Another Review of The Pioneer Woman's Product Line

In case you missed it, my dear friend Erika reviewed her recent purchases of The Pioneer Woman's new line of dishes and cookware. I mentioned in the introduction to that article that I may or may not have made some purchases of my own. Of course, I didn't need to spend this money, but I got caught up in the whirlwind of events on release day and here we are. I'm sure you've guessed by now that I did in fact make some purchases and I'm here to tell you about them. 

I bought two different items from the new collection. The first is the knife block. I have been wanting a new knife block for a few years now. In fact, I opened up my Christmas/Birthday Wish List today and there on the list was knife block. I can now mark that one off the list. The knife block I have has been in use for quite some time and has been through the ringer. There's one knife missing, one knife has a big chunk of handle broken off, another knife has the end of the blade chipped and the scissors have a melted handle from being too close to the burner on the stove. I think we can all agree that I have used my knives and I have used them well. 

I am here to tell you that I love the new knives and knife block I bought. The handles are red rosewood and are absolutely gorgeous. The set comes with the following: 8" Chef Knife, 8" Bread Knife, 8" Utility Knife, 3.5" Paring Knife, 6 - 4.5" Steak Knives (I previously had zero steak knives), Scissors, 8" Sharpening Steel, and a 6" Nakiri Knife. The block itself is dark wood and really, really pretty. Each knife has The Pioneer Woman logo emblazoned on the side and the same logo is on the front of the block. I'm not crazy about the logo being on the front of the block, but when I think about it, it's no different than Kitchen Aid (my old block) or any other brand being on the front; so, I get it. 

The one thing I dislike about the knives are that they are hand wash only. Yes, this was clearly outlined in the description on the web site, but I overlooked it and upon their arrival was disappointed to see that these knives are not dishwasher friendly - as all things should be. Apparently it is because of the rosewood handles and the heat of the dishwasher. So, I understand, but will miss the convenience of just throwing the knives in the dishwasher. Actually, I have some nice Wustoff knives that Santa gave me a few years ago that I also don't wash; so, in reality I suppose it's not that big of a deal. First world problems, y'all. 

Thought I would style my photo with the latest version of Garden and Gun since I'm so very Southern!

The other item I bought was the 12-Ounce Adeline Embossed Glass Goblets. These are of the same line of glassware that Erika purchased. There are three colors in the Adeline collection, Clear (Erika's choice), Turquoise, and Plum. I chose plum which is not really a color I would normally chose, but there is a reason behind this decision. 

Years ago (like over 20 years ago), I became the recipient of my great-grandmother's china. One of the sets (my favorite of the two) has purple flowers on it. Ever since I got these beloved dishes from my great-grandmother, my mother has said that I should find some purple glasses to go with them. Thus the reason I opted for the plum glasses. I wasn't sure if they would work or not and figured if not, I could always take them back. I'm here to tell you that not only so the glasses work with my dishes, but they work beautifully. I love, love, love, the design of these glasses. They are gorgeous. They actually have an older antique look and feel to them I think and so they work great with my old china. The glasses themselves are a good weight, not too heavy, but also not light. They feel just right in your hand. I've always liked a goblet/glass with a stem and these make my dish collection complete. Now, if I only had a nice dining room in which to serve people. (It's in the five-year plan, which will be here before we know it). 

I suppose it goes without saying that both Erika and I are very pleased with our purchases from The Pioneer Woman's new collection and in case you didn't know, Erika and I are both big-time dish lovers so this is a high compliment coming from us. I was in Wal-Mart on "Drake" (the Wal-Mart by Drake Avenue) a week or so ago and saw a display with a lot of other Pioneer Woman items such as pots and pans and serving pieces and cooking utensils, etc. All of the items looked to be of good quality and in my opinion everything is reasonably priced. When these items first came out, that was one of the things I was most impressed with. I was glad to see these items were available at Wal-Mart and at affordable prices so that they are accessible to the every day gal and not just the Macy's shopper. If you have a kitchen lover on your Christmas list, you may want to consider some of these items, I don't think you or the recipient will be disappointed. 

Product Review: Wedding Invitations by Minted

Ever since I was a little girl I have loved all manner of stationary product - everything from paper to cards, notepads and calling cards. In fact, one of my favorite memories of my late maternal grandmother is when during one of our shopping trips to the mall, she would take me by Christie's Pals and let me pick out a stationary product. I have no doubt I spent close to an hour pouring over all the options and finally deciding on what to take home. I actually still have some of the stationary products I picked out then.

I still love stationary products, and feel that letter writing and card sending is a lost art. Often I am drawn to the paper aisle in the store and can still spend hours pouring over the options before finally making a decision on a set of thank you notes or a set of stationary. So, when I was recently asked to review wedding invitations for Minted, I gladly agreed. Let me emphasize the point that, no, I am not getting married any time soon and no, there is no man in my life at the moment. However, if there were and if I was planning a wedding, I would definitely consider purchasing my invitations from Minted because they have some really great choices that will fit the personality of any bride out there. Anna, are you reading?

When searching through the hundreds of wedding invitations couples can narrow searches through various topical categories such as classical, elegant, and vintage (among others) and can even search based on color. The thing I love most about these invitations is that the couple can make them their very own - to fit their personality. Some of the invitations can be designed with photos, others with just words and designs. There are tons of options and all of them are unique and gorgeous.

Here are some of my favorites:

A Chalkboard Marriage Wedding Invitations - I'm a fan of the chalkboard look and think this one is simple yet elegant and would work well for couples planning an intimate and even casual gathering of family and friends.

 Country Club Wedding Invitations - This is a more traditional looking wedding invitation which again is simple and sophisticated and would work great for any type of wedding from a large church ceremony to a simple outdoor gathering.

Float + Framed Wedding Invitations - Another simple design, I really love thins one. I like that the main focus is the names of the couple, as it should be.

All of these invitations can be personalized with color changes and various paper styles. In addition to invitations, matching RSVP Cards, Thank You Cards, and Reception Cards can be ordered. The prices are very reasonable and the quality is outstanding.

Minted also has a great set of Inspiration Boards put together by designers and customers which can provide inspiration to brides and grooms who are looking for some fabulous wedding ideas. One in particular that I liked was the Vintage Garden Wedding Board seen here:

Vintage Garden Wedding board by Krista. See more Minted wedding invitations

Once again, I would like to emphasize that I am not getting married, but should that day come, I will definitely check out Minted for invitations to that miraculous event. Another thing I loved about Minted is that they are an American company, headquartered in San Francisco - a city which I now love thanks to my vacation last month!

Minted has a great selection of other stationary products as well so if you are looking for a dainty set of personalized notes or some funky birthday invitations, be sure and stop by their site and check out what they have to offers. All of their products are lovely and if you're anything like me, you will get lost in all the selections and have a hard time making up your mind.

In exchange for writing this post, I was compensated by Minted with a set of free business cards. All opinions and views, however are my own. 

Product Review: Minute to Win It Printables

Well, we’ve reached September. I can hardly believe it as it seems just like yesterday that it was January. It’s now less than four months until Christmas. I’ve already bought a couple of gifts and will soon be buying many more.

Since there’s not much going on in terms of home renovation or otherwise, I’m going to close out the week by having a couple of reviews here on the blog. I signed up for today’s review and also tomorrow’s and need to get them written and published before football season is in high gear and I do nothing but stare at the television for hours on end… oh, wait, I do that anyway. Let’s move on.

Today’s review is for some Minute To Win It Party Printables. It’s been a long while since I’ve reviewed any party printables and I really needed some fresh ideas for some Ladies’ Night Out games and so when I saw the opportunity to review these I decided to go for it. I don’t know if I didn’t pay attention to the description or what, but when I got these I was more than a wee bit confused. These printables didn’t come with any games, they were only labels and play money and other sorts of accessories to go with the games. Huh?

So, I emailed the distributor and asked her, “Um, so, where are the games?” and she sent me a link to her web site. These printables were not for the games as I had originally thought but are, as mentioned just accessories for the games. Included in the printable pack is play money, water bottle wraps, cards to draw what game you will be playing, invitations, candy bar wrappers and some other things for which I’m not sure of the use.

The games on her web site are pretty interesting. I may try to incorporate some of them with one of the next Ladies’ Night Out gatherings, but it is doubtful I will use any of the printables. The price of these printables is $12.99, which I found to be a little high for what all you get. I’m not really a fan or a watcher of the show; so, maybe if you are a hard-core Minute to Win It person then you would find the $12.99 price reasonable for this printable package. I just don’t foresee myself having a Minute to Win It party in which I would need these types of accessories and if I did want something along these lines I could just make something up on my own, which is what I usually do with most things anyway.

If you want to check out the games, then click here and if you want to check out the printables, click here. What do you think? Would you pay $12.99 for this package?

I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

The Case of the Missing Donuts

Thanks to my college roommate Melissa for saving the day because I seriously had nothing to write about today and she made a suggestion in the comments on my last post that I write about my delayed Fed Exed donuts. Melissa knew about this from following me on twitter and I guess her curiosity got the best of her and she wondered what ever became of my missing donuts. Well, here’s the story…

A long, long while ago, one of the blogs I frequently read had a giveaway and a discount code for low-fat gourmet donuts from Holey Donuts. Needless to say, I didn’t win, but I did peruse the Holey Donut site and found the pictures of their low-fat donuts to make my mouth water. I never placed an order because I found the prices to be outrageous but I signed up for the emails from the company to see what kind of specials they were having, etc.

For months and months I would occasionally stop by the Holey Donuts site and think about ordering, but my stinginess with my pocketbook always prevented me from taking the splurge… until earlier this month.

As I mentioned, I had signed up to receive the company emails to be alerted about promotions and sales, etc. and the first week of January, Holey Donuts offered each box of their low-fat gourmet donuts for only $5.99 a box, and $7.99 a box for their cinnamon rolls. I had a little extra cash that I was willing to part with in order to see if the donuts were actually as good as they looked in the photos and placed an order for three boxes of the Sampler Favorites B. I chose this particular assortment because the donuts that had been calling out to me the most were the chocolate chip and the vanilla frosted and this particular assortment had one of each. Since I had never had any of the donuts before I wanted to get an assortment so as to see which donuts I liked the best in case there was a chance that I couldn’t live without the donuts and placed another order in the future.

So, on January 5, I placed my order and anxiously sat by waiting for them to ship. For states in the east and south, the donuts can be shipped FedEx Ground because they will still arrive within two days and for states in the west, the donuts have to be shipped via FedEx 2-Day. The donuts are handmade in New York and then frozen, packed in dry ice and then shipped. According to the Holey Donuts site, they must arrive in the two-day time frame so as to still be fresh. My donuts were scheduled for a January 10 shipment date and scheduled to arrive at my home on January 12. This would have been great except for the fact that Snow Storm 2011 hit on January 10 and on January 12, FedEx still wasn’t out delivering – at least not in my neighborhood.

So, January 12 came and went with no Fed Ex delivery; as did January 13. Fed Ex had changed the delivery date on the tracking page to January 13 and on that day the tracking page read that my donuts were “out for delivery” but about 5:15 p.m. or so the status changed to a delivery date of January 14. On January 14, the donuts were once again “out for delivery” and finally around 5:30 p.m. or so the FedEx guy stopped by my house.

I asked him if FedEx had happened to keep the delivery in the freezer since the box clearly stated “Perishable Item Please Keep Frozen.” The answer was just as I suspected “no, it’s just been on the truck or in the warehouse.” Great!

So, I brought the donuts inside and opened them up only to find them completely thawed. I took one out to eat right away and put the others in the freezer because the instructions said that even if they were thawed to go ahead and put them in the freezer. In the meantime, I had contacted Holey Donuts and asked them about my shipment. Would the donuts be okay? Would they be ruined? Etc., etc. Only to receive no response until I finally had to call them on Friday, the 14th, before I received the shipment and spoke with a person who said they should be okay. She was wrong.

Since this story is already way longer than you probably bargained for when clicking over here today, I’ll try to shorten it up a bit. Basically, the donuts were extremely dry and did not live up to my expectations. The overall taste wasn’t bad and as I suspected, the chocolate chip and vanilla frosted were the best and the most edible because the icing made the dryness of the donut bearable. The first assortment I opened, I tried all of the donuts. The powdered sugar was terrible – so dry that even soaking it in milk wouldn't have helped. I think I could have broken a window with it as well it was so dry and hard. The original glazed didn’t hold a candle to Krispy Kreme – not that I expected it would, but I thought it might at least have some taste to it. Wrong. The caramel crumb and sugar and spice were good as far as the top of the donut, but again the bulk of the donut was dry and basically inedible. As for the other two assortments, I thawed them out over the last week or so per the instructions (in the box with the lid closed) and they were just as bad. I basically ate only the chocolate chip and vanilla frosted and threw the others away without even a bite.

I received some sparse communication from the company saying that the donuts were supposed to be soft and moist; but I am here to tell you they were not. I kept thinking the company might at least offer to reimburse me the money I spent or offer to send a new box of donuts so as to at least attempt to keep me as a customer, but to no avail. Needless to say, I will never again order donuts from Holey Donuts. They have a lot of rave reviews on their site, but I am beginning to think they are all made up because I had a dreadful experience with them and found their donuts to be less than desirable and their communication was just as bad. Oh well, we live and learn I guess. I just wish it hadn’t cost me $30.

Python Printables Review - Mardi Gras Games!

I’m closing out the week with another Python Printables review. In case you haven’t figured it out yet, I really like these printable games. For me they are extremely convenient when planning the Ladies’ Night Out activities for the church I attend. Instead of spending hours racking my brain and searching the internet for games to play, I can just print out some of these games and quizzes – which save me a lot of time. The games are fun too and don’t require too much thinking which is just how we like it since by most of us have been at work all day and don’t want to do much thinking by the time we get together.

This review is for the Mardi Gras Game Pack which retails for $19.95 and includes 20 Mardi Gras themed games. I have applied with Zataran’s to host a Mardi Gras themed party using their yummy foods and although I probably won’t get picked, I wanted to make sure I was armed with some Mardi Gras games in the event I am chosen and need some activities for the party goers. I also thought I could use these for the Ladies’ Night Out activity in February which will be a couple of weeks before Fat Tuesday, which falls on March 8 this year.

Most of the games in this package are for adults, although there are five games for kids, including a Scavenger Hunt, Paper Dolls, Spot the Difference, Naughty or Nice, and Printable Paper Masks. Some of the games involve beers from around the world and another is a champagne trivia game; neither of which are convenient for church get-togethers but might work for your party. The set also includes a Mardi Gras Trivia game, trivia about the state of Louisiana, a Newlywed game (I always like those), Mad Libs and more.

Out of all the Python Printables I’ve reviewed, this pack has been my least favorite, probably because there is so little I can use for the Ladies’ Night Out program; but, as I mentioned, it might work for you and your upcoming Mardi Gras Party. If you are not interested in the entire package (all 20 games) then you can purchase each Mardi Gras game or activity individually for $6.95.

Python Printables also has games for the Super Bowl as well as any other activity or upcoming event you may be having in the near future. As always, Python Printables also offers a few free printables, and you can check those out here. So, check out their site for all your party game needs and most importantly, have a great weekend!

I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commissions 16 CFR, Part 255 Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising. Tomoson Product review & giveaway Disclosure.

My Random Bag of Crap

I always have trouble sleeping on Christmas Eve night. I guess it’s the excitement of Santa coming to town. This past Christmas Eve was no exception. In addition to waiting on Santa, I was also waiting on snow; wondering if it was really going to come (it did).

A little bit after midnight I was tossing and turning and decided to use my phone and peruse the internet. I was selling a pair of BCS National Championship tickets on eBay and decided to check the price. While looking around, I checked my twitter account and noticed that Woot had just posted their new item – a random bag of crap (that is truly what they call it) for $3 plus $5 shipping. This was an offer I was not willing to pass up. I love Woot! I check it every day and Woot t-shirts are my favorite and I have quite a few. I especially love to buy the Woot shirts on mystery shirt day because you pay a small price for a t-shirt and you never know what you’re going to get – for some reason this thrills me and I have been generally pleased with all my mystery shirts.

The random bag of crap is similar to the mystery shirt and the mystery boxes that Erika and I ordered last year. You pay the $8 and you have no idea what you are going to get until it arrives on your doorstep and you open it up to reveal its contents. These things sell out fast too. The random bags of crap on Christmas (beginning at midnight Central time) sold out in about 22 minutes. So, I was thrilled to have gotten through to get one – primarily because I knew it was bound to give me a laugh later.

Well, if you haven’t guessed it yet, my random bag of crap was sitting by my front door when I got home from the gym last night. I shall now reveal its contents!

The random "bag" of crap - I guess it's a box actually

Here are the contents - the clock, candlesticks and lamp were already members of my household. 

They just wanted to be in the picture.

Up first is this PGA combo of two baseball caps and a backpack. They are from a PGA Tournament, although I can’t remember which one; obviously a lesser known tournament. I figure I will offer these items to my dad who is a golfer. These three, I do believe were the best items of all the crap.

The next item I pulled out was a box of shock tape measures and when I say a box of, I mean it. There were 12 in all. Clearly these could be displayed at any convenience store around town.

At least the battery is included; and no, I haven't used one.

The third thing I opened was a box of universal remotes – not just one, but four universal remotes. The batteries were not included with these.

Last and maybe even least were Gold’s gym tote bags – and of course not one, but three!

I thought it was funny that the flash showed up on her butt!

Yes, I realized that is the same humor as a 15-year old boy.

Send help!

So, there you have it, the random bag of crap was truly a random bag of crap. There really were no hidden treasures. It still gave me a lot of laughs and to me it was totally worth the $8 to have something suspenseful arrive on my doorstep. At least I’ll have a few things to stash away as gag gifts or what not. If anyone needs a universal remote or a shock tape measure or a Gold’s Gym tote bag, please give a shout out in the comments and I will reserve one for you. If you’re someone who I don’t know personally please leave your email address as well so I can get in contact with you about how to send you your top of the line shock tape measure. Until next time…

The Final Selection

As you may recall, a while back I wrote a post reviewing Shutterfly’s selection of holiday cards and as a result, I received 50 free cards of my choosing. Thanks, Shutterfly.

Then, a couple of weeks ago, I wrote about my adventure taking photos with The Tide in the park and showed you the photo I decided on for my cards this year.

So, without further ado (drum roll please), I present to you my 2010 Christmas card. Some of you may have already received one in the mail. For those that didn’t, well, I may not even know who you are or if I do know who you are I may not have your address; but, at any rate, I wanted to share my final selection here on The Chronicles so I could wish you all a happy Christmas!

If you haven’t ordered your cards yet, there’s still time to do so and if you don’t have time to address and mail them, Shutterfly can do that for you as well!

This is the front

 And the inside.

Python Printables Christmas Pack Review

Can you believe today is December 1? Wow! Seems like it was just yesterday that I was sweating it out while operating the lawn mower and today I’m in a turtleneck (which is driving me bananas) and boots! Time sure does fly!

I had intended to take some photos of my Christmas decorations for you, as was the suggestion of my friend Candy; but, I was lazy last night and didn’t take any. Then this morning I was rushing around and didn’t have time and I also didn’t want you all to see the mounds of dog hair on the floor since I hadn’t vacuumed in like 12 hours. So, I have every intention of taking some photos tonight to share with you tomorrow or Friday – provided I’m not high on pain medication. The foot surgery is tomorrow if you remember.

Instead, today, I’m presenting you with another Python Printables Review. This one is for the Python Printables Christmas Package which has over 70 printable games and activities for you and your friends and family to enjoy during the holiday season. It retails for $19.95, which means you will be paying less than 28 cents per game! Plus, you can print as many as you want or need once you purchase!

The Christmas Package comes with trivia games for specific and general holiday movies, including one each for Charlie Brown and A Christmas Story. There are also trivia games for the kids as well as drawing games. The pack also comes with holiday mad libs (my favorite), including a mad lib song sheet which is sure to bring a lot of laughter to your holiday gathering. This set also includes some thank you notes that would be good for children to send as well as a letter from Santa. Personally I don’t know why there’s a letter from Santa as I’m pretty sure he can take care of that type of thing himself, but what do I know? There are games and activities for both Christmas and New Years Eve and there are activities for both young and old. I plan to print some of these out and take with me while I’m recouping at my parents’ house; hopefully we can play a few of these and I’m sure they may use a few of them at their upcoming church party as well.

These Python Printable games are a great way for families to spend time together in the days leading up to Christmas and New Years and a good way to keep the children occupied so that they aren’t snooping around for their presents! If you are looking for some fun activities to do around the house while waiting for that jolly old fellow to show up then try Python Printables! I think you will be pleased with the games and it will provide you with hours of entertainment.

I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commissions 16 CFR, Part 255 Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising. Tomoson Product review & giveaway Disclosure.

Skillet Bacon Jam Review

Recently I signed up at Tomoson to be a reviewer for various products. One of the items I signed up to review is called Skillet Bacon Jam – yes, you read that correctly. I was a little leery, but the name intrigues me and I had to see what this stuff was all about. I do, after all, love bacon.

What is Skillet Bacon Jam you may ask? According to their web site, “we use niman ranch bacon and render it down along with onions, balsamic and other spices. It cooks for several hours until it is a perfect blend of smoky, tangy, savory and slightly sweet…basically spreadable bacony goodness! USDA approved.”

The Skillet Bacon Jam arrived last week and I was either too scared or too busy to try it. Finally last night I opened it up to see what it was all about. Of course, when I opened it, The Tide was all up in my face wanting to get her own sample of the Skillet Bacon Jam. I’m sure she would give this product an A+. the Skillet Bacon Jam looks like a spreadable paste of little pieces of bacon. It smells like bacon and tastes like bacon too. I’m not really sure what you’re supposed to do with this stuff. I imagine you could put it over cream cheese and serve it with crackers at a dinner party or you could put it on a burger as pictured on their web site.

Since I’m not really sure how to use it, it would be helpful if their web site offered some recipes; but, alas I found none. I meant to take some pictures of it, but neglected to do that as well and needed to get this review up in a somewhat timely manner.

The Skillet Bacon Jam retails for $13 for an 11oz jar. The jar they sent me was a sample size and therefore quite smaller than 11 oz. I doubt I would pay $13 for this product since I can’t really figure out how to use it; not to mention the fact that I dislike jams and jellies in general. But, if you want to try it for yourself, then head on over to their web site and order yourself a jar.

If you have any specific questions about the product, you can email the company here.

And as always…

I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commissions 16 CFR, Part 255 Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising. Tomoson Product review & giveaway Disclosure.

Python Printables: Thanksgiving Game Pack

Recently I posted a review of Python Printables United States Trivia Games Pack which includes 50 games of trivia – one on each state in the United States. This week I’ve been given the opportunity to write about Python Printables Thanksgiving Game Pack which includes approximately 30 games related to all things Thanksgiving. If you need something to entertain your rowdy family members this Thanksgiving, then Python Printables is just what you need!

The Thanksgiving Game Pack has games for children of all ages, including coloring pages for the wee ones at your table. This set also has a Thanksgiving mad libs (one of my favorites!), word searches (I also love these) and a couple of scavenger hunts to keep folks occupied while dinner is being prepared. There are a few different trivia games to test the presidential, American history, Thanksgiving and other knowledge of your guests.

If you are looking for something fun to do at your Thanksgiving gathering this year or if you are looking for something enjoyable to do with the children in your house while they are out of school for a few days, consider the Thanksgiving Game Pack from Python Printables. You’ll be pleased with all the fun it has to offer. The Thanksgiving Game Pack sells for $19.99; but, right now if you add the Harvest Coloring Pages (free!) to your cart, you will receive a $5 voucher at checkout and pay only $14.95 for the Thanksgiving Game Pack.

Don’t forget Python Printables also has plenty of other fame for all your party needs, including Halloween, Barbeques, and birthdays. Game packs range in price form $6.95 to $19.95 and there is something for everyone. Check it out the next time you have a gathering of folks at your home.

No matter how you spend your Thanksgiving next week, I hope it’s a good one!

[Product review & giveaway disclosure: I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commissions 16 CFR, Part 255 "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."]

Python Printables Review

As some of you may know, I’m the organizer of the Ladies’ Night Out activities at the church I attend. We get together once a month and eat and play a game or two and give out some prizes. It’s a great opportunity for us to have time to catch up and chat about what’s going on in each of our lives and just generally have a good time hanging out with one another.

Being the organizer can be fun but can also sometimes be a challenge as well. Each month I have to come up with the game we are going to play. Often because I’m either busy or have forgotten, this task doesn’t get completed until the last minute. Sometimes it’s a miracle we even have an activity at all! My personal preference is to find something on the internet that can be printed and handed out to everyone rather than something that I have to type up myself or invent in my head.

That’s where Python Printables comes in to play (no pun intended, I think). Python Printables has a large variety of games, trivia, etc. that you can print out and use at your next party. I was recently received a set of Python Printables for review and I will definitely be using these at future Ladies’ Night Out events and any other time I need a trivia game or two. Thanks to tomason.com, I received the United States Trivia Games Pack from Python Printables. There are 50 trivia games in the pack (one for each state) and the set sells for $19.95 – which is basically 40 cents a game. These would be great for those of you who home school or for people who like to play games with friends and family.

There are lots of interesting questions in each of the 50 games and you will learn random facts that can be used the next time you are on Jeopardy, or just want to stump your friends. For example, did you know that in Mesquite, Texas, it is illegal to give your children unusual haircuts? It’s true.

In addition to the United States trivia pack, Python Printables also offers game packs for Halloween, Thanksgiving, Camping, Slumber Parties, and milestone birthdays such as 30th, 40th, or 50th. The prices range from $6.95 to $19.95. They even have a few coloring sheets and games for free.

The next time you’re stumped when trying to find a game to play with family, friends, or at your next party, remember Python Printables. They are sure to have something to meet your needs.

[Product review & giveaway disclosure: I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commissions 16 CFR, Part 255 "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."]

Shutterfly Holiday Cards Review

Photo holiday cards seem to be all the rage these days. It seems every year more and more people are taking family photos or photos of their kids or dogs or what have you and turning them in to holiday greeting cards. You know what else? I love it! I look forward to receiving these cards every Christmas so that I can see how big the kids have gotten, what the new baby looks like, etc. Apparently these cards must have been popular in the early 1980s as well because I use one of my family as a bookmark in my Bible. My brother was no more than three so it was 1983 at the latest. Maybe I’ll scan it in one day so everyone can get a good laugh at us Parkers!

I realize a lot of you are probably on facebook and see pictures of your friends all the time; but for me, who refuses to use facebook, it makes the photos I receive at Christmas even more special.

The past few years I have handmade my own Christmas cards. It gave me something to do at night while watching TV and I liked the extra touch it added (or so I felt anyway). This year, however, I think I am following suit with the rage of photo greeting cards and Shutterfly has a lot of wonderful choices this season.

If you click on the Christmas cards, you will find 748 choices! 748! That’s more than I know what to do with and believe me when I say that picking one out is not going to be easy. They are all adorable! When searching, you can sort by color, size, number of photos you want to use, flat or folded, designer, etc.

If you prefer a religious theme, you can find those at Shutterfly too, there are 35 different religious themed cards from which to choose.

You can also order Christmas invitations for all those parties you will be hosting. Shutterfly offers gift tags as well. For around $15 you can get a set of 25 gift tags which are so, so charming! I was glad to see this because I have already been looking at ordering some gift tags and now I know exactly where I will be getting mine. For those of you reading that may speak Spanish or are looking to add a little international flair to your holiday cards, Shutterfly also has cards in Spanish.

Like I said, there are so many designs to choose from that I am really having a hard time deciding what to go with. I guess it will all depend on how cooperative The Tide is when it comes to picture taking. Here is a small selection of some cards I like:

Royal Elegance Christmas Card
 

If I had a few kids or a family of my own, I would love this card. It’s very simple but with a slight holiday twist and I love black and white photos. Of course, you could put a color photo here as well and it would look just as lovely. The only downside to this one is that it’s a flat card so if you want to add a handwritten message you would have to do it on the back or put a separate note in the envelope.

Seasonal Chic 2010

This card is a 5x7 folded card, which I love. I like the fact that you can open it up and write a note on the inside. You can also choose from multiple layouts for the inside of the card. The colors are also nice, while not the traditional red and green of Christmas, you can still tell it is a holiday card, and it has the date so that you don’t have to wonder “when did I receive this card?” I also like that there are multiple photos on the front, which is good for folks like me who probably want to showcase their dog more than themselves.

Retro Flakes American Lung Association Holiday 5x7 Folded Card

Not only is this card cute, but 10% of the sales of this card go back to the American Lung Association. It would be a great choice if you had a really nice family photo or a super adorable photo of the kids to use since it just has one photo on the front. The trick for me would once again be getting The Tide to cooperate for a good photo.

Swirling Ornaments Christmas Card

One of my absolute favorites! It has a lot of color in it and is very whimsical. Don’t be surprised if you find this one in your mailbox come Christmas time.

When choosing Christmas cards this holiday season, take a look at the choices on Shutterfly. You will not be disappointed!

Also, if you have a blog, be sure and fill out this form to write a review of your own and get 50 free holiday cards from Shutterfly. For “How did you hear about this promotion" select "Birmingham Bargain Mom." No, that's not me. Ha!


Happy shopping! 

Senseo: A Guest Review

Last night I went out with the American Idol gang. Candy took some pictures, and I hope to post about that soon. In the meantime, the lovely Erika, winner of the Senseo coffee maker has been kind enough to send in her review of the product. Take it away Erika...

The Senseo – a Review

Thanks to the Chronicles of Nat, I am now the proud owner of a lovely Red Senseo coffee maker. Granted, this is not an item I would have ever purchased on my own accord. I was perfectly happy with my $10 Proctor Silex. But, after using it a few times this past weekend, I really like the Senseo and have put my $10 junker into the yard sale pile!

I will say that I don’t think the Senseo necessarily saves any time in the kitchen, but for a household of one, it is a much easier system than scooping out a small amount of coffee, figuring out how much water you need, etc. etc. The little pods are so easy to use, and the coffee turns out perfectly. I find that one pod works perfectly for my Fiestaware tea cup. You can also use two pods for a large mug of coffee. The Senseo heats up quickly, and it takes about 1 minute to get your first cup.

The coffee pods are a little pricey, but I think it’s worth it for the convenience factor. And, since I only drink coffee at home on the weekends, the pods will last a good while for me.

On a scale of 1-10, I give the Senseo an 8.8!

The Grater Plater – Does It Work?

The answer is yes, it actually does. As promised, I finally used the grater plater this week when making fettuccine alfredo. I had to grate a lot of parmesan cheese for this recipe and started out using the grater plater. The picture above shows some of the cheese I grated. I ended up not grating all the cheese on the grater plater since I needed so much. I would recommend the grater plater for use in small quantities. If you need a little zest or garlic or ginger, etc., then the grater plater would be great. And it’s easy to clean – just put it in the dishwasher. So, as far as I’m concerned, the grater plater gets and A+!

The Neti Pot

Earlier this week, when I was at my weekly American Idol gathering I was asked about my recent Neti Pot experience. You see last week, when I wasn’t feeling so swell, I stopped in at a drug store and bought the infamous Neti Pot upon my friend Erika’s recommendation. Erika has been recommending the Neti Pot for some time now, but I never had a need to go out and get one until last week when my sinuses were completely stopped up and I was willing to try anything to be able to breathe through my nose again.

For those of you unfamiliar with the Neti Pot, it literarily looks like a small teapot. It’s blue in color and when you purchase it, it comes with 50 saline packets, which you mix with hot water. You then put the spout of the pot in one nostril while tilting your head. The saline goes in your nose and drips out of the other nostril. I know this sounds extremely bizarre, but this process works better than anything I have ever come across in regards to sinus problems. I used the Neti Pot twice a day per the recommendations on the box and am now breathing through my nose with no problems.

My friend Amy also loves the Neti Pot and told us last night that a gnat once came out of her nose. Thank goodness no bugs have come out of my sinuses, at least not yet. And, you know what else? Apparently Dr. Oz recommends the Net Pot – so it also has the Oprah stamp of approval. What more could you ask for? I definitely give the Neti Pot two thumbs up. It is a strange process and people may think you are crazy, but it works!! Go get one today!