a Rafflecopter giveaway
Disclosure: I’m a Purex Insider and a member of the Jockey Inner Circle. I received free products for review purposes. However, the opinions are my own.
Purex and Jockey Review and Giveaway
January 17, 2012 8 Comments
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Disclosure: I’m a Purex Insider and a member of the Jockey Inner Circle. I received free products for review purposes. However, the opinions are my own.
Sweets on a Stick Giveaway
January 15, 2012 7 Comments
Today I’m celebrating a thousand Facebook followers with a fun book review and giveaway! If you’re in to the food pop craze, you’ll love this! The book is Sweets on a Stick: More Than 150 Kid-Friendly Recipes for Cakes, Candies,Cookies, and Pies on the Go!
This new book by Linda Vandermeer features all kinds of sweets on sticks from cake pops to cookie pops, pie pops, candy pops, and even fruit pops! It has something to satisfy everyone’s sweet tooth such as:Mini Boston Cream Pies, Fudge Blasted Brownie Bites, Gooey Caramel Candy Apples, Deep Freeze Chocolate Bananas, and more!
And another great thing about the book is that they it gives you some great ideas for all sorts of holidays and occasions. I picked out a few things from the book that I thought would be great for this time of year.
I think the Sweet Stampin’ Love Pops (pictured above) are the obvious choice for Valentine’s Day, but I also think these Triple Chocolate Fudge Pie Pops would make a fine Valentine’s treat!
Connect: If you like what you see here, follow Linda Vandermeer’s blog Bubble and Sweet. Also, like Bubble and Sweet on on Facebook.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Purex Triple Action Review
January 12, 2012 Leave a Comment
I started buying a Purex products a couple of years ago. I was first attracted to the brand when I noticed how much money I could save by purchasing it instead of other leading brands. So last year when I learned about the Purex Insider program, I just had to become a member!
Purex is rolling out a new Triple Action formula across the entire liquid detergent line. This new and improved Triple Action formula delivers even better on Purex’s promise to leave your clothes bright, white, and clean, and as always, for half the price of the leading brand!
The detergent is for all types of washing machines including high efficiency. And it comes in different scents including Moutain Breeze, Lavender Fress, and After the Rain. And they also have a Free & Clear version if you prefer something without the usual dyes and scents.
I really like this new product. The Moutain Breeze variety has a nice scent, and I love the innovations that are allowing us to use less and less detergent and still have fresh, clean results!
If you love Purex, or if you’ve never tried it and would like to, please come back next week to check a giveaway I’ll be hosting featuring another Purex product and something from Jockey!
Disclosure: I’m a Purex Insider and received free products to review. I was in no other way compensated, and the opinions are my own.
Greased Lightning Review and Giveaway
January 3, 2012 Leave a Comment
Greased Lightning has a variety of products to help with all your everday cleaning tasks. Their products include Antibacterial Kitchen Cleaner, Orange Blast, Bleach Powered, and Multipurpose Cleaner.
I recently received a sample of the Multipurpose Cleaner & Degreaser. The original Greased Lightning formula is time-tested for superior cleaning and stain-fighting power. Greased Lightning conquers the toughest stains and can be used throughout the home.
Suggested uses include:
- Cut through grime on stove vents, ovens and microwaves.
- Remove red wine, pet stains and dirt from everyday traffic on carpets.
- Use as a laundry pretreat for tough stains including grease, grass and ink.
- Tackle soap scum and mildew stains in the shower.
- Revitalize patio furniture by removing dirt and outdoor debris.
With so many ways to use this product, there’s no reason why you shouldn’t have it on hand in your home. Because it has so many uses, this is also a perfect product for someone who’s looking to save money, save space, and simplify in their home this year.
And the product works very well. I remember when I lived at home with my dad, he always used Greased Lightning when he had a tough cleaning job to do. As for me, I found it to be a great product for cleaning our microwave and stove, and it has a very strong, clean smell.
Giveaway! One Simply Sweet Home reader will receive a bottle Greased Lightning.
To win, please use the Rafflecopter form below.
Maggie’s Direct Down Pillow Review
December 18, 2011 3 Comments
About MaggiesDirect.com offers broad range of high quality home goods (bedding, bath, sleepwear, etc) at very competitive prices. Many of our items are organic and eco friendly. A percentage of our down and synthetic pillows, comforters and feather beds are manufactured by us in Maine.
Website Product Description: Bestow your parents with this traditional feather pillow that is softer, yet has the same structured support you expect from an old fashioned pillow. Made with 95% Small Goose Feathers and 5% Goose Down and 100% cotton fabric, this feather pillow is double stitched, downproofed, Oeko-Tex® certified to be free of all harmful chemicals, and made in USA using fine imported materials. This complements well with quilted sateen pillow protectors, also available at Maggie’s.
Website Product Description: Bestow your parents with this traditional feather pillow that is softer, yet has the same structured support you expect from an old fashioned pillow. Made with 95% Small Goose Feathers and 5% Goose Down and 100% cotton fabric, this feather pillow is double stitched, downproofed, Oeko-Tex® certified to be free of all harmful chemicals, and made in USA using fine imported materials. This complements well with quilted sateen pillow protectors, also available at Maggie’s.
My Review: I normally like very skinny pillows, and they have to be soft. The down pillows from Maggie’s Direct are bigger than the pillows I normally use, but they squeeze down, so that it’s not that different from my skinny pillows. And more importantly, they are very soft and comfy. It’s a very good, high quality pillow, and if you like a soft, fluffy pillow to sleep on, I think you will like it!
Maggie’s Direct also offers Social Network Shopping. When you sign up for an account at Maggie’s Direct, you get a Social Buck, and you can earn more when you do other tasks liking ordering products, reviewing products, inviting your friend’s to shop, and more!
Morton Safe-T-Pet Review & Giveaway
December 13, 2011 10 Comments
Winter can be hazardous for people living in cold-weather regions – and for our four-legged friends. To help keep pets safe this winter, Morton Salt’s Safe-T-Pet® brand ice melt and the ASPCA® (The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals®) announced a public service campaign that kicks off on the first day of winter, Dec. 22, with “National Keep Pets Safe in Winter Day.”
The purpose of the campaign, which runs through January 2012, is to share important pet safety tips with as many pet owners as possible to help reduce winter weather-related pet injuries and fatalities. These tips can be found on Morton’s website and Facebook.
Here are just a few tips to keep in mind:
- Using pet-friendly (salt free and chloride free) ice melters such as Morton® Safe-T-Pet®.
- Keeping anti-freeze high on shelves in sealed containers and quickly cleaning any spills/leakage.
- Limiting outdoor time for pets when temperatures drop below freezing.
- Checking warm spots on cars, such as hoods, where animals might seek shelter from the cold.
- Keeping pets on a leash, especially dogs, which can become disoriented or lost when once familiar surroundings are covered in ice and snow; and
- Making sure pets are wearing identification tags and proper outerwear as needed.
Help ASPCA with One Click
The Simply Sweet Home Cats are proud supporters of the ASPCA..
As part of this campaign, Morton is making a $20,000 donation to the ASPCA to help continue its life-saving work and provide resources to pet owners on pet wellness.
And when you “like” Morton’s Facebook page from Oct. 1 through Jan. 31, 2012, Morton will donate $1 to the ASPCA, up to $55,000. This additional funding from Morton will be used by the ASPCA to raise awareness about the importance of proper winter pet care and safety.
Morton’s Safe-T-Pet Ice Melt – I was happy to receive a review pack of items, which included the Morton Ice Melt. Since we had two big rounds of snow last year and are expecting another cold winter in 2012, I’m sure this will come in handy.
Our kitty cats are happy little indoor cats, but we can still use the ice melts, and I know our Neighbor Dogs, Buddy and Barney, who often frequent our yard, will be happy to know we have the Safe-T-Pet Ice Melt.
Other deicers form a liquid brine, often containing chlorides that can irritate pet’s paws and if ingested, irritate the pet’s stomach. The Morton’s product contains a chloride-free organic compound called Urea, making it a non-toxic, non-irritating alternative to salt based ice melters. The product is also less corrosive to metals and concrete.
Giveaway! One Simply Sweet Home reader win a Morton Safe-T-Pet Prize Pack, which includes the following:
– One Jug Morton Safe-T-Pet Ice Melt
-Fleece Blanket
-Ice Scraper
-Retractable leash
-Dog Paw Shaped USB
-ID Tags
-Sharpie
-Shopping Bag
How to enter: Use the Rafflecopter form below below.
Disclosure: I received a review pack like the one that is being given away. However, I received no other compensation. The opinions posted are my own.
Marzetti Simply Dressed Salad Dressing Review
December 11, 2011 Leave a Comment
If you follow me long enough, you’ll learn that we go through a lot of Ranch dressing in our household. We mostly use it as a dip for chicken tenders and other appetizers. But we also love it on a salad, and I’ve also started making a lot of ranch flavored dishes and casseroles, so we go through the stuff pretty quickly!
I was really excited several weeks ago when I found out that I’d have a chance to review some Marzetti Simply Dressed Salad Dressing. They have a variety of great flavors including Caesar and Blue Cheese, but I, of cousre, went with the Ranch!
If you’ve never seen Marzetti Simply Dressed Salad Dressing in your local store, it may be because you’re looking in the wrong place. Unlike other salad dressings, the Marzetti products are found in the refrigerated sections. (I found mine right next to the salad mix.) It’s refrigerated, because unlike other products, Marzetti dressings do not contain preservatives and other additives that other dressings contain.
The dressing is made with natural ingredients including extra virgin olive oil and sea salt. It contains omega-3 ALA and no artificial flavors or colors.
Before I tell you my thoughts I have to say that as someone who loves ranch dressing, I’m quite picky about it. Often my decision about whether or not to order a salad at a restaurant is based upon whether I like the dressing. (I know from a healthy, nutrition-loving standpoint that sounds terrible, but it’s true.)
Here’s a couple of examples of my pickiness: I don’t usually like the low fat dressings, and ever since I started making my own dressings at home via a mix, I’ve stopped buying the bottled dressings altogether.
But I have to say that I thoroughly enjoyed the ranch from Marzetti!
Immediately upon opening this dressing, you will fall in love with it’s aroma. It smells just like something that was just freshly made! And it has a great taste to match this fresh tasting smell. It’s very creamy, and it packs a very strong, punch of flavor!
For our first try of this product, I made some Buffalo Joe’s. (Basically Buffalo Flavored Sloppy Joes.) We put a little dressing in the mix and also used it as a topping. And it was super delicious!
I’m also looking forward to using this over the holidays as a dip for crackers, veggies, and appetizers! As you shop for you Christmas and New Year’s Eve groceries, you should consider adding Marzetti Simply Dressed Salad Dressing to your list too!
Disclosure: I was one of the bloggers selected by T. Marzetti Company and Clever Girls Collective to host a Marzetti Simply Dressed review. They provided me with product to test myself and compensation for my time. However, my opinions are entirely my own.
The Black Shard – Book Review
December 7, 2011 Leave a Comment
If you’ve followed my blog for a while you may remember the book review I did last year for The Magic Warble, the fun fantasy novel by Victoria Simcox that follows in the tradition of books like The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis.
This holiday season Simcox is back with a new book The Black Shard, the sequel to The Magic Warble!
My husband and I just love fantasy books for young adults and children, so we were really excited last year when we had the chance to read The Magic Warble, and I was thrilled when Victoria contacted me about reviewing The Black Shard.
The Black Shard, Victoria Simcox’s fast-paced, intricately woven sequel to The Magic Warble, takes Kristina Kingsly and her schoolmates back to Bernovem … and into a thrilling, often dangerous adventure.
Kristina’s stay at summer horse camp is horrible to say the least, and it’s all because Hester and Davina are there as well, making her life miserable. When Hester’s cruel prank goes terribly wrong, it’s actually what sends the three girls back to the magical land of Bernovem. In Bernovem, Kristina is very excited to see her former friend, Prince Werrien. When he invites her to sail with him on his ship to his homeland Tezerel, putting it simply, Kristina can’t refuse.
Reunited with her gnome, dwarf, animal, fairy friends … and best of all, Werrien, things seem like they couldn’t get any better for Kristina. But when Werrien becomes fascinated with an unusual seeing stone, the “Black Shard”, Kristina is haunted by a ghostlike old hag. Struggling against suspicion, guilt, illness, and ultimately the one who wants to possess her soul, Kristina will see it’s in her weakest moment that she will encounter more strength than she has ever known.
If you and your children are fans of Harry Potter and Narnia, you’ll love Simcox’s books! You’ll fall in love with Kristina and the rest of this fun cast of characters, and you’ll wish that you could take a trip to Bernovem!
Buy it! Be sure to include The Black Shard on your Christmas gift giving list this year! And if you haven’t read the first book in the series, The Magic Warble, add it to your list as well!
Caribou Coffee Review and Giveaway
December 6, 2011 15 Comments
With the cold fall and winter weather comes cravings for rich, hot beverages like coffee and hot chocolate. This holiday season Caribou Coffee brings you the most delicious holiday coffees and drinks. Take a break out of your Christmas shopping for a nice hot cup of joe. Or go by and purchase a holiday sampler or gift pack for the coffee lover on your list!
Visit Caribou Coffee online to see all of their great samplers and holiday gift options, including candy, ornaments, coffee tumblers and more! Also, check out Caribou Coffee on Facebook for holiday coupons and offers!
Caribou Coffee is also Making it Merry this holiday season with the launch of its Sweater Maker Facebook App, which allows consumers to dress their Facebook photos in festive holiday sweaters and share them through various social networks. www.merrysweater.com
For every sweater that’s virtually knitted on Caribou Coffee’s Sweater Maker Facebook App, a real one will be donated to someone in need.
I received a fun Holiday gift pack from Caribou Coffee (pictured below). Not only are their items fun, festive, and well made, but they’ve got an incredible Reindeer Blend for the holidays!
Here’s the description from their website: Our holiday favorite returns! This year’s 100% Rainforest Alliance certified Reindeer Blend brings together coffees from Central America combined with heavy-bodied and syrupy-rich flavors from the Indonesian archipelago – including a rare, two-year-aged Sumatra that gives a hint of caramel and a dash of spice.
Giveaway! One Simply Sweet Home reader will win a Caribou Coffee Holiday Gift Pack, which includes:
- One bag of Reindeer Blend
- One 24 oz Snowflake Coffee Cup with lid and straw
- A Snowflake Knit Coffee Sleeve.
- 2011 Knit Mittens Christmas Ornament.
- A $43 value!
To enter, use the Rafflecopter form below! Giveaway will be open for one week.
Bauble Pops Recipe and Crazy for Cake Pops Review and Giveaway
November 22, 2011 19 Comments
Photo: Present Pops
If you’re in to the cake pop craze, you are going to love today’s review and giveaway! It’s for the brand new book Crazy for Cake Pops! And I’ve also got a super fun Christmas recipe for Bauble Pops!
Cake pops are the hottest trend in baking and it’s easy to see why. With creative shapes and delightful flavors, they’re as fun to make as they are to eat. Crazy for Cake Pops teaches you the secrets for creating these mouthwatering mini treats like a professional baker. Packed with over 75 color photos, Crazy for Cake Pops leaves nothing to chance as it guides you step by step through each part of the process including baking, crumbling, shaping, frosting, and decorating.
My Thoughts: This is an awesome book! There are so many fun ideas! It features cake pops for any and all occasions for the entire year: Christmas, Thanksgiving, Valentine’s Day, Easter, and Halloween!
There’s also a bunch of ideas for birthdays, baby showers, and other parties.
It’s also the perfect book regardless of your skill level. The book explains all the different equipment and ingredients you’ll need to create these fabulous creations. Then it includes recipes for the different cake and frosting flavors featured in the book, followed by step by step tutorials or each design.
And you’ll be so inspired by all the fun colored photos, you’ll want to get started right away creating your own cake pop creations!
Recipe for Bauble Pops:
Baubles are beautiful party decorations for any time of year. Make them sparkle with a little edible luster spray.
Makes 20 pops
Ingredients
20 medium cake balls, chilled
¼ (14-ounce) bag each green, blue, pink and yellow candy melts
40 grams (2½ tablespoons) white fondant, kneaded
1 can edible silver luster spray
Equipment
4 disposable piping bags
Directions:
Make tops of baubles in advance: Split the fondant into 20 pieces and roll into balls with your hands. Flatten the balls slightly and make a hole through the middle of each one using the end of a lollipop stick. Leave to harden for a few hours.
Once hardened, spray with the silver luster spray. Leave to set overnight.
Melt each color of candy separately. Working with 5 cake balls per color, dip the end of each lollipop stick ¾ inch deep into the candy and insert a stick into each cake ball. Leave to set.
Dip each cake ball fully into the candy, shake off any excess and, while the candy is still wet, slide a bauble top down over the stick. Make sure the bauble top sticks firmly to the candy on the ball. Place on a sheet of parchment paper with the stick facing up.
Working with 1 color of candy at a time, pour each color into a separate piping bag. Cut a small piece off the tip of each bag and pipe designs onto the cake pops.
Once the candy has set, spray the cake pops lightly with the silver luster spray.
Photo: Snowman Pops
Buy it! Check out Ulysses Press to find out how to order the book online.
Win it! One Simply Sweet Home reader will win a copy of Crazy for Cake Pops.
To enter, just use the Rafflecopter form below. Giveaway will be open through Dec 5.
