Feb 082012
 
I love the concept of the Ponchillow!  Are you one who hates the thought of getting out from under the nice toasty covers you’re under?  Or maybe live in a household that keeps the heat on the lower side of the spectrum?  Or always seem to find yourself cold?  If so, you’ll find the Ponchillow to be a great accessory to your wardrobe.  The Ponchillow is perfect for taking on the bus, or in the car where you don’t want to wear a bulky coat.  Or, use it while lounging around the house watching TV, playing video games or sitting at the computer.  You’ll find it easy to slip on and off and it folds up fairly small.


What exactly is it?  It’s a poncho with a pillow attached on the backside. The front outside has a kangaroo pocket to warm your hands or store items.  On the inside of the Ponchillow you’ll find a another set of pockets varying in sizes to store items.  The poncho itself is made of a heavy fleece material, is generously sized and comes in a variety of colors for both adults and children.  There are even Pupchillows for pooches :).

Generously sized w/a kangaroo pocket on the front.
Here you see the pillow on the back and the hood on the head
This is the inside of the front Ponchillow.  These are little pockets that you can store tissues, iPod, MP3 player, cell phone, etc. 
Image of Pupchillow - Puppy Paws
Pupchillow!

Become a fan of Ponchillow’s on Facebook or follow them along on Twitter to stay abreast of specials, giveaways, and company info.  In fact, they are having a Valentine’s Day special at the moment – Buy 2 Get 1 Free.  Use promo code LOVEU2.

Jan 232012
 
Savor your fur baby’s paw print forever and ever with this quality product sold by Uncommongoods.com.  The Paws of Fame – Paw Prints Keepsake Frame is a great product for the animal lover.  Yes, I can honestly say, this is a quality product.  I was given the opportunity to experience this product first hand – thanks Uncommon Goods!  
Uncommon Goods is a place where you’ll find products like this, as well as, Cat Lover Gifts, Gift Ideas in general for both men and women, and some of the Best Gift Ideas for Women you’ll find. 
Onto the Paws of Fame…what exactly is it?  It’s a 4-step kit that has everything you need to capture your fur baby’s paw print to display on the wall.  The frame itself is 12″ x 15″ that shows off the impression you capture using the imprint material.  You’ll also be able to display a         4″ x 6″ or 5″ x 7″ photo next to the impression. 
What you’ll find in the package: 
  • A beautiful wooden burnt red frame – resembling the color of cherry stain – It’s very rich looking
  • Glass for the frame – not a thin piece of glass either
  • A white mat for the photo and paw print to be displayed through – there is substance to the mat
  • A cardboard spacer – one of substance and is not flimsy
  • A golden brown colored mat (this is used to adhere the paw print to) – Again, a quality mat
  • The frame backing – this piece is a sturdy backing – not a flimsy piece of cardboard
  • A sticky to attach the molding material to the colored mat
  • An impression medium to capture the animals paw print – this is MESS FREE and NO baking, mixing – plenty of it too!
  • A ruler
  • A wooden dowel – personally, I used my rolling pin covered with wax paper – this worked much better than the dowel. The dowel is a bit short in length, in my opinion.  They also suggest one can use an aluminum can such a Pam can – I tried this, but found the rolling pin still did a better job
  • Instructions 

 What you’ll need –                                                              

  • The fur baby
  • A picture of your fur baby
  • Aluminum foil or wax paper – I used wax paper – for covering the book & rolling pin – I found not covering the rolling pin – the impression material stuck to the rolling pin as it did the wooden dowel
  • A sharp craft knife or something of the like
  • A cutting mat
  • A hard cover book – a larger book works better than a smaller book – trust me
Once you’ve captured the paw print on the molding material, you need to let it dry for a couple days.  You will find the corners of the molding material will curl up a tad bit, but don’t worry about it because you’ll be cutting that portion off anyway.  
When all is said and done – your Paws of Fame will come out just as beautiful as mine did (I took the picture below at an angle to eliminate the glare I was getting from the flash).  
Click to enlarge
Meet Gracie – she’s our canine fur baby who thinks she’s a cat. Maybe that is because she’s grown up with cats, and currently lives with 17 – thus claiming the laundry basket before a kitty does :).  
I will have this keepsake frame forever – I won’t ever be saying I wish I had done this come the time she is no longer with us.  I intend on buying another frame, which I will capture the paw prints of the two cats that I am extremely attached to.  I then will display both frames together on a wall.
Jan 202012
 
We live in a place where we have lots of rain and lots of snow – wonderful New England.  We have a revene that is right behind our home.  The kids like to play in it, never mind my daughter’s father – he’s the worst offender.  Needless to say, keeping up with my wood and tile floors is a task I dread.

It’s hard enough with the wheelchair coming in and out during inclement weather.  But when you add to that our 18 4-legged animals that do the same, and people traipsing through the house with embedded snow and dirt in the soles of their shoes and boots who just want a drink or go potty – that leaves for quite the mess!  This led me to seeking out ways to help cut down on my time cleaning these floors.

Fortunately for me – as I was looking for an alternative to what I had purchased which were neoprene boot covers that worked like crap, as  once these were worn, they were wet inside and hard to get on over footwear, and in general.  Anyway, an opportunity arose from a company looking for someone to review their EconoWear Lite N Kool Disposable Shoe/Boot Covers.  My thought – what do I have to lose?  Actually – I had everything to gain if these covers worked.

The covers are from Magid Glove and Safety Manufacturing Company, LLC. They are white and made of polypropylene.  They have elastic at the ankles, are disposable so there’s no reusing a cover that is already wet or muddy.  And, they come in sizes ranging from small to 3X.  But the best part – they are inexpensive!

For purposes of this review, I was sent size large.  My first thought as I took them out of the package was they weren’t going to hold up because their thinness.  I was comparing them to the ones I wear each time I take my son in the operating room to put him under for surgery.  Those seem to be a lot thicker.  However, don’t be fooled by their thinness.

I walked around my house from room to room, kept them on my feet while sitting at my desk and got up and continued to walk around the house with them on – without incident!  No tears, not hard to walk in and easy to put on.  I had my daughter’s father test drive them.  Now mind you – his shoe size is a 12 – mine is a 9.5 and these covers were size large.  He had trouble getting them over his shoelaces and tore the back as he was putting them on.  However, I am confident if these were a 2XL or even 3XL – he’d have no problem getting them on.

For less than $40 I can purchase 100 pair each of two sizes and store them right by entry doors for people to put on.  That’s a great deal considering my time spent on washing floors, wiping up floors as people come in, and the cost of the equipment and cleaner to do the task.

View Magid’s full product line {here}.

Jan 132012
 

Purex has released it’s newest product – Triple Action Formula.  It’s available in a fresh mountain scent and a free & clear formula.  I was given the opportunity to test drive the fresh mountain scent.  I used the product with many loads of laundry.  Each load came out clean and was left with a nice scent.

The load of whites I used it with proved to do a great job. Often times I have to rewash my son’s clothing protectors as some of them do not come out as clean as I like them to.  This load came out clean the first time around.  The spaghetti sauce, the chocolate embedded cookie crumbs, the beef stew droppings….it all came out.

The Triple Action formula can also be purchased in the Ultrapack.  Both are safe to use in all types of washers. As always, I love the price, love the scent and the product works. 

Jan 132012
 

Purex has come out with liquid gel packs.  So what exactly do these consist of?

Purex UltraPacks are:

  • Convenient pre-dosed liquid detergent packs
  • Contain the new Triple Action Liquid Formula
  • Double the cleaning power in every drop – having 2x concentrated liquid detergent
  • Dissolve quickly
  • Are safe for all machines, including HE washers
  • Have 2x concentrated liquid detergent
To use these the Ultrapacks:
  • Simply make sure your hands are dry (water dissolves the film).  
  • Toss the pack in the washer before adding clothing (the more time they spend in the washer, the faster they dissolve)
  • If you have a front loader, be sure to add the pack directly into the washer and NOT in the drawer.  
I was able to give these a test drive the Mountain Breeze scent.  I felt they cleaned as well as the liquid.  My clothes were left with a clean fresh scent and came out clean.  The fact that they are easy to use by not having to worry about spillage and mess, is a plus.  These are great for those who have to go to the laundromat as they are very light-weight compared to the liquid bottles.  The packs are available in Mountain Breeze scent and Free and Clear.   
Jan 042012
 

I love nothing more than a good cup of coffee!  I drink a couple cups twice a day – at the minimum. That being said, I always worry about trying new brands of coffee in fear that my stomach will have rock-gut after drinking them.  That does not stop me from trying different brands of coffee, by any means!  My latest test drive was for Sogno Coffee and let me just say – I’m sold!

Sogno roasts only the finest Arabica beans in their one of a kind, custom-built roaster.  Sogno has four gourmet blends of coffee and they can be purchased in whole bean or ground.

  • The Sole – a bold coffee 
  • The Vento – which is an expresso 
  • The Cielo – a medium roast coffee 
  • The Nuvola – a decaf coffee 
I was fortunate enough to able to experience all four blends.  I was really worried about trying the Vento (expresso blend) for the mere fact that I have never ventured into expresso land.  My impression of expresso coffee would mean experiencing immediate rock-gut.  I was so wrong!  In fact, all the Sogno blends were very easy on my stomach, very smooth and loaded with flavor.  The aromatic smell when it was brewing was fabulous!

If you’re looking for a good cup of coffee – head on over to their site. You can see for yourself what each blend has for a taste profile – a really nice feature for those who want to know the acidity level in their blends.

Follow Sogno Coffee along on  FACEBOOK and TWITTER.

Would you like to win a couple bags for yourself?  Enter the Giveaway! Two bags of your choice and ground up for grabs!  Giveaway open to US only from 1/3/12 – 1/18/12 @ 12:01am EST

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Dec 172011
 
Life is full of trials and tribulations and when we are stricken by them we are usually asking, “why me/why us?”  Moreover, Chicken Soup for the Soul many times there is no answer to that question.  Regardless, we have no choice but to deal with what is at hand because that is how life works.  However, we can know we are not alone during those times.  There is always someone who is/or has experienced the very same situation as we are often times even worse. Chicken Soup for the Soul’s new book – Devotional Stories for Tough Times might just be the answer for you or someone you know going through a tough time.
Although I am not into religion as some are I do have my beliefs and I do have spirituality about me.  I remember when my son was born and we were told he needed to have a shunt placed for hydrocephalus.  That diagnosis quickly turned into – there’s something in his brain…we have no idea what it is but it needs to come out now.  I was asking myself…why my baby?  Why me? I did everything right during my pregnancy – why is my baby sick?  Then it got worse for me.  My ex-husband left me to deal with the situation all alone – a hundred miles away from home.  I was at the hospital all alone not knowing what was going to happen next – not knowing if my baby would be coming home with me.  He had hemorrhaged in the brain so badly during the surgery they weren’t sure if he’d survive. Then this one day a nurse brought me a piece of mail addressed to me from a past co-worker.  Included with that letter was a pocket card with the ‘Foot Prints in the Sand’ poem on it.  It was then that I realized – as hard as it was for me at that time – everything would work out okay.
Dec 062011
 

I love putting puzzles together, so when I had the opportunity to review a custom photo puzzle from Piczzle.com, I was excited when I was selected. For the purpose of my review, I was able to chose  between a small or a medium cardboard puzzle and the number of pieces; however, the following sizes are available to customize as well:   
  • 6 to 2,000 pieces
  • Cardboard or Wooden
  • Rectangular, Heart-Shaped or      
  • Round Puzzles
  • Small to X-Giant
  • $6.99 to $399.99

The hardest part was for me to decide what photo I wanted to use to create my puzzle.  I ended up choosing my eldest cat, Mr. Mu.  Mr. Mu thinks he’s all that and more.  He’s sitting in the chair that I have plants in outside – how dare he!  He dares to do many things – trust me.  I uploaded the picture and began to edit it to my liking.  I was able to crop the picture and add text. It would have been nice to have been able to remove the date (displayed in red) but that’s okay – it will just be the added memory of when Mr. Mu decided my flower chair was his.

Unsure as to what to expect once I had my photo puzzle, I was pleased to see it mailed in a box with the picture of Mr. Mu on the outside.  Inside, I found puzzle pieces made of thick cardboard – thicker than what you’d find in a big name box puzzle.  The puzzle is of a shiny gloss that appears to resist fingerprints.  The cuts of the pieces match perfectly.  However, one thing I am having a hard time adjusting to is the cut itself.  As you can see in the puzzle picture above, the cut lines are just as prominent after the puzzle is put together.  They are a grayish-white and take away from the picture. Aside from that, I was very pleased with customized puzzle.  The processing time was super fast.  Checkout was easy.

Creating your own custom puzzle is as easy as:

1. Choose your personalized jigsaw puzzle size, number of pieces and free graphic design

2. Optional: enter your “MyWords” text or choose a quote (free)
3. Specify your preferable picture puzzle packing option and delivery plan
4. Upload your photo
5. Confirm your personalized puzzle order

Visit Piczzle on Facebook and on YouTube.

Would you like to win one for yourself?  It would make a great stocking stuffer and if you have a little one, they surely would enjoy putting a picture of themselves or their family together.  Enter {HERE}

I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.
Dec 042011
 

Diamond Candles are an all natural, highly fragrant soy candle.  Each candle comes with a twist – a twist of a hidden ring within the candle worth $10, $100, $1,000, or $5,000.

If you’ve never experienced the anticipation behind a glistening burning candle that must be burned down before capturing a prize; then Diamond Candles would like to offer you the chance to.  Experiencing this is much better than opening up that box of Cracker Jacks!

Here’s what you need to do:

  • This event is Free to you. Open to US only.
  • If you are to review and giveaway a product sponsored by Diamond Candles Company, you’ll need to include in your giveaway the sponsor’s Facebook and Twitter mentions, and a couple of keywords within your review.
  • If you are to participate in this campaign, Blog about this event on your blog, linking it to this post.
  • Then, fill out this Form with information about your blog.
  • Once you’re approved by the Diamond Candles Company, I’ll ask you to confirm your mailing address for mailing products to you for review and giveaway on your blog (FYI: Diamond Candles does all mailing to the winners for giveaway.)
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