Hershey's Bake, Share & WIN Sweepstakes!

Bake, Share & WIN with Hershey's!

ENTER HERE

Enter Hershey's Bake, Share, and Win Sweepstakes for your chance to win a $20,000 KitchenAid appliance makeover, or one of ten pairs of KitchenAid stand mixers. (You get to share this prize with a friend!)

Are you getting Cozy with Cozi yet?

Earlier this month I talked about Cozi, the online organizer for the family.  It's free and it's awesome!  You can keep in sync with the entire family on birthdays, activities and even doctor appointments!  One of my favorite things on Cozi is their Journaling feature.  I was looking through some entries and here's my very first one: (I'm so thankful I wrote this down! I never would have remembered it otherwise!!) 

Jacob was 8 and Nolan's 6:

June 8, 2008
I baked banana bread today from the bananas that were starting to get a little too brown.  Later on, Nolan and Jacob brought me a big piece on a plate.  Jacob was acting a little strange and kept hanging around the couch asking me about the 5 second rule and "how it was ok to have things drop on the floor when it was under 5 seconds..."  Finally I said, "Yes, your dad follows the 5 second rule...why?" He looked a bit relieved and replied, "Well, at least your piece of bread was under 5 seconds on the floor." Never mind that I had been eating some of it while he's explaining this!! He must have seen the look on my face because he followed it with, "Well, not all of the bread fell on the floor."  Oh good!  I popped the rest into my mouth and as he walked away I heard him say to Nolan, "Only that one piece."   WHAT?! 

Free Entrance Days in Your National Parks SATURDAY!!

Free Entrance Days in Your National Parks

America’s Best Idea – the national parks – gets even better this year with several fee-free days at more than 100 national parks that usually charge entrance fees*.

Mark your calendar for fee-free days this year:

• 
  
  April 17-25, 2010
  (National Park Week)
• 
  
  June 5-6, 2010
• 
  
  August 14-15, 2010
• 
  
  September 25, 2010
  (Public Lands Day)
• 
  
  November 11, 2010
  (Veterans Day)

GET OUT AND GET SOME FREE FRESH AIR!

Weekend Project For You! MEDITERRANEAN THANK YOU'S

"MEDITERRANEAN THANK YOUS"

DESIGNED BY: Craft Marketing Connections, Inc.
SKILL LEVEL: Intermediate
TIME TO COMPLETE: 1-3 hours
APPROPRIATE FOR: Thank You's and other Note Cards
PROJECT TYPE: Cardmaking

SUPPLIES NEEDED:

• Elmer's® Products, Inc.:
  
  • CraftBond™ Extra Strength Glue Stick
  • CraftBond™ Glue Tape Runner, Permanent
  • CraftBond™ Foam Mounting Tape
  • CraftBond™ Glue Spots, Thin-small
  • CraftBond™ Glue Spots, 3D PopUp-medium
  • CraftBond™ Quick Dry Glue Dualtip Pen
  • CraftBond™ Gel Pens
  • X-ACTO® Designer 12" Rotary Paper Trimmer
  • X-ACTO® Designer 6" Precision Tip Scissors
  • X-ACTO® Designer Corner Rounder Punch
  • X-ACTO® Scallop Pack Decorative Edge Scissors
  • X-ACTO® Designer Circle Cutter
• Five 12" x 12" coordinating scrapbook papers (or double-sided papers), orange/blue
• Four black "Thank You" rub-ons
• Ten orange 1/8" gemstones
• Three black 1/16" gemstones
• 10" length of 1/4" wide decorative, blue trim
• 5/8" buttons: two blue, one orange
• 1/4" white brad

PROJECT DIRECTIONS:

1. Use X-ACTO® Designer 12" Rotary Paper Trimmer to cut four 8 1/2" x 5 1/2" pieces. Fold into four cards measuring 4 1/4" x 5 1/2".
2. Refer to photo for embellishing cards using one or more of the following techniques, as desired.
   
   • Cut various rectangles of coordinating paper and use CraftBond™ Permanent Glue Tape Runner to attach.
   • Use X-ACTO® Designer Corner Rounder Punch to round edges on rectangles.
   • Trim edges with X-ACTO® Decorative Edge Scissors.
   • Tear along edges of rectangles to expose white paper inside for distressed look.
   • Apply rub-on words to rectangles according to manufacturer's instructions.
   • Double mount pieces, creating dimension by using CraftBond™ Foam MountingTape.
   • To make the flower, use X-ACTO® Designer Circle Cutter to cut three circles: 1 1/2", 2" and 2 1/2" in diameter. Tear 1/4" off edges. Layer circles and insert brad into center. Bend circle edges upward.

Refer to photo to assemble cards using the adhesives above as well as the following products:

• Use X-ACTO® Designer 6" Precision Tip Scissors to cut fabric trim to correct length and attach to card using CraftBond™ Extra Strength Glue Stick.
• Use Craft Bond™ Glue Spots Thin-small to attach buttons to card.
• Use Craft Bond™ Quick Dry Glue Dualtip Pen to attach gemstones to cards.
• Attach flower to front of card using Craft Bond™ Glue Spots, 3D PopUp medium.
• Use CraftBond™ Gel Pens to write message inside cards.

ELMER'S/X-ACTO CAMPAIGN: My Son's First Project

News Alert:

Unfortunately, by the time I posted the this, the boat had shipwrecked itself and now there's a bunch of flotsam and jetsam floating about our house!  RIP little boat!

Get Your FREE Sandwich At Starbucks!

YUM!!  For a limited time at Starbucks you can get a FREE Artisian Breakfast Sandwich when you sign up for My Starbucks Rewards. – It’s Easy.  You can get a lot of other goodies too with your Rewards Card! 

 
Offer for a FREE Artisan Breakfast Sandwich ends September 28th so hurry!

**WIN 2 $500 Walmart Gift Cards & More!**

Enter to win this crafting suitcase worth $220 in Elmer's/X-ACTO products AND (2) $500 gift cards to Walmart!!  10 Runner-up winners will recieve (1) $25 gift card to Walmart.

ENTER HERE

Sweepstakes ends 12/30/10.  One entry per person.  

Elmer's CraftBond & X-ACTO Tester Kit Is IN!!

Yaaay!  My Elmer's CraftBond & X-ACTO kit is in and it's time for me to test this bad boy out!  There are many things I want to do with these items like birthday cards, kids projects, and of course pull out my fat box of pictures and get them into their designated scrapbooks!!  I'm going to feature a craft a week as well as the items individually.  Here is what my bzzkit included:  (Time to get busy, don't 'cha think?!)

• 2 pairs of X-ACTO Decorative Edge Scissors
• 1 X-ACTO Corner Rounder Punch
• 1 Elmer's CraftBond Permanent Tape Runner
• 1 Elmer's CraftBond Clear Glue Pen
• 1 Elmer's CraftBond All-Purpose Glue Stick
• An assortment of glue spots

"Wasn't I A Good Mother?!" (True Story)

I use a wonderful (free) site called Cozi.  I have been a member for three years and it has been one of the best discoveries I've made online.  I can make a grocery list or to-do list and send it straight to my phone when I go to the store.  There are many more features but what I love most is that I can journal my day so I don't lose any memories I've had with the kids, my friends and family members.  We all have had a funny or endearing moment that we want to remember forever and Cozi is such a great place to store those memories and the best part is, you won't ever lose the paper you wrote it on!!  It's all online!   Here is a recent entry taken from my journal.  It really happened exactly as written.  Tell me...should I be worried?

Monday, September 6, 2010

Today is Labor Day and the kids had the day off from school.  Nolan wanted to play a game so he selected Monopoly.  He didn't want to play regular 'ole Monopoly, however.  We were going to play using some Littlest Pet Shop figures instead of the traditional game pieces. 

Asya was kicking everybody's booty by buying up property after property.  She had 8 or 9 by the time we'd gone around 3 times!! She was banker so I began to wonder if she was skimming off the top...

Nolan, aka Mr. Krabs, was being VERY conservative with his money. He'd buy property here and there but wouldn't break the $500 bill for anything!!

Jake was also buying as much property as he was able to AND got to collect $50 from everyone when he landed on Chance, which made him very happy!

I bought a few properties myself and was completely broke by then and couldn't pay him the $50.  On top of it all, I had just landed on one of his properties which was $18 in rent.  Here's our conversation:

Jake: "Ok, Mom. You own me a total of $68." (sticks his hand out)
Me: "I can't, I'm out of money until I go around again."
Jake: "Oooh, Mom! You're on debt!"
Me: "Actually, I'm IN debt."
Jake: "I see you have money there." (spying over the board at my very small pile of cash)
Asya: "Jake! It's only $8!!"
Jake: "She owes $68, so if she gives me the $8 she'll only have to owe me $60."
Me: "I STILL HAVE TO EAT!"
Nolan: "I'll pay it for you."
Asya: "No, I'll pay it."
Me: "No, thanks guys, but I'll pay it when I go around again."  (Giving him the 'mom eye')
Jake: "I'm just trying to keep you out of jail!...(sigh) I'll go get a paper to write down your debt."
Me: "I'm just a poor widow who needs to eat!"
Jake: "Look, If you give me your $8, I'll be helping you make your debt go down. That way you can eat sooner."
Me: "Jake, can't you just wait until I go around again and get the $200?"
Jake: "Ok...but I'm just trying to keep you from going to jail!"
Me: "Since when do I have to go to jail for having debt in Monopoly?!!!"
Jake: "I'm pretty sure you will have to."
Nolan: (freaked out by now) "Here, I'm going to pay it! Take it, Mom!" (He obviously cares about his poor mom going to jail!)
Me: "No, Nolan, keep your money. I'll just be in debt for a little while."
(Jake gets up and gets a paper to write down my debt...we keep playing.  Asya lands on Free Parking, wins $230 in the pot.)
Asya: "Here Jake, here's your $68. Mom's now free from debt."
Jake: "Thank you. Mom, you're free. No jail."
Me: "Thanks, Asya. I'll pay you back. (Peering at Jake) So glad I don't have to go to jail, son."

(Jake smiles, completely unaware that I was being sarcastic)
Asya: "No, I want to do that for you. And here (puts the rest of the money in a pile by me) This is your emergency fund. Take from it when you need to."
Me: "Aw, thanks, honey!! You can take from it too if you need it!"
Asya: (shrugging) "Ok."

We continue playing and Asya wipes us all out. 

NEW CAMPAIGN! *Elmer's CraftBond & X-ACTO*

Elmer's CraftBond & X-ACTO

Well, I'm excited!!  I have a new campaign that I'm starting soon.  It's for Elmer's CraftBond & X-ACTO.  I haven't had any really good crafting opportunities lately and now that Halloween is coming up along with school projects, birthday parties, etc., I will have more tools to help me!  

You can get great crafting tips at their website.  I saw one for a neat looking vacation keepsake box!

WIN a Ziploc Variety Box!!

Win a Ziploc Variety Box

What's your favorite or best Ziploc tip?

 

Simply share your favorite way to use Ziploc bags and you are automatically entered to win!! 

ENTER HERE

Horizon Milk Boxes *Other Uses...Can You Think Of More?*

The kids were pleasantly surprised to find MILK boxes in their lunch bags instead of the normal juice boxes.  I decided to freeze them a little so by the time lunch rolled around they'd be nice and cold still.  They loved it!!  They still want their juice bags of course, but this was a nice change of pace for them.  I wanted to come up with other ideas for these single served (very convenient) milk boxes.  Below are a few ideas.  Can you think of more?

• Lunch boxes or bags
• Play dates
• Long car trips
• Shopping trips
• Movie theatre (you'd have to sneak it in of course...oh, like you wouldn't!)
• Sporting events

What else?

NEW CAMPAIGN!! *Horizon Organic Single Serve Milk!*

I am testing Horizon's newest product: Organic Single Serve in a 3-pack.  The kids usually get juice bags in their lunches and this will help switch up the monotanity of ho-hum lunches and after school snacks.

I have some $1 off coupons to share!  Let me know if you'd like them!  First come, first served (milk, that is!)

Garnier's Blow Dry Perfector Fifth Wash

Results for Garnier's Blow Dry Perfector are pretty much the same at 5 washes out of 7.  Hair is smooth when wet but frizzy and straw textured when dry.  I am going to stop posting my results because they aren't accurate since I applied it to my chemically damaged hair despite the warnings not to (didn't see the warnings until after, my fault).



My 13 year old is going to start school in a few days and I'm going to use this product on her hair. She has gorgeous untouched hair (no color or relaxants) and I'll be able to gain a better prospective of how this product works since it will be applied to fresh hair.  I'll also take pictures of the back of her hair and post them.  She's a very willing participant!!

Garnier's Blow Dry Perfector Fourth Wash

Believe it or not, the silky feeling is still there after washing it.  The smell seems to be fading however the crunchy texture of my hair is not improving.  I don't know if it's been enhanced due to the product or if it's just damaged and I'm paying more attention to it.  Either way, my hair feels silkier when I use a heat source to style it.

L'Oréal® Paris Collagen Micro-Pulse™ VS. Night time wrinkles

Like most of my friends, I'm concerned with derma lines from sleeping on my side or stomach.  I always go to bed on my back with the best intentions of waking up the same way...but darn it! I'm scrunched up like a baby on my side with my knee drawn up. And my face?  All scrunched up too! So since I can't stop myself from sleeping on my side, I'm going to buy a satin pillowcase like Kelly Rippa (and my grandma) suggested. Kelly's hairstylist urged her to switch to satin pillowcases only to maintain beautiful hair and skin.

So, yes, I'm in the market for a lovely satin pillowcase that will match my bedding and in the meantime, I'll keep using L'Oreal's Collagen Micro-Pulse eye cream every night. I've noticed that even with all my tossing and turning (I'm an active dreamer....I get my best story ideas in my sleep) the eye cream hasn't rubbed off completely and there's still a healthy layer remaining!  Love it!

Garnier Blow Dry Perfector Third Wash

This marks the third wash out of seven for Garnier's Sleek & Shine Blow Dry Perfector and I can still feel the product in my hair.  I can still smell it a little when it's wet and the shower is steamy.  It now smells like an old perm rather than nasty rotten drain (I'll take perm smell any day over that!).   My hair still feels very nice to the touch when it's wet and feels great after it's dried and flat ironed.  I'm not liking how my ends feel really crunchy still.  I re-read the directions and it pretty much warns not to use on damaged hair. 

Warnings:



Important - Read Before Purchasing: Do not use on hair that is damaged. Due to chemical processes such as bleaching, highlighting, relaxing with lye or no-lye. Do not use on hair that is breaking, splitting or otherwise damaged. Do not use if you have already had a reaction to this product. Do not use if you have an irritated or damaged scalp. Do not use on relaxed hair. Wait at least 14 days after coloring, bleaching, highlighting, or perming before using this product. Read and follow instruction sheet completely before using. Instruction sheet contains important safety information. Wear gloves provided in kit. This product contains cysteine. Avoid contact with eyes. In case of contact with eyes, rinse immediately ant thoroughly with water and consult a doctor. Keep out of reach of children. Read and Follow the insert.

Of course I totally missed the part where it says do not use on hair that is damaged...first stinking sentence.  All I saw was wait at least 14 days after coloring and it had been 6 weeks for me.  I guess it pays to always read the directions COMPLETELY, huh? 

NIOXIN HAIR CARE: First Day

As you know, this is the moment I've been waiting for!!  I've been so excited to test out the Nioxin Hair line for thinning hair.  Yes, my husband and hairstylist think I'm totally insane but I feel my hair fallign out with each shower and through out the day.  The "100 hair per day" rule of thumb doesn't calm my nerves.  I like having a full head of hair.  That doesn't make me vain!!

Ok, my experience has been lovely.  I wish I could pop over to everyone's house and squirt some of this stuff into your hands while you're in the shower (I'd cover my eyes, I pinky swear I would!). 

This is a 3 step system that claims to deliver essential nutrients onto the scalp which improves the appearance of thinning hair and creates an environment for fuller, healthier looking hair.


The Nioxin Cleanser smelled of a really pleasant minty menthol scent and I had NO idea of how wonderful it would feel on my scalp.  I felt like I had a million peppermint fairies blowing all over my head!!  The lather was very rich and satisfying and my scalp just felt great.
 
I followed with the Nioxin Therapy (conditioner).  This product ALSO smelled like menthol and left my scalp tingling like crazy.  I think the conditoner tingled more than the shampoo!!  I literally did not want to rinse my hair!!  I loved the way it felt. 
 
But, alas!  I finally rinsed and followed it with NIOXIN Scalp Treatment.  This is a daily leave-in scalp treatment that delivers essential botanicals, nutrients, antioxidants and vitamins onto the scalp and hair to help safeguard against residues and DHT buildup on the scalp.  It was hard not rinsing it out as I'm used to doing.
 
My scalp felt great all day and my hair itself was very soft and manageable.   
 
 

L'Oréal® Paris Collagen Micro-Pulse™ VS. The Fridge

Ok.  Here's an update on what I've experience so far with L'Oréal® Paris Collagen Micro-Pulse™.  I've been using it now for a few weeks and I still like it a lot.  I decided to experiment a little and put the "pen" in the refrigerator to make it cold before I put it on.  Oh my gosh!  I wish I could do that for all over my body on these hot summer days...especially my poor feet!!  Maybe L'Oreal will come out with something for the feet?  Hmmmm...I should demand royalties if they do!!

Garnier Blow Dry Perfector 2nd Wash

It's the second wash of seven after using Garnier Fructis Sleek & Shine Blow Dry Protector and I have to say that after I washed it and before I conditioned it, it felt slippery and silky.  It never feels that way after a wash.  Normally, when I wring the water out, it feels like my hand skids over my hair because it is so clean but this time it just glided over.  That's a good sign!!  I didn't flat iron my hair today I just dried it with a hair dryer.  My hair feels nice but it's still a little frizzy.  That's not the products fault.  My hair was unhealthy to begin with.