Monday, October 25, 2010

Hoover WindTunnel T-Series Rewind Vacuum: Ashley's Review

Hoover WindTunnel T-Series Rewind Upright Vacuum, Bagless, UH70120 I purchased this vacuum earlier this year, around early April. Actually it was purchased for me by my husband as a surprise (we lost our last one in a move). He said he bought it because it was similar to our previous model and on sale--good job Jim! hahaha. The feature I immediately fell in love with was the retractable cord. Indicated by the term 'rewind' in the name, this little feature makes that simple, yet often times annoying, task of wrapping that lengthy cord around those two hooks a breeze. Simply push the foot petal and zoom! the cord rewinds into it's little storage space. Even my 4 year old gets a kick out of rewinding the cord herself. Neat right? Well, there's more:

The Good: Aside from the nifty rewind feature, this model also features a height adjustment for the roller (including a setting for bare floors), a 27-foot cord and washable filters, one of which being a HEPA. In addition, it has a system check indicator light that lets you know when the filters need to be checked or replaced (although, according to Amazon.com, the filters should not need replacing with regular care). On top of this it comes with the standard attachment accessories: crevice tool, upholstery brush, dusting tool and extension wand. Plus the canister is super easy to empty as it opens from the bottom and snaps into place with ease. Did I mention the powder button is right on the handle, within thumb's reach? Yeah this is a pretty sweet vacuum, if I do say so myself.  And it sucks great too! (in a good way)

The Bad: Not much, really. Although it's always nice to have a wet-dry vac, that's not necessarily a must and the same goes for the headlight feature that some other vacuums carry. I suppose for some the price might be an issue. We got it on sale for under $100. Regular retail price is $129, so I'd say it's moderately priced.

Overall I give this a 5 out of 5. It really is excellent for our family but we don't have pets so I cannot attest to it's performance in high-shed environments. It's a model we would purchase again, that's for sure.


If you're interested in checking it out, you can find it on Amazon.com here: Hoover WindTunnel T-Series Rewind Upright Vacuum, Bagless, UH70120

Scarborough Lane: Sadie's Review

Jenny over at Scarborough Lane has me hooked on her soy wax melts! My favorite are the birthday cupcake, lemon pucker, strawberry lemonade, and love spell type. I actually have a few more favorites, but I'll stop there and let you try them all to find your favorites. :) The scent of each wax melt we tried was unique, they melted quickly, and when I wanted to switch 'flavors', I just popped them out of the warmer and replaced it with a new one. They aren't like the ones that stay stuck in the warmer for days or even weeks until you pour them out.



Next, I'm going to try the Vacuum Scent Squares. I sniffle and sneeze when using powder carpet fresheners, so I think these will be a great alternative. And at these prices, you really can't pass them up!

The Good: Everything! These soy wax melts had the perfect blend of sugar and spice to make my entire home smell lovely. They weren't too overpowering, which is what happens sometimes with homemade melts. At under $3 on sale this week, their prices can't be beat. I was very impressed and give 5 out of 5 stars for sure!

The Bad: I want more and am going to have to wait until I use all of these to be able to justify ordering more! lol Honestly, nothing bad about them at all. I'll be ordering them as gifts as well.

Find Scarborough Lane on Facebook - they do giveaways, offer samples, and have sales quite frequently!

Homemade Gourmet: Sadie's Review

A friend on Facebook recently told me about Homemade Gourmet. I wasn't sure what to expect, but I love to cook so I was excited to try it.



Amy sent me the Homemade Gourmet® Season 'n' Steam Broccoli Beef Mix, and the Pumpkin Pie Cheesecake Mix to try. I added mushrooms to the beef and broccoli mix, and it tasted great! The kids didn't care for it too much, but Rachel and I did. :) The pumpkin pie cheesecake is something I wouldn't regularly care for, so I gave it to my mother-in-law. She was impressed and asked for the # so she could order some more items.

After looking around the website at prices, I will say they are affordable but for what you get, I don't know if it's entirely worth it. You still have to buy the meat, broccoli, and other veggies/rice/etc. So maybe for a date night, or a dinner night where you wouldn't mind spending a few extra dollars, it would be great. I suggest pairing the beef and broccoli with rice. :)

The Good: Overall, I was satisfied and will most likely order in the future because Amy made it a great experience and the mix did taste great. I can't honestly say I'd be interested in this company if it weren't for her great customer service and friendly attitude, though. I think the rep definitely makes the company here.

The Bad: It didn't make the meal any simpler or easy, just tasted better. :)

If you're interested in ordering, you can contact Amy on Facebook by visiting her fan page here or searching Homemade Gourmet Amy Lemons on Facebook. Let her know 3 Girls sent you. :)

Have you tried Homemade Gourmet? We'd love to hear your opinions on this company!

Saturday, October 23, 2010

As promised, FREE couponing e-book!!!

Download our eBook today and start saving money when you shop!

Get awesome tips and tricks to getting the most out of your coupons, local sales, rebates and more!

View online.

Friday, October 22, 2010

**Giveaway Winners**

Giveaway winners will be posted here. If you are the winner, contact the sponsor. Sponsors, contact your winners ASAP. :)

BeautiControl: Exclusive limited edition Chocolate Truffle and Raspberry Truffle Nail Lacquer from BeautiControl. Retail value $16.
Melissa Dooley

Abigail's Boutique: Custom photo bottlecap bracelet.
Michele Caney Simon

Scarborough Lane: 3 pack of melts and a hanging air freshener
Megan Mannion

Nellie Bug's: $75 e-book package
Tiffany Logan

Little Miss May: LOTS of gifts.. she will let you know which you won.
Sarah Newland
Annastacia Lopez
Michelle Charles
Tree Huggin-Momma
Jena Porcoro


Glass N Gifts: $5 gift certificate
Erin Tribe

Toadily Handmade: jelly bracelet w bottle cap; 2 surprise gifts
Curran Trimmer
Robin Sweet
Amber Andersen


Hannah Roo's: 2 sets of Bumble Bee Clips; 3 Spider Hair Clips
Sarah Newland
Nichole Jackson


B&J Originals: This
Val Wickey

The Wild Bowtique: $5 gift card
Becky Ferris

Stitches Stones N Stuff: Personalized taggie burp cloth
Laura Geddes

Fashion Creation Bows: THIS
Jennifer Lauren

Brylee's Boutique: Sm Zebra Print Rose Pen & Light Blue Rose Pen
Inisa Somier

Dips Dops And Dashes: Choice of bow (contact sponsor for info)
Darlene Pickle

LuAndEd: Trick or treat monster bag
Rachel Yates

Southern Sweetery: 1/2 pound Milk Chocolate Pecan Fudge.
Erica Pifer

Rosha's Custom Hats: Custom order hat (contact sponsor for details)
Crystal Adkins

Sandy Gram: Custom Sandy Gram (contact sponsor for details)
Nichole Jackson

Coodas Corner Boutique: custom pillowcase dress, customer picks fabrics
Melissa Weaver

Penny Pinching Polly: $5 amazon gift card
mama-nikki vosburgh

The Chic Princess Boutique: Custom Hair Bow Holder (contact sponsor for details)
Ashley Shippen Steiner

My Bella Baby: THIS
Billy N Summer Shaddix

Thirty-One Gifts by Lisa: organizing utility tote
Cynthia Bumbulsky

3 Girls Reviews: Couponing Kit
Colleen Thompson

Homemade Gourmet Consultant Amy: $10 gift certificate
Chelsei Ryan

Sweet Top Designs: contact sponsor for info
Lori Bolden

Valeria's Inspirations: Digital Package: desing a logo, business card, and fix photo and advertisement on my fb page and blog
Monica Myers

Whimsical Fairytales: This
Yamileth Nunez

Eeeme Boutique: TWO items - contact sponsor for details
Kate Meisner
Teresa Cashman Geer


Simply Elegant Boutique: 4 items - contact sponsor for details
Mellissa Oberlender
Sapsmama Powers
Kaitlan Rae Purkapile
Sharon Jones Raiber


Guy and Eva Rocks: contact sponsor for info
Missy Love

Crunchy Angel: leg warmers
Breann Loren

Purse'onally Yours: Autumn Circles Photo Clutch Wallet
Joy McCullough

Gabby's Closet: leg warmers with umbrella pattern
Anne Brookes

Tiara Tiffany's Closet: Custom flower bow
Princess Mia

Kenzy Bug Creations: red black and white bag
Elizabeth Morgan

Girlie Girl Boutique: contact sponsor for prize info
Heather Bruggman

Swirls and Sprinkles: contact sponsor for prize info
Stacey Wenzel

Fairy Dust Tutus: contact sponsor for prize info
Tiphany Gannon

Bela's Tutus & More: contact sponsor for prize info
Allison Wilson

Autey's Boutique: contact sponsor for prize info
Clinton Schenberg (dee)

Adventures in Abbyland: contact sponsor for prize info
Jessica Earl

Dee's Country Candles: contact sponsor for prize info
Jane McGill

Bebes N Beaus: contact sponsor for prize info
Candace Crimson

Cheer Baby: contact sponsor for prize info
Becky Rodriguez

Thursday, October 21, 2010

4,000 Fan Giveaway Sponsor List

Hi, everyone! :) It's me, Sadie. This is the list for Nellie Bug's 4,000 fan giveaway. Visit on Facebook: HERE. The giveaway starts at 9PM CST on Friday, October 22nd. It will continue for two hours. The game will resume on Saturday night at 9PM CST. The reason for this is that Facebook will block me if I post more than a few times a night. I have to wait 10-15 minutes between each post. With 40++ sponsors (each giving away at least one item), it's impossible to contain it to two hours. I want to be fair and give each sponsor maximum exposure. So please understand this and also understand that YOU are winning the prizes, not me, and I'm jealous. So be patient with me. lol

YOU MUST "LIKE" EACH SPONSOR'S FAN PAGE OR ANYTHING YOU WIN IS AUTOMATICALLY FORFEITED. **ANYONE WHO FOLLOWS OUR BLOG GETS AN EXTRA ENTRY!!**

"Like" each page and let them know Nellie Bug's sent you. If you like all pages, and post on the FIRST status of the giveaway, you're automatically entered to win the $75 e-book package.

SPONSORS:

**I AM POSTING THESE EARLY SO YOU CAN TAKE YOUR TIME "LIKING" THEM! I DO NOT WANT ANYONE BLOCKED BECAUSE FB THINKS YOU ARE SPAM! SO GO SLOW!!**

BeautiControl with Samantha Trevino: FAN PAGE
Abigail's Boutique Designs: FAN PAGE
Scarborough Lane: FAN PAGE
Little Miss May Boutique: FAN PAGE
Glass N Gifts: FAN PAGE
Toadily Handmade: FAN PAGE
Hannah Roo's: FAN PAGE
B&J Originals: FAN PAGE
The Wild Bowtique: FAN PAGE
Stitches Stones N Stuff: FAN PAGE
Fashion Creation Bows: FAN PAGE
Brylee's Boutique: FAN PAGE
Dips Dops And Dashes: FAN PAGE
LuAndEd: FAN PAGE
Southern Sweetery: FAN PAGE
Rosha's Custom Hats: FAN PAGE
Sandy Gram: FAN PAGE
Coodas Corner Boutique: FAN PAGE
Penny Pinching Polly: FAN PAGE
The Chic Princess Boutique: FAN PAGE
My Bella Baby: FAN PAGE
Thirty-One Gifts by Lisa: FAN PAGE
3 Girls Reviews: FAN PAGE
Homemade Gourmet Consultant Amy: FAN PAGE
Sweet Top Designs: FAN PAGE
Valeria's Inspirations: FAN PAGE
Whimsical Fairytales: FAN PAGE
Eeeme Boutique: FAN PAGE
Simple Elegant Boutique: FAN PAGE
Guy and Eva Rocks: FAN PAGE
Crunchy Angel: FAN PAGE
Purse'onally Yours: FAN PAGE
Gabby's Closet: FAN PAGE
Tiara Tiffany's Closet: FAN PAGE
Kenzy Bug Creations: FAN PAGE
Girlie Girl Boutique: FAN PAGE
Swirls and Sprinkles: FAN PAGE
Fairy Dust Tutus: FAN PAGE
Bela's Tutus & More: FAN PAGE
Autey's Boutique: FAN PAGE
Adventures in Abbyland: FAN PAGE
Dee's Country Candles: FAN PAGE
Bebes N Beaus: FAN PAGE
Cheer Baby: FAN PAGE

Wednesday, October 20, 2010

Prarie Grass Sundries: Sadie's Review




Prairie Grass Sundries says this on her Etsy page: I sell a variety of bar soaps, castile being my specialty. I also sell shredded soap, for those who like to make their own products, and my specially formulated all-natural laundry soap. Everything is made by me personally in small batches in my country kitchen. Each bar of soap is hand cut and unique. All of my products contain only natural ingredients.

I tried the Bees Knees and Stress Relief Soaps. They both have unique smells and they lather, unlike most home-made soaps I've tried. The Stress Relief soap is great, but I'll be honest: It's gonna take a whole lot more than some soap to relieve my stress! :) But it was fun to try, nonetheless. The Bees Knees soap, well, I'm in love with it. So are the kids. It has a texture and consistency like I've never seen before and it lathers up quite nicely!

Next, I want to try the laundry bar stain stick, and I can't wait for her to start selling the Facial Mask Collection & Goat's Milk Castile. Maybe she will be nice enough to send me some for another review? :)

The Good: The soaps are honestly amazing. I'm very picky when it comes to soaps, body bars, etc but I like these a lot. The kids like them, too, which is always a plus. The Bees Knees soap is very eye-catching. The company always notices it. .

The Bad: The scent of the Bees Knees soap is a bit.. different. It's something that took some getting used to. Also when these soaps were shipped to me, they were wrapped together instead of separately so it took a little bit for each to get its own smell back. I emailed the creator about this problem and she graciously accepted my criticism and said she would start wrapping them separately from now on. A++ for customer service, for sure.

Pricing: At about $5 per bar, I would say her prices are average

Buy It: Here and let her know you saw her over at 3 Girls Reviews!

My Own Iron On Art: Sadie's Reivew

So I figure it's high time I start pulling my own weight around here (and there's a lot of it - any weight-loss supplement people need a review?) and try my first review. :)



We had a t-shirt making party today using My Own Monster Lil' Monster kits. We had a blast! I honestly think I had as much fun as the kids did. I'm totally making my own next time.

The shirts are entirely too cute!! Plus, we made 4 shirts out of one package and still have some random pieces left over (yay for saving $$).



I love that she could place the pieces where she wanted them, and then I could iron them on. :)

We even made one for each of her sisters, who were super excited to act like monsters when they tried them on!




The Good: Affordable, it kept us entertained for over an hour, and was super easy.

The Bad: A few of the bigger pieces ripped, no matter how careful I was with pulling them off.

Pricing: These are priced at $5.99, which is awesome for even the cheapest cheap skate like me! We used a 40% off coupon, and our shirts were all only $1.50 each, so this was a very affordable project for everyone!

Tip:If you decide to do this craft, be sure to cut the pieces out instead of pulling them off.

Buy it at Hobby Lobby or online: My Own Monster Lil' Monster

Tuesday, October 19, 2010

Toshiba Satellite Laptop: Ashley's Review

Now, I'm not a full-on 'techie' but I know what I like, so here it goes haha:

I purchased this laptop from my local Best Buy back in March (you can also find it here on Amazon.com). I'm a business woman, so I needed something that would fit my needs. What initially attracted me to this particular model was the low price (it was actually on sale) and the 3GB of RAM (RAM = performance). In addition to that, the screen size (15.9''), Operating System (Windows 7), and built-in wireless networking were all features that further solidified my decision to buy. I had a 3 (now 4) year old, so we bought the extended warranty to be on the safe side, as well as a cooling device and a carry bag. Altogether we spent about $500.
     Once I got it home, I was immediately impressed with the ease of setup. Everything was ready to go! All I had to do was turn it on and click a few buttons. My husband, on the other hand, spent a significantly longer amount of time setting up his "fancy" (and more expensive) blue Gateway. After the setup was complete, I was ready to roll! The system came with a trial version of Microsoft Office and Mcafee Security Scan, as well as a few other bells and whistles. Overall, it was a great starting experience. I was excited to begin using my new toy :)
     The only thing I've come to dislike about my new laptop is the battery life. It seems annoyingly short (possibly even shorter than the claimed 2 hours) and I have to keep it plugged in often. This could be due to my heavy usage, so I haven't held that completely against it. It's fast (at least for me), easy to navigate, and I really like some of the new features that Windows 7 has to offer (like being able to position two windows side-by-side). I don't watch many videos or play much music (except through my online playlist), and I certainly don't do any fancy graphic design (Photo Pos Pro, anyone?). If any of that is important to you, I would suggest finding something a little more advanced.
     Don't get me wrong, this may not be the most high-end, souped up computing device out there but it gets the job done and done well. The fact that I am able to easily use (or figure out) its features makes it a top-notch product in my book.

So, I give it 5 out of 5 stars for its category (practical computing).

St. Ives Whipped Silk Body Lotion: Ashley's Review

I purchased this lotion in a pinch at a local grocery store. The label boasted 'silky smooth skin' and regular use will 'prevent over-dry skin from recurring'. Ummm...not! Now, to be fair, I have extremely dry skin (seriously, the Mohave Desert is jealous of my dry) so it usually takes breaking out the big guns when it comes to keeping my skin hydrated. HOWEVER, this was during the summer and my skin wasn't *quite* as dry then, so I figured it would do--again, in a pinch. So I decided to give it a whirl. 

The Good: At about $5 a bottle, it's affordable. You also get a substantial amount: 18oz and the pump top bottle makes it user friendly. It also smells nice. Not too perfumy and the fragrance isn't lingering. Clean and pleasant, I'll say. That's where the 'good' ends. 

The Bad: It didn't moisturize NEARLY as well as I'd hoped (and I really wasn't expecting much to begin with). It basically felt like putting water on my skin (really, my skin was 'wet' immediately after application). Once I dried off, I was dried out. If you have oily or even slightly-oily normal skin, this could be for you. Otherwise, find something else. Plus, it's not natural and that's my preference when I have a choice (again, I was in desperate need of SOMETHING at the time).

The Ugly: I give this product a 2 out of 5 stars. Unless you have that rare oily-in-the-winter skin type, then it could easily by a 4. If you do happen to be one of those types, you can find it online here: St Ives Softening Whipped Silk Body Lotion 18oz or in most any grocery, drug or big-box retail store.

Monday, October 18, 2010

Guy & Eva Rocks: Jenelle's Review


I received this groovy necklace from Guy & Eva Rocks for my 9th birthday! At first when I opened the envelope, I just saw a card so I was sad. But I unwrapped the bubble wrap and saw this super cool necklace and had my mom put it on me right away! The design is really unique, which is what makes me love it. I like that their prices are affordable and that they carry jewelry that even someone my age would like to wear.

Also, it's durable. I took the trash out, played outside for a few hours, and even rolled a huge tire down the hill - and it's still in one piece. Amazing!

If you are looking for something from their collection, I recommend the Casey Necklace. It's going to be featured in InStyle magazine soon!



This is something I would love to get, but it's also something my mom would wear (and she doesn't do jewelry)!

"LIKE" them on Facebook by clicking here and let them know you saw them over at 3 Girls Reviews!

They are being featured this Friday during the 4,000 fan giveaway over at Nellie Bug's. Visit for your chance to win!

I give Guy & Eva 5 out of 5 stars - very affordable, durable, and stylish for even the odd ball girls like me. Plus, the lady was really nice. :)

Sunday, October 17, 2010

Fur Real Newborn Parrot - Jenelle's Review


Today I got a Fur Real Pet. I have had the bear before, and my sister had the monkey, but the parrot is definitely the cutest. It makes chirping noises and moves around when you feed it. The only bad part is when you go to turn it off or on, it's difficult to do because of where the button is located. It's in between its feet and I'm afraid I will break the feet when I'm switching it off or on.

I like that the parrot can sit on my finger or arm. You can usually pet the Fur Real pets to make them make noises, but the only way to get this one to 'talk' is by pretending to feed it.

We got ours at Wal-Mart for $10 so be sure to shop around for the best deal!

4 out of 5 stars (affordable, cute, fun, but hard to turn off/on and replace batteries).

~*Jenelle*~

Zhu Zhu Pet Rock Star Edition - Jenelle's Review



I got the Zhu Zhu pet Kingston and the Ramp & Spiral Slide for my 9th birthday this weekend. It's my first Zhu Zhu pet and I really like it, but Kingston is hard to understand. The slide is fun to play with and he rides down it really easily. You have to set it up on a hard surface or it will fall over (trust me!). Kingston fell off the kitchen table a few times and was fine, so he is very durable. That is important to me because I have two little sisters that like to break things.I like these toys and definitely want to try more!

Overall, 4 out of 5 stars (affordable, durable, cute, and fun - but hard to understand when he talks).

You can get your own Zhu Zhu Pets at Wal-Mart for only $9.

~*Jenelle*~