many food allergies and sensitivities. Some of these food allergies lead to his eczema flare-ups and some lead to immediate itching. Since they've found out what his triggers are, his skin is much better!

Hazelwood Necklace

Healing Jewelry

Hazelwood Necklaces ($17.97ARV) are amazing non-medication alternatives for minimizing or even eliminating eczema. A common eczema trigger is an imbalance in the body's acidity and since the hazel tree is an alkaline wood it naturally oxidizes when placed next to the skin, thus reducing the overall acidity in the body over time. The Canadian Indians have used hazelwood for centuries as a natural pain reliever.

Hazelwood Benefits

• Great for soothing pain related with eczema, teething, indigestion and diaper rash.
• Wear continuously for best results. It may take up to several weeks for symptoms to lessen.
• Water resistant, but not waterpoof. Best to avoid chlorine which will shorten the jewelry's lifespan.
• Safe for ages four months and up.
• Lead Free.
• Made in Canada.

I knew Ezio had eczema for months before we seen our first allergist who "officially" diagnosed it. I was able to keep it under control and still can. It is easier during the summer then it is in the winter as we live in a really dry house. Usually his eczema only affects his legs, but also his arms and sometimes his cheeks. He's even had an eczema flare-up which was on his bum! That was a bit baffling as the diaper area is usually damp.

Ezio's legs were pretty rough, even after using natural moisturizing lotions and such. When we received the hazelwood necklace, I put it on him right away. I can honestly say that I've seen quite the improvement in his skin since he's been wearing this necklace. The necklace has hazelwood beads and cute little blue beads, which makes it perfect for little boys. We've received a ton of comments about how cute his necklace is on him. The necklace fits his neck perfectly! Not too loose, but not tight at all! He is not able to lift the necklace to his mouth, which is a rule of thumb I always go by for the kids. He has never tugged on the necklace, other then lifting it off of his neck in the picture above to show daddy his new necklace.

Ezio has broken about 3 necklaces of mine so I no longer wear a necklace and he has broken 2 of my mom's bracelets. However, he has been wearing this necklace for weeks and has not broken it! I was a bit nervous when we first got it that he'd tug on it and snap the necklace, however he has not! It's like he doesn't even notice on him as it's light weight. 

Oatmeal Cookie Bath Soak

Oatmeal Cookie Bath Soak ($5.95/1ozARV or $14.95/5.5ozARV) is a great way to gently soothe the itching from eczema in babies and adults. They contain certified gluten free/certified organic oats as well as calming and healing flowers and plants to help relieve eczema, chicken pox, poison ivy/oak, sunburn, scrapes, minor burns and cuts as well as itchy bellies of mamas-to-be.

These are perfect for Ezio as he LOVES bath time! Bathes and just playing water period is so much better to him then even eating and he's my little piggy! During the summer months when we have the pool set up, we have to drag him in the house in order to get him to eat. But, anyhow, I will say, I was greatly surprised by how soft and smooth his skin was when he got out of his first ever oatmeal bath. This oatmeal bath also seems to really help relieve the itching of his hives, which he has everyday since we're still trying to figure out what he is allergic to. He scratches quite often and even has some slight scars from scratching both the hives as well as his eczema patches. I did definitely notice a huge decrease in his itching for probably a day or two after taking the oatmeal bath. I am definitely thinking about getting a 5.5oz tub of this oatmeal bath for him! Some nights, Ezio just can't fall asleep or stay asleep due to the itchiness. Often times giving him a bath will help relieve this itching, the oatmeal bath worked so much better! 

The Eczema Company has so many other wonderful products for helping with eczema as well, if you or your loved one suffers from eczema I highly recommend taking a look at the Eczema Company to find some things that will help provide some relief. 

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Giveaway!

One lucky reader will win a $30 GC to the Eczema Company! Giveaway is open Worldwide! Ends 1/9 at 11:59pm CST. For your chance to win, simply complete entries in the Giveaway Tools form below. Winner's entries will be verified so make sure you actually complete them. Winner will be emailed and has 48 hours to respond to this email or a new winner will be chosen. 

Good Luck!

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Disclosure: I received the above products in exchange for my honest review. All opinions and experiences are 100% my own and may differ from those of your own. Please note that I am not responsible for the fulfillment of the prize or the products purchased with the gift certificate. Some shipping fees may apply.

Lawson's Sheepskins $100 GC Giveaway! US/CAN 1/1

Lawson's Sheepskins $100 GC Giveaway!

Sponsored By: Lawson's Sheepskins

Hosted By: Mami's 3 Little Monkeys 

The Lawson Farm was born in 1980 where Pat and Laura Lawson along with their daughter, Suzanne had 88 acres of open land in Culpeper, VA with a house and a small barn as well. The Lawson's spent 2 years fencing and cross fencing with electrified wire to create 10 paddocks on 45 acres to rotational graze sheep. Freeze proof waterers and sheds were also constructed in each paddock. Along with orchard grass and red clover planting for grazing. The additional 35 acres were planted in alfalfa, which is then cut for winter hay.

The Lawson's began making apparel from sheepskin and selling them to friends and at local craft shows in 1984. This business grew rapidly and today Lawson Sheepskins are sold at major arts and craft shoes, through mail orders as well as on their website Lawson's Sheepskins. 

Sheepskin Wool Benefits

• does not shed, because it's attached to the skin. It's not woven and then brushed up, like wool pile fabric that's loose enough to be pulled  out or worn off. Sheepskin wool is embedded into the leather.
• resists snags, tears, wrinkles, soiling and pilling.
• drapes beautifully; never sags and retains shape.
• is static-free.
• is flame resistant.
• is wind-proof.
• is a natural moisturizer due to the high content of lanolin in the wool.
• is naturally water resistant.        
• is washable

Sheepskin  wool is a pure organic product and is unlike any other fiber in the world.

GIVEAWAY!

Prize: $100 GC to Lawson Sheepskins

Open to US and CAN

Ends Jan. 1

Enter through the Giveaway Tools form below, please be sure to complete the entries as winner's entries will be verified! One winner will be chosen at random and notified via email. The winner will have 48 hours to respond to this email notification or a new winner will be chosen. 

Good Luck!

Entry-Form

Disclosure: Mami's 3 Little Monkeys is not responsible for the fulfillment of the prize, nor have I been compensated for this post. 

Lawson's Sheepskins Baby Rug Review

Lawson Sheepskins

The Lawson Farm was born in 1980 where Pat and Laura Lawson along with their daughter, Suzanne had 88 acres of open land in Culpeper, VA with a house and a small barn as well. The Lawson's spent 2 years fencing and cross fencing with electrified wire to create 10 paddocks on 45 acres to rotational graze sheep. Freeze proof waterers and sheds were also constructed in each paddock. Along with orchard grass and red clover planting for grazing. The additional 35 acres were planted in alfalfa, which is then cut for winter hay.

The Lawson's began making apparel from sheepskin and selling them to friends and at local craft shows in 1984. This business grew rapidly and today Lawson Sheepskins are sold at major arts and craft shoes, through mail orders as well as on their website Lawson's Sheepskins.

Sheepskin Baby Rug/Pad

Sheepskin Baby Pad ($124ARV) can be used as a cushiony pad for baby to sleep on or as a rug for baby to play on. This baby pad is a short pile sheepskin with an ultra high density of one and a half inches of wool fiber length. You can use these in playpens, strollers, car seats, on picnics and so much more! It is made in the USA. This large baby pad measures approximately 30" by 42". Air circulates through the wool fibers making the baby pad warm in the winter and cool in the summer, it is also urine resistant.

I have our sheepskin baby pad in Ezio's pack n play, where he sleeps. I just lay him directly on the sheepskin and he seems to really love it. The unique shape of the sheepskin pad is great as his head lays at the left and then he sleeps with his legs all over the place to the right. He was having trouble sleeping and it may be coincidence, but once we received this pad he seemed to sleep so much better. This sheepskin pad is so soft, I want one for my own bed!  

Even the kittens love it! Since we have hardwood floors I often bring this out and place it on the floor for the kids to sit on while playing so it's a bit more comfortable. When the kids run off to play else where the kittens don't miss a beat and are on the pad within minutes and sound asleep! The small Sheepskin Baby Pad would make a great pet bed. I was a bit nervous when they were first sniffing it out, but they just wanted to sleep on it. 

It fits a 2 year old, 8 year old and two kittens! lol. When Ezio is barefoot, he likes squeezing his toes in the wool, kind of like when your at the beach and move your toes and dig them into the sand. We all really like the sheepskin baby pad and I can't wait until I can get a large sheepskin rug for my living room! I bet it would keep my feet nice and warm in the winter. We live in an old house and have horrible drafts during the winter, plus we live at the end of a t-intersection so the wind hitting the front of our house is absolutely horrible! Anyhow, back to this baby pad! Sometimes Ezio prefers to sleep in just a diaper, he has food allergies we are trying to figure out and he often has hives on his body which I believe clothes make him more itchy or possibly could be a bit painful so with this mat, I feel better about putting him to sleep in just a diaper during the winter as the wool pad along with his organic cotton blanket will keep him nice and warm, but at the same time the wool pad won't cause him to over heat if he is wearing a fleece sleeper like in the photos above. 

With this fleece pad it's really a win, win situation! What better then all of the above out of one natural product? I have definitely found a new form of love with wool/sheepskin! I never had experience with wool until we started cloth diapering and it is amazing for diapering as well as clearing up rashes and such, but now discovering the softness of sheepskin and how it has the same abilities it's just that much more awesome!

Sheepskin Wool Benefits

• does not shed, because it's attached to the skin. It's not woven and then brushed up, like wool pile fabric that's loose enough to be pulled  out or worn off. Sheepskin wool is embedded into the leather.
• resists snags, tears, wrinkles, soiling and pilling.
• drapes beautifully; never sags and retains shape.
• is static-free.
• is flame resistant.
• is wind-proof.
• is a natural moisturizer due to the high content of lanolin in the wool.
• is naturally water resistant.        
• is washable

Sheepskin  wool is a pure organic product and is unlike any other fiber in the world.

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Disclosure: I received the above product in exchange for my honest review, all opinions and experiences are 100% my own and may differ from those of your own.

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Boxing Day Traditions Around the World with Little Passports

Boxing Day Traditions around the World with Little Passports
While the exact origins of Boxing Day aren't completely known, one of the more well-known traditions of this holiday started several hundred years ago in England. At this time, Boxing Day -- the day after Christmas -- was when the wealthy landowners would bring gifts of food or other necessities to the homes of people who worked for them. Many countries have continued this tradition of being generous to those who are in need at this time of year, but Boxing Day around the world has also changed to include other festivities and events.

In the Bahamas, they celebrate with a festival -- called Junkanoo -- dating back to the 16th or 17th century. On December 26th, Bahamans celebrate with a large and colorful street parade during which people wear magnificent costumes, masks, and headdresses, and dance, sing, and play music as they proceed through the streets. There's even a Junkanoo museum in downtown Nassau (the capital of the Bahamas) where visitors can see costumes from past festivals. 

 

New Zealand is another country that celebrates Boxing Day during their summer weather. Taking advantage of the nice weather, some New Zealanders may choose to go swimming in the ocean or the lakes and rivers. Others might decide to hike and have a picnic on the trail. Those families who just want to stay home and take it easy after the Christmas celebrations might flip on the television to watch cricket and grill up some Christmas dinner leftovers. Other families might go to the Ellerslie Boxing Day Races. These are horse races that have been held on Boxing Day for over 150 years at the Auckland Racing Club.

Australia is another country that has sports-centered Boxing Day traditions. On the day after Christmas, Australians can either watch the Boxing Day Test match featuring Australia’s cricket team or they can cheer on sailors competing in the Sydney-to-Hobart yacht race. The Sydney-to-Hobart yacht race, which is thought to be one of the most difficult yacht races in the world, starts in the harbor of Australia’s largest city, Sydney, and finishes in Hobart, the capital of the Australian island Tasmania. 

Although we don't celebrate Boxing Day in the United States, Sam, Sofia, and the team at Little Passports will be honoring the tradition by helping those in need in their local community. How does your family give back during the holidays?

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