Household

Get the Vintage Halloween Look in Your Home with these Great Finds from Pottery Barn Kids

October 21, 2011 By Robin 1 Comment

I recently received a couple lovely vintage look Halloween decorations from Pottery Barn Kids. I must say they blend in wonderfully with the vintage items I already owned. I actually prefer having these vintage-look holiday decorations, over the genuine thing for display in my home. I have a curious 4 year old, and I don’t have to ban her from touching these. They are not delicate, and I know the paint used on them is not hazardous.
One of the pieces I received was the antique style Halloween Cat Luminary ($17.99) above. It was larger than I expected, around the size of an adult head. The luminary was well constructed, and has an authentic look. While it is intended to hold a light, it is also perfect for a dried flower or gnarly branch arrangement. I adore it.

The Halloween Countdown Calendar ($44.99 )is fun for the kids, while still working with a vintage look. The graphics are wonderfully crafted from felt. Since, hanging it I have gotten many compliments on it already. This wall hanging is sure to become a family heirloom.

Below are a couple pics of some other items that I really liked off the website.

These little treat buckets come in a pack of three. They are too cute. I may just have to order some of these. Just $11.99 now!

These Halloween silhouette candles, would go with most any decor, including the vintage look that appeals to me so much.

There is still time to order some great vintage look Halloween decor from Pottery Barn Kids. Since there are only a couple weeks left until the holiday, all the wonderful items above, as well as, the rest of the kids Halloween decor and costumes, are on sale now. Hurry, items are selling out quickly at the discounted prices.

Disclosure: Product samples provided. All opinions presented here are my own.

Filed Under: Home & Garden, Household Tagged With: Halloween, Shopping

Stomp Out Stains and Odors with BISSELL Stomp ‘N Go pads

October 16, 2011 By Robin Leave a Comment

I have two mighty mess makers in my home, a very active four year old and an our aging German Shepherd Dog. If my daughter is not spilling juice, or dropping crumbs everywhere, my dog is shedding hair or sneaking in a spot to pee (recent development). The Sometimes I think the two of them are a tag team. When one takes a mess making break, the other ensures that mommy has something to do, by creating a mess of their own. This is why handy clean-up products like BISSELL Stomp ‘N Go pads are right up my alley.

Mom Central sent me some sample Stomp ‘N Go pads to try out in my home. I would love to show you their stain fighting abilities, but I removed the last light colored (before child) carpet from my home about a week before the sample arrived. No worries, thanks to my flaky pooch, I could still test out these babies. After all, we all know, there is far more to a pet stain, than the visual mark.

I had just about gotten the smell out of my parlour carpet, and was keeping the door closed at night, so she couldn’t sneak in. Early this week, we had a little “incident” though. My daughter’s ABA therapist arrived to work with her, and my dog darted in the room. She went directly to the spot she had gone before and started to “go”. I yelled at her, and quickly ushered her out. Even though I caught her immediately, and the spot was small, it still had plenty of smell potential.

I didn’t think to use the BISSELL Stomp ‘N Go pads , at this point. I sprayed it with a pet odor cleaner and blotted it up as best I could. That evening my fears were confirmed, phew, stinky. I went and grabbed a Stomp ‘N Go pad, dropped it on the offending spot, and gave it a firm but gentle twisting stomp. I then did this again for good measure. The smell was not noticeable now, but the true test would come the next morning…. Happily, the scent was barely noticeable the next morning. The pads actually seemed to be better at dealing with this issue, than the products I had been using which were specially formulated for pet odors.

If you would like more information on this convenient and effective new product check it out on the BISSELL website.

I wrote this review while participating in a campaign by Mom Central Consulting on behalf of BISSELL and received product samples and a promotional item to thank me for taking the time to participate.

Filed Under: Household Tagged With: cleaning

FIOS Equals Flexibility and Choice

August 24, 2011 By Robin 1 Comment

I’ve been a Verizon FIOS subscriber for some time now, but had never tried out any of the features beyond basic viewing. I recently changed that. I downloaded software into my PC which enables a widget that I can use on my televisions. The widget has enabled me to watch YouTube videos on my television, which is great for showing family members that funny video you saw earlier, instead of telling them to Google it.

I addition to playing around with the widget, I also checked out Flex View. Flex View enables you to watch the on demand movies you order, on different devices. In my case I watched part of a movie on my laptop. I really just wanted to test it out, and ended out watching the rest of the show on my larger screen, but can see how the service could be very useful. How many times have you started to watch something with your kids and realized it just wasn’t for you, now you can load the rest of the program into your laptop or tablet, and they can watch the rest of it where ever they like.

Also keep in mind that on Fridays Verizon FIOS has a discount on their on-demand movies. This is a great way to get the family together after a hectic week of work and school.

To see is FIOS service is available in your area check FIOS availability.

I wrote this review while participating in a brand team campaign by Mom Central on behalf of Verizon FiOS. Verizon will send me a gift card to thank me for taking the time to participate.

Filed Under: Household, Misc.

The Makeover of the Awful Green Playroom Commences #gliddengallons

August 23, 2011 By Robin 10 Comments

Albeit a pleasant surprise, my daughter was a surprise. Luckily, when we found out we were expecting I had just finished prepping one of our smaller bedrooms for paint. (Getting to that point is the hard part in my house, since it came with nasty old wallpaper over horsehair plaster walls). The plan was to use the room as a large walk-in closet, so I had picked out a fun grassy green, assuming there would be a lot of white storage/closet pieces going into it. Our daughter was one of those kids that was shy about letting the ultrasound techs see her “goodies”, so we had no idea what her gender was until a few weeks before she was born. The green I already had on hand was painted on the now-a-nursery walls, with plans to make it more gender appropriate once we knew. Pink went well with the green, so it worked out, at the time.

Fast-forward to the present. The room currently serves as a playroom, I have come to loathe the green walls, with carpet in the same green. Now that the room is not filled with furniture & pink toile frillies, the green seems to let off a sort of alien glow. The carpet did not hold up well to the past 4 years either, and despite my best efforts refuses to come clean. Yuck!

Thanks to the #GliddenGallons campaign through Collective Bias, M’s playroom is getting a makeover. I’ve picked a pretty purple shade from the color palette on the Glidden website. I love that you can change out trims, and the color of the adjacent room in the easy to use software. It really gives you an idea if the color will work for you. The color is called Lavender Phlox, and here is an idea what it should look like in the room.

This is the planned color palette, for the playroom makeover

M already has a soft pink retro kitchen, so I will be integrating accents of both soft & hot pink into the room. I will also be keeping a sky blue in mind too, since she has a T-shirt and shoes the same color as the purple chosen for the walls & all these colors are in them… they are faves of ours, so I already know it can work.

Update: I’ve already painted the walls and must say the Glidden Brilliance paint did an excellent job of coverage (just one coat with touch-ups). The service from the Walmart employee who mixed the paint for me was very good, and the color match was perfect. Ordered flooring for pick up today or tomorrow, then I will be back to Walmart to pick up a few accessories for the room… they have a lot of things in the hot pink I have in my palette.

Check out the completed Playroom Makeover!

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

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

Head Chefs Anthropomorphic Kitchen Utensils Review and Giveaway!

August 12, 2011 By Robin

I first saw Head Chefs utensils on the web about 6 months ago and thought they were adorable, but didn’t really need any cooking utensils at the time, so I didn’t order any. They did leave an impression on me though, so I was very pleased to be offered the chance to review a few of the Head Chefs kid friendly kitchen utensils, and even the opportunity to do a reader giveaway.

Say Hello, to My Little Friends

The pastry brush was a must have for me. His name is “Spike” (I’m sure you can see why). Like the rest of the character he is made of dishwasher safe silicone, and has bendy arms and legs with suction cup feet. I broke my peeler a while back, so have simply been using a pairing knife for those jobs, but since the opportunity presented itself, “El Diablo” also came to live with me. To try out some of the companies other offerings, I picked out a small silicone pastry roller as well. I thought it would come in handy when working on small pastries for the holidays, which will be here before we know it.

While I adore the vintage anthropomorphic kitchen items I have, these contemporary pieces are so much more user friendly. My first concern was whether they would feel comfortable in the hand, since they look to be built for cuteness rather than ergonomics. No need to worry, the feel and flexibility of the silicone made for a comfortable grip. The cute little dudes, as well as, their rolling pin counter part all performed their intended duties quite effectively. Funky style and usability, a great combination.

To stay up to date with what is going on with Head Chefs, follow them on Twitter (www.twitter.com/headchefs) and Facebook (www.facebook.com/headchefs ).

Disclosure: Product sample was provided for the purpose of review. All opinions presented here are my own.

Giveaway

One lucky Blommi reader will win a $40 gift code, so they can pick out some little friends of their own, courtesy of Head Chefs.

Entry Options (do as many or as few as you like, but make sure to leave a separate comment for each entry)

Visit Head Chefs and tell me who you would buy with the gift code, if you win.
Follow this blog via email or RSS (One entry each).
Follow me through Google Friend Connect (bottom of page)
Tweet about this giveaway can be done 3x per day at least 1 hour apart (account must be public and have at least 50 followers).
Share or “like” this giveaway on Facebook
Follow me on Stumble Upon (leave your user name in comment).
For 2 entries! Grab my ad button (available here), or add Blommi.com to your blogroll -> blog must be public with minimum 25 followers. Leave a link where it can be found, in your comment. (remember to leave 2 separate comments)
For 3 Entries! Blog about this giveaway with a live link back to this post -> blog must be public with minimum 25 followers. (be sure to leave 3 separate comments)

One winner will be randomly selected from all valid entries, and will have 48 hours to respond to their prize winner email notification. If winner fails to respond, within that time period, a new winner will be drawn. 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 August 31, 2010 at 11:59 pm CT. Open to US residents , age 18+.

Filed Under: Household Tagged With: giveaway, kids, kitchen equipment

Energizer Lithium Batteries Offer Gas Card Rewards! (with Giveaway)

June 28, 2011 By Robin

Many of us are on tight budgets over the summer. We seem to be driving more than usual, entertaining our children, who are out of school for summer vacation. This summer the price of gas is really making beach days more costly for us, and we live in the “Ocean State”. I hate to think of how much people in other areas of the country are putting in their tanks.

Energizer understands, and is taking some of the pinch away for us, with a great new promotion. Energizer® Lithium (yes the ones that last forever in our cameras) is giving out gas cards to their customers. Simply purchase two packs of specially-marked Energizer® Ultimate Lithium or Energizer® Advanced Lithium batteries and you will get a $10 Prepaid Discover® Gas Rewards* card mailed to you. It’s that easy. That should make summer travel season a little less painful

It works like this:
1. Visit www.facebook.com/energizer
2. Click on tab for the Lithium Gas Reward and follow the instructions to input your battery pack codes.
3. A $10 Prepaid Discover® Gas Rewards card will then be mailed to you from the fulfillment company.
4. The last day to redeem codes is 1/31/12 at 11:59 p.m. ET.

More information about the promotion can be found at: www.facebook.com/energizer on the Lithium Gas Reward tab.

Disclosure: Product sample provided. All opinions presented here are my own.

Giveaway

One lucky Blommi reader will win two packs of Energizer Lithium batteries (a specially-marked package of Energizer® Ultimate Lithium & a package of Energizer® Advanced Lithium batteries). The winner can then use the codes on the packages to redeem for a $10 gift card.

Entry Options (do as many or as few as you like, but make sure to leave a separate comment for each entry)

Tell me which the man on your list would prefer AA or AAA batteries.
Follow this blog via email or RSS (One entry each).
Follow me through Google Friend Connect (bottom of page)
Follow @TwiMommi on Twitter and tweet about this giveaway can be done 3x per day at least 1 hour apart (account must be public and have at least 50 followers).
“Like” Blommi on Facebook
“Like” Energizer on Facebook
Share or “like” this giveaway on Facebook
For 2 entries! Grab my ad button (available here), or add Blommi.com to your blogroll -> blog must be public with minimum 25 followers. Leave a link where it can be found, in your comment. (remember to leave 2 separate comments)
For 3 Entries! Blog about this giveaway with a live link back to this post -> blog must be public with minimum 25 followers. (be sure to leave 3 separate comments)

One winner will be randomly selected from all valid entries, and will have 48 hours to respond to their prize winner email notification. If winner fails to respond, within that time period, a new winner will be drawn. 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 fulfillment, nor for missing or damaged prizes. Contest ends July 12, 2010 at 11:59 pm CT. Open to US residents , age 18+.

Filed Under: Household Tagged With: giveaway

This Summer #GetFresh with Cottonelle

May 31, 2011 By Robin Leave a Comment

Moms always seem to be wiping something down, and many times it is their children. To get to the nitty gritty about it, one issue can be insuring young children’s backsides are thoroughly clean. My daughter, still needs assistance in the wiping portion of going potty. Cottonelle Moist Wipes in the new improved dispenser make it easier to handle this task.

I prefer the Cottonelle Moist Wipes over using the child specific brands, because many of those do not have the flushablity of the Cottonelle wipes. The dispenser is also more convenient space wise, and blends in with the decor better. The adult friendliness is also a factor. Guests are more likely to feel free to utilize the wipes in this set-up, which makes it a clear option to paper tissue.

The dispenser wall attachment is included free in the starter container for a limited time. This handy wall hook is easy to put up with the included 3M Command Strips, and are just as simple to remove if you want to reposition or remove the unit. Just pull the tabs and the hook will come right off with no residue.

Now is the perfect time to try out Cottonelle Moist Wipes, the summer months can be particularly challenging when it comes to the cliched “not so fresh feeling”, and these lightly scented wipes can help out after a work out or chores, when there is not time for a shower. If you would like to try this product out, there is a money saving coupon available. Until June 1st, Cottonelle is running their ‘Get Fresh with a Friend’ campaign. Grab a $1 off coupon for Cottonelle Moist Wipes with the Easy Reach Dispenser, and send one to a friend,as well.

I wrote this review while participating in a blog tour campaign by Mom Central Consulting on behalf of Cottonelle and received product and a promotional item as a thank you for my participation.

Filed Under: Household Tagged With: health, review, reviews

Cooking with Coke: T-Fal Steamer Giveaway

May 11, 2011 By Robin

Coca-Cola is such an iconic part of the lives of most Americans. We all seem to have a special memory from our childhood that involves coke. From the old snapshot of you playing with your cousins, holding a bottle of Coca-Cola, to the case of Coke you will pick up for the upcoming Memorial Day BBQ, Coke always seems to be there.

Since the kitchen is where so many of our memories are made, and Coca-cola so often either pairs with the meals we make there, or even goes in them, the brand has launched a new site called Cooking with Coke . It provides you with a place, to share recipes, family stories and mealtime traditions, as well as, grab some great recipes from some top chefs. You can even build your own personalized recipe book from the recipes offered and share your tips on how to get the whole family together. Sounds fun doesn’t it!

Disclosure: Product provided. All opinions presented here are my own.

T-Fal Steamer Giveaway

One lucky Blommi reader will win an Ingrid Hoffman 12 quart hard enamel, aluminum stock pot with tempered glass cover, and tamale steamer insert, riveted steel handles and non stick interior (ARV $59)

Mandatory Entry (must be completed for other entries to count): Visit www.cookingwithcoke.com and check out the great recipes there. Leave a link in your comment below, to either a recipe you submitted yourself, or your favorite you found there.

Additional entry options:

For 2 entries! Follow this blog via email (remember to leave 2 separate comments)
Follow this blog via RSS
Follow me through Google Friend Connect (bottom of page)
Follow @TwiMommi on Twitter and tweet about this giveaway can be done 3x per day at least 1 hour apart (account must be public and have at least 50 followers). Feel free to use this tweet: ” Win a T-Fal 12 qt. Steamer Pan (ARV $59) from Cooking with Coke and @TwiMommi http://blommi.com/?p=17161 #Giveaway “
“Like” Blommi on Facebook
“Like” Coca Cola on Facebook
Share or “like” this giveaway on Facebook
For 2 entries! Grab my ad button (available here), or add Blommi.com to your blogroll -> blog must be public with minimum 25 followers. Leave a link where it can be found, in your comment. (remember to leave 2 separate comments)
For 3 Entries! Blog about this giveaway with a live link back to this post -> blog must be public with minimum 25 followers. (be sure to leave 3 separate comments)

One winner will be randomly selected from all valid entries, and will have 48 hours to respond to their prize winner email notification. If winner fails to respond, within that time period, a new winner will be selected. Giveaways hosted on Blommi are sponsored, but not administered, by third parties. Site owner will of course endeavor to see all prizes are fulfilled, but is not responsible for fulfillment, nor for missing or damaged prizes. Contest ends May 25, 2010 at 11:59 pm CT. Open to US residents , age 18+.

Filed Under: Household Tagged With: contest, cooking, giveaway, kitchen equipment

Great Outdor Gifts for Mother’s Day Under $20 (w/ Giveaway)

May 3, 2011 By Robin

Spring is in the air and Mother’s Day is this coming weekend. If mom or grandma enjoys spending time outside, Kmart has some perfect gifts all for under $20.

The Animated My Butterfly In A Jar, is something the kids would be sure to be excited to give mom. Tap on the top of the jar and the butterfly “wakes up” and flies around. Available in 4 different species: blue morpho, pink morpho, yellow swallowtail, and monarch

If it seems that most of the time mom gets to enjoy outside is during the evening hours, then perhaps some outdoor lighting would be a great gift for her. These Essential Summer White Chinese Paper Lantern String Lights, are fun yet elegant.

Moms that love candles will like the Jaclyn Smith Today Large Metal Lantern , a stylish way to keep that candle burning despite outdoor breezes. The Jaclyn Smith Today Kensington Solar Hurricane Lantern is a terrific choice for the eco-conscious mom (or one who just have to buy batteries).

Maybe mom’s patio set is looking a little dated. Buy her some decorative ourdoor pillows to spice up the look of her space. Lucky for you the Essential Garden Outdoor 15in Diagonal Stripe Square Pillow and the Country Living 2-PACK 16” SQUARE PILLOW, HAWTHORNE STRIPE are on sale this week, and you can actually buy a pair of great pillows, without going over your $20 budget!

I actually checked out the Outdoor Living Dept. at Kmart recently, and in addition to these under $20 gifts I saw some really neat stuff for a little more, like fountains and some very cute retro metal clam shell chairs.

Disclosure: Gift cards for giveaway, and myself provided by Kmart. All opinions presented here are my own.

Kmart Gift Card Giveaway

2 lucky Blommi readers will each win a $20 Kmart Gift Card.

Entry Options (do as many or as few as you like, but make sure to leave a separate comment for each entry)

Tell me which of these gifts you think a mom on your list would most like to receive.
Follow this blog via email or RSS (One entry each).
Follow me through Google Friend Connect (bottom of page)
Follow both @TwiMommi and @KmartDealsnNews on Twitter and tweet about this giveaway can be done 3x per day at least 1 hour apart (account must be public and have at least 50 followers). Feel free to use this tweet: ” Kmart Gift Card Giveaway (2 Winners) from @TwiMommi http://blommi.com/?p=16907 “
“Like” Blommi on Facebook
“Like” Kmart on Facebook
Share or “like” this giveaway on Facebook
For 2 entries! Grab my ad button (available here), or add Blommi.com to your blogroll -> blog must be public with minimum 25 followers. Leave a link where it can be found, in your comment. (remember to leave 2 separate comments)
For 3 Entries! Blog about this giveaway with a live link back to this post -> blog must be public with minimum 25 followers. (be sure to leave 3 separate comments)

One winner will be randomly selected from all valid entries, and will have 48 hours to respond to their prize winner email notification. If winner fails to respond, within that time period, a new winner will be drawn. 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 fulfillment, nor for missing or damaged prizes. Contest ends May 17, 2010 at 11:59 pm CT. Open to US residents , age 18+.

Filed Under: Household, Women Tagged With: giveaway, Mother' Day

Get the Vintage Halloween Look in Your Home with these Great Finds from Pottery Barn Kids

Stomp Out Stains and Odors with BISSELL Stomp ‘N Go pads

FIOS Equals Flexibility and Choice

The Makeover of the Awful Green Playroom Commences #gliddengallons

Check out the completed Playroom Makeover!

Head Chefs Anthropomorphic Kitchen Utensils Review and Giveaway!

Say Hello, to My Little Friends

Giveaway

Energizer Lithium Batteries Offer Gas Card Rewards! (with Giveaway)

Giveaway

This Summer #GetFresh with Cottonelle

Cooking with Coke: T-Fal Steamer Giveaway

T-Fal Steamer Giveaway

Great Outdor Gifts for Mother’s Day Under $20 (w/ Giveaway)

Kmart Gift Card Giveaway

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