Product Reviews

New site review!!!!

2009-04-20T15:08:00.002-04:00

We will now be posting reviews on our Traffic Exchange/Review Blog. A new website review has been posted to our new blog here:
http://www.reviews.thecinnamonhollow.biz/?p=215

Our newest review showcases:

Time to move our blog? Comments needed!

2009-04-08T19:35:00.003-04:00

Hiya! For awhile now, something about this blog has been driving me NUTS! It takes forever to load. I have changed the format countless times but it just isn't 'right' to me.
So I'm asking you all. Do you think we should change to another blogging format?
I do have another blog here: http://www.reviews.thecinnamonhollow.biz
It would take some time but I could move all the posts, etc. there and have just one blog that encompasses both WAHM product reviews and updates from our traffic exchange.
I've thought about this for awhile now but would love your oinions!!!
Your comments are SO appreciated!

God Bless,
Crystal

A daddy's love - SafetyCaps Review + Giveaway!!!

2009-03-09T19:12:00.013-04:00

I was recently asked by the inventor of SafetyCaps (made in Vermont) if we would be willing to do a review of his product. Having little ones in my home and knowing the importance of child safety, I immediately said yes.

George and his daughter Sage have a story that will touch any parents heart. You see, a few years back, George DeCell, removed the standard outlet safety cover, that families have used for years, in order to use the outlet, and sat it on the counter. His young daughter, Sage, got the cover and like many toddlers do, stuck it in her mouth in the few seconds George was turned away. He turned back and saw his daughter suffocating on this device that was created to PROTECT our children! This story has a happy ending though, thank God! George was able to un-lodge the plug cover from his daughters throat and save her life!!!!

It was this event that set Mr. DeCell on the path to create a larger, safety regulated outlet cover. These outlet covers fit into any standard outlet and come in a clear design to fit in with any room decor.They are easy to insert and remove and comply with United States Pacifier Anti-Choking regulations, an idea inspired by his own daughters pacifier. They have won National Parenting Centers Seal of Approval, The New Parents Guide Seal of

Approval, Mr. Dad Seal of Recognition, The Baby Planners Seal of Approval.

SafetyCaps measure 2 1/4 inches in greatest diameter and contain two

(2) ventilation holes located no closer that .2 inches and larger than .2

inches in diameter.
Even with all these recommendations, George is still having a hard time being heard and getting his product seen by the Big-Wigs of the safety industry. Read his statement:

"In fact, I tried to petition the Consumers Product Safety Commission

(CPSC), twice, but was told, both times, that no children have died from

this so they are not willing to regulate these devices. Oh yeah, let me

add that over 30 hospitals and more than 100 safety personnel (these

people signed a petition) from across the country wrote to the CPSC and

asked them to regulate these devices like a pacifier because they felt

they are a choking hazard. The CPSC would rather be reactive instead of

Pro-active. It’s not right!

I got myself elected on the Underwriter Laboratory's (UL) panel 2255 for

Outlet Closures (Outlet Plugs). I submitted all the letters and the

signatures to the panel members and asked that we change the voluntary

standard to comply with pacifier regulations as hospitals across the

country stated that these devices are a choking hazard. The vote came

back 4 Yes, 4 No. The four Yes votes are from myself, a safety person, a

lawyer and a doctor. The manufactures and related companies voted No.

This has been a grass routes effort from the very beginning. My latest

effort it to have a blogger from each US State write a blog about

SafetyCaps, email their blog to Ellen and Oprah, and ask their readers to

do the same."

Isn't is just PATHETIC, that a child has to DIE before our government and safety institutes will step in and do something to make these products safe? Each year you see more and more recalls of products that claim the life or seriously harm a child. Why aren't these products tested to the fullest BEFORE they are put out on the market to potentially do harm? I just don't get it!!!

See more images from the safety tests on this page: http://www.safetycaps.com/safe.htm

I took this picture to compare the covers we WERE using to George's covers that we NOW use.
My goodness! Just look at the difference! The Safety Caps are bigger and have the holes that are required in pacifiers.

I sincerely encourage you to check out the SafetyCaps website and read all about these great safety items. There just isn't enough room to post everything in this review! :0)

NOW FOR THE GIVEAWAY!!!!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Each comment made to this post telling us what you like most about these safety covers will gain you one entry into the giveaway to win your very own 24 pack of SafetyCaps!!!

George is trying his best to get the word out about his wonderful invention. To receive two extra entries in to the giveaway, George asks you to submit your comments to the ELLEN and OPRAH shows and he and I will credit you with one extra entry for each.
Contest ends March 24, 2009
PLEASE POST YOUR COMMENTS @ THIS LINK INSTEAD OF THIS POST!!!!
Winner will be announced on the 25th

Smiley Saturday - trying something new

2009-02-27T21:58:00.004-05:00

OK, so this isn't exactly a review but we thought we might branch out a little here at TCH and try something a little different... MEMES!
Never heard of them? Don't feel bad, I hadn't either until tonight. Basically, a MEME gives you a topic and you write about it while giving a link back to the site with the theme/MEME. So here goes! The topic of this MEME is Smiling and our take on it.

What makes me smile? Oh gosh that is TOO easy!
My kids makes me smile, laugh, cry, pull my hair out, lol, then right back to the smiling!
We have 3 kiddies with another on the way (ssh, it's sort of a secret, not so much now) and so many aspects of their childhood keep me in awe. I often catch myself with one of those big 'ole cheesy grins on my face. You know the kind? Where you are just smiling so big, looking kind of dorky, and don't even realize it, because whatever is the cause, it just so overwhelming you can't help yourself.
Yeah, I get those a lot. Especially now, with the ages of my little muffins. 9, 5, 2 and this one due early this summer.
Our 9 year old is into science and reading and is just a wealth of knowledge, constantly leaving me dumbfounded because he is already so much smarter than I am! hahaha
Our 5 year old is a school newbie and has learned so much. She read a complete book about trees to me, only needing help on one or two words. Along with the smile on my face were tears in my eyes. I can't believe how much she has learned! And she is a decorator! That child is constantly rearranging her room and re-decorating it. Too cute!
Our 2 year old...... oh my.. can you say T-R-O-U-B-L-E ????? {insert BIG smile here!} She is such a little mischief maker, with a darling and Brand new little giggle to follow. She has created this goofy little laugh that no one can duplicate. It is so funny! Then she wraps those little arms around my neck and says ' I love you mommy sweetheart' and I just melt into a puddle of mommy love!

So, that is my take on smiles. Even in the worst of times, our children can always bring a smile to our face when we reflect on their purity and beauty and knowledge. I know mine sure do!

She liked it, she really liked it! Dammit Dolls?

2009-01-06T15:18:00.005-05:00

Ok so I had my shopping done for my hubby's mom but still I needed a super last minute gift for my mother-in-law. One I knew she would really get a kick out of. But what? I wracked my brain trying to think of a gift to get or make her. Every year, she makes a stocking up for all of us. Not just my children, but ALL of us! Even her hubby. I noticed that everyone gets a stocking on Christmas morning except for her. Nobody fills one for mom-in-law and that made me kind of sad. So that is what I set out to do, make her a very special stocking of her own. But what in the world was I going to fill it with?

Then it hit me, she loves to play BINGO! And I had recently come across this website that I knew had the perfect gift for an avid BINGO pplaayer. It is the Dammit Doll Store! I knew right away when I saw this darling little doll, that I just had to have one for her stocking! I was pretty sure I had seen one on her site for BINGO so I went on a hunt and sure enough, there it was! The PERFECT gift, complete in BINGO fabric and with a poem that is fit for anyone who has ever only needed one number when someone jumped up before them and shouted B-I-N-G-O (grrrr)!!!

Copyright © 2007 Busy Fingers Crafts ~*~Do Not Copy~*~ Used with Permission!

So I emailed Miss Carla and asked her if there was any way she could send one out last minute. This was only a week before Christmas mind you! She said sure and so I ordered one, selected Priority shipping and VOILA!, the perfect gift arrived at my door two days before Christmas!
I wish, wish, wish I had taken a photo to post on here but I was so excited I put the stocking together and had it all ready to give to mom-in-law before I even thought about it. It came in a cello bag with a very nice topper and the poem (also included inside) was printed on a label and attached to the outside of the cello bag for quick reading. This doll had hair and eyes and was OHHH SOOO cute!

Christmas morning came, we went to hubby's mom's and I surprised her with her special stocking. SHE LOVED IT! It was filled with all sorts of BINGO goodies including a gift envelope I made with BINGO designs on it and filled with some funds for playing, BINGO dabbers, a box of candy and of course the wonderful Dammit Doll to which I received an ' Oh my gosh this is so cute, I LOVE it!'

YAY me! and Yay Miss Carla for her ever so clever Dammit dolls that truly saved me at the last minute this gift giving season! Thank you ma'am!

Personalized Photo Confetti~*~http://pink-poodle-boutique.com/

2008-11-08T13:39:00.001-05:00

Christian from Pink Poodle Boutique sent me some awesome Personalized Photo Confetti to use at our children's Happy Halloween party. This stuff is AMAZING!

You have so many options to choose from in order to make this a truly personalized party favor. You get to choose three different confetti shapes in three different colors along with the photos you will be using. I sent Christian 3-4 photos and chose two sizes of round confetti along with the Cinderella theme in orange, black and golden-yellow. I was even able to choose a few phrases to be printed on the solid shapes of confetti. I chose the Cinderella theme because I figured the castle and pumpkin-coach would be great for a halloween party, especially in the colors I chose. The photos I chose were from last year at halloween and were of our children in their costumes. They looked great!

As you can see, (hopefully) I sprinkled some around different decorations that were set out for our party, making a unique and extremely customized addition to our decor. I received a very large package of confetti, nicely shipped in a clear zip-bag so I could see exactly what I was getting. When you receive your order all you have to do is place it in a bowl with a lid and give it a good shake and all the little pieces that have clumped together during shipping will magically seperate giving you loads and loads of wonderful confetti. Since our party was small, I didn't use all of my confetti and I am going to make a scrapbook page for each of my children using this leftover.

Can you just imagine everything you can use this for?

*Wedding receptions with photos of the bride and groom.
*Baby showers with a photo of the baby's ultrasound.
*50th wedding anniversary parties with phots of the couple throughout the years.
*Scrapbooks
*Crafts
*Memory boards for children's rooms

and the list just goes on and on.....

Christian, you have a truly wonderful and versatile item here and I can't wait to purchase more for upcoming events!

Thank you so much for letting TCH review this awesome personalized photo confetti!

Goodies Galore! Bartering Review

2008-10-29T13:10:00.008-04:00

As you know, as well as selling advertising to the WAHM, The Cinnamon Hollow is also known for bartering for products/services in exchange for advertising in our network.
Why? Because sometimes, it is more convenient for a business owner to trade with stock on hand, than it is for them to purchase their advertising outright. We do small barters and we do large barters. It is up to the purchaser to determine how much they want to 'spend' at our sites and what advertising package best suits their needs. The purchaser pays for shipping as well but this is rolled into the advertising package and the same amount is exchanged.

With that said, we have had the pleasure of doing some bartering with three very nice ladies over the last few weeks and I want to take a moment to showcase their sites/products.

First up is Terri from TAH 49 Quilting.

Terri sent me a selection of fabric squares, 2 packages of her FABULOUS prim stained fabric hang tags and a wonderful Tin Can craft pattern. Terri's hang tags are super for adding a decorative touch to a gift, a craft, or just hanging on a peg for a decorative prim touch. They are a very nice large size and have a wonderful grungy and prim, cinnamon-coffee scent, and in my opinion, are absolutely perfect!
Everything was packaged neatly and arrived very quickly. Thank you Miss Terri!

Next up, we have Sherry from The Gingerbread Barn

Sherry sent me the MOST heavenly Sugar Cookie scented jar candle complete with wax sugar cookie embeds and sprinkles! This candle smells SO good that I had to literally pry it away from my mother-in-law! Guess who is getting one for Christmas this year? :0)
It arrived packaged well and very quickly and included an envelope (Prim Pack) containing busniess cards from fellow Prim vendors. Thank you Miss Sherry!

And last but not least, we have Emmy from Early Thyme Primitives.

Oh my goodness I was SOOOOO excited about this barter! I have a prim lamp and prim hat box light on my entertainment center that thas been begging for something to go beside them. I have hunted, and hunted for just the right thing but just could not find what I was looking for. So when Emmy wanted to do a barter and I saw this prim lantern light I just HAD to have it! This is handmade so it did take about a week to complete but it is very creative and well worth the wait which really was no wait at all. Like I said a little over a week. We also bartered for a candle and I asked Emmy to surprise me with style and scent. I just could not decide! Although I did request a fall scent, But I left it completely up to her which one. Emmy sent me one of her wonderfully strong scented Grubby candle lights in Orange Spice scent and let me tell you, this candle is to die for! Just sitting there is has a nice subtle but definitely there fragrance but when you turn the little electric candle on.... WOWEE! That thing comes alive and packs a fantastic punch of fall fragrance! not overpowering in the least, just.... awesome! I also received 2 packages of her amazing tarts, which I forgot to take a picture of. :0( But these tarts are equally as wonderful as the electric candle. Very nicely scented. Thank you Miss Emmy!

These were 3 VERY successful barters and I wish you ladies nothing but success! Thank you all SO much!

Prima Princessa

2008-10-13T14:04:00.008-04:00

I recently had the opportunity to review a fascinating children's DVD.
'Prima Princessa presents Swan Lake' is a wonderful DVD, produced by Mary Kate Mellow and Stephanie Troeller, "two stay-at-home moms who were both inspired by their children's love of dance as well as a desire to see higher quality, culturally enriching programming available for young children". It is aimed at teaching Pre-School aged girls and is narrated by a lovely little animation named Prima Princessa. She is ADORABLE!!! Prima Princessa was so cute and well thought out in creation, that she immediately captured the attention of both of my daughters. Mary Kate and Stephanie have done an outstanding job creating this video, from the animated fairy to the Swan Lake featured segments.

With the aid of my two daughters, ages 5 and 2, we sat down to watch this adorable learning video. I was quite curious to see if it could hold their attention. My two year old was a bit grumpy that day and distracted but I can honestly say that for the first part of the video, she watched intently and then would dance, then watch some more, then dance some more. I've mentioned in other reviews how much my children love music so I knew from the start that Miss Callie and Miss Cambryn would love it. But Callie was feeling bad and just wanted to lay in mommy's lap and rest.

So, I wanted to REALLY see how my 5 year old daughter would respond and see if she not only watched, but interacted with the video.
SUCCESS!

I took some photos of Miss Bryn watching the DVD and you can see for yourself she was fully engrossed in the entire thing! Except for the few minutes I had to pause it so she could get up and do Pirouettes! Each scene of Prima Princessa features the Paris Opera Ballet performing a few small segments of Swan Lake. After each act, the DVD reverts to the little ballerina girls, (students from the School of American Ballet at Lincoln Center, the Official Academy of New York City Ballet), at home learning simple ballet steps. It also shows the name and pronounces the steps being taught. My daughters favorite were the Pirouettes and for about an hour after the DVD, she would dance around the house excitedly showing me what she had learned! :0)
A week later and she is still talking about the DVD wanting to watch it over and over and learn more of the dance steps and their names.

I was very pleased with this video. Not only did it showcase music and dance which we love, but it created a cultural experience for my children that they might not have received otherwise. I admit, my husband and I know very little about ballet and have never been to see one live so this video opened a new door to my children and myself and we look forward to learning more about ballet and movement through dance. My daughter has already decided she wants to be a ballerina so who knows, maybe there are some dance classes in her near future!

I'd like to give a HUGE thank you to Miss Mary Kate and Miss Stephanie for giving us the opportunity to review this fantastic DVD!
Please visit their Website and Blog to learn how you can order 'Prima Princessa presents Swan lake'.
http://www.primaprincessa.com/
http://www.tutuzone.com./

****************************************************
Stay tuned for our next review: Personalized Photo Confetti from Pink Poodle Boutique!!!!

REVAMPING THE BLOG!!!

2008-10-09T10:36:00.003-04:00

Hello,

This is just a quick note that I will be redoing the blog layout a little because it is cluttered.

I'm hoping to be finished by tomorrow.

I will add all the of the existing links and buttons back to the blog as soon as I get the design finished so please don't think we have deleted you! I have made a list of everything that goes back on and will get it back ASAP!

Thank you!

Bartering at it's best! www.candlesby-valerie.com

2008-09-02T15:27:00.011-04:00

As you know, The Cinnamon Hollow is known for bartering advertising space for products.

Wellllll, today I received the most delightful two items from Candles-By-Valerie.

A HUGE enamelware mug filled with the most darling candle I've ever seen in 'Country Bumpkin' scent along with a bar of handmade soap in 'Vanilla Rum Cake' scent.

The photo lighting isn't the best, but Looky!

This candle will be used for decoration only because that is what I wanted it for BUT, I can't WAIT to dive into that yummy bar of handmade soap!!!!!

Thank you Miss Valerie!

Delightfully Enchanting!

2008-08-22T16:36:00.004-04:00

Ok, so we were sent some of the most wonderful items to test from my great new friend Yuki, a representative for Enchanted Potions and owner of The Cuddly Crew.

4oz Starlight Vanilla Honey Skin Revitalizer (reg price: $4.50)

4oz Eucalyptus Solar Sea Salt (reg price: $4.00)

4 oz Cosmic Body Lotion in Pink Sugar (type) Fragrance (reg price: $3.50)

4 oz Smelly Jelly Air Freshener In Citrus Julep Fragrance (reg price: $3.50)

Dryer Sachet in Angel Wings Fragrance(reg price: $2.00)

And a little Hugs and Kisses Soap sample in Pink Sugar fragrance for my daughter!

The Starlight Vanilla Honey Skin Revitalizer is some of the most AMAZING bath goodness I have ever had the pleasure of trying. When you get ready to use it, you need to shake it up because it will be separated and look like lotion on the top and honey in the bottom. Shake it up to re-mix (easy peasy) and pour a little into your running bath water just like you would a bubble bath. Slide into the tub (careful, it's slippery) and soak up the delectable goodness. Oh my gosh I am NOT kidding. My legs were so soft and silky. You are literally taking soak in lotion (combined with other goodies of course)! What could be better than that?!?!?!
Nothing, I say! And the scent is so light and pleasant. It doesn't overpower your senses, so you can just sit and relax. Sooooooo good!

Eucalyptus Solar Sea Salt
Ok, I did NOT get to test this in the bath yet. :0(
We were in the process of moving and I packed it in the wrong box and didn't find it until today so it is going into testing on Wednesday and I will report back here next week.

Cosmic Body Lotion in Pink Sugar (type) Fragrance
Anything that smells like Cotton Candy has to be good right? This lotion was no exception. It is light and rubs in wonderfully. The fragrance is strong enough to last all day without triggering my migraines and that is one HUGE plus in my book. Silky and smooth and left my skin soft. This lotion rubbed in very easily and didn't leave my hands feeling greasy. It contains a lot of extracts like honey, lemon, etc. As a reviewer, I do have to mention that it does have methylparaben and propylparaben (common preservatives) which some naturalists veer away from for various and understandable reasons, but in my testing it performed extremely well. A definite thumbs up on the lotion.

Smelly Jelly Air Freshener In Citrus Julep Fragrance
YUMMY! I got a SERIOUS craving for those little Orange Slices Candies after smelling this. You know, the ones that are like a jelly bean only covered in granulated sugar? Yup! Smells just like it with a hint of julep goodness. I didn't hold up well in our new house which is rather open and quite spacious but in our old house, which is smaller, it scented the room quite nicely. I am going to place it in the bathroom and give it another good testing because I have a feeling it will work wonderfully in there. I could definitely smell it when I passed by or if it was placed near a ceiling fan or air vent, but in the new house, it just had a little trouble holding up to the size of the rooms. Check back when we post the Sea Salt review because I am re posting on this as well!!!

Dryer Sachet in Angel Wings Fragrance
OOOHHHHHH These things are A-W-E-S-O-M-E! I have been doing boo coos of laundry this week and let me tell ya, this sachet has been put to good use. The Angel Wings (type) scent has a soft and wonderful baby powder fragrance and when you put it in the dryer and it gets warm, it scents your laundry very nicely. Some of the clothes were already clean but just needed some refreshing so I threw them in on fluff with the sachet and they smell, 'like an angel' (no pun intended). Buy some of these, you'll LOVE them!!!! And $2 bucks is an awesome deal!

Hugs and Kisses Soap sample in Pink Sugar (type) fragrance
What can I say? Our daughter loves this soap! Not only does she get to smell like mommy in the Pink Sugar (type) fragrance but she has her very own little soap that she doesn't have to share with her brother! :0) Thank you so much Yuki for including her in the testing. This is a glycerin soap and one that actually lathers pretty well. Not to mention it is absolutely darling! It is a little round soap with an 'X and O' embedded inside. Smells great, lathers great and washes dirt and grime off my daughter and right down the drain!

Here is a little about Yuki and enchanted Potions including a SPECIAL OFFER!

1. How long have you been in business?
Enchanted Potions officially opened for business in 2000, but has been crafting luxurious bath & body products since 1997. I learned about Enchanted Potions and joined their distributor program in 2007.

2. What made you decide on the products you sell?
I wanted to start offering bath & body products and started researching the different companies out there. I liked the fact that Enchanted Potions offered so many different products and fragrances. Also the reps are all so passionate about the products and use them themselves. To me it says a lot if reps not only sell their products but are customers themselves. It was only $10 to join, and with that $10, you can choose any product to try out for yourself or as samples for customers.

3. Do you offer any specials or discounts?
Receive a FREE gift with every order. When you shop at the Cuddly Crew, you will receive a FREE 2oz. bottle of our Cosmic Body Lotion. Also, currently I am having a Summertime Savings Sale – save 15% off everything. There’s more info on my homepage – http://www.cuddlycrew.com/

4. Enchanted Potions offers a variety of bath and body products available in nearly 100 fragrances. Each item is 100% handcrafted using only the finest ingredients and includes a thorough inspection before leaving the facility. Our products are “custom” “made to order” fresh when the order is placed. Customers won’t get sent something that has been sitting on a shelf somewhere collecting dust. We are proud to send freshly made bath and body products bursting with fragrance. Often when you receive your order, you can smell the fragrance through the box.

Once again I had the honor of testing some amazing products. Grab some bath-n-body goodies for Christmas, Holiday and Birthday gifts. There is something there for everyone!

Thank you Yuki!

We're getting Enchanted August 22!

2008-08-14T12:32:00.004-04:00

Coming August 22 will be a review for items scent to me by Yuki Hung (owner of CuddlyCrew.com), an independent representative of Enchanted Potions.

Enchanted Potions officially opened for business in 2000, but has been crafting luxurious bath & body products since 1997. Yuki learned about Enchanted Potions and joined their distributor program in 2007.

The items I received are:

4oz Starlight Vanilla Honey Skin Revitalizer (reg price: $4.50)

4oz Eucalyptus Solar Sea Salt (reg price: $4.00)

4 oz Cosmic Body Lotion in Pink Sugar Fragrance (reg price: $3.50)

4 oz Smelly Jelly Air Freshener In Citrus Julep Fragrance (reg price: $3.50)

Dryer Sachet in Angel Wings Fragrance(reg price: $2.00)

And a little Hugs and Kisses Soap sample in Pink Sugar fragrance for my daughter!

The review for these products will be posted on August 22 so be sure to check back then!
The Solar Sea Salts smell AWESOME and are definitely calling my name to be tested this weekend!!!!

Thank you Yuki!

Everybody loves a giveaway and 'OH BABY' you'll love this one!

2008-07-23T13:35:00.005-04:00

OK! my awesome cycber-sister Judy is having another giveaway on her blog, CWAHMOM!

She is offering a Book entitled

"Oh Baby! 7 Ways A Baby Will Change Your Life The First Year"

written by :

Susan M. Heim , a writer and editor, specializing in multiples, parenting, women’s and Christian issues.

If you would like a chance to win this wonderful book, just hop on over to the following post:

Oh Baby! 7 Ways A Baby Will Change Your Life The First Year

and leave a comment and you will be entered into her drawing.

But hurry, the drawing is on August 19th!

Revisiting In Kristine's Shower!

2008-07-23T13:07:00.007-04:00

A few months back, I was sent some awesome B&B products from my friend Jenny at In Kristine's Shower. I immediately fell IN LOVE with her products and have been a major bath bomb addict ever since.

I needed some more of her amazing Body Frosting and Aloe Vera Whip and so for the summer months I chose the Orange Dream fragrance. YUMM-O! Remember the orange dream-cicles from your childhood? Those delightful Orange Sherbet Popcicles with the vanilla ice-cream inside. Well if you don't just pop open one of Jenny's products in this scent and you will immediately remember! And if you never had one, you will fall in love with the scent and get a hankering for one! :0)

The Body Frosting at In Kristine's Shower has got to be THE BEST Sugar Scrub I have ever used in my entire life! There is no oily mess. NONE! No mixing to get the oils incorporated into the sugar, it is mixed in perfectly and never seperates. The sugar is super fine but still gives an excellant exfoliation without irritating your skin. In fact, I use it daily on my legs followed by the Orange Dream Aloe Vera Whip and have not had one moment of dryness on my legs this summer! If you have never tried the Aloe Vera Whip, you simply don't know what you are missing! It consists of her Shea Butter Sorbet with injections of a wonderful Aloe Vera mixture embedded throughout. It is so awesome! I scoop out just a bit of the aloe part for my elbows and it has completely healed the dry skin on them. After using the scrub on my legs, I rub on the aloe whip and my legs are left feeling so smooth and silky. Hubby even noticed!!!!

Now, I cannot leave out her Bath bombs. after all, that is what In Kristine's Shower is famous for. I received 8 different scents and have used all but 3 of them so far. Her Bath bombs are 'Da Bomb', sorry for the corny pun, but they truly are super-de-duper-fantastic. Filled with the heavenly goodness of Shea Butter and other skin-loving oils, these bath bombs will leave your skin feeling radiantly smooth and soft after a soak with one in the tub. But be careful getting out because you and the tub will be slippery! I hope you will hop on over to In Kristine's Shower and try out these fabulous treats for yourself. You won't be sorry!

Miss Jenny has graciously offered a 25% discount to my readers too!
Just use the code Post25 during checkout to receive your discount!
Thank you Miss Jenny!

Christian Work At Home Mom: Blessed Toys Giveaway

2008-06-26T11:08:00.001-04:00

My dear friend Judy of L'Bri is having a wonderful giveway on her site. For the month of July, she is featuring items from Blessed Toys that were sent to her from another WAHM. Check out her giveaway here:

Christian Work At Home Mom: Blessed Toys Giveaway

Be sure to check her site each month for another fantastic giveaway!

Country Keepsakes

2008-06-21T11:42:00.001-04:00

My good friend Becky at Country Keepsakes makes some of the most delectable candles I have ever seen... and smelled in my life! I recently acquired $50 worth of her fantastic creations and have had a super duper, out-of-this world smelling house ever since!

Look what $50 will get you at her site:

I received Keepsake Lights Button Tarts, Keepsake Lights Little Lights Votives, Cinna Minnie Melts, Stars & Hearts Double Scent Melts in Cookie Jar Scents.

Cakes For One w/decorative plate, Orange Buns Cinnamon Buns, 2 Double Scented 8oz Mason Jars (French Vanilla Cappuccino and Orange Pineapple Marmalade) , Muffin.

Potpourri in Cinnamon Stick Scent - This is some really beautiful potpourri. It contains Red milo berries, Pintado hearts, anise stars, grubbed hearts, canella berries, cedar tips and more.... and oh it smells absolutely HEAVENLY!

The cakes for one, muffins and cinna-buns are very realistic looking and as darling as can be. Each one is highly scented and the perfect size to decorate with. Honestly, I didn't burn mine. They are too cute. I know, I know what kind of review is this is I didn't burn the candle? Well, I will burn them and I will do a follow-up review but for now I am focusing on the jar candles and the votives and saving my shaped candles for another day! :0)

On to the jar candles. FABO! Burn time is wonderful. I burned mine for about an hour and a half and reached a full melt pool. The candle burned and burned and burned and didn't really ever seem to lessen. But after a few weeks of daily burning, you could see that is was lessening and it was cleaning the side of the jar as it burned which is great! Scent throw is phenomenal, scenting my entire house with one 8 oz jar candle. Snuffed the candle, went to town for a few hours, came home and WOWZER my house smelled sooooo good! And this was even in the middle of a septic tank crisis!!!!!! From pee yew to yummy! hahahaha.

Tarts/Melts - A joy to use. Melts wonderfully, excellent scent throw, darling shapes. I even use them as fixings in my potpourri and get a very nice scent.

Votives - Oh my gosh! We were re-arranging things so I wanted to leave as much stuff boxed as I could until after we decided what to do with everything. I unwrapped one of the coconut-lime verbena votives and gave it a good examination, fell in love but had to pack it back up for a few days. I placed it back in the box and set it aside and everytime the air would come on, I would be pleasantly surprised with a delightfully strong aroma of coconut-lime verbena. THROUGH THE CLOSED BOX! Wonderful, wonderful candles with or without burning!

Seriously, I liked these candles enough to become a rep and I don't just sign up with any company, I have to really like what I see (or smell) and/or have to have heard some really high quality feedback. So this is a true high recommendation for Country Keepsakes.

Becky is an amazing chandler and a wonderful lady to work with. She has become one of my dearest friends and I can't thank her enough for introducing me to her wonderful candles. Thank you so much Miss Becky!

Remember ya'll, check back in a few weeks for the update to this awesome review!

'Lucky Daddy' Giveaway @ Saige Nicole's!

2008-06-09T13:06:00.008-04:00

My friend Wendy of Saige Nicole's-Chic Baby and Toddler Boutique is hosting an awesome giveaway for Dad's this Father's day!:

"Lucky Daddy" Giveaway"

This month, One Lucky Mamma will receive a great gift for her "Daddy-Oh". In celebration of all Good Daddies, we're calling this months giveaway our "Lucky Daddy" Giveaway and one Lucky Daddy will receive a very cool "Good Daddies Are Hot" tee shirt AND a Madison Ave. Diaper Tote / Backpack in his choice of chocolate or black! Oh, yeah Daddy-O...we're celebrating you and all you do. Mmmmwwwwahhhh!

Saige Nicole's offers a 'Lucky Mommy' giveaway each month and featuring amazing gifts any mommy would be honored to win, so check the Daddy giveaway and enter to win this fabulous gift fot YOUR man!

Here is a little information about Sage Nicole's:

Saige Nicole's is an on-line boutique catering to children 0-5 years and modern moms. We are passionate about the mommy and baby experience and all of our merchandise is hand-selected for it quality design, eye for detail and uniqueness. We have a wonderful array of products including many of the most sought after boutique design lines and are proud supporters of indie designers as well. Our fashions have been featured in Earnshaws, Hudsons, Pregnancy, Toddler, and more.

Thank you Miss Wendy! Let us know who wins and we will post it here in the blog!

Chicks and Cubs Safety Gear!

2008-05-07T15:39:00.003-04:00

Today we are doing a review for my friend Cynthia of Chicks And Cubs. We were asked to review a selection of child safety products so I asked the help of my children to ensure proper testing.
I didn't include photos in this review because my child ID information is all over them and they were too small to just blur their info, so for safety reasons, I didn't include the photos but when you click on the links in each section you can see some wonderful in depth photos of each item.
I will be doing an update to this review after a few upcoming events to really showcase the usefullness of these products!

The first item we tested was the Yellow Disposable ID Brecelet Kit. ($8.00 for a 10 pack - great deal) These yellow bracelets are perfect for a one time use for field trips, trips to the zoo, camping out with family, etc. I wrote Zoo Trip on the outside and my daughters info on the inside so that 'bad' people wouldn't know right away that it was a child ID device. I think this is great since most fairs and zoo's and family fun places have the colored bracelets for admission, so a potential bad person wouild never guess that this is a child safety product. Granted, my handwriting was not superb on this go around, you receive 10 so if you mess up, just do another one! Write on your bracelet with a fine tip Sharpie® marker and you're good to go! No noticeable smudging, this bracelet works great! Each bracelet is a single use item that is to be torn off afterwards and disposed of. For one time trips this is a great item without a lot of cost. Its bright yellow color makes it easy to spot your child if they wander away from you for a moment plus their information is written inside so once they find a trusted adult (parker employee or policeman) they can notify them that their contact information is written inside.

The second item was the Child Safety Shoe sticker. ($10 for 20 stickers and a fine tip marker). While I totally agree this is a FABULOUS idea and a fantastic product, we didn't have the best results. I am going to take the blame on this one because I attached the sticker to the inside SIDE of my sons shoe and the material was sort of like Jersey material. It just did not want to stick and by the time I realized I should have stuck it on the bottom of the inside, I had ruined the one sticker I had. :0( This item is a great product though with lines for mother and fathers work and home numbers. Who would ever guess your child had their ID inside their shoe? It makes the perfect hiding place for your childs Identification. I really did like this product and only wish I had a better chance to test it.

The third product and one of my most absolute favorites was the Car Seat ID. ($10 for 4) These are WONDERFUL! Each card has a place for your childs photo, thumbprint and all of their ID information including allergies, weight/height and contact numbers. It is 2 sided and goes inside a self-laminating card that attaches with Velcro®
The laminated card attaches to the side of your childs carseat so Emergency workers can immediately have all their information at hand in case of an accident. I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE this products and think it is one of the best child safety/identification inventions yet. If your child is too big to ride in a carseat, get some anyway and place them in handy noticeable location in your car or in the glove compartment with a note on the driver door to look there in case of emergency.

Our last product for review is the Child Safety ID Inside Bracelet available in blue or pink. Again this is another amazing product. Similar to the Yellow Disposable bracelet, you can include all your childs contact info on the bracelet but the best features are that they are hidden within an inside pocket so no one that doesn't need to know, doesn't! My son loves the blue one he received. His class has a fiield trip in the near future and he has asked me if he can wear it. OF COURSE HE CAN! It is stylish and will last and last. This bracelet can be worn to any event that your child may be attending. We have a cookout coming up soon at a park as well as a campout trip and he will definitely be wearing it then as well. For $8.00 (currently on sale) you are investing in a wonderful and inexpensive child identification device that will last and be effective.

I thank Cynthia for introducing my family to these wonderful Child Identification products. As a mother with school aged children and young ones in car seats, I truly value these products and the service they provide to families. They are, in a word, invaluable!

I would also like to take a moment to tell you a little about a wonderful giveaway Cynthia is having on her site. It is called Loot 4 Mama and when you enter, you will win a coupon to her site and a coupon ebook and be eligiable for weekly, monthly, quarterly and the Grand Prize of $130 gift certificate for Baby Shoe Bronzing which is also an available service on her site. Shoe bronzing is such a great way to preserve a memory for your baby. (My mother-in-law had my hubby's baby shoes bronzed years ago. I can't believe how tiny they are!!!!)

Carol's Country Candles

2008-04-30T13:47:00.006-04:00

This week, we have a candle review. I had the opportunity to test a 5oz. Triangle Shaped Jar Candle in Pink Cotton Scent and some darling Heart Melts in red hot cinnamon for Carol's Country Candles and More.

The candle lit easily and after about an hour of burning had almost completely burned out to the edges. It had a very nice burn pool and incredible scent throw. There was some soot in the very beginning as the flame adjusted but not more than I have ever experienced with the name brand candles and after a few very short minutes, the flame leveled out and there was no noticeable black smoke. As the candle burned longer, it did clean the sides of the container which was super wonderful leaving no residue in side the jar. And there has not been any mushrooming on the wick when relighting so even though it is a nice strong fragrance it doesn't appear to be heavy laden and overwhelming. I have not had a chance to burn the candle in it's entirety so I can't say if there is much wax left at the bottom but the way it is cleaning the sides it really appears as though this candle will be good til the last bit of wax is consumed and that it will burn to within 1/4 inch of the bottom. And after several days testing, the scent is holding strong, it is not burning too fast meaning that this is a candle that seems like it is really going to last a nice long while. The Pink Cotton scent, reminded me of cottom candy like you get at the fairgrounds, so delicious and yummy smelling and immediately brought back childhood memories of going to the county fair. I loved it!

I used my tealight burner instead of my electric tart burner to test this melt because I wanted to really test the melt pool/size and the scent throw to see just how big these melts were, because they look HUGE! I seriously didn't think it would all fit but I was wrong, once melted it was the perfect amount of scented wax in my melter. Almost immediately upon lighting my tealight, my living room was filled with the scent of red hot cinnamon, my most absolute favorite! You know, the little heart shaped candies you get at Valentine's Day. Oh Yum! It didn't take long for my entire house to be filled with this inviting aroma either. These melts pack a mighty punch of aroma and last and last and last. I am still using the first one I put in my warmer and it is just as strong as the first day.

For purchaing, you can choose from an assortment of candles, melts, handmade soaps which definitely caught my eye! and even a candle of the month club with prices for the club ranging from $65 to $165. The site is easy to navigate and has wonderful pictures of each item along with a scent list to choose from when ordering.

And have you ever heard of Wax Dipped Toilet Paper? Me either but you can find it here and it is an adorable way to scent your bathroom.

And if you can't burn a candle (dorm, office, etc.) there are flamless alternatives which are beautiful!

I can say without a doubt that these are some wonderful candles. Once again, we have a 2 thumbs up review!

Thank you so much Carol! ~*~Carol's Country Candles and More!

L'Bri Pure n' Natural - Amazing Aloe!

2008-04-21T11:05:00.020-04:00

This week we are reviewing skin care samples sent to me by my good friend Judy, a consultant for L'Bri Pure N' Natural (Created by owners Linda and Brian Kaminski, who, combining their names, Linda and Brian named their new company L’Bri Pure n’ Natural, pronounced Lih-Brye.)
To begin my review, I would first like to explain a little about the origins of this great company. It comes from extremely humble and quite painful beginnings. While researching the history portion of the L'Bri website I discovered that in 1985, while working at an aluminum plant in Wisconsin, co-owner of L'Bri, Brian, suffered 3rd degree burns when a forklift carrying molten metal splashed the contents onto Brian's lower half of his body causing severe 3rd degree burns! Mr. Kaminski was sent home from the hospital bandaged and instructed to use a prescription slave to help heal the burns. Linda and Brian soon found the bandages 'sticking' to the wounds making it difficult to use the salve, which didn't appear to be working anyway. So at the advice of a friend, they decided to give pure aloe vera a try. Aloe has long been known as the 'burn plant' and they figured they had nothing to lose at that point anyway, so they gave it a shot. Within 2 days, Brian's legs were beginning to heal. Of course the Dr's scolded them for not following orders but they chose to continue using the aloe that was obviously working and soon Brian's legs were healed without scarring!!!

So let's jump to 1998 when they decided to invest everything in the research and development of their own aloe based skin care line with bio-chemist testing and lot's of hard work and very little funds. Linda and Brian devoted everything they had to creating an entire line of these aloe products that also contain wonderful natural ingredients such as vitamins, herbs, sea plants, Coneflower, Green Tea, Passion Flower, Ginseng and the list goes on. They do not contain waxes or oils, alcohol and harsh chemicals.

It is now 2008 and L'Bri Pure N' Natural is a thriving company with superior products that I was able to test myself and give an honest and unbiased review. Soooo here goes!

Judy sent me a wonderful sample kit containing a 3piece daily regimen of Deep Pore Cleanser, Freshener, and Gentle Moisture Lotion along with a Facial Masque, Exfoliating Facial Scrub and Smooth and Firm Eye Repair Gel, complete usage instructions, a catalog and re-order information.

For the first cleansing, the first step was the Deep Pore Cleanser. I admit I was a little skeptical about the cleansing power of aloe. It is a gel so it doesn't get sudsy like you are used to with facial cleansers which are basically detergents that dry your skin out along with the suds. I knew it was good for healing but for cleaning? Let's put it to the test, shall we?
I went into this facial cleaning test with full make-up, oh but yes I did. Mascara and all! L'Bri is marketed as being safe for the eye area so I gave it a go and to my surprise, IT WORKED! It cleaned ALL the make-up off and didn't not irritate my eyes one bit!

Ok, after the Deep Pore Cleanser, we moved on to the Exfoliating Facial and Body Scrub. This can be used 2-3 times a week to remove all those dead skin cells and impurities that collect on your skin. This is NOT for the eye area. I really liked this scrub, it had just enough exfoliating ingredients to get the job done but not so much that it hurt to use it. My face felt really nice afterwards. My pores felt open and clean.

The next step was the Freshener.This is best applied with a cotton ball or one of those safety swabs. That is what I used, one of the safety swabs we use with our baby. The freshener is used to restore the PH balance to your skin. When using this, I felt a slight tingling sensation. Not burning, just a sort of 'there' feeling. I can't really explain it, I could just seem to feel it working. I did not notice any redness or swelling afterwards and the sensation was brief. Then came the Smooth N' Firm Eye Repair Gel. This is to be used right after the freshener morning and night and you pat it around your eyes to help restore elasticity. This product felt really good around my eyes and they immediately felt smoother and softer underneath.

Lastly was the moisturizer which was unique compared to most. You dab a small amount onto your face and then you dampen your fingertips and continue to work it into your skin! This is to help literally put moisture back into your skin after the cleansing process and it felt so good! It was not a heavy moisturizer at all.

The next night, I followed the basic 3 step process but also used the Facial Masque after cleaning with the deep pore cleaner.

The other nights, just the 3 step process of Deep Pore Cleanser, Freshener and moisturizer unless my face was feeling extra gritty from the day.

Most facial cleansers cause me to break out horribly and not just for the first few pore purging days either, but continually. But the L'Bri products did NOT cause one single break-out! I was simply amazed. My skin is clean, healthy and better looking than it has been in ages!

A few days after your order arrives, you will receive a welcome letter and refrigerator magnet with your consultants (Judy) information along with your login information to the L'Bri site so you can reorder!

Thank you so much Judy for sending me these great samples! 2 thumbs up for this fabulous Aloe Based Company!!!!

Visit Judy's website if you would like to order your own samples (free with $5.95 shipping and handle fee) or full sized products, or to contact her for more information regarding L'Bri Pure N' Natural!

Give 'em Chores!

2008-04-09T20:52:00.004-04:00

My second review for today covers a wonderful item from My Precious Kid - Child Safety Products & Baby Gear by My Precious Kid®

My friend Kay sent me THE most adorable Reward Chore Chart I believe I have ever seen!!!
From the website I see that the dimensions are: 10" x 15" which is a wonderful size. It can be hung on the wall/door or it can be set on a table by folding the attached stand out. We used it by setting it on the table so it was the right height for both children. (8 and 4)

Included are:
* 48 pre-printed chore stickers
* Blank stickers also provided and you can print additional stickers from the website
* Tokens/Chips for rewarding accomplished chores. (We chose to not use these due to having an 18 month old in the house)

The instructions were simple and easy to follow and my favorite line is:
"If he did make his bed, but forgot to move the card into the "I DID IT!" box, that's too bad for him. You've got your own agenda for the day and it only includes moving the cards to the EXTRA hook. That is all the maintenance you are required to do." I love that! I read it aloud to my children too so they knew right from the get-go that this was something for them to do on their own with little supervision from me.

This chart teaches your child responsibility. Each hook is color coordinated for a time of day so even if your child it too young to read, they can still participate by doing their chores for each specified color. When a chore is completed, your child, NOT YOU, moves their tag from the appropriate hook into the "I DID IT! " box. At the end of the day they get either one green token for every chore completed or 1 red token for ever 5 chores completed that can be 'redeemed' at the end of the week.

A good way to use these it to give each child a money bank to keep their tokens in and then at the end of the week they can turn them in for rewards that are set by value. For instance, 3 tokens equals an ice cream cone or a trip to the store for a small toy. We have an 18 month old daughter so I chose to NOT use the tokens and instead keep a tally of all the tags in the 'I DID IT!" box each day. At the end of the week, if and only if all chores were completed each day, we would get pizza for dinner and enjoy a picnic in front of the TV with a special movie. But all chores HAVE to be completed or it's no deal!

The kid's seemed to really go for this too! Each morning, our son would get up and make his bed, brush his teeth and get dressed for school and feed his dog and then transfer his tags to the "I DID IT!" box afterwards, all without having to be told to do so! These were the morning chores set aside for him. In the afternoon he chose to help his 4 year old sister with her chores and to get her a snack. His idea so we went along with it! I cannot believe how well it is working!

This product is recommended for one child each but we decided to try it with both children during the testing too see how each age responded to it. Our 4 year old loved the idea of getting to move each tag to it's box after she accomplished something so we set out a few easy tasks for her like, brush her teeth (although mommy did have to help get everything ready and monitor the brushing process HAHAHA!), help baby sister pick up her toys, and pull her covers up over her bed in the morning. She did so without fail!

I am very pleased with this product and recommend it to anyone who is in need of a bright, colorful chore chart that actually works! This has become a must have addition to my family and I am so excited to be able to use this with my children. Thank you Kay!

2 big thumbs up!

The Graphics Shoppe Club!

2008-04-09T15:05:00.005-04:00

When my friend Maemae of The Graphics Shoppe Club asked me to review her site, I jumped at the chance! With over 3000+ high quality graphics to choose from I knew I had a tough job ahead of me but I was ready for the challenge! Her graphics are available for personal AND commercial use at no extra charge beyond the club membership which starts at a measly $5.99 per month. She offers several discounts if you purchase memberships in bulk with a yearly membership costing just $55.00. You can't beat the prices considering all the graphics to choose from and the extremely liberal terms of use. You can even use the graphics in the club on Cafe´ Press items! You just don't find that anywhere else!!!

And just look at some of the styles available:

Along with selections of clip-art like baby, military, vintage, fantasy, country/prim, Holiday, Christian, animals and paper dolls, there is also a multitude of mommy helpers and crafts/printables like chore charts, awards, candy wrappers, scrapbook layouts, reading logs and bookmarks and more! There are even desktop wallpapers, recipe card makers and makers for glittery text and website and Ebay templates. One week was just not enough time to discover everything there is to be seen. It was overwhelming in an awesome way!

There is a forum for members that is plum loaded with resources. I haven't had a chance to visit all of the forum because I was too busy checking out all the awesome graphics. I will have to hit that in a revisit. But at first glimpse I can tell you it offers not only help for the graphics club, but sig tag games, PSP resources, advertising, recipes, chit-chat and the list just goes on and on!!!!

I found the club itself to be very easy to use. It is laid out in a gallery style, (think Coppermine Galleries) and to get the images you want, you select the image and click 'Add to Favorites'. Then when you have chosen all the images you want, go to your favorites section and download a zip file of all the images. You don't have to download them one at a time which is great if you want several at one time! You can see some of the images in my Grandpa's Farm review. They are absolutely darling! I can't wait to work on my children's scrapbook's with these graphics, they are the perfect colors and styles for what I need. If you are in the market for some great graphics for your website or even for your everyday crafting needs, I would highly suggest a membership to The Graphics Shoppe Club!

Thank you Maemae 2 thumbs up for sure!!!!

I'm comin', I'm comin', I'm comin'...just running behind!

2008-04-09T13:46:00.002-04:00

YIKES! I have two reviews to post today and I am working on them right now. I am just running REALLY behind today and it is looking kind of nasty outside so barring any thunderstorms, I will get the following reviews BOTH posted today!

http://www.thegraphicsshoppeclub.com - An AWESOME graphics club for personal AND commercial use!

http://www.mypreciouskid.com/ - We tested a wonderful chore chart and my 8 year old and 4 year old were willing participants!

I am sorry ladies, I will get them posted right here this afternoon!!!!

Drooling over Droolie Boolies!

2008-04-08T14:04:00.007-04:00

For our second review today, we tested a product called Droolie Boolies Patent Pending.
The designers description is as follows:
It is a 3 in one teething blanket.. Bunny ears can be dampened and the whole blanket can be placed in to the freezer for 10-15 minutes..providing hours of comfort to swollen teething gums.. It has 12 color coordinating ribbons that adorn the blanket to promote hand and eye coordination plus a removable corner teething ring..this way Droolie Boolies can be placed in to the washing machine and low heat dryer..plus you can add more teething rings if so desired on any ribbon or removable teething toy that is provided. Plus it comes in 6 adorable prints of fabric for lil princess.. And 5 cute prints of fabric for the lil prince.. It is 100% cotton with an inner layer of absorbing cotton and soft 100% terry to catch all those drools as well..
Babies can teeth on the ears of the bunny as is or ears can be dampened and Droolie Boolies can be placed in the freezer for 10-15 minutes.. Or less which when chilled can sooth sore gums or help with any boo-boo.. After teething.. Remove teething ring and babies can use their Droolie Boolie as a toy.

I once again used the help of our 18 month old daughter to test this product. She is cutting those painful molars (jaw teeth) and can be a real grumpy gus at times! So I was DELIGHTED and most willing when Sherri Frushon asked me to review her product, created to aid babies in the teething process. As soon as I handed the Droolie Boolie to Callie she clamped down on the attached teething ring. Since she is cutting teeth on the side of her jaw, the teething ring was a little hard for her to bite down on. So I decided to wet the ears, at Sherri's recommendation and then give it to Callie. SUCCESS! She chewed on the poor bunny ears like a little puppy with a dog bone! hahaha! I have always given her a wet rag to chew on but it just wasn't quite right. But the Droolie Boolie is padded just enough and the ears are shaped perfectly to give the right relief to those sore little gums. She hasn't put it down since!

One side is made of a wonderful 'drool absorbing' terry cloth and the other, of a coordinating cotton fabric, making it ideal for little ones. Most babies I know, love the tags on blankets and toys and the attached ribbons are a perfect replacement providing a great resource for improving eye-hand coordination as well a decorative element. And I love the fact that you can attach other light weight teething toys to the ribbons surrounding the teething blanket.

I can honestly say that I am EXTREMELY pleased with this product and the only regret I have is that I didn't have one with all of our children!

In my opinion, this teething blank is perfect! Another review worth 2 thumbs up!

Thank you Sherri!!!

Formerly only sold to retail outlets and with a patent pending I am proud to announce that you can now order directly through Sherri via email or phone.

To place an order for your own Droolie Boolie, call Sherri Frushon @: 1-888.852.0975
OR email her @: loveyourpurse [at] yahoo.com
They are $24.99 and Sherri accepts all major credit cards.

Singin' along on Grandpa's Farm!

2008-04-08T00:01:00.001-04:00

I recently had the opportunity to test a product for Karen Clark, an Independent Consultant for Story Time Felts. She sent me a CD for review entitled Grandpa's Farm, available here http://www.funfelt.com/story-song-CDs.html for $12.99 which I find a very reasonable price. Most CD's you find in the store range between $9.99 and $19.99, so this price is great. I didn't receive the Felt Story Board that can also be purchased, just the CD, so I'm not able to review the interaction between the two but I can give an honest review of the CD which included a booklet with each song's lyrics printed out. (Very nice). I enlisted the help of my children ages 8, 4 and 18 months to test this product. Who better to test a children's audio CD than...well...a child?!?!? We'll start with the oldest and work our way down giving notes about each child's reaction:

My son (8) was interested for a little while but like a typical little 8 year old boy became a little bored and was ready to move on to a video game. HOWEVER! He did listen longer than I had anticipated and sang along with the song's and said that he liked the singer and the song's. I also found that he would come into the room each time the CD was playing and sit with us for awhile singing and playing. So that is a DEFINITE plus when it can grab the attention of an 8 year old boy even briefly each day! WOO HOO! +++

My next observation was of our 4 year old daughter. This is a child who LOVES music. It is in her blood but she also gets bored very easily so I was very anxious to see her reaction. And guess what? She loved this CD and listened to about half of it each time we put it on to listen. Then we would listen to the second half the next time which was simply later in the day. There is a collection of 15 songs all sung by the same singer. A woman with a very lovely voice. I think that so many songs were just a little much for one sitting but considering she wanted to listen twice in the same day, that is a really good sign! So, she WAS willing to listen to the entire CD but with an intermission halfway through. My daughter would sing each song and had to sit right beside the CD player each time. She absolutely claimed ownership of the Grandpa's Farm CD!

Now on to our 18 month old daughter. This is by far one of the best learning tools for a child this age. She sang, she danced, she had a blast singing E-I-E-I-O this week. We sing these songs regularly but having the music accompanying the song and having it sung in a very upbeat, fun way REALLY caught her attention. It didn't matter what time of day we put the CD on or if it was at home or in the car, she was going to sway to the music and belt out a tune! We have other children's CD's but Callie seemed to connect with this CD in an entirely different way than the rest, really taking in the words, the rhythm and the tune to each song.

(I apologize for the quality of the following video. I had to use my digital camera but wanted to add a little clip of our baby listening to the CD )

As you can see...sort of :0) ....she had a ball listening to the first song on the CD. And the fun continued throughout the entire song list. The 2nd song on the list, "My Favorite Animal" had the entire family singing along trying to guess which animal was the singers favorite at each verse.

Now it's mommy's turn because I have a favorite on this CD myself!
The third song entitled "The Peacock" is my most favorite. It is soothing and in my opinion would make a lovely lullaby. I found myself harmonizing and singing right along with the singer and then humming the tune throughout the day. It is a very pretty tune!

It's hard to touch on every song in one review so I will be revisiting this review in a few weeks.
But, from my testing I can say that each song is produced in a way that grabs the child's attention and creates a learning experience through sound and movement.
And with titles like "I've Got a Secret", "The Turkey Trot" and "All the little babies are born each Spring" you can tell from the get-go that it is jam packed with ear-catching, attention grabbing songs! My children loved it and as a parent, I loved it and I thank Karen for allowing me to test such a wonderful CD!

2 thumbs up!
(Graphics provided by http://www.thegraphicsshoppeclub.com/)