What I Live For

Homemade Sugar Scrub

2012-02-23T06:52:00.000-06:00

Have you ever been stopped by the ladies in the mall trying to sell super expensive sea salt to heal the dryness in your hands? I am always amazed at how much better my hands feel after they have scrubbed my hands and right now my hands are intolerably dry. In a last ditch effort to stop the cracking and bleeding I decided to try making my own sugar scrub…

My hands are still dry constantly, but the severity has lessened each time I use this sugar scrub because it scrubs all of the dead skin off and helps to prevent cracking. I use it twice a week at most and my hands feel amazing right after!

All you need is olive oil, granulated sugar, and essential oils of your choice (I used peppermint). Mix 3 cups of sugar with about 1 cup of olive oil and add several drops of essential oil which helps cover up the olive oil smell and adds a soothing touch to the scrub. Once it’s all mixed spoon it into containers that you can close tightly.

When you want to use it, just scoop out a tablespoon or two and rub it all over your hands. Rinse well after and feel the difference :). If you want to give this away as a gift you can put it in a mason jar and add pretty ribbons or labels.

Thank you Maybe Matilda, Stephanie Lynn, and Petit Elefant for your great sugar scrub recipes and recommendations!

Back Pocket Pot Holder

2012-02-21T07:18:00.000-06:00

I LOVE creative ways to reuse jeans. When I came across Creating My Way to Success, I had to make my own back pocket pot holder that day! It was super simple to make and I had everything on hand :).

All you need is:

A back pocket from a pair of jeans (I used men’s jeans so the pocket was bigger). Make sure to leave as much denim around the pocket as possible.
A piece of fleece the same size as your back pocket piece. This acts as the insulator to prevent you from getting burned. I have used this potholder several times and have never been burned so I know the fleece works fine.
A piece of fun fabric the same size
Bias tape of your choice in color
A sewing machine

Make sure all 3 pieces (the denim pocket, the fleece and the decorative fabric) are the same size. Remember that the decorative fabric should be facing the opposite way as it will be the back of your pot holder.

Take your decorative fabric and fleece pieces and sew them together with the decorative fabric facing out. I did squiggly lines for fun. Trim all of the loose threads.

Line up your decorative/fleece piece with your denim piece (wrong sides together) and pin the bias tape around the edge, making sure it overlaps all of the pieces. Leave a tail on the end to make your loop.

Sew around the potholder making sure to catch the front and back of the bias tape as well as the denim piece and the decorative piece. When you get to the end, keep sewing until the end of the bias tape.

Then fold the end over once and fold that end over to the pot holder. Stitch in place and hang your fun pot holder up with pride :).

I’ll be linking up to…Get Your Craft On, Sew Cute Tuesday, Nifty Thrifty Tuesdays, Anything Related, Tip Me Tuesday, Take-a-Look Tuesday, and Tutorial Tuesday.

NMEDA

2012-02-17T22:00:00.001-06:00

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of NMEDA for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

NMEDA is a non-profit association that works with people with disabilities to increase their opportunities to drive and/or be transported in vehicles modified with mobility equipment.

As a teenager, I had a neighbor that was caring for a young woman who was paralyzed. For a while they used a regular van and there was quite a strain in transporting this young woman. When they did get a van equipped to transport her in her wheelchair, which could later be converted for her to drive, everyone's lives were drastically improved. The van gave her the potential for independence as well as relieving a lot of strain for her caregiver.

Each vehicle should meet the need of each individual with a disability. A NMEDA dealer can assess the needs of each individual to make sure their vehicle is best equipped to meet their needs. Their Quality Assurance Program (QAP) seeks to satisfy customers consistently by having a systematic and documented approach to quality.

If you or someone you love could benefit from NMEDA and their services, visit their homepage and search in the dealers locator to see if there is a qualified dealer near you. I know of a dealership within 20 miles of my home...do you have one near you?

Embroidered Cards

2012-02-17T07:12:00.000-06:00

I thought it would be nice to send my dad a unique, embroidered card for his birthday and I truly hope he likes it because it took a lot longer than the usual cards I send and I was pretty pleased with how it turned out…

I just printed out the image I wanted, traced it onto cardstock and used a needle and embroidery thread to carefully embroider the image onto the cardstock. If you know how to embroider or want more practice this is a fun, unique, personal way to show someone you care!

I’ll be linking up to Works For Me Wednesday, Penny Pinching Party, Show and Tell, Sugar & Spice and Everything Nice, Creative Share Blog Hop,

Involuntary De-Cluttering

2012-02-16T07:23:00.000-06:00

Children require a lot of things from beds to clothes to toys and it can all add up. At one point our apartment was packed from top to bottom with junk because I thought that anything I had I might need one day. I kept everything!

Over time, as my first son became mobile and inevitably started getting into things, things would break. Instead of getting upset, I learned to see it as a blessing in disguise. No matter what I would still love my son, but the things he broke were only things.

My mindset changed and I began to see the broken things left behind by my toddler were merely involuntary de-cluttering! I started to let go of junk and my home is so much easier to maintain. I have also found that the things I have let go of, I usually don’t even miss them when they’re gone.

I’m linking up to Works for Me Wednesday,

Linky Followers Blog Hop

2012-02-15T12:34:00.001-06:00

Since Google Friend Connect is phasing out, I wanted to hop on the bandwagon and try out the new Linky Followers widget. If you would like to participate in this hop, started by Its So Very Cheri...
Here are the RULES:

1. you MUST have the LINKY FOLLOWERS tool on your site to participate. If you see that your link has been deleted you need to add the LINKY FOLLOWER tool to your site and then come back over and re-enter your link {You can have both the LINKY FOLLOWERS & GFC on your site but you must have the LINKY FOLLOWERS tool to participate in this party hop.}

2. You MUST follow the person who has the party on their site as a thank you.

3. Just add your blog button to the LINKY PARTY below.

4.Then grab the BLOG HOP code You will find the code right under the Linky Party where it says CLICK HERE TO ENTER– just under that it says: WHAT IS A BLOG HOP? GET THE CODE HERE Click on GET THE CODE HERE and enter it into a post on your site. You can grab the party button code in the FOOTER at Its So Very Cheri You can grab info from my post if it helps you with your post.

5. Then you follow other bloggers–(as many as you want) –leave each one of the blogs that you follow a comment letting them know you are following them and ask them to follow you back. If you want to add the BLOG HOP to your own site you will get lots of new followers–(see rule #2) I will visit and follow everyone that follows me...I'm excited to see where this new widget goes and how it works out for bloggers and those who love to follow blogs. So, just enter below and start following!

Kiddie Catch All Review & Giveaway

2012-02-15T06:45:00.000-06:00

My boys are fantastic travelers. They are so fantastic that we can usually drive for 8 hours with only one stop in the middle. With that being said, I want to make road trips as convenient and comfortable for my boys as I can.

The Kiddie Catch All seems to be a product that can do just that. It’s simply a net and a plastic hoop that hooks on to your child’s car seat so that they can keep toys/drinks/snacks/etc within reach minimizing a child’s frustration, as well as the need for parents to have to retrieve everything their child drops.

My 4 year old was instantly excited to hook his on to his Cosco High Back booster seat. If we clip it where the cup holder goes, it works fine and I think he will really be able to utilize his Kiddie Catch All on our next road trip.

My 2 year old’s Cosco Scenera car seat wasn’t quite as accommodating but did clip on towards the back of his seat. Right now he doesn’t understand why it’s there but I think that with time he’ll come to appreciate his Kiddie Catch All too.

An important thing to note is that there are many make/models of car seats so if you’re interested in getting a Kiddie Catch All for your child, I recommend that you check their page of recommended car seats to see if your child’s car seat is compatible.

If you would like the chance to try a Kiddie Catch All for yourself, enter into the Rafflecopter from below…a Rafflecopter giveaway

Happy Valentine’s Day

2012-02-14T13:02:00.001-06:00

Happy Valentine’s Day! I hope that you have felt loved by those closest to you.

This year, I asked my husband to get me something creative for Valentine’s Day instead of just flowers or something of the like. Last night as he was out shopping he happened to be listening to Delilah who just happened to say that you don’t need to buy fancy flowers or jewelry, to just be creative. He called me asking if I was in cahoots with Delilah :).

After sequestering himself into our extra bedroom for quite a long time, this is what he presented me with…

This is definitely the most creative thing he has ever given me and as promised, I am featuring his creation here on my little blog. Each of the items is part of the card…such as the part where it says that due to my “culinary craft” I have given him a “Jelly Belly” referring both to St Nick in the back ground and the monstrously huge bag of Jelly Bellys.

So…even if you have a limited budget, be creative. The thought will likely mean much more than a bouquet of flowers someone else assembled or jewelry. Have fun today with the ones you love!

“Cooper and Me and the Military” Book Review

2012-02-10T06:37:00.000-06:00

Ever since we received the book Cooper and Me and the Winter Adventure it has become a favorite for my boys. They request it regularly, so I knew that the book Cooper and Me and the Military would be a big hit. Sure enough, both Cooper and Me books are read almost daily and by popular demand both must be read together :).

Personally I enjoy reading this book and prefer it to some other children’s books because I like the message it conveys and how well the rhyming flows. I think this book will give my children a greater understanding of what military families go through and teach my boys how to be better friends to kids who’s parents may be away serving in the military.

I really appreciate children’s books that are fun and teach valuable life lessons! Cooper and Me and the Military fits the bill :)

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.

How Walmart's Foundation is Helping Famlies

2012-02-09T23:00:00.001-06:00

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Walmart for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

Walmart has announced that they are giving $9.5 million in grants to national organizations that are striving to help families have healthy, nutritional eating habits. The grants will assist nutrition education programs, provide classes teaching participants how to cook and shop for healthier foods on a budget, and provide live cooking demonstrations in communities across the US.

Like many of you, the goals I have for my family are more regular exercise, and eating healthier. I'm still trying to learn how to incorporate fruits and veggies into all of our meals to get the recommended amount each day and I would love to learn more tips. Walmart's healthy living initiative can do a lot of good if they are able to meet those needs in teaching members of my community and across the country how they can live healthier. If as a community we are able to better learn how to care for ourselves and our families, I think the greatest asset of this program is the fact that we would have our entire communities' support. Everything is easier with the proper support system.

As part of the initiative, Dr. Ro, a well-known journalist will be sharing healthy steps we can all take to learn how to eat healthy on a budget.

One of the organizations that Walmart is helping is the Children's Health Fund which will enhance obesity screening and nutritional counseling to 10,000 low-income and homeless children. The healthier our children are, the healthier they will be as they grow up which will allow them to accomplish so much more and do so much good for those around them.

What have you done, or what would you like to do to make healthier choices for yourself, you family, and/or others in your community?

Paper Heart Chain

2012-02-09T14:10:00.000-06:00

While we were making paper strip hearts, it only made sense to continue on and make heart chains with the rest of the strips K helped me cut! I love the look of this chain and it was super easy to make…

Just take a bunch of strips of Valentine colored paper. Mine measured about 4 1/2 inches by 1 inch. Line up two strips and staple one end of them.

Take the loose ends and bend them down to meet on the opposite side and form a heart. Hold the ends there and line up two more strips as shown below. Staple the 4 strips together. K got to help staple and was very proud to use the strips he cut. This was also a great chance to talk about patterns.

Repeat the process until your chain is the desired length and hang it up.

Thank you Pinterest!

clipix: Organize your life!

2012-02-09T14:00:00.001-06:00

Up until recently, my method for organizing stuff online was to send an e-mail to myself with the link of what I needed or wanted to do whether it was a craft, recipe, tip, etc. I would then archive those e-mails into the related folders and then rarely, if ever, see them again.

Before today, I had never heard of clipix, but it sounds like just the thing that would help me keep organized. You drag a bookmark to your toolbar in your web browser and when you see something online that you want to keep, or remember, or make sure to do, you "clip" it and add it to your clipboards. You can make clipboards for anything and there are also Syncboards where you can clip collaboratively with your friends and see what they are clipping in real time.

One feature I like is that you can customize your privacy settings so you can limit or permit how public you want your clipboards to be. I've just started an account and am interested to see how it works. I've already clipped a few sites and love that when it's clipped it automatically inserts the name of the site and post into the description which saves me time from having to type it out every time I clip something. I also like that I can log in with my Twitter account which means one less password I have to remember!

What do you think you would use clipix for? Go check it out today and let me know what you think!

For more information about this and other sponsored posts please see my disclosure policy.

Promoted Post

Neosporin Eczema Essentials Review

2012-02-09T06:22:00.000-06:00

My 2 year old C suffers from mild eczema. It’s not uncommon for him to have one or two small patches of dry, scaly skin somewhere on his body. Thankfully it doesn’t seem to bother him too much-I never see him scratching or complaining about those spots but if he does have a flare-up he does get noticeably more uncomfortable.

When we received a sample kit of the Neosporin Eczema Essentials products I was curious to see how it would compare to the steroid cream C’s pediatrician had prescribed to treat his eczema which is what we’ve been using.

I tested the body wash out myself and though it doesn’t lather up quite as much as I like body wash to, I did notice that my skin didn’t feel as dry after showering. I’ve used it on C as well but it’s hard for me to tell how much it helps him. My main concern with using the body wash is keeping it far from his eyes since I doubt the body wash is a “no tears” formula.

After rubbing the Neosporin Daily Moisturizing Cream on C’s skin I love how soft it feels! Two days after I started using the cream, the few patches of dry, scaly skin that C had were completely gone. Since then, I haven’t really noticed dry patches.

I haven’t had cause to use the Neosporin Eczema Essentials Hydrocortisone Anti-Itch Cream because his skin cleared up with the body wash and Daily Moisturizing Cream, but I’m fairly convinced that should the need arise to use this cream it will do it’s job and relieve any itchiness or discomfort C may experience due to his eczema.

If you or someone you love suffers from eczema, you may want to look into the Neosporin Eczema Essentials kit to see how it may relieve the symptoms.

I wrote this review while participating in a campaign by Mom Central Consulting on behalf of Neosporin Essentials and received a product sample to facilitate my review, and a promotional item to thank me for participating

Glade Expressions

2012-02-08T16:00:00.001-06:00

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Triad Retail Media for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

If you're a big fragrance fan and use home air fresheners a lot you are probably familiar with the Glade brand and many of their products already. There are certain scents I truly enjoy as long as they aren't too strong and I think it's fun to change up our home environment even a little by using a new fragrance.

Right now, Glade has their new Glade® Expressions™ fragrance mist available. The mist is a long-lasting fragrance in a stylish squeeze-to-spray unit. You can refill the unit with your favorite Glade® Expressions™ fragrances of which include "Pineapple & Mangosteen", "Cotton & Italian Mandarin", "Fuji Apple & Cardamom", and "Spice Lavender & Juniper Berry". Personally, the "Pineapple & Mangosteen" and "Fuji Apple & Cardamom" sound amazing.

Glade is also offering the new new Glade® Expressions™ oil diffuser. This is a long-lasting fragrance option that can last up to 30 days and doesn't require electricity. The diffuser has a no-spill design that would fit any home's decor.

Another nice thing about Glade® is that they are offering a fragrance satisfaction guarantee where if you are unsatisfied with your fragrance, you can get your money back by mailing in the original UPC, purchase receipt and the form found at http://bit.ly/xMScbO within 30 days.

You can also find a coupon at http://bit.ly/zus6F5 to use at Walmart to purchase your Glade® products!

Paper Strip Hearts

2012-02-07T06:27:00.000-06:00

Is anyone else in denial that it’s February? Is anyone else also in denial that it’s warm enough to be April in some states?! The snowflakes that I had made with my boys just were not fitting the weather so we had to make some cute hearts out of paper strips…
I first found the inspiration on Pinterest but since the link there was dead, I found instructions at The Crafty Blog Stalker and adapted it to make these with my son.

This is a great craft to help kids improve fine motor skills…specifically with using scissors. Fold pieces of colorful paper in half width-wise, then half again and half again so you have 8 sections. Have your kids cut along the lines to make strips (they should be about 8 1/2 inches long. We used the fancy scissors that have a pattern to give the strips fun edges
Gather 6 strips per heart. Cut 1 1/2 inches off of two of the strips and 3 inches off of two other strips.

Take your longest strips and put them together. Sandwich them between the next longest strips and sandwich those between the shortest strips. Make sure they all line up on one end and staple that end.

Now, bend the loose ends around to meet their matching strip and forming a heart shape. Make sure all of the ends line up and staple them together. With help my 4 year old did the stapling and loved it! Hang up your cute hearts and admire your hard work with your little ones.

I’ll be linking up to Kids Get Crafty, What Are Little Boys Made Of?,

Prevent Boiling Over

2012-02-06T06:28:00.000-06:00

If you have ever let your pot boil over it isn’t pretty, but thanks to We Are That Family, I’ve learned a new trick to prevent it…a wooden spoon. You just have to lay a wooden spoon across the top of the pot and your water will not boil over!
I had to test this out for myself and it really does work. I had the stove burner on hi, added my noodles and set the spoon across the top. The bubbles would rise to just over the edge of the pot but they never boiled over. Sweet!

DIY Hovercraft

2012-02-03T07:20:00.000-06:00

Here’s another craft I found thanks to PInterest, this time from Scribbit. This is a fun craft that older kids can assemble themselves and younger kids can have a blast chasing!

Just like an air hockey puck, your hovercraft will glide over your table or floor…for about 30 seconds. But it’s so easy and fun to make that everyone will love it.

All you need is an old CD you no longer need, a pop top from a water bottle or dish soap bottle, hot glue and a balloon.

Hot glue the water bottle top over the hole of the CD (leaving the hole free of any glue. Let that cool.

Blow your balloon up, and while the water bottle top is pushed down/tightly closed, put the opening of the balloon over the top. I had to twist the balloon to keep the air from escaping.

Once the balloon is hooked up to the hovercraft gently pull the water bottle top open and watch your creation hover and glide as the air escapes from the balloon. My 2 year old seriously chased this thing around for ages and begged for more :)

I’ll be linking up to Homemaker MOnday, Kids Get Crafty, What Are Little Boys Made Of?, Pinterest Challenge, and Preschool Corner Friday.

Purex Triple Action Review

2012-02-02T07:06:00.000-06:00

I am probably not the most qualified to judge a laundry detergent by how well it works-I’m happy as long as my clothes are clean and not too heavily scented. Basically, not too picky as long as the job gets done. So if you’re anything like me, I hope this review helps :).

Now that I’ve been using Purex Triple Action Free & Clear laundry detergent for a while, I can tell you that this product is fulfilling my criteria. When I use this detergent my clothes come out of the washer looking, feeling and smelling clean.

I’ve mentioned before that I’m not a fan of strong scents, so I really do appreciate that this detergent is free of perfumes and dyes. I also know that other families love scented detergents and I think it’s great that Purex offers their Triple Action detergent in several different scents including “Mountain Breeze”, “After the Rain”, “Lavender Fresh”, and “Original Fresh”. You can also find this line in a “Natural Elements” variety.

Purex Triple Action detergent works with top-loading and front-loader washers so everyone can use it. You just have to figure out which fill line in the lid is appropriate for your washer/load size. Head over to FreeSamplePurex.com to sign up for a free sample and test this product out for yourself.

Paper Bead Jewelry

2012-01-30T06:21:00.000-06:00

Who would’ve thought that from magazine pages I could make my own jewelry? I had no clue until I saw a post describing how to do just that at Hip 2 B Mom.

I loved that this was a craft that I could do at random parts of the day or while watching a show, and if I had to pause to do something else, they are easy to pick right back up…

All you need is a toothpick, a magazine with colorful pictures and a glue stick!

Take a page out of the magazine with fun colors/pictures and cut it into strips. Mine were about 1/2-3/4 of an inch wide. Then cut diagonally from one corner to the other so you have long, skinny triangles.

Have your triangles be different widths at the base so you can get different sized beads.

Take the wide end of the triangle and start wrapping it tightly around the toothpick. Keep wrapping and wrapping, making sure that the paper stays centered in itself as you wrap to get a nice shape. If it starts getting skewed, just slide it around until it’s symmetrical (or to the shape you want it) again.

When you have 1-2 inches left of the point of the triangle, spread some glue on it with your glue stick and keep wrapping so the end is glued down. Hold it for a few seconds to make sure it sticks. At this point, I was able to slide the beads off and let them dry as they were so I could start on new beads. Below you can see what the two widths of my paper triangles looked like when wrapped up:

Once you are done making your beads, you may want to give them a coat of Mod Podge and/or acrylic spray seal to protect your beads. Then you can string them on thread or wire to make cute bracelets, necklaces or other fun jewelry!

This would be such a fun project to do with your daughters or a group of girls!

I’m linking up to: DIY Project Parade, Market Yourself Monday, Homemaker Monday, Making Monday Marvelous, and Monday Blog Hop.

“A Mile in His Shoes” Review

2012-01-25T06:28:00.000-06:00

As many of you know I have a brother with autism. This is probably the main reason I feel drawn to movies or books about autism and other disabilities. When given the chance to review the movie A Mile In His Shoes I jumped on it.

In this movie, Murph, the coach of a struggling semi-pro baseball team is on a recruiting trip when he happens to find Mickey, the son of a poor farmer. Murph discovers that Mickey has an amazing arm, but also that Mickey struggles with Asperger's Syndrome. Eventually Murph convinces Mickey to join his team and the entire cast changes as they get to know Mickey better, and come to understand Asperger's better.

Honestly, I struggled quite a bit throughout this movie. The way Mickey’s own father treats him angered me and broke my heart. I know full well that disabilities are misunderstood even within families of those who are disabled, but it still frustrated me to watch it on my screen. The ignorance of others on the team as far as how to treat Mickey also irked me. But, it was rewarding as a a viewer to watch the growth of all the characters as they come to accept Mickey for who he is, and to see Mickey eventually accept himself throughout the movie.

If you or someone you know struggles with the effects of a disability, this movie has a great message…one of hope and potential. This is also a great tool for parents and educators to spread awareness of disabilities; specifically Asperger’s.

“Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Why I LOVE Avocados

2012-01-24T01:00:00.001-06:00

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Avocados from Mexico for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

I honestly am not totally in love with avocados, but I do LOVE what avocados can do for me...I know they have great health benefits and guacamole can make a fantastic addition to chips and salsa or other dips! I love that they are versatile enough to be used in a lot of different recipes. But, I would never sit and eat an avocado...just sayin'.

How about you? If you want to express your love for avocados, go to the I love avocados on Facebook page and click "like." When you do that you can download avocado related ring tones, or get fun wall papers or badges like the one I picked below:

To further express your love for avocados, you can connect with I LOVE Avocados on Twitter through @guacgrl and tweet your love of avocados by using the hashtag #iloveavocados.

Do you have a favorite use for avocados? Do you slice them up and add them to salad or do you have a favorite recipe that uses avocados. I must say the avocado slicers I see in the store look pretty cool and I've been a little tempted to get one just so I can try slicing Avocados from Mexico :).

Heart Earrings from a Paper Clip

2012-01-23T14:16:00.001-06:00

Since getting my ears pierced, I’ve started looking for ways I can add to my earring collection without breaking the bank. When I saw Evie S’s earrings I knew I had to make my own version…heart shaped earrings from a paper clip. These are perfect for Valentine’s Day coming up or just for a fun accessory on a random day :)

The best part of these earrings? They are made from a paper clip and thread…things almost everyone has lying around!

Just take your paperclips, unfold them, trim the longer end and shape the paperclips into hearts…

Take a long piece of thread (as in like 3 feet long) and lay the end across where the two ends of the paper clip meet. Put a dab of super glue there and let dry…

Once dry, wrap your thread around the paper clip…and around, and around and around…you get the point. If you run out of thread, just tie some more on and clip the ends close to the knot. When you have gone all the way around the paper clip put a dab of glue on the thread in the same spot where you began and let that dry. Take the remainder of the thread and wrap it around the paper clip heart randomly like below…

I took some Mod Podge and “painted it” around the paper clip to keep all of the random threads in place especially since my boys love touching my earrings. Attach earring hooks and wear your new fashion accessory with pride…especially knowing how much you paid for it :)

I’ll be linking up to Spin on the Pin, Get Your Craft On, Nifty Thrifty Tuesdays, Sew Cute Tuesday, Works For Me Wednesday, Show and Tell, Penny Pinching Party, Cheap Crafty Mama, and Whatever Goes Wednesday.

Purex UltraPacks Review

2012-01-19T07:31:00.000-06:00

I’m all about convenience, especially in housekeeping matters, which is why I think products like laundry soap or dishwasher soap that come in easy to use packets are a brilliant idea…so long as they work properly. Since I’ve loved the dishwasher detergent packets (when I can find them on sale), I thought I would fall in love with the new Purex UltraPacks laundry detergent as well.

As far as convenience, it can’t be beat. You just throw the UltraPack in the washer with the rest of your clothes; I don’t even have to open the dispenser drawer on my front loader washer. As far as efficiency I am honestly disappointed. More than once I have pulled my clothes out of the dryer after using one of the UltraPacks only to find large, hard clumps of detergent on random clothing articles. It comes out the next time I wash it, but I expect my clothes to be clean of everything including soap when they come out of the washer.

I did accidentally put an UltraPack in my dispenser once and it dissolved just fine and the clothes came out clean. I think that in a top-loading washer this product may work better because it would be agitated differently and dissolve differently, but just keep in mind that if you have a front loader, you may have issues with the pack completely dissolving.

I will say that our clothes do seem to be clean other than the globs of detergent, and stains seem to come out just fine. I would rather have a product that gets everything out and hope to see how Purex improves this product.

Disclosure: I received a free product in exchange for this post. All opinions herein are mine.

Earring Organizer

2012-01-18T06:50:00.000-06:00

I just got my ears pierced last year so for my birthday and Christmas I was given a good amount of earrings…I suddenly needed somewhere to keep them all and my jewelry box drawer wasn’t cutting it.

When I saw Sharing the Wealth’s Earring Holder I knew I had to make one of my own and I’m so glad I did!

These vintage looking earring organizers are simple to make, but they are wonderfully feminine, extremely affordable to make, and work perfectly for keeping earrings all paired together.

All you need is a frame, lace, and a hot glue gun! I bought my frame from the dollar store and got to use the lace that my mother-in-law left in her sewing desk which I inherited when she passed away. Now I not only have a pretty piece in my bedroom, but it’s a fun little reminder of my mother-in-law.

All you need to do is take the back and glass out of the frame. Cut your lace to the width of the frame, pull it tight and hot glue it (without burning yourself) to the back inside of the frame:

I did have to glue the hanger to the top of my frame but made sure it was secure. Like I said, affordable, cute and feminine :)

I’ll be linking up to Works For Me Wednesday, Penny Pinching Party Wednesday, Creative Share Blog Hop and Sugar & Spice and Everything Nice.

Better Vision Through Zeiss

2012-01-17T09:33:00.001-06:00

I take my eyes for granted. I complain about how poorly they see or how sore they are but I forget to express my gratitude at the fact that I can see; at the fact that the problems with my vision can be so easily corrected through contacts or glasses.

Carl Zeiss Vision is one of the leading manufacturers of optometric products in the world, with millions of eyeglass wearers using Zeiss glasses. Carl Zeiss was 30 years old when began his optical workshop in November 1846 and has produced quality products such as microscopes used by Nobel Prize winners, glasses, lenses used by astronauts to take pictures of the moon, Google Earth camera lenses, and lenses used to film movies such as Lord of the Rings.

As such, Zeiss is committed to better vision for all of their patients. They provide everyone with educational tools where those thinking about seeing an eye doctor can learn about what to expect from their visit. Their website also explains how vision works, provides an understanding of a patient’s vision correction needs, and ensures that the patient gets the most out of their next eye exam and receives the best lenses to regain sharp vision.

According to Zeiss’ website, each eye is unique…just like our fingerprints. If you would like advice on how to best care for one of the most important sensory organs in your body, check out Zeiss.

Disclosure: I will be provided with a promotional item from Mom Select in exchange for this post, but all opinions expressed herein are mine.