reviews

Giveaway: Rubbermaid 2-in-1 Recycler for Tidy Recycling

April 12, 2012 By Robin 5 Comments

Like many owners of older homes, I have some major storage issues. There is simply no spot under my cabinets to store recyclables. I have been placing the large ugly bins in my backroom and bringing recyclable items back there, as they are used. Not the most convenient set up, considering the already impractical design of the kitchen.

I was sent a Rubbermaid 2-in-1 Recycler for review a few weeks ago, and am quite pleased with the quality of construction and ease of use. It certainly looks far better than the blue & green bins from the city, and the compact design makes it easy to find a spot for.

Convenient handles on both the top and bottom bins make transporting recyclables simple. The bottom bin tilts out and holds a standard 8-gallon trash bag. The bag is held in place by the LinerLock™ bag system so it stays put without slipping. The Rubbermaid 2-in-1 Recycler is also appropriately made with recycled materials, and is in torn recyclable itself.

I liked my recycler so much, I ended out buying a new Rubbermaid outdoor trash can, a few days after it arrived. It has been very effective at keeping out the opossums that were raiding my trash. I really should pick up another one.

Check out the Rubbermaid Adventures in Organizing blog, for some great tips to help you organize your household.

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

Giveaway

One lucky Mom Foodie reader will win a Rubbermaid 2 in 1 Recycler, like the one shown above. Open to residents of US and Canada, age 18+.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Filed Under: Home & Garden, Household, Shopping Tagged With: giveaway, review, reviews

NewAir AIC-210 Ice Cream Maker Review

December 13, 2011 By Robin 2 Comments

I was recently sent a NewAir AIC-210 Ice Cream Maker for review. This ice cream maker is much different than the one my parent’s used when I was a child. Memories of packing salt and ice into the sides of the old style ice cream makers , and waiting for hours to have any ice cream to eat, didn’t draw me back to the process, as an adult. This ice cream machine is far different from the set-up my parents used though.

The NewAir AIC-210 Ice Cream Maker has a built in compressor, so making ice cream becomes as simple as mixing your ingredients, pouring them in, setting the timer, and pressing the button. I made some frozen yogurt in the machine, and it was ready in just 40 minutes, with minimal cleanup. My daughter loved the yogurt, and it is a great way to try out something unusual. Our frozen yogurt concoction was made with vanilla frozen yogurt, milk, chocolate Slimfast powder & a banana. I figured my daughter and I both liked this combination as a smoothie, so why not a frozen treat.

I will certainly be having some fun with this next summer, making ice cream and frozen yogurt featuring fresh fruits and berries. I might try a couple wacky recipes I have seen online, like bacon ice cream, as well… why not. The Newair AIC-210 would make a wonderful gift for the foodie or ice cream lover in your life. It is quicker and easier to use than most ice cream makers , so I think they will be pleasantly surprised.

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

Filed Under: Food & Beverage, Holiday Gift Guide 2011, Household Tagged With: kitchen equipment, review, reviews

Apothic Red: A Versatile Wine for Your Holiday Table

December 13, 2011 By Robin 1 Comment

Apothic Red is a delightful vinter’s blend. It is rich and smooth, with the flavor of cherries and a bit of spiciness. The blend is a mixture of Syrah, Zinfandel and Merlot, and has acquired excellent characteristics from each. The wine retails for a reasonable retail price of $14, but I recently purchased it 2 for $19.99, from a local wine seller.

I would suggest Apothic Red as an excellent red choice to serve with dinner, or as a hostess gift. In my opinion this is a smart buy.

Disclosure: Sample provided. I have indeed bought it since then.

Filed Under: Food & Beverage Tagged With: review, reviews

Bialetti Moka Express Espresso Maker Review and Giveaway

December 12, 2011 By Robin

Love espresso, and don’t want to spend a small fortune on one of those expensive boiler models? This simple stove top espresso maker may be just the solution for you. The Moka Espress is made in Italy, and is the same design commonly found in European households.

The Bialetti Moka Express espresso maker is available in a wide array of sizes. There are 1, 3, 6, 9 and 12 cup models. The 6 cup model featured here sells for just $29.95, quite reasonable compared with the counter top brew models, many of which produce lackluster espresso. If you entertain a lot, the 9 or 12 cup model would be a good investment even if you have a high end counter top model. They generally don’t brew more than 2 cups at a time, not good if you have several dinner guests who would like a cup.

I found this maker easy to use, and it is foreseeable that the aluminum body could last a lifetime. A Bialetti Moka Express espresso pot would make an excellent gift for the foodie or coffee fiend in your life. Pair it with a bag of fine quality espresso and some demitasse cups for a truly outstanding gift.

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

Bialetti Moka Express Giveaway

One lucky Blommi reader will win a Moka Express espresso pot of their own.

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

Tell how you like to drink your espresso.
For 2 entries! Follow this blog via email or RSS . (remember to leave 2 separate comments)
For 2 entries! Like Blommi on Facebook (remember to leave 2 separate comments)
For 2 entries! Like Bialetti on Facebook (remember to leave 2 separate comments)
Share or “like” this giveaway on Facebook
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).
Follow me on Stumble Upon , Pinterest or Google + (one entry each, 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)

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 December 27, 2011 at 11:59 pm CT. Open to US residents , age 18+.

Filed Under: Holiday Gift Guide 2011, Household, Misc. Tagged With: giveaway, kitchen equipment, review, reviews

Stylish Comfortable Girl’s Clothing from Tea Collection

December 10, 2011 By Robin 2 Comments

Wildflower Wrap Dress

Lantana Wrap Dress

Wildflower Mini Dress & Sparkle Stripe Leggings

Tea Collection is one of my favorite places to buy Girl’s Clothing. Not only are the styles fashionable, but they are very durable, as well. I am not sure why, but they seem far more stain resistant than most of my daughter’s other clothes. This is very important when you are dressing a particularly messy 4 year old. Don’t let her cute little face fool you, this child can trash a room like a rock star in record time, and wears food very well…lol. Her Tea Collection dresses have all held up to the punishment, and still look good.

Children’s Clothing from Tea Collection make an excellent choice for holiday events. They also have Boy’s Clothing available. Your son or daughter will certainly look neat and stylish, yet feel comfortable. You won’t be chasing them about, trying to avoid them ruining their clothes. They can be free to enjoy themselves and play. Isn’t that really the point, for everyone to enjoy their time together?

I love that I can put my daughter in a Tea Collection dress for an event, then send her to school in the same dress the next week. Very few lines of clothing for kids are this flexible.

Special note for parents of children with sensory issues: My daughter has sensory issues. While generally she is a sensory seeker, she can not tolerate uncomfortable clothing. I have not had any problems with her wearing Tea Collection clothing. Yes, they do have tags and seams, but unless your child is exceptionally sensitive, they will probably be O.K. with most of the items from this maker.

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

Filed Under: Beauty & Fashion, Children's Fashion, Girl's Clothing Tagged With: clothing, kids, review, reviews

Ninja Kitchen System: Review and Giveaway

December 9, 2011 By Robin

I received a Ninja Kitchen System about a month ago and have been using it regularly since it’s arrival. This sturdy well-built appliance has a wide array of functions. It is the 1200 model, which seems to essentially be pretty much the same as the 1100. The system comes with both a 40 oz and a 72 oz pitcher. Five tool shafts are included: 2 bladed shafts (one for each size pitcher), a whipping paddle (great for dessert preparation), dough paddle (good for cookies, cakes, etc.) and dough blade (pizza & breads).

This is not a fragile piece of equipment. I really appreciate it’s sturdiness, after my last multi-use system (from a different company) had two two essential pieces break, making it virtually useless. It is also easy to use. I don’t know about you, but if a kitchen appliance has more than about 3 pieces to put together for use, or are difficult to clean, I just won’t be bothered. They become space wasting dust collectors. The Ninja Kitchen System is no more complicated than a blender, and this thing chomped right through full size ice cubes without whining at all.

A few notable features:

BPA free
suction feet, with locking lever
1100 watts of power
easy -twist lock in
motor will not activate unless cap is properly attached

The Ninja Kitchen System Retails for $159.99, and can be bought right off their website, as well as, from most major retailers.

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

Ninja Kitchen System Giveaway

One lucky Blommi reader will win a Ninja Kitchen System 1200 of their own, courtesy of Ninja.

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

Tell me what you want to make in a Ninja!
For 2 entries “Like” Ninja Kitchen on Facebook (remember to leave 2 separate comments)
For 2 entries “Like” Blommi on Facebook (remember to leave 2 separate comments)
For 2 entries Follow this blog via email or RSS (pick one).
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 Ninja Kitchen System from @TwiMommi http://blommi.com/?p=24565 #Giveaway ”
Follow me on Stumble Upon , Pinterest or Google + (one entry each, leave your user name in comment).
For 3 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 3 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 December 21, 2011 at 11:59 pm CT. Open to US residents , age 18+.

Filed Under: Holiday Gift Guide 2011, Household Tagged With: giveaway, kitchen equipment, review, reviews

Fijit Friends Review: Great Toy for Kids with Autism or Sensory Issues

December 3, 2011 By Robin 2 Comments

My daughter (M) and I were sent a Sage Fijit for review a few weeks back. It was not the first item she went for that day (a Little Mommy doll also came in at the same time), but a couple days later she brought me the box. M is non-verbal due to her autism, so she generally brings me items or picture cards to express what she wants, and Fijit had caught her attention.

When I had selected a Fijit Friends doll as one of the items I would like to review, I didn’t realize it was geared towards children a little older than M. I pretty much expected her to investigate the Fijit for a few minutes and toss it aside forgotten… I was oh-so-very wrong. You see this little Fijit named Sage is actually a fantastic toy for children with strong sensory needs, like my daughter. I don’t think the dolls were created with this demographic in mind, but they are a perfect fit.

Fijit Friends are covered with a rubbery skin. It is the same material used to make those stretchy “tentacle” balls, that many occupational therapists and teachers use with children who have sensory processing disorders and/or autism. The Sage character has ears that stick out and are flat like a leaf. My daughter likes to gnaw on these, when she needs a little extra sensory input. Sage has become one of my daughters favorite toys, and he is often dragged around the house with her, When my MIL & SIL saw how much she likes this Fijit , they picked her up one of the other characters for Christmas.

Fijits are intended for girls around 6-10 years of age. They’re cute interactive little dancing pals, but I can’t really tell you how girls this age will like the toy. I can tell you my preschool age autistic daughter is in love with hers. I think the toy would be fine for little boys in her age group with similar sensory issues, as well. Sage is not particularly “girly”, and Logan seems to be a male Fijit.

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

Filed Under: Autism, Children, Holiday Gift Guide 2011 Tagged With: autism, kids, review, reviews, toys

Vtech Multi-tasking Phone System is a Great Gift for Busy Moms

November 21, 2011 By Robin 2 Comments

As a blogger who frequently features recipes, I am often in the kitchen preparing a dish for publication, while watching my daughter and recording the ingredients as I add them. Several other things are probably happening at the same time as well. I simply can’t hold a phone and get things done efficiently, but I still want to keep in touch with my friends and family. Answering the phone, when I have my hands covered with flour or just touched raw meat, is just not going to happen. I assume most busy moms can relate with that scenario. We don’t want to miss important phone calls, but dropping everything to check who is calling, is inconvenient to say the least.

These issues were a constant annoyance for me, so when Mom Central, was looking for bloggers to review the Vtech LS6475-3 phone system, I jumped at the chance. The feature list was quite impressive, and would solve most of the phone issues that had been troubling me. I have not been disappointed.

Upon opening the box, I was immediately impressed with the sturdy sleek well thought out design. The handsets while thin, still have a decent weight and length to them, making then comfortable to hold. They seem like they could readily handle being dropped, which inevitably happens. I also like the ample size of the push buttons. The buttons on my old phone were far more difficult to press accurately. The audio is a bit clearer too. The answering machine has an effective simple design. The primary functions are toggled across from each other on a large circular button, so I barely have to look to play, skip, delete or repeat a message. A vast improvement on my old system.

The Vtech LS6475-3 has already beat my old system in all the functions they share, but the Vtech has many additional convenient features:

Voice Announce Caller ID The phone announces who is calling. This saves me from dropping what I am doing, for telemarketers and such.
Push -to-Talk This handy walkie-talkie feature will avoid the need to holler to family members from different sections of the house.
Handset Speaker Phone Put the phone down and continue your conversation, even let other family members join in the discussion.
Cordless Headset Continue about your business, while having a conversation. You are completely hands free to do household chores or projects, while talking on the phone, anywhere in the house.

I am very pleased with this multi-tasking phone system, and have no qualms about recommending it. I actually have no complaints so far with using it. It has made having phone conversations while dealing with daily household activities far easier.

This would make a terrific gift for the busy mom in your life. The set comes with two handsets and one headset, but is expandable up to 12 devices (two of which can be cordless head sets), and retails for $99.95.

I wrote this review while participating in a campaign by Mom Central Consulting on behalf of VTech and received a product sample to facilitate my review.

Filed Under: Holiday Gift Guide 2011, Household Tagged With: review, reviews, Shopping

A California Wine Club Membership Makes a Wonderful Holiday Gift! (Discount Code)

November 16, 2011 By Robin 1 Comment

Like many “foodies” I enjoy wine, but often find myself grabbing the same “safe” bottles when shopping. The California Wine Club has been a fun experience for me, since it has brought two bottles of quality wine to my doorstep each month. I am getting a mix of red & white wine, but the option is available to get just red or white, if you have a strong preference of one over the other.

This month the featured winery was Castoro Cellars, of Templeton California. The package included the 2010 Paso Robles Gewurztraminer and 2010 “Blind Faith” Paso Robles Pinot Noir. The Pinot Noir was smooth with nice berry flavor, and just a hint of smokiness, an easy drinking wine that stood up to drinking by itself ( I had a couple glasses while installing my bedroom flooring). I feel it would also pair well with a large range of meals. I am not at all well versed in German style wines, so I had no expectations when opening the Gewurztraminer. I found it to be fruity and a little sweet, but not overpoweringly so at all. If I had to try and pinpoint the fruit flavor, I guess it would be a cross between pineapple and pear. The acids in this wine are subtle… just enough. This wine would be nice with delicate dishes, that would be overpowered by typical white wines. I guess I should start trying more German style wines.

In my opinion a California Wine Club Membership would make a fantastic gift for any avid cook, as well as, anyone who simply enjoys a nice glass of wine on occasion. The club makes tasting wine an easy and enjoyable experience, that you can have right in your own home. Each moth the club sends 2 bottles from a small California winery, nicely packaged to ensure no broken bottles. An informative magazine is included with each shipment, which tells you about the producing winery, the family that runs it and information about the wines themselves. If you have never experienced small estate wines before, you’re sure to be surprised at how distinctive they each are, and knowing about the people that made your wine, adds a little to the enjoyment, as well.

California Wine Club Discount for my Readers

The California Wine Club has generously offered a special trial deal for my readers. Just $13 for the first shipment with no obligation to stay!

If you prefer to do two red or two white wines, rather than one of each no problem. To take advantage of this deal use the promo code: blommi and follow this link to The California Wine Club. You will also get 10% off gifts!

Filed Under: Food, Food & Beverage Tagged With: holiday gifts, review, reviews, Shopping