Tom’s of Maine Wicked Fresh Toothpaste Review & Giveaway (CLOSED 11/22)

Nov 18,2010 / By Maria / 8 Comments

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I’ve been a Bzzagent for several years now, and my most recent campaign is for Tom’s of Maine Wicked Fresh Toothpaste.

I try to buy natural products for my kids whenever possible, but there really hasn’t been room in the budget to “green up” my own health & beauty routine. Tom’s of Maine Wicked Fresh Toothpaste contains fluoride (which I know some people avoid) and also contains sodium lauryl sulfate. It does not contain alcohol, or any artificial ingredients. It’s easy to find in “big box” stores nationwide, and it’s available in both Cool Peppermint and Spearmint Ice flavors.

Tom’s of Maine is cruelty free, with no animal testing or animal ingredients, no artificial colors, flavors, fragrances or preservatives. They share every ingredient, it’s purpose and it’s source on their website. Sustainable practices are a priority for their business, and they maximize the recycled content and recyclability of their packaging. They dedicate 5% (12 days) of employee time to volunteering, and 10% of their profits go to human and environmental goodness.

My daughter, husband and I used the sample size boxes, which were all cool peppermint flavor.

The toothpaste had a natural looking color, slightly gritty texture, and a natural, almost herbal-y (not sure how else to put that!) mint flavor.

After I brushed, my teeth didn’t have quite the same slick clean feeling that I’m used to, but after I flossed and used my mouthwash, they felt very clean. I didn’t notice any extended freshening though! The suggested retail price for a 5.2 ounce tube is $4.19. I’ve been CVSing (yeah, I used it as a verb) for about three years now, so I haven’t paid any “real” money for toothpaste since before then. The Tom’s of Maine toothpaste really isn’t much more than other brands, but for someone not used to paying for toothpaste, it’s a lot!!

Giveaway: I am sending the full size, 5.2 ounce tube to one of my readers.

Here’s how to enter: All entries go in the form below. Simply enter your name and email address. Post will be updated with the # of entries received. I’d love for you to leave a comment, I’m always interested to hear what products others use. Keep in mind that comments don’t count as entries.

I will accept entries until Monday, November 22nd, 2010 at 9:00 P.M. Eastern. This is a short one. I will select a winner using random.org’s true random number generator and notify him/her by email. Winner has 48 hours to respond before the prize is forfeited and a new winner is chosen. View my ~~giveaway rules~~ page for complete details. This giveaway is open to residents of the U.S.

Entries as of November 22nd at giveaway close: 78

https://spreadsheets.google.com/embeddedform?formkey=dGY2S3NyQ2dKM0hqdnJmNDB5Qnd6Z1E6MQ

FTC Compliance: I received the above samples at no charge as a Bzzagent. All opinions are my own.

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Composting Eco-Friendly/Green Review

Nature Mill Composter Update

Nov 16,2010 / By Maria / 1 Comment

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If you missed my Nature Mill Composter review, I bought one at a tidy discount, as my birthday gift to myself. I may have been eating PB&J and grilled cheese on my birthday while my husband was in Italy, but I was having fun with food waste, tee hee.

The photo above was our tomato plant on August 24th. We’ve been using the composter and have transferred and used the compost several times in the past 3 1/2 or so months.

Below is the same plant on September 4th, after putting some compost around it:

After building our house, we had nearly an acre to seed, but we couldn’t afford to pay someone to do it for us. Some of it was coming in nicely, but we had areas where it just wouldn’t take root it seemed.

This is one of those areas on August 24th. My husband had tried tilling and seeding it many times before with so-so results. He threw some more seed down, but also spread some of the compost on the area. Here’s what it looked like on September 8th:

The difference really is striking, the compost made all the difference in the world.

The composter was pricey, but it’s awesome to have this rich compost right at our fingertips, and to be keeping all that food waste out of the landfill!

FTC compliance: This composter was purchased at a discount. I was not requested or required to write a positive review. I was not asked to write an update post, all opinions are my own.

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Thermos Funtainers Review

Nov 9,2010 / By Maria / No Comment

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My daughter started Kindergarten this year, and though she ate lunch at preschool 2x a week Jan-June, they served water there, so I didn’t have to send a drink. I was looking for something re-usable and BPA free to send her to school with this year.

I did pretty much all of my back to school shopping at Target (love that store, but very, very dangerous for my wallet!) and found these Thermos Beverage Containers. They have a stainless steel interior, double wall vacuum construction, silicone straw, and non-slip base. They hold 12 ounces of liquid, are dishwasher safe, easy to open (but also easy to open accidentally!) and will keep drinks cold for 12 hours.

When I bought this, I didn’t know any of that. I knew it was BPA free and my daughter liked it!! On the first day of school I sent her with a thermos of water and a little bit of ice. After 8 hours, this is what I found:

Wow, it still had ice in it! It really did keep it cold!! This worked swimmingly for about two months. Then one day I went to unpack her stuff after school, and her lunch box, bookbag, and everything in it (including a library book) were soaking wet. She claimed that she closed the top, but I wasn’t so sure. I sent her with it again the next day and this time everything was soaked again, including the special class Tooth Fairy Bag, complete with 2 more library books!! Thankfully, it was just water, but still. We tried keeping it in an outside pocket of her bookbag, but then she was forgetting to take it to the lunchroom. So, we’re still working on a new solution, and I have a different bottle to review as well.

I also bought her a Funtainers Food Jar so I could send her with leftover soup, mac & cheese and so forth. before I sent her with anything, I wanted to test to make sure the TherMax® double wall vacuum insulation really worked.

I put hot water in the thermos, closed it up, and took the temperature of the water to see how it retained the heat. I checked it after 4.5 hours:

and again after 6.5 hours:

It has worked really well. When I send her with something hot, I make it just a bit hotter than I would if we were eating it right away, then close it up!

The regular price of both of these at my Target was $13.99 each, but I got them on sale for $12 each. Just a few packs of juice boxes would add up to that quickly!! We’re still using the thermos at home sometimes; if I could get her to stop chewing on the straw it would be perfect!

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Monster Fluff Embroidered Fleece Soaker/Diaper Cover Review and Giveaway Open to the U.S. and Canada (CLOSED 11/6)

Oct 30,2010 / By Maria / 8 Comments

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Long ago and far away, I asked (on Facebook) what you guys would like to see me review, and Monster Fluff was mentioned! I had found Monster Fluff myself on Hyenacart quite a while ago when searching for monster stuff, but I hadn’t pulled the trigger on a purchase yet! So, I was excited to get to do this review!

I love monsters but honest to goodness, it’s not just me! My son grabbed it from me when I opened it, just like he did with my (err…his) ooga diaper!

I received the Archie monster, embroidered on a size medium soaker. The embroidered soakers retail for $22, and while the size chart doesn’t give weight estimates, the medium fit my 18.5 lb guy just fine.

The soakers are made with 100% polyester anti-pill fleece and each monster averages 14,000 stitches. The soakers have an additional layer sewn into the wet zone, which also covers the embroidery backing.

Monster Fluff products are made by mom & daughter team Debbie and Amber. Don’t let the name fool you, they don’t just have monsters. They have tons of embroidery options available on soakers, shorties, longies and matching sets.

The craftsmanship of the soaker is really amazing. I turned it inside out and inspected it, and the fleece is cut neatly and sewn impeccably.

The embroidery is clearly done by an embroidery machine, rather than by hand (Can you imagine? Yikes. Hand cramp!) Even so, it takes skill!

The monster was centered and straight on the soaker, and there were no loose threads!

First, I tried the soaker on over the trimmest fitted I have, the Little Beetle Little to Big Diaper.

My son is about 18.5 lbs here and the diaper is on the largest setting.

I didn’t have trouble getting the soaker over the diaper, and it fit very well. The first time I changed his diaper when I was using the soaker, the fitted was wet on the outside, but the soaker seemed clean. Gross maybe, but I sniffed it and used it again! If I were exclusively using fitteds, I would perhaps use 2 soakers per day and air them out between uses, of course washing them if they got smelly or soiled. Otherwise, I’d just wash them at the end of the day!

fleece cover over trim diaper standing front

Next, I decided to try the soaker over one of my fluffiest, most absorbent fitteds, my Heartland Dreams Fitted.

It wasn’t difficult to get the soaker over the diaper, but I did have to work it a little, it didn’t just slide right on. Fleece isn’t as stretchy as wool, but it fit really well over both a very trim fitted, and a fluffy one!

The suggested care for Monster Fluff fleece is: Turn inside out, machine wash warm, delicate cycle. Tumble dry low. They suggest washing their fleece items with your regular laundry. Oops. I saw this after I washed, used and washed it again! I didn’t turn it inside out and I washed it on the regular cycle with my diapers, so cold, then hot. I hung it to dry with my shells/covers. I’ll be more careful in the future!

I think the Monster Fluff soaker is awesome. Not only is it a well made, very functional soaker, but it’s adorable too! I’d love to have a custom with longies and a matching shirt!

Giveaway: Monster Fluff is offering one reader a soaker in his/her choice of size, gender and monster!

Here’s how to enter: All entries go in the form below. I’d love for you to leave a comment (great way to remember you entered!) but comments don’t count as entries. Mandatory entries include name, email address and your favorite ~~Monster Fluff~~ ~~item. You may receive a bonus entry if you are a new or current “liker” of~~ ~~Monster Fluff Studio on Facebook. Post will be updated regularly with the # of entries received.~~

I will accept entries until Saturday, November 6th, 2010 at 9 P.M. Eastern. I will select a winner using random.org’s true random number generator and notify him/her by email. Winner has 48 hours to respond before the prize is forfeited and a new winner is chosen. View my ~~giveaway rules~~ ~~page for complete details. This giveaway is open to residents of the U.S. and Canada. Monster Fluff Studio also offers~~ ~~free shipping to Canadians~~!

Entries as of November 6th, 2010 at Giveaway close: 205

https://spreadsheets.google.com/embeddedform?formkey=dHkxeHFNSGhESDQ0c2hhWVdlWnRZMVE6MQ

FTC Compliance: Monster Fluff sent me the pictured soaker at no charge, for review purposes. I was not requested or required to write a positive review, I was not otherwise compensated for this post, and all opinions are my own.

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Knickernappies 2G Sized Pocket Diaper Review & Giveaway (CLOSED 11/4)

Oct 28,2010 / By Maria / 17 Comments

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Ever since I fell in love with the Knickernappies superdo and loopydo inserts, I’ve wanted to try one of their diapers. So, I had been entering all of the blog giveaways I saw for their diapers. Last month, I found out I won the giveaway sponsored by Knickernappies on The Cloth Diaper Report. I was just as excited as you might have guessed, especially since it was the first diaper I’d won!

The Knickernappies 2G pocket diapers do not normally come with inserts, and the giveaway clearly stated the win would not have an insert. Knickernappies sent one anyway, which was awesome!

I couldn’t decide on color, so I let my husband choose. My daughter wanted violet, but while I’d put a deep eggplant on my son, I wasn’t so sure about that color. Her second choice was raspberry (pink)! He (obviously, since you’re looking at the pics!) chose melon. The color was a little brighter than I expected it to be. I’m not sure why since looking at the pics online now, it seems fairly accurate.

Both the 2G diapers and the Knickernappies one size diapers are side snapping. I prefer front closures, only because it’s what I’m used to. I think I have at least 3, if not 4 side snapping diapers now. So, they’re not as confusing now that I have more practice!

The “2G” pocket diapers are sized. I chose the medium, which is estimated to fit 15-28 pounds. The small fits about 5-15 pounds, and the large fits about 25-35 pounds. The complete Knickernappies 2G size chart also includes waist, thigh and rise estimates.

knickernappies medium vs bumgenius elemental med

It seems similar to the medium settings of other one-size diapers (that’s a Bumgenius “elemental” organic AIO.)

Here it is measured folded and stretched:

The medium fit my 18.5 lb son great, and he definitely has lots of room!

We didn’t have any leak issues with the microfiber insert, I’m sure it would be an even better diaper with a loopydo insert! I didn’t try it with mine since I tried to be cheap and buy large inserts. They get a little bulky when you try to fold them down, so I just use them at night now! The diaper without insert retails for about $15.95. The basic microfiber insert is $3.95, but you can save by buying the diaper with an optional loopydo or superdo insert.

Amazingly, the second diaper giveaway I won was also last month, for another Knickernappies 2G pocket diaper! Initially, I thought about asking for a new winner to be drawn, since I had just won one. The first one I won (am I saying one/won enough?) was sponsored by Knickernappies, but the second was sponsored by Earth Angels Diaper Co. on their Diaper Discussions blog.

While I haven’t personally purchased from Earth Angels Diaper Co., they have good prices, a wide selection, and even an affiliate program. Don’t worry, no links in this post are affiliate links! They have risk-free “try me” cloth diaper kits and even a layaway program! My experience with the owner was wonderful.

You can find Earth Angels Diaper Co. on Facebook, tweeting as @clothdiapergeek and on The Diaper Discussions Blog.

Giveaway: As my second giveaway win, I received the size medium, melon color Knickernappies 2G pocket diaper and microfiber insert pictured above, and it is sitting, new and unused, awaiting a new owner. I have been assured that re-gifting (re-giveaway-ing?) a blog win isn’t as incredibly tacky as I’m afraid it may seem, so…at the end of this giveaway, one of you will have a diaper just like the one I reviewed (only new of course!) While this giveaway isn’t technically sponsored by Earth Angels Diaper Co., I did get their OK to do this!

Here’s how to enter: All entries go in the form below. I do love me some comments, but comments don’t count as entries. Mandatory entries include name, email address, and your favorite item from ~~Earth Angels Diaper Co. You may select the bonus entry if you follow this blog via GFC, RSS or email. As usual, I will update this post regularly with the # of entries received.~~

I will accept entries until Thursday, November 4th 2010 at 9 P.M. Eastern. I will select a winner using random.org’s true random number generator and notify him/her by email. Winner has 48 hours to respond before the prize is forfeited and a new winner is chosen. View my ~~giveaway rules~~ page for complete details. This giveaway is open to U.S. residents only.

Entries as of November 4th, 2010 at 9:00 P.M.: 234