December 5, 2008

If you read my blog and have followed along with the reviews I do, then you’ll probably know that I am quite a big fan of natural, eco-chic and Green products.  Well, Terralina is no exception.  This luxurious skincare line was co-created by two cousins who sought to create a better, healthier line of products.  Just like many of the best products out there, this line was born out of a mother’s love!  When the Garrubbo ladies behind Terralina were pregnant (and at the same time, too!), that’s when the seeds of inspiration to create a line of healthy, natural skincare products was planted.

Terralina’s proprietary blend of natural ingredients is free of parabens, PEGs, ethoxylates, glycols, acrylates, mineral oils, silicones, or artificial fragrance.

I had a chance to try all of Terralina’s current products, which are all included in the Terralina Skincare Gift Set ($100, or $80 if you opt for auto-delivery), and I was blown away by the luxurious scent, feel and quality.  The ingredients used in Terralina’s products include things like olive oil, white tea, sugarcane, witch hazel, sandalwood and other natural ingredients with wondrous skin-soothing and smoothing properties.

The body lotion is as smooth as whipped butter, luxuriously thick and creamy to ensure the best possible coverage, but far from oily.  Every day that I use it, my entire body is oh-so smooth and moisturized, with just a hint of fragrance.  I keep the included travel size of lotion (unscented) in my bag (alongside my Bug & Pickle Baby Butter) for when my hands are feeling dry.

The facial cleanser and toner are both so incredibly gentle, it’s like splashing spring water on my face.  Unlike other toners and cleansers that can sting, Terralina just gives your face that clean, fresh feeling.  And that facial moisturizer.. mmm- just like the body lotion, it packs a moisturizing punch, but doesn’t leave your skin feeling greasy.   It has a creamy consistency that goes on nicely, and it keeps the skin on my face silky smooth.  Plus, my skin is a bit sensitive, and I usually end up using Cetaphil, which doesn’t irritate my skin, but doesn’t exactly deliver the skin-smoothing I’d like.  Terralina facial moisturizer does not irritate my skin at all, and it is definitely one of the very best (quite possibly the best) face lotion I’ve ever tried!

Check out all that Terralina does to be an environmentally friendly company: Terralina Environmental Efforts.  From the packaging it all comes in, to bottles made from 100% recycled materials, to providing a votive candle so you can reuse the facial moisturizer bottle as candle holder, all in addition to their commitment to using natural ingredients , Terralina is definitely doing their part to make sure that their products aren’t only good for your skin, but for the environment too. 

Before you buy it, you can look over the ingredients list for each product– Terralina discloses all ingredient information.

They’ve won numerous awards including a Green Star from Elle Magazine.  They’ve received thumbs up’s from tons of mags, websites and super-satisfied customers.  If you’re looking to try new skincare products to use during your daily toilette, I highly recommend trying Terralina.

You can purchase Terralina’s fine skincare products directly from Terralina.com, or from their Amazon storefront.

Technorati Tags: Terralina, healthy, natural, skincare, luxury, facial moisturizer, eco-friendly, healthy living, recycling, environmentally friendly, award winning

Reviews No comments

December 4, 2008

Today I bring to you a guest post from Angie of My Junk Drawer, which is part of the TwitterMoms Blog Swap.  She’s got plenty of great tips that we can all use to help keep the day to day grind from getting us down!  Please visit my guest post over at My Junk Drawer.

Make breakfast, clean it up, let the dogs out, let the dogs in, make bottles, change diapers, kiss a boo-boo, make lunch, clean it up, vacuum, break up a fight, pay a few bills, force someone to do their homework, let the dogs out, let the dogs in, run to the store, make dinner, clean it up, pick up toys, give baths, read stories, pray that everyone sleeps a few hours.

Ever feel like you’re on a merry-go-round that just won’t stop?  My son is in his teens now, which has its own set of challenges.  What kid of friends does he have, where will he go to college, will he drive safely?  But it’s not the kind of ciaos that seems to cause your life to go by in a blur, like when they are little.

Above all else, and as hard as it may be, you must take at least a little time for yourself, preferably each day.  I have always stayed up after everyone else has gone to bed, just so I could do whatever I wanted. 

Not sure what it is that you want to do?  Well, what will make your spirits soar?  A candlelight bath?  Exercising?  Here is a list I put together with a 10 things that I have done, and still do today, to keep my sanity during those days that seem to never end.  –I actually came up with a few more, but melded them all into #1.

1. Find a hobby.  Whether it’s scrap booking or blogging, reading, photography, or gardening, (all my hobbies!) doing something that you love and that allows the creative juices to flow is what’s important.
2. Realize you can’t control everything.  This one was hard for me.  I want everything to go a certain way.  Coming to terms and letting go of the fact that things won’t always turn out the way I want is very liberating.
3. Hang Out With Your Girlfriends.  Talking to other moms and seeing you’re not alone makes it so much easier to deal with your day-to-day problems.
4. Go On A Date. It doesn’t have to cost a fortune to spend time with your spouse.  A picnic or just taking the kids to a babysitter and having dinner alone, can help you remember why you started your family in the first and bring you closer together.
5. Read The Bible.  For me, knowing there is something more powerful than me and my problems is very comforting.
6. Family Fun Time.  Constantly going, going, doing, and doing, can take a toll on the entire family.  Schedule some time for the entire family to play games together, go to a park together, or have everyone write down suggestions of activities that can be done as a family and draw a different one each week.  The important thing here is to have fun and laugh together.
7. Shop. Some days after work even though I don’t need anything, instead of going straight home, I’ll run to the mall for a half hour or so.  I don’t have to buy anything, window shopping just helps me unwind and feel like I’m doing something for me alone! (But don’t do this if you are the type that has to buy something when you shop — you’ll be broke in no time!)
8. Surf the Net.  OK, I confess, I’m an internet junkie. I find reading blogs and looking at photography and learning new things exhilarating.  The problem here is you need to set a time limit.  Trust me on this!  I could get lost on the net and not come out for days.
9. Have A Glass Of Wine.  This one is self-explanatory!
10. Pamper Yourself. Three of my friends gathered at one of our homes and had someone come in and give us reflexology massages.  It was so relaxing. And with the girl talk and wine, I was ready to face the world again! Even if you can’t afford to have a manicure, pedicure or massage, spend some time doing it yourself. 

One more that should be added is exercise.  A good walk or run gives you time to be alone, think, de-stress and makes you feel better about yourself.  I just need to practice what I preach when it comes to this one!

Please visit Angie’s blog today, and show her some love!

Guest Posts 2 Comments

December 4, 2008

Ticket Giveaway Alert!  That’s right, in addition to the sweet tix that you could win here on MamaDivas for the Radio City Christmas Spectacular, I’m hosting a giveaway for one lucky winner to receive tickets to Wintuk from Cirque du Soleil at the WaMu theater at Madison Square Garden!  The winner will receive 4 tickets to the 11am showing on Saturday December 20, 2008. 

Also, by clicking on any of the links in this article that lead to the WaMu ticket ordering page, you’ll be directly sent to a special discount ordering page where you can get 25% off tickets from now until December 23rd, thanks to the sponsors of this same giveaway, One2One!  Cirque du Soleil runs until January 4, 2008, so don’t miss your chance to win tickets to this wonderful show or get this awesome discount.

As is always the case with Cirque productions, Wintuk has garnered tons of praise from critics and audience members, always providing an exhilarating theatrical adventure that includes wondrous acrobatics, music and dazzling special effects.

There are multiple ways to enter:

1. **This one’s required in order for any subsequent entries to count!!**  Fill out the following entry form: Wintuk from Cirque du Soleil Ticket Giveaway – 1x only = 5 entries
2. Comment on this post. 1x only = 1 extra entry
3. Tweet this contest through Twitter.  Make sure you include a link to this post and @kristinaq so that I know you’ve done this. – once a day, up to 5 extra entries
4. Post about this contest on your blog.  Include a link to the contest and leave a comment on this post telling me you’ve done so – 1x only = 5 extra entries

General giveaway rules and guidelines plus the following apply:

1. You must be over the age of 18
2. You must have a US shipping address to be eligible
3. It should go without saying: by entering you agree that, to the best of your knowledge, you will be able to attend this show.  Please don’t rob someone of a chance to bring their family to this magical show.

The deadline to enter this contest is December 13, 2008 at 11:59pm EST.  The winner will be sent an email by Dec. 14, but if he/she opted to not provide a shipping address on the entry form, he/she will have only 48 hours from the time I send the email to provide me with a valid, eligible shipping address or else the prize is forfeited and another winner will be chosen.  The winner will also announced on PRIZEYwinners.

Good luck!

Technorati Tags: Cirque du Soleil, Wintuk, WaMu, MSG, ticket, giveaway, contest, NYC, New York City, theater, acrobats, acrobatics

Deals & Discounts, Out and About 11 Comments

December 4, 2008

For a unique twist on a stuffed animal gift this Christmas and holiday season, CurlyQ Cuties hits the spot!  At CurlyQCuties.com, you can build your own cuddly, lovable, soft and completely huggable stuffed monster.  That build-it-yourself to make it your own is a concept that always goes over well with kids, so you can provide your recipient with a gift certificate so she can make her own CurlyQ, or you can breathe life into your very own special CurlyQ Cutie that you design just for her! 

These plush creatures are like the manifestation of the inventions of a genius animator’s imagination; and no, you won’t get your ol’ run of the mill stuffed animals and peter rabbits here!  It’s no wonder that the monsters are so funky in design- the entire line is inspired by drawings created by the mompreneur-founder’s own kids!

You get to choose exactly what your monster will look like, and after you order it’s lovingly handcrafted then shipped to your door, complete with a monster-warning sticker on the box.  Little monsters can misbehave sometimes, you know.

Anyway, right on the website you get to choose your monster’s shape, what type of belly he’ll have, the style and number of eyes, and the type of mouth he’ll have.  Of course, you also have the power to choose exactly what colors you’d like your CurlyQ Cutie to come in.  In the photos above, you can see that we chose a yellow CurlyQ monster with two blue eyes and a red dotted belly, and Rupert, as we affectionately refer to him, is just one example of the thousands of different combinations you can possibly come up with.

When I first took the CurlyQ Cutie out of the box, the first thing I noticed was how extremely soft it was.  It’s also very squishable to begin with, so I don’t think you’ll ever really have to worry about the plush monster ever losing its shape after normal play and tossing around.  It’s very well made, with extremely neat, intricate stitching that I’m pretty darn sure won’t ever come undone.

In addition to creating your own made to order CurlyQ Cutie monster (from $25 + shipping), you also have the option of purchasing a special edition CurlyQ monster (each is individually priced).  For those tots ages 6 and under on your holiday shopping list, I have no doubt that CurlyQ Cuties will be a big hit, especially if you give them the option of creating the monster themselves!  To make sure you get your stuffed plush monster in time for Christmas or Hanukkah, make sure you order ASAP. 

Shopping, Toy reviews 2 Comments

December 3, 2008

By now you’re probably well into the holiday shopping swing!  If you’re still stumped on what to get your wife or girlfriend, or if you are that wife or girlfriend looking for some ideas on what to add to that wishlist to give your own personal Santa, well, here you go!  Psst.. some of these are on my personal Christmas wishlist- mrQ you better be reading this!  Especially the part about diamonds and a helicopter ride!

A unique, beautiful piece of jewelry from Esculon is the perfect present!  At $65, these chic, unique “Melody” earrings will wow your significant other, and you might still even have money left over to splurge on more for her.  What’s more is that Esuculon has partnered up with SheFinds.com, and is donating 15% from the sale of these earrings to support women entrepreneurs.  There are plenty of other jewelry choices available, like this beautiful Nine necklace and the dreamy Perfect 10 pearl bracelet.  Take a break from the mundane and “average” looking jewelry and buy her something that’s classy but will still stand out.

The Terralina Skincare Gift Set contains five of their luscious, sweet smelling and utterly luxurious natural skincare products.  At $100 (or $80 if you opt for auto-delivery), your recipient will receive five environmentally friendly skin care products.  Especially for the season, the holiday packaging is made from post-consumer recycled grocery bags, so purchasing from Terralina is good for the environment, too!  Watch out for my in-depth review of Terralina.  I had a chance to try all five products from the Terralina Skincare Gift Set, and well, I won’t say too much, but these products make me go mmmmmm.

A necklace from Not Just Any Old Day isn’t just a piece of jewelry, it’s a loving reminder of a special day, any day you choose, that she’ll be able to wear.  Each charm pendant represents a month and day, and of course like any charm necklace or bracelet, you can have more than one NJAOD charm on the necklace or bracelet you get for your wife to make sure all the special days are accounted for.

Who doesn’t love diamonds?  Buy that special lady on your list some beautiful diamond jewelry that’s conflict free (aka NOT a blood diamond) from Brilliant Earth or Leber Jeweler Inc.

For your wife or girlfriend, nothing quite says you care as much as an all-expense paid visit to the spa.  If you’re not quite sure of what spa your significant other would like to visit, buy a spa gift certificate from WaySpa.com. The beauty of a WaySpa spa gift certificateis that it will never expire and is accepted at thousands of spas all over the US, Canada and worldwide.

 

For something truly special that she’ll treasure, give her a unique, one of a kind treasure box from Svasara.  Each treasure chest is lovingly adorned and embellished by hand, for a one-of-a-kind chest.  You’ll be able to choose from the ready-made beauties available, or you can commission a custom design.

Everyone loves getting a beautiful new handbag.  At Vera Bradley you can save 15% on the Peacock, Cambridge, Kensington and Riviera Blue Signature Collections and Stationery. Jutst enter the code 15OFFSALE (expires Dec 4) at checkout.Kate Spade is constantly offering exclusive deals and discounts to their newsletter subscribers, so subscribe today so you can save on a handbag your wife will adore for its classic appeal and sophistication.  Right now YOOX.COM is offering many items from their Fall/Winter collection at up to 40% off, and you’ll even get free shipping on all the chic bags and accessories your wife will want to fill up her closet.

Give her a memorable experience with one of the wonderful day trips, activities or excursions that can be found through www.XperienceDays.com.  From luxury spa and shopping trips she can enjoy on her own to romantic dinner cruises, gourmet side by side cooking lessons and exhilarating hot air balloon rides and Nascar experiences you can enjoy together, you really can’t go wrong with a gift that’ll give her beautiful memories for years to come.  I hope mrQ is reading this, because I’d love to go on this helicopter tour.

Technorati Tags: holiday gift guide, shopping, gifts for wife, gifts for girlfriend, wife, girlfriend, gift ideas, Christmas, Hanukkuh, wish list, gifts

Holidays, Shopping No comments

December 3, 2008

Congratulations to these recent contest and giveaway winners:

Gina of New York is the winner of the Hannah Montana DVD Game Giveaway.

Carmen of Illinois is the winner of the Bug and Pickle skincare giveaway.

Katy of Maryland is the winner of the Laugh and Learn DVD Set giveaway.

Giveaways Comments Off

December 2, 2008

It’s a yearly tradition in New York City, and the Radio City Christmas Spectacular is an amazing holiday production that’s pretty much guaranteed to wow your family.  There’s a reason why the show has been in production for over 75 years, and that’s because the Rockettes and the rest of the cast never fail to deliver that Christmas magic and holiday enchantment to each and every audience with every show.  I’m hosting a special giveaway for a family 4-pack of tickets to the Radio City Christmas Spectacular, thanks to the One2One Network!  Read on for more details.

For an exclusive 25% discount for certain show times of the Radio City Music Hall, use the coupon code ONE2ONE when you buy your tickets.  Tickets are on sale from now until December 30, 2008 and the discount is applicable for the following showtimes:

 

You have a chance to win a family four pack of tickets to this amazing show- and you can even earn multiple entries!  The winner will receive 4 Tickets to the 4pm show of the Christmas Spectacular on Sunday, Dec. 28th at Radio City Music Hall.

There are multiple ways to enter:

1. **This one’s required in order for any subsequent entries to count!!**  Fill out the following entry form: Radio City Christmas Spectacular Ticket Giveaway – 1x only = 5 entries
2. Comment on this post. 1x only = 1 extra entry
3. Tweet this contest through Twitter.  Make sure you include a link to this post and @kristinaq so that I know you’ve done this. – once a day, up to 5 extra entries
4. Post about this contest on your blog.  Include a link to the contest and leave a comment on this post telling me you’ve done so – 1x only = 5 extra entries

General giveaway rules and guidelines plus the following apply:

1. You must be over the age of 18
2. You must have a US shipping address to be eligible
3. It should go without saying: by entering you agree that, to the best of your knowledge, you will be able to attend this show.  Please don’t rob someone of a chance to bring their family to this magical show.

The contest ends on December 11, 2008 at 11:59 EST, and the winner will be notified and announced on PRIZEYwinners by December 12, 2008.

Good luck!

Technorati Tags: holiday, Christmas, Radio City Music Hall, Radio City Christmas Spectacular, Rockettes, New York City, NYC, show, ticket giveaway, contest, giveaway, ticket, family four pack

Giveaways, Out and About 23 Comments

December 2, 2008

I’m going to start this off just by saying that I didn’t like the first Chronicles of Narnia movie all that much, but Prince Caspian exceeded my expectations completely!  Available on DVD and Blu-Ray as of today, December 2, 2008, Disney’s The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian, based on C.S. Lewis’ fantasy novels, offers a little bit of everything and will appeal to every age group represented in your family. 

There’s magic and swordfights and castle sieges, as well as a hint of romance and the coming of age theme that resonates throughout the film.  Prince Caspian is action packed and will definitely keep you on your toes as you follow Caspian on his journey to reclaim his stolen throne and as the Pevensies fight to save their beloved Narnians. 

(Read the rest of the entry…)

TV, DVD & Movie Reviews 1 Comment

December 1, 2008

When you buy from Hatley, not only are you purchasing high quality clothing for you and your family, you’re also supporting eco-friendly and sustainable business practices!  Hatley strives to use organic and eco-friendly materials as much as they can, from the fibers used to the dyes used and the dyeing process to the recycled paper they print their tags on.  Those tags even read a cute slogan that’s printed with vegetable based ink: Get clothes with nature.

Thanks to Hatley, littleQ is enjoying his brand new pajamas.  They’re 100% cotton and super soft, not to mention breathable.  While like any good kids’ pajamas they are form fitting, the supple ribbed cotton that these are made of mae it easy to roll around and tumble about without being uncomfortable.  He also loves the bears that adorn them!

Hatley offers a bunch of different designs for their kids’ pajamas, and they’re actually some of the bestselling products!  It’s no surprise to me, because these pajamas are wonderfully crafted, with strong, double stitched seams and tightly woven ribbed cotton.  As far as I’m concerned, these jammies will last and last, and, being cotton, will only get softer with every wash.

And check it out – if you buy something from Hatley, you can submit your favorite photos of your little one striking a pose in Hatley fashion for a chance to win a set of pajamas!

Technorati Tags: eco-friendly clothing, kids’, toddler, infant, baby, child, children’s, clothing, clothes, earth-friendly, organic, green

Clothing Reviews, Eco-Friendly, Shopping No comments