WIN! Baby Days: Botanical Paperworks Birth Announcements April 8, 2009

Looking for an eco-friendly way to announce the arrival of your bundle of joy? Winnipeg-based Botanical PaperWorks will guarantee your cards don’t get tossed into the recycling bin. Instead, they’ll get covered in mud. But that’s a good thing. Birth announcements, shower invitations and thank you cards are made with plantable paper embedded with North American wildflower seeds. Plant the paper and before too long, you’ll have Bird’s Eye, Clarkia, Poppy and Snap Dragon srouting in your garden or windowsill pot.

Simply visit http://www.botanicalpaperworks.com to order your hip design, colour and add a personal message. Most cards start at about $4.95 each but remember it’s a gift as well as an announcement. Most of the products are tree-free, made with 100 per cent post-consumer waste.

WIN! Enter your name to win a pack of 50 personalized baby announcements! VALUE: $250

TO ENTER, SEND AN E-MAIL TO SHEL@SHELZOLKEWICH.COM WITH THE SUBJECT LINE BABY DAYS

Contest ends at midnight tonight. Good luck!

WIN! Baby Days: PC Green Diapers

Have you ever been to a landfill site? I know this isn’t the prettiest thing to be talking about during Baby Days but the number of disposable diapers in any given landfill site isn’t pretty either (don’t get me started on the number of plastic grocery bags blowing around—that’s another story).

When our son was born, we tried to do the responsible thing by using washable diapers. We even used a service that would drop off clean ones and pick up the not-so-clean ones. To get right to the point, it didn’t work out. There were issues with storing the not-so-clean ones until pick-up day. Yuckie!

Thankfully, disposable diapers have come a long way so parents can feel a little better about using them. The PC Green diaper is fragrance- and dye-free. They are made from wood pulp harvested from sustainably managed forests.  There’s no chlorine bleach used in the process. All good things. Plus they have a good fit and excellent absorbency.About $16 for the pack at Superstore and Loblaws. A pack is included in our prize giveaway.

TO ENTER OUR BABY DAYS CONTEST, SEND AN E-MAIL TO SHEL@SHELZOLKEWICH.COM WITH THE SUBJECT LINE BABY DAYS

WIN! Baby Days: Indigo April 7, 2009

When you’re thinking about gifts for baby (either your own or someone else’s), Indigo might not be the first place that comes to mind. But it should be. First, the soothing atmosphere makes it a great place to hang out if you’re eight months pregnant or up to your eyeballs in alligators at the office. Second, if you have children, they stay occupied in the play area while you saunter through the aisles checking out all the games, books, toys, decor items and clothing for babies.

You’ll find Yummy Bear Banks in vibrant colours, a Farmyard Fun book that helps little ones learn their ABCs and frames to showcase the World’s Best Looking kid.

Our prize from Indigo includes:

• 3 Sprouts Organic Chico Towel, $34. Generously sized bath towel perfect for your new baby or toddler. Made out of 100% organic cotton.

• Peachtree Baby ID Bracelet Frame, $45.99. Now the little hospital I.D. bracelet which your child once wore can now be uniquely displayed and cherished forever. The hand finished white shadowbox frame and spaced glass are designed to give a simple and elegant presentation.

TO ENTER, SEND AN E-MAIL TO SHEL@SHELZOLKEWICH.COM WITH THE SUBJECT LINE BABY DAYS

NOTE: If you have already entered your name for the Baby Days prize packs, no need to enter again. All names will go into the pot for the draws at the end of day Wednesday.

WIN! Baby Days: The Black Book of Hollywood Pregnancy Secrets

We start off the day with another fine book from Penguin Group Canada. This comes a little too late for me. I went through pregnancy wearing a red and black bush jacket (a la Bob and Doug MacKenzie) and visiting Super Boys for chili cheeseburgers a little too often. If only I would have known, like Nicole Ritchie does, that a pair of fake eyelashes will make any new mom feel special. She keeps a pair on hand when she feels alike adding a little glamour to her day.

The book has diet, beauty and life tips from Hollywood mothers such as Michelle Pfeiffer, Katie Holmes and Brooke Shields. Kate Hudson, Gwyneth Paltrow and Julia Roberts also chime in with secrets to feeling great and looking like (what else) a movie star during your glorious nine months. Even if you’re parked on the couch, unable to move because you’ve gained 63 pounds and you no longer have ankles, reading this book will be entertaining if nothing else.

TO ENTER, SEND AN E-MAIL TO SHEL@SHELZOLKEWICH.COM WITH THE SUBJECT LINE BABY DAYS

NOTE: If you have already entered your name for the Baby Days prize packs, no need to enter again. All names will go into the pot for the draws at the end of day Wednesday.

WIN! Baby Days: Bébé from Fruits & Passion April 6, 2009

If you visit this blog regularly, you know I am a huge fan of Fruits & Passion so it’s no surprise that Bébé, their line of products for newborns, makes it into Baby Days.

Before we get to Bébé, remember that in true Shinypackages style, we’ll be giving away a couple of a prize packs featuring most of the product we review at the end of it all. Prizes are still rolling in so we’re not quite sure of what you might win (probably lots of stuff!).

Bébé smells like a baby. I opened the bottle of Delicate Baby Bouquet (yes, the one you’ll be winning) and I had a nearly uncontrollable urge to wrap my 10-year-old son on a receiving blanket and rock him to sleep. Delicate Baby Bouquet is baby’s first fragrance, just in case baby doesn’t smell sweet enough on any given day. It smells like baby powder and a tall icy glass of lemonade. I’m not sure if it’s allowed or not but I just might adopt this as my own fragrance (Gee Shel, you smell as fresh as a baby!)

The Bébé line is free of alcohol, parabens and colourants, as it should be. And like all Fruits & Passion products, the packaging is pretty as can be. Makes a super baby shower gift.

A selection of Bébé products is part of our Baby Days prize pack. If you win, you’ll get Delicate Baby Bouquet, $30, Ultra Gentle Cleansing Foam, $18, Oatmeal Bath Milk, $20 and Massage Oil, $20.

TO ENTER, SEND AN E-MAIL TO SHEL@SHELZOLKEWICH.COM WITH THE SUBJECT LINE BABY DAYS

WIN! Baby Days: The Very Hungry Caterpillar

Welcome to Baby Days at Shinypackages! Stay tuned Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday this week for product reviews of all things baby. And in true Shinypackages style, we’ll be giving away a couple of a prize packs featuring most of the product we review at the end of it all. Prizes are still rolling in so we’re not quite sure of what you might win (probably lots of stuff!).

Isn’t shopping for baby stuff just the best? I was at a shower on the weekend and one of the guests kept saying “I just couldn’t resist!” as the mom-to-be opened gift after gift of tiny bibs, cutesy socks and even a box of Baby’s Own soap (if you’re looking to recapture that baby smell, this is the product!).

First on our list of baby things is a selection of books from Penguin Group Canada. The star is the 40th anniversary edition of The Very Hungry Caterpillar and this time it’s a pop-up book. I first came across this all-time favourite at my friend Ian’s photography studio. He needs something to keep wee ones occupied as they wait for their chance to become Canada’s Next Top Model (or at least appear in a flyer). That copy was threadbare and had seen its share of peanut butter hands but it certainly did the trick for keeping squirmy models occupied.

The Very Hungry Caterpillar pop up book retails for $33 and it’s part of our Baby Days prize pack.

TO ENTER, SEND AN E-MAIL TO SHEL@SHELZOLKEWICH.COM WITH THE SUBJECT LINE BABY DAYS

BONUS PRIZE PACK: PC Home and PC Green March 27, 2009

It’s getting easier to find green cleaning supplies but just a few years ago, that wasn’t the case. I grew up on a lake and now have a cottage near one so I’ve always done my best to rid my wash water of phosphates and keep other nasties out of the water system.

One place I could always find what I needed was Superstore and the aisle featuring the PC Green brand. Believe it or not, the brand has been around for 20 years and it’s still leading the way by bringing shoppers those greener alternatives that we are all seeking these days (we are, aren’t we?).

Along with the top drawer PC Green line, Superstore also has the PC Home line of very contemporary cleaning tools (they are hip!). Now you might argue that no one really cares what a scrub brush looks like as long as it gets the job done. Fair argument. But for me, stylish tools makes the work a little less painful, and PC Home is always big on style, easy on the pocketbook and hard working to boot! Plus my mom will be impressed that I actually own cleaning tools.

WIN! WIN! WIN!

This is our last prize pack of Spring Cleaning Week and it’s a doozie.

– PC Green toilet bowl cleaner
– PC Green Multi Purpose Cleaning Putty
– PC Green All-Purpose Cleaner
– PC Green 4-in-1 Phosphate-free Dishwasher Detergent
– PC Cleaning Caddy
– PC Microfiber Kitchen Cloths
– PC Bowl Brush & Holder Set
– PC Two Piece Clean-up Kit
– PC Palm Brush
– PC Dish Brush

To enter, send an e-mail to shel@shelzolkewich with the subject line GREEN

Contest ends Saturday, March 28 at noon.

WIN DURING SPRING CLEANING WEEK: Affresh Washing Machine Cleaner

You’re just back from the monster truck derby. Covered in mud. Stand by the washing machine, peel off those duds and drop them in. The machine will take care of the rest. Oh thank goodness we don’t have to head down to the river with a washboard in hand to take care of this mess.

Washing machines work all year round to keep your clothes looking their best. Now the washer needs to be cleaned. This may seem like an odd chore to add to your list but it’s especially important with the new high efficiency (HE) machines.

HE washers use less water and seal more tightly than older, less-efficient appliances. As a result, they are more prone to odour-causing residue, mold and mildew stains. Affresh Washer Cleaner to the rescue! Simply drop in a puck and run the machine through a regular cycle. Now your machine is ready for those snow white sheets.

WIN! WIN! WIN!

TODAY’S PRIZE PACK VALUE $125

1 Year supply of Affresh™ Washer Cleaner

Laundry Basket

Wooden Hangers
Four large towels

TO WIN, SEND AN E-MAIL WITH THE SUBJECT LINE AFFRESH TO

shel@shelzolkewich.com

Enter TODAY! Contest ends March 27 (TODAY) at midnight.

WIN DURING SPRING CLEANING WEEK: Can’t Beat Clorox March 23, 2009

After you’ve cleaned your house with a bit of bleach, you know it’s really clean. Here are a few new uses for this tried and true cleaner.

• Lengthen the lifespan of fresh cut flowers by adding 6 to 7 drops of bleach into a litre of water. Cut off the stems first to expose a fresh surface.
• Clean cutting boards and countertops by scrubbing the surfaces with a brush dipped in a solution of 1 teaspoon of bleach diluted in two litres of water.
• Polish and brighten glassware with a mixture of one quarter cup of bleach and one cup of warm, water.

As promised, we kick off spring cleaning week with a fabulous prize pack from our friends at Clorox.

TODAY’S PRIZE PACK VALUE $75

-laundry hamper
-Ultra Javex bleach by Clorox
-4 white bath towels
-Javex Fibre Guard (Lavender Scent)
-Javex 2 Stain Fighter and Colour Booster

TO WIN, SEND AND E-MAIL WITH THE SUBJECT LINE CLOROX TO

shel@shelzolkewich.com

Enter TODAY! More great prizes all week long. Contest ends March 27 at noon.

WIN! Limited Edition CK ONE WITH MP3 SPEAKER March 13, 2009

Can you believe it’s been 15 years since the launch of ck one? The unisex fragrance remains one of the best selling scents in the world. To celebrate the milestone, Mr. CK has designed a limited edition fragrance bottle packaged with an mP3 speaker, now available exclusively at Shoppers Drug Mart for $60. And we have one to give away along with a stylish t-shirt.

TO WIN: simply send an e-mail to shel@shelzolkewich.com

Deadline for entries is March 20 at high noon.