Our day trip at a local Farmers' Market.

A couple of weeks ago we decided to spend the day in one of our favorite towns in our area. We live in the Dallas - Fort Worth Metroplex so there are a lot of fun places close by. We love spending time in Grapevine, just about 15 minutes from where we live. The Historic Downtown area has a "small town" Main Street feel with lots of cool shops, restaurants & things to see & do.

We go to Grapevine several times each year for festivals, car shows, shopping & happy hour with friends, but this is our first trip to check out their Farmers' Market & Craft Market. These markets were closed for Winter & just re-opened in April so I wanted to go see what all they have to offer.

It turned out that the Craft Market was bigger than the Farmers' Market. I was disappointed with that because we're used to the big Farmers' Market in Dallas that has so many different vendors with lots of choices for fruits & veggies, both from farmers & from local produce dealers.

We did get to sample a lot of good food as we walked through the market. We sampled cookies, barbecue sauce, goat cheese, jerky, seasoned & flavored nuts, all kinds of salsas & dips, a few flavors of jams & jellies, and of course all of the different produce that was offered. All of the vendors were very friendly & helpful so we really had a great time. Of course I couldn't resist buying a few things!

I got Sunflower Lotion made with goats milk from Dream Girl's Dairy & Goat Farm (you can see their cute little goats in the photo at the top). My husband bought Green Olive Salsa, Hot Chow Chow & Jalapeno Olive Relish from the guys at Tommy Tamales. The only produce that I bought were 3 big beefsteak tomatoes that were the size of my hand! I used them to make Stuffed Tomatoes & they were sooooo goooood! I also got some Chocolate Almond Toffee from the Texas Sheet Cake Baking Company. We made it home with the toffee but it didn't last but one day! Hubby also got some Salt & Cracked Black Pepper Beef Jerky from the South Texas Beef Jerky company.

After we spent the morning shopping at the markets & browsing at a couple of the local shops, we stopped off at Esparza's Mexican Restaurant for brunch.  While we waited for a table outside, we hung out inside at the bar & sampled some of the beef jerky as well as some of the Green Olive Salsa with some chips that the bartender served. We each enjoyed a Lakefire Rye Pale Ale from the local Grapevine Craft Brewery. When we were seated outside on the patio we ordered Bacon & Egg Breakfast Tacos & Mexican potatoes along with another beer. The food was very good & the beer was cold. We sat & talked for quite a while after we finished eating because we were so comfortable & the patio was nicely shaded.

After brunch, we walked up & down a few more streets window-shopping & just enjoying the beautiful day. We always love spending time in Grapevine & I'm sure we'll go back before too long.

#DayTrip

Product Review: Danish Dough Whisk by Simple Kitchen Products #doughwhisk

I love to bake! I definitely have a sweet tooth & we almost always have some sort of bread, cookies, cake, brownies or muffins in the kitchen. I have a lot of kitchen gadgets that help me when I'm cooking or baking but I've never had anything like this Danish Dough Whisk.

I have several regular whisks & the main thing that I don't like about them is that when I'm adding chocolate chips, nuts or fruits to my dough, they get stuck inside the whisk. I have not had that problem since I got this cool Danish Dough Whisk. As you can see, it doesn't have a bunch of thin wires placed very close together like a regular whisk. This stainless steel whisk has a very unique design that mixes everything together easily but nothing gets trapped. This sturdy whisk has a 9.5" wooden handle & is much easier to hold than those thin wire whisk handles. And unlike those wimpy whisks, this one holds up to heavier doughs like breads & pizza crust. And it is so easy to clean. Just wash it in warm soapy water & let it dry in the dish drainer. Since I've had this whisk, I haven't used any others. In fact, my old ones went straight into my "donate" box & found a home somewhere else!

This is one of my favorite kitchen gadgets & I think you'll like it too! You can purchase your Danish Dough Whisk on Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Danish-Dough-Stainless-Wooden-Handle/dp/B00NS4B2DE/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1432924027&sr=8-5&keywords=danish+dough+whisk

#doughwhisk

I received this product for the purpose of testing and review. Regardless, I only recommend products that I personally use and believe will be good for my readers. The opinions expressed above are 100% my own and are based on my personal experience and use of the product.

Product Review: Flat Pack Toiletry Kit #Roadwarrior AND Luggage Scale #Valhalla

If you're planning a summer vacation, then you know that there are a lot of travel gadgets out there to make packing & planning a bit easier. I've got two of those travels products right here to tell you about today.

First is the Flat Pack Toiletry Kit that is perfect for packing those small liquids so that you can easily pull it out of your carry-on luggage for TSA inspection. This toiletry kit has a mesh front that is actually more storage space with a Velcro closure. Then just unclip the latch & the whole kit unfolds.

At the top there is a hanger to keep your kit conveniently hanging on the doorknob or towel hook in the hotel bathroom. There is a zipper compartment for storing smaller items & a detachable mirror. The middle section has 4 pockets of various sizes with elasticized tops to keep hold your items securely in place plus 4 elastic bands that could store longer items. Then the bottom section is a mesh zipper pocket that comes with several TSA travel bottles. Once the kit is rolled up, it takes up very little space in your luggage. I wish I had traveled with this kit when we flew overseas last year instead of the baggies that we used for our liquids.

Next is the Luggage Scale which will really help you save money by not paying any overweight baggage fees or risk having your carry-on luggage checked because it is too heavy to store in the cabin. This scale is really easy to use & easy to read. It works on 3 AAA batteries which are included. I love when a company includes the batteries necessary to operate their product so I don't have to go searching to see whether I have them at home or need to go buy some.

It is easy to drop the batteries into the battery compartment & the scale is ready to use. You can choose between pounds/ounces or kilograms/grams. There is also a tare function. The large digital display has a pretty blue backlight that makes it easy to read. The strap & clip that hold the luggage are very sturdy. This unit is lightweight & will weigh bags up to 50 kilograms (110 pounds). But the best part is that there is also an LED flashlight! This is very handy for finding things in your luggage when the cabin of the airplane is dark.

Both of these travel products will make your trip easier & save you some money. You can purchase both of them on Amazon.

Flat Pack Toiletry Kit: http://www.amazon.com/Valhalla-Hanging-Toiletry-Bag-Compressible/dp/B00QX4TCLU/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top?ie=UTF8

Luggage Scale: http://www.amazon.com/Luggage-Scale-Valhalla-Compact-Waterproof/dp/B00NEHTH8C/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1432918951&sr=8-1&keywords=Valhalla+Luggage+Scale

#Roadwarrior #Valhalla

I received these products for the purpose of testing and review. Regardless, I only recommend products that I personally use and believe will be good for my readers. The opinions expressed above are 100% my own and are based on my personal experience and use of the product.

Unboxing....Birchbox May 2015 #birchbox

My May Birchbox arrived a couple of weeks ago so I'm really late getting this unboxed. I'm not really excited about the design of the box this month but I like the color & I save all of the boxes to repurpose for storage. So let's take a look at what I got this month!

This "Elevate Everyday" box is curated by Emily Schuman of Cupcakes & Cashmere. On top of every box is the information card with details of the products in the box.

I like that Birchbox puts a couple of the products each month inside of the smaller box like the orange one above. It makes it more of a surprise when I open it!

So. Here are the products that I received this month:

Beauty Protector Beauty Cream Body Lotion (full-size $15.95)

Coastal Scents Revealed Eye Shadow Palette Sampler in Desert Bloom (full-size $20)

Living Proof Restore Instant Repair (full-size $29) plus samples of Shampoo & Conditioner

Marcelle Hydra-C 24H Energizing Hydrating Gel (full-size $24)

Raw Spirit Fragrances Desert Blush (full-size $40 - $90)

I'm excited to try all of these products. The only one of these brands that I've tried before is Living Proof but I tried a dry shampoo, so these products are new to me. The eye shadow is what I like the most but the perfume sample smells really really good so I'll use it soon.

If you haven't subscribed to Birchbox yet but want to get in on this fun subscription box, click here.

Until next month....

Product Review: 48 Premium Chalkboard Labels by KANAS #kanvaslabels

I have pictures in my mind of a totally organized kitchen with a place for everything & everything in it's place. But that's just in my mind. In my real-life kitchen, I don't have enough room but I'm trying to make the best of what I've got & keeping things organized is a great way to utilize the space that I do have. Lately I've been working on organizing my coffee, tea bags, herbs, spices & baking supplies. That's where the 48 Premium Chalkboard Labels by KANAS can help.

I've seen these chalkboard labels all over Pinterest & on websites/blogs about organization. I knew that I wanted some & I had shopped for them but just never jumped in & bought them. So when I received these labels to review, the first thing I had to do was get some liquid chalk markers that I can use on them. I found a set & took them home to figure out how to use them & exactly which part of my kitchen I wanted to start organizing.

I love these chalkboard labels! Using the liquid chalk markers, it is so easy to write on them & just as easy to wipe it off with a wet rag in case it doesn't look like I want it to or if I need to change the label when I change the contents of my jars. The labels peel off of the backing very easily & the adhesive sticks to the jars without any air bubbles. These labels come with three sheets of labels & each sheet has 4 shapes: oval, rectangle & 2 vintage shapes. The sheets are all the same so you get 12 of each label shape. I decided to start with the jars that I keep on my countertops because they are most visible. I need to buy more jars so I can store a few more things that we use a lot because right now all of my jars don't match so I'll label more when I buy more jars.

I love the way these labels look. My countertops are going to look tidy & organized with matching jars & matching labels so I can't wait until I get it all finished so I can start with my spices & baking supplies.

If you love the look of these labels as much as I do, you can purchase them on Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/48-Premium-Chalkboard-Labels-KANAS/dp/B00OYC82LE/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1432757255&sr=8-2&keywords=48+premium+chalkboard+labels

#kanvaslabels

I received this product for the purpose of testing and review. Regardless, I only recommend products that I personally use and believe will be good for my readers. The opinions expressed above are 100% my own and are based on my personal experience and use of the product.

Crowdtap Sampling: Cottonelle Mega Roll #Cottonelle #Crowdtap

I love Crowdtap Sample opportunities! Today I'm going to tell you about the Cottonelle Mega Roll toilet paper that I received to sample & share.

We are longtime Cottonelle users here at our house. I've tried other brands but have never found anything that is as soft & comfortable to use as Cottonelle. Sometimes when there is a great sale & I've got a coupon to make the deal even better I will try another brand, but we always come back to Cottonelle. I haven't bought anything other than Cottonelle in at least the past two years!

These Mega Rolls are new to me & I don't think I've seen them in my stores yet. I buy the Double Rolls because 12 of them are equal to 24 of the regular rolls, but 12 of the Mega Rolls are equal to 48 regular rolls! That's a lot of toilet paper in one package! So I will not only save money by purchasing the mega rolls but I'll also save time because I won't be shopping for toilet paper so often. And any time saved running errands & doing household chores means more time to spend doing the things that I love with the people that I love!

#Cottonelle #Crowdtap #FreeSample #SizeMatters #MegaRoll #LoveCrowdtap #UnboxMe

I received this product from Cottonelle and Crowdtap for the purpose of testing and review. Regardless, I only recommend products that I personally use and believe will be good for my readers. The opinions expressed above are 100% my own and are based on my personal experience and use of the product.

Unboxing....Ipsy Glam Bag May 2015 #mayglambag #ipsy

My May Glam Bag arrived a couple of weeks ago. I got busy & set the bag aside after it arrived so I finally took time last weekend to open it & check out what I got.

This month the theme is Hey Jetsetter. "Buckle up, buttercup. We'll bring the beauty essentials and you bring the flair. Celeb status or not, we're flying first class to fabulous, and the sky's the limit. Jetlag is for amateurs."

So. This is what came in my Ipsy Glam Bag this month:

Briogeo Rosarco Milk Reparative Leave-In Conditioning Spray & 

IT Cosmetics Your Skin But Better CC+ Cream with SPF 50+.

Pixi by Petra Beauty Bronzer & Luxie Beauty Tapered Blending Eye Brush.

Urban Decay  Ozone 24/7 Glide-On Lip Pencil with 2 samples of 

Revolution High-Color Lipgloss in Failbait & Bittersweet.

I'm excited to try all of these products & the eye brush. I've tried Pixi by Petra before but it was eye shadow & I've tried Urban Decay but it was mascara so these are new to me. And I love the cute little makeup bag with the satiny pink insides.

Ipsy is a monthly subscription box which comes with full-size or deluxe-sized products plus a makeup bag. The cost is $10 each month with free shipping to the US & Canada. It is delivered via USPS. I think it's well worth the money that I spend & a great way to try new products & add to your makeup collection. Ipsy sends out multiple variations of each Glam Bag so my review is the products that I received. Yours could be different & I love seeing what everyone else gets in their bag.

So. That's my Glam Bag. What did you get in yours?

Product Review: Organic Apricot Oil #RenewalizeApricotOil

I've tried a few different carrier oils, but this is my first experience with Organic Apricot Oil.

This product is 100% Pure Organic Apricot Oil from Renewalize. According to the label, Apricot Kernel Oil is cold-pressed from the dried seeds of the fruit of the apricot tree, is rich in the essential fatty acid GLA & is high in Vitamins A & E. This oil comes in a large 4-ounce dark brown bottle to protect the oil from UV rays & it has a glass dropper to help dispense just the right amount. It is a pale yellow color with a very subtle nutty scent.

This oil can be used in a variety of ways. I especially like to use it to moisturize my skin. It is a lightweight non-greasy oil & absorbs into my skin quickly without any oily feeling. I use it after a shower & after I shave to hold in moisture & hydrate my skin. I also massage it around my cuticles & on my hands to keep them soft. This oil can be used instead of your normal hot oil treatment for your hair. Just massage some onto your scalp & onto the ends of your hair & leave it for a few minutes. Then just shampoo & condition as you normally would. It leaves my color-treated hair feeling soft with no tangles. And since this oil has almost no scent, it is perfect for adding your favorite essential oil fragrance to use it as a massage oil.

This oil is USDA Certified Organic by Quality Assurance International, a leading accredited certifying agency that ensures that this product meets the strict USDA guidelines for organic products.

This Organic Apricot Oil can be purchased on Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00PM5LPJS/ref=sr_ph?ie=UTF8&qid=1432309508&sr=1&keywords=Organic+Apricot+Oil

#RenewalizeApricotOil

I received this product for the purpose of testing and review. Regardless, I only recommend products that I personally use and believe will be good for my readers. The opinions expressed above are 100% my own and are based on my personal experience and use of the product.

Product Review: Lint Fabric Shaver #Homeit

I've used lint rollers or tape wrapped around my fingers to take lint & fluff off of clothing & other fabrics but I've never tried a fabric shaver for before. So I'm trying this Lint Fabric Shaver to see how well it works.

This fabric shaver comes with an AC power cord & a cleaning brush. I like that you can choose to operate it with electricity or with 4 "C" batteries (not included). I haven't tried running it on batteries because I keep forgetting to buy some when I go shopping. So I've only used it with electricity so far. The cord is just over 5.5' long so it's convenient to use.

I've used this fabric shaver about a dozen times since I've had it. It's not noisy & so far it's doing a good job. Sometimes I can't really see a difference on the fabric but then I look at the storage bin on the shaver & I can see the "pills" that it removed so I know that it was working. It's easy to switch on & off plus there is a safety mechanism that keeps the shaver from being turned on when the protective cover over the cutting blade is removed. It's easy to slide the cover off of the storage bin to empty it & then slide it back into place until it clicks.

This is not a product that I use every day but I'm glad that I've got it to keep our clothes looking nice. You can purchase this Lint Fabric Shaver on Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Home-Clothes-Electric-Cordless-Remover/dp/B00FKANXTU/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top?ie=UTF8

#Homeit

I received this product for the purpose of testing and review. Regardless, I only recommend products that I personally use and believe will be good for my readers. The opinions expressed above are 100% my own and are based on my personal experience and use of the product.

Product Review: Epica Silicone Coated Ironing Board Cover #ironingboard12

Ironing is one of my chores that I dread & try to avoid altogether whenever possible. I will toss a wrinkled shirt into the dryer with a damp cloth in an effort to avoid ironing it. But there are times that I have to iron so I want it to be as quick & easy as possible. This Epica Silicone Coated Ironing Board Cover helps make this chore less of a chore.

Since I never intended to do a lot of ironing, I have a cheap metal ironing board with a thin cheap cover. As you can see in the photos below, it's almost like ironing right on top of the metal because the cover doesn't have much padding so that probably makes the job harder than it has to be. But take a look at my new ironing board cover. The padding & cover are all one piece so nothing bunches up or slips around while I'm ironing. The elasticized edges fit perfectly over my ironing board & then the  2 velcro straps hold it even tighter.

It's so much easier to iron on this cover because it is silicone coated. The fabrics that I want to iron move around easily on this cover to reposition them as I'm ironing. And because it reflects the heat back up from the iron, I don't have to spend as much time ironing so I'm really happy about that! This cover is made to handle high heat & heavy use. I won't give it much of a workout & I still won't like ironing but so far I am happy that it has turned a dreaded chore into an easier chore.

You can purchase this Epica Silicone Coated Ironing Board Cover on Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/b00wkwyhpu

#ironingboard12

I received this product for the purpose of testing and review. Regardless, I only recommend products that I personally use and believe will be good for my readers. The opinions expressed above are 100% my own and are based on my personal experience and use of the product.

Product Review: Reusable Tote Bag #GroceryToteBag

I love tote bags! Some women love clothes, a lot of women love shoes, but I have a weakness for tote bags. I've got all kinds of bags in different sizes made of different materials in a variety of colors & patterns. Whatever I'm doing, I've got a bag that fits the bill. And now I have this Reusable Tote Bag to add to my collection.

The bag that I received is red but it is also available in blue and in black. This roomy tote is 14"  x 16" x 4". The top zips closed & it has a front pocket with a velcro closure. The stitching is straight & even with no gaps or spaces. The straps are attached with reinforced stitching & are sturdy. The bottom sits flat so it is easy to pack the bag with whatever you will be carrying.

This handy tote bag is perfect for a quick grocery shopping trip. I can take my grocery ad, coupons & list in the front pocket & then the bag doubles as my shopping cart plus my carry-home bag. And it is much sturdier than those reusable bags that the grocery store sells. This bag is great when we're going to be out all day at a festival or a farmers market. I can carry my essentials & have a way to carry any purchases that we make during the day. It is good for a trip to the park, a driving trip or a picnic. There are so many times that this tote bag will come in handy & I've used it a lot since I've had it.

Reusable bags are a great way to be more environmentally responsible. You can purchase this Reusable Tote Bag on Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Shopping-Tote-Front-Pocket-Sacko/dp/B00W5UVNR2/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top?ie=UTF8

#GroceryToteBag

I received this product for the purpose of testing and review. Regardless, I only recommend products that I personally use and believe will be good for my readers. The opinions expressed above are 100% my own and are based on my experience and use of the product.