EdibleGiftBasketsOnline GIVEAWAY!!

We received this lovely gift basket from EdibleGiftBasketsOnline.com in the mail just in time for Christmas. My favorite part was the Ghirardelli chocolates with caramel in the center. 

From their website:

My name is Michelle Matthews. I am an independent gift basket consultant for LaBella Baskets. We are an online store only. 

We have a membership program for business owners helping them to save 30% off gift baskets & flowers everyday for their business or personal gifting needs. This program is also a great fund raiser! 

We believe in the power of giving. Every time someone buys a LaBella Basket they are directly contributing to the company's 'Basket of Hope' program. A program designed to help single moms who are experiencing hardships. 

LaBella Baskets is also a great opportunity for anyone looking for a legitimate work at home career. 


Everything in this gift basket was wrapped very nicely. Instead of giving the entire basket to one person, I divided it up and it made 5 gifts. Chocolates I gave to myself. :) The meat and cheese I gave to my grandma, and then I divided the candy, popcorn, and coffee and tea mixes between my other grandma and my moms. 


You can shop for gift baskets here. For $44, you can get a Breast Cancer Awareness gardening basket. $5 is donated from each purchase.


                      

I really want a basket like this for when we do movie night at my house.


                                

Good: These baskets are very professional looking, they'd be good to send to your boss.


Bad: The basket I reviewed would normally cost almost $60. 


Overall: I think these baskets are great for the perfect occasion. I like that they donate to moms that are having a hard time.


Michelle is generous enough to be giving a gift basket away to one lucky 3G reader, and since January is National Stay Healthy Month, she chose this healthy basket! Just leave a comment and you are automatically entered to win!

White Gloss gift box (measures 6x6x6) 
Baked Lays chips
Rold Gold Pretzels
Sun Chips
100 Calorie Toasted Wheat Thins
2- 40 calorie Gold Fish packs
Quaker Oats Chocolate Drizzle rice snacks
Sun Maid yogurt covered raisins

$29.99 value

Giveaway ends January 7th, 2010 at 9PM CST. Mandatory entry is leaving a comment - extra entries are given for the following:

~Follow EdibleGiftBasketsOnline on Facebook

~Follow our blog

~Follow us on Twitter

~Fan us on Facebook

~Tweet about this giveaway

~Post on Facebook about this giveaway

Winner must be inside the 48 US States (no Hawaii or Alaska).EdibleGiftBasketsOnline.com

Guest Review: Robyn's DSi Review

First I would like to say I am honored to be a featured review. My name is Robyn, I’m a mother and business owner. My company, Abigail's Boutique Designs, has been reviewed here by the lovely Sadie and Jenelle.

On to the review. My son received the new Nintendo Dsi for Christmas & retiring his old ds lite to his sister. The new Dsi is very similar to the lite version but has some very nice upgrades. It has 2 cameras that are 3 mega pixels and the take a decent photo in good light. You can alter the pics with funny borders or distort the pics with 11 different lens options (one of my son's favorite features). It also has a sound recorder that you can do some fun stuff with.




The new start up menu includes system settings, game card, camera, sound, shop, download play, picto chat, and downloaded games. You do have to purchase points to use in the shop for games, music, ect. But once you purchase a browser you can surf the web. There is also a neat feature to upload your pics to facebook. You can play music on the Dsi but it will only work with AAC files so all the mp3 files you have will have to be converted with itunes or some other music editor.

A few other specs are : 
-no longer plays gameboy advance games 
-thinner making it more comfortable to grip
-replaceable battery
-removable storage device
-matte finish
-only works with Dsi charging cable


GOOD: Cost is about the same as a ds lite. Has more features to keep you busy. Great resale value. Since it has the Dsi shop you can download games straight to it so you don’t have to worry about the kids losing them.

BAD: Can only play downloaded games that are on the system so when its full you have to swap out games on cards. 

OVERALL: I would say if you're in the market for a portable game system this is a great option. However if you're upgrading a smaller child from the lite I don’t think it is worth shelling out another $169 for options that are somewhat difficult to maneuver.


Robyn is a mother and business owner and we are pleased to have her as one of our guest reviewers! Please check out her shop at this link, and let her know what you thought of her review by leaving comments below! :)

Guest Reviewers Needed!!

We need guest reviewers from NOW until our BIG Valentine's Day giveaway (more details on that later)!! For each review you complete, you will receive an extra entry into the giveaway. There will be giveaways that everyone can enter, and giveaways that ONLY guest reviewers can enter! So get those reviews in! :)

**Reviews can be positive OR negative, but we try to point out the good AND the bad in each item. Check out the reviews we have completed at 3girlsreviews.com to see examples. Reviews must be a few paragraphs long. At the bottom of the review, you need to add "GOOD, BAD, OVERALL" just like the reviews at this link: (http://3girlsreviews.blogspot.com/p/sadies-reviewed_18.html).**

YOU MAY SUBMIT MORE THAN ONE REVIEW! Each review that is accepted gives you another entry into the guest reviewer giveaway!!

All reviews should be emailed to info@3girlsreviews.com SUBJECT: REVIEW (ITEM NAME). We will email you back within a week and let you know if your review is accepted, and when your review will be posted.

If you have any questions, let us know!! And if you own a business, or are a rep for a company, let us know if you'd like to sponsor one of our Valentine's Day giveaways. There will also be a giveaway for SPONSORS only!!

Last Minute Christmas Gift - Cake in a Jar

Everyone knows about cookie mix in a jar, but what about actual CAKE in a jar? It's like a portable cupcake!


You will need:


1 pint canning jars (preferably with no necks, but any will do)
Cake mix (and all ingredients that the recipe calls for)
Butter


Directions:


Sanitize all canning jars and lids. Mix cake batter (I used red velvet) up as directed on box. Grease inside of canning jars with butter. Pour cake mix into jars 1/4 cup at a time, making 1 cup total in each jar. Be careful not to get any mix on upper part of the jars (it will burn!). Place canning jars on cookie sheet, or a pan with sides. 

Bake as directed on cake mix box, subtracting 10 minutes from total time. Place canning lids on stove 5 minutes before the cakes are set to come out. When the timer goes off, test with skewer to see if they are completely done. 


Let the cakes cool for 5 minutes (no longer). At this time you may add a spoonful of cake icing (or you can have the recipient use their own). Put (warm, from sitting on stove) lids on (careful not to screw on too tight). The lids will 'ping' as they cool. This means they are sealing. If you miss the 'ping', press on the lid. If it doesn't move at all, it's sealed. The cake will pull away from the sides of the jar slightly as it cools.


Mine aren't as pretty as they should be, because I didn't use quite a cup in each and they aren't full enough. I melted the icing and put it on top so it would drip down a bit. Nobody wants a half-iced cake in a jar!

This is where you get creative. You can add fabric to the top of the jar (wrap a rubberband or ribbon around it to keep it in place), or even add a zip-loc baggie with a plastic (or real!) fork or spoon inside. Add a little notecard to make it personal (and so people are not confused as to what's inside). The possibilities are endless -- I am using my Cricut to cut out everyone's names and then put mod podge over them to keep them in place. I will add pictures when I can (probably tomorrow).


I would love to see what you come up with.. feel free to post a link to your blog if you write about it.


Total cost: Less than $2 each.


**Unsealed cakes need to be refrigerated and eaten within a week. Sealed cakes can be frozen or stored in the refrigerator for months.**

3 Gals Quilts WINNER ANNOUNCED! :)

Please stop by 3 Gals Quilts and let her know you saw her quilt over at 3G!

Comment #27:

KatyANN said...

follow you here
qrkyjello8@yahoo.com

WINNER!

Sorry for the delay in posting the winner from Abigail's Boutique Designs giveaway. Things have been crazy around here. Don't forget to enter the 3 Gals Quilts giveaway (the post right before this one) and let us know if you'd like us to review your items! Or, if you're not sure about a shop, we will contact them to see if they're interested in a review and will let everyone know what we think! We have lots of big things coming in 2011 and are so excited to be growing this fast! We appreciate everyone's help!! Without further ado, here is the winner for the ABD giveaway:

 loveablekiki7456 said...

I posted on face book about the giveaway

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Tutties-Cuties-And-More/164623616910632

December 15, 2010 8:29 PM

BIG Giveaway & Review! 3 Gals Quilts: By Sadie

This beautiful rag quilt from 3 Gals Quilts arrived in the mail earlier this week, just in time for the super cold weather we got! It almost feels like jean material, it's just the right thickness, and obviously a lot of time went into making this quilt. 


One side...

Other side...

Also available, door stoppers! Perfect for this cold weather. BRRR!

GOOD: Put together very nicely. Great size. Shipped fast.

BAD: I do not like the color scheme, at all.

OVERALL: 4 out of 5 stars, just because I don't personally care for the colors or pattern. But if it was different, it'd get a 5 out of 5 stars. :)

Sapphire doesn't want to let it go... but this is a GIVEAWAY!!! :) So be sure to leave a comment if you want to be entered to win THIS exact quilt!!

 Giveaway ends 12/22/2010 at 9PM CST. 

Mandatory entry -- follow our blog and leave a comment with your EMAIL address.

Extra entries (leave a comment for EACH one you do):

Follow us on Facebook

Follow us on Twitter

Follow 3 Gals Quilts on Facebook

Blog about this giveaway

Tweet about this giveaway (you can do this daily)

Purchase something from 3 Gals Quilts (10 extra entries, post 10 times)

GIVEAWAY!! Abigail's Boutique Designs: Sadie's Review

My youngest daughter Sapphire fell in love with the skirt we got from Abigail's Boutique Designs. It's crazy, loud, and fits Miss Sapphire to a T! These are priced around $20, which is great for a unique, durable, hand made skirt. Sapphire has been wearing this skirt for a few weeks now and it's still holding up, which means it is definitely durable. She is my rough n tough one!

The beauty bomb we tested was HUGE. It has lasted through about 5 baths for each of my 3 girls. They just took a small chunk of it each time and used it. It smells great, and it came in a neat little bag to keep it contained. I just looked at her Etsy shop and found some regular beauty bombs - the large ones are special for the holidays. :)  

I was also able to try a sample of her highly scented soy melts. One cube made my entire kitchen and living room smell amazing. :) The shop owner, Robyn, is offering a random pack of tarts to one lucky winner that responds to this blog post!! 

I have LOTS of things that are on my wish list from Abigail's Boutique Designs! The soy candles that last a year are a must have. 4 promo soaps for $3 can't be beat! And last but not least, the shea butter lotion! YUM!

GOOD: High quality, and unique. Outstanding customer service and a very organized shop. :)

BAD: Normally the $20 price for a skirt would scare me away, but if I needed a customized one for matching (unique!) pictures, I'd definitely splurge.

OVERALL: 5 out of 5 stars!

Visit her on FACEBOOK and let her know 3 Girls sent ya! :) Or stop by and heart her Etsy shop! 

Giveaway ends 12/17/2010!


1st entry for giveaway - follow our blog and leave a comment.

PLEASE LEAVE YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS OR YOU FORFEIT YOUR PRIZE.

Extra entries:

• Follow Robyn's blog
• Fan Abigail's Boutique Designs on Facebook
• Tweet about this giveaway
• Post on Facebook about this giveaway
• Blog about this giveaway
• Make a purchase! (5 extra entries!!)

Analiese Noell: Sadie's Review

Analiese Noell bows are the best! I received three of these super cute hair accessories to review and have had them for two weeks now. They have survived through all three of my rough and tough daughters, and have passed my inspection test. Time and care are the two main ingredients in these bows - well, besides ribbon. :) Not only do I recommend these bows, I have some on my wish list!

And they don't get much cuter than this cute funky loopy bow for $10.99...

Everyone knows that I'm really picky when it comes to boutique items, and I always try to find something wrong with them, but these really are high quality hand made bows. You can tell they're not imported or wholesale, which many boutiques have started doing lately.

GOOD: Durable bows, lined clips, no glue showing, vibrant colors, great prices.

BAD: None that I noticed!

OVERALL: I definitely will be shopping with Analiese Noell in the future. 5 out of 5 stars.

Visit her shop, and fan her on Facebook for coupon codes!

First Annual 7 Days of Giveaways: The Final Winner Has Been Chosen!

 Last night was out last night in the First Annual 7 Days of Giveaways. We gave away a  BeautiControl Instant Manicure from Samantha Trevino, Independent Constultant. to one lucky randomly selected winner. Here was the result:

The winner is participant #3, Paula! Congratulations Paula. Please email us at info@3girlsreiews.com so we can get you in touch with your prize sponsor. 


That's it! Thank you to all who participated and to those businesses that were generous enough to donate to our giveaway. We hope you have a happy holiday season and a wonderful new year :)

It's here! The final night in the First Annual 7 Days of Giveaways! If you have participated before, tonight's will be pretty much the same. If you are just joining us for the first time, here are the rules:

Comment on this post to be entered into the drawing (question below in bold red). 
Only one comment per person. 
NO SPAM! (advertising your business/links/products etc) 
Winner will be chosen at random by Random.org and posted the following morning.
Game starts at 8pm central. You have until 9pm central to reply. The contest will be closed PROMPTLY at 9pm!

That's it! Pretty simple, right?

Tonight we're giving away a FREE BeautiControl Instant Manicure from Samantha Trevino, Independent Constultant.


Simply follow the instructions below to be entered to win!


Ever since that movie ''The Bucket List'' came out, I've always wanted to create a list of my own. Pick something from your lifetime to-do list and share with us why it's important to you. It can be anything you wish to talk about.

First Annual 7 Days of Giveaways: Day 6 Winner!

It's time to announce the winner from last night's giveaway!

This lucky winner will receive A Scentsy plug-in from Heather Nickless, Independent Consultant! 

And the winner is...

Comment #13 by Kelly W! Congratulations Kelly! You will receive an email shortly :)

Tonight is the final night in the giveaway. We're featuring a very generous prize from one of our most active contributors! A BeautiControl Instant Manicure from Samantha Trevino, Independent Constultant

Join us one last time, here at 3girlsreviews.com at 8pm CENTRAL to comment and win this awesome prize! 

First Annual 7 Days of Giveaways: Day 6! POST HERE

Good evening everyone! Only two more nights left of our week of awesome prizes. If you have participated before, tonight's will be pretty much the same. If you are just joining us for the first time, here are the rules:

Comment on this post to be entered into the drawing (question below in bold red). 
Only one comment per person. 
NO SPAM! (advertising your business/links/products etc) 
Winner will be chosen at random by Random.org and posted the following morning.
Game starts at 8pm central. You have until 9pm central to reply. The contest will be closed PROMPTLY at 9pm!

That's it! Pretty simple, right?


Tonight we're giving away a A Scentsy plug-in from Heather Nickless, Independent Consultant! 

 Tonight's task: Visit https://nickless.scentsy.us/Home browse around. You have ONE HOUR! Then come back here and post about a few of your favorite things from her site (either something you have tried or would like to try).

First Annual 7 Days of Giveaways: Day 5 Winner!

Drumroll please!!!

The lucky winner of the Cheetah print Baby Ballerina Slippers, size 0-12 months & a pair of Pink and Black Zebra bows from Totally Tutus, from last night, is...

Participant #5, Holly P! Congratulations Holly! I'll have your prize sponsor contact you via email :)

Tonight we're giving away an super awesome prize with a great value: A Scentsy plug-in from Heather Nickless, Independent Consultant! 

Be here at 8pm central to comment on the post labeled ''Day 6! POST HERE" to be entered to win this awesome prize!

First Annual 7 Days of Giveaways: Day 5! POST HERE

Good evening everyone! If you participated in yesterdays giveaway, tonight's will be pretty much the same. If you are just joining us for the first time, here are the rules:

Comment on this post to be entered into the drawing (question below in bold red). 
Only one comment per person. 
NO SPAM! (advertising your business/links/products etc) 
Winner will be chosen at random by Random.org and posted the following morning.
Game starts at 8pm central. You have until 9pm central to reply. The contest will be closed PROMPTLY at 9pm!

That's it! Pretty simple, right?

The prize for tonight is Cheetah print Baby Ballerina Slippers, size 0-12 months & a pair of Pink and Black Zebra bows from Totally Tutus.

Tonight's question is: are you traveling for the holidays this year? If so, what are some of your must have travel accessories that make the trip easier to bare? A certain pillow for the plane? A special game for the kids? If not, tell a little about what your plans are at home.

Monkey Fuzz Reusable Tea Bags: Ashley's Review

''Love, Hope, Joy" Cup Size Tea Bag Set-$5

I spotted these unique and adorable reusable teabags while browsing Etsy. They're designed by Monkey Fuzz and feature little metal charms on the end, instead of paper tabs like traditional tea bags. They're made from a net-type material that might be tulle, but don't quote me on that and are the perfect size for a cup of tea. She sent me three charmed cup-sized bags (set of 3 pictured above, $5) as well as a mug-sized bag and a teapot sized bag ($5). Bonus! She also sent some delicious mint tea for me to try :)

I love tea! In fact, I drink at least 2 cups a day and love all varieties. My favorite is herbal teas (depending on what I need it for it could be mint, ginger, chamomile, echinacea or any combination of wonderful herbs). Lately I've been using pre-bagged teas, but was eager to get back to brewing fresh loose tea. Now I have the opportunity to do so conveniently and with eco-friendly reusable bags!

I've only used the mug sized tea bag so far (need a smaller cup for the cup-sized bags and I don't have a teapot to use that size bag on just yet). The bag did very well in preventing any of the tea leaves from floating into the water, while still allowing for the tea to properly brew. It was easy to use (put the tea in and pull the drawstring to close) and looked decorative in my mug. Additionally, since these are reusable fabric bags, I can simply use a bit of soap and warm water to clean them if necessary. They're definitely a treat to use.

Good: They're reusable, which makes them much more environmentally friendly than conventional tea bags. They're decorative so they look pretty sitting in your mug. They're also washable, easy to use, and her customer service was great. The other items in her shop are just as adorable, so I can't wait to shop some more! She even makes Upcycled Wool Squeaky Dog Bone, $14 and Upcycled Reusable shopping Bags, $5.95 Everything is also affordable. All in all, I enjoy using them and will continue to do so.

Bad: My only concern at this point is how the smaller cup-sized bags are designed. They don't have a drawstring feature like the others to allow the bag to be closed completely when in use, however the opening is fairly small. I haven't used them yet, but my concern is that once in the water some of the tea might float out of the opening. We'll see if that actually happens when I use it though.

Interesting in seeing more? Check our her Esty Store Here!

First Annual 7 Days of Giveaways: Day 4 Winner!

Here it is! The lucky winner of the day 3 giveaway. You've won a solid stretch headband with dragonfly clip from Butterfly Wishes.

The winner for night was chosen at random using random.org. Here's the result:

The winner is participant #2, Counting My Blessings! Congratulations! Please email us at info@3girlsreviews.com to claim your prize.

Tonight is night #5 and will be held right here at 8pm Central! Stop by and participate to win a Cheetah print Baby Ballerina Slippers, size 0-12 months & a pair of Pink and Black Zebra bows from Totally Tutus.

Hope to see you here!

First Annual 7 Days of Giveaways: Day 4! POST HERE

Good evening everyone! If you participated in yesterdays giveaway, tonight's will be pretty much the same. If you are just joining us for the first time, here are the rules:

Comment on this post to be entered into the drawing. 
Only one comment per person. 
NO SPAM! (advertising your business/links/products etc) 
Winner will be chosen at random by Random.org
You have until 9pm central to reply. The contest will be closed PROMPTLY at 9pm!

That's it! Pretty simple, right?

The prize for tonight will be a solid stretch headband with dragonfly clip from Butterfly Wishes.

So, here's tonight's topic: What's your favorite holiday song? Tell us below and be entered to win!

First Annual 7 Days of Giveaways: Day 3 Winner!

Here it is! The lucky winner of the day 3 giveaway. You've won a bar of  Bee's Knees Soap from Prairie Grass Sundries.

The winner was chosen at random using random.org. Here's the result

The winner is participant #2, Zoe Hunter Lee! Congratulations Zoe! Please email us at info@3girlsreviews.com to claim your prize.
 

The next giveaway is tonight. Same time (8pm central), but due to issues regarding the Facebook promotions guidelines, it will continue to be hosted HERE at 3girlsreviews.com.The prize for tonight will be a solid stretch headband with dragonfly clip from Butterfly Wishes.

Hope to see you here!

First Annual 7 Days of Giveaways: Day 3!

Good evening everyone! If you participated in yesterdays giveaway, tonight's will be pretty much the same. If you are just joining us for the first time, here are the rules:

Comment on this post to be entered into the drawing. 
Only one comment per person. 
NO SPAM! (advertising your business/links/products etc) 
Winner will be chosen at random by Random.org
You have until 9pm central to reply. The contest will be closed PROMPTLY at 9pm!

That's it! Pretty simple, right?

The prize for tonight will be a bar of Bee's Knees Soap from Prairie Grass Sundries.

So, here's tonight's topic:What are your some favorite scents/smells? I personaly love fruits and vanilla. So sweet and relaxing! Let me know below and be entered into tonight's giveaway drawing!

First Annual 7 Days of Giveaways: Day 2 Winner!

Here it is! The lucky winner of the day 2 giveaway. You've won a Christmas Penguin Clippie from The CrowesNest.

The winner was chosen at random using random.org. Here's the result

The winner is participant #13, Holly! Congratulations Holly! Please email us at info@3girlsreviews.com to claim your prize.

The next giveaway is tonight. Same time (8pm central), but due to issues regarding the Facebook promotions guidelines, it will be hosted HERE at 3girlsreviews.com. The prize for tonight will be a bar of Bee's Knees Soap from Prairie Grass Sundries. 


Hope to see you here for another drawing

First Annual 7 Days of Giveaways: Day 2!

Good evening everyone! If you participated in yesterdays giveaway, tonight's will be pretty much the same. If you are just joining us for the first time, here are the rules:

Comment on this post to be entered into the drawing. 
Only one comment per person. 
NO SPAM! (advertising your business/links/products etc) 
Winner will be chosen at random by Random.org
You have until 9pm central to reply. The contest will be closed PROMPTLY at 9pm!

That's it! Pretty simple, right?

The prize for tonight will be a Christmas Penguin Clippie from The CrowesNest.

So, here's tonight's topic: What kind of items would you like to see 3G review? More children's toys, more clothing items, more household items..? Sound off below! You have until 9pm central :)

Just Dance 2: Sadie's Review

Some of you read my review on Just Dance for the Wii. If you haven't already, go check it out so you can easily compare the two games. :) Just Dance 2 has brand new songs from popular artists like the Pussycat Dolls and Ke$ha, as well as old favorites from Cher and Ike & Tina Turner! Just Dance 2 has over 40 songs to choose from, and I knew about half of them (just like with Just Dance). 


The little characters on the bottom of the screen did nothing but confuse us when dancing, and it was kind of hard to switch places (in duet mode) because we have such a small area to begin with, but we had a blast playing this game. 


The mix of new and old songs, fun dance moves, and "sweat" mode make this a game you will want to buy! I priced this game at my local game store and it was $50, but Amazon has it for $29! It is definitely going on my Christmas list. 


Now, more about the "sweat" mode. I love it! You choose the level you want to do, and then the game keeps track of your "sweat points" until you reach your goal! It is set up to where you work out with this game every day. Everyone knows how boring workout videos can be, so this is exactly what you need to switch it up a bit!


Good: Variety of songs, different dance modes and challenges, sweat mode, exciting graphics (you're center stage in the Pussycat Doll song), great price if purchased from Amazon. My 9 year old played the game and did well, so it's not too difficult either.


Bad: In duet mode, it gets a bit confusing. 


Overall: I give this game 5 out of 5 stars. It has everything you'd want in a workout video and video game combined! I definitely recommend it over Just Dance.


Stay tuned for Jenelle's upcoming review of Just Dance Kids!

First Annual 7 Days of Giveaways: Day 1 Winner!

Here it is! The lucky winner of the day 1 giveaway. You've won your choice of either a bottlecap necklace or a magnet from Fairy Dust Tutus.

The winner was chosen at random using random.org. Here's the result

The winner is participant #33, Priscilla Post! Congratulations Priscilla! Please email us at info@3girlsreviews.com to claim your prize.

The next giveaway is tonight. Same time (8pm central), but due to issues regarding the Facebook promotions guidelines, it will be hosted HERE at 3girlsreviews.com. The prize for tonight will be a Christmas Penguin Clippie from The CrowesNest.

Hope to see you here!

--Ashley

First Annual 7 Days of Giveaways! Sponsor List

httWe at 3G love our readers and in the spirit of giving, want to share some of our favorite things with you. Starting December 3rd, we'll be hosting a 7 Days of Giveaways Event! Join us on our Facebook page in a daily giveaway of an awesome prize. Our sponsors are listed below:

Scentsy plug-in from Heather Nickless, Independent Consultant

BeautiControl Instant Manicure from Samantha Trevino, Independent Constultant

A solid stretch headband with dragonfly clip from Butterfly Wishes WON!

Christmas Penguin Clippie from CrowesNest WON!

Bee's Knees Soap from Prairie Grass Sundries WON!

Bottle Cap Necklace or Magnet from Fairy Dust Tutus  WON!

Cheetah print Baby Ballerina Slippers, size 0-12 months & A pair of Pink and Black Zebra bows from Totally Tutus WON!

Just Dance: Sadie's Review

I gotta tell ya, even though I really enjoyed playing this game, I got bored with it really fast! Out of 32 songs, I knew maybe half of them. Out of that half, I liked about 10 or so. Eye of the Tiger, Girls Just Wanna Have Fun, and Womanizer - those songs were all played a million times while we had this game! Others, like Louie Louie and Fame, were not played at all.

Dance Off mode is awesome, but you need a lot of room to be able to dance next to each other. It was a tight squeeze for us.

This game got our whole family up and moving. My 9 year old just about mastered the game, and my girlfriend and I competed with each other and had a blast. As far as the 5 year old and 4 year old, they enjoyed it but couldn't actually keep up. They had just as much fun watching us, though. It's one of those games that everyone enjoys.

I think it would be really neat if they'd come out with a game where you can download your own music, and dance to it. Not sure if that will be possible any time in the near future, but I bet somebody is already working on it! Then the game would never get boring because you could switch the songs out after you've played them a little while.

Just Dance 2 was recently released, and we will be renting this game instead of buying it. Just Dance is just one of those games that you can love for a few weeks and then it will just sit on the shelf and collect dust. If you rent it and love it, then you can still buy it. :) There are 40+ songs on Just Dance 2, including hits by Ke$ha, Rhianna, and the Ting Tings. When viewing the song list, I knew about half of the songs just like with the first game. I'm excited to try it, but will not be rushing out to spend $50+ on a game I will most likely get bored with in a week or two.

GOOD: This game has a variety of songs. You can dance to New Kids on the Block, Britney Spears, MC Hammer, and more all on one game. I love variety! Dance off Mode was challenging, and the game definitely encourages you to move. You only have to use the controllers, instead of having to drag out the balance board and/or dance pad. Now that Just Dance 2 came out, Just Dance is only about $30 which is pretty good for a wii game. The song doesn't cut off if you miss too many beats (like with Guitar Hero and similar games), which is also nice.

BAD: After about a week, I started to get bored. I tried different modes and songs, and it kept me going for another week or two, but I think this is more of a "rental" game unless you have friends over frequently that would like to play (though you'd be great at it and they'd just be learning so I'm not sure how challenging that would be).

Overall: I will give this game 3 stars out of 5, because it is affordable.. it is fun.. and it does have variety.

Spalicity Explicity 4U: Ashley's Review

Down by the Sea Vetiver Scented Bath Salts

 

"Allow yourself time to pamper yourself!!! You know you deserve it!" says the opening sentence on the Spalicity Explicity 4U home page. So pamper myself I did! I was very excited to receive my spa-like items from this maker of natural scrubs and bath salts.

I was immediately pleased with the packaging of the samples. The jars had a nice, classy feel to them with the metal lids and white labels. I received a jar of bath salts and a jar of body scrub. I don't usually take baths (could my bath tub be any smaller? hahaha) so I decided to indulge my daughter in a deliciously scented bubble bath using some of her favorite bubble bath and the Down by the Sea Bath Salts. She LOVED how it smelled and her sensitive skin did not disagree with the product at all. Big plus there! The sample jar she sent was enough for three baths, so she was quite generous with it :)

I love sugar scrubs and the one she scent me was the perfect combination of oil and sugar to exfoliate and moisturize. I'm not sure which one it is that she sent me. The label doesn't say, but it smells of lavender and appears to be white sugar. I could be wrong, though. Whichever one it is, it smells nice and clean and exfoliates well. My skin was very soft after using it and the scents were not overpowering. Plus, the prices aren't over the top.

Overall, I enjoyed trying these products and wouldn't mind trying a couple more if I get a chance (the facial cleansing oils are intriguing and the holiday bath salts sound very nice!). My only two critics are that the labels are not complete enough for me. The ingredient listing was sparse and generic. Not specific to each product it was on (hence why I'm not sure which sugar scrub she sent me). The other thing is that the website is not all that appealing to me. It's ok, but I was hoping for something a little more aesthetically pleasing for my shopping experience.