Spellbinders Review

This is the first of the last sponsored reviews I have. Yes, it is sponsored, meaning I received these products for free. This does not affect my opinion at all and the opinions expressed below are 100% honest and my own. Now, let's get started.

I received two little kits for two different projects from Spellbinders for this review that feature their new Celebrations collection. One kit was for a little card and the other for a treat bag. However, Spellbinders doesn't sell these kits. They actually only sell most of the supplies used to make these projects. Therefore, this review will be mostly about what I thought of the materials rather than anything on, for example, the ease of the instructions I received for the kits.
I thought that the materials included & sold by Spellbinders were of good quality. The card stock was pretty heavy & durable and the textures made by die templates were well imprinted into the paper. The patterned paper (polka-dotted paper) had two different sides with different patterns on each side and the colors printed onto the paper to create the pattern were bright, bold, and really popped.

The other side of the polka-dotted paper

The tags were made using their card stock, one of their stamps, and their ink. I found that the stamped on words and designs tended to have a lighter, less bold quality when the ink is of a lighter shade. What I mean by that is that the ink leaves behind more blank, no-ink bits on the paper when the ink is orange (a lighter shade) than when it is purple (a darker shade). I'm not sure if this is because of the ink itself or if the stamps simply needed another coat of the lighter inks, but it's an observation I made. All the other various embellishments (e.g. sequins, string, etc.) also seem well made. Overall, I think their products are a crafter's dream. They sell various supplies that could be used to make crafts better and prettier than ever before. However, I'd just be careful with the lighter inks. There should be no problem and it could just be that whoever printed it didn't use enough ink on the stamp, but just take a note of what I observed when you buy from Spellbinders.
If you'd like to purchase anything from Spellbinders, click here to see what they are selling.
Now for a little something else.
The kits I received allowed me to make these:

I scanned the instructions for the crafts (Note: I did not think up these crafts myself. I believe they are the property of Spellbinders.) & they include a shopping list for the supplies needed for the crafts if you'd like to make them. Here they are below:

 


So, that's it for this review. Thank you for reading and I'll see you all next time!

Quick Update

Hi everybody. I know I have not posted in a very long time and I'm sorry for not doing so. I'm currently thinking a few things through, but for now, I've decided this.
I am not going to abandon this blog, but I believe that after I finish all of the reviews I've been asked to write in exchange for free products, I will not write another sponsored post. Instead, I will update rather infrequently, but with products I've purchased myself and feel like sharing my experience about.
This type of blogging I'm currently doing has been feeling ridiculous. Each group giveaway post is practically like bloggers begging for follows, likes, views, etc. Essentially, social media attention and such. So, with 183 posts on giveaways, how low have I gone? Each sponsored review has been completely honest as I've always said in the beginnings or ends of my posts, but I don't know how many people believe my words since it was free to me. For all the other posts, they are probably either blogger ops or some sort of post where I was trying to make money, whether for our blog or, let's face it, me/my family. The blogger ops were to get attention for the group giveaways I later posted about and the sponsored posts/affiliated-linked posts were quite a bit of a low for me. I'm sorry about that.
Anyway, the main point I'm making is this. After I finish the reviews I'm obligated to write (I have 9 left I believe… yes, I was being lazy. I'm sorry.), I will not write another sponsored post. I will write non-sponsored reviews instead. Like this blog was intended to be like.
Of course, this post isn't intended to bash any bloggers or anything like that because frankly, that would be stupid. If it's offensive to anyone, I'm sorry for making you feel that way when it wasn't intended to hurt anyone.

Little Tikes Slam 'n' Curve Slide Giveaway!

Welcome to the Little Tikes Slam 'n' Curve Slide Sweepstakes!

Sponsored by: LittleTikes.com - Organized by: Mom to Bed by 8 

Please take a moment to read Mom to Bed by 8's Little Tikes Slam 'n' Curve Slide review and see how this single water park changed her #summerdreams! 

Special thank you to our supporting co-host bloggers: Summer That, Finger Click Saver, The Chirping Moms, Our Piece of Earth, Memoirs of a Clueless Woman, Nest Full of New and The Deal Match Maker. The Slam 'n' Curve Slide is the perfect backyard inflatable water slide! This amazing water slide by Little Tikes features a climbing wall, curved slide and large wading pool area. It is large enough for multiple children to use at once, but folds compactly for easy storage. Woot! 

To be honest, I haven't tried this out, so I have no clue whether this is true, but I do know that Little Tikes is a brand I trust to make safe toys for kids, so I'm sure that this water slide is no exception. 

Little Tikes Slam 'n Curve Inflatable Water Slide:

• Inflatable backyard water slide and pool built from puncture-resistant material
• Fun inflatable rock wall leads to a slippery slide
• Slide with a gentle curve at the end for a ride into the refreshing pool
• Roomy splash pool
• Includes: Inflatable basketball hoop and ball
• Step-down inside wall for easy entrance and exit
• Stakes anchor the bouncer firmly in place
• Large enough for several children
• Deflates and folds compactly for easier storage
• Blower required for inflation
• Heavy-duty blower with GFCI plug included
• Comes with stakes, repair kit and storage bag
• Maximum weight capacity: 350 lbs
• Accommodates up to 3 children
• Connect to your garden hose and turn on water flow
• Dimensions: 10'8"L x 13'1"W x 7'9"H

One winner will receive a Little Tikes Slam 'n' Curve Slide.

Giveaway ends June 30th at 11:59pm, open to US and Canadian residents, ages 18+. 

Excludes Quebec. 

Only one entrant per household, per address. 

Winner is subject to eligibility verification. 

Enter using the giveaway form below. 

Good luck! 

Entry-Form

Disclaimer: The participating bloggers were not compensated for this post. No purchase is necessary to enter. One entrant per household, per address. Void where prohibited by law. Winner(s) will be contacted by email and have 48 hours to respond before a new winner is chosen. The sponsor(s) will be responsible for product shipment to winner(s) of this sweepstakes. This event is in no way administered, sponsored, or endorsed by, or associated with, Facebook and/or Twitter, Google, Pinterest. Contact teri@mompoweredmedia.com if you have any additional questions or comments.

Mami KF7 All in One Vacuum Giveaway!

Hosted By: Life of a Southern Mom

Co Hosted By: Sweet Southern Lovin and Mom 'N Daughter Savings

Sponsored By: Mami

This seems like an interesting machine to have in your home! I don't really know since I haven't used it, but I guess it's worth checking out.

The Mami KF7 Series is a vacuum cleaner that can do it all. It can brush, vacuum and mop. It has attachable microfiber pads that can wipe away messes while it vacuums. The KF7 Series also has more values that you can take into consideration such as an accessible hand held cleaner. Doesn’t that sound like something you could use in your home to make your life just a little bit easier?

Jennifer at Life of a Southern Mom had the pleasure of working with Mami on a review. Visit her page here and read her full review.

Life of a Southern Mom and Mami has teamed up with a great group of bloggers to bring our readers a chance to win their very own Mami KF7 Series in White. See the giveaway details below for more information on how you can enter for a chance to win.

Let's get social with Mami. Follow them on Facebook l Twitter l Pinterest

**Giveaway Details** June 6th - June 20th at 11:59PM EST Open to US residents only. Must be 18 years of age or older to participate. Prize: One winner will receive a Mami KF7 All in One Robot Vacuum in White. (ARV $449)

**How to Enter** By entering you agree to abide by the Terms and Conditions listed on the Entry Form. All winning entries will be verified. Winner will receive an email from Jennifer at lifeofasouthernmom@gmail.com and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. Good luck and thanks for entering.

Entry-Form

X-Box One Giveaway!

X-Box ONE Giveaway!

Hosted by:
NYSavingSpecials
Co-hosted by:
Barbara's Beat, MOMenvy Blog, Army Wife to Suburban Life, MomStart and Simply Sherryl

xBox One

June 2  To June 16 11:59pm EST.

Valid only in the Continental United States.

Void where prohibited

18 years or older to enter/only 1 entrant per household

Winner is chosen through random.org

All entries are optional.

All winning entries will be verified.

Good luck everyone!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Disclaimer: Great Products! Great Reviews! is not responsible for the awarding of the prize. If you have any questions about this giveaway, please email the host at nysavingspecials@gmail.com. This blog, Facebook, Twitter or any other social media network is not associated with this giveaway.

Instanatural Argan Oil Review

Disclosure: I got this product as part of an advertorial.
First off, I want to say that I received this product for free, however, it doesn't impact my opinion one bit and I would never write something positive, unless I believed in it. Now, let's start!

I used this oil on my face, lips, and hair.

Thoughts on using it on my face:
The oil itself is quite thick. It has a slight scent and has a very light, almost clear, yellow color. The dropper only needs a slight squeeze for the oil to come out. It was easy to spread on my skin and I only needed about 5 drops to cover my face and neck. It absorbs quite quickly, but it does make your skin very shiny if you use too much, so use it sparingly. It moisturizes very well and my skin felt rather soft afterwards. Overall, I was satisfied by how it performed.

Thoughts on using it on my lips:
As for my lips, I have very dry lips, so I was looking forward to how this would work. I rubbed one drop in and waited. It was relatively tasteless and my lips became shiny, but not exactly soft. It ended up still being a bit chapped. So, I tried it a second time and lips became a bit softer and more moisturized, but not exactly at the level lip balm would reach. Overall, I wasn't as satisfied by how it performed, but at the same time, I know how chapped my lips are and they are very dry, so they are quite hard to get soft in general.

Thoughts on using it on my hair:
For my hair, I ran a few drops through my hair while it was still slightly wet. It detangled my hair a bit, and after my hair dried, my hair became a bit softer and a bit smoother. It also felt stronger and seemed somewhat shinier, but was still a bit tangled. Overall, it performed quite well on my hair. My only warning, however, is that I wouldn't use it on dry hair unless you are using it for just the tips of your hair. It'll make your hair look greasy and overly shiny otherwise.

Overall though, I really liked it.
If you would like to purchase it, please click here to be redirected to their Amazon page.

Well, thank you for reading and I hope this review was helpful. The school year is almost over, so we will be able to post more often soon. Please look forward to it. Thank you for reading, again!

I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

Adovia Dead Sea Mud Soap Review

Disclosure: I got this product as part of an advertorial.

First things first, yes, this is something I got for free in exchange for an honest review. It's my opinion and is completely honest. Now, let's start!

This bar of soap is supposed to help relieve acne, psoriasis, and eczema symptoms, and since I do not actually have any of those, I gave it to my son, who has acne, to try and give his opinion on it. I'll include it right after I write my own observations.

My review:

It's a relatively small bar. It's probably about the size of your palm. It has a dark gray-green color and feels smooth to the touch. The scent is interesting and I'm not sure what it is, but it seemed a bit lemony to me. It doesn't lather much on my skin and the lather is rather clear. It feels like it cleans well and my skin felt smoother and softer after use. It didn't react to my skin or anything, so I was happy about that. Overall, I liked it.

My son's thoughts (directly quoted from him):
"This all natural soap leaves your face feeling clean and refreshed and does not clog your pores. The smell is pleasant and somewhat earthy. Unlike other all-natural soaps, this soap does not cause irritation. I would recommend this to anyone who needs to control breakouts."

So this is our review for this soap. I'm sorry it's so short, but I hope that it was helpful and if you ever have a question, feel free to ask.

If you'd like to purchase this soap, simply go to the amazon page here and purchase.

Thank you for reading everyone!

I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

Valentia Even Glow Serum Review

Disclosure: I got this product as part of an advertorial.
First off, I got this for free in exchange for a review. Honestly, I know I've been doing a lot of these and I'm sorry if you don't really want to read these sponsored reviews, but I do promise that whatever the item is, regardless of whether or not it is sponsored or not, I never write anything other than what I truly think about it. Now, let's get started.

I received the opportunity to try Valentia Skincare's Vitamin C Serum or Even Glow Serum recently and this is what I thought about it.
First of all, a brief description of what it looks like. It's a dark amber, glass bottle with a glass eye dropper cap. The serum has an orange color and is slightly cloudy/murky. It is also slightly thick in terms of consistency.
The serum is supposed to even skin tone, increase glow & radiance, boost collagen production, and reduce wrinkles & fine lines.
My experience:
It smelled slightly citrus-y and was slightly sticky while applying. It seemed to absorb quickly and completely into my skin leaving it dry and smooth afterwards. I only needed a few drops to completely cover my face and a few more for my neck. There didn't seem to be any immediate effects, but my skin may have gotten a bit brighter. After applying, I used a cream moisturizer that I actually mentioned before on this blog made by a company called Limerance Skin Care (if you want to search it on my blog, I wrote a review on it) and for some reason, the serum reacted with it and caused flakes to form with it. The flakes weren't visible, but if I rubbed my skin at all, I could feel them and they would fall off of my face. It was pretty annoying.
After about two weeks of use, I found that my skin seemed to be a little tighter, the fine lines near my eyes seemed lighter than before, my pores seemed to be smaller, and my skin seemed to be smoother than before and seemed moisturized. My deeper wrinkles, however, haven't been affected too much by it and look largely the same.
Overall, the results weren't drastic, but they weren't bad either. I did find it annoying that it reacted like that with my moisturizer though. I don't know if it would react with other moisturizers, but if you really don't like having your skincare products react with one another like this, I would not recommend this to you, just in case. In general, in the end, it's your choice and I can't really tell you to buy it or not.
If you'd like to by this serum, just click here to be taken to the Amazon page.
If not, thank you for reading anyway and I hope that you will stick with me as I continue to write on this blog.

I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

Maggie Bag Campus Tote Giveaway

Sponsored by:

Maggie Bags

Hosted by:

NYSavingSpecials

Co-hosted by:

Barbara's Beat, What's Up? - Reviews and Giveaways, Thrifty 4nsic Gal, Michigan Savings and More, Hope in the Healing, Simply Sherryl, My Silly Little Gang, Life With My Two Kids, Sweet Sensible Scents, Frugal Mommy Christine, Enter Online Sweeps, Tabbys Pantry, Libby's Library, Brooke Blogs and Love, Iris

One lucky winner will win:

Maggie Bag Campus Tote

Value $85

Date: May 19 12:01am - June 2 11:59pm

Valid only in the Continental United States

Void where prohibited 

18 years or older to enter/only 1 entrant per household

Winner is chosen through random.org

All entries are optional.

All winning entries will be verified.

Good luck everyone and thank you for reading my blog!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Disclaimer: Great Products! Great Reviews! is not responsible for the awarding of the prize.  If you have any questions about this giveaway, please email the host at nysavingspecials@gmail.com.  This blog, Facebook, Twitter or any other social media network is not associated with this giveaway.

Don’t Buy It, Rent It Event

Organized by: Mom Powered Media

Grand Prize: $500 Visa Gift Card + Five $100 Visa Gift Card Winners

Event dates: 8/1 – 8/31

Giveaway is open to US and Canadian Residents.

SIGN-UP HERE

It’s Water Slide Time Event

Organized by: Mom to Bed by 8

Grand Prize: Little Tikes Slam ‘n’ Curve Slide

Event dates: 6/16 - 6/30

Giveaway is open to US Residents.

SIGN-UP HERE

Mother's Day Giveaway!

Hosted by:

NYSavingSpecials

Co-Hosted by:

Ramblings of Mama, Simply Sherryl, Lost in Boston, So Simply Stephanie, Sweet Sensible Scents, Barbara's Beat, Filipino Recipes, Michigan Savings and More and My Fab Fit Forties

Come and join us in this great giveaway

You can be the lucky winner for

a

KitchenAid KSM75SL 4.5 Qt. Classic Plus Stand Mixer, Color silver

Dates:

May 9 12:01am EST. To May 23 11:59pm  EST.

Valid only in the Continental United States. 

Void where prohibited

18 years or older to enter/only 1 entrant per household

 Winner is chosen through random.org

All entries are optional.

All winning entries will be verified.

Winning one of these mixers would be so awesome! Good luck everyone!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Disclaimer: Great Products! Great Reviews! is not responsible for the awarding of the prize. If you have any questions about this giveaway, please email the host at nysavingspecials@gmail.com. This blog, Facebook, Twitter or any other social media network are not associated with this giveaway.

HP Laptop Giveaway!

Hosted by:

NYSavingSpecials

Co-hosted by:

Peanut Butter and Whine, Rosey The Coupon Coach, Capri's Coupons, Barbara's Beat and 

Simply Sherryl

One lucky winner will win 

a

HP 2000-2d62NR 15.6" Laptop Computer - Black Licorice $529 + 1 year insurance (total prize value $588)

This seems like an awesome giveaway to enter, so enter now!!

Dates:

April 28 12:01am EST to May 12 11:59pm EST

Valid only in the Continental United States. 

Void where prohibited

18 years or older to enter & only 1 entrant per household

 Winner is chosen through random.org

All entries are optional.

All winning entries will be verified

Good luck everyone!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Disclaimer: NYSavingSpecials is responsible for the awarding of the prize.  If you have any questions about this giveaway, please email the host at nysavingspecials@gmail.com.  This blog, Facebook, Twitter or any other social media network is not associated with this giveaway.

Purex No Sort for Colors Detergent Giveaway!

First, please read my review if you wish.

Three lucky winners will each win a free product coupon for Purex No Sort for Colors Detergent for free!
It will begin April 21st, 2014 12:00 AM EST and end May 6th, 2014 12:00 AM EST.

You must be 18 years or older to enter.

US residents only please!

Enter through the Rafflecopter form below.

Remember to visit for daily entries!

Good luck everyone!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Purex is also hosting a sweepstakes of their own! 1 grand prize winner will win $1000 and 100 2nd place winners will each get a free product coupon for this detergent! Enter here! It ends April 28th.

Purex No Sort for Colors Detergent Review

Hi everyone! Sorry I haven't been posting lately, but here's another review for you guys. I can't wait until the summer when I can hopefully post more frequently for you guys. Sorry again for the long waits in between reviews. I'll be posting a couple more soon.
First of all, yes, I did get this for free from Purex in exchange for an honest review. This review is completely honest and completely my own. I'm under no obligation to write a positive review and I would never accept anything that required me to. Now, let's get started.

Purex No Sort for Colors Detergent is a new detergent that Purex is coming out with and it is supposed to allow you to have mixed color loads without any or less color transfer. It has "Anti-Color-Transfer Technology" which is supposed to trap loose dyes in the wash to reduce color bleeding.
If you read the label, it seems relatively easy to use, but it does have a warning saying that before you try it with strongly colored fabrics or new clothes, you should first separately wash them at least 5 times before trying it with this detergent in a mixed color load. So, essentially, it can't perform miracles and can't be expected to be able to prevent color bleeding no matter what. Okay… somewhat understandable.
Now, my test.
The instructions told me to fill to level D for normal loads, but for some reason, the inside of the cap doesn't have any markings, which I found quite annoying since it made me have to guess the amount of detergent and I don't know if I put too much, too little, or the right amount.

It has a dark blue color and has a rather fresh scent that was quite strong. It doesn't seem to be special in any way and seems like a normal laundry detergent.

I tried it on a white shirt, a pair of jeans, a red hoodie, a black hoodie, and other miscellaneous pieces of clothing.

The result?

The clothes were clean and the white shirt stayed white. However, I'm not sure if it was because I used the detergent. It may have been that the dyes of the clothing didn't run and thus, nothing turned a different color.

Overall, as a detergent it worked well. However, I don't appreciate that it doesn't have markings on the inside of the cap. It's inconvenient and harder to use because of it. After all, if you have to constantly guess the amount, you may put too much and have to put the clothes through a second cycle or put too little and have the clothes not be clean. Because of this, I don't know if I would recommend it.

And that's it for my review! I hope it was informative and if you have any questions, I would be happy to answer them!
We also have a giveaway for free product coupons for this detergent here and we have 3 to give away!
Hurry on over and enter!

In addition to that, Purex is also having a sweepstakes and 1 grand prize winner will receive $1000 and 100 2nd place winners will each get a free product coupon for this detergent! Enter here! It ends April 28th!