TS Reviews

Blogmania giveaway!

2010-09-15T00:00:00.005-04:00

You’ve arrived at exactly the right time to explore lots of new blogs, all of which, ARE GIVING AWAY A VERY SPECIAL BLOGMANIA GIVEAWAY (For One Day Only – Sept 15^th) .

We’ve done all the work for you. No hunting or surfing. Each blog will have a number and each new blog link will have a number. These numbers will allow you to keep track of which blogs you’ve visited and how many are left to visit. Why not take a moment to make a list of blog numbers 1-123 and check off the blogs as you go.

I know you’ll want to visit as many blogs today as you can. So, if you see something that interests you on any of our participating blogs, why not bookmark that site. Later, when you have more time, you can discover all its fabulous treasures.

We Love Colors has generously offered to sponsor for Blogmania.
For all the girls out there, they have offered up any pair of tights from their site for the winner!

This giveaway lasts one day only so enter fast!.
It is open to US & Canada

To enter: Visit WE Love Colors and let me know the name of your fav. item
Leave the comment with your email

Extra entries;
4 extra entries + If you email subscribe to TS Reviews, include the email in a comment
4 extra entries + If you're a follower, tell me!
3 extra entries + If you twitter follow both ME and WLC . Include your twitter name

Visit the rest of the Blogmania blogs and enter their giveaways as well, click here for the list of blogs.
Good luck!

Disclaimer: I will be provided a pair of leggings in the future to review and was not compensated for this post. I am not responsible for sending out this prize.

YooHoo & Friends review and giveaway

2010-09-05T00:44:00.004-04:00

A little while ago in May I had held an Aurora giveaway to promote their new bestselling Yoohoo & Friends line. I was also supposed to hold a review thereafter but never received the package, little did I know it was stuck in the mail still trying to get to me. So here I am with that a review, and another adorable Yoohoo giveaway for you.

My review:

Let's start off with their bestselling line. I was sent the four cute 5" cuddly lovebugs pictured below!

The winter time Yoohoo

The little yellow guy third from the left is who I got to cuddle. He has a little winter hat of his own on, and a long yellow and gray tail. He makes a bouncy sound when you squeeze him and is very soft. I can only imagine how cute the other colors are.

The Sugar Glider Yoohoo and the Squirrel Yoohoo

This pink plushie has pink wings right under her arms! She's the one located on the top. The one I received has a "Love and Peace" flower on her belly. She is made of a bright, pink polyester and laughs when you squeeze her. I think any little girl would love her as well. Located on the bottom right is the Squirrel I have as well, but mine comes with a twist as he adorns a "Groovy" flower on his belly and a rainbow bandana on his head. The fur on his face resembles a white beard to go along with his squirrel tail and 'chitter' sound when you squeeze his tummy! He has pink and black eyes, all of these small but unique attributes make him an amazing plushie.

The Birthday YooHoo

This YooHoo comes in both pink, and blue and can be used as a cute birthday gift for anyone. I recieved the blue, and he has bright blue eyes to match his tail and sparkly birthday hat. There are cute little streamers on top to accentuate this birthday-esque plushie that sounds a musical "birthday song" when you squeeze him! Happy birthday :)

Overall: Aurora's bestselling 5" YooHoo line is great quality. They are only nine dollars each and every single plushie has individual properties to make it unique. From a hat to a tail or a sound, each one is unique and surprising. They are cuddly, durable, and have beads inside their bottoms to give them a bit of weight. I had so much fun looking and discovering each plushie, because there were little tidbits that give them all the originality that they need.

They also sent me four items from their Fun Center line, which you can see above to the left. The only item I did not include was the stickers because I'd forgotten to add them to the picture. You can see them in the middle. I think the fun center items are very cute and original and I would definitely buy them again. Especially the "snaps" products (the accessory bag located on the top right of the left picture is a "snaps" product).

"Fans who want to make a personal statement and create their own individual looks should check out the “snap” products — the “snaps” are roughly one inch in diameter, can be mixed and matched, and fasten to the YooHoo & Friends Fun Center items (except spiral notebook and doodle pad)." Ref: Yoohoo

You can see the doodle pad in the top right corner of the left picture, and the mousepad located on the bottom. The doodle pad comes with three crayons and is very cute and vibrant, just like the mousepad. The stickers are great quality and come on a dome like cylinder that gets smaller on the way up (with the biggest stickers on the bottom).

Now is the giveaway you've been waiting for. :) They've launched their new Milly line and have given me two items from their line to review and a Pinkest Kitten to give away to one reader;

“We are excited to introduce the Milly line to little girls and tweens everywhere who are partial to plush that is cute and ‘girly,’ not to mention pink,” says Michael Kessler, SVP of Sales at Aurora. Kessler says, “Milly makes a great gift for girls, while inspiring and comforting them at the same time.”

The 8" Milly Wanna Be Princess is $11.00 and features a frilly purple dress and pink star wand. She comes in many different collectible styles. I also recieved the Milly Kitten that tucks right into a pink strawberry carrier so that you can't see her at all while she's inside. It's such a unique and interesting carrier that is scented with sweet strawberry! I find the Milly line very cuddly, girly and comforting.

All of Aurora's products have withstood my cuddling which calls for quality plushie. I think they are durable, comfortable, cute and original which I cannot stress enough! You can find one for almost any occasion or gift (especially for children but I feel that adults would enjoy almost all of these plushies as well), for as low as $8.00.

The giveaway: A Milly Kitten from Aurora.
Giveaway is open to US & Canada and ends on September 30th

Mandatory entry: Visit Aurora's Shop and choose your favorite plushie.

Extra entries

Visit the interactive online world, click on an animal you didn't know about and tell me something you learned about that animal.
Twitter follow YooHoo and timesurge, include your twitter name
Tweet this giveaway (Once daily) : RT Win a Yoohoo & friends plush animal! @timesurge #giveaway 9/30 http://alturl.com/9g7dh US & Canada
Fan Yoohoo on facebook, include your facebook name
Comment any non-giveaway post (Max. 10 extra entries)
Enter this giveaway into any public linky, forum, or social networking site. Leave the link.
If you are an email subscriber, three extra entries. Include your email.
If you are a follower, three extra entries. Include the name you follow with.

Disclaimer: I was provided the items above free for review for my honest opinion.

A new giveaway blog + Upcoming giveaway

2010-08-16T16:45:00.002-04:00

Check out NewEra200 ! Review and giveaway blog, follow along for now and you'll see more soon. :) He'd appreciate the support.

Also look forward to another Aurora review and giveaway as well as and Eos review sometime soon this week at TS.

Sunglasses wearhouse WINNER.

2010-08-01T10:56:00.007-04:00

There were a total of 154 entries into the Sunglasses Wearhouse giveaway, and the winner is..

#136
Renee

{Confirmed}
Congrats!.
She will be contacted soon and have 72 hours to reply before another winner is chosen.

Vapur, foldable waterbottle! Review and giveaway

2010-08-01T10:29:00.001-04:00

Vapur is the foldable, reusable waterbottle designed to go anywhere. It can be rolled, folded or flattened when empty unlike regular waterbottles – easily fitting into pockets, purses, packs or briefcases. The highly-durable bottle is freezable, dishwasher safe and BPA-free, which means it can be safely reused again and again.

Every Vapur is made from ultra-durable, FDA-approved, BPA-free polymer. Vapur is designed to withstand everyday use and regular cleaning. The inner layer is odor, taste, and stain resistant.

You can purchase it for only $8.95

My review: I find this such an appealing product. It's convenient yet simple. A tip I used when I first received the bottle in blue was to fill the Vapur bottle up halfway and then stick it in the freezer so you can fill it the rest of the way in the morning. Then if I find myself on the go and wanting water, I can just grab that and put it in my pocket afterwards all folded up. Or, if I'm not finished with it I can clip it to my pants/purse. It stands when full, and can also be used as an icepack while you wait for the water you've frozen inside to melt.

It is environmentally conscious, safe (BPA free), and all around essential for a good cause. Vapur believes in using tap water (learn more about that here). Everything I have read just makes me root for them as a company itself. Here are a couple facts for you that I loved learning myself;

BPA Free: Bisphenol A (BPA), an organic compound, is a component in the manufacture of polymers and polymer additives. It can mimic the body’s hormones, thereby disrupting endocrine function. Humans unknowingly ingest BPA through food, because BPA leaches from the plastic lining of packaged foods, such as cans, and polycarbonate plastic food containers, especially those exposed to hot or acidic liquids, or harsh detergents. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) has detected BPA in the majority of American adults and children. Source.
Vapur has joined the 1% For The Planet program through which they give a portion of all Vapur sales to water-related environmental causes. They are in the process of working with local communities to make clean tap water more readily available than ever.

What's Wrong with Drinking Bottled Water?

It takes 17 million barrels of oil each year to make water bottles for the U.S. market(7). That would be enough oil to fuel 1.3 million cars for a year. 37,800 18-wheelers deliver bottled water around the country every week(8). Manufacturing and filling the plastic water bottles, on average wastes 30-40% of the water involved in the process. Only 60-70% of the water ends up in the bottles on supermarket shelves. This is partly because the bottle-making machines are cooled by water(9). Most water bottles are made from polyethylene terephthalate (PET), which is a polymer derived from oil. Only 23% of water bottles are recycled- 38 billion are land filled each year(10).

I highly suggest checking out this company if you're into earth friendly movements, or just convenience itself. You can also win a bottle by participating in the giveaway below.

Giveaway is open to US & Canada and ends September 1st, 2010

How to enter: Leave a comment letting me know what you think.

Extra entries: (1) Visit Vapur and let me know something you learned

(2) Follow Vapur and Surge on twitter. Include your twitter name

(1) Connect with them on facebook, leave your facebook name

(1 each) Be a public follower of TSG & R, or email subscriber.

(1 each) Tweet this twice daily:

"Win a Vapur foldable waterbottle at TS Reviews ! US & CA, Sept. 1st #giveaway url here"

(1 each) Comment any non-giveaway post, let me know

(3 each) Enter this giveaway into any public McLinky, Digg, Forum ect and leave the link

Disclaimer: I recieved the product mentioned free for my honest review.

International giveaway

2010-07-29T06:59:00.002-04:00

Check out Andreea's nailpolish giveaway over here, ends August 8th! Click the picture to enter.

Ban T-shirts

2010-07-26T02:03:00.018-04:00

Duncan Carson over at Ban T-shirts gave me the opportunity to review one of their t-shirts when I came across them. They are a political t-shirt company, selling t-shirts with slogans such as "There is no planet B", "We are the people we've been waiting for", "Ban homophobic marriage". The thing that is constant in all these t-shirts is that they are conversation starters. Full of opinion. You get opinions back when people read what you have on.

"Political T-shirts with progressive messages. An original and thought-provoking range of political t-shirts and apparel. Shirts about the big issues: the environment, democracy, freedom, war and peace. All our tshirts are made sweat shop free in the USA. Many are also made of organic cotton."

"Ban T-shirts is a website with left-wing, liberal, socialist, green, progressive and libertarian credentials. You'll find T-shirts that will show people where you stand on issues such as war and the environment. Express yourself with these T-shirts and meet other like-minded people - our political T-shirts get people talking! We sell shirts that are about our right to free speech and to criticise what we think is wrong. Our shirts are for those that understand that patriotism and democracy do not mean blind obedience."

My review:
First impression
The first thing I thought about the shirt I was reviewing was that it was soft, fit perfectly for the size I chose (small) and the thing I love most is the quote;
"Only when the last tree has died, the last river has been poisoned, the last fish has been caught, will we realize that we can't eat money. This t-shirt design is inspired by a Native American prophecy which is usually said to be of Cree origin but has also been reported as a Hopi prophecy."
It's meaningful and that's the reason why I chose it.

The T-shirt:
Since I've worn my Last Fish t-shirt, I've been asked by a lot of family and friends if they could read it and once they did they agreed with the statement. It's like a little reminder about the earth to anybody that reads it. I've worn it about 5 times already and really love it.

Overall: 5/5

The shirt I reviewed is only $19.50. I could see myself buying more of their apparel.

Ban T-shirts also have a UK based website. You can also connect with them on twitter and facebook.

iStyle; a review

2010-07-21T00:49:00.001-04:00

iStyle is a quirky t-shirt company that emulates all the tech you can get in one peice of clothing with their "T-Shirts for the iGeneration". Their concept is very original that you even see a variety of celebrities in candids with their product. They have shirts from "iCandy" to "iParty" to "iRock" and more.. or, you can buy Nanowear for your babies, and doggiewear for your pets. It's clever and cute!

My review:
First impression: Their packaging is so appealing that if I had seen it in a store I would've picked it up the minute I laid eyes on it.
"Each iStyle product comes in an individually designed "softwear" box. Created to emulate softwear packaging, the iStyle box is as engaging as the product inside. Each box features Technical Specifications, System Requirements and product information that will bring a smile to everyone. Easy to wrap, they make the perfect gift for everyone on your list."

On the side of every box it says "one t-shirt." I thought it was really cute, and when you open up the box there's a slip for "tech support". I read it and laughed out loud at the end :)

Tech support: Their staff are so polite, patient and willing to please. I was first sent a medium t-shirt because we thought it would be a better fit, but it was too big for me which was a tad unflattering on my body type. When I let them know, they apologized that it had not fit (which was not their fault) and immediately offered to send another in size small.

The T-shirt: is soft, my type of shirt and as I said - quirky.

It's 100% pre-shrunk cotton, so it won't shrink again when you wash it. It is a tagless design, which I prefer. It has active stretch fabric if you need it, and a unisex fit. Everything I look for in a t-shirt, with a simple yet interesting design. The only I would of loved is the option of is buying iStyle designs in tank tops. Otherwise I wouldn't change a thing.

Overall: 4.5/5 and I would definitely show them to a friend or let them know where to buy iStyle. They are now available in Canada at Zellers.

Connect with them on Twitter or Facebook!

Disclaimer: I was provided the product mentioned free for review in exchange for my honest opinion thanks to iStyle! :)

Cityslips WINNER

2010-07-20T13:17:00.003-04:00

I apologize for my absence, there have been a lot of birthdays and events in my life right now - thank you for staying with me :)

There were a total of twenty entries, and the winner is #11 - Tommygirl

{Confirmed}
I've sent her an email and she will have 78 hours to reply before another winner is chosen.
Congrats!

Sunglasses wearhouse: Review and giveaway

2010-07-09T01:48:00.004-04:00

It's 30 degrees here in Canada where I am. The sun beats down on me like king kong on an unsuspecting poor village town. How do you think my eyes feel? Not very good.

That's why I need sunglasses. Sunglasses Wearhouse is an online retailer that sells women's sunglasses, men's sunglasses, and kids' sunglasses for cheap and discounted prices. How do my eyes feel about that? Pretty good. I tried them out and my take is that the shipping is FAST, the glasses suit me, and that the prices are reasonable.

Shipping: A+ on that. Same-day shipping. I usually hate waiting around for things, but for these I didn't have to.

The glasses: I got the Faux Rhinestone glasses. Because they protect my eyes from the sun with the dark lenses it's easier for me to not get a headache being out in 20+ degree weather.

These super shades by KISS have faux rhinestones for that glamour feel without the glamour cost. The modified wayfarer frame is available in several colors with rhinestone detailing along the top. The large lenses offer UV400 protection against harmful ultraviolet rays.

$13.56

I'd be willing to pay that price for a nice pair of glasses especially if they have UV400 protection, which is exactly what these are for me. You can get a closer look at me wearing them below. (Also in the picture at the beginning, top left).

I'm going with the fact that sunglasses wearhouse was a total plus for me and I could find no improvements. I would recommend them to a friend.. they also have a way to help find sunglasses by choosing sunglasses based on your skin tones or choosing sunglasses based on your face shape which I find really neat and pretty helpful! I wish I'd known about it before. :) There's always next time.

Buy it! You can buy and search for many pairs at Sunglasses Wearhouse

Win it! They have generously offered a $20 gift certificate to one of my readers

Mandatory entry: Visit Sunglasses Wearhouse and leave the LINK or URL (not just the product name) to what you think you would buy if you won. Include a contact email.

Giveaway is open to US and Canada, ends August 1st, 2010

Extra entries:

Be a public follower of TSG & R
Email subscribe to TSG & R , include the email you subscribe with
Twitter follow timesurge
Twitter follow Sunglasses Wearhouse
Facebook fan them, include your facebook name
Follow their blog, include the username you follow with
Tweet this twice daily:

"Win a $20 sunglasses wearhouse gift certificate at TS Reviews ! US & CA, Aug. 1st #giveaway http://alturl.com/vswvq"

Comment any non-giveaway post, let me know include the link to your comment
Enter this giveaway into any public McLinky, Digg, Forum ect and leave the link (3 extra entries each)

Disclaimer: I received the product mentioned free for my honest review.

CSN review: Back to basics blender

2010-07-07T04:44:00.002-04:00

The Back to Basics blender express plus is designed for today’s busy lifestyle, the Blender Express Plus from Back to Basics combines functionality with ultimate convenience to provide refreshment on the go. This 11-peice blending set includes two 24-ounce traveling mugs, two leak proof closeable drinking lids, two sipping rims, two interchangeable blade bases, and many more features for when you are on the go!

Features:

2 Interchangeable blade bases
Includes 2 detachable blending containers; 12-ounce, and 18-ounce
2 leak proof, closeable drinking lids w/ two 24-ounce insulated traveling mugs
quick to assemble, and easy to clean
Dimensions: 13.25"H x 6"W x 5.5"D

My take:

Pros;

Blender is versatile and can make many different salsas, drinks and shakes because of the many different components
Easy to use
Blends everything in a minimal amount of time
Easy to clean
Shipping was fairly fast with the blender
Blender comes with a 1 year warranty

Cons

The band on the bottom of the blendable containers/mugs (which are also used to blend smoothies/drinks) came out a couple times and is very hard to get back in but isn't impossible to get back in. It's a tad irritating and a bit worrying that it will come out while blending.
I'm not sure if this is with all blenders, but you can only blend consistently for around 60 seconds before you have to stop and wait 60 seconds to blend again (as per instructions). It's not exactly a con, because usually everything is blended within two minutes
It did not blend bananas particularly well and there were still a couple chunks at the bottom

Cost

Regarding cost, at this point I would say that had I tried the blender before hand I would have probably still bought it. You can buy just the back to basics blender for $19.99, so you're basically getting all the extra accessories for the other $20.00

With that said, the pros do outweigh the cons but if I were actually just buying this blender myself, I would have went with the Back to Basics blender for $19.99. The blender is mostly perfect for drinks and smoothies (which I find myself making almost everyday with the blender) so having only the blender itself would have done me personally just as good, but for twenty dollars more it's reasonable to get if you have the money and are not looking for just a blender. Because the mugs are travel mugs, you can blend, switch lids and drink. It's neat that there is also a food processor blender/container.

Here is all that came with the box. There are two mugs with mug covers (travel mugs, so there are holes for you to drink out of as well. With or without a straw), two lids for turning the mugs into cups, the actual blender, two food processors containers/blenders and the two blades that come with the blender. You can switch the blades. You can check out a couple smoothies we've made below, we tested and tried alot !

Overall: 3.7/5
I do love the blender and think it's easy to move around, take with you and to clean it.
CSN Stores has a variety of items from furniture, to cookware, to toys and games and many more.
Thanks to them for making this review possible.

Disclaimer: All opinions are my own. I was supplied the blender mentioned free for review.

Are you a winner? Giftcard giveaway

2010-07-03T14:16:00.009-04:00

All I can say is that I love leaving the mandatory comments up to you guys! There were some interesting ones and I loved reading them :) Let me show you my favorites..

I learned a couple facts and realized I should spent a bit more time with my mom, or just walking. :) But.. there were 126 entries total random.org winner was:

#77

Confirmed

Congrats! She has been contacted and has 78 hours to reply. More giveaways and reviews soon . Also I hope all my Canadians had a great Canada's day~

eUndies.com site launch

2010-06-29T13:55:00.004-04:00

About eUndies:
eUndies.com is based in Kansas City and was incorporated in 2004. We're a member in good standing with the Better Business Bureau and have been spotted in New York's Village Voice, The Kansas City Pitch, a handful of television commercials and on BUST's Girl Wide Web.

My take:

I can't even begin to explain my addiction to lingerie and and pretty underclothes, and eUndies only feeds that addiction. At a very affordable price for the quality and look of them, $4.99 and $3.99 is a price I am willing to pay when I'd like to buy more. I'm here to spread the word and let you all know of their .com makeover! With the new and improved website design over at eUndies, you can even mix and match 7 pairs for $24.99 (which is pretty good considering how expensive other lingerie brands can be).

An Intro to some of the products:

The Lil Low Rise Boyshorts

I received these in white, and they're just like cute little boxers for girls. Very comfy and really form flattering. They are 93% cotton and 7% spandex which makes for stretch and softness.

Tie me Up Lace thong

There was no competition that this was by far my favorite. I received the purple one with yellow lace, and it is so so so cute. If I seen it in a store I would have bought it, and on top of that it's very comfortable which is no exception to any of the underwear I was sent. This thong is see-through (and very feminine!), has cotton lining, and is 90% nylon lace/10% spandex. I can't wait to buy the black pair.

Fabulously Feirce Hipster

These hipster undies are full coverage and comfortable just like the rest of the underwear at eUndies. Feminine and cute is the only way I like my underwear and even though they're not thong, the pink bows add the feminine touch that is needed to make them even cuter.

Experience: 4/5

Overall, the products I could see no improvement on. I love the products just the way they are and would love to buy them, the prices for the actual products are great.

Price:
The only thing I would have a bit of trouble saving up for is the shipping, which is USPS international $14.95. There was a bit of confusion as well with the color drop down menu, but you just have to select a size first and then you are given the option of color for products.

Service:
The staff were very patient, kind and informative throughout the whole review and communication.

You can get connected with eUndies through twitter, check out their thongs, clearance, or boyshorts. Have fun browsing!

Disclaimer: I was provided the three products mentioned free for my honest review.

Follow me back Tuesday !

2010-06-29T11:56:00.004-04:00

Head over to review retreat and add your link to join the follow :)
If you came from over there and are now following me, just leave me a comment & I'll follow you back.

Married On Mondays book review

2010-06-23T00:19:00.007-04:00

If you don't remember the Married On Mondays book giveaway, you can check it out.

As soon as I opened the book I loved it because it has a page that says

Why I Cherish Our Love
Date:
Given to:
Given by:
Personal message:

And there are so many messages and lessons in this book that I would want to give it to a partner. Although I found the sex scenes atrocious at first (in a bad way). For me, the sex scenes were worded all wrong. They seemed unrealistic and rushed but the storyline kept me going. I began to get bored half way through waiting for the book to get better - and it did! The three characters (and their partners) made me want to keep reading and kept me thinking about real life issues. Not all the sex scenes were unrealisitc, about half through they became more bearable to read. The chapter "Would you marry for love?" after the book was over (an unofficial chapter that I believe isn't part of the actual book) was very thought provoking and helped me realize what I need or want in a relationship is very important and so is communication. It was a satisfying read for me, and I would rate it four out of five. The sister's situations tugged on my heart and mind.

Married On Mondays by HoneyB:
Description

By day, Valerie Cooper, Dierdra Dawson, and Foxy Brown assist their husbands, all partners at the law firm Brown, Cooper, and Dawson. But at night, they become Vanilla Cream, Cherry Cream, and Sugar Cream, and run an upscale swingers club called Creamé. Their clientele include everyone from judges, lawyers, politicians, and police officers, to soccer moms and housewives. Business is booming at the hottest club in town. Until the police chief extends an indecent proposal to Foxy: sleep with him, or go to jail.

I was provided this book free for review.

Reblog to enter

2010-06-19T16:49:00.000-04:00

Cityslips review and giveaway

2010-06-19T11:20:00.018-04:00

Whenever I go to clubs I dread the shoe part. You want to feel sexy, but you also want to be comfortable and sometimes that's not possible. I was so strung up on not wearing heels one winter night that I wore flats - and Oh my god! My feet were so numb they hurt for days. I don't like sitting down in clubs (I go to dance!) but you can't carry around an extra pair of shoes or flats when you feel like taking your heels off.

I've done it before, and only god knows what I've stepped in! But then.. we have geniuses that come up with things like Foldable Ballet flats and a versatile, clever name like "CitySlips". That's exactly what they are, city slips! Susie Levitt and Katie Shea realised there was a problem and set out to fix it, and that's what valuable company is made of. This solves problems for thousands of woman (if it doesn't now, it will later). That's how you make a creation work. This is one of the neatest and most convenient products I have ever owned. So let's say I'm going to a club (and I am, soon).. I have my cityslips in their clutch:

My feet get tired so I...

decide to change out of my heels for a little while.. Now I have my Cityslips on, and I've turned the clutch into a BAG:

The flats are really comphy. They have elastic backing, and the soles are double-backed for durability. Now my night is perfect, as I take a break and just carry my heels around in the expandle clutch-bag for the time being! Sounds good to me.

FUNKtional footwear has been featured by ShopNBC, The Shopping Channel, CNN, FOX Business, The New York Times and more.

Buy it: Cityslips retail for $24.95

Win it! They have generously offered one of my readers a pair of their own CitySlips.
Mandatory entry : All entries will not count if this one is not verified. You must:

1. Sign up to CitySlips newsletter by sending an email to contact@cityslips.com
And also
2. Either follow them on twitter, or facebook fan them

Include the email and twitter/facebook name you used in your first comment

Giveaway ends July 15th, 2010 and is open to anyone is the USA

Extra entries:

Tell me why you would love to have these, or why you need them
Visit CitySlips and tell me something you learned
Email subscribe to TS Reviews
Publicly follow TS Reviews
Twitter follow timesurge
Tweet this giveaway: Perfect for any night out! Win a pair of Cityslips , cool! Ends July 15th http://alturl.com/2o36
Comment any non-giveaway post or review and let me know (2 extra entries)
Enter this giveaway into any public McLinky, Digg, Forum ect and leave the link (3 extra entries each)

Disclaimer: I received the product mentioned free for my honest review.

Summer's coming

2010-06-14T15:42:00.004-04:00

50g of dried skimmed milk powder

500ml of fresh milk

Fruit juice

Fruit

Mix the milk powder and 100ml of the milk into a smooth paste. Put all the ingredients into a blender and blend until frothy.

This is the first recipe I'm going to make when I recieve my blender from CSN stores to review. With over 200 stores they have everything from blenders to sofas! I have four more days of school until I'm completely done, and I'm buckling down so I can't wait to sit back and relax after. The blender's definitely going to help, when I had my last blender I was addicted to making smoothies.

Hope you all have a great summer.

Image and recipe courtesy of ludlowsc.

End of the Pet Event

2010-06-10T07:46:00.007-04:00

The Pet Event was a little hectic but super fun for my first event. Thanks to you guys for making it awesome and all the amazing sponsors (Who you can visit in the right sidebar)!

To wrap up, the last two winners are..
Big Daddy Biscuits giveaway - #4, Samy
Fuzzy Mug Journal giveaway - #52, Renee

They have both been contacted. You can find the rest of the winners here, if you missed that. Thank you again to everybody who took part in this event, and you can look forward to seeing reviews and giveaways coming up in regards to Sunglasses Warehouse and City Slips.

Also, you can enter the $25 Restaurant.com giftcard giveaway until July 1st!

Candle relaxation

2010-06-10T01:58:00.017-04:00

So you may think this is a tad cruel, but if it makes it better I'd just like to let you know that I tried it on myself before I tried it on my friend (who thought it was just a candle, for my fun!) The Scandle is something I hadn't heard of before, but was very fun to try out and it turned out that I really liked it! By reading the sheet that came with my candle, I learned that it is a candle that burns 2 degrees above body temperature to produce a soothing and healthy body oil. Which is perfect for massages, cuticle treatments or as an everyday moisturizer.

My first impression was that it was something so new and unique and even after use I am more pleased than I was in the first place. My scent was the "Uplifting Blend" in a travel tin, which I've had three uses out of so far and it's barely even gone. Trying it myself was very nice, and made my skin feel like I'd just used a quality moisturizer.

The most fun I had with it yet was, inexplicably, giving my friend a massage with a burning candle. He trusted me enough to let me pour wax on him, and then found out that it wasn't even wax. I told him to trust me, and in the end he even liked the scent (which he is very picky about). The massage for him was relaxing, and I'm getting one tomorrow :)

Some things I was happy to learn about the Scandle, other than the fact it felt and smelt just like lotion:

Our candles are so much more than Soy Wax with a Wick...we like to think of it as Lotion with a Wick! Scandles are made with FDA approved ingredients and are everything you'd expect from a skin healthy lotion with the added ambiance and aroma of a spa candle.
When using the body oil of the 10oz Scandle, the Scandle has an average burn time of over 30 hours. When just burning the Scandle for ambiance or scent, the Scandle can burn for over 40 hours!
The wick is cotton and contains no lead or zinc.
Contains no paraffin or petroleum
Free of UV inhibitors

You can purchase Scandle travel tins and more in their shop. I'm going to want another so bad when mine runs out. Here is a very informative video about the Scandle that I found interesting:

The "Uplifting" scent was even more profound in the Dead Sea Salt Scrub than it was in the candle and made me love it that much more. I find the scent very relaxing and calming, it smells so delicious. The first place I thought about using the scrub was on my feet which I personally found more soothing than the candle, and I'd have to say is now one of my favorite salt scrubs. Others have irritated my skin from use, but I'm just going to say right now that it felt so nice on my feet and also (for me at least) helped to remove some of the dead skin, and as a plus my feet smell super nice.

To sum my review up, I feel hooked on the scrub for sure and I also find the candle very relaxing. I will definitely be back for more, and will also be sharing with my friends and family.

Other places you can find Scandle:

Scandle Online
Tweet With Me

Disclosure: I was sent products mentioned free for review in exchange for an honest opinion.

$25 Restaurant giftcard giveaway

2010-06-08T18:30:00.010-04:00

Last month I won a giveaway over at Books R Us, and, unfortuanetly was not able to use the card when it arrived. But, fortunate for one of you, you'll get to spend it for me (Restaurant.com)! All you have to do to have a chance at winning is leave a comment below telling me something interesting. It could be short, or long. Entertain me?

Open to the US only, ends July 1st, 2010

You can an get extra entry by tweeting this (Daily):
"$25 gift card giveaway at TS Reviews #giveaway US Only, Ends July 1st 2010 http://alturl.com/qmxj"

+2 if you email subsribe, leave a comment including the email address
+2 if you are a public follower

+1 for every other public place you share this giveaway (Mclinkys, forums, digg ect)

First set of pet event winners

2010-06-01T07:50:00.008-04:00

Below are the lucky winners of the first set of pet giveaways! A Huge congrats to them, and a Huge thank you to the companies who made this possible. There are still a few more to enter that will end sometime June. :)

RV: $7.00
Yoohoo & Friends giveaway - #50 bigdisneyfan - 177 entries
Confirmed

RV: $6.00
Doggie Barette giveaway - #9 Annie1 - 43 entries
Confirmed

RV: $9.95
Pawsntails collar giveaway - #10 Glogirl - 21 entries
Confirmed

RV: $46.00
Earthbath giftbasket giveaway - #40 Samy - 143 entries
Confirmed

RV: $7.00
Seapets sewing pattern giveaway - Debbie
Confirmed

RV: $8.00
Bentleys Bones leash bag giveaway - #5 samy - 13 entries
Confirmed

Second set of winners:
Big Daddy Biscuits giveaway - #4, Samy
Fuzzy Mug Journal giveaway - #52, Renee

Big Daddy Biscuits giveaway

2010-05-31T00:41:00.005-04:00

If you liked my review, you'll definitely love this giveaway! :) Originally we were just set up for the review, but Big Daddy Biscuits has allowed me the opportunity to give away one 1/2 pound of mixed dog biscuits.

To enter: Visit Big Daddy Biscuits and leave me the link to another item you are interested in. Include a contact email.

Giveaway is open to US only and ends June 10th

Extra entries:

Tell me something you learned at Big Daddy Biscuits. 2 extra entries
Twitter follow timesurge
Become a facebook fan of BDB (Include your facebook name!) 2 extra entries
Twitter follow BDB

Tweet this giveaway (Once daily) : RT Win a mixed bag of dog treats! @timesurge #giveaway 6/10 http://alturl.com/vrbb US only
Four extra entries if you grabbed the event button and left a comment here (Must have left a comment, let me know which comment number you were)
2 extra entries if you grab the button now, (find the code here) and let me know where in your sidebar you put it
If you are an email subscriber to TSG&R
If you are a follower to TSG&R
Comment any non-giveaway post during the event (max. 3 extra entries)
Heart the etsy shop, include your etsy username

A FuzzyMug giveaway

2010-05-27T21:22:00.016-04:00

FuzzyMug is an etsy store that creates custom pet portraits, art prints, and wire bound animal journals. The journals are so very very cute, you can take a look below!

I got the chance to interview Brooke of FuzzyMug, and here is what she had to say.

Tell us a bit about your etsy shop, and the items that you sell.

FuzzyMug specializes in custom pet portraits and hand crafted paper goods. When I started doing pet portraits, I wanted to provide a fun, modern, artistic and affordable take on the pet portrait that would look great with any decor and really capture the unique little quirks that make your pet so special. I also wanted FuzzyMugs to be more than just wall portraits so I came up with the custom notecards, holiday cards and journals as a way to enjoy your portrait and share it with friends, too. I love my pets and I love good design and quality craftsmanship - the items I sell reflect that.

Is there any particular reason you chose animal products?

I have had pets my whole life and just have such a special relationship with them. When I was little, my pets were always there to play with and comfort you. I had this wonderful tabby cat, SkipperDee, and if you were crying she would come up and pat your face - it was like she was wiping tears away. It always made me laugh and feel so much better! After I graduated from college, I started volunteering for the Maryland SPCA in Baltimore and that had a huge impact on me and my love of animals just grew, as did my own furry family. It's great to be able to unite my love of animals with my design background and also use FuzzyMug to support humane organizations with donations to silent auctions and other fund raising events.

Do you have any pets? If you do, tell us about them and what they mean in your life

My husband and I do have pets - quite a few! Three dogs and four cats. Our dogs - Cleo, Beatrix and Persephone - are just the most wonderful creatures. They are all mixed breed rescue dogs with the most unique personalities. We love to go on long hikes in the woods with them and spoil them rotten. They have really funny personalities and the littlest one, Persephone, is actually a model for a lot of the FuzzyMug stuff. We also have four sweet kitties -Sadie, Puss, Puppy and Nip - who do a lot of sleeping and eating. Two of them spend their days keeping me company in the office and they have also all been FuzzyMug models.

They all mean the world to me and were my inspiration for starting FuzzyMug. Since I work from home, we spend a lot of time together!

Is there anything else you would like to mention?

My favorite thing about working on the portraits is hearing and seeing how much my clients love their pets. I simply adore people who love and respect animals. It's awesome!

Getting to know what her shop is all about has been a blast, and for the record I think SkipperDee is one of the cutest names I have heard for a cat. Lucky for you guys, one of you will win your own choice of spiral bound journal.

Buy it! Each journal retails at $8.00

Win it! Check out FuzzyMug as a mandatory entry and leave the link to your favorite journal. Include a contact email.

Giveaway is open to US & Canada, ends June 10th

Tell me something you learned from the interview
Twitter follow timesurge
Become a facebook fan of Fuzzy Mug (Include your facebook name!) 3 extra entries

Tweet this giveaway (Once daily) : RT Win a spiral bound pet journal! @timesurge #giveaway 6/10 http://alturl.com/wi6x US & Canada
Four extra entries if you grabbed the event button and left a comment here (Must have left a comment, let me know which comment number you were)
2 extra entries if you grab the button now, (find the code here) and let me know where in your sidebar you put it
If you are an email subscriber to TSG&R
If you are a follower to TSG&R
Comment any non-giveaway post during the event (max. 3 extra entries)
Heart the etsy shop, include your etsy username

I received no compensation for this post.

Big Daddy Biscuits

2010-05-27T17:40:00.008-04:00

Who is Big Daddy?

I was rescued off the streets near the Federal Penitentiary in Atlanta. I was so little that my head was bigger than my body. I had been on the street so long without proper nourishment that I developed Toxoplasmosis, a parasitic infection that causes blindness. Because of this, I have cataracts in both eyes and am going blind. When a friend brought me to Big Mama, she fell instantly in love. She nursed me back to health, and today my body is strong and happy. Big Mama and I are inseparable and have a large extended family. I get plenty of attention now, but, most of all, I make my mom happy.

After adopting me, Big Mama knew that she wanted to help other dogs lead happy, healthy lives. After a long career in the airline industry, she left to start Big Daddy Biscuits. Named for me, our biscuits are made with all natural and organic ingredients. While I don’t exactly bake, I help by keeping my mom company in the kitchen while she hand-presses each biscuit. It looks like hard work, but after rolling out the mixture, pressing all the cool shapes, and popping them in the oven, smelling them as they bake makes it all worthwhile. Well, at least for me!

"Handpressed All Natural And Organic Farm To Table Dog Biscuits Made With Human Grade Food"

My pups were given the wonderful chance to eat three different flavors! The smell of the mixed bag is very cheesy and tasty. The treats were all round biscuits about the size of a Canadian toonie each, and Shadow & Oscar definitely didn't deny eating them. I'm not sure which were which, but we recieved Turkey Bacon Bites (the lighter in color ones), Cheese Bites with garlic, and Crunchy Peanut butter.

The treats are all natural which was great and made me feel confident in feeding them. They're very unique compared to large boxes of processed dog treats, and there definitely was a sizable amount of treats in the 1 lb mixed bag, which retails at $15 dollars. The ingredients of each treat flavor was included on the bag, too! All are made with organic whole wheat flour and varying ingredients such as natural turkey bacon, brown sugar, non-fat dry milk, natural cheese ect.

Check out Big Daddy Biscuits for good smelling, all natural dog treats ;) You can connect with them on twitter, and facebook.

While I did receive the product mentioned free for review, all opinions are my own and uninfluenced.