Category Archives: Giveaway

Gift closets and ‘Boo-boo Elephant’ giveaway.

Posted on August 9, 2011 by | 11 Comments

I really love giving gifts, but there’s nothing I hate more than giving an over-priced, not good gift, which usually happens because it’s last minute. If you wait until you’re invited to the dinner party–chances may be that it’s already too late to find a great hostess gift. The solution to this is my gift closet, which is slowly growing as I discover great new items, which I then buy a couple of to have for a rainy day.

Or if I see something perfect for say a nephew’s 2nd birthday (even if he’s only 1 month old) I will just buy it and stock pile it away. Then when it comes time to wrap something, while I have the paper, ribbon, scissors and tape all out, I wrap a few things all together.

My latest addition to my gift closet is this adorable boo-boo elephant from Goodies of Desire–can you see all of the pink and blue plaid ears above?

The handmade elephant is filled with cherry pits, which hold heat and cold well. They’re also very green and give the elephant the coolest texture. The idea is that you can leave it in the freezer and when your little one incurs an injury, the cheerful elephant nurse comes to the rescue! Seriously, how adorable is that?! You know I love elephants and I adore traditions and this is a way to make a fun tradition even out of ‘owies.’

Goodies of Desire is generously giving away an elephant to one lucky HKHousewife reader. To enter to win, simply leave a comment with one of your favorite gifts, either to give or receive. The winner will even be able to choose whether they want a pink or blue elephant. All entries must be received by August 22nd.

While we’re on the subject of giveaways, the winner of our Loveramics Salad Bowl giveaway was our 14th commenter: Elizabeth. Her answer to her favorite summer salad was one of my new favorites as well:

“Newest summer salad discovery – watermelon, tomato, feta, mint, balsamic, big crusty croutons. So delish, clean and pretty!”

I highly recommend trying it! Other readers left inspiring salad ideas so make sure to check out the comments here. Congrats Elizabeth and to the rest of you: please enter to give this awesome elephant a proper home!

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Posted in Domesticities, Gift ideas, Giveaway

Loveramics new Tripod Porcelain Collection + GIVEAWAY: Salad bowl.

Posted on July 18, 2011 by | 17 Comments

Loveramics, one of my favorite stores in Hong Kong, just came out with a new collection: Tripod!

The whole collection is so practical–everything is stackable to save cupboard space.

I really want to mix up a sauce in one of these bowls and then use the nice lip to pour it over something.

Wouldn’t these food storage pieces really dress up your pantry? I really love the different shades of blue they’ve chosen. The collection actually already won the Design Plus Award for 2011.

Loveramics is giving away their large salad bowl to one lucky HKHousewife reader. HKHousewife will cover the shipping to anywhere in the world–so anyone is welcome to enter!

To enter, simply leave a comment with the name and ingredients in your favorite salad. A winner will be chosen on August 29th! Good luck!!

If you’re local and haven’t been to the Loveramics shop in Sheung Wan, you must visit: 37 Tung St, Hollywood Road.

And, while we’re on the subject of giveaways, the winner of our Hocusadabra blocks giveway was Mary. Random.com spit out the number four. Her answer was:

“Oh, my favorite gift to give at a baby shower is a silver baby cup for the little one. My grandmother gave one to my siblings and I and it has proved to be such a great tradition, I am more than pleased to pass it along.”

Be sure to check out the comments in the post for some really great baby shower gift ideas. Congratulations to Mary and good luck to everyone in our current giveaway.

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Posted in Gift ideas, Giveaway

Tagged Loveramics, New salad ideas, Tripod

5 great gender-neutral Baby Shower gifts + GIVEAWAY: Wooden Blocks

Posted on July 6, 2011 by | 16 Comments

It seems like I’m now on my way from wedding-land to baby-land, so I asked my dear friend and neighbor Kirsten for some reccomendations for great baby gifts from her toy shop Hocusadabra… I always have a hard time with gifts when the gender is a surprise. Read through to enter our block giveaway!

1. BPA-free bath toys. The most important time to use BPA-free products is at bath and feeding time because chemicals leach when the plastic is warmed. The stackers are great for washing the little one and for playing when they’re a bit bigger. And aren’t the tugboats just super fun? Love the colors.

2. Organic Bamboo Hand Printed Baby Wrap: Babies love to be swaddled up and this is the softest wrap ever. Made from 100% bamboo and printed in the sweetest patterns: sampans and cherry blossoms. Perfect for any Asian-born baby or any baby with loved ones in the Far East. The blue satin edging is swoon-worthy.

3. Pram Rattle: A stroller is way too big and too personal of a purchase for a shower gift (unless you’re going in on it with a bunch of friends), but this pram rattle will work with whatever stroller your friend chooses. And it will make sure she never mistakes her pram for another’s! Plus, it makes sweet, little jingle sounds to entertain your little one.

4. Bunny. It is the year of the rabbit after all.

5. Amazing products for mom and baby. These are great little ‘stocking stuffers.’ A cult item on every woman’s lips in Australia, Lucas’ Papaw ointment is made from pure Australian papaw (papaya). Its benefits are endless, cleaning away nasty infections and keeping baby’s skin as soft as it should be, perfect for the nappy area… doubles as the best balm for mum. And the World’s Best Soap is a delicate baby soap made with eudermic oils and enriched with honey, calendula and almond protein. It’s great for anyone with sensitive skin.

GIVEAWAY: Finally, Hocusadabra is giving away this fine set of Count & Stack blocks to one lucky reader. The blocks have numbers one one side and drawings on others that stack up to create rocket ships and trains. I just love the authenticity of wooden blocks. It’s so nice to have something non-plastic, don’t you think?

To enter, leave a comment with your favorite gift to give or the best gift you’ve ever received at showers… wedding or baby showers are both okay. The gift will be shipped to you wherever in the world you are so anyone is free to enter. A winner will be chosen by random.org on July 15th! Thanks for entering.

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Posted in Gift ideas, Giveaway

Tagged Gender neutral baby gifts, Great shower gifts, Hocusadabra

Transcontinental jetsetting: reader’s edition. Plus güs giveaway winner!

Posted on February 1, 2011 by | Leave a comment

There were so many creative replies to our güs passport folio giveaway that I just have to share a few of them with you here:

Our head-phone splitter so my wife and I can watch the same movie/tv show/DVD du jour together. I keep it in my travel bag and is great for passing the time together.
I like to make sure each kid has a new little toy and a few books to keep them happyish in the car. Plus, snacks. Snacks really help.
Strangely enough – a thermometer! During the Avian Flu (2007) and H1N1 Swine Flu (2009) pandemics, every airport in Asia set up temperature monitoring check points at immigration and they were very strict for even a slight elevation in temperature. After one (thankfully short!) experience with “quarantine” in China I started to carry a thermometer to manually check my temperature before heading to the airport. If I had any sign of a temp, it was easier and faster to just delay by a day to get healthy than get stuck in lock down for an undetermined amount of time.
I can’t travel without a pen and money for postage! I love to write postcards, so not only do I dispatch a few to friends on every trip; but I also send 1 or 2 home to myself. My grandfather used to do this on his frequent wanderings and compiled a colorful record of his travels that saved him the space of a journal in his suitcase (…errr, vegetable crate, since that’s what he actually used most of the time). Plus, it’s nice to have a souvenir arrive in the mail once you get home!
Mini Evian mist is essential for flying and a quick refresh during jaunts around town. Especially with pollution…. this is a lifesaver to give the skin a quick pick me up!
I can’t travel without my Patagonia Synchilla fleece jacket, it adjusts to every temperature setting–keeps me warm when I’m cold, snug when I’m warm, and never sweaty or freezing. And it’s so light it’ll cram into any carry on that you already swear is too full!
I don’t travel without my cashmere blanket, my Apple Converter Kit with whichever relevant plugs I need for my trip or my stash of magazines I’ve been reading to read for months.
Jack Black Intense Therapy Lip Balm in natural mint. Wrap or extra jacket. And Reed’s ginger chews are awesome for long car rides (and hangovers… and especially long car rides with hangovers).
I wouldn’t go anywhere without apple cider vinegar tablets. With different foods, water, jetlag etc. it is easy for my stomach to feel less than pleasant. These are my quick, gentle fix for most stomach maladies.

Thank you so much readers for all of your fabulous replies… we may not all be winners, but we’ll all be traveling a little more comfortably thanks to your wonderful tips! To find more things you can’t travel without, check out my first and second editions on transcontinental jetsetting.

And without further ado, the winner of the güs passport folio giveaway generated by random.org is Phyllis. Her reply to what she couldn’t travel without:

“I can’t travel without a book, although I always seem to get more interested in what my husband is reading as the trip goes on. So guess I can’t travel without my husband and his book!”

Congratulations Phyllis and a big thank you to güs style for this FABULOUS giveaway… if you haven’t found anything yet for your Mr. for Valentine’s day hop on over there for some great ideas. The just launched a cool notepad wallet that I think would be great for a conferencing Mr.

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Posted in Giveaway, Travel

GIVEAWAY: güs passport folio!

Posted on January 19, 2011 by | 34 Comments

Today I am just thrilled about an incredibly awesome giveaway! For Christmas, I gave the Mr. this handsome passport folio from güs | an innovative line of accessories designed specifically for men (read: this is where you come for gifts for the ever impossible, hard-to-shop for male.)The folio is perfect for storing the Mr.’s respective Hong Kong or American credit cards, because he doesn’t have room to carry around both sets in his wallet, AND sim cards, so he can switch his iPhone and Blackberry’s respectively whenever we land.It also features two very large pockets where he can store what he likes to call ‘the bank,’ or his collection of foreign currency. I really appreciate the Italian leather and the red stitching. See that HKID card in there? As much as I love shopping, being able to walk through security with no wait makes it the best piece of plastic I’ve ever been given!
To enter to win this fabulous giveaway (just in time for Valentine’s Day!) valued at $200, simply leave a comment below noting one thing you can’t travel without by Wed., January 26th.
Just for fun, here’s a picture of the Mr.’s current “bank.” And let me also mention one more thing I LOVE about güs: they ship domestically for free AND they ship internationally at a flat rate!