Toy Tuesday: Review of Crayola No Drip Paintbrush Pens

Happy Toy Tuesday readers! (yes I know it is Thursday...lets just pretend) Today I am reviewing the no drip paintbrush pens from crayola. These handy little things are filled with paint and have a paint brush tip with a cap to keep the paint from drying out. They come in five lovely colours. I purchased these for my daughter a few months ago so that my kids could paint pictures for their Dad for his birthday.

They are very easy to use and there is no mess. They don't drip and because of the design, there is no overuse of the paint (this is a problem at my house) and they therefore last through alot more pictures than you would think. The colours are bright and dry quickly. The brush has a fine tip and is easy to control so kids can make exactly what they want. Because each colour has it's own brush there is no need for water. The paint is washable and comes off of clothing and the table. My daughter's only complaint was that there is not enough colours. Dad loved his paintings and the kids were very proud of their work.

Overall, a great product! I love the lack of mess and the kids love that I let them paint more often now. I give them 5 out of 5. I look forward to seeing more colours available in the future.

Mommy Monday Review: Marcelle Hydra-C Hydrating Fluid

As I am very behind with the blog this week, it seems only fitting that on Thursday I would be writing the Mommy Monday review. Doesn't it seem like there are weeks that Mommy time is put WAAAAY on the back burner? Well, here we are! Today I am looking at the Marcelle Hydra-C Hydrating fluid. The website for Marcelle describes this lotion as, "a light non-comedogenic lotion that quenches moisture-starved skin all day long." (the rest of the blurb can be read at http://www.marcelle.com/Produits/Soins-de-la-peau/Par-gamme/Hydra-C/Soins-hydratants/Fluide-hydratant-24H-Hydra-C-ComplexE.aspx) I personally bought this product a little over a month ago when I was having some issues with my skin. I had a very oily t-zone and extremely dry (to the point that it was wrinkly) cheeks. I went to my local Shopper's Drug Mart and spoke the the cosmetics lady. She checked my skin with a handy dandy wand that measures the moisture in my skin. She told me that my skin was dehydrated and recommended this lotion.

The first thing I noticed about using this product is that it absorbs into the skin quickly. Since I started using it my skin has become soft and smooth. I no longer have little wrinkles on my cheeks from the dry skin. My skin feels healthy. The lotion has no smell and is hypo-allergenic. A small bottle is $19.95 and lasts for about 3 months. I will buy this again. I give it 4.5 out of 5 (half a point docked for price).

Foodie Friday (just a smidge on the late side)-Review of Just Bunches Cereal

So it's Tuesday and I am writing last weeks food review. Sorry. Anyways, today I am taking a look at one of the newer cereals from Post for all you cereal fans (hi Jenn!). Just bunches is like Honey Bunches of Oats without the flakes. Like it says, it's "Just Bunches". This idea intrigued me as I am one of those people who like to pick out the bunches and eat them on their own cause they are so good.

The cereal comes in caramel and honey roasted flavours. I found the caramel flavour nice but a little too sweet for breakfast. The honey roasted flavour is just right. It is crunchy and tasty and stays so in milk! It is a dense cereal so the 2/3 of a cup serving size is perfect. That serving packs 26o calories without the milk, 7 grams of fat, 14 grams of sugar, 4 grams of fibre and 5 grams of protein. You can find the rest of the nutritional info at this website along with coupons. http://www.postcereals.com/honeybunchesofoats/

Overall, this is a tasty cereal with a few too many calories and grams of fat and sugar for me to use in regular rotation. However, I have found a new favorite snack food! I give it 3 out of 5 as a cereal (points docked for fat, calories, sugar). But I give it 5 out of 5 as a snack food (it is a whole grain product that is high in fibre and a good source of protein!

House Hold Product Thursday: Reveiw of Febreze Home Collection Flameless Luminaire

Hello Reader! Today I am reviewing the Febreze Home Collection Flameless Luminaire in the Green Tea and Citrus scent. The idea behind this product is to provide a pretty, candle like glow, without the candle. What you get is a base that is a light on which you place the shade which is what holds the scent. (see picture)
The shade is quite pretty and the scent is light and natural, never overpowering. The dark wood look base is nice and it looks like a decorative piece for your house. As someone who is currently trying to sell their house, I find this is an attractive way to make my home smell nice. The price is high, I'm not going to lie to you. The starter kit costs $11 to $12 at most stores. I would never pay that much for an air freshener. But, I have found a website with great coupons. http://www.save.ca/english/coupons.php This website regularly carries Febreze coupons and I got one for $5.00 off this product! Just request the coupons you want and give them your address and they send them to you. Easy peasy.
I really love the smell of this product and I like that it is pretty too. I give it 4 out of 5 (one point docked for price)

Toy Tuesday-Only Hearts Club Girls

Happy toy Tuesday to you! Today I am looking at the Only Hearts Club Girls collection of dolls.
I purchased the red headed doll named Olivia Hope for my daughter after she did a great job in
Kindergarten. Only Hearts dolls are 9" tall tween dolls that are dressed modestly and built realistically. They have soft bodies and brushable hair and are shaped the way a child who is 11 or 12 would be. Their faces are pretty without being overly made up and they have sparkly glass eyes. Each doll comes with a bio of what her interests are. For example, my daughter's doll likes horses and spending time in the stable caring for her horse Missy. The website for the Only Hearts club girls says, "The Only Hearts Club™ consists of a diverse group of bright, cute and energetic young girls - Taylor Angelique, Karina Grace, Olivia Hope, Briana Joy, Lily Rose, Anna Sophia, Kayla Rae and Hannah Faith - who live in the same community and have formed the Only Hearts Club™ in a bond of true friendship and with a pledge to one another to listen to their hearts and be nice to others.".
My daughter loves to play with her doll and hopes to get another one for Christmas. I personally like the dolls because they are giving a positive message of doing the right thing and being kind to others, as well as portraying a healthy body image that some other dolls like Barbie do not always do. I also like that they have cute, age appropriate clothing. Clothes can also be purchase separately and are well made. These dolls are similar in price to a Barbie doll (approximately $15 to $2o depending on the store and what the doll comes with).
I whole heartedly endorse these toys and therefore give them a 5 out of 5! (yes folks, it's my first perfect score!)

Mommy Monday: Review of Always Infinity

It's Mommy Monday and it's time to review something just for the Mom's!! Today I am going to review a new product by Always. Always Infinity is the newest ultra thin pad in the Always family. The website and advertisements for this new product state that due to the new Infinicel core, the Always Infinity provides "powerful absorbency" and a dry top sheet. It has wider wings that move with you and a fast absorbing core that prevents leaks.

I gave them a try last month (I used the regular and heavy ones). They are a little more expensive than the old ones. There is however a coupon in the free sample-follow the link below. The first thing you notice when you take them out of the box is that they are squishy (like memory foam). They have no scent. They are very comfortable and do not have the plastic on the back like most. I looked at the first one and realized that they have these things that look like holes in them. You can see through the pad! I thought to myself that there was no way these would work.

Despite my concerns. They did! The liquid is drawn down to the bottom of the bad away from you. They stay dry. I used the heavy ones for nighttime because I forgot to buy the overnights. They worked like a charm and them was no leaks!!!

The website currently has a free sample button. So if I have not convinced you of their greatness, give them a try for yourself! http://www.always.com/infinity/always_infinity.jsp#/be-the-magic

These made being a woman a little more bearable. I give them 4.5 out of 5 (half a point docked for price)

Foodie Friday: Quaker Granola Bites Review

I know, it's Monday and I am just now posting Friday's review....sorry 'bout that. Things got busy in our household! Anyhew, today I am going to review Quaker Granola Bites-chocolate. There are two other flavours for those who do not enjoy chocolate-peanut butter and cinnamon. These snacks come in a box of 6 packets of granola bites.
Granola bites are small, round snacks that are crunchy, but not too crunchy. They taste like a granola bar but without the stickiness. Nutritionally, they have 90 calories per packets with 3.5 grams of fat (2 grams saturated fat), 2 grams of fibre, 2 grams of protein, 6 grams of sugar and 30 mg of salt. They are tasty little things with just the right amount of bites per bag. My children enjoyed them (but the 2 year old needed them cut in half because they are large enough to choke a small child) and asked for them again the next day. The chocolate flavour is nice without being too overpowering. They are marketed as a healthy snack, but I still consider them more of a treat. with 6 grams of sugar and a third of the calories coming from fat, I think these are more of an occasional treat in our house.
These are tasty, but still not that great for you. I give them a 3.5 out of 5. (points deducted for saturated fat and sugar content)

Thursday Household items: Review of Chore Boy Soap Pads

I am always looking for items to clean my home that don't put harmful chemicals into the air. So one day at our grocery store I saw these two packs of Chore Boy soap pads (green apple scented). They seems pretty safe and cheap so I picked them up! They are made of plastic and are safe on most surfaces, they have a nice scent and rely on your arm power to do the job!
I tried them out on my stove top, after spaghetti night, to get the splashed on spaghetti sauce off. They worked like a charm! Each pad works for about 4 full cleanings of your kitchen (sinks, counters, table, stove top, pots and pans) before running out of soap. At our grocery store, you get two for $1.97. I have found they are also very helpful in cleaning out the bathtub and sink area in the bathroom.
I guess the only downfall of this product is that if you use them on counters and stove tops you need to use a cloth to rinse and dry the area. But overall, I love them. They are simple, cheap and effective.
I give them 4.5 out of 5. (half point docked for needing to rinse afterwards)

Want to know more about them? http://www.choreboyscrubbers.com/nonmetal.htm

Wednesday-whatever day-Review of CoverGirl Outlast Lipstain

So I was looking for a sheer lip colour that would stay on my lips longer and was light and not sticky-enter CoverGirl Outlast lipstain. Covergirl's website describes this product as "Innovative lipstain formula delivers precision application and a lightweight flush of color that lasts. ". I say it looks like a marker for your mouth.

Have you ever looked at your child's Crayola markers and thought, I would like to put that on my mouth? Me neither. But, for some reason, I thought that this product would not be like that. Wrong.

First of all, it has a tip exactly like a marker. You must be very accurate to make it look like your mouth (something I am not very skilled at apparently). With my first attempt I gazed at myself in the mirror and marvelled at how much I looked like I had drawn my mouth on and it does not go on evenly so one develops the appearance of having a blotchy lip problem. The flavour is nice... But, it does not stay on all that long (thank goodness considering I looked like my makeup was done by my toddler) so you will be tasting it alot!

Overall, this is a nice idea that needs a better execution. I give it 1 out of 5. Do yourself a favour, save your money.

Tuesday Toy day! Review of Martian Matter Alien Maker

I have a six year old girl. Although the marketing of Hasbro's Martian Matter Alien Maker seems to lean towards boys, she really wanted this toy. So we finally caved and she is now the proud owner of the Martian Matter Alien Maker spaceship. What you receive when you buy it is a set of 14 half molds that you combine to make a custom made alien. from there you click the two halves together and push them into a playdoh base that creates an indent of the alien. The child fills the indent with a gel/goo compound and tops it with another layer of playdoh and a few minutes later you have a gel alien! The aliens are around an inch and a half tall and if you keep them in their space bubbles they won't dry out for a few days.

We have had this toy now for a few months and my daughter still enjoys using it! It encourages the child to be creative and use their imagination. The age recommendation of 5 and up is right on. I would think that kids right up to 10 or 11 would still be entertained with it. Children under 3 should not use it due to the small parts and choking hazards. It can be quite messy and so a drop cloth should be used. The gel/goo compound is brightly coloured and can stain some surfaces.

Overall, a fun product I would recommend. I give it 4.5 out of 5 (half a point docked for messiness)

If you would like to know more about this product, here's the website! http://www.hasbro.com/martianmatter/en_us/

Mommy Monday!!! Review of: Venus Spa Breeze Razor

I was desperately needing a new razor. I had been using a disposable razor, that sucked to begin with, for way too long. As I wandered through the sea of razors at our local Shopper Drug Mart, I noticed the Venus Spa Breeze. I was very pretty and promised me smooth skin. I was feeling quite vulnerable to advertising that day and so I purchased it! For the $14.00 price tag I received one very pretty razor in shell pink and two cartridges.

This morning was our maiden voyage. I took the razor out of the packaging and assembled it (well, I just stuck the cartridge on the handle). The first thing I noticed is that it smells lovely. The package says the scent is white tea. It is soft and natural smelling. Not too overpowering or floral. Once I started shaving I had to stop and check to make sure that I actually was shaving. I felt nothing!!! But, it does a wonderful job. It left my legs smooth and soft. I have not come across a razor that does a better job. It also comes in disposable form for those who prefer that route.

Overall, I recommend this product. Though it comes in at a slightly more expensive cost than some of the other razors out there, I found that it did a great job of shaving my legs WITHOUT any additonal soap or shaving foam. It is an all in one solution that is quick and effective.

I give it 4 out of 5 (due to cost I deducted a point)

If you would like to read more about this product here is their website! http://www.gillettevenus.com/en_US/products/spa_breeze/index.jsp

Friday food day! Review of Hilton Soy Foods-Soy Butter

In honour of the start of another school year, my first review will be for a school safe food! Hilton Soy foods has created quite a stir with their soy butter. It is advertised as a peanut butter replacement that tastes, looks and smells like peanut butter. It is in fact, 100% peanut free, 100% dairy free and 100% gluten free. To assist parents in notifying the teachers and other staff at the school that this is in fact a safe food, they have printable labels that you can tape the the sandwich container that tell everyone that it is not peanut butter.

These can be found at http://www.soybutter.com/school-safe-letter.html.

Taste wise, the soy butter tastes like peanut butter. It looks like peanut butter and it smells like peanut butter. It spreads easily on bread and my child did not notice the difference.

Nutritionally, it has the same calorie count as peanut butter. One less gram of fat. two more grams of sugar. It has the same fibre and protein count. Overall, this is a wonderful product for those who's children love peanut butter. I have yet to try it in baking-this will be my next attempt.

Price wise it is considerably more expensive as it is a new product and comes from a small company. Hopefully as time goes by, other companies will get on the bandwagon which should lower the price.

Rating: I give it 4 out of 5 . (1 point docked for price)

Testing, Testing, 123....

Hello,
I am Kerry, a mom. I have two kids and a degree that I don't use! So, in an effort to help other mom's and keep myself occupied (though I am busy pretty much every moment of the day) I am going to start reviewing items as I try them! Mondays will be products for Mom's, Tuesdays will be toys, Wednesdays will be whatever, Thursdays will be household items and Fridays will be food!!
So there you go! Hope you enjoy my little blog....I think I will enjoy writing it!