Review: Canyoze 120 to 3000 Grit Sandpaper Assortment

We’ve been doing non-stop home renovations for the past two years and we always seem to misplace certain grits of sandpaper. With this assortment of sandpaper, we have what we need on hand. This assortment has a variety of grits to use and is pre-cut to the perfect size to wrap around sanding blocks. You can wet or dry sand wood or metal with this paper, it is recommended that you check what grit you use based on the material you are sanding.

This assortment is great for any workshop.

Canyoze 120 to 3000 Grit Sandpaper Assortment is available on Amazon.

Please note: I received this product at a discount in exchange for my honest, unbiased review. I would not write this review if I didn't love the product.

Review: Heart Shaped Spoons

Everyone needs a few decorative spoons to have on hand for when a guest stops by. These heart shaped spoons are super cute and are great for guests. This set of 2 spoons can we used for anything – dessert, coffee, rice or even eating cereal. These spoons are small (a little over 1 inch wide but 5 ½ inches tall) and work great.

The spoons are stainless steel and are dishwasher safe with a shiny polished finish. We threw them in the dishwasher and started using them immediately to stir our coffee in the morning after adding cream. These spoons are now sitting in our silverware drawer. We use them every day.

The KUWAN 5.5 inch Heart Shaped Slimline Spoons (set of 2) are available on Amazon.

Please note: I received this product at a discount in exchange for my honest, unbiased review. I would not write this review if I didn't love the product.

Review: Collapsible kitchen colanders

I am sick of the big colanders I have taking up a lot of room in my kitchen.  This set of collapsible colanders take up such little room in my kitchen cabinets and are great for small kitchens when you don’t have a lot of storage.

This package contains two strainers – 8 and 9 ½ inches in diameter. You can them for anything that needs to be strained – pasta, fruit, berries, produce and much more. I have metal colanders which means when you pour hot food in them, the handles get really hot. These are made of silicone and pop up with a push and you won’t have to worry about them getting hot.

These colanders do say they are heat resistant up to 176ºF. I used them to wash off produce and had no issues, the only thing I saw missing was that it would be great to have little feet on the bottom so the water can drain a bit more if you place it over something, otherwise these worked great.

You can find the set of collapsible kitchen colanders onAmazon.

Please note: I received this product at a discount in exchange for my honest, unbiased review. I would not write this review if I didn't love the product.

Review: Cast Iron Trivet

With our new kitchen counters, trivets are so important because putting a hot plate or pan on the counter can damage your counters. I can never seem to have enough trivets around and this trivet provided exactly what I need. It looks great and protects my counters from hot plates and food.

This trivet is really heavy – and is made of solid cast iron in a vintage type design. I like that it comes with rubber feet to add a level of protection and to prevent scraping across your kitchen counter. The edges are not sharp and are rounded if that’s a concern for you. The trivet is a square and is 6.5” x 6.5” this trivet now has a permanent home on my counter next to the stove. 

The Cast Iron Trivet is available on Amazon.

Please note: I received this product at a discount in exchange for my honest, unbiased review. I would not write this review if I didn't love the product.

Review: Water Globes

I constantly forget to water my plants and these water globes are a great solution. They are super easy to use, they remind me as the product that was As Seen on TV a while back. All you need to is fill the globe with water, stick in the dirt in your plant and it waters plants as needed. It had been so hot and dry over the summer, I used these immediately in my spider plants -- they needed every little bit of help I could give them to keep the watered during the hot and dry weather.

The bulbs add a little bit of sparkle and flair to your plants and also blend in so much you don’t even know they are there. I love these – not only are they are functional but they work great!

The Gardening Solutions Hydro Globes Automatic Watering Bulbs, 2 Piece Deluxe Set is available on Amazon.

Please note: I received this product at a discount in exchange for my honest, unbiased review. I would not write this review if I didn't love the product.

Review: Acko Crimping Tool & Terminals Assortment Set

We are doing a lot of renovations to our home and this crimper/stripper for some wiring was a welcome addition to our toolbox so I could help my husband with some work around the house. He has a tool he uses all the time so tool is an addition to supplement that. 

I like that is has the ability to crimp the ends of things but also to strip wires when you are doing electrical work and a built in wire cutter. This tool is pretty basic, I thought it would have a spring action but I now realize after using it, it is definitely better that it’s not -- goes to show what I know about tools! This did what I needed it to, cut wires, stripped them and allowed you to crimp them. 

What I like is all the different connections it comes with because you always run out, with these additions we won’t worry about running out. A great basic tool, but I’m going to leave the electrical work to my husband!

The Acko Crimping Tool and Terminals Assortment set is available on Amazon.

Please note: I received this product at a discount in exchange for my honest, unbiased review. I would not write this review if I didn't love the product or find it useful

Review: Baby View Mirror

Do you have a baby or small child in the backseat you want to keep an eye on? If the answer is yes, the Argo-shops baby mirror is for you. It really doesn't matter if you have kids - this is good even if you are watching young children or a pet and have them in the car.

The mirror attaches with straps to the headrest in the back seat of your car. All you need to do is adjust it to the right height using the attached straps. Once set and the straps are pulled tight, the mirror won't move.

The mirror itself is very lightweight and made of shatter proof material for safety. It's designed not to break which I love. Another surprise in the box is a cleaning cloth that you can use to wipe the mirror clean.

Another good use is if you have a pet in the backseat that you want to keep an eye on. My pet is my baby so it only makes sense I tried it to see my cat (he hates the car so it's good to keep an eye on him when he's in the carrier in the car)!

If you are interested in the Argo-shops baby mirror, you can find it on Amazon.

Please note: I received this product at a discount in exchange for my honest, unbiased review. I would not write this review if I didn't love the product.

PinchME: Sampling

Have you heard about PinchMe? The premise is simple. Sign up, fill out some member profiles and you get emails when new sample boxes are available. You pick the samples you want to try and PinchMe ships it to you for free. Once you are done trying your samples, provide feedback and PinchMe lets the brands know what you thought of them. Super easy to do. Sample days are always super tough based on my experience because the site is slow but it's worth it because I wouldn't buy these items.

I received a recent PinchMe box and here's what I got:

1. A 1 oz bag of PopCorners Carnival Kettle chips
2. Purina Puppy Chow sample
3. Two packets of McCormick Organic taco seasoning and two $.50 off coupons to buy more
4. 1 Scotch Brite Scrubbing dish cloth

I'll post some reviews later but if you haven't tried PinchMe.com it's fun to try products and write about them based on your experience. I've already added the taco seasoning into dinner rotation this week!

Please note: I received this sample box as a member of PinchMe.com

Home Improvements are the Pits

We've recently been doing a lot of home improvements ourselves to our house so when I was offered the opportunity to try this HICO replacement blade for a table saw I knew it would come in handy. While I didn't personally put this in my table saw my husband did and he said this was a great blade for the money. He uses blades like this all the time when cutting softwood, hardwood or plywood. It worked for his table saw with ease and he had no issues. He said it was a great blade for the money, granted there are more expensive blades you can purchase but for what he needed it for this worked great.

It worked on our table saw no problem. You can also use blades like this on a miter or circular saw but we primarily will use this on a table saw. We've already used it to cut plywood for our floor installation.

The HICO blade is available on Amazon.

Please note: I received this product for free in exchange for my honest, unbiased review. I would not leave this review if I didn't love the product.

Review: Snakable Micro-USB to USB Cable

It seems as though everything lately needs a USB cable so when I was provided the opportunity try Snakable I jumped at the chance to try it out. I am so tired of cheap USB cables falling apart at the connector. Until now. For those that don't know Snakable was a Kickstarter back in 2014 that was fully backed. 

Snakable works for both Apple and Android with rotating "armor" that protects the connectors from baking. You can twist and turn them -- it reminds me of a ball joint so it doesn't bend the cable sharply and break. This cord is super long too approximately 48" long so you don't have to worry about it being too short. There have been so many fantastic things written in publications like TechCrunch where you can read more about the history of Snakable due to their Kickstarter.  

I leave this in my work bag and use it all the time, especially when I travel in between offices and always need a USB cable for something.Snakable cords are available on Amazon and other retailers.


I no longer need to duct tape my cables with electrical tape. I've been using this cable for approximately 8 months with absolutely no issues.

This has worked with my Kindle, Nook, Phone and my portable USB music player. It works with everything!

I love this cable!

Please note: I received this product for free in exchange for my honest, unbiased review. I would not leave this review if I didn't love the product.

Adjustable Stand for Your Phone (both Apple and Droid)

NOPNOG Long Arm Lazy Bracket Flexible Phone Holder – it is compatible with iPhone 5s/6/6s and Samsung Galaxy S6/S7.  It took me a few minutes to figure how to assemble this, because there are no instructions and the box is in in Chinese, but this is a neat gadget.  If you are someone who skypes for work or personal and doesn’t want to hold the phone, and this will allow you to hold your phone up while you talk. 

Solid quality made from Magnesium-aluminum alloy PVC hose, durable and easy to change different style. Fully adjustable with 360° rotation and tilt, be adjusted at any angle to suit you need. Can directional adjust the width 35 to 90mm. You can only use one phone with this stand, which is the one you stick the metal on it on the back side to stick to the magnet.

If you are interested in the NOPNOG Long Arm Lazy Bracket Flexible Phone Holder  – it is available on Amazon.

I received this product at a discount in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.

A great buy for bike riders!

I tend to ride my bike on the streets to get the gravel covered rail trails in my town, and I currently use in my phone in an arm armband. I wanted to get a phone holder, mainly because if I had to adjust the arm band or wanted to change the music – it was not too safe on the street on the gravel trail. With the phone holder, my phone in right in front on me.

The NOPNOG Bicycle Phone Holder fit my iPhone 6 Plus snug in the cradle and held tight to my bike handle bars. Even riding down bumpy roads or gravel rail trails, it stayed in place, which is so important, because no one wants to lose their phone. I found it easy to attached to my bike as well, and it would be easy to remove to switch to another bike it needed.

If you are interested in  NOPNOG Bicycle Phone Holder – they are available on Amazon.

I received this product at a discount in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.

A must for runners!

If you are a runner, or don’t like your headphone cords in your way when working out, and wondered about wireless headphones, I recommend the Forone Bluetooth Earbuds.

The Forone Bluetooth Earbuds were nicely packaged in a black box and inside was the earbuds in their own zippered case. In the case is extra ear pieces and the usb charger. The design of the ear buds are great for runners, they stay secured on my ears, which is just ideal.

They are very easy to use, paired quickly and the sound was clear and crisp. I appreciated the case to store the earbuds in, which will keep them from getting damaged in my gym bag.

If you are interested in Forone Bluetooth Earbuds – they are available on Amazon.

I received this product at a discount in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.

Great Organizer for all Trunks

I purchased the REEGE Car Trunk Organizer for use in my Jeep Cherokee.

I found the REEGE Car Trunk Organizer to be made very well, and the two compartments to be wide enough to hold my day to day items in my truck or shopping items that I don’t want rolling around while I am driving. The organizer fit under the screen that my jeep has the covers my truck as well. The organizer collapses down, and has two clips to secure flat for when you need to use your truck for groceries and such, so when it is not in use, it will take up next to no room.

I really will be getting a lot of use out of REEGE Car Trunk Organizer, since my truck does need some organization from time to time – but being able to keep my groceries from not rolling around is a big plus.

This is a great size, and should fit in most trunks - I have a Jeep Cherokee, and it fits just fine.

If you are interested in  REEGE Car Trunk Organizer – they are available on Amazon.

I received this product at a discount in exchange for my honest and unbiased review

Skechers Go Walks - Like Walking on a Cloud

I work the booth at several trade shows in the course of a year, and the trade show floor can be brutal on your feet.  But that could be said for any job that required you to stand all day. 

After a recommendation for Skechers Go Walks from a friend that has a lot of foot and heel pain – I decided to try them out.  What started off with one pair, has turned in to 5 or 6 by now.  These are truly the most comfortable shoes I own, and now I take them every time I travel to a trade show.  I have seen the Go Walks in the traditional slip on sneakers, ballet flats, and my personal favorite the boat shoe.

Skechers is really taking comfort to the next level.  So ladies, if you have a job that requires a lot of walking or being on your feet – give these a whirl.  The moment you slide your foot in, you will understand what I am talking about.  It is like walking on a cloud. 

Skechers also sell low cut socks to wear with these, in case you don’t like to wear shoes barefoot. 

I have a Skechers outlet in my town, and purchased most of my Go Walks there, but I have gotten a pair at TJ Maxx.  They range about $50-$60 – but I got mine at the outlet during a BOGO sale.  The pair I got at TJ was $29.99.

My Skechers outlet had a rewards program to sign up for, where you earn rewards, and get a 20% on your next purchase when you sign up.  

Maybe the Best Training Pads I have used!

I am very impressed with the Favorite Housebreaking Dog Training Pads.  I have a 3-year-old dachshund mix – and he is house broken, however, we have pee-pads set up in the house for him when we are not home, just in case, which he does need from time to time. The problem I have found with pee pads is they are they really expensive, really small or really cheap quality. I am very impressed with the Favorite Housebreaking Dog Training Pads, because all the issues that I have had in the past with pee pads, I didn’t have these pee pads.

The Favorite Housebreaking Dog Training Pads held all the liquid and it is didn’t seep through onto my hardwood floors, which was my biggest issue I have with the pee pads I have been using. Another issue I had, is that with past pee pads, when you went to pick them up, all the liquid with ooze out, I didn’t have that issue with the Favorite Housebreaking Dog Training Pads. These pads really do hold in the liquid.

These pads are high quality, and very reasonably priced.

The dimensions are 22" x 23" and holds up to 500 ml of liquid.  I got 200 pads in my order, and the price is $39.99 on Amazon.

If you are interested in the Favorite Housebreaking Dog Training Pads – they are available on Amazon.

I received this product at a discount in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.

TSA Pre-Check – Should I do it or not?

If you are a frequent traveler and wanted to do TSA Pre-Check, what wasn’t sure about it, here is the low down on it…

It is valid for 5 years, according to the TSA website, in July 2016, 97% of TSA Pre✓® passengers waited less than 5 minutes. 

When I went, I went the Raleigh-Durham Airport (RDU), and I live in Boston.  I went to RDU, because I happen to be traveling there Raleigh, and there was no line.  It is suggested to make an appointment, they give priority to people with appointments, rather than walk-ins. 

What you need to do. First make you appointment.  The day of your appointment, bring your passport and a credit card for the $85 fee. 

You will then get a letter in the mail about 14 days letter (if approved), with your new known traveler number (KTN) – this number will be given to you, in the exact name that your passport is in.  This means moving forward, all your airline tickets need to be booked with the name that your passport is in. 

I know this first hand, if you don’t do this, it doesn’t work.  My middle name is on my passport but not on my license.  And without my middle name on my airline tickets, my TSA Pre-Check does not work.  So, believe me, it needs to be identical! 

More and more airports are opening up TSA Pre-Check offices, so if you are traveling, and want to make an appointment, it doesn’t only take 15-20 minutes.  I know Boston now has an office, and I was just in Nashville and they have an office too.

I always have a trade show during February and April school vacation weeks, believe me, this was the best $85 I ever spent when I got to avoid those lines.

For more information on locations, and what to bring, visit:  https://universalenroll.dhs.gov/programs/precheck

Eye Mask to Help You Sleep at Night

I purchased the NMM Global 100% Natural Mulberry Silk Eye Mask Sleeping Mask to take with me on business trips because I hate sleeping in hotels.  I hate the hotel beds, the hotel pillows and the rooms are never dark enough.  I wanted the Mulberry Silk Eye Mask Sleeping Mask to help with the hotel rooms never being dark enough. 

The mask arrived in the plastic zipper case and came with ear plugs.  The mask is super soft.It has a “sleeping eyelash” embroidered print, which is adorable.  The quality is very good as well. 

I also suffer from migraines and this is great when you want to be in a total dark room.  Having an mask like this is great to have on hand.  This was fairly inexpensive as well.

Unlike other masks I have purchased, this has a thicker strap that didn't tangle in my hair, and it stayed in place better.  It fit at the back of my head, and not at my temples. It has an adjustable strap from 16.5 inches to 27.6 inches

If you are interested in the Mulberry Silk Eye Mask Sleeping Mask  – it is available on Amazon.

I received this product at a discount in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.

Great bento box, high quality – great storage for lunch!

I absolutely love the Ziz Home Bento Lunch Box Set. I have been looking for better containers for my lunch, especially one that fits better into my lunch box – all the current containers I use, just take up too much space in my lunch box, and are a cheap quality.  I eat a lot of wraps and this is the perfect size. It is made very well, it's a great quality.

This set includes a travel mug for your beverage or soup.  The 2 containers securely stack on top of each other, and also included in silverware.   They are lightweight, and can be used in the microwave and the freezer.  The set is also BPA-free, which is so important to a lot of people.

If you are interested in the Ziz Home Bento Lunch Box Set  – they are available on Amazon.

I received this product at a discount in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.

Cooling Towels - Everyone Should Have These!

I am obsessed with cooling towels. I love having them at my house for when you are doing yard work, I have even brought them when I am setting up a trade show booth in an un-air condition exhibit hall.   I purchased the NoApollo Cooling Towels, because they were a 4 pack, which is a much better deal that the price I have been paying for just one.

If you haven’t used a cooling towel, all you do is wet it, wring out, and snap or shake towel to activate the cooling effect .. and it really does work.  Each towel is 36"x 12" – they are a perfect size to wear as a headband, under a baseball hat, or tie around your neck.  (I usually wear it around my neck).

These towels work really well.  If you live in a warmer climate, these are a staple item you need to have.  

Mine came in 4 different colors, most are very gender neutral. If you are interested in the NoApollo Cooling Towels,   – it is available on Amazon.

I received this product at a discount in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.

Savings Sites .. An Overview

If you have heard of Ibotta and Ebates and wanted to know how they worked and if they worked, here is the low down.

The big question you may be wondering is are they scams, and I can tell you first hand, they are not.  I recently cashed in over $700 on Ibotta, and I have earned over $530 on Ebates.  But these are not the only sites that you can save on and I am never going to turn down free money. 

Ebates:  How Ebates works is simple, first you need to sign up.  Second, you stop at eBates before you shop and see if the retailer you are going to shop at is on Ebates.  If they are, click on their link from Ebates.  Ebates, opens a tracking ticket and then brings you to that retailer’s website, where you shop as you normally would.  The only difference is, Ebates, will gives you a percentages of your sale back to you once a quarter in a check .. NO LIE!  Some of my favorite stores are on Ebates are The Loft, Old Navy, Kohls, Groupon, Sephora, Clarisonic, QVC, and so many more!  Ebates has promotions where your favorite retailers have double their usual percentages back as well.   Sign Up Today (https://www.ebates.com/r/LSCIME4?eeid=28187)

MyPoints:  MyPoints is very similar to Ebates, but works in Points.  So if I find a retailer is not on Ebates, I check MyPoints.  MyPoints doesn’t give you cash, but you can use your points towards gift cards – either physical gift cards or electronic gift cards.   You can also earn MyPoints by taking surveys and watching videos.  MyPoints also teamed up with Coupons.com where you can print your grogery coupons our thru MyPoints and then earn points for when you redeem your grocery coupons, so your MyPoints can add up very quickly.   Just some of the retailers that are on MyPoints include Groupon, Apple, Living Social, Amazon, Alex & Ani, Pottery Barn, QVC, ULTA, and many more.  Sign up today. (https://www.mypoints.com/?rb=23780164)

ibotta: ibotta allows you to get cash back on items that they are offering in their app.  So, first you need to download that.  Connecting with Facebook is best, because you earn more with “teams”.    The way ibotta works, is you unlock the items you want to save on, and you purchase those, and then you scan the bar code and provide a picture of the receipt – all of which is done with app.  Some stores will work on linked royalty cards, so you don’t have to submit a receipt.  You have 5-6 days to scan in your receipt.  ibotta doesn’t care, if you used coupons during your purchase.  ibotta has 4 monthly challenges, which are broken out into 2 parts, the amount of rebates you redeemed, and the amount of money you redeemed.  You personally are responsible for redeeming the rebates in these challenges – but your team is responsible for the money redeemed in these challenges.  These challenges will give you more money each month and are totally worth doing, so connect your ibotta to Facebook and team up with your friends and see how much more you will make.  There are also Facebook groups dedicated to ibotta and there are people that want to connect to people just to make more money on ibotta. You can cash out money into paypal, venmo or use toward gift cards.  Sign up today. (https://ibotta.com/r/xmqrruf)

Checkout 51: Checkout 51 has a limited number of items offered but in some cases it will be general items, such as a loaf a bread.  I have found it has taken a very long time to get to $20, but I love when I can double dip on an item from ibotta.   You need a minimum of $20 to cash out, and they will mail you a check. You scan proof of purchase with the app.  You can download the Checkout 51 app from your phones app store.

MobiSave:  MobiSave, I find the least amount of items I purchase are offered in it, although in the last few weeks MobiSave is starting to have more items offered. You scan proof of purchase with the app.    MobiSave pays through PayPal.  You can double dip on items offered in both Checkout 51 and ibotta.  Sign up today (https://www.mobisave.com/referral/pldyibdo)

I do scan my receipts to these apps as I am unloading my groceries, while it may add a few more minutes, it is worth it to add more money to my pocket.  

The Mascara we have all been waiting for!

Have you heard about fiber lash mascara? Younique offers their Moodstruck 3D Fiber Lashes and this is maybe the best mascara I have used.  I have done false lashes and lash extensions before, and I love how they look, but they are so expensive to maintain.  But the level of thickness and length the Moodstruck 3D Fiber Lashes Mascara gives me is pretty close to false lashes and extensions .. and a fraction of the maintenance cost of false lashes and extensions.

What I love about this mascara, is you can control how long and how thick you want your lashes to be .. just by how much fibers you put on.  I am not saying this mascara is a magic wand, but it is better than any drug store or department store brand I have tried.

Here is how it works .. you get two mascaras, one is a mascara, and the other is your fibers.  Use your mascara first, then apply the fibers, then seal it with another coat of mascara.  You can do a second or third treatment of the fibers, but you always need to finish with a coat of mascara. 

I had this mascara on when I went to my vision exam, and the ophthalmologist commented on how long my lashes were.  I just chuckled to myself, because it was my Moodstruck 3D Fiber Lashes.

The cost of the Moodstruck 3D Fiber Lashes is responsible it is only $29.

Want to learn more? Read more.  You can order online, no need to talk to a consultant.

Walmart Beauty Box Review

I used to subscribe to ipsy and while I loved it, I got easily inundated with beauty samples and it got so bad I was giving most of the samples away. Until I discovered the Walmart beauty box. You get one a season and for $5 it's the best deal around. Plus I don't get so many beauty samples I won't use. All you do is sign up and once a season you receive an email, confirm your mailing address and it shows up at your door. It's very simple.

I received my fall box just the other day and I'm always impressed by what I find in the box. The fall box includes:

1. Travel sized Dove Advanced Care deodorant
2. Travel sized Aussie mega hairspray
3. Travel sized Vaseline advanced repair lotion
4. Travel sized Dove nuturium body wash
5. Travel sized Cetaphil moisturizing cream
6. Sample sized Eucerin Eczema body creme
7. Village naturals Therapy bath soak (one time use)
8. Sample of Burt's Bees Cleansing Oil
9. Sample of Loreal Youth Code Pore Vanisher

I'm going away next weekend for a girls trip and all of these travel sized items will be coming with me. The timing couldn't be more perfect. I've been getting these boxes for a while and am always impressed with everything in them. For the price, the Walmart beauty box is hands down the best $5 I've spent in a while.

Sign up here if you are interested.

Please note: I am not affiliated with Walmart or Walmart Beauty Boxes in any way, I am just a girl who really likes these boxes!

Oh Amazon

It seems the reviewing world is in an uproar over Amazon changing its Terms of Service (TOS) for reviews. I haven't quite made heads or tails of it yet but there is always a silver lining.

The thing is, the FTC has reviewing guidelines -- and I am by no means an expert so please read the guidelines if you want to know more.I took a few of the most important parts I read on the page and quoted them below:
"Is there special wording I have to use to make the disclosure?
No. The point is to give readers the essential information. A simple disclosure like “Company X gave me this product to try . . . .” will usually be effective."

and

"When should I say more than that I got a product for free?
It depends on what else (if anything) you received from the company.

For example, if an app developer gave you their 99-cent app for free in order for you to review it, that might not have much effect on the weight that readers give to your review. But if the app developer also gave you $100, that would have a much greater effect on the credibility of your review. So a disclosure that simply said you got the app for free wouldn’t be good enough.

Similarly, if a company gave you a $50 gift card to give away to one of your readers and a second $50 gift card to keep for yourself, it wouldn’t be good enough to only say that the company gave you a gift card to give away."

Simple, right?

Here's my take - be up front and honest about what you received. I have by no means ever been expected to review something I've received at a discount. If I like the product, I'll review it. Simple.

I've been a #BzzAgent member for years..and always disclose where and how I received something. I think Amazon took a bunch of bad reviewers and wiped people who might not have deserved it.

It will be interesting to see what unfolds.

A must in the kitchen!

I purchased these Silicone Spatulas by KUM&KUM, and this three pack of spatulas are the best I have ever purchased. They are heavy weight, the handle doesn’t bend, like some of the cheaper spatulas I have purchased in the past. They each have a great grip as well. They are high quality and a must in the kitchen. I wish I bought these years ago.

They are heat-resistant silicone can withstand up to 425 Degrees and dishwasher safe.

If you are interest in Silicone Spatulas by KUM&KUM – they are available on Amazon.  

I received this product at a discount in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.

My First Review! And an introduction!

Hey ya'll!  I'm Erin.  First up, a little about me.  I am a Southern (Savannah, GA) transplant living in the Big City (New York, NY).  I live in Brooklyn with my wonderful entrepreneur and CTO husband and our darling toy poodles, Teddy and Simon.

I am an avid knitter, adult colorer, and beginner sewer but I am interested in almost every craft you can think of and some you probably wouldn't even consider.  I am the proud Step Mother to three smaller and maybe even more awesome versions of my husband, proud Aunt to a 7 year old niece and an eeeny weeny 2 month old nephew, and supporter and surrogate family member to many many many children created by other people.  Child free by choice, I am happy to share all of my love and devotion other people's kiddos.  I wouldn't have it any other way.

From me you'll see all sorts of beauty products, crafting tools, and household items that will hopefully make your life easier (and if they don't, I will tell you the truth).  I have Opinions on many things and I am happy to share them with you all.  But what a background in diplomacy and my Southern Roots, I will always be nice about it.

So for my first review, I have to disclose I got these products from Bzzagent for free.  All they ask is I spread the word about the product.  These I cannot say enough about because they are awesome.

I have been trying the L'oreal Paris Revitalift Reveal Products for about the past month and I am so impressed.  Here's a brief description (written by me) of all four of the products in the collection:

The Brightening Daily Scrub Cleanser is for use both day and night and has a gentle but effective exfoliant that's approved to use twice daily.  I really like this product and I have been using it religiously.  And at a retail of $6.99, it's a steal!

Perhaps my favorite of the group, the Brightening Daily Peel Pads are little round pre-soaked pads used only at night.  Full disclosure, while trying these products I started using some dermatologist prescribed medications that dried me out massively for a few weeks.  These pads were a lifesaver for clearing away the dead skin.  I look forward to using these nightly.  And at $19.99, these are a bit of a splurge but certainly on the lower end of products containing glycolic acids.

The Brightening Dual Overnight Moisturizer, also retailing at $19.99 is the only one I don't LOVE.  I like it, but it doesn't have as much of a cream like consistency that I prefer in a nighttime moisturizer.  It is more like a serum, which is fine.  And it seems to work.  I love the feel of my skin just before bed.

Finally, I really like the Brightening Day Moisturizer with SPF 30.  If you aren't using a sunscreen, get thee to a pharmacy!  And I'm not talking SPF 5 or 10...go AT LEAST 30   Particularly if your skin care products contain any kinds of acids, you need to protect your beautiful skin from the effects of the ball of fire in the sky!  This works great!  It is lightweight, fragrance free and not expensive at $19.99.  I will be buying this again.

It is worth noting none of these products have a fragrance, which I like.  You can smell the sunscreen in the moisturizer but I find that comforting.

And now, for some photos.  I recognize we just met and I should put on some makeup, but you need to see the results!

Here's me on day one.  I feel like my skin was dull, my pores were HUGE, and my face was breaking out.  YUCK!

Here's today.  My skin feels better, my pores are smaller and, while I still break out at certain times (cough) I feel so much more confident!

I can see the difference!  Can you?

For a skin care routine that costs less than $100 all in (and I still have some of everything but the pads left) I think this is a great buy and stacks up to many way more expensive products.

It's a win from me.

XOXO!

LuLaRoe Leggings .. I may need a 12-step program.

If you are a leggings person like I am, then you have to try LuLaRoe leggings.  When they say they are “buttery soft” well that is no lie.  I am a big fan of leggings in the fall and winter – and here in Boston, it is cool to cold like 6 months out of the year.  So I layer, and always where leggings.   My fellow blogger and partner in crime Susan raved about LuLaRoe, and I had to try them, and not only do I wear these leggings daily, I may need to be entered in a 12-step program for the amount of leggings I have purchased.

Here is the deal with them – they are in fact the softest, most comfortable leggings ever.  They come in two sizes OS (sizes 0-10) and TC (sizes 10+).  Not only do they come in a rainbow of colors, the pattern selection is out of this world.  I never thought I would be someone that would wear patterned leggings, but I totally am! 

Where do you get these amazing leggings?  You need to find a consultant, and they are all on Facebook.  Consultants will offer “pop-up sales” which is when they share their inventory in Facebook albums or with their “the roe” link.  Shopping with consultants that live in states like MA and PA will save you on the sales tax.  Looking for multi-consultants groups are ideal, since several consultants will share their inventory at once. 

Each consultant has different inventory, so following a few (or a lot of) consultants is where you may want to start.

But once you try one pair, you will be hooked.  It is not just their leggings that are fabulous, but every thing else I tried is too.

Some of my favorite consultants are:

·         Jennifer Schnorrenberg Goldenberg

·         Karlie Trimbo

·         Jennifer Compagna

·         Kristin Cain

·         Lorin Bradley

·         Heather Nicole

Here are some multi-consultant groups to join:

·         Roe-Mazing Multi Consultant Pop Up

·         Roe-Mazing Multi Consultant Pop Up

·         LulaRoe GIGANTIC Multi Consultant Sale

·         MultiShoppers Multi Sale

·         80s Super Bash Multi Consultant

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I'm Back!

I am still couponing, maybe not as much, because you get to a point where you need to start using your stock pile, and that is where I am right now.  But earning free things is not all just about couponing.  I recently started to review products, which has been a fabulous experience, because I have gotten to try out some amazing products, in exchange for posting reviews and feedback on Amazon.  Unfortunately, Amazon recently changed their policies about sellers soliciting reviews, so that means that we decided to share our feedback back in our blog.  So, we are back!

Stay tuned for a more diverse blog, and maybe some new faces sharing their feedback.

Back at it.

Hey you. It's been a while.

Right??

You've probably been wondering what is going on. Well lots of life changes..house, job, etc. You know the drill.

But I've never stopped couponing. Here's the thing. For a while now I've been reviewing things but posting them elsewhere. Now, it's time to dive on back in and get cracking.

We've invited some friends to help us along the way. As always we will disclaim if we received any products as part of a review program or at a discount.

So stay tuned...it's gonna be fun!