SOCIAL MEDIA

Saturday, October 30, 2010

Nordicware.com Review and Giveaway Part 2

I love pumpkins. When I think about fall, pumpkins are the first thing that comes to mind. There are so many different kind of pumpkin desserts you can make, the possibilities are endless!

I recently did a review for Nordicware and absolutely loved their products. The bakeware is sturdy, reliable, and dependable. I was looking at their bakeware section and decided I just couldn't go on living if I didn't have this pumpkin patch pan to make adorable pumpkin muffins with.

Look how seriously adorable this pan is:


This pan is perfect for Halloween and the fall season as a whole. I don't have a picture of my finished product but here is a stock photo from the website of what the pumpkin muffins look like:


I used standard pumpkin muffin mix and they turned out perfect. Moist, delicious, and chock full of great spicy pumpkin flavor! The pan cooked the muffins evenly. The pan is non-stick, but I still greased it before hand. The muffins came out pefectly. Nothing got stuck or had any problems, which is always appreciated by me. I took these muffins to an event and everyone loved how cute they were! You can experiment by adding chocolate chips, peanut butter chips, nuts, etc. Make the pumpkins however you choose!

GIVEAWAY RULES:
I will be picking ONE (1) winner to win the same pumpkin patch pan that I reviewed.
1. YOU MUST DO THIS FIRST or all other entries will be DELETED! Please tell me why you would like to win this pan.(1 entry)

BONUS ENTRIES

2. Subscribe by Email and Confirm that Subscription (1 entry)

3. Subscribe to Sammi's Blog of Life in a Reader (1 entry)

4. Follow me on Blogger (1 entry)

5. Follow me on Twitter (www.twitter.com/pinkice88) (1 entry)

6. Leave a Tweet and the direct link to that tweet (1 entry) (You can do this daily)

7. FOR 5 EXTRA ENTRIES - Blog about this giveaway with a link to my blog and come back and leave the link to your blog post. Post FIVE separate comments that you've blogged about this.

9. Add my main button to your sidebar (if it's already there, let me know that! Leave link to your blog.) (1 entry)

9. Add Sammi's Blog of Life to your blogroll (using my URL), with a link back to me! (1 entry)

10. Follow me on Facebook for 1 entry.

Winner will be chosen on November 10, 2010 at 10 pm and then will be emailed.
One entry per day.
Alternate winner will be chosen if winner does not respond after 48 hours. Thank you and good luck!
Disclaimer-
I was provided a product in exchange for my review.
You can read more about my blog policies in my disclaimer.
Sammi's Blog Of Life Follows All New FTC & Facebook Laws for Reviews & Giveaways.
IF YOU DO NOT CORRECTLY ANSWER MY CONTEST QUESTION, YOUR COMMENT WILL BE IMMEDIATELY REJECTED.





Thursday, October 28, 2010

Fresh Direct Review

Fresh Direct is a popular grocery delivery service here in NYC. While I've never purchased my groceries from this company, I certainly wouldn't say no to having food delivered to my door! :)



About this company:
•We buy directly from the farms higher quality fresher food at lower prices everyday.


•Shop Buy Big department for bulk prizes and family packs at club store prices.


•Use FreshDirect's Smart Shopping Tools to save time and money. Try Quickshop feature to buy from your favorites and previous orders. You control exactly what you're spending before you spend it with our Budget Tracker.


•Save more every day, every week with up to 50% off deals on President's Picks.


•We offer more organic, all-natural and locally-produced foods than supermarkets.


•With over 600 meals, prepared fresh daily, feeding your family right has never been so easy.


•Savor over 85 chef-created 4 minute meals, all freshly made each day in our kitchen from recipes from the top chefs of Manhattans' finest restaurants.


•Our food experts rate all our produce and seafood every morning, so you'll always know what's the best and in season.


Fresh Direct has created a new line of frozen entrees. The meals are created by chef Tina Bourbeau, who has spent nearly two decades cooking in NYC kitchens alongsided top chefs. Now she brings her professional savvy to the FreshDirect Test Kitchen. Some of the meals are: Barbequed brisket with baked beans and jalapeno cheddar cornbread, bay scallops and vegetable risotto, mushroom and spinach lasagna, Sunday ham, Pesto Pasta Primavera and more. There is a meal for everyone's liking and taste palette.

I was allowed to choose two meals for review purposes. My boyfriend is a big lover of meat so of course I had to choose the beef brisket for him. For myself I chose the spinach and ricotta tortelloni. I had it for dinner tonight and it was excellent! I also received the meals in a nice zippered Fresh Direct cooler.





This meal consists of Spinach and ricotta filled pasta with tomatoes, spinach and a creamy four-cheese alfredo sauce of parmesean, emmental, gorgonzola, and goat cheese. The tortelloni's were fluffy and full of rich, amazing, flavorful cheese. I put the tortelloni's in a bowl so I could control what goes into the bowl because I didn't want all of the sauce on the pasta. I thought the cheese in the pasta was enough, and I didn't want excess cheese sauce too. I spooned a tiny bit in the bowl though. The sauce was creamy and very tasty. I really liked the tomatoes and the spinach. This meal was like something you could get at a restaurant! Everything was extremely fresh. I loved that it came from a frozen container in my freezer! The meal is not hard at all to prepare. Just pop it into your microwave for about 3 1/2 minutes, and you're ready to chow down! It smells heavenly too. I felt that for 530 calories you got a decent amount of food and is satisfying and filling.

My boyfriend's meal is the Southern-style bbq brisket. It comes with beef brisket with barbecue sauce, kale with berkshire bacon, baked beans, and jalapeno cheddar cornbread.


My boyfriend really liked the kale with the meat. He thought it was a good combination that went well together, and it had a great aroma. Upon first bite, he said "MM!" out loud. He really thought the flavor was great and the meat was tender. The cornbread is very soft and is not overly spicy. It's a good balance of cheese and jalapeno, both flavors don't outweigh each other. The bacon really adds a ton of flavor and life to this dish. My boyfriend thought everything went together very well. He says it's something he would definitely order at a BBQ restaurant, gladly.

Thanks Fresh Direct, you've delivered some great food to these satisfied stomachs!




Cleavitz Review and Giveaway

If you're like me, you own a lot of tops or dresses that are low cut. It's not cute to have your bra showing, and it's even worse to have a ton of your cleavage showing too. Cleavitz has come to your fashion rescue.

What exactly is Cleavitz?
Cleavitz is an ultra-comfortable, fashionable half top that is worn over a bra and underneath low-cut shirts, dresses and business suits to dress up any outfit while providing comfort, coverage and style.

Its unique blend of fabric and design allows women to “manage” their cleavage – adjusting the Cleavitz up or down to the desired amount of coverage while staying in place.


I was sent three different styles to choose from; white, lacy, and a silverish color.


Cleavitz’s patent-pending design, with the top ending just below the bra, provides the following benefits:
•No bunching around the front and rear mid-section.
•No more tugging and adjusting your camisole or tank top.
•Doesn’t roll up -- providing a slim, neat appearance.
•No elastic bands providing maximum comfort.
•No clips, snaps or tape!
•As much coverage as you want without the added bulk.
•Cooler than a full tank top or camisole.
•Expands your current wardrobe with one simple purchase.

Cleavitz comes in a variety of styles and colors. We offer two product lines: one for everyday wear and the other for executives on the go. The varying styles and functionality maintain the same comfortable fit throughout. Click here to shop all colors and styles.





I am really thankful for these half-tops. They will save me from having any embarassing wardrobe malfunctions! I like that I was sent 3 different styles that could coordinate with outfits in many ways. The white one could go under a simple sun-dress, or a low cut top. The silvery one would be good for an office job where you could possibly be wearing businesses suits or business casual clothing. The lacey one would be great for a dress or even eveningwear. These tops fit me well and are comfortable, which is important to me. They cover up anything I don't want seen, in a stylish way. I know I will be using these in the future with anything low cut that I might be wearing!

GIVEAWAY RULES:
I will be picking ONE (1) winner to win a 3 pack of their style choosing from Cleavitz!
1. YOU MUST DO THIS FIRST or all other entries will be DELETED! Please tell me why you would like to win this prize. (1 entry)

BONUS ENTRIES

2. Subscribe by Email and Confirm that Subscription (1 entry)

3. Subscribe to Sammi's Blog of Life in a Reader (1 entry)

4. Follow me on Blogger (1 entry)

5. Follow me on Twitter (www.twitter.com/pinkice88) (1 entry)

6. Leave a Tweet and the direct link to that tweet (1 entry) (You can do this daily)

7. FOR 5 EXTRA ENTRIES - Blog about this giveaway with a link to my blog and come back and leave the link to your blog post. Post FIVE separate comments that you've blogged about this.

9. Add my main button to your sidebar (if it's already there, let me know that! Leave link to your blog.) (1 entry)

9. Add Sammi's Blog of Life to your blogroll (using my URL), with a link back to me! (1 entry)

10. Follow me on Facebook for 1 entry.

Winner will be chosen on November 8, 2010 at 10 pm and then will be emailed.
One entry per day.
Alternate winner will be chosen if winner does not respond after 48 hours. Thank you and good luck!
Disclaimer-
I was provided a product in exchange for my review.
You can read more about my blog policies in my disclaimer.
Sammi's Blog Of Life Follows All New FTC & Facebook Laws for Reviews & Giveaways.
IF YOU DO NOT CORRECTLY ANSWER MY CONTEST QUESTION, YOUR COMMENT WILL BE IMMEDIATELY REJECTED.







Tuesday, October 26, 2010

Wonka Candy Review and Giveaway

Everyone's familiar with Wonka candy. It was made famous by the Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory movie. Peeking into the factory made everyone's sweet tooth come out in full force!

Wonka creates more than just the legendary chocolate, they are the makers of some of your favorites as: Spree, Bottlecaps, Gobstoppers, Pixy Sticks, Nerds, SweeTarts, and more!

This delicious company has come out with a new line of chocolates called "Wonka Exceptionals." These candy bars are sure to please and satisfy that sweet tooth of yours.

I was sent 7 Wonka bars for review. I received 3 Chocolate Waterfall bars, 2 Scrumdiddlyumptious bars, and 2 Domed Dark Chocolate bars. I also received a ton of individually wrapped mint candies. WOW, is this what chocolate heaven is like?





Wow, look at the this insane amount of chocolate! I had a bite of everything for review purposes. Firstly, I tried the Chocolate Waterfall bar. This candy consists of; a delectable combination of swirled milk and white chocolate. It was incredibly smooth and the flavors of the white and milk chocolate mixed together were very unique and created a delicious taste. It was rich and creamy amd melt in your mouth good. It reminded me of a truffle.

Secondly, I had a bite of the Scrumdiddlyumptious bar. This is a milk chocolate bar with scrumptious toffee, crispy cookie, and crunchy peanuts mixed throughout. This was my absolute favorite bar. I like my chocolate to have a crunch to it, or at least caramel in it. This bar was amazing. I loved the crunch of the peanuts mixed with the crispy, fresh cookie bits in it. The toffee gave it that firm chewiness that is essential in candy. The milk chocolate again was rich and creamy. All of these ingredients made the bar irresistibly delicious. It was like no other candy I've tasted before. It will be hard to control myself from eating it!

Next, I sampled the Domed Dark Chocolate bar. I am a big fan of dark chocolate, so this was right up my alley. This candy is a bed of dark chocolate with milk chocolate pillows, and velvet dark chocolate with milk chocolate medallions in the center. Mmmm, this was so delicious. The mixture of the dark and milk chocolates were very interesting. Normally I don't like to mix dark and milk together, but they paired so well in this candy bar. It was like biting into a little piece of heaven. Yum!

Lastly, I tasted an individually wrapped mint candy. I LOVE mint, so I knew I would love this. It had something crunchy in the middle, possibly toffee bits? I popped the whole thing in my mouth and gobbled it down instantly. It was perfection. The mint combined with the toffee practically made my whole life. Crunchy chocolate with mint, how can you go wrong?

It will be very hard to stop myself from eating more than the allotted amount per day. We'll see how I do ;)

GIVEAWAY RULES:
I will be picking ONE (1) winner who will win an assortment of Wonka candy.
1. YOU MUST DO THIS FIRST or all other entries will be DELETED! Please tell me why you would like to win this candy. (1 entry)

BONUS ENTRIES

2. Subscribe by Email and Confirm that Subscription (1 entry)

3. Subscribe to Sammi's Blog of Life in a Reader (1 entry)

4. Follow me on Blogger (1 entry)

5. Follow me on Twitter (www.twitter.com/pinkice88) (1 entry)

6. Leave a Tweet and the direct link to that tweet (1 entry) (You can do this daily)

7. FOR 5 EXTRA ENTRIES - Blog about this giveaway with a link to my blog and come back and leave the link to your blog post. Post FIVE separate comments that you've blogged about this.

9. Add my main button to your sidebar (if it's already there, let me know that! Leave link to your blog.) (1 entry)

9. Add Sammi's Blog of Life to your blogroll (using my URL), with a link back to me! (1 entry)

10. Follow me on Facebook for 1 entry.

Winner will be chosen on November 5, 2010 at 10 pm and then will be emailed.
One entry per day.
Alternate winner will be chosen if winner does not respond after 48 hours. Thank you and good luck!
Disclaimer-
I was provided a product in exchange for my review.
You can read more about my blog policies in my disclaimer.
Sammi's Blog Of Life Follows All New FTC & Facebook Laws for Reviews & Giveaways.
IF YOU DO NOT CORRECTLY ANSWER MY CONTEST QUESTION, YOUR COMMENT WILL BE IMMEDIATELY REJECTED.





Monday, October 25, 2010

Beach Towels 4 U Review and Giveaway

Summer's long gone, but we can still dream about warm weather right? It may seem like cold weather will be here for many months to come, but don't worry eventually warm weather will be back!

BeachTowels4U.com is a website which offers novelty beach towels, children's beach towels, sports beach towels, oversized beach towels, and much more! These towels are high quality, durable, and 100% cotton.



I was sent the "Monster Beach Towel." This towel is very unique as it fits 2 people!
It is 54" x 72", and comes in pink, blue, orange and yellow. I received the blue. It's comfortable, and of high quality. It also has a convenient carrying handle. This towel would be perfect for taking to the beach and sharing with a friend or family member. Even if you share there's more than enough room for the two of you! It's also great for taking to the park and having a picnic on it. I like the idea of this towel because when you go to the beach and you just lay on a normal towel, it bunches up on the sides and you end up getting sand on you and the towel. It's just annoying. The monster towel won't have this problem. I can't wait to use this in the upcoming warmer months! This would be a great holiday gift!

Check out Beach Towels at BeachTowels4U.com and on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/pages/edit/?id=97970174183#!/pages/Wind-Gap-PA/httpwwwbeachtowels4ucom/97970174183

Twitter-Twitter.com/BeachTowels4U

GIVEAWAY RULES:
I will be picking ONE (1) winner who will win a Monster towel in their choice of color.
1. YOU MUST DO THIS FIRST or all other entries will be DELETED! Please tell me why you would like to win this towel.(1 entry)

BONUS ENTRIES

2. Subscribe by Email and Confirm that Subscription (1 entry)

3. Subscribe to Sammi's Blog of Life in a Reader (1 entry)

4. Follow me on Blogger (1 entry)

5. Follow me on Twitter (www.twitter.com/pinkice88) (1 entry)

6. Leave a Tweet and the direct link to that tweet (1 entry) (You can do this daily)

7. FOR 5 EXTRA ENTRIES - Blog about this giveaway with a link to my blog and come back and leave the link to your blog post. Post FIVE separate comments that you've blogged about this.

9. Add my main button to your sidebar (if it's already there, let me know that! Leave link to your blog.) (1 entry)

9. Add Sammi's Blog of Life to your blogroll (using my URL), with a link back to me! (1 entry)

10. Follow me on Facebook for 1 entry.

Winner will be chosen on November 7, 2010 at 10 pm and then will be emailed.
One entry per day.
Alternate winner will be chosen if winner does not respond after 48 hours. Thank you and good luck!
Disclaimer-
I was provided a product in exchange for my review.
You can read more about my blog policies in my disclaimer.
Sammi's Blog Of Life Follows All New FTC & Facebook Laws for Reviews & Giveaways.
IF YOU DO NOT CORRECTLY ANSWER MY CONTEST QUESTION, YOUR COMMENT WILL BE IMMEDIATELY REJECTED.



Saturday, October 23, 2010

Contest deadlines extended!

Since I am away this weekend, the contests that ended yesterday and this weekend are extended. I will be picking winners Sunday or Monday.


Thanks!

UPDATE! As of 9:41 PM, Sunday 10/24, all winners have been drawn! Check your emails!

No more entries please!

Thursday, October 21, 2010

Lean Cuisine Market Creations Review and Giveaway

I've been a fan of Lean Cuisine for many years now. The portions fill me up and they are low calorie and low fat, which is great! There's many different varieties to choose from and all of them taste really delicious.

I was sent some Lean Cuisine Market Creations to try plus 3 free product coupons and wowwwww did they taste good! They are so easy to make too, they steam in your microwave and are done in 6 minutes.

I received Mushroom Tortelloni, Shrimp Scampi, and Garlic Chicken.

I had the mushroom tortelloni for dinner tonight. It reminded me of eating in an Italian restaurant, for half the cost, and I was in my own house. Can't get much better than that! This meal consists of; portobello mushroom and cheese stuffed tortelloni with snap peas, sun-dried tomatoes, peas and red peppers in a creamy mushroom sauce. Mm, yummy!



Looks amazing, right? The portions aren't big in these Market Creation meals, but that is okay by me because they fill me up and are enough to sastisfy me. The tortelloni's were big and stuffed full of delicious cheese. The tortelloni's were tender and the cheese had a great flavor. The mushroom sauce was creamy and melt in your mouth good. The sun-dried tomatoes and peas had a very fresh taste to them too.

The garlic chicken meal:



This meal is simply my favorite. I've had this before and I LOVE IT!!! It's fresh and delicious and the chicken and pasta are a great combination together. The meal is made up of white meat chicken with bowtie pasta, asparagus, broccoli and carrots in a creamy garlic parmesan sauce. I love the creamy garlic parmeasean sauce. It coats the veggies, pasta, and chicken generously. The pasta is al dente and perfect. The chicken is juicy and tender and tastes great. I don't like carrots much but I love the asparagus and broccoli together. All in all, the ingredients in this meal compliment each other well.

Shrimp Scampi:
Who doesn't love shrimp in a delicious garlic sauce with veggies and pasta? Can't go wrong with that in my book!


This is one of the meals that I used to buy my coupon with. I couldn't wait for the sample of it to come, so I bought it early. I'm so glad I did, too! I'm a big fan of shrimp and seafood in general. This meal has shrimp with pasta, broccoli, yellow carrots,and red peppers in a lemon garlic sauce. The shrimp are juicy, plump, and bursting with fresh flavor. The lemon garlic sauce compliments the shrimp and veggies well. I didn't like the carrots, again. The flavors tasted great together and this would make a great snack or lunch.

I really like that these meals are healthy options. You can still have all of your favorite foods in a healthy and nutritious setting!

GIVEAWAY RULES:
I will be picking ONE (1) winner who will win 3 free product coupons good for Lean Cuisine Market Creations meals.
1. YOU MUST DO THIS FIRST or all other entries will be DELETED! Please tell me why you would like to win these coupons. (1 entry)

BONUS ENTRIES

2. Subscribe by Email and Confirm that Subscription (1 entry)

3. Subscribe to Sammi's Blog of Life in a Reader (1 entry)

4. Follow me on Blogger (1 entry)

5. Follow me on Twitter (www.twitter.com/pinkice88) (1 entry)

6. Leave a Tweet and the direct link to that tweet (1 entry) (You can do this daily)

7. FOR 5 EXTRA ENTRIES - Blog about this giveaway with a link to my blog and come back and leave the link to your blog post. Post FIVE separate comments that you've blogged about this.

9. Add my main button to your sidebar (if it's already there, let me know that! Leave link to your blog.) (1 entry)

9. Add Sammi's Blog of Life to your blogroll (using my URL), with a link back to me! (1 entry)

10. Follow me on Facebook for 1 entry.

Winner will be chosen on November 3, 2010 at 10 pm and then will be emailed.
One entry per day.
Alternate winner will be chosen if winner does not respond after 48 hours. Thank you and good luck!
Disclaimer-
I was provided a product in exchange for my review.
You can read more about my blog policies in my disclaimer.
Sammi's Blog Of Life Follows All New FTC & Facebook Laws for Reviews & Giveaways.
IF YOU DO NOT CORRECTLY ANSWER MY CONTEST QUESTION, YOUR COMMENT WILL BE IMMEDIATELY REJECTED.













Saturday, October 16, 2010

Clean+Green Review and Giveaway

If you're like me, you have a dog or pet that sometimes still has accidents in the house. Colby is 12 but still has her occasional accident, or throws up from whatever she ate.

There is a great product to help you deal with the clean-up of dog accidents and assists with leaving minimal stain.



Clean+Green,a dog urine stain and odor remover is made from organic and biodegradable ingredients and packaged so you can recycle the container. You now have an environmentally friendly, natural carpet cleaning and upholstery cleaning solution for urine removal, odor removal and stain removal.
Clean+Green dog urine stain remover and odor remover will positively work to remove any dog urine stain, dog urine odor, dog smell and dog feces, vomit and any other dog accident.

You can now have an eco friendly home for your dog, and recycle our product packaging to protect the environment - clean green and use our effective, non toxic, organic odor and stain remover!

This product works instantly and easily, has all natural ingredients, is powerful and effective, and is safe for pets people and the planet! (Taken from website.) You can't get any better than that!

Clean+Green is a company that sells cleaner and odor eliminating products geared towards cats, dogs, dog/cat, birds, and other small animals. Whatever odor or issue you're having with your animal, Clean+Green will fix it!

I thought this product was really great. It's versatile in many different areas:
•Carpet & Area Rugs
•Bedding

•Oriental Rugs
•Auto Carpet

•Upholstery
•Cushions

•Mattresses
•Pet Beds

My dog peed on her bed recently and I used Clean+Green on the accident. All you do is spray the product and then wipe away. There's no need to soak, scrub or rinse. The stain came out beautifully. I washed the bed afterwards and the bed was like new! This product would be perfect to take with you if your dog easily gets car sick too. This spray doesn't have extremely harsh fumes and is okay for your dog to be around it, which is important to me. Virtually anywhere that your dog has an accident, Clean+Green will be sure to help!

GIVEAWAY RULES:
I will be picking ONE (1) winner to win a a Clean+Green pet product of their choice.
1. YOU MUST DO THIS FIRST or all other entries will be DELETED! Please tell me which product you would choose if you won. (1 entry)

BONUS ENTRIES

2. Subscribe by Email and Confirm that Subscription (1 entry)

3. Subscribe to Sammi's Blog of Life in a Reader (1 entry)

4. Follow me on Blogger (1 entry)

5. Follow me on Twitter (www.twitter.com/pinkice88) (1 entry)

6. Leave a Tweet and the direct link to that tweet (1 entry) (You can do this daily)

7. FOR 5 EXTRA ENTRIES - Blog about this giveaway with a link to my blog and come back and leave the link to your blog post. Post FIVE separate comments that you've blogged about this.

9. Add my main button to your sidebar (if it's already there, let me know that! Leave link to your blog.) (1 entry)

9. Add Sammi's Blog of Life to your blogroll (using my URL), with a link back to me! (1 entry)

10. Follow me on Facebook for 1 entry.

Winner will be chosen on October 31, 2010 at 10 pm and then will be emailed.
One entry per day.
Alternate winner will be chosen if winner does not respond after 48 hours. Thank you and good luck!
Disclaimer-
I was provided a product in exchange for my review.
You can read more about my blog policies in my disclaimer.
Sammi's Blog Of Life Follows All New FTC & Facebook Laws for Reviews & Giveaways.
IF YOU DO NOT CORRECTLY ANSWER MY CONTEST QUESTION, YOUR COMMENT WILL BE IMMEDIATELY REJECTED.






Naumes Review and Giveaway

Naumes is the perfect company for gift-giving. It makes a great hostess or even housewarming gift.

Naumes offers various gift sets that are sure to please. Whether the person you are giving the gift to enjoys bbq or coffee or even bath and body, they have you covered plus more. This company also offers fresh pears for purchase that look fantastic. They have a special program going on that is very important. For every fruit gift you purchase, Naumes will match it pound for pound, donating fresh and nutritious fruit to food banks that feed hungry families. Knowing that a gift one receives has also made an important difference in the life of another makes your gift even more special.

I asked to review the Foothills Tapas gift set.
Fig-infused Balsamic Vinegar adds a smooth nutty flavor and finishing touch to any cheese plate. Drizzle award-winning Ascolano Olive Oil on grilled fish or steamed veggies or use as a dip for bread. Hand-made artisan Bleu Cheese Walnut Fig Focaccia Crackers with Smoked Salmon or Black Olive Tapenade for appetizers offer flavor and flare that are beyond ordinary.

Collection Includes:


50ml Ascolano Olive Oil
50ml Fig Balsamic Vinegar
2oz Smoked Salmon
10oz Black Olive Tapenade
Bleu Cheese Walnut Fig Focaccia Crackers
(Taken from website.)



Mm, doesn't that picture look just amazing? The crackers were delicious but unlike any cracker combination I've had before. I would have never thought to mix bleu cheese with walnuts, figs, and focaccia but it comes out just delicious! It has a great cheesy nutty flavor. It tasted really nice with the smoked salmon. The salmon had a very good fresh taste. I really enjoyed it. I did not try the black olive tapenade or the vinegar because I am not a fan of these items. The crackers are also perfect just by simply dipping them into the olive oil too! This gift set would be great for sharing with one or two friends as well.

GIVEAWAY RULES:
I will be picking ONE (1) winner to win a a gift set of their choice from Naumes.
1. YOU MUST DO THIS FIRST or all other entries will be DELETED! Please tell me which gift set you would choose if you won.(1 entry)

BONUS ENTRIES

2. Subscribe by Email and Confirm that Subscription (1 entry)

3. Subscribe to Sammi's Blog of Life in a Reader (1 entry)

4. Follow me on Blogger (1 entry)

5. Follow me on Twitter (www.twitter.com/pinkice88) (1 entry)

6. Leave a Tweet and the direct link to that tweet (1 entry) (You can do this daily)

7. FOR 5 EXTRA ENTRIES - Blog about this giveaway with a link to my blog and come back and leave the link to your blog post. Post FIVE separate comments that you've blogged about this.

9. Add my main button to your sidebar (if it's already there, let me know that! Leave link to your blog.) (1 entry)

9. Add Sammi's Blog of Life to your blogroll (using my URL), with a link back to me! (1 entry)

10. Follow me on Facebook for 1 entry.

Winner will be chosen on October 31, 2010 at 10 pm and then will be emailed.
One entry per day.
Alternate winner will be chosen if winner does not respond after 48 hours. Thank you and good luck!
Disclaimer-
I was provided a product in exchange for my review.
You can read more about my blog policies in my disclaimer.
Sammi's Blog Of Life Follows All New FTC & Facebook Laws for Reviews & Giveaways.
IF YOU DO NOT CORRECTLY ANSWER MY CONTEST QUESTION, YOUR COMMENT WILL BE IMMEDIATELY REJECTED.




Friday, October 15, 2010

Glass Dharma Review and Giveaway

If you frequently drink tea, coffee, or dark colored sodas and juices over time these beverages will stain your teeth. I always use a straw when drinking tea or soda because I want to prevent any staining to my teeth as much as possible.

Glass Dharma is a company that produces a line of glass drinking straws that helps to contribute one solution to the misuse of plastics in our society.

Everyone that has seen these straws are filled with delight. Not just because they promote health and are environmentally friendly, but that they do these things with elegance and style.

Plain and simple, here’s how and why they work:

•Glass straws don’t leach toxins into your food as you drink.

•Each time you use your glass straw equals one less plastic straw ending up in your landfill.

•One glass straw replaces thousands of plastic straws. (How many times will you use a straw the rest of your life?)

•Using your glass drinking straw adds a feeling of beauty to your day.
GlassDharma glass drinking straws are:

•Made of borosilicate tubing and is the strongest glass commercially available.
Means that we have spared no expense in bringing you the strongest, most durable drinking straw possible.

•Annealed to Corning, Inc. specifications (a process that strengthens the glass).
So you can have confidence you are purchasing the highest quality glass straws available.

•Made of glass which does not leach ANY TOXINS into your food.
So you can use your non-toxic straws with confidence.

•Created with the beauty and elegance that only glass can give.
You’ll feel like royalty – with a touch of ‘glass’.

•A great environmental addition to your kitchenware.
Great for hot or cold drinks, microwave and dishwasher safe!

•Are fully backed by our 100% Satisfaction Guarantee.
If they don’t meetyour expectations, return for a full refund.

•Covered with our unbelievable Lifetime Guarantee Against Breakage.
Means that if they ever break, we’ll replace them - Free. They are also handmade in the USA.


I think these straws are really fun and unique. These straws add some flavor and style to your otherwise everyday task of drinking straws. I received a set of 4. Two of the straws have pretty colored stones on them, the other is just a straight straw, and the last is a bent straw. Two of the straws came with cleaning brushes to clean the inside of the straw. This is very handy because it's hard to clean the inside of the straw, and this brush will get all of the germs out. I really like that this company is helping to prevent the misuse of plastic straws.




The stones on the straw are red and green. They jazz up the straw and give it personality. Here's a close up of the red stone.



It felt strange at first to be using a glass straw instead of just a regular straw, since I wasn't used to it. It's just like any other normal straw, it sucks up the same amount of liquid except it's glass. It's fancier than a normal plastic straw. The glass is of good quality and seems very solidly made. My favorite was the bent straw. I also like that these straws are safe for hot and cold drinks, so you can use them in your favorite tea or your favorite frozen margarita! They are also safe for the microwave and dishwasher.


These straws are perfect for livening up a drink or even putting them in your favorite drink. They would make a nice housewarming present too and would be great for parties. I think these will be so fun to use in my drink!


GIVEAWAY RULES:
I will be picking ONE (1) winner to win a $25 gift certificate to Glass Dharma.
1. YOU MUST DO THIS FIRST or all other entries will be DELETED! Please tell me why you would like to win this gift certificate. (1 entry)

BONUS ENTRIES

2. Subscribe by Email and Confirm that Subscription (1 entry)

3. Subscribe to Sammi's Blog of Life in a Reader (1 entry)

4. Follow me on Blogger (1 entry)

5. Follow me on Twitter (www.twitter.com/pinkice88) (1 entry)

6. Leave a Tweet and the direct link to that tweet (1 entry) (You can do this daily)

7. FOR 5 EXTRA ENTRIES - Blog about this giveaway with a link to my blog and come back and leave the link to your blog post. Post FIVE separate comments that you've blogged about this.

9. Add my main button to your sidebar (if it's already there, let me know that! Leave link to your blog.) (1 entry)

9. Add Sammi's Blog of Life to your blogroll (using my URL), with a link back to me! (1 entry)

10. Follow me on Facebook for 1 entry.

Winner will be chosen on October 30, 2010 at 10 pm and then will be emailed.
One entry per day.
Alternate winner will be chosen if winner does not respond after 48 hours. Thank you and good luck!
Disclaimer-
I was provided a product in exchange for my review.
You can read more about my blog policies in my disclaimer.
Sammi's Blog Of Life Follows All New FTC & Facebook Laws for Reviews & Giveaways.
IF YOU DO NOT CORRECTLY ANSWER MY CONTEST QUESTION, YOUR COMMENT WILL BE IMMEDIATELY REJECTED.






Ecco Bella Review

I love really nice smelling shampoos. It's fun to try out new scents and pick out the ones you like the best.

Eco Bella is a company which specializes in products of body care, fragrance, cosmetics, skincare, and haircare. Ecco Bella takes enormous pride in their company and offers you products that are of quality and made to make you look your best.

I was told that I could receive two products for review purposes. I chose vanilla shampoo and vanilla conditioner. I thought they would smell wonderful and I awaited their arrival.




I used the shampoo and conditioner this morning.

I have to say they both have a delicious vanilla scent that made me crave cake. The shampoo lathered up nicely and gave my hair a great thorough cleansing. This shampoo is organic which is an added plus and also it is safe for color-treated hair and does not strip the color or dry out your hair.

The conditioner was a great product as well. It is organic and has proteins, vitamins, and herbs that are geared towards making your hair beautiful and healthy. I put the conditioner through my hair and combed it through and waited 3 minutes for a deep conditioning. I rinsed it out and my hair was very soft and smooth. I used normal styling product in it and blow dryed my hair and it looked like I had just gone to the salon! This is basically like a salon in a bottle! What a wonderful product. I will definately be recommending it to my friends and family.





Warmly Yours Review and Giveaway Part 2

As you all might remember, I recently did a review and giveaway for Warmly Yours, a company who is dedicated to keeping you warm. Cooler weather is here, with colder weather to follow shortly after. Since it will soon be freezing outside I like to take any and all measures to keep myself warm. Whether I'm wrapped up in a blanket, wearing my bathrobe, or just laying in bed I want to make sure I'm warm. One thing I hate is coming out of the shower and being really cold. It's especially worse in the winter.

Warmly Yours has noted this problem and has come up with a great product to solve it; the Elements 2-Bar Double Towel Warmer.


Enjoy the luxury of a warm towel everyday with a towel warmer from the Elements Collection by WarmlyYours. This sleek, classic serpentine loop design allows towels to slide on and off easily. Simply elegant, with a beautifully polished chrome finish, this high quality wall mount unit will keep your towels warm and dry.

At 23.6”W and 25.6”H, the unit weighs just 6 lbs. and plugs into standard 120V outlet. Comes with brackets and hardware for easy installation. Built-in on/off switch located at the base of the unit for easy operation.

This is seriously an amazing product. I had a friend install it for me in my bathroom and it took him a matter of moments. He said it wasn't difficult at all to install and it was on my wall good and securely. I like the chrome design of the unit and how it holds two towels at once. I tested it out the next morning. I plugged it in and it heated up fairly quickly. I took my warm and cozy towel off the warmer once I stepped out of the shower. The towel was warm, but not too hot, and it was so nice! I really enjoyed not being freezing once I stepped out of the shower. This towel warmer would make a great gift for someone who lives in a freezing cold state like Minnesota or Montana. It would also make a great housewarming gift too. I know this winter I won't be freezing after I take a shower!

GIVEAWAY RULES:
I will be picking ONE (1) winner who will win the Elements 2-Bar Double Towel Warmer.
1. YOU MUST DO THIS FIRST or all other entries will be DELETED! Please tell me why you would like to win this towel warmer. (1 entry)

BONUS ENTRIES

2. Subscribe by Email and Confirm that Subscription (1 entry)

3. Subscribe to Sammi's Blog of Life in a Reader (1 entry)

4. Follow me on Blogger (1 entry)

5. Follow me on Twitter (www.twitter.com/pinkice88) (1 entry)

6. Leave a Tweet and the direct link to that tweet (1 entry) (You can do this daily)

7. FOR 5 EXTRA ENTRIES - Blog about this giveaway with a link to my blog and come back and leave the link to your blog post. Post FIVE separate comments that you've blogged about this.

9. Add my main button to your sidebar (if it's already there, let me know that! Leave link to your blog.) (1 entry)

9. Add Sammi's Blog of Life to your blogroll (using my URL), with a link back to me! (1 entry)

10. Follow me on Facebook for 1 entry.

Winner will be chosen on October 29, 2010 at 10 pm and then will be emailed.
One entry per day.
Alternate winner will be chosen if winner does not respond after 48 hours. Thank you and good luck!
Disclaimer-
I was provided a product in exchange for my review.
You can read more about my blog policies in my disclaimer.
Sammi's Blog Of Life Follows All New FTC & Facebook Laws for Reviews & Giveaways.
IF YOU DO NOT CORRECTLY ANSWER MY CONTEST QUESTION, YOUR COMMENT WILL BE IMMEDIATELY REJECTED.



Thursday, October 14, 2010

Candy Post!

Halloween is so much fun. Everyone's excited and costumes are filled with creativity. It's definately a great Holiday. This year I will hand out Snickers and Twix to kids who come to my building for Halloween! I love this holiday. Reese's is my favorite.




I will be carving pumpkins and decorating them! I can't wait.

Celebrate with Hershey's!



I am entering a contest for a Hershey’s Halloween prize pack as a member of the MBC



Dream Essentials Review

My mind runs constantly at night. Even when it's time to go to bed I'm thinking of things I have to do for the next day, or if I forgot to do anything today. I keep my cell phone on my nightstand next to my bed and sometimes use it to write things down with. Other times I just hope I remember the next day. Sometimes that works, sometimes it doesn't.

Dream Essentials is a company that is geared towards all things relaxation and comfort. They offer sleep masks, body pillows, sound conditioners, ear plugs, travel items and more.

I asked to receive the Nite Note and the Bead Bliss Soothing Mask.

I'll tell you about the Nite Note first because this is such a genius product.

About the product:
Nite Note is a silent easy way to note night time thoughts. The hand-held memo pad conveniently holds a pen and a writing pad Nite Note features a pressurized Fisher pen used by U.S. astronauts because it writes at any angle.


This nite note is perfect for writing down thoughts at night, remembering an important detail or event, or even writing down your dreams. The device requires 2 AA batteries. The nite note doesn't turn on until you want it to. Once you take the pen out, the light comes on, and it turns off when you put the pen back in. It's not too bright so it won't disturb your significant other while they sleep. I like that it comes with an extra refill pack of paper so you won't quickly run out of paper. The device comes in either black or white. The pen is stylish and silver and the ink flows out nice and clear. With this I'll always remember important details.

Bead Bliss Soothing Eye Mask
Pamper your tired eyes with the soothing relief of this eye mask. Tiny beads distribute gently pressure and provide calming relief.



Anything spa related you can count me in for. I'm a big fan of getting pampered. I like that this mask can be heated or placed in the fridge, depending on what you desire. There are instructions on the back of the mask on how to do either. I decided to heat mine. It says to place in boiling water for 5-10 minutes and remove the mask with tongs. Wait till it is not burning hot but still warm enough to wear comfortably. The mask was very comfortable on my face and wasn't too heavy either. I like the color of the mask and the bead design is very cute. I wore this for about 8 minutes and it was very soothing. I think the mask would be perfect to wear cold on a hot summer day. I certainly enjoyed it.

Dream Essential products would be great gifts for the upcoming holidays, or just a great way to treat yourself!




Wednesday, October 13, 2010

5-in-1 Standard Tasty Baker Review

I'm always a fan of baking. Whether it's cookies, cakes, or brownies I'll make all of them happily! I'm always on the lookout for cute new bakeware too.

The 5-in-1 baker is adorable. It comes in the standard one that I received, but also features Disney princesses, Toy Story and Mickey Mouse. You can see these bakers at Pop Art Toaster

This standard baker can bake mini muffins, cornbread, cakes, brownies, pancakes, eggs, and even waffles in a matter of moments. The delicious treats that you love full sized are now available in bite size shapes! This baker makes birthday cake, dog, cat, train, heart, smiley face, and blocks.



I received the unit and couldn't wait to try it out! I decided to make mini blueberry muffins. Here's a close up of the inside molds.



This baker is not hard to use at all. Per the instructions you are told to spray the molds lightly with non-stick cooking spray. You turn the baker on and close the lid. You preheat the unit by waiting till the green ready light comes on and then set the desired cooking temperature from a scale of 1-4. The light came on very quickly and I knew that meant that it was time to bake!

I was concerned at first with overfilling the molds. I decided not to spoon too much batter in the molds for fear of the batter overflowing and coming out of the sides of the mold and running down the machine. It comes with a scooper for the batter, but I wanted to use a spoon instead for more control.



The instructions say to periodically check the cooking process. The total cooking time is about 4 minutes, so it's easy to forget to check and burn your treats. I checked only about twice and they were done very quickly.



Not too bad for my first time doing this, right?



Even though I greased the molds I still had a small bit of trouble getting the muffins out. It says not to use anything sharp on the molds so I had to use a small rubber spatula to guide the muffins out. They all came out intact too, no broken pieces. For cleaning the unit, it comes with a special brush to get any food out that is left in the molds after baking.. You can rinse the molds out with water first and then clean it with the brush. It works pretty well.

There are so many possibilities of foods to make with this baker. You could make little mini chocolate birthday cakes and frost them with vanilla icing. You could also make coconut heart shaped brownies layered together and then frosted with chocolate icing and topped with sprinkles. Be creative!