Zephyr Hill

A Family Blog

Polder’s Handcrafted Wood Utensils Review & Giveaway

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Welcome to the Something Special for Mom Giveaway Hop hosted by the Blogging Mamas Network. Mother’s Day will be here before you know it, and this fun hop is a great way to pick up some gift ideas, and maybe even win something for yourself or a special mother in your life! Be sure to visit all the blogs at the bottom of this post and enter their giveaways, especially the Grand Prize giveaway of a $100 Gift Card to aka originals (hand stamped jewelry) – which you can enter here.

I have an amazing sponsor for the Mother’s Day giveaway on my blog – Polder’s Old World Market! Polder’s was started because this very talented family wanted to return to simple living plus find a way to earn income with their skills. On their site it says “It is our chief desire to truly honor the Lord Jesus Christ in all that we do – both on our homestead, and at Polder’s Old World Market. He has made everything that we are doing possible.”

The Polder family sent a handcrafted set of 5 utensils in exchange for a review;  my set is made of maple, reclaimed from local fallen hardwoods. The set includes a spatula, paddle spoon, stock pot spoon, a side dish serving spoon and one relish spoon (perfect for jams, jellies and other condiments), and retails for $150.

No utensil is exactly the same; even the handle shapes of each are unique. Everything was attractively packaged with rustic raffia and Polder’s personalized tags:

Here are the measurements:

Spatula: 17 inches long
Paddle Spoon: 15 inches long
Stock Pot Spoon: 15 inches long
Side Dish Spoon: 9.5 inches long
Relish Spoon: 7.5 inches long

Here’s a close-up so you can see the detail that goes into each piece. I love the light honey-colored maple, and the hand-carving that highlights the pattern of the wood grain.

Compared to the cheap wooden spoons I’ve been using over the years….well, there really isn’t a comparison. The craftsmanship is impeccable. The wood is sanded to a satiny smooth finish. The three largest utensils in the set are definitely much “heftier” and more substantial than the wood utensils you can pick up at the big box store. I like how sturdy they are, and even the way they feel in my hand as I’m cooking. Of the two large spoons, I’ve found myself using the stock spoon the most since I’ve often got a big pot of soup or pasta or  potatoes on the stove. The spatula has a really nice thin edge so it works well for flipping delicate things like omelets and pancakes. I can even use it without worrying about scratching the non-stick surface of my griddle.

The paddle spoon doesn’t have a “bowl,” but is flat on top. It’s perfect for mixing up everything from cookies to waffle batter. Because it is long, however, you’d want to use it with a deep bowl.

Including the side dish spoon and relish/condiment spoon in the set is a really nice touch. My children especially love using the smallest spoon for dishing jelly onto their biscuits or sour cream onto tacos. The side spoon, because of it’s shallow bowl, works best for things like mashed potatoes, baked casseroles and creamy salads that “hold” together, rather than foods that can easily slip off like green peas, carrots or diced fruit.

I asked the Polder family how best to care for my new set of utensils. They recommended oiling them (with olive oil) after every third or fourth use. With simple care like this, they will last for many many years.

My set of wooden utensils sure came at the right time, because both of the spoons in my arsenal had recently started splintering around the edges. This always happens after a couple of years and it’s really frustrating, but there’s no worry on that score anymore because Polder’s Old World Market offers a lifetime guarantee on all their utensils. You also get FREE shipping on every order. There are other woods to choose from, including walnut and cherry and hickory.

I can’t think of a more beautiful and unique gift to get for your mother this year. You just can’t go wrong! What woman wouldn’t love to have these utensils like this in her kitchen? (Yes, you can buy all of these pieces individually). Here are some of their top sellers:

The Signature Simple Paddle Spoon for $22.00:

The Best All-Purpose Spoon for $28:00:

And The Farmer’s Wife Spoon for $42.00:

Follow Polder’s Old World Market and see what beautiful things they are making via Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter and Google Plus! Subscribe to the Polder’s blog for updates and sales. They just posted an album on Facebook of handcrafted wood items ready to ship NOW for Mother’s Day!

And for the giveaway………….one very lucky reader will win a set of 5 handcrafted maple wood utensils, valued at $150, just like I reviewed! Open to both US and Canada.  NO LONGER ACCEPTING ENTRIES

Have a blessed Mother’s Day!

Stashify Bamboo Flat Diapers Review and Giveaway

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When Kristen at Stashify told me about a unique cloth diapering fabric she’d been testing out for a couple of months, I was intrigued! She sent an Extra Stretchy Bamboo Flat Diaper, plus a wipe, in exchange for a  review. Customers can choose the thread colors they’d like for the edging; I really love our dark blue and teal.

Stashify bamboo flats come in four different sizes and wipes are approximately 8.5 inches square:

Newborn – 16″x 16″ – fits from birth until 15+ pounds (retail $9)
Infant – 24″x 24″ – fits from birth until 25+ pounds (retail $11)
Toddler – 28″x 28″ – fits 20 – 40+ pounds (retail $12)
Padfold – 14″x 27″ (retail $9.75)

I received the infant size flat for 15-month-old Erik, plus a sample wipe in the same fabric:

This super stretchy fabric is composed of 70% bamboo, 25% organic cotton and 5% spandex. It has stayed incredibly soft, wash after wash, and barely shrank at all during the prepping process. Even better, unlike regular cotton or bamboo birdseye flats, my Stashify flat has held its shape beautifully and is nearly a perfect square.

Being a “flat,” this diaper is just one layer of fabric; one side is smooth and the other is like a very soft terry. It is a thin fabric and not bulky at all. Here’s a comparison photo with a standard (small) bamboo flat diaper on the left and then Kristen’s extra stretchy flat on the right. Both are padfolded:

 

Although comparable to a regular flat diaper when padfolded, the Stashify diaper is far superior in absorbency, yet it’s still just one layer so just as easy to wash and dry as other flats. Erik has worn the Stashify flat overnight several times without a doubler; it holds as long as I change him first thing and he hasn’t drunk a lot of water the night before. The one time it was over-saturated and leaked he had slept 12+ hours.

The cloth wipe I reviewed is now one of my favorites. Because it’s just one layer, it works great for getting in tight places during diaper changes. Like the diaper, it has stayed nice and soft and stretchy with lots of washing and drying. I am very seriously considering buying a whole package of these, and the price is great – just $10.50 right now for a set of 12! You can choose your thread color, just like with the diapers.

I’ve discovered that the Stashify flat diaper works equally well folded up and laid in a cover, or folded and secured with a Boingo fastener. Since the Boingo (like a Snappi) has little gripper teeth on it, you have to be careful and use a gentle hand so you don’t pull or snag the bamboo fabric (with regular cotton flats and prefolds you don’t have to worry so much about snags). Once fastened, this diaper stays securely in place. In fact, the tiny bit of spandex that’s been added to the fabric not only gives it amazing stretch, but also the ability to gently hug your baby’s body – even as they are crawling, walking and jumping all over the place! So it’s not just more trim than a cotton prefold; in my opinion, the fit is far superior.

If there is a disadvantage to Stashify flats, then it would be the price of $9 and up, which means you couldn’t build a budget stash completely out of these. However, if you want to purchase just one or two for naps or nighttime, that might be an option – and it will cost less than a high quality fitted (usually $15 to $25 each). If the thought of this silky, stretchy bamboo fabric really appeals to you and you’d like to “get your feet wet,” I urge you to try the wipes I mentioned above; they are $10.50 for a dozen right now.

SALE ON BAMBOO FLATS!! In anticipation of the handwashing diaper challenge, Kristen is offering 15% off
her bamboo flats with code HANDWASH 

Kristen has very sweetly offered to give one of my readers TWO of her beautifully stretchy bamboo flat diapers, in choice of size! Open to US and Canada. Good luck!

 

GIVEAWAY CLOSED

Try a New Skirt for Spring: NewCreation Review & Giveaway

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Skirts are great for pregnancy (or any other time, for that matter). They are comfortable to wear and easily coordinate with other things in your wardrobe. When the weather warms up in spring and summer, you’ll especially appreciate the breezy style of a pretty skirt.

My long-time friends at newCreation Apparel sent me something very lovely to review this spring: the popular Diagonal Stretch Denim maternity skirt.

This is not an ordinary denim skirt. The poly/viscose/spandex fabric is very fine and lightweight, with a smooth feel and very nice drape. The color is a deep denim blue with hints of aubergine, and it’s accented with diagonal stitching for visual appeal. The soft and stretchy tummy panel helps to accommodate your expanding waistline during pregnancy.

Solomon – the cat – kept rubbing on my skirt while Catherine was trying to take a photo of me so I finally just picked him up! (Finally got the cameo he always wanted, I guess.)

 

I simply ordered my pre-pregnancy size and then picked my desire length (33, 36 or 39 inches). Many of newCreation’s skirts can be ordered in the length of your choice, and I think that’s one of the best features of their website, and something very unique in the online fashion industry. Size ranges offered are also pretty generous: from ladies small to 2X.

If you want to know my honest thoughts about my new maternity skirt, I’ll put it this way. I’ve worn it more than six times in the past two weeks! And one of those times was church because it’s versatile enough to be dressed up or down. Not only does the contrast stitching give it an extra nice touch, but the hem of the skirt has a bit of flutter at the edges:

Simply put, it’s a flattering and very comfortable skirt, and at just $28.00 I would highly recommend it to any expectant mother as a wardrobe staple.

Here are a few items from their site that are on my “wish list” for after pregnancy:

 

Since I’ve been a customer of newCreation for many years, here are a few more reasons I can wholeheartedly recommend them to you:

  • They sell hard to find items like maternity slips (in cotton!!) and longer silk slips.
  • Shipping is super fast – my packages usually arrive within 3 days.
  • Things I’ve purchased in past years still look and fit great; the quality and durability is stellar.
  • The people behind the scenes are like old friends – kind, generous and extremely helpful. And they are truly committed to providing beautiful, modest and affordable clothing for women.
  • There’s always something for sale in the Treasure Chest – you can find skirts up to 50% off.

newCreation has offered to give one lucky winner one of their skirts! You can choose whatever you want from the site – and the giveaway is open to both US and Canada. Good luck!

Tiny Love Developlace Activity Gym Review and Giveaway

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We have several young children at different ages and stages, so I like toys that multi-task! Enter the Tiny Love Gymini Developlace.

This fun little activity gym was sent to us for review by the wonderful team at Tiny Love, and it’s been quite entertaining to watch my one year old give it a whirl. As you can see from the collage below, the Developlace was designed to appeal to multiple ages. It can go from an activity gym or playhouse for older babies and toddlers to a tummy time mat for tiny infants. It features walls that you can fasten up or down, detachable toys (mirror, rattle ball, blanket play pal, learning card, frog rattle and a crinkly leaf) and a window they can peek through. 

Here are some thoughts on our experience:

Setup: Quick and easy! It took me about 5 minutes to get the Developlace ready for the children.

Versatility: This is what really makes the Developlace a great value, and a wise investment. It can appeal to children from ages newborn to 18 months. You can lay it out flat, fold up the sides, or just fold up one side. You can mix and match the hanging toys as you please. Erik (age 13 months) and even Susanna (who is now 2) have enjoyed the Developlace immensely. They use it as a play house, a hiding spot and even once or twice as an emergency place to crash and take a nap!

Appearance: Tiny Love really scored on this as well. Every child that comes to our house runs to the Developlace, alight with curiosity.  The graphics are cozy and colorful, and the woodland theme appeals to everyone. Who doesn’t love squirrels and frogs and cute little bugs? The textiles are soft and smooth, making the Developlace even more inviting. As an added bonus, the slick surface of the mat is easy to wipe clean in case of accidents or spills.

Durability: Erik and the two older toddlers have done their darndest to the Developlace and it’s still standing. It’s been pushed and pulled, sat upon, shaken….you name it. The velcro closures are super strong and they stay put. The overhead tunnel has also taken a beating and emerged victorious. This thing is very durable and meant to last. That being said, it can be flipped over by older babies and toddlers because it’s very lightweight. Sometimes, if Erik leans up against or pushes one of the side walls, the entire thing will fall over. The first time this happened, he was startled but was up and playing again within seconds. Now, he just laughs. It’s not a safety issue, just the nature of the toy. However, it would be handy if there was a way to anchor it in one place for rambunctious toddlers.

Price: At just over $70, this might not be the first baby item you run out and buy. It’s not an essential. However, because (as mentioned above) you’ll get lots of mileage out of this activity mat, I would definitely say it’s worth saving for, or at the least, adding to your registry. The Developlace would also make a fantastic birthday or Christmas gift for an infant or young toddler.

And now let’s see how much Susanna and Erik enjoy the Developlace!

 

You can find the Gymini Developlace at retail baby stores and directly from Tiny Love or Amazon. It retails for $79.99.

Tiny Love is giving away a Gymini Developlace to one of my readers (US only)! Enter to win using the Rafflecopter form below. Good luck!

 

 

 

 

GIVEAWAY CLOSED

PatsycakeBaby Fitted Diaper and Wool Soaker, plus a Giveaway!

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You all probably know by now that I love fitteds. And I love wool! Kim Castillo at PatsycakeBaby gave us the chance to try BOTH by sending her very popular organic cotton sherpa fitted and a custom wool soaker. She uses these same diapers for her own children and has made many for both customers and friends.

NEW TO WOOL? Have questions? Click here for my Wool 101 post!

The sherpa fitted packs in a lot of nice features for just $14.95. It’s made of two layers of GOTS certified organic (unbleached) cotton sherpa with a French terry soaker sewn into the wet zone. Kim also included a matching insert for added absorbency. Comfortably encased waist and leg elastics ensure a nice, snug fit. There are two snaps on the wings and eight across the front of the diaper. The size medium that we received fits from 15 to 23 pounds, so 1 year old Erik was my main tester. However, I did get try it on Susanna (two years) as well. Kim’s sherpa fitteds are available from size newborn to large, and beyond. She can also fulfill custom requests like choosing different snap colors.

Our wool soaker is also a medium to compliment the fitted. And look what’s on the back – a sheep applique! It arrived already lanolized as a special favor so there was no prep work at all. As with her fitteds, Kim enjoys doing custom wool orders.

As far as performance goes, I’ve been completely happy with the sherpa fitted. The fabric is natural, beautiful, soft and cozy. With the doubler added, it’s a very thirsty nap time diaper.  The cotton sherpa still feels great after many washings; it has only very slightly lost some of its initial softness. The waistband and leg gussets are very gentle yet effective at holding stuff in. The wings stretch nicely across the waistband and haven’t curled back or lost their shape at all. Cotton sherpa (being the snuggly fabric that it is) will be a bit thicker compared to fabrics like regular cotton, bamboo or microfiber, but it does has the advantage of being plush, organic and free of dyes.

Speaking of soft, natural fabrics, I’ve been really pleased with the wool soaker as well! I like the pull-on style for both my toddlers since they are standing and walking. Like the fitted diaper, our PatsycakeBaby soaker is soft and of superb quality. The crochet work is unique and classic in style. Like the other wool in my stash, the soaker can actually get a little damp and still be usable for a while because the natural fiber does not hold onto odors. I also found that the characteristic stretchiness of wool means that two-year-old Susanna can actually wear this soaker, too, if she has a trim diaper on underneath. We haven’t had any leaks with the fitted/soaker combo on either toddler. I care for the cover using my trusty CJ’s Wool Wash and freshen it up every once in a while with CJ’s Wool Revitalizer.

Now here are some photos of the diaper and soaker on both Erik and Susanna!

 

One lucky person is going to win a sherpa fitted diaper and custom wool soaker, just like I reviewed! Winner chooses size. Giveaway is open to both US and Canada and ends on March 5th. Good luck!

 

 

 

 

 

GIVEAWAY CLOSED