Latherati~Book Inspired Beauty

23 Jul, 2010 by in soap 55 comments

Todays’ giveaway is from a shop that combines books and beauty Latherati. I’m a soapmaker. I’m a bibliophile. I’ve combined these two passions to create my dream job ~
I live in central NY with my husband, three children, one dog and two pet rats. We love to camp, read, craft, play, ponder, stare out windows and daydream.

She is offering blog readers a gift pack of a bar of soap, a roll-on perfume and a lip luster of your choice. You’ll want to browse her shop because there are quotes and scents from Jane Austen, Jeckyl and Hyde as well as other classics.

To Enter To Win: leave your name and email address below.

+1 for hearting her shop on Etsy http://www.etsy.com/shop/LatheratiSoap
+1 for visiting her website and commenting http://latheratisoap.com/
+1 for following her on twitter http://twitter.com/latherati
+1 for becoming a fan on facebook http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/pages/Latherati-Soap-Foundry/119199120405?ref=ts
+5 for posting this contest on your blog
+3 for blog followers
+1 for each retweet @FireIcePhtoos

Contest ends August 23, 2010 and is open internationally

Krugsecologic $40 Gift Voucher

22 Jul, 2010 by in vegan 18 comments

Today’s makeover week giveaway is from an amazing shop with all kinds of flavors to choose from! Welcome to Krug’s Eco-Logic ™- where L o G i c … meets Luxury. Handmade, Natural, Essential Oil Soaps, Lotions, and Spa Products. As seen on CNN ! I am so excited to be able to provide you with these fabulous, earth-friendly, VEGAN products! I am a science teacher turned stay-a-home mother who just wanted the very best products for my children. Now, I can share them with you! All vegetable-based ingredients, and TOTALLY VEGAN!

To Enter To Win a $40 gift voucher from her store: leave your name and email address below
additional entries
+1 visit her store and comment below which items you’d like to win http://www.krugsecologic.com/
+2 become a fan of Fire and Ice (on our right sidebar) and Krugsecologic on Facebook http://www.facebook.com/KrugsEcoLogic
+2 star her and our shops on etsy http://www.etsy.com/shop/krugsecologic http://www.etsy.com/shop/littleredreads
+1 for each retweet @FireIcePhotos
+5 for adding this contest to your blog or facebook page, leave the link
+2 for adding it to your sidebar
+3 for following our blog

+5 for adding our button to your blog, leave the link

Contest ends August 22, 2010 and is open internationally

The Makeover of James Orville Wickenbee

21 Jul, 2010 by in the makeover of james orville wickenbee Leave a comment

published August 1st 2008 by Deseret Book
details Paperback, 272 pages
isbn 1590387074
3 stars
At Fairport High School, Jana has taken on a special project. She’s determined to turn James Orville Wickenbee, her brother’s new best friend, into James Orville Wickenbee, her brother’s new best friend, into one of the “cool kids.” After all, Jana can’t afford to have James–a “nobody,” not to mention a Mormon–ruin her plans to get her brother elected as student body president. The problem is, Alex doesn’t want to be president, and James has no interest in becoming popular. Not to worry–Jana has everything under control. James will just have to be president instead. The makeover might take some extra work, but she’s ready for the challenge. She’s very convincing. In fact, the entire school begins to see James as “Super-Jim.” But the “makeover” creates a surprise that nobody saw coming, especially Jana.
This a fun, light summer read that will leave you with a good feeling afterward. The narrator reminded me a lot of Polly in Scones and Sensibility by Lindsay Eland. Jana is one of those girls who feels ugly on the inside, but presents herself as confident on the outside. She has an agenda to change everyone around her into what she thinks they should be. At the top of her list is brother Alex. He would be perfect in politics, only he doesn’t want to be. Then along comes James…with big glasses, thick white socks and a shirt that doesn’t quite fit he is the perfect candidate for a makeover before he can be seen at their lunch table.

It does get a little annoying living inside of Jana’s head through the entire novel until she begins to change. She likes to stereotype and look down at others. But, you’ll want to see what happens with her and James so the pages keep flipping. The plot is somewhat predictable but I was entertained and endeared to James. His mere existence and character changes the lives of all those around him. He embodies the idea that beauty is more than skin deep. This is a clean read, and in my opinion is great for middle grades, junior high-sophomores in high school. I enjoyed it and give the book three stars!

Long Winter Farm Gift Pack

21 Jul, 2010 by in etsy 129 comments

Today’s makeover package was donated by LongWinter Farm on Etsy…About me:: I’m a 28 year old mom of two living in coastal Maine, where I share my life with goats, kitties, puppies, and my favorite boy, Joe. We spend the thawed months off grid in a yurt in the woods, which is like having our own personal summer camp. We even take discovery hikes and have sing-alongs. I like to live the organic homegrown lifestyle as well as I can, so I’m way into gardening and herbalism. I’m also a major craft addict, playing with sewing, knitting, spinning, felt crafts, candle making, embroidery, and of course, soaping! Yup, I’m one busy chick. Nope, I don’t take naps.

Check out my featured seller interview! http://www.etsy.com/featured_seller.php?featured_user_id=5125497

About Joe: Joe’s my very best friend, boyfriend, business partner, and yurtmate, and there’s a good 50-70% chance he’ll be the one packing your order. What’s he like? Well, he’s good at washing his hands, being pretty tall, having an Indiana twang, and randomly breaking into Rick Roll songs.

To Enter To Win a gift pack including soap, cream and lip balm of your choice from her shop: leave your name and email address below
additional entries
+1 hearting her shop on etsy http://www.etsy.com/shop/longwinterfarm
+1 comment on or follow her Blog: http://longwinterfarm.com/blog
+2 follow us on twitter @FireIcePhotos and Long Winter Farm at
http://twitter.com/longwinterfarm
+1 for each contest retweet @fireicephotos
+5 for [posting this giveaway on your blog
+3 for posting it on your sidebar or facebook
+1 for following our blog
total your entries and leave them in the comments

Contest ends August 21, 2010 and is open internationally!

Sandalwood Vanilla Cleansing Grains

20 Jul, 2010 by in etsy, makeover, sageandmage, skin care 18 comments


Todays‘ giveaway is the first step in our makeover, help towards new skin brought to you by SageandMage…Writer, editor, Reiki practitioner, naturopathy student living in Melbourne, Australia with my beautiful cat Luna

If Sage and Mage was a real-life shop, it would be a small, old house. You would release the smell of lemon thyme by treading up a soft, green path to the porch. The porch steps would creak, a raven would call, and the door would open, welcoming you. Light would stream in the windows, illuminating shelf upon shelf of tinctures, treasures, spell boxes and potions. Strange and wonderful herbs would hang in bunches from the ceiling.

But what you are looking for would be in a small back room with the phantom scent of violets, in an ancient wooden cabinet, in a tiny drawer, in a tiny box… Welcome, and I hope you find what you are looking for…

To find out what’s in the cauldron, please have a look at Sage and Mage’s facebook page http://www.facebook.com/?ref=home#!/pages/Sage-and-Mage/121978711166491?ref=sgm

Description
An all-natural, mostly organic blend to exfoliate and gently cleanse. Suitable for most skin types, but especially formulated for normal and/or combination skins. It smells heavenly – a deep, subtle blend of sweet organic vanilla beans and fresh sandalwood.

To Enter To Win a jar of cleansing grains: leave your name and email address below

additional entries
+1 for hearting her shop on etsy http://www.etsy.com/shop/sageandmage
+1 for telling us you favorite makeover product
+2 for becoming a fan of her and us on Facebook
+1 for each retweet @FireIcePhotos
+3 for following our blog
+5 for blogging about this or adding to your sidebar
+5 for helping us makeover our blog: create a banner, a button or give us your improvement suggestions via email
Contest ends August 20, 2010 and is open internationally

Contest Winners

20 Jul, 2010 by in sewing, the eternal ones Leave a comment

Congrats @AGreatBook to who won the silver spool necklace http://fireandicereads.com/2010/06/silver-spool-necklace-giveaway.html
and @Ceeme who won the sewing machine scrabble tile pendant http://fireandicereads.com/2010/06/vintage-sewing-machine-scrabble-tile.html for our giveaways themed after The Eternal Ones.

Please email us your mailing address and we will send out your prizes!

We introduced a new collection on Etsy this week for Angie Frazier’s book “Everlasting: so head on over and check it out! http://www.etsy.com/shop/LittleRedReads 50% of all sales go to impoverished families in Chile. Thanks so much to Angie for getting the ball rolling!

And, watch for our makeover week starting today. We’ll be giving away bath and beauty products as well as looking for ideas to give our site a face lift! Keep checking back.

The Eyes Have You Giveaway

19 Jul, 2010 by in nightshade, raised by wolves, wolf 18 comments

Today’s ETSY shop giveaway reminded me of so many books recently released: Linger by Maggie Stiefvater, Sisters Red by Jackson Pearce, 13 to Life by Shannon Delany, Raised By Wolves by Jenlynn Barnes and Nightshade by Andrea Cremer. “The Eyes Have You” fine art photograph is brought to you by Sara Ronayne, Photogirlie.
Special education teacher by day, artist by night. Teach students with Autism. Photography is a passion, and have been making photos for over 10 years. Jewelry making is another passion and a great way to promote Autism Awareness. Newly married and relocated from Old Town Alexandria to the Metro West area of Boston, MA.

Description
The Grey Wolf. In this shot, he is stares you down. Blatantly. Not threatening. Just obvious, to let you know the HE knows you are there. That you are merely a visitor in his turf.

To Enter To Win this 8.5×9.5 Fine Art Print: leave your name and email address below
Additional entries: +1 for hearting her shop on etsy http://www.etsy.com/shop/photogirlie

+1 for each retweet @FireIcePhotos
+2 for being our blog follower

+1 for becomong her fan on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Acton-MA/Puzzle-Piece-Studios/139123096102503?v=wall
+1 for visiting her Blog and commenting: http://www.puzzlepiecestudios.blogspot.com/
http://www.thesuburbanartist.blogspot.com/

Contest ends August 19, 2010 and is international

Mom’s Monday- Moon Bear

19 Jul, 2010 by in moon bear Leave a comment

Moon Bear
Guberson and Young
published: May 11th 2010 by Henry Holt and Co. details Hardcover, 40 pages
isbn: 0805089772
source: copy for review from publisher
4 stars

Booklist
“Filled with passionate conservation messages, this picture book both celebrates the endangered black moon bear in Southeast Asia and warns about the urgent threats against the species. Filled with physical details, the spare, question-and-answer text (“Who scratches and shuffles through soggy leaf litter? . . . Who climbs to the snow / in the high Himalayas?”) is illustrated with Young’s stark, large silhouette images of a beautiful, dark bear through the seasons, feasting on raspberries, confronting a deer, and clawing a tree. Contrasting images, show a moon bear in distant views, small against a purple sky and threatened by poachers as he passes forests cleared by loggers. In a series of warm scenarios, a mother bear snuggles up to hibernate in winter and then shuffles out again in spring with her baby moon bear cubs. Young’s dramatic art lends itself to group sharing, and many kids will hear the author’s final call, accompanied by photos of moon bears and a list of conservation organizations, to help save these creatures from lifelong captivity or extinction. Preschool-Grade 3.” –Hazel Rochman
Moon Bear is a great way to introduce your child to the importance of conservation. Done in collage art work set against real photographs, the pages are inviting and prose easy to read. We follow an Asiatic Black Bear as she “eats, plays, hibernates and wakes up again in Spring” (front cover) The author’s notes at the end helps us to see real bears at the Animals Asia Moon Bear rescue Center in China and there is an invitation for all to help. Moon Bear is a wonderful library addition for families across the globe!

News and Week In Review

17 Jul, 2010 by in Heather Gardner Photography, maggie stiefvater, parajunkee, Sea, shadow hills, tricia rayburn 2 comments

One of the most talented people you’ll ever meet in the book blogger community is Parajunkee. When surfing around sites you’ll recognize her blog templates as soon as you click on them: colorful, unique and out of this world!

She recently won a clock tower necklace in giveaway from our Etsy shops, then was kind enough to turn around and give it a review on her page “Anya’s Room.” Love ya Parajunkee! Thanks for the post and the photo. Check them out here http://www.anyasroom.com/2010/07/winning-reviews-heather-gardner.html and be sure to stop in on her review side “Parajunkee’s View” here: http://www.parajunkee.com/

In other blog news this week… Congrats to @SweetLadyJess @susankmann @DreaminginBooks @LolandCharlie @blueicefiesta @maridalchico @jpmsull @SweetLadyJess @susankmann @DreaminginBooks @LolandCharlie @blueicefiesta @maridalchico @jpmsull Who all won “Shadow Hills” bookmarks on Twitter!
CC9309 Won the Manifest ARC contest and JessRing84 won a copy of the Goose Girl by Shannon Hale as part of our Facebook/ Twitter contest

We pimped out our ETSY shops with new Shadow Hills earrings, SEA items and Siren photos for Tricia Rayburn’s book birthday. Also added was a Linger Silver leaf necklace for Maggie Stiefvater’s release. Head over and browse the new items. Our Silver Spool necklace giveaway ends today so enter now! See our right sidebar and have a wonderful weekend 🙂

Nightshade Mini Review

16 Jul, 2010 by in nighshade, Philomel 3 comments

Nightshade by Andrea Cremer
To be published October 19th 2010 by Philomel
details Hardcover, 464 pages
isbn 039925482X
Source Mundie Moms ARC tour

While other teenage girls daydream about boys, Calla Tor imagines ripping out her enemies’ throats. And she wouldn’t have it any other way. Calla was born a warrior and on her eighteenth-birthday she’ll become the alpha female of the next generation of Guardian wolves. But Calla’s predestined path veers off course the moment she saves the life of a wayward hiker, a boy her own age. This human boy’s secret will turn the young pack’s world upside down and forever alter the outcome of the centuries-old Witches’ War that surrounds them all

I just finished this book last night and have been procrastinating picking up another book because I want it to linger in my mind. Nightshade easily slides into my best summer reads list with five stars. It is an amazingly sexy and captivating story that I burned through and savored. First of all the cover is a huge hit for me. The glitter, the cala lilies the purple…love! Second, the plot is one you’ll devour. And third, not only is Andrea Cremer an outstanding writer; she is also a super fun tweeter. I tip my hat to authors who tweet their fans and she joined in on our Team Ren versus Team Shay conversations.

Once you read Nightshade you’ll be hungry for more. Happily, there is a sequel planned and Andrea informed us that shooting has begun for the next cover of “Wolfsbane” which is due out in 2011. Can I possibly wait that long? Really…this book is THAT good. Stay tuned for a longer review closer to Nighshade’s book birthday in October. In the meantime, check our Andrea’s website at http://www.andreacremer.com/ and watch for this to hit shelves, it’s a must read!