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Flirty Aprons

February 15, 2010 By Shannon

Gone are the days when you wore an apron just to cover up while cooking and cleaning.  Now you can wear “Flirty” Aprons while working around the house….as well as before and afterwards!  Flirty Aprons are cute and you’ll look good and feel good when you’re wearing them.  I personally love the Flirty Aprons and the “flirty” styles they offer! Here are a few great things about Flirty Aprons:

- Prices starting at just $24.95
- Same day shipping
- Universal, one size fits all
- Soft, double-layered fabric

I could have easily picked 3 or 4 different styled aprons to own in my home, but was really excited with the pattern I received!  Another great things about Flirty Aprons is that you can you find something for women, men, and even kids!

We at Family Review Network had the opportunity to try out Flirty Aprons in our homes.  The overall feeling was a positive one.  Here are what some of the reviewers had to say about Flirty Aprons.

All Because Two People Fell in Love – Whether you are cooking, cleaning, gardening or doing crafts, an apron from Flirty Aprons is ideal for you! Flirty Aprons give woman the opportunity to look and feel beautiful while going about their normal day.

Badger Momma - What I really liked about the apron is that both the neck and waist ties are wide and adjustable. The width on the ties definitely make it more comfortable resting on your neck. The long, adjustable tie at the waist allows you to tie it in the front, back, side, wrap it around you twice if you’re slender, etc.  Flirty Aprons are very suitable for all shapes and sizes.

Brain Foggles – This are so pretty that I left it on after cooking a meal. It fits perfectly and made me feel sexy! I’m not one for cooking, but with my new Flirty Apron I may end up cooking and even baking more.

The Mom Buzz – Nowadays when I think apron, I think flirty, sexy and chic. The aprons from Flirty Aprons follow that concept 100%!

The Mommy-Files – I love the way it fits and the fact that I want to wear it whenever I’m cooking in the kitchen or cleaning!  I love the aprons at Flirty Aprons because you can wear them cooking, cleaning, gardening, or anytime you want and still look and feel good wearing them

Mommy Goggles – I am in love with this apron! It is so cute, pretty, fun & to be honest, makes me WANT to wear an apron when I cook.

Mommy Mandy – Seriously, who wouldn’t want to dance around in this super cute apron! I just love it. Everything about it, from the design, to the adorable bows. This apron makes me feel like a girlie girl, and I can’t wait to put it on and bake with the girls.

My Organized Chaos – My Flirty Apron has come in handy when baking, especially when I have a daughter that likes to stir the bowl. I appreciate the front pockets, they come in handy for my cell phone and recipe cards {they always get so messy otherwise!}. As for the design, I like the trendy mix of black and white patterns, they are contrasting yet complimentary. And, the added frill detailing is a nice feminine touch too. The generous length in ties allows women of all sizes to wear it.

Rockin Mama – I could own several of these and have fun wearing them…especially when we have company over. I really like how the company took something as monotonous as cooking and turned it into something exciting. You can look beautiful while doing dishes (just ask my husband)

Sheltered Not Shattered – When I received the apron I was very pleased. It is sturdily made and is also soft and femine. The tie is long enough to wrap around and tie in the front so it will fit nearly everyone.

Tara’s View of the World – I just love it! It is super cute. The Flirty Aprons are one-size fits all and they really are! My mom is teensy tiny and I am plus-sized and the apron fits both of us nicely.

Filed Under: household, reviews, women Tagged With: Flirty Apron, Kitchen Aprons, Mom Style

SodaStream

January 19, 2010 By Caryn

For those of you who enjoy drinking soda, but don’t particularly care for the carbon footprint left by plastic bottles and cans, comes a “smarter way to enjoy soda” with Sodastream.  In seconds, you can turn water into cream soda, ginger ale, flavored, sparkling water, and diet sodas.

Soda-Stream

The system works by using CO2 to carbonate water, just like a soda fountain.  What’s great about all of their soda makers is that you don’t have to plug them in and they don’t require batteries.  The company offers several “kits,” which include the soda maker, carbonator, and sodamixes.  The difference in the machines is primarily one of appearance rather than function.  The soda maker is easy to use and simply involves installing the carbonator, filling the reusable bottle with water, carbonating the water, and adding flavor.  The company offers over 30 syrups to flavor your water including regular, diet, and caffeine-free.  With this machine you can make sodas, energy drinks, sparkling iced teas, and flavor essences.  If you’re concerned about the high fructose corn syrup in sodas or the aspartame in diet sodas, you’ll be happy to know that the company’s syrups are free from both substances.

A few of our members had an opportunity to check out SodaStream.  Here is what they thought:

The Mommy-Files:  Not only do you save money on great tasting soda, but you use less bottles, thus saving the world one bottle at a time!  The Fountain Jet takes up very little space and makes awesome-tasting soda!

Rockin’ Mama:

Here are some of my favorite aspects of Sodastream:

The compactness of the machine fits perfectly with our reduced countertop space

I don’t have to plug it in or find/replace batteries

I can sweeten my soda water to my desired taste preference

It takes minutes to complete

I can use the tap or filtered water we have right here in our home

It’s fun (giggle…I sound like a little girl).

No compensation was received for this post or the reviews.  A product was supplied by the company for this review.

Filed Under: going green, household, reviews

Bed Bouquet

October 30, 2009 By Andrea

It’s not at all uncommon for folks nowadays to have many various home fragrance products in use in their house at one time. There are candles, of course, and room sprays, potpourri, sachets…name an area of your home and chances are someone has invented a product to make it smell good! And that includes your bed. While there are already sprays and other fresheners on the market that are made to scent linens, there’s a new product that is unlike anything ever seen before. It’s called Bed Bouquet, and it keeps your bed smelling fresh without having an overpowering scent, and also without any oils or chemicals touching your skin or your bed sheets! Sound great? There’s more! Bed Bouquet is really easy to use: just peel off the tabs on the front and back and stick it directly under your fitted sheet. You can place it near your head if you like a stronger fragrance, or near the middle or foot of the bed for a more subtle experience. This product is made specifically so that it won’t be felt by users when they lay on it in bed at night. I know I never felt mine!

Bed Bouquet comes in four scents: Citrus, Lavender &Vanilla, Linen Fresh, and Jasmine and White Rose. Each Bed Bouquet lasts for up to 30 days.

Several of our bloggers recently had the chance to test out Bed Bouquet for themselves. Here’s what they thought of the product:

Forgetfulone: I love anything with fragrance that will keep my sheets or room smelling fresh. I even put one on my son’s bed, and he hasn’t even noticed it’s there, but you can tell there is a subtle fragrance to his sheets.

Maria’s Space: I placed it near my shoulders and over the past two nights I can smell it. It is still subtle but the smell is there. I had actually forgotten that it was there last night. When I went to bed (it was late), I remembered when I got a whiff as I rolled over.

3 Garnets & 2 Sapphires: I think Bed Bouquet is a product for anyone from tweens to college students to adults. It is a good alternative to using fabric softener sheets on your bed and messy linen sprays. A Bed Bouquet packet would definitely make a unique stocking stuffer for the holidays.

A Simple Kinda Life: I love waking up to the Linen Fresh scent – it’s not too strong and it’s a great scent. I’m sure I’ll love the Citrus scent just as much, after the Linen Fresh scent wears out in 3 more weeks! (Each product lasts for about 30 days.)

Lisa Reviews: You put the Bed Bouquet unit above the top mattress and beneath the fitted sheets. It’s not anything you actually will notice once you are in bed (besides the wonderful smell).  We also tend to end up with a 5 year old and a 2 year old in our bed, and they haven’t been bothered by it either.

Nerdfamily Things: It is really rather simple to use. It is a thin little packet that has little vent holes on one side and an adhesive strip on the other. You just place it in between the mattress pad and the sheet. Then stick it to the mattress pad. The amount of smell you desire will effect the placement: more smell put it under your pillow, less down by the foot of your bed. We used the linen scent and it was very nice!

A Couch With A View: Though it wasn’t time for bed, I curled up in my spot to check it out and see if it smelled through the sheet… sure enough, it was the perfect strength and it smelled lovely! And lasting about 30 days, I won’t have to worry about it again for a few more weeks!

Robyn’s Online World: I did not read the instructions at first (that is honestly unusual for me) and I put it under his mattress pad and such. After moving it to just below his fitted sheet we finally noticed a very gently scent. Not overpowering at all.

A Nut in a Nutshell: I liked the idea when I set out to review this, but I was very leery about it because I’m sensitive to scents. If they’re too strong, I’ll get an instant headache. I tried the linen fresh scent first and put it at the foot of the bed. Surprisingly, I felt as if I wanted more scent. So I moved it up to the head of the bed between the two pillows.

Tara’s View of the World: The Bed Bouquet is quite easy to use- simply peel off the tab on the front exposing the fragrance vents and then peel off the back and stick it on your mattress, underneath your fitted sheet. Where you place the Bed Bouquet dictates how strong the scent will be- the closer to your head you place it the stronger the scent will be.

She Scribes: I just think that due to the fact that I always have something scented in my home that maybe I’m just accustomed to more stronger scents. Bed Bouquet is very light. Some people enjoy a hint of a scent where as I think I need a more bolder scent.

All Because Two People Fell in LOVE: The Bed Bouquet was super easy to apply! They really do smell great, and do a great job of keeping our sheets smelling fresh and clean. Our Bed Bouquet has been on for over a week now and our sheets still smell great! Since the Bed Bouquet makes no contact with the skin I knew it would be safe to use on my kid’s beds as well!

The Clan McLeod:  The scent is gentle and refreshing, yet not overpowering. Like a lot of scent? Place it about where your shoulders lay. Want a little less? Place about midway in the bed. I like mine a bit past midway but not quite to the shoulders. And, it really does last about 30 days. And, it really does stick and stay there! And, no, you can’t tell it’s there unless you are looking for it!

Something Snappy: I found that this worked best at the top of the mattress between the pillows. This allowed both DH and I to enjoy the Fresh Linen fragrance. I put the citrus one on Sierra’s bed and she too enjoyed the wonderful, but not overpowering aroma.

Angela’s Analysis:  I LOVED the fresh linen the best, it is wonderful!  Every night when I get in bed I have this fresh scent.  Life is so full of stress, bed bouquet is such a simple way to just pamper yourself a little.  There is no skin contact either so it elimantes skin irritations.

The Post-It Place: I started out with my Bed Bouquet near the head of the mattress. Well, that was a little too strong for me so I placed it in the middle of the mattress which turned out to be perfect. I think as the days go by and the fragrance pack isn’t as strong I will be able to move it up…but for at least the first week mine will always go in the middle.

Filed Under: Family, household, reviews Tagged With: bedroom, Family, home, home fragrance, household

Hint Cards & The California Cut Flower Commission

July 25, 2009 By Kailani

Do you love to receive flowers but rarely do? Do you wish there was a way you could hint to your loved ones that a bouquet of beautiful blossoms would be greatly appreciated? Well, now there’s Hint Cards being developed by the California Cut Flower Commission (CCFC).

PRODUCT DESCRIPTION

As the saying goes, “April showers bring May flowers.” However, in a recent survey conducted by the CCFC we found that 42% of women don’t receive flowers as often as they would like. That’s why the CCFC has come up with a “Hint Card” to help deserving moms, such as yourself, drop a hint to that certain someone that they would like to receive a beautiful bouquet of the world’s freshest flowers, California Grown flowers!

These Hint Cards incorporate a little romance or a little humor and are the perfect size to be left under pillows, inside lunch bags, stuck on mirrors, tucked in billfolds, placed on plates or just delivered from hand to hand.

OUR REVIEWS

FRN had the opportunity to not only review a set of Hint Cards but we also each received a beautiful bouquet of flowers from The California Cut Flowers Commission. Here’s what our members thought:

1StopMom Giveaways & Reviews: They come in a variety of different colors: blue, green, orange and even purple! When you think about it these cards are a nice and subtle way to get some flowers from your loved ones. This would probaly work better than being extremely blunt like I am with my husband. I have never been good at giving hints and he is just as good as catching them.

3 Garnets & 2 Sapphires: I asked my husband what he thought about these flower hint cards. He actually thought they were cute. I think my husband would respond to finding a card in his lunch bag or tucked into the visor in his car. I think I would have to put it in a place where he would find it away from the house. If I left one on his pillow to find when he went to bed, he would almost certainly forget about it by morning.

A Couch With A View: How do you make a girl happy? Whether it be your wife, your best friend, your mother, your daughter…. Flowers. Every girl loves flowers. I don’t think I ever met one that didn’t!! But honestly… who wants to ASK for flowers? No One. Thank goodness for Hint Cards!! I “accidently” put one in his lunch box the other night when I was putting his lunch together…

A Little Bit Nutty: These Hint Cards incorporate a little romance or a little humor and are the perfect size to be left under pillows, inside lunch bags, stuck on mirrors, tucked in billfolds, placed on plates or just delivered from hand to hand.

All Because Two People Fell in LOVE: I received the beautiful flowers from California Flowers and my very set of hint cards in the mail! They were extremely well packaged and arrived fresh and very alive!!! Can’t wait to see if my hint cards paid off with my husband!!

An Island Review: We received a set of these cute and colorful cards and found them to be the perfect way to “hint” to someone that I would love to receive flowers. They send the perfect message in a humorous and fun way!

A Wrestling Addicted Mommy: The hint cards are really sort of cute and allow you to give your significant other the hint that you’d love some flowers without outright telling them ‘hey you never get me flowers’. I thought the idea was genius, my husband however not so much.

Blessings Abound: The Hint Cards include several different ways to get the point across that you would love to get your hands on a bouquet of flowers.  From lighthearted, witty remarks to romantic sayings, there’s a perfect way to clue in a certain someone that you want to receive flowers no matter what mood you may be in or reason you’d love to have them.  What’s neat about the cards are they are designed in vibrant colors so they will stand out and get the person’s attention you are seeking, but yet are small enough to be tucked just about anywhere like a lunch bag, bill fold, or jacket pocket so it can be discreetly hidden until you want the person you wish to get flowers from to find it!

Brimful Curiosities: Last week I received a whole bouquet of vibrant flowers from the CCFC. I must say it has been quite refreshing to have a bouquet of flowers in the home. Just makes me happy. Makes me want more. I plan on placing the little hint cards in strategic locations, like attached to my husband’s cell phone or inside his laptop. That should do it.

Chocolate Fingerprints: And I know from experience that flowers from the California Cut Flowers Commission are fantastic! What vibrant colors, and they arrived in great shape; not droopy at all! My only wish is that they had reinforced the stems of the gerber daisies. Not a big deal, but they just don’t stand up as straight as they could. Still, this is one bouquet I’d never turn down! After a week, they’re still sitting on my table looking gorgeous!

From Melissa’s Desk: Having a beautiful bouquet of cut flowers in the house has been wonderful! Trust me! You are going to want to slip these hint cards everywhere!

Happy Healthy Families: The Hint Cards are so cool. There are 25 in a set. They have cute little “hints” printed on them such as “Psst…My Favorite Flower is in Season.” On the back of each hint card is a message from California Cut Flowers “suggesting” that a loved one would love some of America’s Freshest Cut Flowers. Fun stuff. I am giving my neighbor a few of these cards, and she and I wil be using our cards and keeping tabs to see how well they work with our hubbys.

Mamalicious Finds: The cards are super colorful…all the better for catching his eye! We also received a bouquet from the CCFC, it contained fabulous orange Gerber Daisies, one of my favorites! The bouquet lasted well over a week.

Maria’s Space: Who doesn’t love to receive flowers? Who couldn’t use more flowers? I had to add water to mine two times because these were the first cut flowers I have ever had to actually drink their water. Who knew cut flowers drink water? I didn’t!!

Mom of 2 Dancers Reviews: Every time I walk by my kitchen table I get a big smile on my face. I forgot, how much fresh flowers brighten up your day. The best thing about these flowers though, there was no reason behind it. There was no dance recital, it wasn’t my birthday or Mother’s day. They were just because. I think we forget that flowers can be just because. Just to put a smile on your face, brighten up somebody’s day.

Mommy Musings: Hint Cards can help your husband or signifigant other out by dropping them a little “hint” that you’d like to see some flowers in your future. They are small enough that they can be tucked anwhere, from the top of a pillow to the inside his laptop. Plus, I think they can add a little romance to your life…especially if he takes the hint!

Mom Start: I came home last week from a day out with my kids and there was a box on my porch. I immediately knew they were flowers and I knew they were not from my husband. Hmmm. I wasn’t sure what to do. I thought, they must have something to do with my blog. So I grabbed a vase and cut the stems and put them in some water. They were very vibrant with color, but I just couldn’t remember anything to do with them.  They are very nice flowers. They also came with Hint Cards. As I was looking over the hint cards I thought to myself maybe this was what I was expecting. I still wasn’t sure. So I had to check my e-mail and yes, the Hint cards were sent to me from the Family Review Network and California Cut Flower Commission.

My Trendy Tykes: So you really REALLY want fresh flowers…. You go around sniffing flowers and oohing and ahhing certain arrangements. HUBBY STILL DOES NOT GET THE HINT, DOES HE? You are not alone sister…. NOT ALONE!
What’s a girl to do though? I will tell you what to do. You give him a little hint with Hint Cards.

Nerd Family Things: According to statistics from the California Cut Flower Comission 42% of women don’t recieve flowers as often as they would like. So the CCFC has come up with a solution. They have these adorable hint cards. They are little cards that you can slip into someone’s lunch bag, briefcase or pocket. They say things like “Don’t let all of my hard work go to waste! -Mr. Bumble Bee”. There is also one for when your favorite flower is in season.

Pink Like the Color: I thought that these were great.  Instead of bugging a loved one to buy you flowers, you can leave these cards lying around and subtly hint that you would like flowers.  The sayings have just a little bit of romance and humor and would be great to leave lying around or slip in someone’s lunch box.

Riding With No Hands: Remember those flowers I received on my birthday? When I opened the door and saw the box, my first thought was that they were from my husband. But that notion lasted for about half a second. I know better. The flowers were courtesy of the California Cut Flower Commission (CCFC). The fact that they were delivered on my birthday was purely a coincidence! They sure are beautiful… just as bright a week later as they were when I put them in the vase. I’m not going to give up on my husband, though. I know he’ll buy me flowers again one day. Maybe he just needs a hint here or there…

Robyn’s Online World: These are fantastic little business sized cards with hints to leave/give someone that you would enjoy some flowers! My favorite card says “I Dare You To Buy Me Flowers”. Now who doesn’t love a dare like that? I plan on tucking these cards around for Hubby to find over the next several weeks. Maybe in his sock drawer, one in his lunch bag, I might tape one to his steering wheel – you get the idea. If I get flowers I will be sure to report back.

Sage and Savvy: My flowers were vibrant and beautiful when they arrived, and they sure brightened up our home. Flowers are always nice to have around the house. They create an inviting atmosphere, and can lift your spirits. Now, if I wanted DH to get me flowers more often, I could use the California Cut Flower Commission’s Hint Cards, which are fun reminders you leave for your loved ones in hopes they’ll catch the hint and get you some flowers. My favorite Hint Card is the “Not because you have to. Not because you’re sorry. Just because.”

SassyFrazz: I think this is a great idea, because guys don’t always think of flowers. They have so much on their minds with work, kids, family, obligations….etc., that I think they need a bit of a hint to help them out. I think the gift of flowers just shows such appreciation, and as a mom, it is great to get flowers….especially California Grown flowers!

She Scribes: I don’t think people send flowers as often as they could. You don’t have to just send flowers on Anniversaries or Birthdays. You can send flowers “just because” (those are the best kind!). Or how about to tell someone “I’m Sorry”, “Get Well”, “Thinking of you” and so many other non-traditional flower sending occasions. Hint cards are PERFECT! They add a bit of fun and whimsy way to give a hint to that someone special that you would really appreciate a nice bouquet of flowers.

The Dirty Shirt: I love to get flowers, but you wouldn’t know that because I rarely get them, ahem…hint! hint!….but I love flowers. And in a recent survey conducted by the CCFC they found that 42% of women don’t receive flowers as often as they would like. That’s why the CCFC has come up with a “Hint Card” to help deserving moms, such as yourself, drop a hint to that certain someone that they would like to receive a beautiful bouquet of the world’s freshest flowers, California Grown flowers!

The Mom Buzz: These Hint Cards are business card sized, making them easy to leave tucked in unassuming spots – like under pillows, inside lunch bags, stuck on mirrors, tucked in billfolds, placed on plates or just delivered from hand to hand. I left one on my husband’s windshield. Let’s see what happens…

The Power of Housewife Word of Mouth: I got to share that the bouquet came to me from the California Cut Flower Commission to showcase their new hint cards. So that those of us for whom husbands bringing home fresh bouquets on a whim is not a typical occurrence can leave subtle clues around that flowers would be appreciated.

Therapeutic Reviews and Giveaways: My favorite card, the “I dare you to buy me flowers” hint!! If you know my husband, it could be all about the challenge or the dare! LOL. Honestly he is NOT a flower giver. When I got the bouquet from the CCFC, it arrived just before our 13th anniversary and I though “what perfect timing!” My hubby needs an added fire beneath him to get me flowers, and Hint cards are the perfect incentive!

Val’s Views:  The flowers I received from the California Cut Flowers Commission were gorgeous. That’s because California’s unique climate allows its flower growers an advantage in producing the finest cut flower in the world. All of the flowers were live and fresh and are still in a vase looking great in my kitchen today, one week later. I also received a package of Hint Cards with my flowers. The Hint Cards are the size of a business card, the perfect size to hide in a wallet, briefcase or lunch. My favorite sayings were “I dare you to buy me flowers.” and “Flowers make a girl happy. And you know what happens when this girl is happy.”

Wish List Worthy: Not very long ago I got the most beautiful bouquet of my absolute favorite flowers! What a treat! The gorgeous bouquet came through FedEx and arrived in perfect form. It brightened our kitchen for almost a week before the flowers started to fade and had to be put in the compost pile. I know that I am not alone in my love of fresh flowers in the home, but I’ll be honest, it’s a rare occasion that I actually get flowers. It looks like I am not alone though, according to the California Cut Flower Commission, 42% of women don’t receive flowers as often as they would like.

So the next time you’d like to receive flowers but don’t know how to ask for them, consider giving out a Hint Card. It just might do the trick!

These reviews were written for Family Review Network as part of a program sponsored by The California Cut Flower Commission, who supplied the cards and flowers for review and giveaway.

Filed Under: giveaways, household, reviews

One Time Wood Challenge

May 21, 2009 By Caryn

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With summer on the horizon, many of you may be looking to take on some projects to prepare your home for gatherings with family and friends.  One of the areas where families gather for barbecues and such is the deck. Perhaps you have wood furniture outside as well. If you own a deck, fence, or other outdoor wood furniture,  then you most likely have to sand and reseal it every year to maintain it’s integrity.  Now you can seal your wood for seven years with One TIME WOOD protector.  Here is a little more information about the product from the site:

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One TIME WOOD protector is a unique exterior wood protection formula that uses a proprietary acrylate resin blend to provide long-term protection from deteriorating elements.  Unlike conventional exterior wood treatments, One TIME penetrates deep into the substrate’s cellular structure and cures into the wood with natural sunlight. It can NOT evaporate or wash away like other products that simply coat the wood surface. One TIME encapsulates the wood keeping moisture out.

Several of our reviewers had an opportunity to experience One TIME WOOD firsthand and here is what they had to say:

1 Stop Mom:  With One Time you can see the actual wood. It is going into the wood instead of just covering it.  My husband actually used less of the One TIME than he did the other brand. That right there will save money in the long run.

All Because Two People Fell In Love:  We were impressed with the results of this great product! It actually does penetrates deep into the wood with much more coverage than other conventional wood sealers we have tried. We left the piece of wood out in the weather and it didn’t evaporate or wash away like the other wood sealers we have tried in the past that simply coat the wood’s surface and soon fade away. We highly recommend this great product for all of your outdoor wood sealing projects!

From Melissa’s Desk:  First of all, I found that One TIME Wood Sealer covered a much greater area than the conventional wood sealer.  Next, I noticed that the One TIME Wood Sealer actually seemed to become a part of the wood by penetrating into the wood rather than just coating the top like the conventional wood sealer.  I found One TIME Wood Sealer to be a much more superior wood sealer than the conventional brand name wood sealer. I recommend the use of One TIME Wood sealer to any one looking for a wood sealer that covers twice the square footage per gallon than conventional wood treatments, resulting in the need to purchase less product!

Maria’s Space: The One Time sample has a gloss that the other doesn’t have.  The same color, looks quite different.  The wood grain loses something with the competitions sample.

Mommy Goggles:  I can totally see our deck stained and protected with One Time! I found that the application was nice, even, smooth.

Mom of Two 2 Dancers Reviews:  The One time goes on very easily. You only need to coat it once. It is thicker then what dad uses. The stuff my dad used almost felt like paint compared to the One time.

Nerd Family Things:  To start with, you couldn’t see any brush strokes. This is a relief because stressing about brush strokes has always been a huge deterrent to these type of projects. I loved the fact that this was actually soaked into the wood. I did a side by side with a competitor’s sealer and theirs just sat on top. It also spread across my line. The material says that it covers twice as much square footage as the competitor and after watching spread I tend to agree. I also am happy about the fact it is for all kinds of wood (old, new, natural, treated) and that it works for at least 7 years.

She Scribes:  The competitions stain went on thick and goopy (unless I did something wrong?) where as the One Time Wood went on pretty smoothly.  When I was done the competitions stain looked darker than the One Time Wood, but the One Time Wood left the wood looking like, well, WOOD!  It didn’t cover up all the wonderful details in the wood.  It enhanced them.  The One Time Wood dried faster than the competition’s side.  The One Time Wood also didn’t feel sticky where as the other side did until it was 100% dry.  The One Time Wood seemed to be absorbed into the wood, like the wood was a sponge and sucked the One Time Wood into it.  The other side just looked like a “coating” on top of the wood, almost as if you could easily lift it off.

Therapeutic Reviews & Giveaways:  One TIME wood sealer made my sample piece of wood act like a sponge. The wood was actually sucking the sealer beyond the area I applied it too. The other sealer I used just sat there were it was applied and looked like paint compared to the One TIME. After letting the sample dry, you can actually see how the OneTIME becomes a part of the wood, a glance at the side of my sample showed up to 1/8 of an inch of penetration compared to hardly any by the other sealer. And…. I used twice as much of the other sealer to cover the same area as the One TIME.

Filed Under: household, reviews

Windex Outdoor All-In-One ~ Giveaway

April 8, 2009 By Cathi

Dirty Windows absolutely drive me crazy.

I love clean “looks like they aren’t there” windows. But as much as I love all 33 plus windows in my house, I loathe washing them.

Windex Outdoor All-In-One window cleaner is a new, different and I might add, a fabulous invention. As pictured on the box, it includes a pole (five sections that fit together) with a head the cleaning pads attach to. According to the box, one cleaning pad will clean twenty windows.

I was more than skeptical but determined to give it a go.

After I squirted the windows with the garden hose, my husband, along our 3-year old grand daughter, wiped them down with the water-activated cleaning pad. We were even able to clean the upper windows. The handle of the cleaning pole is threaded for the easy attachment of an extension pole.

After the windows were soapy, I simply came back with the garden hose and gave them a good rinse. We all stood back and watched the amazing (it really was) Windex Sheeting Action Formula do it’s job. 1-2-3!! It’s that simple! First Rinse, second wash, third rinse again.

It works and I love it!!

You can even get a coupon for a free refill pack here.

Giveaway!!

SC Johnson has donated a Windex Outdoor All-In-One Starter Kit.

To enter this giveaway:

~Visit the Windex website.

~Leave a comment on this post saying which product you like best.

~This giveaway will close at midnight on April 16th, 2009.

Earn extra entries:

~Subscribe to our feed.

~Place one of our buttons in your sidebar.

~Please leave a separate comment for each entry.

What the Family Review Network thinks:

The Clan McLeod: I couldn’t believe how easy this is to use and how effective it is. My windows look tons better! It’s even easy enough for the kids to help out with!

Rockin’ Mama: It literally took minutes to clean my outside windows at the back of the house.  I loved that I didn’t actually have to do any heavy-duty scrubbing or drying for that matter.  What’s great about the product is that you can clean up to 20 windows with one pad and it reaches up to 11 feet.  

The Power of Housewife Word of Mouth: It really did a great job. The cleaning pad held up through seventeen windows at my house, and there are no streaks! I can tell you without a doubt, I will buy this again…

MySentimentExactLee: I was excited to try Windex Outdoor All-in-One to clean all my windows. I have a 2 story house and about 20 windows which isn’t too much for this product because it reaches up to 11 ft and can wash up to 20 windows. The ease of use really impressed me and so did the finished product. No streaks, no spots, not even left over dust from the higher 2nd story windows. I will definitely be buying a replacement pack for Windex Outdoor All in One.

My Trendy Tykes: I first sprayed the window with my water hose and then started cleaning. The cleaning tool can reach up to 11 feet so there was definitely no problem reaching the window. I wiped the window down a couple of times, sprayed one more time with the hose and then stood back……I waited . . .and waited . . .What was I waiting on ?  STREAKS!  However, much to my amazement there were no streaks! I had a perfectly clean window.

From Melissa’s DeskI didn’t have another product to compare this one to, but I found Windex Outdoor All-In-One to be AWESOME!! It was so easy to use! I love that one cleaning pad will clean up to 20 windows. And no doubt, after all those years of dirt, my windows are thanking me! It was so easy that it was fun! And if you know me, the words fun and cleaning are never used in conjunction with each other.

Red Sox Mommy: I found it super easy to use. I don’t have any tall windows at my house, but even if I did I probably still could have reached them because this has a 11 foot reach. All I had to do was spray the windows with the hose and get the Windex cleaning pad wet and away I went scrubbing the windows. After just a couple minutes I was done and ready to rinse them again. And that was it, no drying needed because of Windex’s special sheeting action formula that prevents streaks and spotting.

Mom Start: I am always surprised when something says it is going to be streak free and then it actually is. Windex does not disappoint. Not to mention, I was easily and safely able to reach all of my windows. For those of you that have higher windows, you can get extension poles that will easily attach to the Windex outdoor all in one. I have one of these poles from when I painted the ceiling.

Forgetfulone: We’ve already had some spring weather here, so when my Windex Outdoor All-In-One Cleaning Tool arrived, I whipped it right out of the package and said, “There’s no time like the present!” My son, age 12, had the tool put together in less than a minute. I NEVER clean the outside of the windows. It’s just too hard… or so I thought. With this cool tool from Windex, there are just three, simple steps.

Therapeutic Reviews & Giveaways: This couldn’t be easier and more efficient to use. Living in a single story home, makes window cleaning fairly easy, but with the extended handle, our step ladder wasn’t needed. I thought the velcro-like attachment between the cleaning pad and the extension tool was pretty weak, but the pad held in place while scrubbing, no problem!

Mom Giveaways: The cleaning tool was pretty easy to use and my son had fun helping me.  My son would spray the windows with the our garden hose and then I would follow using the cleaning tool.  The cleaning tool is a large pole with a cleaning head that you attach the cleaning pad to.  After I scrub the window with the cleaning tool my son once again sprayed the windows.  After the cleaning the windows looked great! 

All Because Two People Fell in LOVE: The best part has to be that this product leaves no spots or streaking marks behind, just clear, sparkling, clean windows! We highly recommend this great cleaning product!

An Island Review: I didn’t realize just how easy this was going to be. The starter kit came with everything I would need to clean 20 windows. All I had to do was put the pieces of the handle together and stick on a cleaning pad. That’s it! Then I went outside, wet the window and cleaning pad with a garden hose and I was all set.

Something Snappy: This handy gadget allows you to clean you outdoor windows quickly and easily! With its long handle, I’ll never have to get the ladder out again and the cleaning pad is supposed to clean 20+ windows! I don’t have 20 windows on my home but it did clean my 12 windows in no time at all and the last window was as clean and streak free as the first!

The Dirty Shirt: Great product all the way around and works great. Very easy to put together and use. I recommend it to everyone who wants to get the windows clean!

Mom Fuse: My windows are about 7 feet from the ground and my husband is a short guy (about 5′4″), we also have a window box that sticks out about a foot. So it’s never been this easy. And before Windex All-In-One, my windows have never been this clean, or my skies this blue!

1stopmom Giveaways and Review: This is one review my husband was happy to participate in. We were very happy with the end result. A few neighbors saw how quick he was getting done so they just had to ask what he was using. I think will be seeing a few more Windex All-In-One cleaners in our neighborhood!

Riding With No Hands Reviews: We live in a split-level home, so we’ve got windows both high up and very low to the ground, and because the pole can reach up to 11 feet, this tool really made the usually back-breaking chore much more enjoyable. It also cut down on how long it would have taken me to do it by hand, not to mention the dangers of having to climb up and move a ladder repeatedly. It’s incredible how a little thing like cleaning windows can make the inside of your home just a little bit brighter!

Filed Under: giveaways, household, reviews

Nature’s Source Natural Cleaning Products

March 27, 2009 By Caryn

nature3

Green is the new clean with Nature’s Source, a line of natural cleaning products from SC Johnson.  As moms who care about our children’s health and safety and the environment they are growing up in, we’re always looking for a greener alternative to products like cleaners.  Several of our reviewers had an opportunity to be one of the first group to test out Nature’s Source Natural Cleaning Products.  Here is a little more information about the line from the site:

Nature’s Source products use plant-based, biodegradable cleaners and they have the cleaning power of Windex and Scrubbing Bubbles, brand names you already know and trust. They clean naturally and effectively, leaving nothing behind but a fresh scent. The cleaners are more than 99 percent natural, packaged in recyclable bottles, partly produced by renewable energy from a local landfill, and recognized for safer chemistry by the Environmental Protection Agency’s Design for the Environment (DfE) program.

naturessource

Our reviewers appreciated safety and effectiveness of Nature’s Source.  Here is what they had to say:

All Because Two People Fell In Love:  From Ella’s toothpaste mess on the counter to soap scum on the shower walls this cleaner works wonders! It certainly gave our bathroom a natural sparkle! It totally got rid of the dirt, grime, and soap scum on our shower walls.

An Island Review: The best part is that I didn’t have to use a lot of the product to get my bathroom clean. I especially liked the way the toilet cleaner spout is at an angle so that I could shoot the liquid up and under the hard to reach places. The bathroom spray worked especially well on my mirrored doors and didn’t leave streaks behind. This is important to me because I just can’t stand a smudgy mirror.

The Angel Forever:  There was barely any scent and certainly no harsh fumes. I had no issues breathing and continued to clean without any problem.    It is not only good for the planet, safe for my kids, but does an amazing job on soap scrum and hard water stains.

Brain Foggles:  It took no time at all to clean away the dirt and have my shower shining! Even the faucet was sparkling! There was a smell but it was fine, nothing caustic. It was actually nice.

Busy Mommy Product Review:  I actually like it better than the original Scrubbing Bubbles! It is awesome! I can not believe how well it works! It is mild enough that I was able to use it without gloves and has a nice mild scent. It just did a spectacular job. I am very impressed.

Chocolate Fingerprints:  This stuff works just as well as the old-fashioned Scrubbing Bubbles cleaner, but it’s made with over 99% natural ingredients, meaning that my cleaning job is a whole lot easier and faster, and I don’t have to worry about harsh chemicals in my bathroom. All I have to do is spray my tub or sink, let the bubbles sit for a few minutes, then wipe the cleaner off with a wet rag. That’s it! No elbow grease required, even on the grimy ring hubby leaves in the tub! I’m amazed with this stuff!

The Clan McLeod:  It did as well as all the other cleaners without the harsh chemicals and fumes and therefore is far better in my book! I would certainly rather purchase cleaners that are better for me and the environment! Plus, it has a VERY nice, fresh scent that was very inviting!

Coffee with the Mrs.:  This product worked fantastically well. I decided to test it in the bathtub on a patch of soap scum.  All I did was spray the surface, and wiped it once over with a paper towel. The cleaner cut through the soap scum without needing any elbow grease at all.

A Couch With A View:  I love that they are 99% natural and still get my counters as clean and I’d love them to be.  So of course I had to try the bathroom cleaner on my kitchen counters and I even used it on my desk… I told you- I use all my cleaners for EVERYTHING! The bathroom cleaner passed the “use-on-everything” test!!

Cutie Booty Reviews:  Nature’s Source cleans as well as Scrubbing Bubbles in a natural formula. I love the floral scent and I use it to clean all of the bathrooms in my home, including Mekhi’s bathroom.

From Melissa’s Desk:  I was pleasantly surprised that Nature’s Source was comparable to other products I’ve used in the past. It worked just fine. Add to that, the knowing that you aren’t responsible for any more damage to the environment and you’ve got yourself a great cleaning product!

Happy Healthy Families:  My very first impression of Nature’s Source was that I was delighted to not smell that nasty chemical odor so many cleaners always have.  The cleanser itself did an truly an amazing job with the “mess” that is our bathroom.

Julie’s Journal:  It’s got the Scrubbing Bubble guys in it, and it works really well on cleaning soap scum and grime on glazed ceramic tile, stainless steel, chrome fixtures, fiberglass and more.  I feel better knowing these cleaning products are better for the environment, and I recently purchased the Nature’s Source Natural Glass and Surface Cleaner also.  It works just as should be expected as it cleans glass, mirrors, chrome fixtures, and stainless steel while leaving a bright shine.

Lisa Reviews:  This is one of those products that once you use, you’ll never be able to put down again.  With Nature’s Source, you are able to remove tough soap scum on pretty much any surface in your bathroom. You know you can trust this products since it is made my the same makers as Scrubbing Bubbles (which is my own personal bathroom cleaner choice).  If you check the ingredient list, the first one listed is purified water.  You can definitely tell that this a product good for the environment.  It also has a nice fragrance to it.

Loving Heart Mommy:  You can safely remove all the soap scum and grime along with hard-water deposits the natural way! I feel alot better about using natural products to clean my home, especially due to the fact that I have small children and soon to be a new pet! What’s safe for them is the most important even when it comes to cleaning my house!

The Mom Buzz:  It cleaned the sink, toilet, potty and tub PERFECTLY…. and NATURALLY. In fact, it worked so awesome at cleaning the grout between the tiles I brought it out into the hallway and cleaned the grout there. It removed the grime that seemed to never come off! So then I brought it into the kitchen to clean the grout in that high-traffic area.

Mom of 2 Dancers Reviews:  It has a pleasant smell, no super strong chemical smells. It is gentle enough to clean with no gloves on. I just sprayed in the shower, let it sit for a few and then gently wiped clean. It really got my shower pretty clean. There was no hard scrubbing or anything. Love that! Plus I can feel good about using this product.

Mommy Goggles:  We have an old 1900 home, so I was excited to get a chance to try something that actually worked for our old fixtures. I had a chance to try this out in my bathrooms and I was happy to see the results, along with the fact that it did not have that ‘after-smell’ that I have had with other cleaners.

Mommy Mandy:  I love the smell of the bathroom cleaner. It doesn’t have a bleach smell, but it is fresh and has a lemon scent to it.

The Mud Bug:  There was a pleasant smell when sprayed and it came out like the original scrubbing bubbles. The foaminess does dissipate right away. This cleaner cleans great and leaves no residue.

Mudpies & Mary Janes:  In fact, when I sprayed it around my shower I was pleasantly surprised by the light, fresh scent. The scrubbing bubbles went right to work foaming and breaking down the dirt and soap scum in the tub. I am happy to report that the natural cleaning product worked just as effectively as the traditional Scrubbing Bubbles cleaner.

My Sentiment ExactLee:  I sprayed down every surface and let it sit for about 10 minutes. I then started scrubbing with a simple bathroom sponge and was more than happy to prove my mother wrong when the bathroom started to sparkle. Even the toughest soap scum and cemented toothpaste needed nothing more than a little elbow grease.

My Trendy Tykes:  My first reaction was the smell….It was definately pleasant.  I cleaned my sinks, toilets and bathtub all with the same cleaner and it worked remarkably well.  I even sprayed some on the ceramic tile floor around my toilet and it cleaned without leaving any residue.

Our 7 Qtpies:  First of all, the smell was a pleasant citrus smell. I enjoyed it and it there were no fumes. I cleaned with no plastic gloves and there was not stinging or even any damage to my skin at all. I felt 100% confident that it would be safe to allow my kids to take a bath after using this product. Normally I won’t let them soak in the tub until a shower or two has been taken after harsh cleaners have been used. This was safe and rinsed away easily.But the best part was that I just sprayed it on and then started wiping with a damp sponge. I had to push the sponge into the grooves between tiles, just to get in there, but the discoloration came right off! It was so easy! I didn’t scrub, I didn’t soak it, I didn’t put “elbow grease” into it.

Pink Family Reviews:  I sprayed the Bathroom Cleaner in the shower and tub and let it sit for a few minutes. When I wiped it down, the shower was left sparkling clean. It also smelled really good in our bathroom – clean, but not the harsh chemical bleach smell that cleans can leave behind.

The Power of Housewife Word of Mouth:  You know I honestly do not know why they refer to it as a “bathroom cleaner” because I used it on quite a few surfaces and was very pleased with how well this foamy spray works. The one place I had the most success was actually on my refrigerator shelf that I was cleaning in my sink. There was some stuff ( I don’t know what it was….don’t ask) stuck to the shelf and after a quick spray it all wiped away pretty easily.

Red Sox Mommy:  I love how something so natural works so well. It makes me feel like I’m doing something good for the environment.  It works really quickly and it didn’t take long before my bathroom was clean and icky scum free.

Robyn’s Online World:  What he noticed right away is that the super strong odors that are not pleasant were not there. It did have a noticeable scent, but it was much more pleasant to him (and me) and didn’t seem to aggravate his asthma at all.  He was sufficiently pleased at the results noting that it cleaned the soap scum, especially that super scummy area under the soap dish. It also cleaned up the hard water stains at the bottom of the shower, we have terribly hard water and this is a stinker for him to clean sometimes.

Rockin’ Mama:  I used the Natural Bathroom Cleaner on my bathtub, which is actually really hard to clean.  Because the tub is slip-resistant, it traps a ton of dirt, grime, and soap-scum.  I simply sprayed the product all over the tub, waited until it started to foam, then scrubbed it clean with a brush.  It did not take a lot of effort and I was really happy with how clean and sparkly my tub looked once I was done.

Sage and Savvy:  When I sprayed the cleaner on my bathroom sink it came out foamy, which I initially thought was unusual, and I was quite impressed with how the sticky, gunky mess immediately started to disappear, even before I had a chance to wipe it.  I remember seeing Scrubbing Bubbles commercials and how the bubbles would clean everything in its path, and that’s precisely what the Bathroom Cleaner did.  

Sheltered Not Shattered:  I loved the bubbly foamy spray and the nice clean tub that was left behind.  It doesn’t leave any kind of film behind and cuts through the soap scum with ease. I also learned that it is good for cleaning sticky dried up tea out of the bottom of the fridge. It made the fridge job so easy that the boys were able to clean it out for me! Now that’s a plus in any mom’s book.
She Scribes: I HATE the harsh chemical smells you get from other cleaners.  Nature’s Source had a pleasant smell.  I’d have to say it has a bit of a citrus smell to it.  I was pleasantly surprised that Nature’s Source was comparable to other products I’ve used in the past. It worked just fine. Add to that, the knowing that you aren’t responsible for any more damage to the environment and you’ve got yourself a great cleaning product!

Something Snappy:  Nature’s Source™ did a pretty decent job on my bathroom. The smell is a little overpowering but not as harsh as a lot of bathroom cleaners.

Sweet N Sassy Girls:  One of my favorite things about this is the smell. It smells like oranges. No yucky chemical smell where I can’t breathe in my tiny bathroom while I try to clean. It smelled so nice.  I used it on our steel kitchen sink, and it worked wonderfully. It’s something I will use on my sink and my toilet all the time now. I like how it doesn’t have any chemicals in it, so it’s safe for my family.

3 Garnets & 2 Sapphires: It worked just as well on the sink, toilet, and bathtub as any of the regular cleaners we use.It is powerful enough for everyday cleaning, but not for really tough grime that’s stuck in the corners.

Two of a Kind, Working on a Full House:  I took it upstairs to my toddler’s bathroom and sprayed down the bathtub and shower. Not only was I amazed by how LIGHT the smell was, but the it was actually a PLEASANT smell.  It comes from the makers of Scrubbing Bubbles and they made sure that this works just as well! After I sprayed it over the surface, I let it sit for just a few minutes and then scrubbed. Everything came sparkling clean with minimal effort AND it smelled fantastic!

The Way I See It:  So after giving Nature’s Source a good go at it in all three of my bathrooms and my kitchen…I love it! I love everything about it. I love seeing the fresh, clear liquid knowing there isn’t any dye. I love the scent and most importantly, I love how well it cleans. Nature’s Source is everything that I want, need and expect in a spray cleaner. Nature’s Source is good for my family, good for my home and good for the planet which makes it good for me!!

A Wrestling Addicted Mommy:  Nature’s Source is great for the environment, a wonderful fresh clean scent instead of that harsh chemical smell a lot of other cleaners have, and it does a heck of a job cleaning as well. My tub, my sink, and even my toilet have that clean natural shine to them! We’re very into using these new products in our home, even better, this is something I have no problem letting the kids help me clean with, knowing they can learn and help to clean without the worry of chemicals. It’s really clean, it’s really natural, and that’s what I want!

Nature’s Source Natural Cleaning Products retail for around $3.00 and are available for purchase at Target.

Filed Under: going green, household, reviews

Phokki Photo Artwork Giveaway

March 14, 2009 By Cathi

Congratulations to Felicia from Missouri 

the winner of this giveaway!!

Have you ever wished you were artistic? Perhaps you’re lucky enough to be artistic.
I’m not. Nope, not at all, so I was very happy to learn about Phokki. Phokki is a website where you choose your favorite photo and have it turned into artwork.
3-14-2009-7-18-53-am1You can make great looking photos from stylish designs to sophisticated pieces of art, from gifts to decorations.
There are seven styles to choose from including Photo Restore. In the Photo Restore style you can actually have eyeglasses removed from the original photo!!
The whole process is very fast and easy.
I picked the Illustration style and decided to use a favorite photo of my husband and me.
I simply downloaded the photo to the Phokki website and stated my style choice. I truly can’t be any easier!!3-14-2009-7-20-30-am
 
The seven styles are:
  • Illustration
  • Caricature3-14-2009-7-23-08-amscottandalicia-261x300
  • Vector Pop Art
  • Manga Art
  • Mix and Blend picnikcollage-101
Which style would you choose?
Giveaway!
One lucky reader will win 1 digital artwork with a 15 x 15 inch poster.
To enter this giveaway:
~Visit the Phokki website and pick your favorite style.
~Leave a comment here telling us what it is.
~This giveaway will close at midnight on March 20th.
Earn extra entries by:
~Subscribing to our feed.
~Placing our button in your sidebar.
~Please leave a separate comment for each entry.
Here’s what we think: 
 
Maria’s Space: The pictures are just plain cool. You can make your own greeting cards (with bubble text over your heads), wall art, digital pictures. They are reasonably priced anywhere from $4.90 to $24.95. Phokki was entered in Start-Up @ Singapore Open Category and was awarded First Prize. In addition, Phokki is also nominated as the official representative of Singapore in the Global TIC in Taiwan.
 
3 Garnets & 2 Sapphires: My overall experience with Phokki.com is a positive one. Having chosen a caricature, the possibilities were endless. It took me a long time to figure out what I wanted for my custom artwork. If you are thinking about ordering through Phokki, I recommend that you allow them more than 3 days to get your digital image to you. Mine took more than the 3 days since I had requested something that was more difficult to produce. It was definitely worth the wait. My husband and I are going to have ours printed out and will hang it up in the kid’s play area in a poster frame.
 
Brain Foggles We have a photo of my daughter and future son-in-law showing off her engagement ring. I submitted that and chose the Caricature style and are thrilled with the outcome. We are going to re-size it into a poster and frame it. I know they will love this gift because it is meaningful and unique.
 
Rockin’ Mama: The very first thing I noticed about the site, upon entering, was the small box on the left hand side detailing the three little steps necessary to transform a photo into artwork.  Right then and there I decided that this is the perfect solution for us moms who don’t have a lot of time on our hands but want quality artwork. Once you’ve selected your style preference (which was the most difficult part of how wonderful the choices are), upload your photo, and enjoy your work of art. 
 
The Way I See It Too:  Have you ever wished you were artistic? Perhaps you’re lucky enough to be artistic. I’m not. Nope, not at all, so I was very happy to learn about Phokki. Phokki is a website where you choose your favorite photo and have it turned into artwork. You can make great looking photos from stylish designs to sophisticated pieces of art, from gifts to decorations.
 
Filed Under: giveaways, household, reviews

Find it with “Scanalog” ~ Giveaway

March 1, 2009 By Cathi

I loathe shopping however I do enjoy looking through catalogs. When I see a darling set of note cards I think my dear friend might like or a book I know my son would enjoy, I rip the pages out of the catalog for future reference. I also like to browse magazines and again save the photos of flower bed designs that might look perfect in my garden or a particular place I’m anxious to see on our next holiday.
Too bad I’ve never been able to find those pages when I needed them!

Now I know exactly where to find every magazine article, kindergarten drawing and catalog item I had stuffed in a drawer or stacked in my closet. Scanalog files anything I want and I can view it with a few clicks at my computer.

Scanalog Moving Logo

 
Scanalogis the brainchild of Kim Goldstien. Kim has put her heart into this remarkable program. She’s also very generously given our readers an opportunity to win the Scanalog CD-ROM Software Program with the Scantabs Label System and mousepad.
 
 
 
 
 
~ Giveaway ~
~Visit the Scanalog website and pick your favorite master category.
~Leave a comment here telling us what it is.
~This giveaway will close at midnight on March 7th.
Earn extra entries by:
~Subscribing to our feed.
~Placing our button in your sidebar.
~Please leave a separate comment for each entry.

 

This is what our reviewers think of Scanalog:

She Scribes: Personally I have A LOT of magazines, especially Family Fun magazines. They are chuck full of great recipes, activities, costumes, games – you name it! I must have about 50 issues! They are all collecting dust in one of my bookcases. With Scanalog I can scan only the important things I want to hold on to and take the physical magazines to the recycle bin and empty out a HUGE section of one of my bookcases.

Robyn’s Online World: It’s quick and easy to scan items in. If you have a big stack of stuff like I did, just set a number of items or a certain amount of time to do once a day until you get through all of them. In no time you will have everything scanned in and you can get rid of those stacks of magazines and catalogs lying around.

Sage & Savvy Reviews: Scanalog is very user-friendly and the screens are filled with colorful visuals that make organizing and cataloging your magazine articles enjoyable. You’ll no longer have to sift through pages and pages torn out from magazines. Instead, those pages will be stored and efficiently organized on your computer thanks to Scanalog.

 Maria’s Space: Brides can store pictures of dresses, table settings, vacation ideas, flower arrangements, favors and more. Homeschoolers, teachers and hands on parents will be able to catalog all their educational articles into one place. DIY’ers can save all the projects they are interested in. The possibilities are endless.

1 Stop Mom:  have had so much fun using this software. Everyone in my family has found something to scan and store. My husband loves to fish so now he has one place to keep all of the articles he finds with tips and hints.

Mom of 2 Dancers Reviews: Using the Scanalog software is super easy. I didn’t even read any kind of directions or anything, I just inserted the cd and immediately started organizing my magazines and catalogs.

Homeschooling and Loving It!: You can scan your childrens artwork and for us homeschoolers schoolwork.  So if you need or want to throw some papers out,  just scan them in and print when you need them!.  This is great for documents of all kinds including recipes and newspaper clippings. 

A Mama’s Rant:…it does take some time to get your articles scanned. It’s a great project to do while you’re watching a movie or listening to podcast. And remember, you don’t have to do everything at once. Plan to spend an hour here and an hour there, and before you know it your article pile will be gone.

Pink Family Reviews: There is also a ‘Hopes and Dreams’ journal incorporated into the software, where you can record your thoughts, daily activities or anything else that you would like to save.

Busy Mommy Product Review: I was very excited to received this software. But of course, I try to install it and was not able to (seriously this is my life- everyone else can install it with no problem, and I can’t, it figures). I emailed customer support and got an email back immediately and they were able to solve my problem (I had to download an extra file, not sure why, I think I was doing something wrong). But regardless, I was able to get it working ASAP and the customer service was AMAZING.

Val’s Views: My favorite thing about Scanalog is that the catalog system is already built, pleasant to look at and easy to navigate. Even though the system is premade it’s flexible enough that the user can customize it to their needs through the use of subcategories. I love the recipes section, and the fact that I can use main ingredients as keywords. During a guided tour of Scanalog, Kim (the creator of Scanalog) suggested scanning product warranties, which I thought was an excellent idea because I never remember where most of them are.Two of a kind, working on a full house: Don’t have time to sit down and write a journal? Scanalog has a journal already set up with dates and everything! Use it as a journal OR a calender! I am keeping a record of all the new words Evan says and the new things that he starts to do. As this pregnancy progresses, I will also put down special little moments with this baby!

A Nut in a Nutshell: I was fairly skeptical about it until I tried it and I really do love it! The ease of finding something on the program vs. searching through stacks of old magazines trying to find the one with that particular recipe in it that I need….well, I think you can see the logic.

An Island Review: It took a little while to scan everything into the system, however, once that was done I realized that keeping up from now on would be a piece of cake. I especially liked that I could add in my own sub-categories to tailor the program to my needs. For example, I added an area where I could store all of Girlie Girl & Baby Bug’s artwork and letters. I can’t believe the space I’ve saved and I no longer have to decide which item to keep and which to toss. I can now keep them all!

Forgetfulone: I have tried it, and I found that is is very user-friendly. I enjoy being able to open Scanalog and easily find a recipe, a crafting idea, a decorating idea, or an article that I wanted to read again when I have more time.

Nerd Family Things: I like that you can add categories because I had to add some for homeschooling art projects and folder games that I see out on the web. I am even thinking about using it for the kids’ completed projects (since I already do pictures).

Just a Mom’s take on things…: Not only do I get to keep all of my magazine articles (without cluttering up one single countertop or table), but I also have the perfect way to sort and organize all of those digital photos of my kids’ schoolwork and art projects.

All because two people fell in Love:  The quality of the scanned items are great! The pictures turned out clear with very vibrant colors! This would have been very helpful to have when I was planning my wedding, I had tons of magazine cutouts scattered everywhere! We have really enjoyed our Scanalog and still have tons more that we are planning to add! We highly recommend this resourceful software for everyone! It would make a perfect gift for all of your family and friends!

Tara’s View of the World: I found Scanalog super easy to use. The user guide explained everything to me and even this technology challenged girl was able to figure it out :) The scans are easy to read, you can look at them close up, you can print them out to share, the colours are bright, it is an all around wonderful program!

Val’s Views: My favorite thing about Scanalog is that the catalog system is already built, pleasant to look at and easy to navigate. Even though the system is premade it’s flexible enough that the user can customize it to their needs through the use of subcategories. I love the recipes section, and the fact that I can use main ingredients as keywords. 

Mom Giveaways: It took some time to get all of my clippings scanned but it was well worth it.  They are all now in my computer and neatly organized by category.  I can find any magazine clipping I want in seconds.

Shelterednot Shattered: As a homeschooler I like to keep up with some of the schoolwork the kids do also so now I can scan that in and put it in categories such as Oldest’s Math and we can go back and see how he has improved in math over the months. It has endless possibilities as to what you can scan and how you can group it.

The Power of Housewife Word of Mouth: This software catalogs all of your magazine articles, pamphlets, children’s artwork, important documents, and stores them for you in categories. There are eleven master categories….and then there are many subcategories that you can make to suit your needs. It is great to have all of the articles, items, and paperwork that you are saving in one place on your computer. The Scanalog software retails for $49.95and I highly reccomend it to all of you magaizine junkies who are saving articles for years…or like me decorating ideas for your ultimate house.

The Dirty Shirt: I am collecting things my middle daughter has said she likes. Over the years I have been ripping out pages of magazines, books (don’t worry they were my books) and printed things off the internet secretly. Now I am scanning them all into my Scanalog program and one day, when she is planning her wedding, I want to show her all the things she said she liked, all the colors and styles of dresses she said she wanted, of her favorite flower pictures, in hopes that she will find amongst her past something for her future.

From Melissa’s Desk:  This product was designed to help the clutter!! I LOVE IT!! I have stacks and stacks of magazines…family ones, homeschooling ones, Home & Garden, Celebrity News…and that’s just me. It was awesome to finally be able to throw away some of those old magazines without the regret that I was throwing out some needful information.
 
 Brain Foggles: I was able to scan my daughters’ report cards, drawings, handmade cards and awards and upload them to my computer easily and quickly. Once that was done, I used Scanalog for those magazines I’ve been saving for ideas on remodeling the other rooms in my house, some ideas for Lady Ali’s wedding and the catalogs I had for items I want to buy when I can afford them.

Filed Under: educational, giveaways, household, reviews

WordWorld

February 18, 2009 By Caryn

wordworld2

Parents are appropriately concerned about the television programs their children watch. That’s why we appreciate a show that actually prepares and teaches your child how to read. Our reviewers received a first look at WordWorld‘s new season. Here is a little more about the show from the site:

wordworldWelcome to WordWorld, a colorful, word-rich place where a whacky troupe of WordFriends who are characters first and words second, go one comic adventures. Kids are actually challenged to “build a word” which creates a unique moment when letters in the correct order form a word that then morphs into the thing it is! Wordbuilding reinforces the pre-reading concept that letters make words and that words have real meaning…and power! Learning to read has never been this much fun!

WordWorld’s new season kicked off last Friday with a special Valentine’s day episode. Here is what a few of our members had to say about WordWorld:

All Because Two People Fell In Love: This has been a great learning video for my 4 year old! It has helped her to work on building words with the letters she already knows. The characters are fun and I love the concept of using the words as the physical make-up of the body of item they are spelling.

An Island Review: The key to this show is instant word recognition. It’s a visual way to introduce children to the power of words.

Busy Mommy Product Review: I think it is one of the best educational programs for children that I have seen. Our favorite part of WordWorld is when it is time to “build a word”. We like to sing the song and then help them pick the letters to build the word.

A Couch With a View: I love that you can immedietely see how to spell a word based on looking at what the animal or item is. If my kids are watching tv, I’d much much rather it be something that can help them to learn and reinforce what we as parents, preschools and schools in general, are trying to teach.

Happy Healthy Families: The show gets my kids actively involved finding words, guessing words and recognizing letters. literally are made of words. But best of all once again was the opportunity the Word World DVD gave both my boys to shout out letters and words, laugh, giggle and not even realize they were actually learning as they had fun!

From Melissa’s Desk: I love that the words actually become what they spell, helping pre-readers understand and “see” that words have meaning.

Mom of 2 Dancers Reviews: I love how the characters are made of words, Cami enjoyed picking out the letters that formed their bodies.

My Trendy Tykes: WordWorld is a pleasure to watch with the kiddos, not only does it provide an excellent source of entertainment but it also TEACHES.

Our Seven Qtpies: WordWorld is a great animated program that teaches children about words and spelling.

Pajama Mom: The best part about this series is that you’re “sneaking” the learning in! Learning is fun and effective via WordWorld’s hilarious, laugh-out-loud situations.

Pink Family Reviews: My daughters really enjoyed this show. My oldest especially did because she is very interested in writing and reading. I thought it was great the way they spelled out the words and they looked like the item that they spelled. My daughter was so proud that she was “reading” the words.

The Power of Housewife Word of Mouth: …I found it really creative how they formed the animals out of the words that name them.

Red Sox Mommy: She gets to learn how to spell new words and experience new adventures while I get to take care of our house without worrying about what she’s doing.

Rockin’ Mama: We have been watching WordWorld for awhile now and it taught my son to say and recognize words like dog and duck early on. While we watch the show, I try to verbalize and emphasize what is being taught through the show.

SAHM Reviews: If you have a preschooler, a pre-reader or an emerging reader in your household, this is a must-see. WordWorld is a show that helps kids visualize how objects are actually words and vice versa. It’s cute, it’s fun, it’s inventive.

She Scribes: What a FUN SHOW! The 3-D animation is adorable. And it’s very funny. A three year old spelling and reading. I’m beyond impressed by the educational value of this program.

Something Snappy: It’s so cute to see all the animals and objects made up of the letters in their names – and it certainly has helped my daughter learn to recognize more and more words.

Tara’s View of the World: I love that WordWorld helps kids learn to read in such a fun way.

Two of a Kind, Working On a Full House: I love how each Character is actually made of the letters that spell out what they are. I can see how the study proved that WordWorld helps children develop pre-literacy skills! If you continue to see the words with the character over and over, you’re going to be able to recognize the word eventually.

The Way I See It: I was both stunned and thrilled. Stunned because they rarely sit still for more than a moment at a time; thrilled because of their involvement with the WordWorld characters and their participation in the activities.

Filed Under: books, educational, household, kids, reviews
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