If you have been here before, then you know from time to time I have random reviews on products I enjoy. Today is no exception. About a month ago I received the TowelLab 100% Microfiber Cleaning Cloth in the mail for consideration of review. I’m not gonna lie, I was excited to try these out because you can find a huge stack of microfiber towels in our linen closet. My husband uses them to polish and dry our cars and I love drying dishes with them or cleaning surfaces. They work better than your standard dish towel when it comes to drying dishes and I especially use them to clean my television screen which is an LCD (a good/clean microfiber cloth should remove most finger prints and add a little distilled water and you can clean off any stains, etc.) The options for use with these are endless. I even stash a few away in my beauty area to help with removing makeup or cleaning my brushes.
Like most Microfiber Towerls, these have the same feel and texture. The are engineered by TowelLab and are ideal for kitchen use, screen and windows. They are 6x lighter than a standard towel (major plus) and dry 4x faster. I especially like that they are anti-bacterial as they are treated for odor prevention. They are really soft and make it ideal for using on the skin, which I like. Each set comes with a total of 4 TowelLab clothes that are machine washable and can be reused hundreds of times. I have washed and dried mine many many times without any problems and they are still soft and durable. These are lint-free (woohoo) and offer streak-free cleaning. They are non-abrasive and won’t scratch surfaces, paints or clear coats (which make it ideal for cleaning the car).
You get 4 towels that are 12″x 12″ in size and are made of a 100% Microfiber that has a blend of 80/20 polyester / polyamide. What’s awesome is that these are affordable – retailing for about $18 regular priced but on sale right now for $8. That is a steal considering the costs my husband and I have paid on for other microfiber towels on the market.
If you have a touch screen phone as I do, these make great cloths to clean the screen with and I find that the use for these towels are ever growing. You can purchase your set here: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00X6T5SJA or check out more information if you so choose.
Disclaimer: This product was sent to me for review/consideration. All opinions are 100% honest and unbiased and all thoughts my own. While I did receive this product for free, I was not paid to provide this review.
As a mother with skin sensitivities, I’m constantly on the hunt for products that will help to make my “mommy duties” a little less hectic and keep my…
I’ve mentioned in previous posts that I am a photographer for weddings and portraits. I love capturing photos that evoke love and happiness and have enjoyed capturing images…
As a child, the holiday season was always my favorite time of year… and it still is. The scents of delicious food cooking all day, pies and sweet delectable desserts, coffee and teas and everything in between. Many scents also evoke the memories of my childhood, reminding me that while we didn’t have any money growing up – my parents always made this time special for us and I do my best to translate those memories in our family traditions today. Since we are still a few days away from really starting the 24 hour cooking sessions the holidays may bring, I love adding candles to our scenery to add warmth and a waft of scents in the air to get us a bit festive. As a child we didn’t have many candles in our house unless the electricity was out because my mom lost her house to a candle fire when she was little and my siblings and I also have asthma and it made it difficult to breath. Now that I’m older, I still don’t use candles often due to the asthma, but after trying these Old Factory Candles from the Coffee Shop Set, I’m definitely impressed.
Each Old Factory candle is handmade in the USA and retails for about $30 (currently on sale for $25.00) for a set of three candles. Available in 12 sets – I got Coffee Shop which includes Coffee Bean, Hazel Nut and Chai Tea.
Each candle is made of natural soy wax, cotton paper wicks and pure fragrance oils. Candles are guaranteed to burn clean and even and true to scent for 20 hours. Since the fragrance oils are pure, you may notice that the scent is not as strong as a traditional scented candle (or at least that is my opinion – but I’ve been sick lately so it could just be that I’m stuffed up) though I don’t think that to be a bad thing since I like a light fragrance, not something to overpowering. I am definitely loving that the candles are burning evenly which makes it easy to light. Each candle is of white wax and labeled with the designated scent at the bottom of the jar.
Since my family and I are asthmatics, we do not burn candles in our house very often due to the lack of oxygen that can be in the air while the candle is burning. It is however something we enjoy to do during the colder months and holiday season since it not only makes the house smell yummy but it also adds an essence of warmth to the home. I have been enjoying the clean burning of these candles and noticed that my family did not have issues with breathing while we had a candle lit. The scent lasts and I love the light scent of coffee, hazel nut or chai tea through out the home.
With a variety of fragrances from sexy and sultry to holiday themed and delicious delectables, you can easily find a scent range that will fit in your home and if you don’t have a fire place, this is a sure way to add a little warmth to your house. I especially love the subtle jar as it will allow you to easily match this to any theme or home decor for any time of year. Since you get three candles, this could easily make a great stocking stuffer or Holiday gift for someone who loves candles.
Looking to give the entire set away? Simple tie a cute little ribbon or bow around the box and your set to go. The box holds all three candles snug and ready for gift delivery. I personally use the box to store my candles when they are not in use, since I don’t like to keep candles around because the twins are so young I would rather keep it out of reach.
Have you tried Old Factory Candles before? If so – what is your favorite scent from this brand? If you haven’t and love candles, comment and let me know what your favorite candle scents are.
When it comes to organization and keeping dates in order, I’m a stickler for planners and keeping track of dates and appointments on paper or via technology. Sometimes I’m told it’s a bit repetitious… but needless to say – it is a rare occasion that I’m late or missed an appointment because I keep my dates organized. With three children who all have a schedule of their own, it is a requirement to keep my life planned out.
Dotmine is a company that offers Family and Student planners that help you organize your busy schedule. Each planner offers 17 months worth so that your planner can accommodate both school and regular calendar years without you having to sacrifice your organizational needs. I rather like the 17 month year because I plan both for myself and my children and this allows me to not have to use a plethora of organizers for each of us in my family.
It all started with a simple “dot” back in 1999–Sarah, Lisa, and a commitment to reclaim our lives while helping you do the same. A serendipitous meeting in a London pub had given us the idea. Our corporate days — one of us pitching underwear and the other pitching laundry detergent — were far behind us. And for 15 years, backed by supportive husbands and seven fabulous children, our planners became favorites throughout the world.
This planner is great in organizing a busy family but also loved by teachers and nurses as well as bloggers such as myself. Developed by a group of moms, the Family Time planner is there to help you juggle multiple schedules all in one place. Those of you who have children or juggle more than one job I’m sure will definitely appreciate this.
The Family Planners are available in 3 designs (Dutch Treat, Free Bird and Petites Fleurs) and each retails for $24.99. Each planner is 8.5 x 11 inches and includes dates from August to December. Adorned with their fashionable designs that are printed on durable plastic, these cool planners include monthly and weekly pages on crisp white paper. I especially love that they include inspirational and humorous quotes each week, which is probably one of my favorite features of any planner as those that know me know that I look for daily inspiration before starting my day. Plastic coils keep this planner spiral bound and there are back pockets to hold important papers in place. Perforated margins for “tear-out” lists and note pages help to make your daily planning and errands a breeze. In my opinion, if you are looking for a quality Family or blogging planner without spending the hefty costs that some may offer – this planner will be a great addition for you.
What I love the most about this planner is how easy it is to use. There are pages that offer seasonal schedules which is awesome since my children are all involved in sports which often has practice and games on repetitive dates so listing these make it an easy reference for myself, my family or the sitter should I need one. Speaking of sitter… there is a babysitter page where you can easily insert a sticky note each time you go out so that the sitter knows exactly where you are or how to reach you each time.
I also love that Family Time offers a guide and tips on how to use the planner… simply take a look at the first few pages where it outlines exactly what to do and how to utilize the planner. From adding sticky notes to special dates or weeks to planning out “family business”… every detail you may have questions on can be found on the “Using family-time.mine Everyday” pages.
Overall – the price point is great considering I have paid well over $100 for other planners on the market in the past. While it is simplistic, it offers a wide range of organizational tools for you and your family. I love the perforated tear sheet options because this allows me to write down my grocery shopping lists or notes, etc. and tear them out should I need them on the go. The note sections are large enough for me to list a good amount of information as are each week and day. If I had to critique the planner in general, I wish there was a way to add on pockets to keep pencils or post-its or a book mark that will allow me to easily turn to my page of the day. I can definitely DIY these options, but it would be great if Dotmine offered something like this. I’m all about accessories and add ons and I think that those would be awesome options. I do definitely give this planner a 5 Sparkle rating because the options are wonderful considering the price point. For those of you that love reading my “Mommy Survival Guide” posts – this is definitely something I would add to a Mommy Survival Necessity. 🙂
Have you heard of Dotmine Planners? Could you see this meeting your families’ organizational needs?
I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.
I am a lover of all things photography and most of my blogger friends don’t know that I actually photograph weddings and portraits and have been doing so for years. Having worked with a variety of clients and vendors, I always find it very important to work with a client that provides great service and standard for their customers and because I live in Hawaii, it is important that shipping is affordable and it gets to me quickly so I can deliver the product to my clients in a timely fashion.
Canvas HQ is a printing company that offers high quality (get it – HQ) work, quick and fast, affordable but nonetheless a great product. Printing anything from small scale Canvas prints to Artwork size large scale prints, Canvas HQ does it all in a jiffy.
My artwork piece arrived shortly after placing the order. I ordered a 14″ x 11″ semi-gloss canvas ($53.95) and it printed and shipped in about 1 day and was on its way to Hawaii. Shipping was free (though shipping may be determined on the size or price of your canvas piece) and was sent via Ground UPS. It arrived in about 8 days and was delivered to me safe and snug. As you can see from the photo above, the canvas was shipped with a plastic bag or covering over it and taped into the box so there would be no movement. The box itself held the canvas piece into place and everything arrived well and safely.
The frame is 1.5″ thick and I opted for a black frame instead of an image wrap or mirror wrap that are also options available. When I normally order canvas prints for my clients, I select the image wrap to continue their photo around the frame, but I thought the black for my photo would make the picture stand out more. The quality of the canvas material is nice and definitely uses high quality products (or as they say, ingredients) to create my artwork. The colors were true to color from what I seen on my computer, so I also loved that as well.
If you like to mount your artwork on a wall, Canvas HQ also provides Free Hanging Hardware. It’s easy to use and install which makes that a definite plus.
Overall, I’m very impressed with the product as well as the company. I have used many different canvas and artwork printers over the last few years and I consider this one to great quality – awesome value. My family is definitely enjoying our artwork and I will continue to be a customer of Canvas HQ for years to come. It’s difficult to find a canvas printer that can offer you a great price point but still give you the type of artwork you would pay hundreds for. I especially love canvas prints because I am a photographer of nature and they are the best way to display your art when it comes to landscape and floral. If you are considering purchasing a canvas for the first time, I definitely recommend checking out Canvas HQ.
I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.
Yay me! I swear, I am always amazed with the perks that come with being a Blogger, but more so when I get to try out new and exciting things and realize how lucky I truly am. I had the awesome opportunity to receive the April POPSUGAR Must-have Box and it was filled with goodies different from my normal that I’m used to receiving from other Subscription boxes. Check out what I got and all the goodies inside.
If you watched my reveal video – you can see that I am and was definitely excited to receive all the goodies in my April box. It was filled with awesome Spring goodies to get me excited for the season and looking forward Summer. Are you a Monthly Subscription junkie like me? If so, the POPSUGAR Must-have box may just be a great fit for you. It includes a variety of products from beauty, food, home, fitness and more and is just $39.95 each month with free shipping. What I love about this box is that you receive FULL SIZED Products, many of which are Premium items. Check out past Must-have boxes to see if this is something you may want to sign up for. Interested in signing up for POPSUGAR’s awesome Must-have box… click here to check it all out.
Included in April’s box was a total of 6 items – I have them outlined for you as well as the price break down for your reference.
THE BLUE AVOCADO (ECO) SHOPPER – retails for $25.00
This awesome little shopper was a joint effort between Lauren Conrad and BlueAvocado. It is a collapsible tote (perfect for carrying groceries) and is made from upcycled plastic bottles. It folds neatly into a wallet-sized pouch and fits perfectly into my purse. This is awesome! In Hawaii – on my island, stores no longer offer you plastic bags and many require you have your own shopping bag for groceries so I will make great use out of this.
TOO FACED NATURAL EYES PALETTE – retails for $36.00
I was beyond excited to hear that this product was in other people’s boxes and certainly could not wait to get my hands on it. I have been eyeing this palette for a while and being a huge Too Faced addict, I was jumping for joy inside. This palette is perfect for the gal who loves a natural look. It includes nine different shades and the color range is perfect for every age and every skin tone. Included is a glamour guide (like most Too Faced palettes) that you can use to create looks or be inspired and the shades included are a combination of matte, satin and shimmer. I’m seriously diggin’ this!
GRAPHIC IMAGE POCKET NOTES – retails for $20.00
This awesome little notebook is sweet, stylish and a great size to throw into the purse. Made with silver edges, acid-free paper and a flexible cover with the words “Run the World” on the cover – I am surely inspired to keep blog posts and more in this notebook that fits perfectly in the pocket or in my purse for on the go inspiration.
CALDREA ROSE WATER DRIFTWOOD HAND SOAP – retails for $10.50
Who doesn’t need hand soap? As a mom of three boys, we have hand soap everywhere in the house and I’m always on the hunt for new scents that I love. This hand soap has a combination of floral aromas that have a light but great scent. The soap is gentle but hardworking and free of any harmful chemicals.
FRESH PASTRY STAND TOTALLY AWESOME TEA TOWEL SET – retails for $18.00
Seriously… how “Awesome” is it to display something that says “totally awesome” in your kitchen. Since nothing but awesome grinds come from my kitchen (yes, I’m bragging – lol), I was very excited to get something like this. The Awesome tea towel set is such a fresh take on a cute design and I love the bright and bold colors that is so fun for Spring and Summer. They are handmade from a water-based ink and completely lint-free (woohoo!). I am looking forward to having fun with these.
NATUREBOX POPSUGAR MUST HAVE MIX – retails for $5.00
Hello goodies and snacks! Let me first say that I am in love with how awesome these taste but I won’t go into any details since I’ll be doing a full post on my blog all about these goodies in the future. NatureBox teamed up with Lisa Sugar to design this custom snack mix especially for POPSUGAR Must Have. NO artificial flavors, NO artificial colors, NO corn syrup and NO hydrogenated oils. They include a bunch of my favorite snack treats like almonds, soybeans, corn and cranberries – a satisfying crunch for any die hard snacker. I am seriously addicted to these.
My Thoughts Overall…
Overall – I’m definitely impressed with the April POPSUGAR Must Have box. It includes a variety of items I know I will get great use out and each product offers great quality. So let me break it all down for you with regard to how much product you are receiving and the amount you pay.
You pay $39.95 each month for this box. This month I received a total value of $114.50 worth of products. I got over $70 additional worth of products and I think it was well worth it. If you are looking for a monthly subscription box that offers you a variety of products from beauty and home to fitness, health and food – then this definitely may be the box for you. Click here to sign up or to learn more about the box itself and to check out what past boxes looked like: http://popsu.gr/sCKU And if you sign up – be sure to stop on by and let me know what you think of your first box.
Have you tried POPSUGAR Must Have box before or have you been interested in trying it out? What do you think of my April box, is it worth the $39.95? Thank you so much for your time in reading my post. Wishing you all a wonderful week!
Having three little ones with a very active lifestyle keeps me consistently on my toes and I’m ALWAYS cleaning. One thing that I do not suggest is carpet…
