After writing about the bamboo headband last week, I got a nice thank you email from Mindy at Bamboosa. She asked if I’d be interested in doing a giveaway, and of course I said yes. She told me their socks are very popular, so I said I’d love to do a giveaway of their “Gift Set for Her.” The set includes a Soft Purely Natural scarf, a pair of their fabulous 1/4 bamboo fiber socks and a handmade sweet smelling Sunflower Soapbar.

How do I know that their socks are fabulous, you ask? Well Mindy sent me a pair to try! They’re so silky soft that when I let my four year old son try them on tonight, he got the biggest grin on his face, told me they were now his, and asked if he could wear them while we read stories. He said they were even softer when he rubbed his feet together, and he wanted a full explanation of why they did not have lumpy bumpies like all his other socks. I told him maybe someday he would get his very own pair. He said maybe Santa would bring them to him.

So back to the gift set. One lucky winner will get the socks, which are not only super silky, but also anti-bacterial and odor free and breathable and cool. Yes, I’m reading that off the tag that came on the socks, but it’s so true. I’m wearing them on my happy feet right now. And judging from the socks, the scarf has to be pretty amazingly soft too. (Although it’s a little hard to imagine wearing a scarf now when it’s about 114 degrees here.) And I’m sure showering with a yummy smelling bar of natural bamboo soap would be a refreshing way to start the day.

If you’re the winner, you’ll get to pick your color and size of socks. They come in Basic Black or Purely Natural and sizes 6-10 or 10-13. I have size 6-10, and they look small but then stretch to fit your feet since they have a little stretch nylon blended with the bamboo.

I will be on vacation next week, so while you’re waiting for more fun finds, go ahead and enter the giveaway to win this sweet little set for yourself or to give to a friend or sister or mom or auntie. And while you’re waiting to find out if you won, you should check out Bamboosa’s baby gift sets. Because babies were meant to be cradled in silky soft bamboo hooded towels and blankies. I’m just sure of it!

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Giveaway Guidelines:

You have until midnight MST on August 15 to enter this giveaway.

To enter, just post a comment on THIS POST

Anonymous or computer-generated entries won’t count

One post per person please

The winner will be chosen at random on Aug. 16

If I don’t hear from the winner by Aug. 20, another winner will be chosen

Thanks and good luck!

I’m loving these teeny tiny gumball machines. They’re 5″ tall and come with 30 gumballs. I kind of want to plan a bubble-themed party around them.

$3.25 or $2.95 for 24 or more at beaucoup

via Hostess Blog

Teresa left a comment a few days ago about Target’s knockoff of the Pottery Barn Bedford Desk, and from the photos, it looks even more like the Bedford than the JC Penney version that I bought several months ago. I think it’s the square “feet” on the bottom that I like the best. It comes in white, brown and black. Separate 2-drawer and 3-drawer file cabinets available. They don’t offer a CPU Cabinet though. If anyone has seen this desk in person, let us know how it looks!

$449.99 at Target.com

If you live in Phoenix, or find yourself in our fine city with some time for shoe shopping, I’d recommend swinging by Last Chance. It’s the end of the funnel for all Nordstrom returns, imperfect items and discontinued items. I’m pretty sure it’s the only one of its kind in the country. The quality varies, but there are plenty of shoes in great condition for true bargain prices. You have to be ready to paw through lots and lots of shelves in narrow aisles and duck-waddle around trying the fit of shoes that have been tightly zip-tied together. But everyone was in such a good mood, there was no scowling as we all bumped butts to shopping carts in search of the perfect pair. I was there yesterday and two nice women were filling the shelves with kids Keen shoes for $12 - most in brand new condition. If you have a son who wears size 12 or a daughter who wears size 8, and you like Keens, go now! I bought these Born slides for myself for $24.99 (regularly $69.99 at Nordstrom).

I think bamboo is the new soybean. It’s everywhere! Once just a lucky plant that you rarely had to water, it’s now made into fun dishes and sporks for kids, flooring, sheets, serving bowls, and super soft clothing that’s naturally antimicrobial, wicks moisture, and gives you a gentle massage. Okay I made up that last one. But seriously. Just google “bamboo” on the Crate & Barrel site and you’ll get 4 pages of things you’ll want to buy. My sister even makes cups, dishes and instruments out of the bamboo growing in her yard in Japan. And she’s been known to eat it right out of the garden like a baby panda. It’s also a super fast growing renewable resource. The Bamboosa site has lots of bamboo baby clothing, towels and gifts. But what jumped out at me was this headband, which would be an appreciated accessory for my nightly face-washing routine. Because there’s one more thing about bamboo - and it’s called it doesn’t get stinky when wet! (I can’t stop talking like Junie B. Jones. I think I like this series of books as much as my son. If you haven’t read these, you should. You’ll get some good laughs!)

$4 at Bamboosa

I think my daughter is graduating from the bow phase to the ponytail phase. I just might have to get these cute little Lily Pulitzer fabric covered button ponytail holders from the LiliBug shop on Etsy. I ordered this bow from Lisa at LiliBug earlier this year and love it.

$4 for a set of two at LiliBug Boutique

Something about these his and hers monkey bento accessories just makes me happy. They’re made for packing mayo in bento lunches. Maybe they’d be a cute way to pack up some peanut butter and jelly for lunchtime spreading, so the bread wouldn’t get all soggy? Probably not very practical, since I just looked and they’re smaller than one square inch. Favors for a monkey-themed birthday party? Okay, I guess I’ll have to start packing mayo in my lunches just so I can bust out these cute little monkeys. Here’s what they look like opened up:

$2.50 at JBOX.com

My dad gave this book to us when my son was almost 2 years old. It had been a favorite of his when he was a little boy. I know. It’s very impressive how much my dad remembers from his childhood. I went to the same summer camp he did when he was a kid, and he remembers WAY more about it than I do. He also knows all the words to Bozo Under the Sea, and can recite the full monologue of his role as “The Other Wise Man” in the Christmas pageant. I think he was 12.

Anyway, from the first time I read this to my son, he focused his attention completely on the 2 year old boy in the book. I think it’s because he could relate to the boy and his everyday activities of playing with his toys and friends, buying new shoes, eating his dinner, having a bath and such.

Plus it’s fun reading about life in the 1940s. There’s many a morning we could have used a milkman at our house instead of realizing we’re out after the cereal’s been poured. And where can I buy one of those little metal divided dinner trays?

My daughter will be 2 next month, and I just got this book off the shelf and started reading it to her. She was equally entranced from the first time I read it. Now she asks me to read it ‘gain every time.

$10 at dustjacket.ca

If you’re looking for an earth-friendly paper plate alternative for your picnics and BBQs, take a look at these biodegradable Potato Paks. They’re made in New Zealand from the starch that comes from the water during the potato washing and cutting process, before the spuds are turned into french fries. That dried starch is then molded and “cooked” into all sorts of plates, trays and bowls. The company says there’s very little waste involved, and the waste that is produced goes to the local pig farmer. I just love a company who helps out the local pig farmer! They also make wooden cutlery sets, to complete your plastic-free picnic.

$7.50 for 25 Plain Narrow Trays at potatoplates.com

$4.00 for package of 5 cutlery sets at potatoplates.com

I’m thinking these Office Basics magazine holders would be a fairly inexpensive way to add a nice splash of color on top of my newish desk. And Pottery Barn’s Bridget Rug would add even more pop to the room. And look how great they’d complement each other. A sign I’m mean to bring them together, no? Although I guess I just did!

Magazine Holders $9 at See Jane Work

Bridget Rug $99 - $599 at Pottery Barn