The final 3

What a fun week! Don't you agree?

If you haven't had the chance to check out all of the great prizes and the details of the giveaway yet, just click here.

So far, I've let you know about 9 of the great prizes being offered. Today, I'm going to tell you about the final 3. Remember, the winner of the giveaway wins all of the prizes from the 12 sponsors. If there is something in the package that you don't particularly want or need, I'll have a second chance drawing for that or those items.

I love using all natural, safe, toxin-free products. And that's one of the reasons why I love Leaf & Bud Naturals. The other reason is Allin and Cat, the wonderful couple who are Leaf & Bud.

Al and Cat were excited about taking part in the giveaway and offered a product that made me wish I could enter the contest: 100% Pure Acai Berry Eye Cream. This is something I actually need!

Acai berries are packed with antioxidant and this moisturizing eye cream is concentrated with 15% Vitamin C and 15% Vitamin E. Then there's the cooling cucumber, rose, calendula and nourishing white tea. What skin damage? That's what you just might be saying after a few weeks using this eye cream.

Product Features

• no artificial fragrances or parabens
• no synthetic chemicals, petro-chemicals or any other toxins
• Enriched with vitamins C & E
• 100% Natural
• 100% Vegetarian
• Gluten Free

Want 5 extra chances to win this amazing eye cream, as well as all the other great prizes? Simply 'like' Leaf & Bud Naturals on FB and post a comment letting me know you did.

Another product I'm thrilled to be offering in the prize package is Green Salve by Motherlove Herbal Company. As a matter of fact, Julie offered 2 jars of Green Salve -- one for each year! This is one my husband would like to win! He loves Green Salve as you can read about in the review I posted back in November.

Here's how the Motherlove website describes it:

This all natural versatile salve quickly and effectively takes the itch out of insect bites, bee stings and poison ivy. It soothes and eases the discomforts of rashes, chapped and irritated skin. A must for every home! Motherlove’s green salve has a zero rating (zero toxins) on EWG’s skin deep database and is made with 100% certified organic ingredients.


Since Bill's discovery of the wonders of Green Salve, I've discovered my own. This is a product this mother loves!
Okay, you know the drill: 'Like' Motherlove Herbal Company on FB, let me know and 5 extra entries are yours!

The final prize in the package is a $15 gift certificate from Petite Paintbrush, an Etsy company conceived by the talented Jill Stango, an artist, high school art teacher and mother of 2-year-old, Stella, and 7-month-old, Jude. Many of you will remember Jude -- he was the preemie we prayed for long and hard after his birth in January, a full 12-weeks early. He was born weighing only 2 lbs. 8 oz. and I'm happy to report he is thriving and doing well.

This is the second year Jill has donated to the GG anniversary giveaway. Last year, Nicole Olcese, was the winner of the prize package, which included one of my favorite prints of Jill's:

Her adorable kid-friendly paintings and prints add whimsy to any decor. With a $15 gift certificate, the winner of the GG prize package can choose a product that best suits their fancy.

And, of course, I'd fancy it if you'd show Jill some love by 'liking' the Petite Paintbrush FB page. Do so and let me know and you'll paint for yourself 5 pretty extra entries.

Well, that's it for prizes. Pretty awesome, huh? Don't forget to tell your friends, post links, email the giveaway details, etc. And make sure you let the 12 fantastic companies/individuals know how much you appreciate their sponsorship of the contest.

Entries will be accepted through midnight (EST) on Tuesday, August 30th. Then make sure you check back on the blog on Wednesday, August 31st to find out if you won!

Wishing you a restful and fun weekend,

Hana

Review It Wednesday -- for breastfeeding mamas

So happy to have guest reviewer and GG community member, Erika Gohl, reviewing Motherlove's More Milk Plus for us today! Thank you, Erika!!

I first want to say thank you to Green Grandma for allowing me to try and review this product for her and the blog.

As a mother it was essential for me to breastfeed my baby. A little background here on me and my family.... I have two beautiful children aged 4 years and 6 months. When I had my daughter 4 years ago I tried to breastfeed her but was told she had an allergy to breast milk. So I started her on formula and slowly watched her turn into the Michelin baby (cute but not healthy). I decided this time around with my son that I was going to try and breastfeed for as long as possible, no matter what, especially now that I know more about the benefits of breastfeeding and breast milk.

I'm sure a lot of breastfeeding mothers go through what I do with feeding my son. There are times when we feel like we aren't producing enough milk for our children. Like my lactation consultant says, "It's hard to have faith in something you can't see.” I was trying my hardest to believe I was producing enough but my breasts were feeling empty all the time even hours after a feeding. My son was still gaining weight regularly, so I knew he was getting what he needed, but I wanted to build up a freezer supply.

I started doing some research about ways to increase milk supply and came across Fenugreek seed. I had heard some new mothers talking about this. Research shows that Fenugreek is frequently used by lactating women to increase milk supply. However, I was hesitant about going out and buying something I had no idea would work or not, and I didn't know how to take it. So I tried some other things first. One thing I heard was that eating cooked oatmeal (regular not instant) could also increase the milk supply, so I tried this for a few days. I am not the type of person to eat the same thing all the time, as I get bored with food. Although, it was funny to hear my 4-year-old say that I was making milk every time I ate oatmeal!

I came across More Milk Plus through Green Grandma because she was looking for someone to review the product for her. I went to the Motherlove website before I let her know I was interested, and checked out the other reviews and ingredients, happy to see that all of the reviews were good and the ingredients were certified organic. The combination of ingredients is proven effective in increasing milk supply quickly and effectively. Some of the reviewers on the site stated that their milk increased within 2 days so I really wanted to try it. At this point, I was a little skeptical about this working.

I began taking More Milk Plus capsules almost a week ago and within 24 hours I was able to pump twice the amount I would have normally pumped! The second day I was able to start pumping for my freezer supply. When I started taking the capsules, I noticed 2 capsules (into the recommended dose of 4 capsules) made me extremely thirsty! I couldn't get enough to drink. I also noticed a faint odor of maple syrup when I am feeding my son, which comes from the fenugreek seed in the capsule. The only downside to all of this is that my son is now eating more. I'm hoping continued usage will keep up with his demand.

I would honestly recommend this product to any breastfeeding mother looking to increase their supply. It works quickly and effectively. It is also very easy to take/use if you follow the directions. Motherlove has a whole line of products geared towards breastfeeding. If this one isn't right for you, they will have something else that is. Now, even after taking More Milk Plus for a short amount of time, I can say there is no need to be skeptical about this product really working.

A stinging neck, a review and a giveaway

"Hey, can you get any more of that Green Salve stuff?" my husband asked.

"You've been using the Green Salve from Motherlove?" I asked back. "What for?"

"It's the only thing I found that stops the stinging on my neck after shaving."

"Really? I thought it was supposed to be for mosquito bites and poison ivy."

"I don't care what it's supposed to be for. I only know that it works for what I'm using it for."

Hmm. Who knew? Julie Hennings, of Motherlove, sent the Green Salve to me so I could try it and review it this past summer. However, I never ended up with poison or itchy bug bites, so I never used it. Well, now I can honestly review it, although I still don't know how it works to relieve itchiness! What it does do, is relieve the discomfort that my husband goes through when he shaves with his electric razor. Bill says it is the best stuff ever. That is quite an endorsement...from a man who didn't even know he was doing a review!

My assumption is that if Green Salve works that well on razor burn, it would work equally well on mosquito bites and rashes from poison ivy, sumac, etc. Going back through the correspondence between Julie and me, I find, to my embarrassment, she did give me a broader purpose of the salve early on. This is what she wrote about it:

In celebration of summer and bug bites, poison ivy and bee stings, I'd like to offer you a sample of Green Salve to review on your site. Green Salve also soothes irritated skin and eases the discomforts of eczema. With certified organic ingredients including comfrey, calendula, and marshmallow root, the salve may just find a permanent home in your medicine cabinet.

Alrighty then, I must have neglected to read the part about irritated skin. Sorry, Julie!

Motherlove is an amazing company, offering safe products to pregnant and breastfeeding women and their families. The company has been a leader in the holistic body care industry since 1990, being dedicated to providing "only the finest, purest products, and using certified organic ingredients designed to nurture, soothe and heal women on their all-important journey of nurturing life."

Of course, there are more reasons to love Motherlove. As stated on their About Us page on their website:

As a major supporter of organic farming and sustainable practices, Motherlove strives to do not only what's best for mothers and babies, but what's best for the environment as well. All our office supplies and packaging is made from recycled materials (as is all company literature), we manufacture using wind credits, and of course, none of our products are ever tested on animals and are completely cruelty free.

What's not to love?! They also support the social environment with their Nurturing Life Foundation, promoting breastfeeding and supporting mothers-in-need nationwide. Over 10% of all company profits is donated to organizations that truly help nurture life, such as The Maternal Wellness Center, Realities for Children and The Mountain Park Environmental Center.

After reading all about the Motherlove company, I finally emailed Julie and let her know about my husband's discovery and promised her the long overdue review. And do you know what she did? She offered two jars of Motherlove Green Salve to the Green Grandma community! Want to win one?

Oh no, what hoops do we have to jump through for this contest? I can hear what you're saying, and I couldn't help rolling my eyes along with you. Some blog contests are so complicated! Not this one.

I will select a winner from my blog followers via Random.org.

Here's what I need from you:

1. Be a follower of the blog.
2. Post a comment here on the blog or on the GG Facebook page saying that you'd like to try the Green Salve. That way I won't be awarding it to someone who doesn't really want to try it.

Those are the requirements. But I would like to also ask a favor of you. Please visit the website for Motherlove and see what other great products they offer. And check out their Facebook page as well. Better yet, like their FB page and post a comment that Green Grandma sent you. Will it earn you more entries? Nope. It would just be nice. Feel free to tweet about the contest as well. Contest ends at midnight EST on Thursday, November 18th. This is a quick one, folks!

That's it. I'm sold on Green Salve. Two lucky winners will soon be sold as well!

Keeping it green with salve,

Hana