Touch and Feel Books by DK Publishing Review

Are you looking for some fun new books for your baby, toddler, or preschooler? DK Publishing has some great new Touch and Feel Books for your children.  Introducing, Touch and Feel Dinosaurs and Touch and Feel Jungle Animals.

Here is what DK Publishing has to say about these new titles, "With a sparkling new look, these bestselling DK classic preschool board books are sure to become favorites for a whole new generation of young readers. Babies and toddlers will be drawn to the captivating, tactile pages, and will want to touch, feel, and explore every spread."

Each book measures 159x159mm, is 12 pages long, and is suitable for children ages 0-5.  If you have more than one child under the age of 5, the Touch and Feel books are a perfect choice for your library!

Review
I have seen books that allow you to touch and feel different textures in the past, and I have always been a fan of them.  I sometimes wonder, do I or do the babies I'm reading with enjoy them more?! These books allow you and your children to interact, have fun with, and learn from the Touch and Feel books.  As a child, I remember loving books that did something - and these books fill that desire for children to experience new and exciting elements within the pages.

Touch And Feel Dinosaurs
I loved the basic images that were contained within the pages of this book! The simplicity makes it easy for young minds to focus on the variety of sensations that this book offers. This book helps your child interact with it by inviting them to explore the fun textures of various dinosaur parts (e.g. skin, horns, tongue and more). In addition to various sensations, this book will introduce your children to different dinosaur species. This book is a perfect length for young children.

One thing that could be improved in this book - one of the pages in this book has a 'sticky tongue' sensation. If you a parent of a young child, you know that things get dirty...fast. To me, a sticky sensation in a Touch and Feel book is asking for trouble; this aspect will likely limit the lifespan of the book.  After using this book for a couple of weeks, the sticky sensation has already started to get dirty.

Touch And Feel Jungle Animals
Out of these two books, the Touch and Feel Jungle Animals book is my favourite. I love the variety of textures in this book. Lyla also seemed to enjoy the feelings in this book quite a bit.

This book like the other, has basic images and simple directions that make it easy for young children to interact with and learn from this book. This book included a variety of jungle animals and fun textures. This book is the same length as the Touch and Feel Dinosaurs book, making it short enough for young children to stay entertained.

There is nothing in this book that I would change. My daughter and I enjoyed it from front to back.

My daughter enjoyed reading these books with me. She had fun exploring the different dinosaurs and jungle animals and learning about new tactile sensations. I think these books are a great choice for both boys and girls!  These are the first books that we have in her book collection that allow her to learn through touch. Since receiving these books for review, we have already purchased another Touch and Feel Book by DK Publishing for her.

Overall, I think these books are great for teaching your children through imagery and touch. Your children will learn about different sensations, animals, and more with Touch and Feel Dinosaurs and Touch and Feel Jungle Animals.

In the future I would love to see DK Publishing publish some Touch and Feel story books; the current Touch and Feel series is very action orientated and does not tell a story.

*GIVEAWAY*

How many winners are there? One (1).

What can you win? One winner will receive a copy of Touch and Feel Dinosaurs and Touch and Feel Jungle Animals from DK Publishing.

To enter, please use the Rafflecopter entry form below.
(Note:You must have Javascript enabled to view the entry form) 



a Rafflecopter giveaway

This giveaway will end on Sunday, September 16, 2012 at 12:01 a.m. EST. 

This giveaway is open to residents of Canada.

Good Luck!

Disclaimer: I received a free copy of each of these books to review. Receiving these items did not in anyway affect the information that I shared in this article. All the opinions in this article are my own.

Motherlove

If you are a mom that has had experience with low milk supply, you have probably stumbled across a company called Motherlove at once point or another. Did you know that they have been offering personal care and supplement products to pregnant and nursing mothers since 1990? Motherlove has lots of great products, not only products that help with milk supply. For example, pregnant belly oil, sitz bath, diaper rash & thrush herbal salve, and nipple cream. They even sell gift boxes and a pocket guide to wild edible and medicinal plants (how neat - sounds like a must read to me!).

Recently, I had a chance to try out some of their products and I posted my Motherlove Product Review here: http://www.simplybeautifulbeginnings.ca/home/2012/6/26/motherlove-product-review.html. Make sure to check it out!

Have you ever tried Motherlove products? Which products did you try and what was your experience?

Have you been following me?

...over on the FisherPricePlay.ca site that is. I've been contributing along with the rest of the Fisher-Price Moms to bring you great new content each month. Check out some of my most recent articles:

- Spring has Sprung
- Learning How-to Organize (and re-organize) your Children’s Toys!
- Finding Alternatives to Technology this Winter (not very season appropriate, but, a great article to give you ideas for days you need to spend indoors - e.g. storm days). 

Disclosure:  I am part of the Fisher-Price Play Panel and I receive special perks as part of my affiliation with this group. The opinions on this blog are my own.

Obasan Crib Mattress Review & Giveaway

Do you know what goes into the mattress that your baby sleeps on every night?  With Obasan, you can feel confident that your baby's mattress is safe and free of harmful chemicals and toxins.  Obasan is passionate about sleep for your whole family!  For the past 25+ years, Obasan has been finding better ways to help your family get a good night's sleep.  Obasan offers a complete line of mattresses and sleeping products that are made in Canada from natural, organic and ethically sourced materials and are free from harmful chemicals.  Obasan believes that when you sleep well, you live well!

Let's face it, in our entire lives, we spend a lot of time sleeping!  I like to know that when our family is sleeping that they are sleeping in a safe environment.  That's why I like to choose environmentally friendly products when possible, especially for my baby.  Turning to a Canadian company like Obasan that creates these type of products right here in Canada just makes sense!  Obasan's products are not only made from certified organic materials but the process in which they manufacture their products is green as well.

Review
Obasan has given me the amazing opportunity to review one of their baby mattresses: the Obasan Terra Nova Innerspring Crib Mattress.  When I was pregnant, I knew I was going to choose an environmentally friendly mattress for my baby.  I was extremely excited to find out that Obasan wanted to send me one of their mattresses to use with my baby once we transitioned her from our room to her crib.

The Terra Nova Innerspring Crib Mattress features:

• - Spring construction, 252 bonnell coils
• - 1200 G organic wool padding on both sides of the spring
• - Removable cover, can be spot cleaned if needed
• - Outside cover quilted with layers of organic wool and finished in organic cotton jersey
• - Best selling crib mattress for years
• - Works with all types of crib support
  
  This mattress measures 28"x52" and fits standard sized cribs.

The Obasan Terra Nova Innerspring Crib Mattress.

A close-up of the quilted pattern.

When I received this mattress and took it out of the box, I immediately realized that this isn't just your standard crib mattress that you can pick up your local big box store; this crib mattress says quality at first glance, and second glance, and...(you get the picture).  Upon looking it over for the first time, I really liked the style of it.  The quilted stitch pattern is beautiful.  The fabric used to make this mattress is so very soft.  Overall, it is very appealing to the eye and the touch.

The removable cover - convenient for spot cleaning!

I also took some time to examine the removable cover, which is made to be easy accessible for spot cleaning.  I've included some pictures in this review to show you what it looks like.  Considering that this is a crib mattress and babies often make messes (diaper blow-out anyone?), this is a very convenient feature.  I don't think there are many crib mattresses on the market that have this feature.

I love that this mattress is soft to the touch but still firm enough to provide my baby with a safe place to sleep.  This mattress is also sized perfectly for standard sized cribs.  When I first received the mattress and tried to put it in our crib, I thought it was too small and it took a bit of trying (and my husband) to get it fit snug into place.  Unfortunately, I guess I was a little too impatient because I tried to push it into place and caught it on the crib support, ripping a small spot on the side of the mattress.  Luckily it doesn't affect the functionality.  I'm telling you this to let you know that this mattress is NOT too small.  It is a perfect fit (no risk for sliding or gaps), which makes it very safe for your baby.

Besides this crib mattress being pleasing to the eye, touch, and safe for my baby, I love that it is made locally (in Canada) and from organic materials.  Since this mattress is something that my daughter sleeps on daily, I'm very happy that I don't have to worry about harmful chemicals that some mattresses are made from (luckily not this one).

A picture showing the contents of the Terra Nova Innerspring Crib Mattress.

We look forward to using this mattress for my daughter as she grows from an infant into a toddler and thus into a toddler bed.  The mattress appears very well made and I'm sure it will hold up to the test of time.  After having the chance to review the Obasan Terra Nova Innerspring mattress, I would have no problem recommending Obasan products, especially their crib mattresses, to friends, family, and my readers. Obasan clearly takes pride in making high quality products and truly believes in the best quality sleep for every member of your family!

My happy baby girl waving hello in her comfy crib.  Thanks to Obasan!

You can shop for Obasan products online or at one of their 4 stores across Canada: Ottawa, Edmonton, Calgary or Vancouver.

*GIVEAWAY*

How many winners are there? One (1).

What can you win? One winner will receive an Obasan Terra Nova Innerspring Crib Mattress (winner's choice of Innerspring or Natural Rubber) (ARV $439-489).

To enter, please use the Rafflecopter entry form below.
(Note:You must have Javascript enabled to view the entry form) 

The earliest date that this giveaway will end is on July 6, 2012 at 12:01 a.m. EST.  If 500 entries are not received by this time, the giveaway will be extended until 500 entries are received. This giveaway has been extended until July 13, 2012 at 12:01 a.m. EST.

This giveaway is open to residents of Canada and US only.

Good Luck!

**Disclaimer** Obsan sent me a Terra Nova Crib Innerspring Crib Mattress to help facilitate my firsthand review of their product.  Receiving this item did not in anyway alter the information which I discussed in this article; this review is 100% my own opinion.  I did not receive any other type of compensation for this review.

Zaida Baby Review & Giveaway

Zaida Baby comes from the Arabic word zaida meaning fortunate or translated, fortunate baby.  Zaida Baby is a unique first keepsake that helps to preserve precious memories from pregnancy to baby's first birthday, and allows mothers-to-be to create a strong bond with their unborn child (promotes positive prenatal bonding). Zaida Baby is a completely unique baby book that includes a storybook for your belly, encouraging mothers to read aloud to their unborn child to ensure babies develop in a safe and nurturing environment. The Zaida Baby book is special since it allows mothers to document their pregnancy (their feelings, physical changes, etc.) and the complete first year! This book is great for both single moms and two parent families.

Even the look of this special keepsake book is unique with it's elegant black linen hardcover exterior with silver foil stamping - very chic, modern, yet timeless!  The Zaida Baby keepsake book measures 8.5x10" and contains 144 acid-free archival pages made from FSC approved recycled paper. 

A sample page from the inspirational love letter.

Another sample page from the inspirational love letter.

Some of the book features include,

• - A 38-page inspirational love letter to your unborn baby.  This feature helps to promote prenatal bonding, and contributes to feelings of security, love and trust.
• - Interactive Pregnancy Journal, with scrapbooking.
• - Beautiful black & white photography celebrating the evolution of pregnancy.  
• - Interactive Baby's first year, with scrapbooking.
• - Zaida Baby includes pages such as,  
•  
• Pregnancy
  - Maternity Photographs
  - My How you've grown
  - Changes I have noticed in my body
  - The first time I felt you move...It felt like...
  - Ultrasound Photographs
  - The things I have enjoyed about this pregnancy are...
  - A special letter to my baby, and more!
•  
• The 1st Year - Baby's Photographs
  - How did it feel to hold me in your arms for the first time?
  - A special memory of my birth was...
  - My first day home from the hospital
  - Important people to remember...
  - Something I did to make you laugh was...
  - My First Haircut
  - My First Birthday
  - Other firsts
  - My favourite things
  - Additional scrap-booking pages for full personalization, and more!
•  

A sample page from the Pregnancy Journal.

A sample page from Baby's 1st Year section.

The Zaida Baby keepsake book is made in North America. The Zaida Baby keepsake book sells for $50 (+$10 shipping) on http://www.zaidababy.com.

Review
At the beginning of my pregnancy, I decided to keep a journal that one day I hoped my baby enjoy reading, and if I had a girl (which I did) would enjoy learning from when she is pregnant with her first baby one day.  Writing in my pregnancy journal was a great experience that allowed me to create a strong bond with my baby even before she was born.  Because of that, I truly believe that a book like this is great for every expectant mother.  Bonding with your baby before birth is just as important as and helps the bonding that takes place following birth.  The Zaida Baby book makes keeping the memories and experiences of your pregnancy easy and enjoyable!

This book has beautiful, real life photography that every mother can appreciate!  I enjoyed looking at all the beautiful black and white pictures that reminded me of where I had been with my pregnancy (stretch marks and all) and where I'll be going in the coming year!  I also enjoyed looking at photographs of families from a variety of cultures.

As a new Mom, this book probably means more to me than it did before I was pregnant or even while I was pregnant.  The words are well chosen and spoken from a mother's heart.  I can honestly say that I got tears in my eyes when reading through the book...and not just the first time I read it but time and time again!  I love that the 'From a Parent's Perspective' reads like vows to your unborn baby.  I also like that each time you read it, it reminds you what it means to be a mother.

One of my favourite lines in the book is 'I will get excited about the little things...because little things are so very special".  I am a believer of the 'little things' and when you become a parent, the little things mean even more!  It's amazing how something as simple as a tiny smile when your baby is sleeping or even a little fart can brighten your day, bring a smile to your face, and create memories that can last a lifetime.

My favourite part of the 'Pregnancy Journal' is the page that allows you to document the size of your belly.  This is one thing I never thought of doing during pregnancy but wish I would have kept track of.  I did take progress pictures during my pregnancy, although not enough.  I think that having a numerical value to compare your growth each month, or with subsequent pregnancies is a smart and fun addition to the book.  It is a great memory to share with your child and show 'how big mommy was'.

The Zaida Baby book allows you to document many of the important milestones that usually happen within the 1st year or shortly thereafter.  For example, 'my first bath', 'my first vacation', 'my first words', and more!  One thing I thought was unique about this baby book is that it contains a number of pages that allow you to share the current world with your baby - to document what things were like when they were a baby (e.g. the price of a movie, diapers, etc.).

One thing that I thought this book was missing was more pages for extra pictures, a envelope to help contain special artifacts or documents (e.g. hospital bracelets, ...), and lined pages to help you journal other things that you may want to.  For example, poems, memories, experiences, or just day to day records during pregnancy or early infancy.

I would definitely recommend the Zaida Baby book as a gift for any mom-to-be.  The Zaida Baby book is unlike other 'baby books' on the market and is sure to help mothers learn more about themselves and create a special bond with their unborn baby that will last a lifetime!

*GIVEAWAY*

How many winners are there? One.

What can you win?  One lucky winner will receive a Zaida Baby keepsake book.

To enter, visit Zaida Baby.  Then, come back here and leave a comment naming a feature of the book that you love.  This must be done to gain an entry in the giveaway.

Each of the following will give you one extra entry in the giveaway (unless stated otherwise). If an entry option is worth more than one entry, please leave a separate comment for each entry:
- Visit the Zaida Baby blog.  Then come back here and tell me the name of your favourite post.
- Read through the Zaida Baby website.  Then come back here and tell me where Zaida Baby is from (state or province).
- 'Liking' Zaida Baby on Facebook.  Please leave your name (First name and last initial) that is shown on Facebook for verification. 

- Adding the Everything Up Close blog button to your blog or website.

- Following me on Twitter (@ihchicky) and tweeting about the giveaway with a link to this page. Please leave a link to your tweet or your twitter name. You can tweet up to 2x a day (at least 6 hours apart).

Enter to #win a Zaida Baby #Pregnancy 1st Year keepsake book @ihchicky. Ends Dec. 29. http://bit.ly/ZaidaBaby #giveaway #baby

- Following me on Blogger / Google Friends Connect (publicly).
- 'Liking' Everything Up Close on Facebook.  Please leave your name (First name and last initial) that is shown on Facebook for verification. 

- Blogging about this giveaway on your blog. Please leave a link to your blog post in your comment. 2 ENTRIES!

- Talking about and linking to this giveaway in any public forum or on Facebook. If you do this, please leave your user-name and a link to the post. 3 ENTRIES!
- Visiting Simply Beautiful Beginnings and commenting on one of the posts.  Please tell me the name of the post and the name (or email address) you used to comment.
- Telling me about a topic you'd like to see covered on Simply Beautiful Beginnings.  Suggestions must fall into the scope of Simply Beautiful Beginnings to be considered.

Important Entry Details: The above entries (main and bonus) can only be submitted once per person (except for the tweet entry, which can be done daily). Please do not use more than one blogger account or add additional anonymous comments to gain extra entries. This is not fair to everyone else and this practice is strictly prohibited. If a person is found to be using more than one account to enter the same giveaway, they will be disqualified from that particular giveaway, as well as all future giveaways.

This giveaway will end on Thursday, December 29th at 11:59pm (Central Standard Time). After the giveaway has ended, the winner will be picked randomly using random.org. EMAIL RULES: In order to win, you must provide a valid email. I will be notifying the winner by email only. Please make sure your blogger profile includes your email address and make sure that it is visible. If you do not have a blogger account, please make sure you have included your email address in your post. If there is no email address provided, to contact the winner, another person will be chosen. The winner will have 48 hours to respond to the winning email notification with their complete mailing address (I will be forwarding all this information to the sponsor), If this information is not received within 48 hours, a new winner will be chosen.  

This giveaway is open to residents of North America!

Good Luck!

**Disclaimer** To complete this review, Zaida Baby sent me a Zaida Baby book free of charge in order for me to conduct a first-hand review of the product.  Receiving this item did not in anyway alter the information which I discussed in this article; this review is 100% my own opinion.  I did not receive any other type of compensation for this review.

Boské Kids Review & Giveaway!

Boské Kids is a natural children's clothing line based in Canada. The name Boské Kids comes from the Spanish word bosque (pronounced bOskay) meaning forest. The name of this children's clothing brand encompasses what the brand is, at it's roots: Natural, luxurious, enchanting, playful, imaginative, simple, soft, elegant, stylish, unique, beautiful, quality.

Boské Kids is an environmentally concsious fair trade company that strives to limit it's impact on the environment while creating "comfortable, natural fiber clothing for babies and toddlers that is practical, simple yet elegant in style".   Boské Kids sells clothing for babies, girls, and boys, as well as accessories and toys.  Boské Kids products are made from either premium Organic Pima Cotton or Alpaca Fibers.

Boské Kids is currently available at select stores in British Columbia and Ontario, and online.  To locate a store near you, visit http://www.boskekids.com/retailers/.

Review 
Jenny, owner of Boské Kids, offered to send me one of Boské Kids' sleeveless onesies to review.  The onesie I received was the 'spicy baby' style, natural in colour, and sized 0-3 months.  This uniquely styled sleeveless onesie is made from 100% certified organic pima cotton and is made in Peru.

I immediately noticed the fabric that is used for the sleeveless onesie - it is super soft!  You can tell the organic pima cotton is high quality just from feeling it.  I feel good knowing that it feels soft against my baby's sensitive skin. 

I had the chance to learn a bit more about the organic pima cotton that Boské Kids uses for their baby garments: "Our organic pima cotton is grown having no contact with pesticides, herbicides, insecticides, chemical fertilizers or other non-organic agents on farms in Peru that have official GOTS organic certification. Peruvian pima cotton is the highest quality of cotton worldwide and is hand harvested. It is softer and more durable than other cottons and is highly resistant to pilling."  I also learned that this type of cotton is very absorbent.

Additionally, it's nice to know that they compliment their organic garments with nickle-free clasps and snaps.  As a parent, I feel great knowing that the Boské Kids products are made from the highest quality materials that are both safe for the environment and my baby!

I also really like that the organic pima cotton used for the sleeveless onesie is machine washable and dryer safe (on low).  For a new mom, I truly appreciate this.  I need garments that are easy to wash and hold up to frequent washing!

When I first received the Spicy Baby Sleeveless onesie, I also noticed the style of it.  It isn't too often that you see sleeveless onesies, at least at the places I shop.  These are great for the summer or year round when partnered with a light cardigan or a sweater.  They are perfect for layering!

Boské Kids sells the sleeveless onesie in a variety of colours and designs.  They are available in the following colours: natural, eco-white, pink and blue.  Keeping in line with being environmentally friendly, Boské Kids colours their garments using natural vegetable dyes and a special Japanese drying technique (by hand).  Combined, these methods provide a colour that is unique to each individual garment created; no one garment will be coloured exactly like another.  Additionally, the following motifs are available on the sleeveless onesies: green baby, proud baby, hyper baby, advocate baby, genius baby, spicy baby, and plain. 

I really like that there are such a wide range of styles for this item, as well as for a number of the other Boské Kids garments.

When reviewing this sleeveless onesie, I noticed that the sizing of it is a bit smaller than I'm used to.  By the time my daughter was 7 weeks old (she was 7 weeks old in the picture I posted with this review) , the sleeveless onesie was too small - even though it was labelled 0-3 months and she an average size baby.  Although differences in sizing is common between brands, since this one does run a bit smaller than department store brands, I would recommend getting one size bigger...just to be on the safe side.

All in all, I like this sleeveless onesie.  I especially like that the garment is made in a eco-concsious way and uses extremely soft organic pima cotton.  I have been looking at the Boské Kids website since receiving this review item and have been considering purchasing a couple of other items for my daughter.  After having the chance to review an item from Boské Kids, I believe that any of their items would make a great addition to your little one's closet or a great gift for Christmas!

The Boské Kids sleeveless onesies regularly sell for $28 but are currently on sale for $22.

*GIVEAWAY*

How many winners are there? One.

What can you win?  One lucky winner will receive a round neck t-shirt in natural 'green baby', size 12-18 months.

To enter, Like Boské Kids on Facebook OR follow Boské Kids on Twitter (@BoskeKids). Do both for two entries (if you do this, please leave 2 separate comments).  This must be done to gain an entry in the giveaway.

Each of the following will give you one extra entry in the giveaway (unless stated otherwise). If an entry option is worth more than one entry, please leave a separate comment for each entry:
- Telling me the name of your favourite Boské Kids item.
- Subscribing to Everything Up Close via email or RSS feed. 

- Adding the Everything Up Close blog button to your blog or website.

- Following me on Twitter (@ihchicky) and tweeting about the giveaway with a link to this page. Please leave a link to your tweet or your twitter name. You can tweet up to 2x a day (at least 6 hours apart).

Enter to #win a t-shirt from @BoskeKids & @ihchicky. Ends Nov. 28. http://bit.ly/BoskeKids #giveaway #baby #toddler #kids

- Following me on Blogger / Google Friends Connect (publicly).
- 'Liking' Everything Up Close on Facebook.  Please leave your name (First name and last initial) that is shown on Facebook for verification. 

- Blogging about this giveaway on your blog. Please leave a link to your blog post in your comment. 2 ENTRIES!

- Talking about and linking to this giveaway in any public forum or on Facebook. If you do this, please leave your user-name and a link to the post. 3 ENTRIES!
- Visiting Simply Beautiful Beginnings and commenting on one of the posts.  Please tell me the name of the post and the name (or email address) you used to comment.
- Telling me about a topic you'd like to see covered on Simply Beautiful Beginnings.  Suggestions must fall into the scope of Simply Beautiful Beginnings to be considered.

Important Entry Details: The above entries (main and bonus) can only be submitted once per person (except for the tweet entry, which can be done daily). Please do not use more than one blogger account or add additional anonymous comments to gain extra entries. This is not fair to everyone else and this practice is strictly prohibited. If a person is found to be using more than one account to enter the same giveaway, they will be disqualified from that particular giveaway, as well as all future giveaways.

This giveaway will end on Monday, November 28th at 11:59pm (Central Standard Time). After the giveaway has ended, the winner will be picked randomly using random.org. EMAIL RULES: In order to win, you must provide a valid email. I will be notifying the winner by email only. Please make sure your blogger profile includes your email address and make sure that it is visible. If you do not have a blogger account, please make sure you have included your email address in your post. If there is no email address provided, to contact the winner, another person will be chosen. The winner will have 48 hours to respond to the winning email notification with their complete mailing address (I will be forwarding all this information to the sponsor), If this information is not received within 48 hours, a new winner will be chosen.  

This giveaway is open to residents of Canada and the USA!

Good Luck!

**Disclaimer** To complete this review, Boské Kids sent me a sleeveless onesie free of charge in order for me to conduct a first-hand review of the product.  Receiving this item did not in anyway alter the information which I discussed in this article; this review is 100% my own opinion.  I did not receive any other type of compensation for this review.

Looking to do some holiday shopping?  Now through December 10, 2011, Boské Kids will be offering all of my readers 20% off any purchase! All you have to do is enter the coupon code UPCLOSE20 (case-sensitive) on the checkout page.

Baby Beau & Belle Review & Giveaway

Baby Beau & Belle is a beautiful online store that creates 100% USA handmade garments made from the highest quality materials....perfect for your little one! In the Baby Beau & Belle online store you will find lovely pieces made from materials such as super soft soft 100% cotton fabrics and knits, 100% silk, Venice laces, Swiss embroideries, French ribbons, hand-made silk and satin rosettes, and beautiful pearl, shell or satin buttons.

Baby Beau & Belle came to life in 1984 thanks to designer Roberta Salton.  Ever since her childhood, Roberta has been amazed by old fashioned beauty, originally inspired by photographs of her grandmother and great aunt.  Today, Roberta designs gorgeous christening gowns, christening dresses and infant wear.  The name Baby Beau & Belle is in honour of Roberta's Grandmother, Belle - a lovely tribute.

Baby Beau & Belle is committed to providing only the best for your baby with elegant options for toddlers up to 24 months old.  At Baby Beau & Belle you will find a lovely collection of garments for both boys and girls.  Each collection contains a variety of accessories to help complete the look.  Their online store also has a gift section full of ideas for gifts for the precious little ones in your life!

Review
I was lucky enough to have the opportunity to review one of the beautiful outfits sold by Baby Beau & Belle, from the Jonathan Collection.  Since I started working with the company prior to the birth of my baby girl and didn't know what I was having yet (I love surprises), we settled on having me reviewing an item that although designed for a boy, could be fairly gender neutral.

For review, I received the Jonathan jumpsuit, white cotton brim hat, booties, and receiving blanket.  The first thing I have to say about ALL these items is the website does not do them justice.  These items are so beautiful and well made that you really have to see them (and feel them) in person.  Each item is clearly made with the utmost care and with the highest quality materials possible.  The materials used to make each item are extremely soft and perfect for babies' sensitive skin.

This picture was taken when my daughter was 2 months old.  She was 22" at birth.  The size of the Jonathan Jumpsuit is newborn, thus explaining why the outfit is a bit short in the legs. 

Because of the detail that goes into each piece and the type of fabrics used, the items that I received from Baby Beau & Belle are dry clean only.  At first, I thought this was a bit of an inconvenience.  However, because each item is so beautiful and they would only be worn for special occasions, I would rather have the item maintain it's condition instead of having the items made from lower quality materials just to make it a bit more convenient for me.

I think it is great that Baby Beau & Belle offers several collections, each complete with matching accessories such as caps, booties, receiving blankets, and more - it really helps to complete the whole look!  Baby Beau & Belle also offers keepsake garment bags to help you remember the special moments that your little one wore their outfit  (e.g. their christening, their first outfit home from the hospital, ...).

After browsing the website, I also noticed that a number of the collections contains a set.  Sets generally contain a the main outfit and a couple of extra accessories, allowing you to purchase the look at a bit of a discounted price (when compared to purchasing each item separately).  Since I think most people would purchase a few items together (I know I would), this is perfect!

When I tried on the items again at 2 months, everything fit but the jumpsuit legs didn't cover quite as much as they are made to (from comparing to the pictures on the website).  The shoes fit perfectly, despite my daughter being born with large feet.  The cap also fit great (and it stayed in place).  I thought the receiving blanket was a bit smaller than I was used to but would be great to use for lightly covering baby's arms and legs.  

Overall, I loved the items that I received from Baby Beau & Belle.  I find it difficult to say in words how truly beautiful the pieces I received are and how much I love them.  I would definitely suggest Baby Beau & Belle to anyone who is looking for a special outfit for their little one.  Baby Beau & Belle is great for special occasions such as christenings or for having formal pictures taken.  Having the opportunity to review the Jonathan collection from Baby Beau & Belle makes me (kind of) wish that I knew that I was having a girl before she was born.  Since the dresses that Baby Beau & Belle sells are gorgeous, I would have loved to have her wear one of them during her professional photo session at only 6 days new, or at her pending christening.

*GIVEAWAY*

How many winners are there? One.

What can you win?  One lucky winner will receive a $50 gift certificate valid for www.babybeauandbelle.com or www.christeninggowns.com.

To enter, Visit http://www.babybeauandbelle.com/.  Then, come back here and tell me which outfit you like best AND why. This must be done to gain an entry in the giveaway.

Each of the following will give you one extra entry in the giveaway (unless stated otherwise). If an entry option is worth more than one entry, please leave a separate comment for each entry:
-'like' Baby Beau & Belle on Facebook.  Please leave your name (First name and last initial) that is shown on Facebook for verification. 
- Following Baby Beau  & Belle on Twitter (@babybeaubelle).
- Subscribing to Everything Up Close via email or RSS feed. 

- Adding the Everything Up Close blog button to your blog or website.

- Following me on Twitter (@ihchicky) and tweeting about the giveaway with a link to this page. Please leave a link to your tweet or your twitter name. You can tweet up to 2x a day (at least 6 hours apart).

Enter to #win a $50 GC from @babybeaubelle & @ihchicky. Ends Nov. 29. WORLDWIDE. http://bit.ly/BabyBeauBelle #giveaway #baby

- Following me on Blogger / Google Friends Connect (publicly).
- 'Liking' Everything Up Close on Facebook.  Please leave your name (First name and last initial) that is shown on Facebook for verification. 

- Blogging about this giveaway on your blog. Please leave a link to your blog post in your comment. 2 ENTRIES!

- Talking about and linking to this giveaway in any public forum or on Facebook. If you do this, please leave your user-name and a link to the post. 3 ENTRIES!
- Visiting Simply Beautiful Beginnings and commenting on one of the posts.  Please tell me the name of the post and the name (or email address) you used to comment.
- Telling me about a topic you'd like to see covered on Simply Beautiful Beginnings.  Suggestions must fall into the scope of Simply Beautiful Beginnings to be considered.

Important Entry Details: The above entries (main and bonus) can only be submitted once per person (except for the tweet entry, which can be done daily). Please do not use more than one blogger account or add additional anonymous comments to gain extra entries. This is not fair to everyone else and this practice is strictly prohibited. If a person is found to be using more than one account to enter the same giveaway, they will be disqualified from that particular giveaway, as well as all future giveaways.

This giveaway will end on Tuesday, November 29th at 11:59pm (Central Standard Time). After the giveaway has ended, the winner will be picked randomly using random.org. EMAIL RULES: In order to win, you must provide a valid email. I will be notifying the winner by email only. Please make sure your blogger profile includes your email address and make sure that it is visible. If you do not have a blogger account, please make sure you have included your email address in your post. If there is no email address provided, to contact the winner, another person will be chosen. The winner will have 48 hours to respond to the winning email notification with their complete mailing address (I will be forwarding all this information to the sponsor), If this information is not received within 48 hours, a new winner will be chosen.  

This giveaway is open to everyone WORLDWIDE!

Good Luck!

**Disclaimer** To complete this review, Baby Beau & Belle sent me a Jonathan jumpsuit, cap, booties, and receiving blanket in order for me to conduct a first-hand review of the products.  Receiving these items did not in anyway alter the information which I discussed in this article; this review is 100% my own opinion.  I did not receive any other type of compensation for this review.

Natural Mat Review & Giveaway

Natural Mat believes that in order for children to have the best, safest, and most comfortable sleep, they should be sleeping in the most natural environment possible. One of the first steps in ensuring that is by choosing products that are made with natural materials. Naturalmat is dedicated to using the best raw 100% natural materials, such as organic coir, latex and organic cotton, to create all their sleeping products.

According to the Naturalmat website, "Naturalmat’s products are true to the values which we and many other parents believe in: use of natural and organic materials; care for the environment; and understanding, expert service. They’re for parents who want the best, with no compromises; who expect stylish, well-designed products which perform superbly well, at least environmental cost."

Finally Natural Mat believes that a good sleep is the foundation to a happy and healthy life for both parents and their children. Good sleep ensures the following:
- good energy levels
- a healthy immune system
- better temperament

Natural Mat is known for their natural organic mattresses (handcrafted in England using the finest organic materials), organic cotton bedding, and *brand new* top mat.

Review
The folks at Kastel International sent me a cotton percale fitted sheet to review, courtesy of Naturalm  Mat.  This fitted sheet is made from 100% pure organic cotton percale.  They are made to be lightweight, breathable, soft, and perfect for the warmer months.  This crisp fitted sheet measures 52" x 27" and it can fit a standard crib mattress.  The Natural Mat cotton percale sheet features the following:

- Soil Association certified organic 

- Free of pesticides, insecticides, heavy metals or chemicals 

- Machine washable at 140ºF (Dust mites are killed at 135ºF) 

- Unbleached, un-dyed and chemical free 

- GOTS (Global Organic Textile Standard) certified

I believe that it is best, when possible, to provide our children with the most natural environment possible.  Some of the products that go into the production of children's and infant's products today are just scary!  That is why I feel better when I can turn to a company who is committed to producing natural products. 

After reading more about the product I received for review, I was immediately impressed that Natural Mat holds high natural standards when creating their products.  I especially like that this product is unbleached, un-dyed, and contains absolutely no chemicals! 

Since we just recently started putting our baby girl in her crib to sleep for naps, I was finally able to test out this cotton percale sheet from Natural Mat!  I found that this product washed really well but like most bedding, it did have some creases after the washing and drying process, so it would be advisable to iron after drying. But the great thing is that the sheet is completely safe for machine washing and drying.

When I put the sheet on our crib mattress for the first time, I actually thought it was too small because it only goes half way up the sides of the mattress we have.  But after looking at the Natural Mat website, I realized that Natural Mat mattresses appear to be a bit thinner than the mattress we own.  This explains the size difference of the sheet in comparison to other store bought fitted sheets.  The sheet still covers the entire top of the mattress (the vital part) and the fact that less coverage on the side equals less product waste is fine with me! 

This is a picture I took to show the amount of coverage the Natural Mat fitted sheet provides on our crib mattress.  Our crib mattress measures approximately 6 inches in depth.

Since the product is un-dyed, the sheet has a nice natural beige colour to it.  Considering the colour of our nursery, this is perfect.  Also, because the colour is neutral (natural), it would go well with the decor of any nursery.

After putting the sheet on our crib mattress and taking the opportunity to feel it, I noticed that it felt softer once laid down that I originally thought it would be.  The sheet itself is a bit stiffer (crisp) than I am used to when comparing it to the sheets I use for my own bed.

Overall, I do like this Natural Mat fitted sheet.  I appreciate the fact that it is made from all natural materials and it is processed in a natural way.  I also like that it is made by a company that holds high standards when creating products that help to create and keep healthy families!  So far, this sheet has worked well for us and I anticipate it will continue to work well for us and hold up as long as Lyla is in her crib.  You can also tell it is higher quality than some of the other fitted crib sheets that I have in our linen cupboard.

The Natural Mat organic cotton percale fitted sheet sells for $45.00.  Natural Mat also carries a soft organic flannelette sheet that is perfect for the colder months.  The Natural Mat soft organic flanellette fitted sheet sells for $46.

*GIVEAWAY*

How many winners are there? One.

What can you win?  One lucky winner will receive a Natural Mat fitted crib sheet.

To enter, Visit and 'like' NaturalmatUSA on Facebook. Please leave your name (First name and last initial) that is shown on Facebook for verification. This must be done to gain an entry in the giveaway.

By 'liking' NaturalmatUSA on Facebook, you can also have the opportunity to win a Coco Mat and a Mattress Cover.  Visit http://www.facebook.com/NaturalMatUSA for more details!

Each of the following will give you one extra entry in the giveaway (unless stated otherwise). If an entry option is worth more than one entry, please leave a separate comment for each entry:
- Following Natural Mat on Twitter (@naturalmatusa).
- Visit Kastel International's website and tell me another product that you'd love to see me cover (review) on Everything Up Close.  Please indicate a specific product and not just the brand name.
- Subscribing to Everything Up Close via email or RSS feed. 

- Adding the Everything Up Close blog button to your blog or website.

- Following me on Twitter (@ihchicky) and tweeting about the giveaway with a link to this page. Please leave a link to your tweet or your twitter name. You can tweet up to 2x a day (at least 6 hours apart).

Enter to #win a @naturalmatusa natural organic cotton percale fitted crib sheet from @ihchicky. Ends Nov. 11. http://bit.ly/Naturalmat #giveaway

- Following me on Blogger / Google Friends Connect (publicly).
- 'Liking' Everything Up Close on Facebook.  Please leave your name (First name and last initial) that is shown on Facebook for verification. 

- Blogging about this giveaway on your blog. Please leave a link to your blog post in your comment. 2 ENTRIES!

- Talking about and linking to this giveaway in any public forum or on Facebook. If you do this, please leave your user-name and a link to the post. 3 ENTRIES!
- Visiting Simply Beautiful Beginnings and commenting on one of the posts.  Please tell me the name of the post and the name (or email address) you used to comment.
- Telling me about a topic you'd like to see covered on Simply Beautiful Beginnings.  Suggestions must fall into the scope of Simply Beautiful Beginnings to be considered.

Important Entry Details: The above entries (main and bonus) can only be submitted once per person (except for the tweet entry, which can be done daily). Please do not use more than one blogger account or add additional anonymous comments to gain extra entries. This is not fair to everyone else and this practice is strictly prohibited. If a person is found to be using more than one account to enter the same giveaway, they will be disqualified from that particular giveaway, as well as all future giveaways.

This giveaway will end on Friday, November 11th at 11:59pm (Central Standard Time). After the giveaway has ended, the winner will be picked randomly using random.org. EMAIL RULES: In order to win, you must provide a valid email. I will be notifying the winner by email only. Please make sure your blogger profile includes your email address and make sure that it is visible. If you do not have a blogger account, please make sure you have included your email address in your post. If there is no email address provided, to contact the winner, another person will be chosen. The winner will have 48 hours to respond to the winning email notification with their complete mailing address (I will be forwarding all this information to the sponsor), If this information is not received within 48 hours, a new winner will be chosen.  

This giveaway is open to residents of Canada and the USA only!

Good Luck!

**Disclaimer** To complete this review, Kastel International sent me a Natural Mat fitted sheet in order to conduct a first-hand review of the product.  Receiving this item did not in anyway alter the information which I discussed in this article; this review is 100% my own opinion.  I did not receive any other type of compensation for this review.

Seventh Generation is giving back!

Seventh Generation is committing to giving back to families across Canada this October! Their goal is to distribute up to 240,000 packages of diapers (or up to $160k worth of diapers) to women's shelters located in the provinces of Alberta, British Columbia, Nova Scotia, Ontario, and Quebec, since these shelters often do not receive corporate help.  Seventh Generation has started a diaper donation program that they are calling BOGO (BUY ONE GIVE ONE) and they are encouraging families across Canada to participate.  I was lucky that Seventh Generation gave me to chance to participate in, enabling me to help to donate even more diapers across Canada.

As part of Seventh Generation's diaper donation program, I was able to donate four (4) packages of diapers to a local charity of my choice.  Because I work (when not on maternity leave) in the Wolseley area of Winnipeg, I wanted to donate the diapers to a charity that I know a lot about, that I've worked with in the past, and that I've seen benefit many families in the community. 

I chose to donate the four (4) packages of Free & Clear diapers that Seventh Generation sent me to a place called Wolseley Family Place, a non-profit community based charity that helps families with young children.  When I went to drop of the diapers, I felt good knowing that the diapers would be put to good use.  The centre receives food and clothing regularly as donations but I have a feeling that don't receive diapers too often...especially so many at once or ones that are eco-friendly (an aspect that many people in this particular community feel strongly about).  It was great to see a number of Moms and their babies in the centre when I went there because I knew that they may be one of the families who will benefit from Seventh Generations kindness.

As I mentioned briefly above, you can help families in your community too by participating in the Diaper Donation Program.  Seventh Generation is encouraging families to Buy One & Give One.  In other words, the next time you purchase a package of diapers, purchase an extra package to donate to a local community charity of your choice, to help a local family in need.

I recently had a chance to try Seventh Generation's Free & Clear diapers.  I wasn't quite sure what to expect since I had never tried eco-friendly diapers before.  I'll be honest and say I wasn't expecting much because I've learned over the past few months that I'm rather picky about my daughter's diapers and I wasn't sure how an eco-friendly version would hold up.

After using a whole package of the diapers, I'm happy to report, I love them!  First and foremost, I love that these diapers hold up (most importantly); I didn't experience any leaks despite some really wet and really poopy diapers.  I also love that the diapers contain no chlorine, no petroleum based products, no latex, and are scent free and hypoallergenic!  With my baby's sensitive skin, I'd rather her not be exposed to all that unnecessary 'stuff'!  I was surprised that these diapers were a beige color but realized that, that was because these diapers are not bleached (something I can definitely live without).  After using the 'beige' diapers, I actually started to enjoy the natural look to them, partially because it reminded me that they were au natural!  I also loved that these diapers fit really well; they had the nice stretchy contoured parts around the legs and the back that are needed to avoid leaks (there is nothing worse than a poopy diaper that runs up the whole back of my baby's sleeper).  I would definitely use these diapers again and I'd recommend them to other Moms who are looking for an eco-friendly alternative.

If you haven't already, become a part of the 7th Gen Nation or visit Seventh Generation's Facebook Fan Page!  As a member of the 7th Gen Nation program, you will have special member-only access to coupons, special offers, and tips on how to live green and keep your family healthy at the same time!  Both places are a great way to stay up to date on what is new and happening with Seventh Generation!


Disclosure – I am participating in the Seventh Generation program by Mom Central Canada.  I received compensation as a thank you for my participation.  The opinions on this blog are my own.