A blog about gardening, canning, quilting, family, saving money, and product reviews

Wednesday, December 31, 2014

December Freebies!

I'm quite surprised, I really thought it was going to be a slow month, and I ended up getting quite a bit of stuff! Now, I ended up working a ton this month, so in all technicality, it could have been a lot better, and it probably will end up cutting down my freebies for next month, but that's ok, I really do love my job.


Tuesday, December 30, 2014

Rimmel London Scandaleyes and Gentle Eye MakeUp Remover

In my last post, I told you all about my wonderful Frosty Vox Box!


I wanted to give you a more in-depth review on two of the products inside the Vox Box, the Rimmel London Products.


Frosty Vox Box from Influenster!

It's true what they say, the best things in life are free!

I recently received a Frosty Vox Box from Influenster. This is my second Vox Box (the first being the Vaseline Vox Box) from them. If you aren't on Influenster yet, you need to check it out here. It's super simple, just sign up, and link your social networking accounts. The website uses the number of friends/followers you have to determine your "reach" and that helps determine your chances of receiving a Vox Box. The more reach you have, the higher your chances. But it doesn't just end there. You can also review products you have already tried via the website, and unlock badges. Badges help up your chances of receiving a Vox Box as well. There are "snaps," or questions that help Influenster learn more about you to see which products would be best to send to you as well. It's always good to make sure those are all filled out (quite quick process really). I haven't been terribly active with the site, unfortunately, as I have so many things going on at any given time, but I have still been able to get a free few products to try from them. Randomly you may get an email with a survey to prequalify for a Vox Box. If you qualify, you will get an email within the following couple weeks letting you know you got in. It's super easy, super fun, and super rewarding.

Without further ado, I bring you the Frosty Vox Box.

My favorite thing about this box is it is a grouping of several different products to try! And I'll be reviewing those here in the near future on my blog. But today, it's all about what's inside! So come take a peek at my Vox Box!


Monday, December 29, 2014

Walmart Beauty Box #2 - Winter

Finally I have received a day to get stuff done! No visitors, no special events, no crazy chaos in the house. So, now, I can update you on the Walmart Beauty Box that I received last week! 

Friday, December 26, 2014

Liztek PSS-100 bluetooth speaker - review


It feels like it's been forever. I feel like I have been away from my blog for so long that I should be writing you a Christmas letter (like we are so distant, I only write once a year or something, and have to catch up on every single goings-on in my home). LOL. But seriously, life has gotten away from me this week. On Monday, we spent ALL day, and I am seriously not exaggerating on this, all day fixing a bearing on my husband's truck. What we thought would take 15 minutes, took all day. First, we had to get the thing off of there, which proved to be harder than we first hoped. Then we had to drive to the state capital to get a new one, make a few other pit stops (IE groceries), we had to go to his work to put the part on, test it all out...and we got home after dark. Then on Tuesday I spent all day baking. Again, I'm not exaggerating...literally from the moment I woke up until the moment I went to bed, I was baking. I baked pies, and cheesecake, and cookies. Preparations for the Christmas holiday. Then on Wednesday we decided to stray from our hermit ways, and we had company over. My sister, her son, her boyfriend, and my grandmother all came over for Christmas dinner. And as luck would have it, they went to leave, and the car wouldn't start. Just ends my the day perfectly. But after about 12 minutes she got it, thank goodness for her, Christmas has been saved. And then of course, yesterday, it was Christmas, and we got to watch the kiddos open presents, and I got to make a butt out of myself for youtube...um...yeah...haha. So now, today, I feel like I have neglected you. So now, I'm back! And here with a great product!

I received this product about a week ago. It's a Liztek PSS-100 bluetooth speaker. I have wanted to get a bluetooth speaker for years! Our cell company has the things littering their store, and the sound is always so amazing, but the prices are over $100 for a lot of them, and you wonder, is a speaker really worth that money!? This speaker states the regular retail price is $129.95, but shows the sale price at the moment as $36.95. 


Saturday, December 20, 2014

Friday, December 19, 2014

Kroger Stardom - Cucumber, Mango, and Black Bean Salad

Bzz agent teamed up with Kroger Co again, and asked some people to test out a new mango recipe (I guess they can tell by my card history that I have purchased mangos before). I don't remember buying mangos, but that's another story. I searched high and low at our local King Soopers store, only to find that there were no mangos in the store that day. So, I scurried over to the frozen food department and grabbed some frozen mangos.

I love frozen mangos, they are so handy. You can throw them into a smoothie while still frozen, you can put them in the kids lunch and they will thaw enough to eat by the time it's lunch period, and you can thaw just as much as you need in the fridge the night before. Plus, freezing seems to make the fruit sweeter, and it does not affect the texture of the fruit at all. This is strange, because you can't freeze many fruits and vegetables without affecting the flavor. 

So, I didn't get to preview the recipe first, I had to either accept or decline. I figured why not, I can try anything once. I was surprised to see the recipe contained beans (straight from the can) and cilantro. 

Without further ado, here goes. 


Wednesday, December 17, 2014

Killer Within - by Jeff Gunhus

You may remember recently I wrote about a book that was sent to us by Jeff Gunhus. It was a book that reminded me a lot of some of my favorite series like Harry Potter and Percy Jackson.

I promised you I would tell you about my thoughts on another book, and today, I'll make good on that.

This photo is a screenshot of the book as it is listed on Amazon (I wanted it to be clearer than a cell picture)

Monday, December 15, 2014

I am done! I'm sick of it!

Don't worry, I'm not done with you! I'm not done with blogging! I'm not done with awesomeness!

I'm done with my weight, totally over it. back in 2010-2011 I lost 50 pounds and was at a stunning 120 pounds. Over the past few years I've crept back up to 147 (half of what I lost, I have gained back).

Sunday, December 14, 2014

Killer deal on dog treats at Target!

If you got the Sunday paper, you may have noticed in one of the coupon inserts, there was a coupon for Target, buy 2 Beggin Strips (25 oz or larger) and receive a $10 gift card.

I wasn't sure what the original price was, but $10 is a lot of money, so I thought I'd check it out.

Homemade sugar scrub - great Christmas gift

I have been suffering from terribly dry skin. Every time that I find a lotion that works, I struggle after a couple of weeks and my skin dries right back out. It's frustrating. It's painful. It's bloody. It's ugly. I just really do not like it.

Foxbrim - Total Hair Repair Oil - Review


You know I'm a sucker for Foxbrim's Ultra Lift face cream, so when they asked me to try their hair oil, I jumped all over it. 

This hair oil is supposed to nourish, repair, and restore hair. It contains Sunflower oil, argan oil, coconut oil, jojoba oil, vitamin n5, Olive Oil, Grapeseed Oil, and Shea Butter. All of these oils are great for the hair as well as the skin. There is no scent to the product, which I'm indifferent about (I like hair products to be scented, but it's not necessary).

Wednesday, December 10, 2014

Do you want to build a snowman?

This is our first year in Wyoming. I'm a bit disappointed at the moment! It's the middle of December, and it's 60 degrees outside. I was expecting to be snowed in for three months straight or something, I'm not really sure, but I suppose I was expecting way more snow than what we have had so far. That's not to say we haven't had our fair share of cold days recently. A few weeks ago it was -25 wind chill for about 6 days straight, and then, out of nowhere, it was 60 degrees again. Nature is sure being crazy this year, and I think that's true for much of the country! So, what's a child to do!? No snow! No snow angels! No snow men! This can't be happening!


Tuesday, December 9, 2014

Send Me Gluten Free - an unboxing and breakdown of product/price

Hello!

A couple weeks ago, my friend from http://whatrinaloves.blogspot.com notified me that I had won a free "Send Me Gluten Free" box. This is a subscription box that is priced based on how many months you decide you would like to purchase it for, and they send you a mix of full-size and sample-size products.

I love subscription boxes, you simply never know hat you are going to get...and suspense is awesome...and terrible all at the same time. But mostly, I love to not know what I'm going to get (ok, that's a blatant lie, suspense kills me, and I sneak around online and take sneak peaks...I'm so naughty!), and I love getting products that I have never heard of before!

I hope you enjoy this unboxing!




Sunday, December 7, 2014

Jack Templar - Monster Hunter

I was devastated when the Harry Potter series ended, I'm not going to lie. I'm a kid at heart. And right now, I'm waiting very impatiently for the next Percy Jackson movie to come out (the books and the movies are just awesome). If you are also a fan of these two series, you really need to check out Jack Templar - Monster Hunter.

I recently had the chance to read and review the first book of the series, and I cannot believe I have not heard of this author sooner!

Jeff Gunhus started this series to get his children more interested in reading, which I think is pretty cool! The first things I see when I get the book is the warnings all over the front and back about not opening the book unless you are a monster hunter. The book warns that if you start to read the books, the monsters will sense you, and they will come for you. There are even two warnings at the beginning of the book that urge you to close the book, and walk away none-the-wiser.


Thursday, December 4, 2014

Insta-Natural - review

A few weeks ago I received the opportunity to review an Insta-Natural product. Imagine my surprise when I got 4 products in the mail.

Insta-Natural products can be purchased on Amazon as well as directly on their website and are quite reasonably priced for the product you are getting.

The products I got to try were:

Monday, December 1, 2014

Sunday, November 30, 2014

Turkey Broth - Preserving Thanksgiving

For the first time ever, I decided to keep the bits and pieces of unused turkey to make a broth. I have thought about it several times, but always forgot to have my husband save the unused parts.

Basically, I'm about to take all the bits of turkey gristle, bone, and any meaty bits that were not taken off the bones during carving. We had about an 18 pound turkey this year. 

Saturday, November 29, 2014

Orion 6000 mAh External Battery Bank - Review


I have been needing to purchase an external battery bank for some time now. I cannot count how many times we have lost power in a snow storm and lost the ability to call out because our cell phones died. It's a scary thing when the heat has been out for 36 hours and it's -25 degrees outside with impassable roads! 

I'll be honest, when I first saw this charger on Amazon, I had a lot of doubts. This battery bank boasts 6000 mAh. That basically means that it can charge my phone from dead approximately 4 times on a full charge! For the price, which is currently $29.99 (as I type this review, it is on sale), I seriously doubted it's ability to charge my phone even once. I was expecting to receive a small, weak-looking "toy" in the mail.

I was very mistaken!


November Freebies!

The month is over (mail-wise) as of today, so it's time to unbox all my boxes of goodies and share them with you!


Thursday, November 27, 2014

It's not Thanksgiving without that orange fluffy stuff - Orange Gelatin Salad

We all have a food we remember fondly from childhood. This is mine! My grandmother would always make this fluffy orange stuff, and we would always chow down on it.

But then, every once in a while, we would have a Thanksgiving dinner with somebody else's family. I would see the fluffy stuff and would get a whole bunch, only to find out it was all wrong, somebody shoved nuts in it, or hid marshmallows in it. Out of respect, I would eat it until it was all gone, but it would make me gag, and I'm sure that the look on my face was seen by whomever placed that ghastly salad on the table. Feelings were probably hurt, but gosh darnit...that is NOT the fluff you are supposed to make for Thanksgiving.

I'm sure that my rendition is slightly different than my grandmother's, I'm not a hundred percent sure, but this is how I have been making it for Thanksgiving since I started my own family.

You are going to need 2-15 oz cans of mandarin oranges (only, please, do not get Great Value, these tasted terrible this time, but they were in the salad and mixed in before I realized it), 1 box of orange gelatin (I choose the sugar-free so that it is not gritty in the salad), an 8 oz container of whipped topping (yup, the fake stuff from the freezer), and 1-16oz container of cottage cheese (whichever kind you prefer).

 

Wednesday, November 26, 2014

Ceremonial Grade Matcha - Kiss Me Organics

 I was so lucky to have tried the culinary grade matcha from KissMe organics, and it is wonderful in smoothies! But today, I got the chance to try the ceremonial grade! So now, to finally try a delicious cup of matcha latte!

What I received was one 1oz tin of ceremonial grade matcha. It runs about $28.00 on Amazon, which is very much in line with the pricing of other matcha products claiming to have the same level of awesomeness (same grade).


Win It Wednesday 11/26/2014

Wednesday's BACK! My favorite day of the week!

Sunday, November 23, 2014

Oleavine - Review

I recently had the opportunity to try a new facial moisturizer called Oleavine.


What sets this product apart from other similar products is that it is an organic, natural, all-in-one (anti-aging and moisturizing) product. Here is a product description from the company:

Dinosaur T-Rex Room Guard with Motion Sensor - Review


Dinosaurs are awesome. They are strong, they are loud, they are scaly and scary. What's not to love about dinosaurs? Meet the Dinosaur T-Rex Room Guard


Homemade and home-canned cranberry sauce!

Thanksgiving is almost here, and cranberries are popping up in stores. For years, I wondered what I could do with fresh cranberries. Last year we made homemade cranberry sauce and it was such a hit. Now, this year, I used a bit different recipe, but it turned out great. So, fill up the canner, grab some cranberries (I see there was a $1/1 coupon in toady's paper) and let's get to cooking!

If you want to preserve this, you are going to need to get your boiling water canner going, fill it up so it'll be enough to go over the jars with an inch or more above the top of the jars, and get it boiling. Gather your jars, lids, and rings. Add the jars to the boiling water canner so they can come up to temperature.

Tuesday, November 18, 2014

Target Haul 11/18/2014 (deals should be valid through 11/22/2014)

There are some great deals to be had at your Target store this week, these sales will last until Saturday night, so you still have a chance to get in on them. The products below retail for over $43 (with the sale prices). Keep reading to find out how I got all of these items for less than $8!


Saturday, November 15, 2014

Thrifty dog beds DIY

I recently started working on call. When I work, I could be here in town, or thirty minutes away. So if the weather gets bad while I'm away, my poor pooch is stuck outside. We thought about a doggy door, but that would let people waltz right into our house (he is a really big dog, so a really big door would be needed). Plus there are rattle snakes here, so we wouldn't want just any ole' doggy door, and those electronic ones are so expensive (and an intruder could use the dog's receiver to gain entry). So a doggie door is out of the question.

Monday, November 10, 2014

Folgers Flavor Enhancers

I received these Folger's Flavor Enhancers for free from Crowdtap in exchange for my review. There were 4 flavors: caramel, hazelnut, vanilla, and mocha.


#vaseline VoxBox from Influenster

Recently I was given my first opportunity to receive and review the contents of a VoxBox. I was chosen for the Vaseline voxbox, and I tell you, it could NOT have come at a better time. With fall in full swing, the wind is whistling, the air is dry, and my skin is even drier! I am plagued with skin problems anyways, and keeping my hands hydrated has always been a challenge. I have tried your typical lotions (store brand) that you can get just about anywhere. But they are so full of water that they do very little hydrating for my skin. I have even gone so far as to get the really expensive store brand ones that mimic the popular brand Eucerin (you see, I still got the store brand, just the really expensive version of the store brand). Those always leave my hands feeling super greasy, and it just doesn't feel like the lotion is absorbing into my skin (feels like more of a protectant, a barrier if you will against dry skin). So, this box came at the perfect time. And boy did I have my doubts.

So, here's what I got:

Zep Crowdtap Sampling

Recently, Crowdtap and Zep gave me the opportunity to try some of the cleaners in the Zep product line. I received some Quick Clean Disinfectant and some All-Around Oxy cleaner and degreaser.



I actually have purchased and use a couple of Zep products in my home already. I use the hardwood floor cleaner (which I put in my Bona mop, sorry Bona). I also use the Zep Odor Control. When we first moved into our home, it smelled like it had been used as a litter box for years. So we scrubbed the whole basement down repeatedly with the odor control product, and low and behold, this house is livable now!

So, of course I'm excited to try some products that I haven't come across yet (probably because I was on a mission to find one specific thing, and that's all I looked for).  So of course I instantly put these products to the test!

Saturday, November 8, 2014

Foxbrim Ultra Lift Treatment - Review

A couple of months ago a friend sent me some sample packets of a lifting treatment. I loved loved loved the way it made my face look, it was lightly colored, really thick and almost waxy, and it basically worked like a spackle to fill in all my imperfections. What I did NOT like about it was the fact that it was so thick and didn't actually soak in, so if you touched your face throughout the day, the treatment and whatever makeup was over top of it would just come off. So, I was very happy and very nervous to try this new lifting treatment by Foxbrim.

This product is touted to even skin tone, restore firmness and elastically, refine and reduce appearance of wrinkles, and support healing. This product contains peptides (to stimulate collagen), CoQ10 (to fight free radicals and reverse damage to the skin), hyaluronic acid (for skin hydration), and vitamin b5 (to promote skin health).


Arla Dofino Cheeses - a review from a self-proclaimed cheese monster

BzzAgent and Arla Dofino recently gave me the chance to review Arla Dofino cheeses. I love cheese, I love cheese so much, that I will snack on it before I snack on candy or anything else. I love cheese so much that when I buy sliced cheese for my husband's lunches, I will end up eating it all before the weekend is out and he will be left cheese-less for the rest of the week, until we go shopping again. I love cheese so much, that my family didn't even get to try this with me, because I ate it ALL! I'm terrible. But, I'm so nice I went and bought another one, and I shared a few slices of it with them a couple weeks later. 

Tazo Chai Tea and Chai Latte Concentrates - My Verdict Is In

I recently had the chance to review the Tazo Chai products through Smiley 360. I received the products free in exchange for my review. I love chai lattes (ever since we got a Keurig, we always keep chai latte k-cups in our home), and so I was so excited to find out that I was one of the people that had this opportunity. 

Wednesday, November 5, 2014

Monday, November 3, 2014

One Soda - One Cake

My daughter turned 9 on Wednesday (yes, I'm a bit late to post this!). I stayed home and was going to make her a cake, and then I realized I had used the eggs in the previous night's dinner. How could I do something so silly! So, I had a couple choices, either go buy eggs, or figure out another way. Well, we had cream soda, why not give that a go!? I know that soda is not a healthy things to drink all the time, and I know that boxed cake mix, also not an everyday thing. But that's just it, everything in moderation. So the next time you find yourself without eggs, but with a soda, give this a try.

There are so many different combinations you could try too!
Dr. Pepper - cherry cake
Sprite - in any cake
Cream soda - chocolate cake
cherry coke - chocolate cake

You see? the possibilities are endless.

Friday, October 31, 2014

October Freebies!

I decided to do things a bit different this time! I got a lot of freebies this month!


Wednesday, October 29, 2014

#winitwednesday 10/29/05

Yay, it's that time of the week again! Keep an eye on this list today as it will continue to grow. I also am adding some random giveaways at the bottom of the page that are not actually for #winitwednesday but are still great giveaways!

Tuesday, October 28, 2014

Homemade french toast sticks

I try to plan at least one easy meal once per week, so that I don't feel overwhelmed with all the cooking and cleaning. So, I was going to make some french toast today. I had to stop by the store to get some cupcake liners for my daughters birthday cupcakes for school tomorrow. While I was there I wandered to the frozen food section. My heart and mind were drifting towards french toast sticks, much more yummy than plain french toast. And then I saw the price $2.79/box and it would take at least 3 boxes to feed my family. No thank you.

NEXT!!!!!!

Monday, October 27, 2014

Homemade Bread Bowls and Loaded Potato Soup w/Campbells Cream Starter

Recently, I was given an amazing opportunity to try out some new Campbell's products from CrowdTap and Campbells. I have had the opportunity to try out lots of cool things over the past few months, but I think for sure this is the one that has been the most fun. I got a tote bag, a spoon, a cutting board, and a lot of their new products to try! Well, the cream starter had a beautiful soup in a bread bowl pictured on it, and I really wanted to go all out. This is a great way to have a fancy meal, worthy of an upscale restaurant, but at a fraction of the cost.

We are going to start with the bread bowls. I recommend doing this in the morning of the day you are going to make the soup. Any homemade bread is going to cut much better after it's been able to sit for a while. So, that's what we will work on first.

I used:
2 1/2 warm water (about 110 degrees, think not hot enough to burn you, but a bit warmer than your kids head when they have a high fever)
1 1/2 Tablespoons sugar (to make the yeastie beasties happy during proofing)
and 2 packets of yeast

Go ahead and proof the yeast. That's a fancy way of saying to put the water and sugar in a bowl and put the yeast on top, cover the bowl and walk away. The yeast will start out looking like this.


Friday, October 24, 2014

Organic Matcha - by Kiss Me Organics

I recently had the ability to try some Organic Matcha made by Kiss Me Organics. Up until very recently I had never heard of Matcha, which is crazy because it's been a very popular thing for quite some time. In fact, even my friends knew what it was. I guess I'm out of the loop. I have long known about the health benefits of green tea, so I was very happy to try it.

So, what is matcha?

Matcha is a green tea powder. What sets it apart from plain green tea is that you are ingesting the whole leaf (it's essentially all ground up), instead of just the water that sat with green tea leaves in it. The tea leaves used to make matcha are grown in the shade to increase the chlorophyl levels and the production of amino acids. The leaves (preferably the younger ones) are then picked, rolled out flat, and dried (in the shade or indoors where they won't be exposed to sunlight). The veins and stems are removed, and what's left is ground into a fine powder. This is now matcha. Matcha has EGCG concentrations that are 3 times higher than typical green tea, according to the University of Colorado. By weight, matcha provides dozens of times more antioxidants than blueberries (crazy!). The theanine found in the matcha is proven to reduce stress levels as well. With regular consumption, matcha has been proven to increase the energy expenditure in adults over 35%.

Wednesday, October 22, 2014

Win It Wednesday 10/22/2014

Time for another "win-it-wednesday," my favorite day of the week. Don't forget to check back throughout the AM as I try to keep the posts updated. Have fun!

Don't forget to visit this list throughout the next few days, click on the links again, as an easy way to track if you won (click the links, look for winners posts on the giveaway pages)

FACEBOOK

Elmer's is having a prize pack giveaway here. Simply be a fan of the page and tell them what your favorite fall food is!

My True Nature is giving away a super sensitive shampoo/wash. Fan the page and tell them on this post how you heard about them.

The Pasta Shoppe is giving away a pasta prize pack here. Leave a comment on this post and fan the page in order to be entered.

The HoneyBaked Ham Company is giving away a $25 GC here. And if you win, you can choose to donate an additional $25 or give an additional $25 GC to your friend. Fan the page and comment for your chance to win.

Shindigz is giving away an MLB party pack here. Fan the page and tell them who you are rooting for for your chance to win.

Bar-S is giving away $25 and a free Bar-S product. Tell them which box is bigger here. Don't forget to be a fan of the page!

Overstock is having a giveaway for a hypoallergenic comforter and body pillow here. Fan the page. Like/Comment/Share the post.

Crafts Direct is giving away a kit to make a candy corn banner here. Fan the page, comment on and like the post for your chance to win!

Dear Foams would like you to comment on this post and tell them which dear foams are your favorite...and you "may be surprised."

Learning Express Toys is giving away prize packs each with a busy bead maze, some plush toys, and either a color counting hedgehog or a little drummer kit. You can enter via Facebook here or find the post on instagram or twitter and enter that route.

Joules USA is giving away their bath and body collection here. Like the post and reinvent the ending to "rub a dub dub."

Learning Express Toys of the Woodlands is giving away a Melissa & Doug costume, you choose, here. Fan the page, like/comment/share the post for your chance to win!

Beach Bum Bath & Body is giving away a pumping-scented turkey-shaped soap here. Fan the page and tell them what your favorite thanksgiving dish is.

Ben Franklin crafts is giving away 2 pairs of "snoozies" here. Fan the page, like and comment on the post for your chance to win.

Renesha Monaco is giving away a Walking Dead Pop figure (*squeal*). Fan her page, like and comment as to who your favorite Walking Dead character is.

Mary Maxim U.S. is giving away cable knit stockings here. Fan the page, like and comment to enter.

Remington is giving away 2 body/bikini groomers. You can enter here.

Salon Reaction is giving away a bottle of Bed Head BlowOut illuminating shine cream. Like and share this post for your chance to win.

Furlesse is giving out "your favorite patches", fan the page, like the post and tag a friend for your chance to win here. These are wrinkle relaxing patches.

Pink Papaya is giving away their sea salt collection here. Enter via the link to win.

Woman Freebies is giving away a Frozen Elsa doll here. Must be a fan, then enter to win.

TWITTER

Learning express toys also have a chance to win the baby boutique prize pack here. Follow and RT for your chance to win.

Parragon Books is giving away a super scary stickers book here. Follow and RT for your chance to win.

Krups USA is still giving away a milk frothed from this 10/10 post here. Make sure to RT and favorite the tweet, as well as follow Krups. Winner announced this Friday.

BHG Live Better is having a giveaway here. Follow and RT to win.

Big Toy Bank is giving away a prize pack. Follow them and hasbro news, RT the status for your chance to win.

Spot the Deal USA is giving away a vegetable spiral tool here. Follow and RT for your chance to win.

Puritan's Pride is giving away a trick-or-treat prize pack here. Follow and RT this status.

Elmers is giving away a prize pack here. Follow and RT.

Puzzle Club is giving away an empire state building 3D puzzle here. Follow and RT. Giveaway ends Friday.












Monday, October 20, 2014

Cassani - Fogless Shower Review - My thoughts!



I recently was given the opportunity to test a fogless shower mirror, and having had this on my "to-purchase" list for quite some time, I decided that I definitely wanted to be a part of this. My husband loves to have one of these in the shower, but to be honest, I'm tired of buying them. Every time I pick one up at a local big-box store, it either doesn't work as it says it will, or is very small, or is cheaply made. The ones that we have purchased in the past that have been advertised as fog-free and actually function as such, have been short-lived and unusable within weeks (hard water residue, breaking, no longer fog-free). So, I walked into this thinking "no way!" or "well, we'll see about that."

Upon receiving the Cassani fog-free shower mirror, I notice right off the bat that it's different than the rest. It's HUGE compared to any mirror we have purchased in the past, the viewing surface is flawless (you can see yourself so well in it), there is no ugly frame around the edge taking up space and causing more water to settle and turn into hard-water stains, and over-all it just looks really high-end. From the photos on Amazon, I guess I just wasn't expecting it to be so big and pretty!

I actually posted a video on youtube, an unboxing if you will


Saturday, October 18, 2014

Truvia's new Brown Sugar Baking Blend - Pumpkin pie overnight oatmeal

I'm a member of CrowdTap, where I get to give my opinion on products and advertising, and sometimes I get to try things for free. Well, for the last month they keep bringing up the new Truvia Brown Sugar Baking Blend. So, I had to go and try some, I heard so much about it, I just had to know what all the fuss was about.

A bag of this blend will cost you about $7 at Walmart (regular brown sugar costs about $2). So yes, it's a bit more expensive, but to be honest, any baking sugar substitute is going to cost more. So, I don't mind paying a bit more if I have a reason (like for a diabetic neighbor or family member). The bag touts that the formula is twice as sweet as regular brown sugar. Using the recipe on the back of the bag, I made 24 cookies with only 1/2 cup of the brown sugar blend, so I really do feel it is pretty sweet.

Wednesday, October 15, 2014

Win It Wednesday - 10/16/2014

It's Wednesday again, and you know what time it is!

FACEBOOK

Hydroxatone has a giveaway here for Instant Lift pads. Leave a comment (why do you feel tired) to enter and be a fan of the page, giveaway ends tonight.

Learning Express Toys has a giveaway here for "halloween treats". Also can enter on twitter and instagram. Like and comment your preference on the photo.

Joules USA has a giveaway for a tweed jacket here. Like the post and comment with "tweed, tweed, tweed."

Big Machine Label Group has a giveaway here for a signed copy of Florida-Georgia Line's new album. Share the post for a chance to win.

KB Learning & Toys is giving away a cute sock monkey umbrella here. Like, comment, and share post. Don't forget to be a fan of the page as well

Clair's Freebies has a mystery box giveaway here. Like the page, comment as to what your kids want for Christmas. She will tag a winner.

As Seen On TV is giving away a hydro mousse lawn seeding device here. Like and share the post for a chance to win.

JB Weld is giving away 4 prize packs here. Like and comment on post for a chance to win. Share for more opportunities.

Pink Papaya has a giveaway here for the Ultra Beauty Boost Collection. The link should take you to a place that lets you add your email address to enter. If not, the giveaway is clearly posted on their wall :)

Bio Seaweed Gel is giving away 3- $100 E-gift cards to BSG here, need to share the post and sign up for their emails, and confirm the signup for a chance to win!

Full Moon BBQ has a giveaway link on this post for a jar of their Chow Chow. Follow the link on the post or use the giveaway tab on their Facebook page!

Carli's Closet is giving away a cute little fall apron here. Like, comment, and share to enter.

Remington has a giveaway of a blow dryer, use the link on this post to enter.

SmartLab Toys is giving away a smartphone science kit here. If the link doesn't work, look for the giveaway on their wall.

Fresh Beginnings is giving away a tin of cookies and a $10 iTunes gift card here. Like / comment/ and share.

Johnny's Seasonings is giving away a red crock pot and other products here.

Oregon Chai is having a giveaway on this post. Comment for a chance to win.

Aquaball is having their weekly aqua ball giveaway here. Like the page, tag #aquaball and share the photo for your chance to win!

Paracord Planet is giving away some paracord here. Like/share/comment which two colors you want to put together.


TWITTER

Learning Express Toys twitter giveaway is here, again it's for a "Halloween pack" Follow and RT for a chance to win.

BHG Live Better is having a Walmart wednesday giveaway here. Follow and RT to enter to win.

Puritan's Pride is having a giveaway for a Manuka Honey Prize Pack here. Follow and retweet for a chance to win.

Fiskars is giving away your choice of Fiskars tools here. RT to enter to win.

Parragon Books is giving away a "Hidden Surprise Cakes" cookbook here, follow and RT for your chance to win.

Woolite has a giveaway here. Follow and RT for your chance to win.



Thursday, October 9, 2014

Target Haul 10/9/2014

I know this isn't nearly as good as some people got this week, but regardless, I'm super excited. I had to work with what coupons I had and what deals were actually working in our store.

Here's what I actually paid for

Wednesday, October 8, 2014

#Winitwednesday

Wednesdays have become my favorite day of the week. Not only is it the halfway point to the weekend, but there are tons of great giveaways. Wednesday is going to be called WINSday forom now on! Listed below I have links to some Wednesday giveaways! Remember, if it's on Facebook, to check back the next day for a winners list (sometimes the winners are contacted personally, but many times they will be posted, and if you don't  claim your prize, it goes away).


FACEBOOK

The Pasta Shoppe has a giveaway here for a pasta prize box. You need to like the page, comment and share on the post. Winners announced Thursday.

My True Nature has a giveaway here for a bottle of their hand soap. Like the page, and comment on this post as to which product you are most excited for. Winner selected Thursday.

Crafts Direct has a giveaway here for an assortment of halloween decor. Like the page, like and comment on the post.  Winner announced Thursday.

Hydroxatone has a giveaway here for "Anti-Aging BB Cream, Liftalyze Eye-Lifting Serum, and Instant Lift Pads". Like the page, and comment on this post as your favorite birthday gift ever. Winner announced tomorrow late afternoon (4pm EST).

Shindigz has a giveaway here for a wednesday party pack (fall theme). Like the page, comment on the post with your favorite fall food. Winner announced Thursday.

Pink Papaya has a giveaway here for Pink Papaya’s “Refresh” Collection. If the link doesn't work, find them on Facebook and look for the post on the wall. Must be a fan of the page, enter your email address and you are entered!

Joules USA has a giveaway here for Shoreham waterproof parka and printed wellies. Be a fan of the page, like the post, and comment with "Rain, rain, go away!"

The Honey Baked Ham Co has a giveaway here for a $25 gift card and a "give-it" $25 gift cart for a friend or to donate to the National Breast Cancer Foundation. Like the page and comment on the giveaway post.

BeautyFit Inc has a giveaway here for a BeautyBum tube of your choice. Like the page. Like, comment, and share the post. Winners announced Saturday.

Sweet Perfections Bake shop is having a giveaway here for a 4" harvest apple tart. Like the page. Like the post, share it, and comment as to what your favorite autumn dessert is!

As Seen on TV has a giveaway here for a potato express (microwavable potato bag). Like and share the comment, also make sure you are a fan, you will want to check back on Friday to see if you are a winner!

Full Moon BBQ is having a giveaway here for two tumblers and two tokens. Enter via the link on the post, and share the post!

Physicians formula is having a giveaway here for BB Bronzer. Like the page, go to the promotions tab, and fill in your "beauty mantra" for a chance to win.

Unwash is having a giveaway here for a bottle of their cleansing Conditioner. Like the page, and then share with them on this post your favorite fall hair trends. Winners selected on Friday.

Learning Express Toys is having a giveaway here for 4 Klutz Books - Pom Pom Puppies, Face Painting, Washi Tape Stickers, and Straw Shooters. Like their page, comment and like the post, and you can also enter on Twitter and Instagram.

Learning Express Toys of Albany and Worthington is giving away a Lego Advent Caldendar (awesome!) here. Make sure to like their page, like/comment/share the post. Winner announced Thursday on their Facebook page! Can also go to Twitter and Follow and Retweet this status for a chance to win.

Remington Ready has a Win It Wednesday here. If the link doesn't work, please find Remington Ready on Facebook and look for the Win It Wednesday link on the left hand side. Prize this week is a damage protection hair dryer (or so I hear). Winners notified by email last I heard.

Claire's Freebies is giving away a mystery box here, if the link doesn't work, find the page on Facebook and look for the post. Like page, like and comment on this status, tag friends and share for more entries.

Smith and Vandiver is having a giveaway here. Like the page, comment on the giveaway post. They are giving away a Day Spa Party Tote (hooray!). Winner posted tomorrow!

Elmers is having a giveaway here for an elmer's prize pack. If the link doesn't work, find them on Facebook and find the giveaway post. Comment on the post "will you be carving or decorating pumpkins this year, and if so what will you be doing!?".

Lactaid has a giveaway on their wall here for some free product coupons and a dutch oven. Like the page. Comment on the post with your favorite recipe using Lactaid.

The Vitamin Shoppe is having a giveaway here. If the link doesn't work, please look for the giveaway on their wall. Like their page and fill out the giveaway form for a chance to win a 1 year supply of "My Triton."

Bar S is having a giveaway here for a free package of Bar-S and $25. Like their page and comment on the post with "Bar-S for Halloweenie" for a chance to win!

Bio Seaweed Gel Limited is having a giveaway on their page here for a 7 piece collection of their new nail polishes AND a rechargeable and cordless flip LED base and top. Like them, head on over to their youtube channel, then comment with your must have color. Winner is announced the following Wednesday on the #winitwednesday post.

Autolite is having a Facebook giveaway here. Be a fan, and then post a correct answer as to what the image is, and you will get a free gift!

Johhny's seasonings has a giveaway here for seasonings, sauce, and a cast iron dutch oven (?). Enter by verifying you are a fan, can also share with friends and tweet and follow on pinterest for a chance to win!

Jaxxwear is giving away Skip It Kangaroo baby romper and bye bye buddy set here. Just be a fan on Facebook and comment "Pima Cotton" on the post.

Graco is having a giveaway on their FB page here. Be a fan and comment for your chance to win a pack and play with a nuzzle nest and sway seat.

Totally Fun Kids Furniture & Toys is giving away a solar powered robot. Just like their page and like/comment on this post for a chance to win. You get an extra entry for sharing.

Chloe+Isabel is having a charm letter giveaway here. Comment with the letter that you would like and a friend you would wish to share with if you win! Don't forget to become a fan of the page.

J-B Weld is having a giveaway here. Don't forget to become a fan of the page, then like and comment on the post. The giveaway is for some product and a hat it looks like. They also have a pin to win contest listed just below this on their Facebook page if you are interested.


Twitter These appear to be just firing up, so I will try to update throughout the day.

SoftLips is doing a Twitter Giveaway here. Follow them and tweet to them as to why you should get one with the has tag #SoftlipsCube for a chance to win one for you and a friend. Also you will see they are trying to build their fan base, and if they get to 3,000 they will be giving away more prizes. So share this with your friends for sure!

Parragon Books has a giveaway here. Follow their page and retweet the status for a chance to win a healthy cookbook!

WomanFreebies has a giveaway here. Follow and retweet for a chance to win a Target gift card.

Fiskars is having a giveaway for the product of your choice. Follow them and Retweet the status here for a chance to win.

Better Homes and Gardens is having a Walmart Wednesday giveaway here. Follow and retweet the status for a chance to win some cube organizers (need some organization in my life for sure!).

Woolite is having a giveaway at 12 EST, the rules state that  a winner will be defined as the first to complete a task, so be there sharp at 12pm EST and find out what it is! Link to post is here and their Twitter home page is here. UPDATE: The rules also state that there is a 3 hour entry period in which a RT will be required, and the winners will be chosen at random. Regardless, better to be safe than sorry!

Wahlburgers on A&E is giving away a prize (not specified), follow and RT this status for your chance to win.

Tuesday, October 7, 2014

Menards Mail In Rebates

It's no secret that I love Menards! Not only can I find anything I need to make repairs or upgrades to my house at a decent price, but I score tons of freebies there.

(Everything here but the potatoes, cat food, and cookies are from Menards last week using the free after rebate program)

Saturday, October 4, 2014

Walmart Beauty Box - Fall 2014 Box

Recently there has been a lot of talk about the Walmart Beauty Box. I have never had a subscription box before, so naturally I'm a bit hesitant. And then the fact I had never heard of there being such a thing as a Walmart subscription box, I'm even more hesitant. So when I first heard about it, I did NOT subscribe. But as the days wore on, I got more and more curious. Finally, and by finally I mean it was really only a week or so later, but it felt like FOREVER, somebody posted a pic of their box. And I knew I wanted to try it right then and there.

So, I go ahead and sign up. The BEAUTY of the Walmart Beauty Box is it's only $5 shipping, the box itself is free, though I don't consider it a freebie because I did have to pay the shipping. It comes 4 times a year (each season you get a new one). Each time, you only get charged $5 to cover the shipping. And you can cancel at any time. Seriously, there is a huge button in your account that says "cancel subscription," easy as pie. 

Wednesday, October 1, 2014

Couponing-It really is worth it

Ok guys, I'm getting a ton of people asking me "Yeah, but is it really worth it??!!??" when I tell them about my coupon cutting endeavors.

The answer is yes.

But I have a few tips:

1. Just because you have a coupon, doesn't mean you need to use it.
2. You don't have to use it right away, just wait for it to all fall into place perfectly.
3. Use your coupons with store coupons and store sales/deals to make the most of your coupons.
4. Use doublers whenever possible.
5. Keep your coupons very organized, so if you are in a store and you find an unadvertised deal, you can locate the coupons quickly.
6. You need a binder, and you need to bring it with you EVERYWHERE!
7. Keep store ads on you (I put them in the binder) so that if a deal is not showing in the store but it is advertised, you can get the sale price. And if you need to price match, you have proof if asked.
8. Have fun!


Tuesday, September 30, 2014

September Freebies!

So, it's been a decently big month for me, and I cannot even tell you how very excited I am. So much in fact, that I practically have tears in my eyes, and for good reason, this is all stuff that I now do not have to buy, which means, life is that much better. So, let's go down the list.

Firstly, what IS NOT pictured :Skintimate (full size bottle of shave gel) from Crowdtap, 1 bottle of excedrin from BzzAgent, some bath goodies and body wash and lotion (Kroger Co) from BzzAgent, seventh generation hand wash from Smiley 360, Arla Dofino cheese from BzzAgent, and some Sweet'N Low swag from Crowdtap. These ARE NOT pictured, because they were things I had to test and report back on and I couldn't just save them in a box for the month.

What is pictured? 
-$260 in actual cash money ($25 from Allstate IWG, $10 from Five Star IWG, $25 from Crowdtap winnings, and 2-$100 walmart GC from twitter party wins!


Sunday, September 21, 2014

Canning Carrots - $10 on $10 at Kmart - and a free toothbrush!

First, let me apologize profusely for my absence, half of this blog post has been ready for more than a week, but I got caught up with working all last week out of town, and helping coach my children's soccer teams, I was SO tired and didn't get around to posting ANYTHING. I'm sorry. Forgive me? Ok, let's be all scary now and can some carrots!

Friday, September 12, 2014

#TeamTriscuit CrowdTap Challenge = Jalapeno Triscuit Poppers

I received an email last night with a challenge from CrowdTap to make a recipe using Triscuit crackers as an entry into their cookbook (of course, the cookbook creators need to love it in order for this to happen, but I think I hit the nail on the head here with a great recipe). So, I think to myself, what in the world am I going to do with a triscuit!? Well, I love myself a bacon-wrapped stuffed jalapeno, and with peppers-a-plenty in our garden, I knew exactly what I wanted to do!

Tuesday, September 9, 2014

Seventh Generation Mandarin Orange & Grapefruit

Thanks to Seventh Generation, and the wonderful people at Smiley 360, we have recently tried a new product in our home (for free, in exchange for my honest opinion)! #FreeSample

Meet Seventh Generation Mandarin Orange & Grapefruit hand wash!

High Waters Turned Shorts

I think I'm the luckiest woman alive to see my kids outgrowing their clothes, and still being in perfect condition. And yet I STILL do not like getting rid of clothes and buying new ones. So Miss Taylor has outgrown her jeans from last year, and her shorts are way too short to be acceptable for school. But these jeans are still in perfect condition, so I'm going to do a little modifying, and fix the "your shorts are too short" problem.

Saturday, September 6, 2014

#SkintimateSampling with Crowdtap and my #SkintimateHappyLegs

As many of you well may know, I'm not really one to treat myself. And I have a bad habit of just using whatever product the rest of the family may use. It saves me time in the store, and I have less items to keep track of when it comes to buying more. However, it's time that this changes!

Thursday, September 4, 2014

Driscoll's Advisory Panel

So sorry that I wasn't able to blog ANYTHING yesterday, I had a lot that I WANTED to blog about and then an angel showed up at my door with a whole tote of corn. I had to get that in the freezer, and school meetings, and had to run to the store. Yesterday was a disaster for time, but I got free corn, and now my freezer is loaded. And that, my friends, is fantastic.

Monday, September 1, 2014

Canning Pickled Bean Salad: One bean!

When I was younger we used to visit my Grandmother in Virginia. She lives on the lake, and we would go swimming, visit orchards, and go to Kroger. She would always buy this 3 bean salad from Kroger (which was a magical store to me as a child, because we didn't have stores like this back home), and I loved it, well, I loved most of it. I love 3 bean salad, minus the lima beans and kidney beans. So, the vining green beans are doing great. Sadly, the wax beans have been done for a month now. So, today, I'm making ONE BEAN salad ;) I actually prefer it this way, so, no harm, no foul.

Saturday, August 30, 2014

August Freebies!

Around August 10th I started joining the freebie and couponing crowd. What you see in the pictures to follow is only what I have received this month as freebies, this is not everything I have coming, just what I have already received. Figured this would be easier to put on my blog instead of on my Facebook page.

Friday, August 29, 2014

Things you can do to save money at the store RIGHT NOW!

As many of you know, I have been on a money-saving and freebie-taking kick. Where we used to live, this was A LOT harder to do, there were only two stores to go grocery shopping at (and therefore only one store that our dear old WalMart would actually price match at), and there were never any killer sales, and we didn't have coupons to come by easily.

So, as I've been meddling in this crazy money-saving adventure, I have found a few phone applications that can get you started. All four of the following apps are very user friendly, and they all work slightly differently, so I'm just going to give you a bit of a rundown of each one.

Here goes!

Wednesday, August 27, 2014

Easy Ugly Homemade Tortillas

I think the title is descriptive enough, but today I'm going to share you with you one way I like to save money: homemade tortillas.

I'm an ace at math, and I know that I passed Kindergarten (didn't I?), but I cannot make a perfect circle tortilla. But that's ok, because they taste amazing. In fact, I'm going to challenge you. Make tortillas two or three times for your family. Then try buying some...and realize how disgusting store-bought tortillas taste. They taste...processed. That's all there is to it.

Saturday, August 23, 2014

Update on the Fruit Flies!

After leaving the jars to sit for a few days, the results are in.

DIY: Washable and Reusable Sandwich/Snack Bags

Last year, I got a little freaked out to learn that lunch was $2.55/kid/day at school. Now, I know it doesn't cost me near as much to feed a child lunch. And with two children going to school last year, the bill becomes $5.10/day. I don't know how anybody does that! So I started making lunches for the children every single day. After a while I realized we were going through plastic sandwich bags like mad. Now, plastic sandwich bags are cheap, it's not the money, it's the fact that we were throwing away 10 or more bags a day between the children and my husband. I very much dislike, and am sort of grossed out by washing and reusing plastic bags. Partly because they are very hard to thoroughly dry....and drying them takes up tons of counter space. Plus, plastic bags are ugly.

Thursday, August 21, 2014

Canning Applesauce: Safely: Step-by-step

I have had a lot of friends asking me to teach them how to can. Unfortunately most of my friends live nowhere close to me. So, if I can't go there to help them...how can I teach them? Well, here is your first lesson! The following guide/tutorial will guarantee a safe/delicious product.

Have fun!