My First Giveaway!

For my first-ever giveaway, I am offering several items I found, tried, and loved, and wanted to give others a chance to discover also...I'll end the giveaway on my birthday, so this will be the Birthday Bash Giveaway!! I'm really excited to be able to offer this to those following my blog!

The first item is the Topless Undershirt from a company called Blush...these stretchy bands of fabric totally cover the stomach area if you are wearing a (teeny?) top that doesn't reach the top of your (low-rise?) pants/jeans. This is great for women who are pregnant, women who are long waisted, or women who simply have lots of tops that are cut regular yet still show a patch of tummy skin (and you're modest, don't want to show that to everyone in the world!).



It's offered in various patterns and colors...the one in this giveaway is white with gray squiggles (as shown above) for women sized 0-6 (it stretches a lot though, so would probably fit up to a size ten comfortably or a woman who is expecting, for most of her pregnancy, as a more fitted style that is popular today in tees). The Topless Undershirt is a great option for women who like the look of layered clothes, but don't want the bulk of wearing two shirts. It fits from the top of the tummy down and is very comfortable! It hides a lot too (stretch marks? can't close the button of your jeans after a big meal? have lots of low rise jeans but don't like the look anymore? or you just like a splash of color under your tees?). It's also available on their web-site if you can't wait!

The second item is the Mama Mio Boob Tube, a cream for any women (ages 18-80) that wants to make/keep her boobs perky! This cream helps increase the elasticity of the delicate decollatage skin. There are no parabens, colorants, SLS, synthetic fragrances, xenoestrogena, etc...basically, the yucky stuff has been taken out! If you have had children, or just feel like gravity is your enemy, this is a great product for firming and lifting (and safe women pregnant and nursing women). Can't wait to win it? It's available on their web-site.



Boob Tube smells great, feels good, and is made with shea butter, sweet almond oil, rosehip seed oil, CoQ10, avocado oil, and more. Love this product! Mama Mio sells a range of other great products as well on their web-site, if you want to check them out.

Finally, the third item for the great Birthday Bash Giveaway is The Lingerie Handbook, a great book written by the bra specialist and owner of the famous La Petite Coquette (french for "The Little Flirt"), Rebecca Apsan, about every type of lingerie you can imagine. This fully illustrated book thoroughly describes and advises on every undergarment, from bras and shapewear and nighties and teddies, and finally, to exotic lingerie that is often specially measured and fitted, or found only in more upscale boutiques.


This book, published by Workman Publishing in New York, helps you transform from the inside out...if you dress right underneath, all your clothes look better, and you feel better. The Lingerie Handbook even helps you organize your lingerie, build up a basic (and then some) lingerie wardrobe, and teaches you how to take care of these delicate garmets so they last, always look great, and most importantly, do their job of decorating and supporting you, so you always look great.


This is a great coffee table book if you don't have children (there are lots of photos!) and it has terrific information to help your thoroughly stock up on the best, more flattering, useful, and sensuous lingerie, and guide you through the sometimes (initially) confusing world of garters, silk stocking, and alluring negligees. It tells you what is best for different bodies, how to highlight your best qualities, what to wear with certain clothes so you look terrific fully dressed, and more!

Rules For Entry:

1. Become a follower (on the right sidebar) and leave a post below. This is required to enter. If you are already a follower, you get two entries (reward for loyalty!)...just make sure to leave TWO posts. Each post is an entry.

2. Leave a comment below telling me which of the three items you'd like to win. You can enter for all three (just leave three separate comments, one indicating each item you'd like to win). Please include an e-mail I can reach you at for your address if you are a winner.

3. For two extra entries, post a blog about this give-away, and include a link to your blog post.

The maximum entries is seven (three items, two maximum for followers, two for those who blog about the contest) per person. If you have any questions, you may e-email me at PenelopesOasis@yahoo.com.

I will draw on August 8th at 12 noon EST, so please have your entries in no later than August 8th at 8 a.m. Entries after this will not be counted. I'll e-mail the winners and post when I have confirmed winners. The winners must respond within 48 hours before I draw again.

This give-away is open to continental U.S. residents only. If all goes well, I am planning more give-aways, to celebrate my upcoming one year bloggaversary, another for moms and expectant moms, to celebrate my coming to the end of my first pregnancy, and more! Stay tuned....

The Sleep Sheep (and Friends)

The Sleep Sheep by Cloud B is the perfect night-time companion to help calm babies to sleep. It offers, through a sound box, the option of four different, soothing "white noise" sounds, including a heartbeat, whale songs, spring showers, and ocean waves (I love the whale songs and ocean waves!). It attaches to the side of the crib or bed via a velcro tab and its volume control allows you to make it as loud as need be to mask noises that interfere with the baby's sleep. As you can see from the photo, it's absolutely adorable. The Sleep Sheep is also very soft and cuddly, a great companion for a baby or child to snuggle while awake.

The sound box has two timer options (23 or 45 minutes), or you can leave it on indefinately. It includes a Sleep Sheep story, adoption certificate, and batteries, so you are ready to go as soon as you purchase it.



It's great for all newborns and older children who have trouble sleeping, and works amazingly well for adults as well- it put my husband and I to sleep, so he loves it now! The Sleep Sheep also conveniently comes in a travel size, to take on trips, use in a stroller, and more.

Cloud B offers a collection of friends, with the same adorable sleeping faces, that also offer unique, soothing features for different senses. Examples include their Lavendar Puppy (aromatherapy for a soothing sleep- lasts up to five years!) and their Twilight Turtle (projects a constellation of lights onto the ceiling, conjuring up a starry night indoors- for ages two and older) and many other great items.


This is a great item for your own child, or as a gift for a baby shower, or even to borrow for yourself sometimes if you find you are having trouble sleeping! I highly recommend it, and am very impressed with the look and effectiveness of the Sleep Sheep. Visit their web-site to discover all the great products they offer for babies and children.

Free Box Of Lipton Tea!

Call Lipton at 1-888-435-3639 and follow the automated instructions to receive a coupon for a free box of lipton tea (coupon takes about 6-8 weeks to arrive). You will be asked to punch in your date of birth, then leave your name and address on a voicemail. Visit Lipton's web-site for information on their products and for recipes!

My Terrific Sister-In-Law

My terrific sister in law, who is getting married herself next year to a wonderful man, is throwing me a baby shower. I didn't expect it (in my family, we don't have them, so I didn't bother registering for anything). Now I get to have the fun of going to BuyBuyBaby (a store I'm really fond of now) and actually organizing all my needs in one place. Looking at baby supplies is work that is incredible fun...I imagine my little bunchkin wearing this, bathing in that, strolling around in that...lots of fun!

I already registered for some great products I tried and love (I blogged about some, and will post about other great finds too) and now I'm looking into different strollers, car seats, and cribs...sooo many options! So many new safety (and non-safe) features! It takes time to wade through it all, but it's very interesting and fun for me.

I'm trying to mainly get organic bedding and apparel, though I still don't know the sex of the baby. I'm getting a tad weary of the yellows and greens, lol, and don't fancy the idea of my baby always wearing lime, so I'll probably look for whites, navies, and reds, which are unisex and flattering to all.

Registering is a lot of fun, and any tips and recommendations would be appreciated, by myself, and my friends who are expecting also (we are a large group of women, and we are constantly looking for new information and reviewing new things).

I feel very lucky...and can't wait to throw a baby shower for my sister-in-law one day too!

Happy Independence Day!!

We live in a great, great country. I'm so proud to be an American!

In the United States, Independence Day, commonly known as the Fourth of July, is a federal holiday commemorating the adoption of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776, declaring independence from the Kingdom of Great Britain. Independence Day is commonly associated with fireworks, parades, barbecues, carnivals, picnics, concerts, baseball games, political speeches and ceremonies, and various other public and private events celebrating the history, government, and traditions of the United States. Independence Day is the national day of the United States. (wikipedia.com)

Prince Lionheart Silicone Bottles

Here is a very unique idea for bottles that I've never heard of before: they aren't made plastic or glass- they are made of silicone! Prince Lionheart has a collection of three 4 or 8 oz bottles made from pure medical grade silicone that offer a one-way venting system, reducing the risk of colic and spit-up. They are also offered for sale individually.

Silicone is a natural material that has no open pores that can harbor bacteria, ensuring that what your baby drinks has no harmful chemicals leached from plastics or any bacteria in it. The bottles are unbreakable, are microwave, dishwasher, and freezer safe, and are heat resistant. These bottles are also designed to replicate the tactile experience of breastfeeding for the baby.




The bottles are collapsible, so no air enters as the baby drinks, and it remains air bubble-free. The bottle and ring are separate, so it's possible it can leak if the bottle is squeezed too hard, but I tried it and you have to squeeze really hard to break the seal.

For anyone who doesn't like the heaviness of glass bottles (and worries about broken glass or chipping), and for anyone who is concerned about the chemicals in plastic bottles, Prince Lionheart's silicone bottles are a great alternative.

Pregnant Woman's Helpers 101

Being pregnant is a wonderful gift, because I know a little blessing will soon join our family. Nevertheless, I'm on an endless quest for great products that ease the transition for my ever-changing body along this journey.

I found a great company, Mambino Organics, that makes a great kit called bun in the oven. It comes with oh baby! belly butter (softens the appearance of old stretch marks and helps prevent new ones), youth glow omega face complex (a lightweight oil rich in fatty acids that gives skin a radiant glow), moisture me body toning oil (boost collagen production while it firms the areas it's applied to), mandarin creme organic body wash (contains saponified oils of olive & coconut and red mandarin, and does not strip the skin of oils), and kissable lips (a moisturizing lip balm). Everything smells utterly heavenly (the lip balm is unscented), and the ingredients are all 100% organic and pure. How much better can you treat yourself and your baby while pregnant than that?




My favorite product in the kit is the body oil. I put this on my tummy every day, and already know this will be a staple for the duration of my pregnancy. It seems more effective to me than plain cocoa butter, or any other cream or oil I've tried on my tight tummy skin. It contains avocado and jojoba oils, and is scented with pomegranate oil. I love it so much, I find myself applying it multiple times a day, because the smell is so divine and the product is so soothing. I highly recommend it!

The body wash is also a favorite of mine. It is soap- free and contains red mandarin and chamomile essential oils, as well as aloe vera extract. Despite being all natural, it foams very well with a wash cloth or sponge. A friend of mine, who loved the youth glow face complex so much she took it from me, says it helped reduce the redness on her face, so while I didn't try that item myself, I can also post a good review on that as well. It contains evening primrose and hazelnut oils.

As part of their eco-friendly mission, this company packages everything in attractive, 100% recycled and recyclable materials (even the loose fill in the packaging is made from vegetable starch which dissolves upon contact with water), so you'll feel secure and good about both buying and using these products. Everything in this kit is also sold separately on their web-site.

Another great product is the Critical Care Kit For Moms-To-Be by Miss Oops. It contains three products to make the life of an expectant mom easier. First, there are five Popper Stoppers, used to cover a popped belly button when you wear a thin top, or are going to a formal event and want a smooth belly profile in your elegant, clingy maternity gown. My belly button has not popped yet, but the women in my mom group who have tried this say it's great and works well.



This kit also contains a Rescue Sponge, which you use dry to rub out accidents on your clothes, such as deodorant marks or make-up powder. I tried this a few times, and it works great. They are reusable and can be used on any fabric.

Last but not least, Pedicure in a Bottle, an exfoliating cream that does not even need to be rubbed in or washed off...simply apply, and you can put your shoes on immediately (no slippery feeling due to the non-greasy formula). Their web-site does not say this, but since this product contains salicylic acid, diabetics may need to be cautious when using it (or avoid it altogether) and pregnant women should probably ask their doctor first too, just to be sure (it contains salicylic acid, glycolic acid, and menthol, and small amounts can be absorbed systemically- better safe than sorry).

The products in this kit are also sold separately, for those who would just like to try the Popper Stoppers or Rescue Sponge.

My tummy grows bigger each day, my baby is kicking energetically (especially when I'm laying down to sleep!), and I no longer fit into much of my pre-pregnancy clothes (yet don't want to splurge on a wardrobe that I'll only be wearing for a few months before retiring it or giving it to a pregnant friend). I've been told you can save your maternity clothes for the next pregnancy, but based on the clothes that were given to me by others, if you don't use them within a couple of years, they start to look old and outdated.




Luckily, I found the b-buckle, a sort of mini belt that allows you to expand the life of your jeans. It's made of a cotton/polyester blend and has multiple snaps that allow you to adjust it, from the day you start expanding. I am not even halfway through the snaps yet, so my guess is that this product will allow me to wear jeans for another month or two at the very least. If you are a woman who loves to wear jeans often, but aren't fond of maternity jeans with those huge spandex bands on top, this would probably be a great alternative for you. It comes with different designs (mine is a plain black design) and is thick enough to cover the top part of the zipper (if you can't zipper all the way up anymore, like me).

These great finds have been carrying me well through the pregnancy thus far (and I'll be sure to post about any more I come across).