Products of the Day

Candy Addict

2011-06-29T14:48:00.001-05:00

Once again I am branching out my blogging skills. I am an official writer for Candy Addict!!! I get to try out new candies and review them as well as writing candy related articles.

I'm really excited that I've been given this opportunity! Needless to say, there won't be any more reviews here on candy so you'll have to check out Candy Addict to find out what I'm reviewing there.

Don't Waste Your Money Alert: Crayola Washable Colored Bubbles

2011-03-07T18:42:00.005-05:00

I know that these just came out this Spring and I know it's a brand new product and I know it says "washable", but these bubbles need to be avoided...trust me.

I thought they were a neat idea. I mean, all kids love bubbles and colored ones must be really cool. They've got regular bubbles, scented bubbles, so why not colored bubbles. Well, let me tell you why not colored bubbles.

I bought the blue ones for my kids. Just a little bottle with the "spill proof" cap. These bubbles are messy as hell. The spill proof cap is just a rubber like covering over the opening of the bottle that you have to pull the bubble wand out of. Well, it may not spill but it sure splatters all over the place. And, the bubble stuff itself is more like liquified food coloring and it gets all over the place. Wherever the bubbles pop, there is a colored splotch left behind. And, YES I did this outside. There were blue splatters all over the driveway, my pants, my kids pants and blue bubble popped splotches all over the grass and driveway. I got the watering can out to wash it off but it took a downpour the other day to wash it off the driveway. Yes it does wash out of clothes but unless you want your kids walking around with colored splotches all day, you'll need to change them after playing with these things.

Crayola also has this set of these colored bubbles that comes with a bubble blowing gun which looks like it may be less messy but I'm not buying it.

Now, don't get me wrong, I love Crayola products and the Color Wonder products are great. It's just these colored bubbles that I don't like. Oh, and the price I don't like either. A small bottle of these bubbles will run you around $3.99...um I can get a bigger bottle of regular or scented bubbles for $1. Either way my kid is happy.

Soft, Sweet and OH SO Freakin' Good

2011-02-02T16:29:00.006-05:00

I say let the gourmet marshmallow wars begin! I've posted before on gourmet marshmallows that I bought from Have It Sweet Confections. Having tried and loved them (and am now sickened if I eat those white store bought things), I decided to give another Etsian purveyor or soft things a try.

I ordered from Softly Sweetly and was very very happy with what I got. I ordered a trio of flavors (which you can order yourself and try 3 different flavors or even the dozen variety where you get 12 different flavors) and got Triple Chocolate, Vanilla and Toasted Coconut drizzled with chocolate. There's like 20 or so flavors to choose from so you won't be bored. I'm on my second trio of flavors right now: Toasted Coconut with chocolate (again cause they were that good), Amaretto and Mexican Chocolate (think chocolate marshmallow coated in a mix of sugar, cocoa and cinnamon). These are huge squares of marshmallows and the flavor is just that good. They are so soft, the texture is great that they practically melt in your mouth! The trio of flavors will run you $10.99 for one dozen plus about $5 shipping.

A dozen marshmallows range in price (depending on the flavor I think) between $9.99 and $10.99. You can also get a half dozen for less than $6.

I must say the Triple Chocolate and the coconut ones are my favorite but I've only tried 5 flavors as of yet. There's also these Caramallows that are marshmallows coated in caramel..must try those soon.

All in all, these are huge, great tasting marshmallows for the price. And, turn around time is really quick so you won't be left waiting. I highly recommend, if you even like marshmallows, to give any of the gourmet marshmallows a try, you won't be disappointed.

Post Christmas Clean Up

2011-01-01T14:31:00.006-05:00

It's that time...at least in my family. New Year's Day is the BIG cleanup day. The tree comes down and all the rest of the holiday decorations. It's also the time we say holy crap to all the toys that have been left around the house. Well, I nipped that in the bud yesterday

My youngest son has like a collection of Thomas wooden train tracks and buildings. And,he just got some Thomas trackmaster sets for Christmas, notably the Zig Zag Zoom set which is huge. So we needed some decent storage for our little sucker. Granted, we went thru his toys and he (yes he himself) got rid of a bunch, there was still the need for some real decent organization in there.

I saw these cool canvas bins at Target earlier in the week and decided to go back yesterday and pick some up. They are deep, huge and have wheels...plus pullin straps too. I got the 18"x18"x18" for $19.99 and the 15"x15"x15" for $14.99. The bigger one holds all of his wooden train tracks and building including his round house which is big. There's still room. The smaller one holds the entire new Thomas Trackmaster set. Plus, with the wheels, they are super easy for him to move around on his own. You can even hook the handles together and pull both at the same time. Great size and good boy colors (solid blue and red).

I also picked up one of those hanging closet things with the canvas shelves..matching of course for $12.99. And, I plan on going back and getting 3 of the standard canvas bins for his bookcase (replacing some ivory colored ones just so everything matches in his room).

I know the price seems a little whacko, I mean $20 for a storage bin right? But, it's big and deep and what needs to fit in it, fits in it no problem. So, for us, money well spent. Our son's room looks so much better for the money spent. All of these can be found at Target in their "Home" section between the bedding and the furniture aisles.

Sweet Lollipops!

2010-10-16T16:06:00.005-05:00

Yes, I'm still alive. I've actually been caught up in my two new Etsy stores that I've been busy. (I just opened up my holiday cookie shop: Baking Keeps Me Sane)

I, once again, recently won a handmade contest. This one was for an Etsy shop on facebook. The Sweet Lollipop Shop to be exact. I forget exactly what I did to win via facebook but I won and got a whole bunch of neat handmade lollipops. They make the crystal barley sugar type that you might remember from when you were a little kid. I got a bunch of heart themed cherry lollipops along with one cherry snauzer dog pop and a daisy one too.

I'm not a big cherry flavor fan but the cherry is so subtle and laid back that I really enjoyed the pops. They've got just the right amount of sweet but not overly so as you taste in some of today's processed lollipops. The only issue I had was that the lollipop sticks couldn't handle these babies lol. The sticks need to be stronger! But, that was the only issue.

If you go to the shop you'll find lollipops in every shape and flavor imaginable. They also sell small bite size squares that they call "jewels". I got a small sample in egg nog and they melted easy in the mouth and had great flavor.

Jewels will run you from between $4.25 and $4.95 depending on the flavors. Lollipop prices range from between $7 to $24.95 depending on the quantity, flavors and styles. You can get just about any shape or style. And, there are some Halloween designs like these bats I have pictured.

So, if you like good old fashioned candies, then you will really enjoy the candy at the Sweet Lollipop Shop!

And the Winner is....

2010-09-02T08:29:00.003-05:00

Sorry it took me so long but the winner of my Friendship Bracelet giveaway is:

jhitomi

congrats and I'll be emailing you soon to let you know.

Thanks to all who entered and just so you don't feel left out...I will give you 20% off anything I have in stock..includes cozies too. Just convo me before purchasing and I'll adjust the price of the listing.

I Opened My New Etsy Shop

2010-08-16T15:20:00.011-05:00

I've finally opened my own Etsy shop and it's up and running TODAY. The name of my new store is: Keeps Me Sane..because doing these crafts is the only thing that's keeping me sane with all this craziness in my house.

I make Friendship bracelets, yes they are back..with a focus right now on FOOTBALL season..I'll do customize any colors you want. Here's my UNC bracelet.

I also do beaded ones as you can see from the photos. In the fall I'll have my loom knitted scarves up too.

So, I thought I'd have a kickoff giveaway since I've never done one before. So, if you'd like your own custom friendship bracelet you need to do two things:

1. Follow my blog

and

2.Leave a comment on the blog with the colors you want and the pattern (diamond, chevron, plain old stripes).

I'll pick a winner on August 31st using a good old fashioned method. Spread the word and let's get it on!!!!

Clinical Strength

2010-07-19T10:54:00.004-05:00

After a pretty long hiatus, I am back. My family and I relocated from Northern Virginia to Cary, North Carolina and things are just settling down. The kids are in year round school and I have some quiet in the house.

Today I want to talk about those Clinical Strength deoderants out there. Now, usually, I'm not one who needs to use these stronger versions...however, it has been way to hot lately and once that heat shows up I actually find I do need them. I'm actually going to compare/review the last two brands that I've tried...there is a distinct difference in quality. So, before you spend anywhere between 7-12 dollars on deoderant please read my post.

I do believe Secret was the first "ladies" brand to come out with a clinical strength deoderant that you could buy OTC. I'm using the Secret version now because I had a coupon (silly isn't it what we buy cause we have a coupon). It's about 1.6 ounces and yes I bought the smaller one, they do make larger sizes but the price is higher. It has a small container that is not the easiest thing to hold and the dial you need to turn to get the stuff out is a little stiff. There's maybe 5 holes up top where the product comes out and it does sometimes come out uneven.

The brand I had before I ran out was Dove. The Dove version, which I think is a recent product..I usually use Dove deoderant anyway and had not seen the clinical strength till I bought it. The Dove version is about 1.7 ounces, has a larger and easier to hold container than the Secret. Also, the dial is much easier to turn and the product comes out smoother, more even. There are multiple holes in the top for the product to emerge from..both large and small so you get a more even amount for application.

The product basically feels the same no matter what brand you use and they do all have the same main ingredient. But, I found that the Dove product dried quicker and stayed dry..even after showing the next morning. The Secret does not dry quickly and throughout the day it feels wet and like I need to reapply the stuff. Now, of course I plan on finishing the Secret even though I don't like it as much, I don't like to waste stuff. But from now on, I plan on sticking with Dove, coupon or no coupon!

Handmade Birthday

2010-05-04T15:01:00.008-05:00

Ok, sorry it's been awhile. As some of you know I am having a new home built in North Carolina which should be done in June..so I've been going nutso.

Anyway, last week I celebrated my 38th birthday and luckily the hubby got me something I wanted. I love being able to just email my Etsy favorites to people and say here get my gift from here.

My husband got me this beautiful lampwork Teapot necklace from Helen's Harvest. I've been coveting her work for awhile. She just makes the most beautiful lampwork jewelry. Take a look at her shop and peruse the floral pieces. Absolutely gorgeous. I love my Teapot..it's black, which is like my color and the pink roses make it more cute. I can't remember what this piece cost but I think it was around $35. Her prices range from $27 on the low end to $197 depending on the piece.

My boss was another "what do you want for your birthday cause I don't know" person, so I also passed my Etsy favorites on to her. She got me this gorgeous Silver Wreath necklace from Erin Elizabeth. I just love the Garnet surrounded by the simplicity of the setting. I've bought from Erin Elizabeth myself and she does not disappoint in her service and her work. I think this necklace cost around $30 or so. Erin Elizabeth's prices range from $17 to $250 with many inbetween. There's something for everyone price wise here.

Now this last one I did not get for my birthday, I won it in a treasure hunt type contest. But, it's cute no matter what you say. It's this crocheted flower bookmark from Joyous Treasures. It's made to look like a Primrose bloom and when you shut your book, you've got this little flower growing from your book, it's really unique. She's got rosebuds, full roses, daffodils (that one is really neat and I featured it on Rare Bird Finds the other day) and a ton more. Very reasonable prices too. My primrose bookmark will run you $7. Prices range from $3.75 to $15 for the bookmarks. Very unique and way better than a paper one or doggy earring the page.

So, a good birthday and even better were the gifts. I can honestly say I got what I wanted for my birthday.

To Pronate or Not to Pronate

2010-03-23T18:21:00.006-05:00

I have been a Pronater all of my life. And, no this is not some new fangled political group or something. Basically, I walk on the inside of my feet. I've done this all my life. I've sprained my ankles I can't tell you how many times because of it (I used to think I just had weak ankles). When I was a kid, I used to shove tissue into the inside of my shoes thinking that would help. I used to get teased and told I ran like a "chicken." I've also been in denial for many many many years. I look at my shoes and see how bent out of shape they are because of my pronation. I didn't even know the term for my problem till I started going to a chiropractor years ago.

So it wasn't until my husband told me that it hurts to watch me walk and that I walk really messed up, that I decided to see if I could find a solution. So I googled "pronation" and took a look at what came up. I found this online store called Footsmart and they have got tons and tons of products from inserts to shoes that help all kinds of foot related problems. I thought the shoes were kind of expensive so I searched "pronation" under their inserts and orthopedics. I found a pair of these gel inserts that were pretty inexpensive and thought, what the hell..I don't have anything to lose. They don't have the first pair I bought anymore so I can't post a photo. But, when I got them and put them in my shoes and walked around..there was an instant difference. After a day or so my back pain started going away. The only problem I had with this one pair was they made a couple pairs of my shoes way too tight and I couldn't wear them.

I went back to Footsmart and ordered a couple more different pairs of inserts. One was these ArchUps Slim inserts in the photo to the left. Very sturdy but not made of the gel like the other pair. They also come with an adhesive if you want to keep them from moving around in your shoe. These work alot better in my shoes, especially the ones that were too tight with the other inserts. Very easy to use and you can't really feel them at all. The effect is immediate. They are on sale at Footsmart right now for $4.97 and are regularly $12.99.

The other pair I got were these Bio-Balance inserts. These are more the soft gel type but slimmer in design so they fit any shoe fairly easily. These worked just as well. They're on sale at Footsmart for $3.97 regularly $6.99.

These were the inexpensive inserts. There are more expensive ones that I won't be trying but probably give you the same results. These were much more on my price radar. I'm happy with the results I've gotten with all three. I'm walking better and my posture is better. If you've got a pronation problem, don't go as long as I did without using a shoe insert. I have to say they have made things alot better.

Pondering an Empty Zip Loc Bag

2010-02-05T17:01:00.014-05:00

Why you might ask am I pondering an empty zip loc bag? Because I ate all my marshmallows that were inside. Not just any marshmallows, I'm talking handmade cinnamon sugar marshmallows! These marshmallows are just that dam good! I just got my box yesterday and I downed about half then including the 3 sample ones I got and just ate the last one seconds before I started writing this post. Just look at those beauties! I have a recipe somewhere for homemade marshmallows and mine turn out like crap everytime. So I got the hankerin to try some off of Etsy and I'm very very very pleased with my purchase..or did you already figure that one out lol.

These came from Have It Confections on Etsy. Marshmallows are not the only product, they make caramels and nougats too. I'm just in love with their marshmallows...but if my husband catches me ordering more I will be in trouble.. (he's over here playing his Xbox so I gotta be sneaky). I paid $9 for 15 1 inch by 1 inch marshmallows..so technically that's over 1 foot of sugary, sweety goodness! The other sweets must be just as fantastic because Have It Sweet Confections has over 3700 sales on Etsy! Whatever they are doing, I hope they keep it up cause they are doing it RIGHT! I plan on trying some caramels next and then maybe the chocolate swirl marshmallows and then maybe the Lemon Meringue or Toasted Coconut marshmallows but if you're a big fan of Products then feel free to let me know how you feel by getting me the $90 marshmallow of the month club :-) haha I wish.

Enjoy your sweets!

Don't Waste Your Money Alert: Mega Bloks Halo Wars

2010-01-04T14:42:00.006-05:00

It's been a long long long time since I had a "don't waste your money" post. This is one I need to pass on, especially to anyone with a son who loves Halo Wars.

My son wanted Santa to bring him a few of the new Halo Wars (what he thought was Lego) sets from Mega Bloks. So, Santa brought him three (all on sale haha). What a major disappointment. These sets are made after the vehicles from the popular Halo Wars video games. And, they look pretty cool. I just wish that Lego had created them instead of Mega Bloks. What a waste of time and money these sets are and I swear I shall never purchase another Mega Bloks product again.

I'm the one who usually puts these sets together...I actually enjoy it. But the Mega Bloks sets I hate. Whoever designed the bricks should be fired. There are so many elements of the sets that just don't go together well and constantly fall or pop off. The bricks don't click together easily like Lego products do. Every time I completed one part, another would pop off or come apart. It takes alot of pressure to get the bricks to connect with other bricks. If I had trouble getting these things together, imagine your kid. My son was so upset after I got one together, he'd try to play with it and it would keep coming apart. The only good parts to these sets are the little mini figures, nothing else. I think they glued the pieces together in these photos.

Now, granted, Mega Bloks sets cost alot less than Lego sets..now I know why. They are very cheaply made. I'd much rather pay the price for Lego. I know that Lego produces a quality product even though they cost more. I highly recommend, no matter how much your kid loves Halo, to avoid wasting your time and money on these Mega Bloks products. Get them some Halo Action Figures instead.

Now Showing....Cool Jewelry!

2009-12-13T17:15:00.014-05:00

Lately I've been finding some good marketing ideas from new Indie etailers I've come across on Etsy. It's cool to see how some of these stores are making products with unique ideas and concepts. This time it's jewelry from Now Showing Studios on Etsy. Melanie, the genius behind the designs, has taken the idea of movies and combined it with jewelry to create a really cool product. She's taken snippets from DVD movie rental cards (the ones that are behind the cases when they get rented out) and transforms them into some really neat pieces.

She has them separated by genre in her shop. Like Anime, horror, Cartoon, Sci Fi etc and you can find necklaces, earrings and bracelets. She adds coordinating beads and things to make the pieces even more one of a kind. Especially the necklaces.

This is the necklace I picked out and in case you can't figure out the snippet, it's from the Power Puff Girls. I just thought it was cool :-). I like how she uses bits and pieces so you have to sometimes think to figure out what movie it's from. Some are kind of obvious like the one below...and if you can't figure out what movie it is I can't help you.

I also was lucky enough to get a pair of earrings and some of her bracelets. The bracelets I got are memories gone wild for me...she uses those black rubber bracelets that I had a ton of in the 1980s..love them! And the earrings I got were from a Hello Kitty movie...each one is a side of her whiskered head :-).

There are just so many jewelry stores on Etsy now and it's almost mandatory that you come up with your own unique ideas to help you stand out from the crowd. I like what Melanie has done with this store. It's very unique and it's a clever idea. The pieces range from $15 to $30 and if you have a movie buff to buy for this Christmas, this might be that unique gift you're looking for! You can click the links in this post or just click on the Now Showing banner in my Shop Shop Shop section and you'll be taken straight there. Happy shopping!

Dress Me Green

2009-11-24T17:19:00.004-05:00

Sometimes, finding a really good organic or all natural product can be difficult. And, people need to know that using natural facial care products will not produce immediate effects like those chemistry lab produced stuff. So, you need to use them for awhile before you will see and feel the results. That's why this post has been so long in coming because I've been using Dress Green's products for a few months now.

First I tried the Pure Hydration facial cream as I always need a good rich moisturizer. And, this is definitely a good rich moisturizer. It has definitely helped my skin from getting more dehydrated and dried out due to all the weather ups and downs the past few months. It's got alot of good stuff in it like White Tea, Irish Moss, shea butter, pomegranate and evening primrose oil. The fragrance is light if at all. You won't notice anything overbearing in smell. It's good and thick but goes on smooth and easy with a good absorption rate. My face didn't feel heavy or greasy, just smooth and hydrated. It's $8 for a 2 ounce jar but that jar lasted me a good month or so. Compared to some of the other things out there, this was a good price and a good product.

After I finished that jar, I gave the Calming and Clarifying face cream a shot. At the time I bought it, my skin was acting up...breaking out etc so I thought this would be a good time to try this one. Again, a good thick moisturizer. It's not heavy or greasy and no overbearing fragrance. This one has even more goodies in it including apricot seed oil, cocoa butter, tea tree oil, clary sage, licorice root extract (which is also in my Avon product that helps reduce my dark spots), green tea, and Goji Berry. There's alot more in there but you can go to Dress Greens's store and read it for yourself. The price is the same, $8 for a 2 ounce jar and I still have plenty left and I bought it back in October.

Dress Green has other products I've yet to try like perfumes, body lotion and scrubs but from what I have seen with these two products I have tried, I like what I see. The quality for the price is fantastic. Can't go wrong here.

Beauty and the Book

2009-11-08T08:50:00.009-05:00

Anyone who knows me, knows that I am a avid book reader. None of the insane people in my house seem to understand that I'd rather read a good book than have their company (just kidding of course). Since I love books so much it's simple to figure out why I am a fan of Latherati Soap. Julie, the (I want to say "Librarian") owner of Latherati Soap combines the love of bath with the love of a good book. Every item she sells is inspired by a good book.

Since Latherati Soap is a fairly new shop, the line is still growing. Soaps dominate the selection but there are also lip balms as well as perfumes and sugar scrubs. I love the book connection, I think it's one of the cleverest ideas I've seen on Etsy in awhile (in the Bath & Body category). The labels remind me of those old book plates my parents used to use, you know the ones that announce that this book is part of the Library of.... If you have no idea what I'm talking about then you're too young, don't worry about it. Just understand that the packaging is cool ok.

I had gotten a soap called "Orchard", which (as it says on the site and label) is inspired by "Cider House Rules." There are other clever names like "Golden Ticket" and "Kimono" (if you don't know what books inspired these then you need to go to the library stat). It's obvious that alot of thought went into the creation of Latherati.

"Orchard" as you can see from the photo, reminds you of a fall apple orchard in its coloration. It smells like clean crisp apples but not overbearing and not perfumey like some can be. This is just straight good old apple. This soap lathers up quickly and very well. I've tried some soaps that don't seem to lather much as all but not Latherati soaps. It lathers well and rinses very clean. No sticky or dull residue on the skin. We like that in our soaps people. $5 per bar.

I also have one of the lip balms (called Lip Lusters here) called "Matchmaker", inspired by "Emma.". It's a strawberry flavor which is very true to what you expect in a strawberry. Not overly sweet but just right on the money. The balm holds up very well in either warm or cold temperatures. I like it when it doesn't get all melted in my pocket. And, I like it when it doesn't get all hard or gritty from being outside in the cold. All in all a very good lip balm. $3.50 per tube and comes in plenty of other flavors.

So, all in all, I like Latherati Soap. ! The prices are on par with most other beauty makers I've seen. I love the themes and hope to see much more in the future. Come on Julie, you need some stuff inspired by "Tales From Margaritaville" and "Interview with the Vampire." :-)

Avon to the Rescue

2009-10-05T13:44:00.006-05:00

I am sooo sorry to have been so far behind on my posts. I've been trying to get alot of things wrapped up (passing on the PTO torch) that I kept forgetting. Plus, I've been working on Rare Bird Finds and here's the link to my picks: http://rarebirdfinds.typepad.com/rare_bird_finds/jennifers-picks/

Anyway....as alot of you know from past reviews, I have hyperpigmentation on my face. For those of you who don't know what that is, hyperpigmentation is the result of overproductive melanin producing skin cells. Basically dark spots. Mostly caused by sun damage and hormones during pregnancy. I've had mine for a long time and have tried a bunch of different products as well as a specific facial treatment monthly at my spa.

A couple of months ago my skin specialist as the spa mentioned that one of her co-workers, who also has some dark spots, tried this new Avon product and it worked for her. At this point, I'll try anything to get rid of these things.

The product is called Anew Alternative Photo Radiance Treatment. Just about every review on this product gave it 5 stars. So, of course I bought some. A 1 ounce tube will run you $25, but my friends, it is worth every penny. I've been using it for about a month (almost done with my first tube) and it has dramatically lightened up my spots. Now, the spots are not all the way gone but they are well on their way. I would say they are about 40-50% lightened and for me that is saying alot. Since I've had my spots for years, they will take longer to fade away. So, if you've had spots for years, do not expect fast results with any product, even this one. But after all these years and all those products, I finally found one that works and works well.

The instructions say to use it in the AM but I use it both in the morning and at night. It's simple to use and also has an SPF 15.

Avon has never disappointed me. Every product I've ever used has been great. I've praised their mascaras in the past (the best out there trust me) and I praise their Anew line now. I'm so happy that they came up with this product because it truly has been the only thing that has worked to lighten up my spots.

A Little More Salt Please

2009-08-31T17:32:00.006-05:00

You all know that I can't deal with bubble bath and basically use bath salts exclusively. I found another great bath and body shop on Etsy and just love the bath salts she sells.

I've been buying all my bath salts lately from KimberQuinn on Etsy. Not only are they top quality, but the price is very nice too! There are many pleasing fragrances to choose from in her store and I favor the Pink Romance and the Amber, Vanilla Sandalwood scents. The salts themselves are all the good kinds you expect from a top quality products (like those expensive ones in Target) like Dead Sea Salts and Mineral Salts. Even though they are pretty chunky, the salts dissolve very quickly in the bath. There is coloring in these, but not enough to color your water which is just what I like.

Remember, bath salts help your body let loose some of those toxins and helps to relax your muscles. I thoroughly enjoy a good soak in a good warm bath with my bath salts. KimberQuinn's are some of the best I've come across, on Etsy or even in the retail stores. I don't know if she plans on continuing the sale, but right now , like today, you can get a 4 oz. bag for $2.95..regularly $4.95. I just bought 3 bags the other day..I think I've already used 2 lol. You know me, quality is number one and price is number 2. These salts are very good quality and I think you will agree.

Oh, if you are curious as to why I can handle bubble bath anymore, feel free to email me or comment here.

Give Me the Eye

2009-08-25T13:59:00.006-05:00

Awhile back, I won a lil scavenger hunt type contest from the Muddy Muse on Etsy. The prize was $10 to spend in their shop. They make all kinds of clay goodies from magnets to dishes. They have a kind of rustic style that still brings a modern flair with it. I probably shopped the store every day looking at all the items $10 and under. But, I always came back to one particular item that was more than $10. So, I asked if I could use my prize towards the cost and they said ok.

Now, I have my beautiful Eyeball mug! This is a huge mug by the way..it holds like 18-20 ounces of beverage..my beverage of choice is, of course, tea. This is the mug I use when I really need the caffeine, when I use 2-3 tea bags to make my morning brew. My eye watches over me! Eye need my tea!

Ok, I'm starting to get kooky. Anyway, the mugs are extremely well crafted. They are, according to the shop, microwave and dishwasher safe but I still hand wash mine. You can get your Eyeball in any color you choose. Mine is blue. The best thing is your Eye never needs Visine!

I recently featured my Eyeball Mug on Rare Bird Finds as well. I like the craftsmanship and the quality of their work. This is a very strong and durable piece of pottery. Plus, you get a nice little Java magnet with your purchase, I just love the lil extras :-). You can get your custom Eyeball mug for $25 at the Muddy Muse.

I'm A Rare Bird

2009-08-19T12:45:00.003-05:00

I am so thrilled! I am now a contributor on Rare Bird Finds! For those of you who don't know what it is, Rare Bird Finds is a blog where we find all of the unique and rare items that are available on the net. I've been a fan/reader for years and I'm honored to now be a part of it. I will, of course, still be writing reviews here on POD but just wanted to send the word out.

WARNING: Embarrassing Post Ahead

2009-07-24T10:36:00.003-05:00

Yes, this is my most embarrassing post ever. I'm sharing things here that I normally would NEVER write about but, if it helps someone else then I've done my job. So, here goes...

I have had hemmorhoids for years..there you have it. Pregnancy and bad childhood eating caused it and it sucks. It's sucked for years! I've got interior and exterior ones. For years I have tried all kinds of crap from over the counter Preperation H to prescription suppositories. Let me tell you that any of the over the counter crap does not work!!! The prescription suppositories work but they contain cortisone which is not good for long term use. They would work for awhile but eventually the pain and the lovely itching always cam back.

So about a year ago I just searched online for hemmerhoid products and of course, got a bunch of questionable sites. I looked at several and decided what the hell I might as well give one a try. Can't be any worse that what I'm already going through right? I went ahead and ordered from Neo-Healer. I ordered the combo which has the ointment and a box of 10 suppositories which cost me $39.95 plus shipping.

I got my order about a week later and found the product was made in Jordan. Hmmm...did I make a mistake. Believe it or not, NO I did not make a mistake. This stuff really works. Go figure, a questionable product that works. I used both the ointment and the suppositories and after 10 days, gone gone gone. Once in awhile I'll have a minor flare-up, but I just put a lil ointment on it and within hours no more problems. I have been truly amazed. And, with the ointment, a little goes a long way...I've had my tube for a very long time and still am not even halfway thru it.

Here are the ingredients straight from the website, all herbal I might add:

"Lupinus Albus - The essential oil extract from Lupin (Alpha-Lupaline) has been shown to be 10,000 more potent than vitamin E, 5000 times more potent than vitamin C. This is used to support the activity of skin repair enzyme to aid in skin healing and recovery.Vateria Indica - A bitter resin from the piney tree which is traditionally used in ayurvedic prescriptions in India for centuries to heal hemorrhoids. It helps exerts anti inflammatory action and hasten up healing.Mentha Piperita - Also know as peppermint, this is a herb with downy leaves and small purple or white flowers that yields a pungent oil used as a flavoring. Use for hemorrhoids pain relief and to reduce itching.Aloe Vera - Contains gibberlin and polysaccharides, which effectively decrease inflammation and promote healing."

It works for all kinds of hemmorhoids, including bleeding ones (which I used to get alot). And, the peppermint makes you all minty fresh lol. Yes I know, TMI Jen, TMI.

All kidding aside folks, this product actually works. I would never recommend anything that did not work for me and Neo-Healer, does. I'm happy to have finally found something that works and like I said I haven't had any problems in over a year (other than one or two minor flare ups but I treatd them and they were gone within hours). I HIGHLY recommend this product!!!

Serrelynda

2009-07-10T15:37:00.010-05:00

Finding unique and orignal jewelry designs can be hard or it can be easy. Etsy, as you know, is my top top choice for finding one of a kind or at the least, very original pieces. Sometimes, I find a shop that has designs that really do stand out from the crowd. Serrelynda is such a shop.

Serrelynda's designs incorporate unique antique and vintage findings with bronze, oxidized brass and oxidized silver. Most of these pieces are things I have never seen before. The bracelets and necklaces are extremely unique and no two are the same. To me, it's the vintage bits and pieces she uses that make all the difference. Plus, her profile says shes a stay-at-home-mom with a 4 year old...just like yours truly...except I can't come up with jewelry like this :-)

This bracelet is perhaps one of my favorites from her shop. This Cloisonne (I love Cloisonne) Moon and Star Filligree bracelet, has really antique Cloisonne from Baghdad marked with the year 1937. I have alot of Chinese cloisonne in my home (from my mother) but this is not your run of the mill/dime a dozen type of enamel work. The oxidized brass works so well with the cloisonne pieces, it's like they were two lost souls who finally found each other...ok I'm being sappy but this is just a beautiful piece! This bracelet runs for $28, not a bad price considering the antique cloisonne.

Another piece that I love is this necklace with the two opposing Griffins. It's so medieval and it just seems to be a show stopper.....as well as a major conversation piece. Who wouldn't ask you about this if you were wearing it? Serrelynda oxidized the brass herself (which I wouldn't have a clue how to do) and to me that just says I put my blood, sweat and tears into my work. $42 for this original necklace and I guarantee you'll be the talk of the party wearing this one :-)

Serrelynda does make earrings too. They are beautiful but not as intricate as her necklaces and bracelets. However, you don't want to overdo your jewelry ensamble. The earrings are simple in design and will go well with they other pieces she sells. If you're wearing an over the top necklace or bracelet, you want to go easy on your earrings. Not every piece of jewelry should make a huge statement. Simple earrings go well with intricate necklaces. I like these Bronze Moonglow earrings. The warm colored beads against the bronze are just striking. $12 for these earrings.

Serrelynda has many many other pieces, this is just the tip of the iceberg. So if you're looking for something out of the ordinary, Serrelynda has pieces that range in price from $10-$42. I would be shocked if you didn't end up either buying something or just hearting alot of pieces and hearting her shop!

Deep in the Heart of Texas Part 2

2009-07-07T18:55:00.013-05:00

Ok, so after leaving the Schlitterbahn Waterpark, we went to San Antonio. I have to say that San Antonio was my favorite part of the trip. Our hotel was just a block down from the Alamo and only a couple of blocks from the River Walk (along the San Antonio River). San Antonio is just a really nice city.

Since we got there so late on Monday, we just freshened up and walked along the River Walk. We had dinner at one of the (many) Mexican restaurants along the walk and did the Riverwalk Boat Tour..highly recommended. Any of the restaurants along the Riverwalk are going to be pricey. On average, for the 4 of us (and the kids shared a meal) it usually was $80 for dinner. The boat tour is a must. It runs around 35 minutes and for us 4 is totalled $26.75. It was very informative and fun.

The next day we, naturally, did the Alamo. Remember, there is NO basement in the Alamo! Texans are very very serious about the history surrounding the Alamo, so much so that it is considered holy ground in Texas. So, when you go there be RESPECTFUL! It's not very big but it's a must see for anyone visiting San Antonio. Alot of neat artifacts from good old Davy Crockett and in the gift shop there's a short history of the Bowie knife. The gift shop actually is one of the best gift shops I've seen. They had a great selection of items and reasonably priced too (you don't see that too often either). If you're hot after your Alamo excursion, right outside in the plaza there are many many snow cone vendors!

After the Alamo, we crossed over to the visitors center and picked up some day passes for the Trolley. We rode down to Market Square which is a bunch of little shops carrying hand made Mexican items. Most shops carried the same things but you could find some one of a kinds if you looked hard enough. There's a great little cafe across the way with a huge bakery. I will warn you though, some shops (only a couple) sell some items you will not want your kids to see.

After Market Square, we went over to the Buckhorn Saloon for lunch. Food was ok, more like your local sandwich shop. But, it's the atmosphere you are there for. Cowboys twirling their lassos as they greet you. Inside there's every animal head imaginable on the wall. The kids and my husband just loved that. There is a museum in there which we did not go through, a very tiny game room and a gift shop. This is a good place for the kids. After lunch we headed back to the hotel for a bit of R&R.

The evening was spent walking around the Riverwalk shops, La Villita (the original village of San Antonio which is now all shops), the River Center Mall and dinner at the Saltgrass Steakhouse. There weren't as many shops as I was hoping for. The majority of the Riverwalk is all restaurants and bars. It's a family friendly that's for sure.

Wednesday, July 1st, we had to make our way back to Houston to come back home. But, not before taking a slight detour to Shiner, Texas and the Shiner Brewery (home of Shiner Bock beer). Tours are only given at specific times and only on weekdays. We were a bit late (tour started at 11am and we got there at 11:07am) and it's very short. No pictures allowed by the way. Then you go back to the gift shop where you get 4 samples of their beer. They had some good items in the gift shop from tshirts to Steins. I got myself a Shiner brewery cookbook and the recipes look damn good! Oh, and they have lemonade for the kids so again, another "family friendly" place.

Well, that was the trip. There was so much more we could've done in San Antonio had we stayed longer but alas this was all the time we had. I hope this review helps anyone who's thinking of going down there...I do recommend you wait and do not go in the summer if you can help it.

New reviews coming soon including some very unique jewelry I found on Etsy. Have a great day!

Deep in the Heart of Texas

2009-07-04T15:02:00.010-05:00

Geez..sorry sorry sorry..didn't realize it's been this long since I posted......well the end of school came and then getting re-adjusted to both boys being home and then vacation last week....I guess I'm just getting back into the swing of things.

Happy 4th of July everyone! And, yes I was in Texas from last Saturday till Wednesday. Again, lots of reviewing of the places we went and things we saw to help you if you go down there on vacation.

I'm sure you're wondering how insane I am to actually go down to Texas on Vacation in June/July...well my husband planned this trip so I'm not to blame. Although, the 103 degree temps down there really made me wonder if he's nuts or not. So, here's where we went and my recommendations as to yay or nay especially if you've got the kiddies along.

The first two days we stayed in Houston (landed there and stayed till Monday morning). We went straight to the Downtown Houston Aquarium which is run by Landry's (think restaurants, food, etc). This is an aquarium with a few outside rides and games. For $15.99 per person, you get access to all the rides, games and the aquarium. Not a bad deal if you take a gander at the individual prices for the rides ($2.99-$4.99). This is a really nice little aquarium and there are just fish tanks everywhere, from the main aquarium to the restaurants. It's not a big aquarium but alot of fish I haven't seen before. Very nice set up. There's a "touch tank" room where you can pet sting rays and horseshoe crabs. Also, they have White Bengal Tigers there and you can get right up to the glass to see them. Gorgeous tigers and really cool to be face to face with them. The restaurant was a bit pricey but that's what you have to deal with. There's a huge huge tank in the middle of the restaurant with all kinds of fish, from the teeny tiny to the HUGE. You also can take a train ride into the shark tank area which is short but neat. All in all, a decent thing to do if you have the time. For us, it killed time till we could check in to our hotel.

Sunday we did way too much, especially in the heat. First we went to San Jacinto State Park (where Santa Anna signed his surrender) and that's ok but not real exciting for the kids. It costs $2 per adult to get in the park and kids are free. It costs more if you want to go into the monument, but we didn't..just took it's picture. Also in the park is the Battleship Texas (built in the early 1920s I think). Costs $10 per adult and kids are free (you have to go into the park and yes pay the first fee before you can pay the Battleship fee). My older son and my husband really enjoyed the battleship. My little one was hot and not really interested. So, great for older kids (8 and up). The ship has been kept in remarkable shape and there are lots of knooks and crannies to check out and find aboard.

From there we went to the Johnson Space Center. I ordered our tickets online and saved $3 per ticket. Under 4 are free. For us the total was $48.75. You just print out your tickets when they are emailed to you and walla all done. The kids loved the Space Center. There is PLENTY of things for them to do and explore. I liked it but thought it would've been bigger and the main area was just overcrowded, not with people but with stuff. You also get the Tram Tour which takes you around the main NASA area. YOu get to see their training facility (where they have mock ups of the shuttle and the international space station) as well as Rocket Park where the Saturn V rocket is held (they built a huge "warehouse" to hold it as the elements were taking their toll on the rocket). If you have kids then I highly recommend the Space Center, both of my kids enjoyed it alot. I also recommend that you save the money and buy your tickets online.

For dinner, we went over to Kemah Boardwalk and had dinner at The Flying Dutchman. Dinner was great but Kemah is just a HUGE tourist trap and in my opinion a waste of money. They've got rides which cost an arm and a leg to go on, boardwalk games (just a few and dull) and plenty of restaurants. They also have a video arcade which was the biggest rip off ever.....you got 2 tokens per one dollar and most of the games cost 2 or more tokens. RIP OFF. If you just gotta go to Kemah, just go for the eating and leave. Parking is $6 in the lots. Plus the rides cost a fortune. We just did the train ride since the boys love trains. Other than that, even they didn't seem to thrilled with Kemah.

Monday we left Houston for San Antonio..but before arriving there we had to go to the Schlitterbahn waterpark. My husband was all excited about it, he had seen it on the Travel channels top 10 waterparks. Needless to say, we were not impressed by it at all. Now, I've been to plenty of different water parks from the ones in Disney to Water Country USA in Williamburg to the old Action Park in north Jersey. Schlitterbahn is split into 2 parks, the Original Schlitterbahn and the newer Schlitterbahn East. YOu have to take a bus to get from one to the other. We started off in the original park which uses untreated water from the Comal river (untreated???). If you have a little one, you need to stop in guest services and pick up a life vest and a netted tube (so they don't fall thru) for them to use. Then you've got to get your locker. Then you've got to get yourself some Splash Cash (basically waterproof wrist bands with lil tags with dollar values). Then you've got to go down to the tube pickup and grab a tube to carry all through the dam park. Yes, in the original park you need to get a tube and carry it everywhere. The rides were great (I got on 2) but the lines are long long long. The park layout is all screwed up. You gotta go down to the end of a line which snakes back up to the entrance. It's just not an easy park to get around and find things. They did not plan the layout real well. Disney will make a park around the land to make it flow....I'm still trying to figure out how Schlitterbahn worked it all out. The kiddie pool areas were actually the best part in my opinion. They were unique and set up great. The kids really both enjoyed the kiddie areas. And, I highly recommend water shoes. Not for the water but to keep your feet from getting third degree burns from the sidewalks. Not alot of shade in this waterpark (others I have been to have had tons of shade trees over the sidewalls to keep them cool). They don't have shoe cubbies at the rides either so your screwed. My feet were burnt. The only one of us who didn't get burnt feet was Connor since he was easily carried. By the time we got over to the East side of the park, I was sick and tired of it already. I just hung out in the kid's pool on that side and didn't move. I know this waterpark is a BIG deal down there in Texas (we went to the one in New Braunfels) but this waterpark is not up to par with the likes of Water Country USA and Disney.

I'll continue this tomorrow with our 2 days in San Antonio and our stop at the Shiner Bock Brewery....just like Texas..this post is getting too BIG.

Tea Man is The MAN

2009-06-15T17:37:00.007-05:00

You guys know by now that I am ALWAYS crusing around Etsy. And, you should all know that I am a tea person (had a British Grandmother you know) and am always willing to try new tea. Well, that's how I found TeaMan!

I'm usually a strict "black tea" person and I tend to stay within say English Breakfast, Chai etc as far as flavors go. I've never really been a fan of fruit flavored black teas..usually the fruit overpowers the tea and it just tastes like I'm drinking hot juice. One Saturday Night during Etsy SNS sales time..TeaMan was offering 25 free bags of his new Cherry, Orange & Almond tea with any purchase. So, I thought it was about time I tried his tea, I'd seen him on the promotion forum often enough. I ordered myself a black tea sampler and got the free tea.

It was $7.50 for the sampler which has 65 tea bags in it and shipping was only $3, fairly reasonable. He shipped them rather quickly and I got my tea in a matter of a few days, so that is also impressive.

Here are the flavors I got in my sampler:

Darjeeling and Ceylon tea

Peach and Apricot tea

Northn comfort tea

Chai black tea

Black Currant black tea

Earl Grey black tea

Strawberry black tea

Cranberry tea

Vanilla black tea

Gingerbread tea

Black Raspberry black tea

English Breakfast black tea

Plus the 25 Cherry, Orange & Almond tea.

I already went thru my usual lovies, the vanilla, the chai, the gingerbread and they are excellent. The quality is outstanding for a home made tea. The flavors are just perfect and meld in just the right way with the tea leaves. There's no overpowering of any spice or flavor. The tea just comes out perfect every time.

I already said I wasn't a big "fruited" tea fan. But, now that's all I have left to try. Tea Man is so good with his blending techniques that the fruit and tea go so well together. I actually enjoy his fruited black tea. It's like good strong black tea with a gentle touch of fruit so you get the flavor of both the tea and the fruit without your tea tasting like hot fruit juice. Even the Cherry, Orange & Almond, which I thought I wasn't going to like, is excellent.

I can truly say with all honesty that if I brew a cuppa Tea Man's tea, I'm going to be content and happy. Prices range from $2.50 for 25 bags to $14 for the Super Sampler. He seems to have special going on all the time. If you purchase $5 or more you'll get 25 of the Cherry, Orange, Almond teabags or if your purchase is under $5, you'll get 10 teabags for free. If you're a tea person like myself, you have to give his tea a go. I highly recommend the Chai and the Gingerbread tea, some of the best I've ever had.

Tea Man ROCKS!

Where Have I Been?

2009-06-07T16:12:00.003-05:00

Ok, I've been on a little hiatus not of my own doing. I had a cancer scare recently and I just had to take a break until things were figured out.

As some of you may know, my mother died of pre-menopausal breast cancer back in 1994. Because of that I've been having annual mammograms since I was 30 (37 now). I had this year's mammogram back on May 15th.

On the 20th I got a letter in the mail, which is what they usually do to tell you there's no change, but it said my mammogram was incomplete and I had to come back for more imaging. Well, I was pissed thinking that the technician didn't do things right. So, I made an appt. for the 22nd. I went in and the tech I had then told me that they wanted to do an ultrasound as there was a small round mass detected in my right breast. I was like, what!! The letter just said it was "incomplete" (they really need to change that). So, ultrasound was done and the doctor couldn't find it. She thought it might be a cyst and usually "fluid filled" masses can be seen. So, she had them take 3 more mammogram images. The mass was still there. I was told I would need to get it biopsied. Of course, with my family history I just lost it and all the way home. Talked with my husband and scheduled the biopsy as soon as I could, which was MOnday June 1st.

I found my self surprisingly calm during the week before. I guess I had resigned myself to the fact a long time ago that eventually this would come to be.

Monday June 1st...biopsy day. I was nervous but not too bad. They put me on this table with a hole in it..yes how original..where I had to stick righty thru. There's a mammogram machine underneath and I was "compressed" and they took images till they found the mass. Then they injected me with 200 ccs of ladocaine (sp). This is where things went really really wrong. Being compressed, I couldn't really tell if I was numbed up or not, I assumed I was. The doctor told me I'd hear a POP..well I heard it and I f'ing felt it too. It was very very painful. I felt everything....then the nausea hit and the panic attack, sweats etc followed. They took the needle out of me and luckily they got one sample b4 they removed the needle. However, they usually like to take 3 more. The doctor told me she was pretty confident the report would come back as a fibroid adenoma (benign fibroid basically). Results would come back in 2 days. The nurse mentioned after that sometimes women with fibrous breasts...the ladocaine doesn't work on them. Um, hello that fact has been in my files for like EVER! Could've asked me.

Wednesday, June 3rd. I got the call around 2pm from the nurse. She told me the results were inconclusive and it just said "fibrous tissue". Since the Dr. was looking for a more specific diagnosis, this was not good enough and I would have to come back for another biopsy. I was able to get in this past Friday the 5th at 7:45am. As soon as I got off the phone, I began my nervous breakdown. The first biopsy just traumatized me and I was scared to death about going for a 2nd..even though they would use a different medication for my local.

My good friend and neighbor, Suzie, suggested I call my GYN and ask for a valium prescription. I figured why not, I am freaking out anyway, might as well try something. So, she called in a 1 pill Rx for Ativan. Took it in the morning and I'm thankful it worked for me. I was drowsy and it put me in a "I don't give an F" type of mood. So, I didn't freak out when we got there.

I'm back up on the table and they're taking images again and I hear the tech and the nurse talking and saying, "I don't know, it was clear as day on Monday." I began to giggle to myself because I realized they couldn't find the mass. They must've took about 12 images and couldn't find it. The doctor had them take a few more on a regular mammogram imager..still couldn't find it. I was brought into a room to talk w/the doctor. There were two screens..the left had the images they just took and the right had the images from Monday. Monday's images, there's the mass clear as day. The images they just took, the mass is gone. Now, she doesn't know if it's gone or the previous procedure (blood or whatever) may be obscuring it. I asked about the pathology report, she read it to me and explained it. They found cystistic cells and fibrous tissue (the nurse didn't mention the cystistic cells) all benign. No atypical cells or malignant cells. She was truly at a loss as to where the mass went. But, I have to heal up and come back in 2 months (August 7th) for another mammogram and see what's what.

So, in a nutshell, that's where I've been and why I haven't had any posts/reviews. If you find yourself in the position I was and you have been diagnosed with "fibrous breasts", be sure to tell the doctors before they perform your needle biopsy. You do not want to go thru what I went thru pain wise.

I'm good and calm now so reviews will be back soon. I really wanted my readers to know where I was and why I was gone.