2009 October | Product Reviews by The Experimental Mommy

Falling into Fall Giveaway #7: Bake Me a Wish

October 9, 2009 By admin 400 Comments

There is something about when the season changes and the air turns cooler that makes me crave spice cake, carrot cake and all things Fall! I love lighting cinnamon candles, baking pumpkin muffins and hanging the Fall wreath. The sights, smells, and tastes of Fall are heavenly!

Falling into Fall Giveaway #7: Bake Me a Wish

Some of my favorite Halloween memories from my childhood take place surrounded by friends and family at my home where we had Halloween parties every year. Dressing up, Trick or Treating, playing games and eating caramel apples were all a blast! So, when I found the Caramel Apple Crumb Cake from Bake Me a Wish, I knew it would be a perfect treat for Fall!

Bake Me a Wish! is the premium nationwide service for delivery of gourmet birthday cakes. Our cakes are made with only the finest, freshest ingredients by an award-winning family run New York bakery that also supplies pastries to some of Manhattan’s most elite restaurants.

Through careful cost control and air-tight delivery systems, we are also happy to be able to bring you our fine cakes at an extremely affordable price. Now, whether it’s your son in college, your trusted associate, your old friend, or your granddaughter across the country, you will always have a simple and wonderful way to remember them on that important day of the year.”

When the Caramel Apple Crumb Cake arrived, I couldn’t wait to cut into it! From the moment I opened the box, the aroma of cinnamon filled the air. The cake was not only delicious and moist, but was beautiful as well. The packaging was perfect and would make a great hostess gift for holiday parties.

This holiday season, why spend hours in the kitchen creating the perfect dessert when you can have it delivered to your doorstep? Bake Me a Wish offers many varieties of cakes including a Magic Bar Brownie Cake, a Red Velvet Chocolate Cake, and a Boston Cream Cake.

Want to try the fabulous flavors at Bake Me a Wish? They have generously offered one lucky reader their choice of a Carrot Cake or Caramel Apple Cake of their very own!

Don’t forget to enter at What Mommies Need! We will be combining entries and pulling one winner when this giveaway ends!

How to enter:

1. Visit Bake Me a Wish and let me know another cake that you would love to eat!

Additional entries:

1. Sign up for Bake Me a Wish’s email updates.

2. Blog about this giveaway and link to The Not-So-Blog and Bake Me a Wish.

3. Follow me on Twitter and Tweet this giveaway. Every time you tweet you get an additional entry! Unlimited! (You must have over 50 Twitter followers to qualify for unlimited entries!)

4. Subscribe to my blog.

5. Become a Fan of The Not-So-Blog on Facebook.

6. Favorite me in Technorati!

7. Enter at What Mommies Need and receive an extra entry here!

Contest ends at 11:59pm CST on October 23rd. Prizes not claimed in 72 hours will be forfeited. Open to U.S. Residents only.

Filed Under: Giveaways Tagged With: Bake me a Wish, Caramel Apple Cake

Tide Coldwater: Review and Giveaway

October 8, 2009 By admin 1,272 Comments

My family has always been a Tide family, but when I had the opportunity to meet the people who work for Tide while I was at BlogHer ’09, I became a forever customer. While at the Conference, I was introduced to Tide Stain Release which has been a godsend in my home. With one daughter at daycare and the other in preschool, their clothes endure some serious wear and tear! I have been utterly amazed at how well it works to remove the stains on their clothes!

So, when I was approached to review the Tide Coldwater product, I was more than happy to oblige. As winter approaches and my electricity bill skyrockets, I am always looking for ways to save money and cut our energy usage. Did you know that 80% of energy used in washing a family’s clothes comes from the energy needed to heat the water? Tide Coldwater provides a cool way to wash in cold and still experience a superior clean.

From the press release:

“Despite what your mother told you, washing your clothes in hot water is NOT the only way to get them clean—Tide Coldwater allows you to make the small change to cold water washing with energy savings in mind. It’s specially designed formula removes stains better in cold water than the next leading regular detergent in warm water. Using Tide Coldwater and washing in cold on a consistent basis saves money and energy without sacrificing performance.”

I took the opportunity to wash a few loads of some of our dirtiest clothes including towels, daycare clothes (after a finger painting day) and school uniforms with the Tide Coldwater liquid product. I liked the fresh scent and loved the way my clothes came out. I did not find any difference between the clothes I washed in warm water and those washed in cold, so why not save energy and money, right?! Have a HE washer and dryer? No problem! Tide makes a Coldwater HE just for you!

Want to save even more money? The fabulous people at Tide have offered one lucky Not-So-Blog reader an ENTIRE YEAR’S worth of Tide Coldwater!! How great is that?!?

How to enter:

1. Visit Tide and tell me another product you would love to try!

Additional entries

1. Blog about this giveaway and link to The Not-So-Blog (10 extra entries).

2. Follow me (@BridgetteLA) on Twitter and Tweet this giveaway. Every time you tweet you get an additional entry! Unlimited! (You must have over 50 Twitter followers to qualify for unlimited entries!)

3. Subscribe to my blog.

4. Become a Fan of The Not-So-Blog and Tide on Facebook.

5. Favorite me in Technorati!

Contest ends at 11:59pm CST on November 4th. Prizes not claimed in 72 hours will be forfeited. Open to U.S. Residents only.

This review is the opinion of The Experimental Mommy. Other may have a different experience with the product. Thank you to Tide for supplying the product for review.

Filed Under: Giveaways Tagged With: laundry, Loads of Hope, Tide Coldwater

Falling into Fall Giveaway #6: Warm Biscuit Halloween Treat Bag

October 8, 2009 By admin 162 Comments

Renee is here from What Mommies Need to bring us our next Falling into Fall giveaway and it is a must-have for your Halloween accessories!

Falling into Fall Giveaway #6: Warm Biscuit Halloween Treat Bag

Halloween is such a fun time for my family! The weather is starting to cool off and we start pulling out all our fun decorations and pumpkin scented candles. We start discussing Halloween costumes and all the accessories that accompany them. This will be Blake’s first year of trick or treating, so he needed his very own treat bag. I am always on the look-out for those cute personalized items for my boys, which is how I found Warm Biscuit.

Warm Biscuit might be known for their selection of Kids Bedding, Fabrics, and Custom Sewing, but they have a great selection of holiday items as well. I found this awesome personalized Scaredy Cat treat bag for Blake and they have everything you need for your Halloween Party. From games and invites to decorations, this is one stop shopping.

Warm Biscuit’s store has some great items available at some really reasonable prices. Keep Warm Biscuit in mind while Holiday Shopping, since they have a wide variety of classic toys for both boys and girls available in their gift shop.

Does your little one need a new treat bag? Warm Biscuit has offered one lucky reader the Halloween Bag of their choice from their store. All you have to do is follow the rules below, and then visit What Mommies Need and enter over there. That’s right we are giving you double the chances to win! Entries will be combined before winner is pulled.

How to enter:

1. Visit Warm Biscuit and tell me another product you love!

Additional entries

1. Blog about this giveaway and link to The Not-So-Blog (10 extra entries).

3. Subscribe to my blog.

4. Become a Fan of The Not-So-Blog on Facebook.

5. Favorite me in Technorati!

6. Enter at What Mommies Need to gain an extra entry right here!

Contest ends at 11:59pm CST on October 22nd. Prizes not claimed in 72 hours will be forfeited. Open to U.S. Residents only.

Filed Under: Giveaways Tagged With: Halloween treat bag, Warm Biscuit

Bella’s Beauty Boosters: October Edition

October 8, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

Bella’s AVON giveaway got such a great response from The Not-So-Blog readers, that I decided to ask Bella to share monthly “Beauty Boosters” so we can all keep up with the great products she has to offer. So with no further ado, I introduce:

Bella’s Beauty Boosters!

October, as everyone knows, is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. By the end of 2009, Avon will have raised over $700 MILLION dollars for the Avon Breast Cancer Crusade! WOW! With all of the awareness out there, lets just hope a cure is found soon. This gorgeous tote, designed exclusively for Avon by Merimekko, holds just about everything you need for just $10, and 100% of the net proceeds are donated to the Avon Breast Cancer Crusade. You can look great AND make a difference!

It may not be cool yet here in Arizona, but autumn brings out the dry-season, when my skin is just THIRSTY. My lips and hands start to feel tight and itchy, so I need a moisturizer that really sinks in quick. I’ll reach for mark. Free For All body lotion, which is fragrance free, non-greasy and contains antioxident rich ingredients like acai, pomegranate and goji, plus shea and murumuru seed butters. I treat my lips to “Kiss Dry Goodbye”, a great Hook Up lip smoother, with Amazon White Cocoa extract for moisture, and my lips are instantly kissably soft. And right now, with any $15 mark. skincare purchase, you can get a free Talk To The Hand, a fast absorbing, non-greasy hand cream!

This is my new favorite fragrance. mark. Sophistique is simply delightful, and my hubby Matt just loves it (always a bonus!) This gorgeous scent is a little rich, a little sweet, and a lot irresistible! Its an unexpected blend of sheer lotus, basmati rice, and golden amber, finished with orange blossom and ginger wood, and is THE hot fragrance for fall. Its not so rich and sweet as some Autumn scents typically are, but not so springy-floral that it seems out of place in your winter wardrobe. The sheer shimmer body creme is a great way to layer the fragrance to help it last longer. Fragrance rises, so for the longest lasting scent, spray or smooth your scent on from feet to shoulders. If you apply it only to the neck, it will eventually rise and disappear!

Be on the look out in November for more great tips from Bella!

Filed Under: Promotions Tagged With: AVON, Beauty Boosters, Bella, MARK

Falling into Fall Giveaway #5: Copper Gifts

October 7, 2009 By admin 241 Comments

As the holidays approach, I am starting to receive notes in Lily’s book bag from preschool reminding me to bring something to the Halloween party, volunteer for the Thanksgiving party and start thinking about Christmas. When the sign up sheet is passed around for party items, I am the Mom that always signs up for paper products or drinks because it is no secret that I am no good in the kitchen! The last thing I want to do is send Lily to school with some mutated pumpkin look-a-like cookie. LOL!

Falling into Fall Giveaway #5: Pumpkin Cookie Decorating Kit by Copper Gifts

When I found this Pumpkin Cookie Decorating Set from Copper Gifts, I began to feel like maybe (I said maybe) I would be able to contribute something creative to her Halloween party this year. About Copper Gifts:

“The cookie cutter line offered by CopperGifts.com is unique in that every cookie cutter is hand-made and hand-soldered. The soldered seam makes for a permanent closure that food particles cannot get into. Pastry Chefs and Bakeries love these heirloom quality cookie cutters because they are strong, safe and hold their shape even after years of repeated use.

BRAMAN cookie cutters come in six various sizes ranging from tiny all the way up to huge. The larger cookie cutters all have handles. The tiny and the regular size cutters do not need handles, but bakeries often request them. CopperGifts.com is a family owned and operated company that operates on the principles of traditional craftsmanship and small town business ethics.”

Armed with my Grandmother’s cookie recipe, and the 5 piece kit which includes Copper Pumpkin Cookie Cutter No. 1, 4-1/4 x 3-7/8, 1 bottle of Orange Sanding Sugar, 1 bottle of Wilton Orange Icing Color, 1 tube of Brown Cookie/Candy Writer, and 1 tube of Wilton Green Icing Writer, I set out to make cookies with my 4 year old daughter that we could both be proud of.

The Pumpkin Cookie Decorating Kit supplied everything I needed to create the perfect cookie. The copper cookie cutter was first rate and the decorating supplies were very easy to use. Lily helped every step along the way and together we made memories that will last long after the cookies are gone.

I can honestly say that the pumpkin cookies came out WAY better than I ever expected. They tasted yummy and looked even better! Lily and I can’t wait to bake another batch for her class party in a few short weeks!

Copper Gifts can supply you with all of your cookie cutters, decorating supplies and baking accessories to make your next class party, birthday celebration or baby shower a success! Do you want to create delicious, beautiful cookies? Copper Gifts has generously offered one Pumpkin Cookie Decorating Kit (ARV $19.89) to one lucky reader!

Don’t forget to enter this contest at What Mommies Need to double your chances of winning! Our entries will be combined when the contest ends.

How to enter:

1. Visit Copper Gifts and tell me another product you love!

Additional entries

1. Blog about this giveaway and link to The Not-So-Blog (10 extra entries).

3. Subscribe to my blog.

4. Become a Fan of The Not-So-Blog on Facebook.

5. Favorite me in Technorati!

6. Enter at What Mommies Need to gain an extra entry right here!

Contest ends at 11:59pm CST on October 21st. Prizes not claimed in 72 hours will be forfeited. Open to U.S. Residents only.

This review is the opinion of The Experimental Mommy. Other may have a different experience with the product. Thank you to My Princess Party to Go for supplying the product for review.

Filed Under: Giveaways Tagged With: cookie cutters, cookie decorating, Copper Gifts, pumpkin cookies

My Princess Party to Go: Review and Giveaway

October 6, 2009 By admin 378 Comments

My Princess Party to Go will provide busy Moms with quality and affordable options for otherwise pricey birthday parties. The party ideas and favors will also encourage pretend play among party goers.

One Oh So Cute Diamond Cut Tiara and Unicorn Set for Aubrie (my 18 month old), one Princess Wand and Tiara set for Lily (my 4 year old), two pink tutus and my two excited princesses. About My Princess Party to Go:

“My Princess Party to Go is one of the country’s fastest growing suppliers of Princess Birthday Party supplies online. The philosophy of our business is simple “ship people better quality products than they are expecting at amazingly affordable prices”. Our site features complete princess themed party packages that include dress up, crafts, goodie bags, games and a “How to” guide. We also ship party supplies separately, such as dresses, wands, tiaras, party favors and more.

We offer our customers a tremendous value on our hand picked Princess Party “Must Haves”

Lily’s 5th birthday is just around the corner (gasp!) and she has mentioned wanting a princess party on more than one occasion. Honestly, I have tried to steer her away from this type of party for several reasons:

1. I am just not creative enough to come up with princess games, costumes, treat bags, etc.

2. How on Earth am I going to find time to plan and execute a party like this?

3. It sounds expensive.

4. How do I incorporate boys in a princess party?

So, when Princess Party to Go contacted me to do a review, I was thrilled to check it out! What I found made all of my apprehensions about hosting a preschool princess party melt away. Your “Fairy Godmompreneur” will send you exactly what you need to host a successful party from game suggestions, costumes, tiaras, party favors and even ideas for boys, this company does it ALL! For example, for only $175, you can purchase a “Princess and Her Knight Party Package” including dress up costumes for boys AND girls (8 guests), 8 goodie bags, 8 craft projects (unicorn or dragon), gold coin game, boa for limbo game, tatoos, 3 rings for a sword game, dragon puppet, and 8 jester balls!

What I love about these packages is that you not only get the dress up costumes (which each guest gets to keep!), but you also get the party games and party favors delivered directly to your doorstep! Send invites, open the box, and poof….PARTY MAGIC! For a busy Mom, I feel like a queen! And the best part? The packages are completely affordable!

We received two party favors: tiara and wand set ($4.25 a piece) and tiara and unicorn set ($3.99 a piece). Both favors were beautifully packaged and completely ready to hand out to party guests. The tiaras had attached combs that held the tiara in place even on my 18 month old. The unicorn was precious, too! Aubrie carried it around all night!

Overall, I loved the My Princess Party to Go website. The “Fairy Godmompreneurs” have wonderful ideas to bring your princess party to life including way to entertain the boys. You can purchase party packages that include everything you need to host a successful party. There are several themed packages to choose from including Princess and Pirates, Fairy and Wizard and a Pretty in Pink Princess Party. Don’t need a complete package? You can order tutus, tiaras or party favors separately!

Do you have a princess in waiting? Trying to plan the perfect birthday party? My Princess Party to Go has offered one lucky not so blog reader a $50 gift card to jumpstart your party plans!

How to enter:

1. Visit My Princess Party to Go and tell me how you would spend your gift card!

Additional entries

1. Blog about this giveaway and link to The Not-So-Blog (10 extra entries).

2. Follow me (@BridgetteLA) and My Princess Party to Go (@MyPrincessParty) on Twitter and Tweet this giveaway. Every time you tweet you get an additional entry! Unlimited! (You must have over 50 Twitter followers to qualify for unlimited entries!)

3. Subscribe to my blog.

4. Become a Fan of The Not-So-Blog and My Princess Party to Go on Facebook.

5. Favorite me in Technorati!

Contest ends at 11:59pm CST on October 27th. Prizes not claimed in 72 hours will be forfeited. Open to U.S. Residents only.

This review is the opinion of The Experimental Mommy. Other may have a different experience with the product. Thank you to My Princess Party to Go for supplying the product for review.

Filed Under: Giveaways Tagged With: birthday party, My Princess Party to Go, tiara, tutu

Wordless Wednesday

October 6, 2009 By admin 27 Comments

Gotta have one last snowball!

Filed Under: Wordless Wednesday

Frito-Lay Tailgating Kit: Review and Giveaway

October 5, 2009 By admin 740 Comments

The Frito-Lay Tailgating Kit will be a great way to prepare a “better-for-you” recipe that is sure to be a crowd pleaser for the next Saints football game.

One Frito-Lay Tailgating kit including better-for-you Frito-Lay products, a gift card for purchasing recipe ingredients and a stylish dish to serve your delicious recipes. About Frito-Lay:

“We know few people go to tailgate parties for the veggie – it’s definitely a time to indulge and enjoy. But it doesn’t have to be a total eating catastrophe. At Frito-Lay, our portion control sizes make it easy to enjoy all your favorite treats – in moderation. And simple “tricks” like offering dips made with reduced-fat sour cream or that offer positive nutrition like salsa or guacamole, cooking with lean turkey meat and fat-free refried beans can cut hundreds of calories off your meals and still taste great for you and your hungry fans.”

Because I have recently started losing weight, I have been dreading football season. New Orleans natives are die-hard Saints fans and with our loyalty comes our FOOD! Tailgating parties usually include chicken wings, hamburgers, hot dogs, donuts, and jambalaya. While quite tasty, none of these options are particularly diet friendly. So, when Frito-Lay challenged me to come up with a “better-for-you” tailgating recipe, I was all over it! After calling Jennifer for a recipe to start from (y’all know I don’t cook!), we decided that making a chili cheese dip would be awesome!

I started by packing down some fat-free cream cheese at the bottom of a dish. In a bowl, I mixed one can of turkey chili with one can of Frito-Lay’s jalapeno cheddar cheese and poured the mixture on top of the cream cheese. I topped with shredded cheddar and baked for 15 minutes at 350 degrees. The dip was served with Fritos in my really cool football dish! Very easy and much lower in calories that the traditional chili-cheese dip.

Frito-Lay wants you to join the effort to create a “better-for-you” recipe and has generously offered one Not-So-Blog reader a Tailgating prize pack! This kit includes a variety of Frito-Lay chips, a stylish football dish and a $25 American Express gift card to purchase your ingredients.

How to enter:

1. Visit Frito-Lay and tell me what snack is your favorite!

Additional entries:

1. Leave me a “better-for-you” recipe containing Frito-Lays products (either directly IN the dish or used for dipping) in this post. (10 extra entries)

2. Blog about this giveaway and link to The Not-So-Blog (10 extra entries).

3. Follow me (@BridgetteLA) on Twitter and Tweet this giveaway. Every time you tweet you get an additional entry! Unlimited! (You must have over 50 Twitter followers to qualify for unlimited entries!)

4. Subscribe to my blog.

5. Become a Fan of The Not-So-Blog and FoldTuk on Facebook.

6. Favorite me in Technorati!

Contest ends at 11:59pm CST on October 26th. Prizes not claimed in 72 hours will be forfeited. Open to U.S. Residents only.

This review is the opinion of The Experimental Mommy. Other may have a different experience with the product. Thank you to Frito-Lay for supplying the product for review.

Filed Under: Giveaways Tagged With: Frito-Lay, Tailgating Kit

FoldTuk: Review and Giveaway

October 4, 2009 By admin 638 Comments

FoldTuk Kitchenware will be a great way to save time by allowing me to prepare, cook, serve and store my food all in one dish!

One Four Cup Rectangular FoldTuk Bakeware, the ingredients for a chili and cheese dip, a football game and my family. About FoldTuk:

“We strive to improve day-to-day food preparation kitchen products through technology and innovation by integrating multifunctional features and giving our customers the added value advantage for their investment.

FoldTuk is actually the first and only collapsible bakeware that can be used in conventional, convection, infrared, and microwave ovens due to its Green and petroleum free Ceramber material. It is airtight, stackable, dishwasher safe, and naturally nonstick (No non-stick coating applied), making it your most functional bakeware and cold storage container.”

One of the biggest compliments I can give the FoldTuk company is that your product inspired me to cook something! If you know me, I stay as far away from the kitchen as I possibly can. I do not have the best reputation for my meal creations and I despise doing dishes. But, when I was approached by FoldTuk, I was intrigued by the product and thought that my readers would love to know more about this product.

I received the four cup rectangular bakeware in red. When it arrived, it was in the collapsed form and was only 1 inch high! What a great space saver for my already cramped kitchen! Once I began to read the literature, I realized that FoldTuk was not your typical bakeware. You can prepare, cook, serve, store and reheat all IN THE SAME DISH! Not only does this make storing leftovers incredibly easy, clean up is virtually eliminated! You can use your bakeware in the oven (up to 500F), in the microwave and in the dishwasher and when you are finished, simply collapse the product and store until next use!

How is this possible? FoldTuk is made of a material called Ceramber (silicone and ceramic). While at first glance, the product may appear to be made of plastic, it is NOT, which will ease your fears of BPA leaching into your food. FoldTuk meets all FDA standards in its own product category.

I decided to cook a chili and cheese recipe I received from a friend while my family immersed themselves in Sunday Football (Geaux Saints!). I prepared the dip in the FoldTuk bakeware and baked at 350F for 15 minutes. The dip came out perfectly and was heated evenly. After eating, I placed the cover on the product and stored in the refrigerator. Tomorrow, my husband plans to transport the dip in the FoldTuk container, reheat in the microwave and serve to his coworkers…all without having to switch containers!

Overall, I enjoyed using my FoldTuk bakeware. I loved being able to use the same container for cooking, serving, storing and reheating. And being able to collapse the product for compact storage was a HUGE bonus in my book! Imagine is ALL my bakeware collapsed! My kitchen would be HUGE!! LOL!

FoldTuk products come in a variety of sizes, shapes and colors including a six cup oval in blue, four cup rectangle in orange and four cup round in black to name a few. You can also purchase a FoldTuk Roaster for your holiday needs!

FoldTuk has generously offered one Not-So-Blog reader the same product reviewed here: the four cup rectangle!

How to enter:

1. Visit FoldTuk and tell me another product you would love to try!

Additional entries:

1. Blog about this giveaway and link to The Not-So-Blog (10 extra entries).

2. Follow me (@BridgetteLA) and FoldTuk (@FoldTuk) on Twitter and Tweet this giveaway. Every time you tweet you get an additional entry! Unlimited! (You must have over 50 Twitter followers to qualify for unlimited entries!)

3. Subscribe to my blog.

4. Become a Fan of The Not-So-Blog and FoldTuk on Facebook.

5. Favorite me in Technorati!

Contest ends at 11:59pm CST on October 26th. Prizes not claimed in 72 hours will be forfeited. Open to U.S. Residents only.

This review is the opinion of The Experimental Mommy. Other may have a different experience with the product. Thank you to FoldTuk for supplying the product for review.

Filed Under: Giveaways Tagged With: bakeware, collapsable, FoldTuk

WINNERS!!

October 3, 2009 By admin 13 Comments

The end of the month is always a busy time for The Experimental Mommy! LOTS of giveaways have ended and I am ready to hand out the prizes! Here we go!

Svan Bouncer from Oompa: Thao

AVON Butler Bag: Andrea V.

LoveIt Notepads: DG, Nancy, Clarissa N., Joanna P., Karen G.

Two Tinas Blanket: Annmarie W.

Luvs Diapers: Ashley B.

Kroger gift cards: Shelly aka Allysmama

Jazzy Toes: Melissa G.

Veronique Maternity gift card: Katie

Bravado nursing bra: Joanna P.

Morgan and Milo shoes: Denise B. (girl shoes) and Chrysa (boy shoes)

Skype subscription and webcams: Annette D. and Tanya D.

Grace Announcements: HSB Suzanne