Sunday, November 30, 2014

Get ready for the December Free Stuff Giveaways at Allure!

The December Free Stuff Giveaway at Allure starts on Monday! Here is what they're giving away:


Monday Dec. 1st:  Jane Satin Split Stick in Rockin' Red
Tuesday Dec. 2nd:  H2O+ Spa Sea Lavender Body Wash
Wednesday Dec 3rd:  Alterna Caviar Anti-Aging Moisture Milk
Thursday Dec. 4th:  L'Oreal Paris Age Perfect Glow Renewal Facial Oil

If you've never entered these giveaways before, you should give it a try. The first 500 to sign up each day at Noon ET will win. I enter these every month & I've won some great beauty products.

Just go to the Allure website and then click on the Free Stuff tab. It will take you to the page where you will see all of the products up for grabs. At Noon ET, click on the product & the entry form will be live. Just fill in your information & submit it.

And then....you sit back & wait. You won't know if you've won anything until a wonderful surprise shows up in your mailbox! And keep in mind that it is the manufacturer who will ship your prize, not Allure. So if you win it might show up in a week or it might take several months. But I think that's part of the fun. I love surprises!

I'm ready! Who else is ready to win some cool stuff?

Friday, November 14, 2014

So. Here is what I think about....International Delight coffee creamers

One of my favorite things about mornings is my first cup of coffee. And I drink my coffee with flavored creamers. So I was really happy to be invited to the International Delight Creamers campaign with BzzAgent.


I knew that it would be really easy for me to spread the word about this product because I use it regularly. International Delight makes so many wonderful flavors & you can also get Fat Free, Sugar Free and Fat Free & Sugar Free options. So there is something for everyone.

There are a lot of flavors to choose from & International Delight lists them in 4 different categories on their website. First are the Classic flavors:

  • French Vanilla
  • Hazelnut
  • Toasted Hazelnut
  • Chocolate Almond Biscotti
  • Salted Caramel Mocha
  • Southern Butter Pecan
  • White Chocolate Macadamia
  • White Chocolate Raspberry
These are the Coffeehouse-Inspired flavors:
  • Amaretto Cafe
  • Caramel Macchiato
  • Irish Creme Cafe
  • Vanilla Caramel Creme
  • White Chocolate Mocha
Next are the American Favorites:
  • Cold Stone Creamery Sweet Cream
  • Hershey's Chocolate Caramel
  • Almond Joy
  • Cinnabon
  • Cold Stone Creamery Churro Caramel
  • Cold Stone Creamery Founder's Favorite
  • Cold Stone Creamery Hot for Cookie
  • Heath
  • York Peppermint Pattie
And if you're not already drooling over those flavors, here are the seasonal flavors:
  • Pumpkin Pie Spice
  • Peppermint Chocolate Truffle
  • Gingerbread Latte
  • Sugar Cookie
I haven't been lucky enough to find all of the flavors, but the ones that I have tried are really really good. I love liquid creamers because they stir into my coffee easier than powder creamers. And I think the flavor is better too. The flavors of these ID creamers is just exactly what the labels advertise. If you buy Sugar Cookie, then you'll think you're eating a big yummy sugar cookie!

Since the seasonal creamers are some of my favorite flavors & I know they won't be available for long, I usually stock up & freeze them so I can enjoy them long past the holiday season.  In the middle of the hot summer I love to pull out a bottle of something like Peppermint Chocolate Truffle & think of cooler temps! I usually have at least 6 bottles of creamer in the freezer. In fact, you might say I have a slight obsession with flavored creamers!


So. Here is what I think about International Delight coffee creamers: I love that there are so many flavors to choose from. I never have the same flavor twice in a row. This really feeds my coffee creamer addiction! I love that they have seasonal flavors that add to my enjoyment of the holidays. And I love that they are sold in all of the stores where I shop. So go try them!

You can go here http://po.st/PPScoupon  to print a coupon for $2 off 3 bottles of ID creamer so you can stock your fridge with some awesome flavor!

So. Bottom line. You really need to try International Delight creamers. They really perk up a cup of coffee!

Go check out all of the products on their website at http://www.internationaldelight.com/. And while you're there, be sure to sign up for Member Delights where you will find coupons, giveaways & sweepstakes.

Be sure to follow on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/InternationalDelight & on Twitter at https://twitter.com/indelight. You can find inspiration on their Pinterest page http://www.pinterest.com/indelight/ & on Instagram http://instagram.com/indelight.

I received this product free for the purpose of my review. Opinions are 100% my own.

Thursday, November 13, 2014

I'm Sampling....#ZepCleansters Cleaning Products

I was chosen by Crowdtap to participate in a sampling of Zep Commercial cleaning products. I have several Zep products in my home that we already use & are familiar with, so I was excited to try more.

When the package arrived, I opened it & was happy to see 5 sample-size bottles of 2 Zep cleaners that I've never tried before. In the box I found 3 small bottles of Zep All-Around Oxy Cleaner & Degreaser, 2 small bottles of Zep Quick Clean Disinfectant & a guide for sampling & sharing the products.


I took a look at the guide & then got ready to "clean like a pro"! I got my bright yellow cleaning gloves & my scrubber sponge out & I was ready to go to work.

I decided to try the Quick Clean Disinfectant first. It turned out that I didn't need my gloves or sponge to use this product. The instructions say to spray the surfaces to be disinfected until they are covered with the product & allow them to remain visibly wet for 2 minutes. After that, you can just let it air dry or wipe it with a clean cloth. I let the bowl of the sink air dry but I did wipe the faucet so that it wouldn't dry with spots. Since the sink is old & beige anyway, it didn't look much better than when I started but the faucet looked shiny & clean. At least I knew that everything was clean & disinfected even if it was hard to see.


Since that was so easy, I went straight into the kitchen to disinfect the sinks in there. Again, I sprayed the product to cover the sinks & the strainers, then let it work for at least 2 minutes. Because these sinks are stainless steel, I chose to wipe them dry with a clean cloth so that they would look better. I actually cleaned both sides of the sink but only took photos of the side that I cleaned first.


A few days later I decided to try the Zep All-Around Oxy Cleaner & Degreaser in the kitchen. When I have more help than I really want while cooking, my stove sometimes ends up looking like we had a food fight. So to clean the stovetop, the directions say to spray, wait 1 minute, wipe & rinse. So I sprayed thoroughly and then got my sponge. I had to scrub a little on some of the spots that were closer to the burners & were stuck on more, but the rest just wiped clean fairly easily. After I had wiped the whole stovetop, I went over it with a clean damp sponge & it looked great!


Then I decided to tackle the mess that I had been putting off the longest....the oven. I have been really lazy about cleaning it & it's been too hot this summer to use the automatic cleaning cycle, so I pulled the racks out & started spraying. This time I had to scrub more than I had with the stovetop, but it was still a lot easier to clean that I had anticipated. After scrubbing the whole oven & wiping it down with a clean wet sponge, I was happy that it looked so clean & shiny. I'll never let it get that bad again!


Today I decided to try the All-Around Oxy cleaner on some mystery stains that appear from time to time on our carpet. They aren't very big, but I just don't know what they are or where they come from. I took some photos but it's hard to really see them. I sprayed the spots with the Oxy cleaner & then let it work for about 5 minutes or so. Then I got a scrub brush & scrubbed each spot. I waited about 30 minutes to let the carpet dry, then I ran the vacuum cleaner over each area & there were no more spots.


Since cold weather has arrived sooner than we expected this year, I know that the Cold & Flu season has also arrived early. So I've been busy disinfecting any surface that we all touch regularly to try to keep germs to a minimum. Doorknobs, light switches, telephones, piano keys, faucets, toilet handle & the ice/water dispensers on the fridge are where I started. If it stood still long enough, it probably got sprayed!


I also shared a bottle of each of these cleaners with a friend & she has used them for the same jobs that I did. She was surprised that they didn't require a lot of scrubbing & cleaned so thoroughly & so quickly. Since using the samples, she has bought full-sized bottles of these products.

So. Here is what I think about these Zep Commercial cleaning products: I love that they don't have a strong odor like a lot of the cleaners that I've tried before. I like that the disinfectant can be left to air dry so there is less work. And cleaning my stove & oven has never been easier.

We already use Zep Air & Fabric Odor Eliminator, Zep Foaming Garbage Disposal Cleaner, Zep Pro Strength Drain Opener & Zep Root Kill & I will definitely be buying full-size bottles of these 2 products as well.

So. Bottom line. Zep cleaners will make your life easier. But don't take my word for it. Try them for yourself. I bet you'll love them! #TryZep

You can see the full line of Zep products on their website http://www.zepcommercial.com/. You can follow on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/ZepCommercial & Twitter https://twitter.com/zepcommercial. You'll find a lot of great information on their YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/user/ZepCommercial & on their Pinterest page http://www.pinterest.com/ZepCommercial/.

I received these products free for the purpose of my review. Opinions are 100% my own.

Wednesday, November 12, 2014

So. Here's what I think about....5-hour ENERGY Pink Lemonade

I've never tried any of the energy shots that are out there because I was afraid that they would just make me jittery instead of giving me the shot of energy that I would need to get through a day of cleaning or a project that I have been dreading. So when I qualified for the 5-hour ENERGY Mission for Smiley360 I thought I'd give it a try & see what these energy shots are all about.

My package arrived & it contained 2 of the pink ribbon bottles of 5-hour ENERGY Pink Lemonade flavor & the Smiley360 Mission guide.


I wasn't sure what to expect from the Pink Lemonade flavor. I had imagined that an energy shot would not taste good at all. So I was pleasantly surprised when I drank the 1st bottle & discovered that it really tastes good! I was doing a big cleanout of all of our closets & dressers to donate what we no longer use or wear, so I knew that I would need energy to keep me focused & make me power through that project until it was finished. This energy shot did not make me jittery at all & I felt that it did give me a nice boost to my energy level. I got through those closets & drawers before the end of the day & felt quite satisfied with myself for getting it done.

5-hour ENERGY is joining with Living Beyond Breast Cancer, a non-profit organization which supports & educates people about breast cancer. From now through the end of 2014, 5-hour ENERGY will donate 5 cents from every specially marked bottle of Pink Lemonade flavor to Living Beyond Breast Cancer. A minimum donation of $200,000 is guaranteed!


I consider myself very fortunate that I do not personally know anyone who has received the devastating diagnosis of breast cancer. So I raise my white bottle pink ribbon 5-hour ENERGY to all of the mothers, grandmothers, daughters, sisters, aunts & friends out there who are struggling through this terrible time in their lives. To all of the survivors and to all who are still fighting the battle, I pray for each & every one of you.

So. Here is what I think of 5-hour ENERGY Pink Lemonade: This was my first experience with an energy shot so I was skeptical at first, but the flavor was good & I really did feel more energetic & focused for the remainder of the day. And it just seemed to fade away gradually. I didn't fall down or feel the need to go to sleep or anything else that I had feared would happen when my energy was gone.

So. Bottom Line. I like this product. I don't have a need to use it every day but when I do need to be focused & energized, I will definitely use it again.

You can see all of their product on their website http://5hourenergy.com/#2014. They even offer Extra Strength & Decaf choices! Follow them on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/5HourEnergyShot#2014 & on Twitter https://twitter.com/5hourenergy
I received this product free for the purpose of my review. Opinions are 100% my own.

Monday, November 10, 2014

So. Here is what I think about....TAZO® Chai

I qualified to test TAZO® Chai tea from Smiley360. I've never had the love of hot tea that my husband does. Being from the South, I drink iced tea. I've tried several varieties of hot tea but just never found one that I would want to drink again. But I had never tried chai tea so I was looking forward to this Mission.

I was excited to tear into the envelope when it arrived. I found 3 coupons for free boxes of any filterbag tea or latte concentrate. I will use one of these coupons to get a box of Tazo for myself & will share the other 2 with family or friends. I also found 3 filterbags: 1 classic, 1 chocolate & 1 vanilla caramel. There was also a Tasting Guide & a Smiley360 Sharing Guide.


I took the filterbags to the kitchen & decided to try the TAZO Classic chai tea first. I didn't want to wait for the kettle to boil so I used my Keurig. Instant gratification! While the filterbag steeped in my mug, I could smell the flavors. The most noticeable to me was the aroma of cloves & cardamom. The scent of cloves is one of my favorites! When I took my first sip I immediately tasted the cloves & a second later the taste of the black pepper hit my taste buds. I have never tasted tea like this before! I just might learn to love hot tea after all.

Within a few days, I had sampled the Vanilla Caramel & Chocolate flavors too. While the Vanilla Caramel was steeping, the aroma of caramel was prominent but when I tasted the tea, it was the flavor of vanilla that was stronger. The Chocolate aroma was strong while the boiling water was pouring into my mug. I expected a big chocolate taste but the cinnamon & cloves came through & then the hint of black pepper at the end.

Once I had sampled all 3 of the flavors that I received, I took my free coupon to the grocery store to check out all of the other flavors. There was a big selection! My photo doesn't even show them all because their were more on the top shelf along with the latte concentrates. But what I was really looking for was the Pumpkin Spice Latte since pumpkin is my favorite flavor this time of year. But my store didn't have it in stock so I went to another store looking for it.


Success! The second store that I tried had the TAZO Pumpkin Spice Latte in stock so I used my FREE coupon to get some. I also bought the Chocolate Latte and, because I didn't want my hubby to feel left out because he drinks hot tea almost every day, I decided to buy a box of the Awake English Breakfast tea for him.

I love sharing information about products that I haven't tried before with my friends & family. As well as telling them about this product & all of the choices available, I also got to share a coupon for a FREE product with 2 of my friends! It pays to stay on my good side.... just kidding!


So. Here is what I think about TAZO Chai: I wasn't sure what to expect when I took my first sip but it really was unlike any hot tea I had ever tried before. It was an unexpected pleasure! I have served it to friends & family & have gotten a lot of positive responses. I may have turned some more Southerners into hot tea lovers!

So. Bottom line. If you've never tried chai tea, you need to taste this. If you love chai tea, you need to try this brand. #SweetMeetsSpicy!

Go to the website to see all of the products http://www.tazo.com/chai. Be sure that you scroll to the bottom & click on the Get Coupon button. Enter your email address & you'll get a coupon for $2 off of any TAZO Chai product.

You can follow TAZO on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/tazo & on Twitter https://twitter.com/Tazo. Their Pinterest page http://www.pinterest.com/tazotea/ & Instagram http://instagram.com/tazo will tempt you with product photos.
I received this product free for the purpose of my review. Opinions are 100% my own.

Friday, November 7, 2014

So. Here is what I think about....Kroger Brand Bath & Body Care

I've been shopping at Kroger for as long as I can remember. I buy almost all of my groceries there but have always gone to the big box stores for health & beauty products. I knew that Kroger had aisles of personal care products but I'd never paid much attention to them because I assumed that they would cost more than what I was paying at other stores. So when BzzAgent sent me an Invite to join the Kroger Bath & Body Care campaign, I didn't hesitate.

When my BzzKit arrived, I opened it right up & found a nice variety of products. They sent a package of Makeup Removing & Cleansing Cloths, a big purple bath pouf, a nail brush, a package of 2 Sea Foam Facial Sponges, 2 coupons for free Kroger bath & beauty products, coupons to share with my family & friends and my Official BzzGuide.


I took a look through the BzzGuide & was surprised to see the wide selection of products that Kroger offers for both men & women. I grabbed the 2 coupons for free products & headed straight to my Kroger store to see what they had!

As you can see, the Kroger brand products are displayed right beside the comparable name brand product. It makes it so easy to compare the ingredients, product size & price.


I had been using Dove Go Fresh Cucumber & Green Tea scent so I looked for that & found the Kroger Nourish Cool Care body wash in the same scent. It was the same body wash, same scent, same size but the Dove cost $5.39 & the Kroger equivalent was only $3.79. So I put one in my basket.

Then I moved over to the lotions. I usually use Vaseline Intensive Care so I found that on the shelf & right beside it I found Kroger Moisturize Replenishing Lotion for Dry Skin. Once again, it was the same lotion, same dry skin formula, same size but the Vaseline brand cost $6.79 & the Kroger equivalent was only $3.67.  So I put one of those in my basket too.

But now comes the real test. Actually trying these products & comparing them to what I had been using.


I tried the Kroger lotion as soon as I got home. It feels creamy & smells great! It absorbs into my skin quickly with no greasy feeling & it lasts a long time. This is the time of year when my skin starts feeling dry so I use lotion all the time. This one hydrates my skin & leaves it feeling smooth to the touch.

I used the Kroger body wash that night when I took my shower. It looks rich & creamy on my pretty purple bath pouf & makes a nice lather. It smells so good while I am using it, clean & fresh without being overbearing. It rinses off easily & there is no filmy soapy feeling on my skin. My skin feels smooth & clean after my shower.

I had 3 sets of these coupons that I shared with my friends & family so that they could also try some of the Kroger bath & beauty products. They always appreciate the chance to try new products & save a bit of money while doing so.


So. Here is what I think about Kroger brand bath & beauty products: I was thrilled to find such a wide variety of products. The 2 that I personally tried were just as good as their name brand equivalent but at a cost that is around half of what the name brand competitors cost.

There are many more products available that I have not tried yet & they also carry a nice selection of products for men that I need to get my husband to try.

So. Bottom line. I will definitely be buying the Kroger products again. For the price, you can't afford not to!

Check out Kroger's website https://www.kroger.com/. You will find their weekly sales ad as well as digital coupons that you can download to your Kroger Plus shoppers card & much more. You can follow Kroger on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/Kroger?ref=br_tf & on Twitter https://twitter.com/kroger. You will find lots of great recipes on their YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/user/kroger & on their Pinterest page http://www.pinterest.com/krogerco/.

I received these products free for the purpose of my review. Opinions are 100% my own.

Thursday, November 6, 2014

So. Are you a Tapper?


Have you discovered Crowdtap yet? I just found this awesome site around the end of August. This site is all about Brand Participation. You can influence brands by providing feedback, you might be chosen to test products & maybe you will win some awesome prizes!

Based on your profile, you will be connected to brands that are relevant to you & your family. Each Brand will have a variety of Actions that you can complete to earn entries into their Crowd Drawing at the end of each month. This is where you can win some great gift cards.

The fun part of this program is the variety of Actions offered on each Brand page.
  • Quickhits are really easy to complete. They are questions that the Brand will ask you to answer. These could be Yes/No, multiple choice or you might be asked to watch a short video & then comment on the contents. You will earn points for these.
  • Challenges can be either Text Challenges or Photo Challenges. Text Challenges usually want more detailed feedback about the product. Photo Challenges will want the product included in the photo & a caption. This is where you can show your creativity. These Challenges will be rated by your fellow Crowdtappers & you can earn Stars for a really great submission.
  • Discussions will have a list of topics that you can respond to. You will also want to add comments to the responses left by other Crowdtappers.
  • Samplings & Parties are the best! Brands will send products to selected Crowdtappers to test at home. First you will answer the preliminary survey questions & submit your application. Then, if you are one of the lucky ones, you'll get an email telling you to claim your spot in the Sampling or Party. The Brand will send products to you to try & you'll provide feedback through a Report where you can include your opinion & submit photos. 
You will earn points by completing these Brand Actions & even more points for each star that you earn. Your participation in the Brand Actions will give feedback & influence Brands & in return each Brand will reward that participation with drawings for Gift Cards at the end of each month. The points that you earn for completing Brand Actions will add up for entries into the drawings. For every 100 points that you earn, you will get 1 entry into the drawing. And if you are one of the Top 100 in points for a Brand at the end of the month, you will be rewarded with 500 more points for that Brand which means 5 more entries into their drawing. If you click on each Brand Page & scroll to the bottom, you'll see what prizes are being offered for that month. The drawings are completely random, but the more points you earn, the more entries you will get & the better your chance that you will win a prize! And getting into the Top 100 & earning more stars will give you a better chance of being chosen for Sampling & Party opportunities.

This site is a lot of fun & winning gift cards or the possibility of being chosen for a Sampling or to host a Party will just make you want to work harder to complete every Action that you can. And if we can influence popular Brands with our feedback & opinions, then we've done our job! 

You can sign up for Crowdtap at http://www.crowdtap.com & start joining the Brand Crowds that you want to influence. Be sure to follow Crowdtap on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/Crowdtap?ref=br_tf & on Twitter https://twitter.com/crowdtappers

So. Are you ready to start Tapping?



Tuesday, November 4, 2014

So. Here is what I think about....Seventh Generation Natural Hand Wash

I qualified to try Seventh Generation Mandarin Orange & Grapefruit Natural Hand Wash free from Smiley360. I love products that are made with natural plant-based ingredients. I never have to worry when even our 3-year-old uses these products because I know it won't harm him or his tender skin.

When the box arrived I immediately took the bottle of hand wash into the kitchen to wash my hands. When I pumped a squirt of it onto my hand, it felt light & silky on my palm. The first thing that I noticed was the scent. It is amazing! I love the smell of oranges & this soap smells so good! It makes a nice lather & washes off cleanly with no sticky residue. After I dried my hands, I noticed that they felt really soft & that the wonderful scent lingered for a while. I kept smelling the back of my hands just to enjoy the scent a bit longer!


I really like the packaging of this hand wash as well. The liquid is a pretty pale orange & the mandarin oranges on the label make it look good enough to eat! It's a 12-ounce container so it will last a long time, unless the kids go crazy pumping too much into their hands when they wash while I'm not watching! The colors of this bottle match some of the colors in my kitchen so I keep it out on my sink where it is handy. If it was an ugly bottle, it would get stored in the cabinet underneath the sink. But I'm happy to look at this one every day!


Everyone in my family has used this hand wash & we all love it. Even my husband will use it because it doesn't smell too "girly" & it gets his hands clean even after working outside in the yard or in his tool shed.

So. Here is what I think about the Seventh Generation Natural Hand Wash:
It's a great product that is hypoallergenic & gentle on your skin. I love the scent & the way it makes my hands feel after I wash them. The packaging is attractive & looks really nice in my kitchen. I had never tried any of the Seventh Generation products before & I'm really glad that I got the opportunity to try this.

So. Bottom line. I have recommended this hand wash to all of my family & friends. And I recommend it to you too. This product really works. So look for it the next time you're shopping & give it a try. I'm sure you'll love it as much as I do!

Check out the full line of Seventh Generation products on their website http://www.seventhgeneration.com/.
Follow on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/SeventhGeneration & on Twitter https://twitter.com/SeventhGen. And be sure to take a look at their YouTube Channel https://www.youtube.com/user/SeventhGeneration & their Pinterest page http://www.pinterest.com/seventhgen/.
I received this product free for the purpose of my review. Opinions are 100% my own.

Saturday, November 1, 2014

Don't forget to Fall Back!

Daylight Savings Time ends tomorrow morning at 2:00am so don't forget to set your clocks BACK one hour before you go to bed tonight. Or, for you night owls who are still up at 2:00am, just do it then! Most of the clocks in our house reset themselves, which is really helpful, but my stove & microwave haven't learned to do that yet.


Besides changing our clocks this weekend, we'll also be changing the batteries in all of our smoke alarm/carbon monoxide detectors. Take a few minutes to changes yours too.

I'm not a fan of DST in March when we lose an hour of sleep, but I'm a BIG fan of gaining an extra hour of sleep tomorrow morning!



I hope you all have a wonderful weekend & enjoy your extra hour on Sunday!