We’ve chosen our winner! Thanks to everyone who entered.
Cynthia: What a great idea! I really like the Miracle Collection warmer in the Matte finish and the Autumn Sunset Bar sounds good!

By Danielle Dean-Ereddia

I have to admit, I’m a home scentaholic!  So when Carly presented the opportunity to test out this new scent product I was really excited.

And then I got unexcited – with all the home scenting products available on the market do we really need another company making more?  Then I got really negative and thought “bet it won’t work / will be expensive / messy / dangerous (hot wax)”.

Not a very objective way to start testing out a new home fragrance product.  Then my package arrived from Shelly at Scentsy.

I have to admit – I liked the packaging, the brochures to order from were really well put together and I LOVE that there was such a huge amount of selection to choose from.  There is a huge selection of warmers and an even bigger amount of scents to choose from.  In fact, Scentsy has the largest selection of fragrances I’ve ever seen – and I believe I have tried every company on the market today.

I set up my warmer and put in my “Aromatic Scentsy Bar”.  Then I actually left the room (something you are never supposed to do with a lit candle system).  Because the Scentsy system is a plug in and not a flame system, I was comfortable going about whatever I had to do upstairs.  Not long after, my home was filled with a beautiful scent.  Not an over powering scent, but a really nice, pleasant fragrance.  I liked it!

Still a little unconvinced, I thought, “does the world need a company that gives nothing back?” After further reading through my brochures that Shelly sent I found that the Scentsy Company has a Scentsy family foundation and that one of the warmers they sell has all profits going to a foundation that helps children receiving cancer treatments.  Love that!  I think all companies should give something back to the community and Scentsy does.

(Just as an aside – they also have these DIY burners that you and your family can decorate.   Fabulous idea for a wedding or bridal shower favor!)

Now I was at my last hurdle   – what was this wax made of.  I could not find it in the brochure so I emailed Shelly.  I was not expecting a great response.  In this day and age, good customer service is hard to find!  Well I found it.  Shelly from Scentsy got back to me straight away with such a clear, informative answer that I was impressed!

Scentsy has over 80 fragrance bars available – there really is a scent for everyone!  The wax is made out of a high quality paraffin wax blend.  The wax is lead free and never gets really hot.  I also loved this because one of my fears was hot wax falling onto one of my children.  After hearing this – I dipped my hand in the wax – warm but not hot.  As you can see from the pic – I asked my 7-year-old daughter to put her hand in the wax.  She thought I was crazy but did it – and guess what – it did not hurt (I knew this because I had tested it myself first).

Now here is the biggest thing I love about Scentsy – yes I said LOVE:  You can reuse the wax!!  And it still smells great.  You can get between 60 and 80 warming hours per bar – which is significantly more than traditional candles.  Great for the wallet and great for the environment.

I am now a HUGE SCENTSY FAN.  As soon as I finish writing this I am going to become a customer.  The Scentsy System is by far the best wax burning scent system I have ever found and I highly recommend using the system to create a fabulous smelling home!

Thanks Durham Region Kids – I’ve found a new product with Scentsy!

WIN FREE STUFF!: Brooklin mom to 16-month-old Annabelle, Shelley Murchison is the local Scentsy consultant that gave us the system to review, and she has a GREAT giveaway for a lucky reader: a full-size warming system and and three bars, valued at $54. Enter to win by visiting Shelley’s page and picking your favourite product (warmer design, scent etc.). Leave a comment below and we’ll pick a winner.

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Whitby’s Danielle Dean-Ereddia is a mom to two and home fragrance lover. She is the franchise owner of the Body Shop at the Oshawa Centre.

I posted pics of my girls using our Dripstiks the other week, and not surprisingly y’all wanted details on them.

Where to start on our love of these?

• First, they REALLY DO contain the all-out melty mess of a small being holding a popsicle or ice cream cone (drips down face and splatters not included!)
• They’re wide handle makes them easy to use for kids of all ages; Alice has been using this since 17 months
• They’re dual use: One end fits a popsicle stick, the other an flat-bottom ice cream cone
• Colours are vivid and interesting
• Pieces come apart for thorough cleaning
• Dishwasher safe (top rack)
• Created by a mom of 5
• They’re a novelty, so kids think they’re cool

I’ve delayed writing this, because I’ve been trying to find a local retailer to a) do a giveaway for you, and b) find a local retailer you can purchase from. Unfortunately Once Upon a Child Ajax, where we got ours last summer, is no longer carrying them. The manufacturer does not ship to Canada in quantities less than 20 (boo!).

A quick google Canada search will bring up online retailers for you. I did come across Moms Finds, which has them ON SALE right now for just $4.

Happy frozen treat eating!

Remember Creamsicles? Those juicy, organgey, creamy sticks of deliciousness?

Beat the heat with this super easy, homemade, knock-off recipe! I tested them on five kids yesterday, and the verdict was a sticky thumbs up.

First off, you need a popsicle tray. Paper cups work, too — pour this in, then insert popsicle sticks when they’re half frozen. To eat, simply tear the paper away.

Prepare an orange juice-vanilla yogurt mixture. The amount depends on how many treats you’re making. Just make sure the ratio 50% orange juice, and 50% vanilla yogurt.

Mix well. Pour into tray or paper cups.

Freeze and enjoy!

We plan to use our tray all summer long. Making your own freezie treats is super cheap and has a bajillion times less sugar than what you can get at the store — not to mention all the garbage! Don’t get me wrong. There’s nothing like a frosty freezie on a hot day; nothing brings me back to my childhood more. But we loved these so much, they’re definitely part of our summer routine now. Plain juice works great, too!

UPDATE: Congratulations to #14: Jen for winning the Monkeywrap!

Today we welcome Dawn Whitney — an Oshawa stay-at-home mom to SEVEN kids! — for a guest review.

The first day I got my Monkeywrap, I didn’t take it off all day!

My daughter Gaia ALWAYS wants to be held which makes it hard to do pretty much anything. I’ve learned to do lots with one hand (also challenging with 6 other children, LOL!).

Since receiving the wrap, I have been cleaning the house, doing dishes, hanging laundry even changing my second youngest child’s diapers all without having to worry about putting Gaia down and having to hear her cry until I am able pick her up again, or trying to do it with one hand! She loves to be in it! She gets to be up with mom, and I still have hands free.

Yesterday afternoon I had to be somewhere, so just wore the Monkeywrap all ready to go until we got there then I was able to quickly put Gaia into the wrap and be on my way to my appointment without trying to carry her in her infant carseat or worry about a stroller. It was SO easy!

Thursday evening I went to a spring concert at the kids school, and just brought Gaia in my Monkeywrap and it was so much easier to move around without trying to push a stroller (which she probably wouldn’t want to be in anyways and I’d end up carrying her around while attempting to push a stroller).

Today I asked my husband to watch the baby while I did something. About 5 minutes later he came up with the Monkey Wrap on and Gaia in it! She was having a blast!

If you haven’t guessed, I am in LOVE with this wrap. I don’t know how I did anything around the house with the other kids when they were younger without one!

Designed by 2 moms with style in mind, Monkeywear offers Canadian families the Monkeywrap – a uniquely designed tight stretch wrap baby carrier. The Monkeywrap offers a tailored, non-bulky alternative that looks like a shirt and was designed for closeness, comfort & convenience. It is just the right size to provide a custom fit for you and baby every time.

Monkeywear owners Jen and Lesley have a wrap for a lucky Durham Region Kids winner! Take a spin through their site, and return with one (or more!) things you love about Monkeywear in a comment.

We’ll pick and announce a winner Monday. Good luck!

UPDATE May 25/10: And the winner is…#19 Candace! We’ll be in touch with details. Thanks to everyone for entering!

In the four years I’ve been a parent, I’ve been through at least five diaper bags.

Like my purses, I like them big and roomy ’cause I carry a ton of crap around: change of clothes, mini first aid kit, snacks, diaper and wipes, reusable grocery bag, kleenex, emergency distraction toys, plus room for snack cups and more when we go out.

Total high maintenance bag girl here.

Our other bags have been great, but something is always missing or wrong: A flap that made opening cumbersome. Too small. Too pretty. Not enough pockets.

Then my friend Kristen, who is also the co-owner with her sister of T Bag & Co. and the wife to a guy I went to school with and who lives down the street (wow, this is incestuous…) gave me one of her wine bags for Christmas. You may have seen Kristen and Laura at any number of the parent shows the past few seasons (most recently Mamas & Chicks in April).

Now, I love wine. Capital L Love it. But my first thought when I opened this black and white beauty was what a fabulous diaper bag it would make.

So that’s exactly what we use it for.

It’s four roomy compartments help keep all our kid junk separated. The open top means easy access. It’s oh-so-stylish. It’s sturdy, with tough (but not utilitarian-looking) handles.

Last week a cup of milk spilled, and saturated the fabric. a) I liked that the fabric absorbed the liquid and didn’t pool at the bottom, and b) we tossed the whole thing in the wash, and it came out great — no fading, shrinking or ironing required.

To illustrate how it works with wine, I snapped this pic this morning:

Realizing I only had one bottle of wine in the house (aieeee!), I supplemented with a few bottles of Eric’s scotch.

The bag works great either way. Here are a few of my regular totes (two from the pretty in pink collection) that we use for shoes, groceries, lugging stuff to daycare and more:

BAG LOVE!

Kristen has offered up a wine bag to one of my lucky readers. It’s super easy to win: Go visit the T Bag & Co. website, and pick your favourite collection. Or if you’re already a bag owner, share what you love most about them.

We’ll pick a winner after the long weekend.

Good luck!

On a side note, this post took me around two hours because of the terribly distracting working environment. I’m thinking of filing a complaint with HR: