Shopping

Giveaway! Maggies Direct Shopping with Social Rewards (and exclusive sale)

March 28, 2012 By Robin Leave a Comment

Maggies Direct is a new way to shop online. On this shopping site you get rewarded, for shopping, reviewing and sharing. The rewards are called Social Bucks, and each is worth $1 in product. Social Bucks can add up quickly, and with Maggie’s Direct already discount prices, you can get one heck of a deal.

When you share the deals you find on Maggie’s Direct with your friends, you will earn 1 Social Buck for every $10 they spend, and 1 Social Buck for every $20 their friends spend. You also earn extra Social Bucks during shopping events (like the one below), voting in weekly polls, doing a quick review, and several other things. Learn more about earning and spending Social Bucks .They also have a $5000 shopping spree sweepstakes going on right now, with monthly winners of $500 in Social Bucks!

Exclusive Hotel Bedding Sale with Bonus Social Bucks

Through April 15th Maggie’s Direct will give you a 50% kickback in Social Bucks for items purchased off this special sale page!

I was given the opportunity to try some of the products, that are featured in the sale. I picked the Matelasse Duvet and pillow shams. I have a silk set the same color as the headboard, but wanted a fresher lighter look for spring (and was tired of panicking every time my messy little daughter would decide to play in there… the matelasse is far easier to clean) This duvet is a perfect 4 Season bed cover. Unlike many duvets, it is thick enough to be used by itself as a bedspread, as shown below, in cooler weather insert a comforter. The style is classic and the material & construction are durable, so this will serve you for many years to come.

Here is what it looks like with a comforter inside.

The duvet is already discounted from $175 to $125, and you would get 62 Social Bucks for the purchase. If you refer a few friends, do a few polls and review the product you could pretty much get your money back in Social Bucks with minimal effort. They have a huge clearance sale coming up, so this would come in very handy.

Maggies Direct Giveaway

One lucky Mom Foodie reader will win a $25 Social Bucks credit at Maggie’s Direct, with their Free Shipping, that will leave you a lot of options for a prize

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Giveaways hosted on Blommi are sponsored by third parties. Site owner will of course endeavor to see all prizes are fulfilled, but is not responsible for missing or damaged prizes. Contest ends April 8, 2012 at 11:59 pm CT. Open to US residents , age 18+.

Filed Under: Deals, Reviews & Giveaways, Shopping

Easter Baskets from Personal Creations

March 20, 2012 By Robin 2 Comments

I just got in two adorable personalized Easter Baskets for my daughter. They are from Personal Creations (part of the ProFlowers/Red Envelope family of online stores). Both are well made, and very cute.

The Bunny Basket was on sale for just $5.98. This little guy is so sweet, s/he even has whiskers Rather than fill it with candy, I plan to let my daughter carry it around, like a purse. She is only four, so it will work for her in that capacity. Maybe she can use it to gather eggs… hmmm…. now I’m thinking Easter Egg Hunt in the backyard.

I will have time to set up an easter Egg hunt, because I won’t be running around gathering contents for an Easter basket, since I got the All-in-One Easter Basket, from Personalized Creations. It is personalized, comes with a little stuffed bunny (nice quality) and typical Easter Basket Candy is included for free. In my pic at the top, you can see how the items in this basket are packaged. I will not be doing the assembly until Easter eve or morning. I expect it to take all of about a minute.

The embroidery on both baskets was very nicely done, and shipping was very prompt, especially considering that these are personalized items. I think the pricing on these was quite fair for the quality and unique personalization. Check around for coupon codes before ordering, they usually have a free shipping or percentage off discount running, sometimes your choice of several promotions.

Media sample provided. All opinions and experiences presented here are my own.

Filed Under: Children, Shopping Tagged With: Easter, kids, review, Shopping

Want to Dabble in Wine Tasting? There Is No Need to Deal with Snobs.

March 19, 2012 By Robin 1 Comment

So you watch food shows on TV, and see snooty sommeliers and famous chefs pair expensive wines with dishes that you can’t pronounce, but the thought of putting together a delicious dinner with a wine, that will actually compliment it, is enticing.

You don’t need a fancy degree, or special training to taste wine, and figure out what it will be good with. Just try a variety of wines, and pay attention to how they taste, what you like and don’t like, and either try them with food occasionally, or just think about what they might taste good with. There really are no right or wrong answers. Smell and taste each wine, and respect your own thoughts about it. Period. You will be the one drinking it, after all.

To learn about wine, you will need to try some variety. Drinking the same wine, you have for the past few years, won’t do it. This is where a good wine club can come in handy.

I have had the opportunity to try several shipments from The California Wine Club, and have enjoyed the experience each time. Some shipments had wines I adored while others were good, but not quite as exciting to me personally. That being said, the wines have always been of good quality, and unique in taste. Always, well worth a taste, and the information about the winemakers, as well as the wines themselves, that can be found in the magazine that comes with each shipment is both educational and entertaining.

The most recent shipment I received featured two selections from the Three Saints winery, their 2010 Chardonnay and Steak House Red. Here are the high points of my personal thoughts on these wines.

The Three Saints 2010 Chardonnay had a scent of apples and pears, but strong citrus flavor. The citrus and acid in this one are very evident, so this would be a good wine to have on hand for seafood, pork or chicken dishes, that have a lot of fat. This wine would cut through it.

Three Saints 2009 Steak House Red Wine was more my kind of wine (I have been on a red kick lately). The nose (scent) of this wine was rich in berries, and had a hint of smoke. As I drank it, one flavor really impressed itself on me, blueberries (not what the “pros” say, but I will own it). This wine is perfect for grilling season, as it would pair great with a nice juicy steak.

California Wine Club Exclusive Deal Code

To kick start your wine tasting experience, I have an exclusive deal available to my readers, that will get you more wine for your money. You will be able to receive 4 bottles for the price of 2 in your first shipment from The California Wine Club, with no obligation to continue. You will also be able to receive all reds or all whites or a combo of each, whatever you prefer.

The discount code to take advantage of this deal is: blommi12

Media samples provided. All experiences and opinions presented here are my own.

Filed Under: Food, Food & Beverage, Lifestyle

Meaningful Beauty Test Drive Results

March 19, 2012 By Robin Leave a Comment

It has been about 4 weeks, since I started the Meaningful Beauty 5 -Step skin care routine. It is a kit set up to work together to fight common skin care issues of women. It is meant to brighten, soften and moisturize your skin, while fighting wrinkles.

Although 5-steps may sound time consuming, it really wasn’t. I did stick to the regime, for the most part. Other than a few missed applications, I did as directed. About a week into it, I missed doing my once or twice a week Glycolic peel, but them realized they had sent a small sample box of Glycolic pads, as a bonus with the kit. They seemed to do pretty much the same as the peel I had been using, so all was well in the world…lol.

Results

While the product works just fine, in my personal case, I did not notice a dramatic difference. This is most likely due to the fact that I was a frequent applicator of eye cream, prior to starting, and regularly applied quality moisturizer with sun screen. As mentioned above, I also used a Glycolic peel on a regular basis too.

I like the addition of the Crème de Serum. It did seem to have the fresh dewy effect it promised, and the regular moisturizer from the line goes over it. The daily moisturizer felt like it tightened thing up, and has an SPF of 20, so it is a good choice. It also like the cleanser, and thought the addition of a decollete cream a great feature. The neck and bosom are often overlooked in skin care regimes. The only part of the kit, that I wouldn’t buy again is the eye cream. I still prefer my old brand for that.

Overall I would say the Meaningful Beauty line is a good buy. It is effective, and reasonably priced ($39.95 plus s/h for 30 day supply or $119.85 with free shipping for 90 day supply). I would suggest buying a 90 day kit like this one, then tweaking your regime, once you are familiar with the line. The glycolic pads would also be a product I would suggest adding to your routine.

You can learn more about the Meaningful Beauty skin care product line, as well as order, right on the Meaningful Beauty website. (They are doing a 30 day supply with bonus products, plus free shipping for $39.95 right now.)

I wrote this review while participating in a test drive campaign by Mom Central Consulting on behalf Meaningful Beauty and received a 5-step treatment kit to facilitate my review, a second 5-step treatment kit to giveaway, and a promotional item to thank me for taking the time to participate.

Filed Under: Beauty & Fashion, Women

My Renuzit Fresh Accents Mini Living Room Makeover #FreshAccents #cbias

March 16, 2012 By Robin 6 Comments

Before... blank wall, one measley pillow remained & rug had seen better days.

My living room was last fully done over about 9 years ago. It has been showing it’s wear, and over the past couple years, the pillows have dwindled, the artwork above the sofa fell and the frame & glass broke (never to be replaced), the finish on the top of the side tables has worn, I have scrubbed out more stains than I could count with a ticker & always seem to be fighting odors from our dog. Thus, I was very happy to participate in a Renuzit Fresh Accents mini-makeover.

My goals for this makeover are to freshen up what we already have. I don’t have the budget to buy any new furniture, and while I plan to repaint in here some time this year, I simply don’t have the time to tackle that yet. I still want a fresh look, something more modern and reflective of our new family dynamic. Since it is just my daughter and I now, I think she should be reflected more in the design (and I don’t mean all the toys she loves to dump everywhere…lol). A few simple DIY projects will be the cornerstones of the design project, and Renuzit Fresh Accents is in charge of the olfactory aspects of the makeover.

What could be more special than artwork done by your child. Give them a real canvas and let them go crazy on it!

We picked up the Renuzit Fresh Accents at Walmart, after the first store we tried didn’t carry them. We also bought supplies for my daughter’s contribution to the living room makeover, a giant artwork on canvas (see the full Google + shopping story). That evening, I covered a large ugly painting on canvas with flat white spray paint, so that it would be ready for my tiny artist to work on the next morning. I explained to her that the picture would be going on the wall, and she seemed pretty excited about it. Operation wall art complete.

Hint: give your child art supplies in colors that won’t completely clash with your decor

New pillows are another big part of the makeover. The few we had left were not exactly “ready for prime time” anymore. I grabbed some great upholstery remnants at the fabric outlet up the street, and dragged out my old sewing machine. I knew the mix of colors and textures in the fabrics would make for a more modern look.

Before I even finished the pillows, I knew the old rug had to go. The crisply fresh fabric in the room, really brought out the ugly in it. I have wanted to replace it for quite some time, but hadn’t gotten around to it. A quick trip to the discount warehouse store on the other side of town, netted me a durable rug with a cool circular textural design, that really brightened the room up.

The last project on my hit list was a quickie refinish of the top surface of the side tables. I used a can of stain and polyurethane all-in-one, since I didn’t want to get into a major refinishing project. The sides and legs were fine, so I left well-enough alone there.

I am happy with the results of the mini-makeover, and am relieved that it is done, since we will be having some super-terrific weather here next week, and I will be tackling outdoor projects then. The Renuzit Fresh Accents air freshener not only had an attractive look, that tied in well with my decor, but the noticeable, yet not overpowering, raspberry scent it emitted sure boosted the ambiance of the room

The Fresh Accents air fresheners are reasonably priced to start with, and the printable coupon on their Facebook page, makes them even a better deal.

Ladies make sure to spoil yourself with some fine eye candy too. Renuzit has made getting information about this new product all the more enjoyable, with the help of some hunky models, on their website and this special Facebook Page. Now that got you attention didn’t it

This shop has been compensated as part of a social shopper insights study for Collective Bias. All experiences and opinions presented here are my own. #CBias

Filed Under: Decor/Renovations, Home & Garden, Household, Shopping Tagged With: diy, interior decor, Shopping

Huge Limited Time Deal on Quality Linens

March 14, 2012 By Robin Leave a Comment

I have the pleasure of introducing you to Maggie’s Direct, a new sort of online shopping, that not only offers great deals, but rewards you for your online social sharing. I will be filling you in on more about Maggie’s soon (as well as their awesome Blogger’s Program), but at the moment, I would like to give you a quick heads up about a big sale that kicked off this morning.
Exclusive Shopping Event for friends of this blog. Get 50% back in Social Bucks (1 Social Buck = 1 dollar in product credit) on any of these items.

Limited Time Deal on Quality Hotel Linens

Maggie’s Direct already has prices significantly below MSRP, and Free Shipping on all orders within the continental United States ($15 to AK/HI and $20 to Canada), but this exclusive sale event really sweetens the deal, so dress your whole bed.

All purchases from the Hotel Collection event page will earn the purchaser 50% back in Social Bucks, no minimum order. Social bucks are Maggie’s Direct online currency.

1 social buck = $1

I recently received a lovely European made Matelasse duvet and shams from Maggie’s, and am quite pleased with them (a more thorough review with personal pics coming very soon, but they are just as pictured & described).

I will use my own order as an example, of how things work during the event:

MSRP of the Queen size European Duvet and 2Queen shams = $303
Maggie’s direct price for these items = $183 (already a significant discount)
You would get $91 back in social bucks, to use toward your next purchase*, even clearance (big 75% off clearance event coming up soon BTW).
So it is like getting the set for $92 !

Plus, you can earn even more social bucks by sharing the deals you get with your friends. You will get a 10% credit in social bucks for your friend’s purchases, and if they in turn refer someone, you will get a 5% credit from their purchases.

* Social Bucks from product orders vest in 30 days to allow for returns.

Filed Under: Deals, Household, Shopping Tagged With: Shopping

Bertolli Premium Meal Soup: The Taste of Made-From-Scratch in a Flash #BertolliMealSoup

January 31, 2012 By Robin 2 Comments

As someone who cooks from scratch, just about everyday. I am a bit spoiled and fussy, when it comes to food. Let’s face it though, no matter who you are, none of us have the time or inclination, to cook everything from scratch. A time crunch does not mean you have to sacrifice having a quality meal. I recently tried Bertolli Premium Meal Soup, and found it to be an excellent solution for busy weeknights special.
I had originally planned to serve some bread or salad with the soup, but once I had emptied the contents of the pouch into my saucepan, I realized that they weren’t kidding, when they called this a “meal soup”. It was chock full of chicken, veggies and pasta. This hearty soup would be plenty in itself.

To prepare, all I had to do was add a cup of water and turn the burner on high. After a few minutes, when most of the frozen sauce cubes had melted I gave it a quick stir. Once it came to a boil, turn the burner down to simmer, cover and cook for about 5 more minutes, to ensure everything was nice and hot all the way through. Presto, done.

The Roasted Chicken & Rotini soup had great flavor, not too salty and full of well trimmed chicken, and veggies that seemed like they had been cut to order. Both the vegetables and the pasta had a fresh texture. I loathe mushy pasta, so this is especially important to me. The process Bertolli has used to freeze the soup as separate components, really gives the results of fresh homemade soup.

For more information about the Premium Meal Soups from Bertolli check out the Bertolli website, and follow them on Facebook and Twitter.

I was compensated by Bertolli to participate in the Weeknight Meal Special Challenge. All experiences and opinions presented here are my own.

Filed Under: Food & Beverage

For the Love of Treats #iLoveMyK9 #CBias

January 6, 2012 By Robin Leave a Comment

Hannah patiently waiting for a Milo's Kitchen Jerky treat.

Like most dog owners, my daughter and I got our German Shepherd a holiday gift. This year, Hannah was spoiled a bit more than most. She received a storage tub full of goodies, rather than just a bag of dog treats or a new soccer ball. The storage tub was used to package her gift because wrapping a big bag of dog food, treats , a toy and electric nail trimmers would have been awkward to say the least (check out the dog/puppy selection at Walmart in my Google+ story). What the presentation lacks in attractiveness is made up for in the usefulness of the packaging. It has come in handy for holding many of Hannah’s things. I plan to keep it at the foot of her bed (she inherited my daughter’s toddler bed), in the future.

O.K. presentation isn't much, but our German Shepherd loved it!

While there were quite a few items in the box, all Hannah really cared about was the treats. I’d picked her up, a big box of Milk-Bone® biscuits for large dogs, some Original Bacon Flavor Pup-Peroni, and Milo’s Kitchen Beef Jerky treats. The crunchy Milk-Bone® biscuits are her all-the-time treat, while the Pup-Peroni and Milo’s Kitchen treats are used as special rewards. My daughter LOVES to give our dog her treats, so I would say she has enjoyed them nearly as much as Hannah, and she is one happy dog.

I am contemplating getting a puppy in the late spring, so perhaps there will be two doggie gift boxes under the tree next year

This shop has been compensated as part of a social shopper insights study for Collective Bias. All experiences and opinions are my own. #CBias

Filed Under: Shopping Tagged With: dogs, Shopping

Dogs Need Presents Too #ILoveMyk9 #CBias

December 29, 2011 By Robin 1 Comment

My daughter and I love our German Shepherd, Hannah. She is an older dog, and has had a tough time of it the past few years. About 3 1/2 years ago, she lost her sister, our Redbone Coonhound, to a gunshot wound (the person was never caught). Hannah was extremely depressed, by the loss of her sister, they had been together since puppyhood. Earlier this year, my husband and I separated. This was also a tough adjustment for Hannah. I try to keep her happy, and involved with my daughter and I. I don’t mind spoiling her. She has been a good and loyal dog, who is sweet and protective of my 4 year old. I really couldn’t ask for more.

Of course, I wanted to get Hannah a little something special for the holiday. I also wanted to check out the selection of items appropriate for a new puppy, since I hope to add a puppy to our family in the spring or summer. My daughter and I braved the holiday crowds at Walmart , to gather some goodies for our beloved canine.

We ended out getting her a big box of Milk-Bone® biscuits for large dogs, some Original Bacon Flavor Pup-Peroni, Milo’s Kitchen Beef Jerky treats, a fresh bag of dog food, toy skunk, Gentle Paws nail trimmer and a big tub to store her stuff in.

My dog LOVES these so we got the big box.

She prefers the bacon flavor!

A small bag of these will be great for special treats.

Now that Hannah is getting older , her nails don't naturally get ground down as well from activity.

Since we already have Hannah, we are pretty well stocked on many dog care needs, but a new puppy will be needing her own bed and feeding dishes, toys and of course some house training items. I was surprised that pretty much everything I would need for a new puppy was available at the Walmart store, and the prices were considerably better than in a pet specialty store.

Check out my Google + story for more from the dog and puppy selection at Walmart.