Shop Small- Bubbles & Balms

Posted on March 23, 2016 by Jen @nutcaseinpoint

Happy hump day! I’ve got a great small shop to share with you today- Bubbles & Balms.

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About the shop: All Bubbles & Balms products are 100% natural, which we define as organic and inorganic materials derived from nature without the addition of synthetics. We hand make all our products at our store in Claresholm, AB. We [Justin and Judith] are partners in business, but also in life and love. We opened our doors in December of 2014 and greatly enjoy meeting new people who are passionate about living life as naturally as they can.

I first came across Bubbles & Balms at the Spruce Meadows Christmas market this past year. Wes was getting antsy so I didn’t have much time to browse, but I did manage to snag a few bars of their soaps. I’m glad I did, because they’ve been the best soaps I’ve ever purchased (no joke). Even after showering, applying lotion and sometimes even walking the dogs, I can still smell the scent of whichever bar I’ve used lingering on my skin. It’s not overwhelming, but just gentle enough to remind me I’m clean (and cinnamon-y…depending on the bar).

Recently, B&B created their own website so you can have access to their products no matter where you are! I saw the launch online and got really excited. Not only because I have enjoyed the soaps so much, but also because they’re local!

In addition to soaps, they offer an extension of bath, body, baby, aromatherapy and men’s products. There’s even workshops you can attend and other DIY stuff! So basically, lots.

I was lucky enough to get in touch with Justin & Judith (basically praising their soaps and cheersing the new site) and before I knew it, a package of the entire baby line was on my doorstep!

Wes is a lucky little boy to be able to try these out…but he’s not the only one! I’ve also used some of the bath oil and I gotta say, it’s super soothing and leaves our skin nice and soft. I *almost* don’t need to put lotion on afterwards, but do out of habit. I really liked how the scent was extremely gentle so it went unnoticed by Wes, but I still felt indulgent during my own baths (now if only it came in bubble form, I’m sure Wes would lose his mind with glee!)

I’m not one to use baby powder (something about babies inhaling it?) but I tried this stuff out- you know, being all-natural and all- and I really loved how good of a job it did on diffusing the dirtiest of diaper smells. Ew, I know. It was nice as a little moisture absorber as well when I try to get him dressed as quickly as possible after a bath when he’s all shivery!

He’s also been pretty good in the butt department lately, so I almost thought I wouldn’t need to use the butt butter. But, (see what I did there?) he did have a reddish hiney last week so I broke some out! I was pleasantly surprised how quickly the solid turned into a creamy, smooth texture once it was applied to his skin.

I think he liked it, too.

Last up, the skin spray. We’ve still not used it, but it smells amazing! It’s good for not only diaper rash, but for sunburn relief so I will keep it handy if ever we get a bit too much sun 🙂

I’ve been really enjoying using these products because I know they’re not harmful on Wes’s skin and they smell so darn good! I’ll often just soak up the second-hand effects of it by sniffing on his head after bath time I love it so much. PS: It’s not weird to always sniff your kid, right??

Big thank you to Justin & Judith! Be sure to check out their site, visit their Facebook page, and follow them on Instagram too.. I’m sure you’ll find something that tickles your fancy 🙂

New Grounds Food Coffee Bars

Posted on March 1, 2016 by Jen @nutcaseinpoint

I haven’t had a single cup of coffee in 23 days…technically. For some CRAZY reason, I came up with the idea of giving up coffee for a while just to see how my body could adjust and function without it. My … Continue reading →

Review: [Manitoba Harvest Hemp Heart Bars]

Posted on February 23, 2016 by Jen @nutcaseinpoint

Hi friends! I hope you’re having a good day so far. I’m typing this on Monday night and it’s been a busy day on our end! Wes is getting his 4th and 5th teeth and he has been handling it like an absolute champ. I think the key is distracting him with lots of stuff- snacks, toys, going outdoors, and a bath. Hopefully the trend continues the next few days, I’d hate to see him get too cranky over darn teeth!

I have a pretty cool snack I wanted to share with you guys today: Manitoba Harvest Hemp Heart Bars.

What are they? Manitoba Harvest Hemp Heart bars are crafted with the goodness of hemp and other tasty ingredients too. There are three different delicious flavors to choose from: vanilla, chocolate and apple cinnamon. Each 45 gram bar contains 10 grams of plant-based protein and 10 grams of omegas.

Don’t know what hemp is? Click here to read more about it.

As a Sweatpink ambassador, I was given the opportunity to try out these bars and share my thoughts with you! I received 2 sample bars to try- one chocolate and one apple cinnamon. The flavors sounded pretty cool, but I was quick to flip the bars over and check out their nutrition stats and ingredients.

Yeah, they’re a bit calorie dense for a smallish bar, but they have some pretty great ingredients, protein and healthy fats! These are definitely bars I would keep in my bag or in the car in case hanger (hungry anger) ever hit.

I first tried the apple cinnamon, and thought it had a pretty good flavor. It kept me satisfied between an early light lunch and dinner and didn’t have any nasty aftertaste or cause any bloat. I stashed the chocolate bar in my purse as an emergency snack for the various events I was attending last week and it came to my rescue! The chocolate is pretty good- just short of actual chocolate, but without the guilt.

Not sorry for the leopard print bra there. ha!

I’m not really a vanilla person, so not sure if I would ever pick those up, but I love the two I received and would definitely purchase them for future use. I didn’t think I was a picky eater until it came to the whole ‘snacking’ thing and I realized I look for quality ingredients as a means to give me the proper fuel I need. Especially when I’ve got a 10 month old in tow and need to keep my energy levels up at all time.

Another factor that makes these a winner in my book? They’re Canadian made! #gocanada

Want to try these bars for yourself? Head on over to ManitobaHarvest.com and use the discount code hhbarlaunch1015 for 15% off! Expires 3/31/2016

Want a chance to win a box of your favourite flavor of Hemp Heart Bars? Post a photo online and tag @manitobaharvest #hempheartbar #fuelledbyhemp #sweatpink @fitapproach. One lucky winner will be chosen each month! (details here).

Eligibility: open to US and Canada residents

Parker & Posie [+ a GIVEAWAY!]

Posted on February 11, 2016 by Jen @nutcaseinpoint

Happy Thursday everyone! I hope you’re all having a great week. We’ve been enjoying some time outdoors with the warmer temps. Had a bit of a mini crisis the other night when I clumsily spilled a ton of water all over my Macbook, but it seems to be in working order now. Fingers crossed it stays that way!

Moving on..

A while back, I was wandering around Instagram and came across Parker & Posie. Jaimie, the woman behind the shop, hand makes the most gorgeous baby shoes and I desperately needed to get my hands on a pair! (She also just so happens to be located in Calgary, so it’s a great #supportlocal win).

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The shoes come with either a fleece or flannelette lining, depending on the time of year, and elastic around the back to keep them on little babes feet. You also have a color choice for the suede bottoms as well as top covers- so they’ll completely customizable.

I waited for some time before placing my order because Wes was growing like a weed and I wanted to make sure I’d have a size that lasted. When I did finally order a pair, I opted for the Golden Harvest print (seen above). But really, she has so many adorable prints it’s hard to narrow it down!

As luck would have it, Jaimie sent us TWO pairs! The teal optical print is great, and both are pretty gender neutral…for IF we have a girl in the future 🙂

What I love best about these shoes is that they actually fit Wes’s feet. He has a pretty high arch and non-existent ankles (due to chub) so it’s been a struggle to find anything warm that would actually make it onto his foot comfortably.

The lining is nice and soft so he could wear them with or without socks. And the sole is sturdy enough for when he starts to walk (Gahhh..I don’t need this to happen any time soon!)

PLUS, they’re actually easy to get on. I have a few pairs of shoes from some major retailers that take either some serious grunt work to get on OR they end up looking really awkward on his feet. When that happens, I’m convinced he knows this is the case and he’ll grab at them.

Oh man, I can’t handle the cuteness.

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Jaimie mentioned to me she was on the hunt for new prints, so I’m keeping on eye out. I have a sneaking suspicion I’m going to gush over just about all of them.

Guess what? Jaimie has kindly offered to giveaway ONE pair of shoes to a lucky reader! This is open to US & Canadian residents and entries to the giveaway can be any- or all- of the following four options (leaving a separate comment in this post below for each entry completed):

Visit Parker & Posie’s site and leave a comment telling me which print you’d choose!
Like Nutcaseinpoint AND Parker & Posie on Facebook
Follow nutcaseinpoint AND Parker & Posie on instagram
Follow @nutcaseinpoint on twitter

Giveaway is open until Wednesday, February 17 at midnight (MST) and I’ll be checking to make sure your entry is valid before announcing the winner. Good luck!

wee nation

Posted on February 4, 2016 by Jen @nutcaseinpoint

Oh my gosh you guys, I have the best [and coolest] thing to share with you.

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Wee Nation is a brand new monthly curated box for baby…of Canadian products! How cool is that? When I first found out about wee nation, I quickly contacted the power mamas behind the brand. I needed to get in on this!

Their idea behind the box is to provide age-specific, gender neutral Canadian goodies (with an occasional surprise for parents). You have the option of subscribing on a month-to-month basis, 3 months, 6 months, or gift a box! While the boxes are comprised of Canadian goodies, they’ll ship to the US. You’re welcome in advance, US friends. 🙂

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Last week, I received their first box and it didn’t disappoint. In the least bit.

What a beautiful and fun array of goodies! This particular selection was the Big Baby box (for 4-12 months of age). Other options include Newborn (0-3 months) and Toddler (1-2 years). The box also came with an insert that talks about each of the products included for the month.

I think that’s a super cool idea! It gives you a little info on each company and there may even be a few promo codes for discounts on future purchases. Who doesn’t love a discount? (I totally typed that with an Oprah voice in my head)

PS: There may even be a promo code for a wee nation box at this end of this post!

Included were: a book, stuffed animal, two food pouches, a paci clip, eczema balm and chocolate. FOR ME.

Right away, I loved this collection of goodies because I knew they’d ALL be put to great use. The book has been read 100000x times, the pouches (and chocolate) have been consumed, the balm is in the diaper bag, the pillow is already covered in drool and dog hair, and the paci clip may or may not be gifted…or saved for the next babe…since Wes is paci-free.

And the info card had me back on social media for a hot minute to find all the shops online and follow them.

But the best part of subscription boxes like Wee Nation? All these awesome things come together in ONE BOX. Which means: less hassle with shipping. Which also means: A way funner (not a word, I know) delivery.

No wait…..Here’s the best part—> The lovely ladies at Wee Nation have offered $5 off your first box with the promo code NUTCASE5.

Thanks, Wee Nation!

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