Seattle Sundries Handcrafted Soaps Review Holiday Gift Guide

I am a big believer in "buying local" and supporting small businesses whenever possible. So I was pleased to come across a company called Seattle Sundries that operates out of the very charming Ballard neighborhood. Seattle Sundries makes and sells handcrafted, all natural soaps and other personal care items. All artisan soaps are made in small batches and cut by hand with great attention to quality and detail. Every product is made using only natural oils, butters, botanicals and 100 % essential oils.

I have used both Exotic Escapade and Cowpoke Soaps and really enjoyed the lovely scents they gave off. The soap gently cleans well but without any harshness or chemicals. They also have something called Solid Lotions that are little round bars of lotion that nourish and sooth your skin. I used the Vanilla and Lavender scented lotion bar and it was out of this world. I absolutely love this combination of fragrance. Seattle Sundries offers twenty four different kinds of soap, all with charming names for each one. Who wouldn't want to try a soap called Naughty Nellie, Lavender Lover, or Gardeners' Gold?

Aromas of frankincense and myrrh

Scents of eucalyptus lemon, cedarwood and lavender with ground buckwheat

All of these items come attractively packaged in old-fashioned, sweet wrappings and tins. There are gift sets for all occasions, and private label and custom made soaps are also available. Visit their website at seattlesundries.com to see all of the products and for more information.

Made with shea butter, wheat germ oil and sweet almond oil.

 You can learn more about Seattle Sundries and the owner Anne on her Facebook and Twitter pages.



*I was not paid or compensated for this post. The opinions in this post are 100% mine. I was provided the products pictured to review for this post by the Company / PR Company.

Paper Scissors Rock Review and Giveaway

I have just discovered the most charming work of artist Pamela Corwin, the creator of her Paper Scissors Rock studio. Pamela creates original designs for her whimsical line of clocks, magnets, greeting cards and more.








I am lucky enough to be the owner of the Pike Place Market clock. It is a painting of the front of the market, and it is truly one of my favorite things. Besides keeping track of time for me, whenever I look at it, I am reminded of this very colorful and famous Seattle landmark. The clock looks like ceramic tile, but it is actually so light you can hang it on a push pin and you never have to worry about it breaking. All clocks come with a lifetime warranty on the movement and there are over 70 designs to choose from. If you are in the Seattle area, be sure to visit Pamela and check out her booth right inside the Pike Place Market. She can be found there amongst the other crafts people and all of the flower vendors, seven days a week. You can also visit her website and order any of her products on line. If you are looking for a wonderful gift or just a very special treasure for yourself, Pamela's artwork is truly lovely.

In addition to the giveaway we are hosting on our website, Paper Scissors Rock hosts monthy giveaways on their site as well. You can enter here. Be sure to come back and enter our giveaway too.

GIVEAWAY

Win a set of Magnets that are glass gem magnets that start with a tiny watercolor painting which is reduced to size and reproduced. The magnets are all handmade in the studio.

They use super strong ceramic magnets so they will stay on the fridge unlike most magnets of their size.

The gem magnets are 3/4" each and come in sets of seven in a gift tin with a clear lid.

To Enter This Giveaway: 

What is your favorite Magnet set on the Paper Scissors Rock website?

 *Leave a comment answering the question and be sure to leave your email address if its not public in your Google account*

Extra Entries: Can be done after leaving a comment for mandatory entry. If the extra entry says 1 extra entry leave 1 comment and 2 extra entries leave me 2 comments and so on. 

-Like Paper Scissors Rock on Facebook +3

-Follow Frugal Family Tree on GFC ( right hand side) +2

-Like our new fan page on Facebook Frugal Family Tree +1

-Follow FrugalFamTree on Twitter +1

-Share this giveaway on Twitter or Facebook using the Share Button at the bottom on this post. +1 for each share you do. (can be done once a day) This means you have the chance to get 2 extra entries a day.

-Add our button to your blog and leave a link of where it is located +2 (right hand side) 

*Limited to US residents; 18 years old and above. Giveaway starts September 21, 2011 and ends on October 5, 2011 at midnight PST.  Winner will be emailed and has 48 hours to respond before another winner is selected. I was not paid for this giveaway or post. I was provide the item in this review for free by the company or PR firm representing them. The opinions on this item are 100% mine and may vary from others.

Woodland Park Zoo Seattle Review and Hornbill Conservation Program

Recently we visited the Woodland Park Zoo in Seattle to check out the bird exhibits. Since watching Rio the movie JJ has been really interested in all birds of any kind. We thought what a great way to have a fun family day while also incorporating a little learning along the way. I love outings like that!

Our first stop was the Willawong Station, a place where you can get up close and personal with some birds and feed them as well. You can buy a stick of food for a dollar and hold it up to the birds and hope that they land on it. I say hope because I am sure with people coming in and out all day long that at some point they are full. We were able to get a few birds to land on our sticks and that was so exciting! Even if they don't come to your tasty treat they are really cool to see flying around right above your head.

(The birds were beautiful)

(JJ and his Dad reaching up high)

(Here birdie, birdie)

Next we stopped off to see the Knobbed Hornbill. The Sulawesi Red-Knobbed Hornbill to be exact. The Hornbill and the Toucan look a lot a like so JJ wanted to check them out. Come to find out they are very different, Toucans live only in Central and South America; hornbills live only in Africa and Asia. Toucans are more closely related to woodpeckers, while hornbills are more closely related to kingfishers.

(My boys reading facts about the Hornbill)

The Hornbills were a little tricky for us to find so here is the info from the Zoo's web site: Sulawesi red-knobbed hornbills are on exhibit in the large enclosure north of the Conservation Aviary in the Temperate Forest. The Temperate Forest also includes the Family Farm, “Bug” World, Wetlands, and Asian Cranes. Other birds on exhibit in the Conservation Aviary include: various pheasant species, curassows and trumpeters from South America, and several softbills (jays, laughing thrushes, turacos, whistling thrushes, birds of paradise, mynahs).

(After many attempts to take a picture of this guy this was the best I could get)

(Here is a better one from the Zoo)

While at the Woodland Park Zoo we enjoyed all of the other animals as well. JJ loved the Family Farm where he could pet the goats and other animals. Baby L, not so much but he loves to be carried by his Dad no matter what they are doing. It was a great day to enjoy the sunshine and all that the Zoo had to offer. We go at least a few times every year and every time we leave we always talk about what a great day we had.

You can find out more about the Woodland Park Zoo on their facebook and twitter pages. For more about the Hornbill Research Foundation and how the people of Thailand in the birds natural habitat have worked to protect the birds from poachers and illegally logging you can visit the site.

There is also a very neat Adopt a Nest Program where you can donate money to help protect Hornbill nests.
For $150 a year you and your family can adopt a nest. The donation helps to:

• subsidize local villagers in their efforts to conserve hornbills
• funds studies of the biological and ecological aspects of hornbills
• allows villagers to collect data on hornbills for research and  monitor and secure long-term hornbill populations in the area.

* I was not paid for this post. My family and I received passes to visit the Zoo for the day and feed the birds at the Willawong station. The opinions are 100% mine and may vary from others.

Four Seasons Seattle Art Restaurant Larry Gets Lost In Seattle Menu Review

On Sunday we spent the day in our favorite city, Seattle and while we were there we went to the Four Seasons Hotel and Residences for Brunch. Now I know what you may be thinking, you took two small children to the Four Seasons for Brunch? Have you lost your mind? You might be thinking the Four Seasons is pretty fancy and luxurious place to take your children to for brunch, I know I used to. I guess I thought that the Four Seasons was a place for the executive type and with two little boys we do not fit that bill! I was so wrong.

(Here we are outside of the hotel, on the streets of Seattle)

The Four Seasons Hotel has collaborated with John Skewes, the creator and illustrator of the successful Larry Gets Lost™ picture book series to create a creative kids menu. Remember in March when we did the book review for Larry Gets Lost in Seattle? We love Larry and when we heard the news that the Art Restaurant and Lounge loves him as much as we do, we were dying to check it out!


When we were seated the first thing we noticed was the set up for the boys. They each had a fresh bowl of fruit, a cup of water in a cute cup and a berry smoothie with a straw! I have to give the Four Seasons credit, they know how to start a meal off right for kids :) As you can see the smoothies were a HUGE hit!


The place mats had Larry and Pete on them and the menus were just like the book but with coloring activities as well. JJ and Baby L were "reading" their menus like good little boys.




Larry's Menu for Kids had a lot to choose from but as soon as JJ heard pasta that was it. He knew what he wanted. On top of pasta being his favorite meal, the pasta was in the shape of the Space Needle, a tourist spot in Seattle that he learned about from reading Larry Gets Lost in Seattle. Perfect. For Baby L we ordered the PB and J sandwich, another perfect choice for a 1 year old.

(Here are the Space Needle Noodles with cheese!)

(Baby L's PB and J, look how cute they cut off the crust!)

(JJ and I after his meal arrived, he was so excited!)

For brunch I had a sausage skillet and my husband had an omelet, both very tasty but I guess this is about the kids right? The boys both ate up their food and were perfect gentlemen, well except Baby L may have been ready to go as soon as he was done. But all and all the boys were very good. A lot of that was do to the wait staff. Everyone was so nice to us. This is our cute and super sweet waitress Tamara, she was so good talking to JJ and really made him feel special.

(Our server,Tamara presented JJ with a Jones Soda that featured Pete and Larry. Awesome)

(We love Larry!)

Part of our little outing was to celebrate my birthday as well. So for the occasion we ordered the Space Needle Sundae from the Larry's Sweet Stuff off the kids menu. They were not joking when they said it was a Space Needle Sundae. The giant Space Needle was made out of shortbread cookie, with Apple cotton candy around the Needle to represent fog, and inside was chocolate and vanilla ice cream. YUM!!! We shared/devoured it. What a clever way to incorporate the beautiful city we were in.

As you can see JJ LOVED it!

To be honest at first I was a little apprehensive about taking two small boys to the Four Seasons Restaurant even though they do have a kids menu. I thought for sure we would be booted out of their for even thinking about dining there! Haha I was so wrong. Not only does the lobby have a really cool fire place when you walk into the lobby, the restaurant has beautiful views of the city, the staff is amazing, you really do feel welcome there. I loved everything about our experience. I would bring my children back here any time knowing that we are always welcome. Thank you to the Four Seasons Seattle and the Art Restaurant for making this experience great for my family and for letting us know that even though we have small children, we can still go to a "fancy" restaurant and enjoy ourselves. 
 

*We were guest of the Four Seasons and Art restaurant for the Larry Gets Lost in Seattle Menu promotion. We were not paid for our review. The opinions are 100% mine and may vary from others. We were provided a meal from the PR company that represents them.