Rimmel London Retro Glam Mascara ~Review~

Its been a while, but I got another Influenster box! This one was the Rose VoxBox for fall and had many products in it. One of my absolute favorites was the Rimmel London Retro Glam Mascara.

When I first opened it I was really surprised at how large the tube was. It is very very wide. I opened it to see that the brush is a soft brisstle brush and kind of curved, where it flares out some at either end and is skinny in the middle. The first time I used it it was really ackward and cumbersome trying to figure out how to hold such a large handle, but after that first time I've had no issues.

I have to say that I'm in love with this mascara! Its given me great coverage, and umph to my lashes that many others don't. It goes on smoothly and in one coat, and I've not had any issues with clumping! It stays on all day, even when I accidentally rub my eye, I barely get flakes! It washes off pretty easily at night though which is another thing I love about this. Once this runs out I will be buying more! This mascara will be coming out in stores in the US this November 2013!!

Before

After

ABOUT THIS PRODUCT

The 60s are back in full swing with a thicker, fuller, wide-eyed look!

• A wide-eyed false lash look
• Fanned out volume
• No clumps
• Lashes up, out and over the top

Check out Rimmel London US's website

Take a look at Rimmel London US's Facebook

Also see what Influenster is up to on Facebook and their website

Disclaimer:  I received the Rimmel London Retro Glam Mascara complimentary from Influenster, however, these opinions are 100% my own.

Influenster's Natural VoxBox

I got my 3rd (I think lol) Influenster VoxBox a couple weeks ago. This box was the Naturals box, filled with all natural and/or organic products. Here is a shot of what I got in my box. I will be posting a blog post of a few of the products here soon!

Venus & Olay Razor Review

When I got my Love VoxBox from Influenster one of the items included was a new Venus & Olay Razor. I was super excited to try this because I normally use the cheap 2 blade razors to shave with. I was really excited to get to try this new razor out.


When I opened the razor the first thing that I noticed was that it has 2 good sized Olay Moisture bars on it, one on top and one on bottom. Seeing those had me a little worried that it would make it more cumbersome for me to shave since its already hard on me with my neuromuscular disease. I was pleasantly surprised at the fact that the bars have a little 'give' to them and move so that they can contour around your body. The handle had a nice soft grip on it so it doesn't slip out of your hand. I loved the fact that it has 5 blades in it, it ment it only took 1-2 passes on one spot to get all the hairs gone unlike my other razors that took 3-5 passes over one spot. The razor also came with a suctioned wall hanger so I can store the razor up out of reach from little exploring hands. I really liked how smoothly this razor shaved, and with the Olay Moisture bars on it, it eliminated the need for any shaving cream and left my skin feeling super smooth afterwords. I was able to go 3-4 days before my legs would get subbly again which was also an added bonus.

Venus & Olay Razor

For the first time ever, Gillette Venus, a global leader in female shaving, and Olay, a global leader in skincare, are coming together to deliver a gold standard in shaving with the new Gillette Venus & Olay razor. Venus’ best shaving technology works with Olay Moisture Bars, offering women best-of-both-worlds shaving and skin expertise. Olay Moisture Bars help lock-in moisture to your skin for less dryness, and with every smoothing stroke, Venus’ five blades shave you close.

Product Details

• Venus’ five-bladed razors shave you close and adjust to women’s curves for a smooth and comfortable shave, even over tricky shaving areas like knees and ankles.
• Olay Moisture Bars contain skin-enhancing elements found in Olay products: Petrolatum helps lock in skin’s moisture for less dryness and Glycerin helps offer that goddess glow! Just wet the razor to release a light lather – no separate shave cream required.
• As with most Venus razors, new Venus & Olay also features a rounded, pivoting head designed for women’s curves, and a soft-grip ergonomic handle for confident control, even in wet and soapy environment

Where to Buy

A refillable Venus & Olay with one replacement cartridge sells for approximately $8.99-$10.99. Packages of three replacement cartridges are available for about $14.99 - $19.49.

Venus & Olay will be available starting March 15, 2012 at food, drug, convenience and mass merchandise stores throughout the United States.

Check out more about the Venus & Olay razor.

You can visit Venus & Olay Razor on their site, Facebook or Twitter.
You can also visit Influenster on their site, Facebook or Twitter.

((This review is my own. I was given a product to try from the sponsor, but all thoughts in this post are my own an no others))

Truvía® natural sweetener Product Review

 (My pictures have been deleted due to an error. I'm in the process of taking new ones sorry for the delay)

I got a sample box of Truvía natural sweetener from Influenster in part of my LoveVox Box that I received last week. The box was full of a bunch of different products to test and review, Truvía being one of those products. Truvía is a product that I have never tried before so it was a new experience for me to try it out.
I'm normally not big on using sweeteners, most that I try have a really fake taste to them. I was very surprised when I put Truvía in my tea! It doesn't have the fake taste that others have and I even put some on my finger to taste by itself. One packet flavored my tea perfectly, unlike the couple cubes of pure sugar that I normally have to use. I really love that I don't have to use a ton like I do with sugar or other similar sweeteners, I like my tea to be sweet and its always hard to get it just right but the Truvía was the perfect sweetness for me.

Truvía can be used in may different things from coffee's, to teas, to on your cereal or even in your cooking. I have yet to try it other then in my tea since thats normally when I use sugar, but with the nice taste of Truvía I think it would taste good with almost anything that you'd use normal sugar for. The only thing I 'warn,' again, is you don't need a ton of Truvía like other sweeteners, a little goes along with with Truvía.

Truvía^® natural sweetener

Truvía^® natural sweetener is the first natural, great-tasting, zero-calorie sweetener born from the leaves of the stevia plant.


o One packet of Truvía^® natural sweetener provides the same sweetness as two teaspoons of sugar.
o Truvía^® natural sweetener is refreshingly uncomplicated. Add it to coffee and tea. Sprinkle it on fruit and cereal.
o Truvía^® natural sweetener is a great alternative for people with diabetes. It is also kosher certified.


Where to Buy
Truvía^® natural sweetener is available nationally at most major retailers and in package sizes of 40-count, 80-count, 140-count and a spoonable jar. Find a store here.


Discover great-tasting recipe ideas and more at truvia.com

You can visit Truvía® natural sweetener on their website, Facebook or Twitter.

You can also visit Influenster on their site, Facebook or Twitter.

((This review is my own. I was given a product to try from the sponsor, but all thoughts in this post are my own an no others))

Kiss Nail Dress Review

I was super lucky to get picked to get a VoxBox from Influenster! I got my box last week and it was stuffed with a ton of products to try and review. One of the products in the box was Kiss Nail Dress ($6.99).


I'm normally not one to paint my nails or do much to them, the feeling of paint and such bugs me for some reason. Since I normally don't like the feeling of stuff on my nails (fingers or toes) I was a little worried about trying the Kiss Nail Dress. I decided to put them on the night I got them, just before bed.

When I opened the box of Kiss Nail Dress I was expecting this long list of instructions on how to put them on. I was very surprised to see the instructions so short and simple! Its not a big complex process to put them on like other nail products, which is awesome especially if you wanted to throw some on last minute before a big event. I put mine on my fingers and toes and went to bed to see how well they would last over night since I toss and turn alot. I woke up the next morning and was very surprised that they were all still in place and looked just the same as they did 8hrs before! What else was nice, they didn't bug me like painting my nails normally does :). The next day I went about my day, almost forgetting that I had these on; I washed dishes, washed my hands a ton of times, went to the store, made lunch for company and the greatest thing, the nails weren't chipped or pealing off like normal nail polish would after all that wear and tear. I left my fingers on for a couple days and they lasted all the way up till I took them off, and taking them off was just as simple as putting them on no long process with that either. My toes are still pretty and still have the Kiss Nail Dress on them!


Over all I really liked these, they were quick and simple for people like me that don't like to take a lot of time to look nice, but they are also nice and beautiful for people that like to dress up. There are a lot of different designs that are offered so you can dress up any outfit and event. Quick, easy and beautiful, I would suggest everyone try them out!

Kiss Nail Dress

Fashion That Sticks

Introducing Kiss Nail Dress, ultimate nail fashion for tips and toes! Just peel, apply, and shape for a manicure that lasts up to 10 days. On in minutes, off in seconds without remover. Nail Dress is available in 18 different styles, many of them featuring 3-dimensional jeweled designs. Check out Peplum, a deep black with multi-colored gems for a pop of color, or Babydoll, for a golden and glamorous jeweled look. Skip the topcoat, Nail Dress has it built in.

With 28 strips in each package, you can cut up your extras to create designs that can be used on top of polished or artificial nails. Nail Dress doesn’t dry out the way other polish strips can, so you can save them to use on your next DIY mani. A nail design booklet is included in each package, just in case you need a little inspiration.

And don’t forget about your feet! Nail Dress looks awesome on toes, too – just use the square side of the sticker for a perfect fit.

Where to Buy

Nail Dress’ suggested retail is $6.99 and is available in all major drug chains and mass retailers like WalMart, CVS and Walgreens.

Visit KissNailDress.com to learn more!

You can visit Kiss Nail Dress at their website, on Facebook or on Twitter.
You can also visit Influenster on their site, Facebook or Twitter.

((This review is my own. I was given a product to try from the sponsor, but all thoughts in this post are my own an no others))

Mohawk Rug Review and Giveaway

I was reproached by someone from Mohawk rugs last month about doing a review and giveaway on the blog. I was super excited to be given this chance, especially with moving to a new house. Kieran finally has her own room after almost 2yrs of sharing ours so we've been excited to decorate it and adding in the rug to review was awesome and perfect timing.

Here is some information about the nursery rugs:
-They are made with a new technology in yarn that is very soft to the touch, perfect for a baby or childs room
-Latex backing provides non skid surface for all hard surfaces or it works great to keep the rug in place on carpet
-Made from 100% Nylon. Nylon rugs are easy to take care of, they spot clean easily but you can also wash the 40"x60" size in a front load commercial washer
-Made in the USA



We got our rug on March 18th, just 2 days after moving in (review up a little late sorry!), and I waited a couple days to open it since we were still getting things organize. The first thing I noticed before opening it was how big it looked which I was excited about. Next thing I noticed was the colors, really nice and neutral to any color scheme in a girls room (I choose a brown and pink rug). Kieran's room right now is flowers, butterflies, and Tinkerbell and done in light purple, blue, and pink. The pink and brown striped rug we received for review works really well in her room.



When I laid the rug out, with the help of the kiddos, I was excited to see and feel how soft it was (so was Seamus!). I figured that the softness would go away after a couple days of walking on it and Kieran playing on it. I was super surprised and excited to see how soft it was after a few days and even now after 2 weeks of use its still just as soft as when I laid it out! I change Kieran's diaper on the rug before bed and she loves to feel the rug while laying there, I think most carpet and rugs are rough on babies but this one is nice a soft.



I think these rugs would be awesome in any nursery or child's room. They're nice and soft, and complement many decorating schemes, and a nice size too.

Mohawk has been kind enough to offer one of my readers the chance to win a rug! Winner will get the choice of rug, and size (40"x60" and a 60"x84" (5'x7').


Mandatory Entry: Like Mohawk on Facebook and let me know you did by posting your first name and last initial. (as well as an email address to contact you if you win. Mandatory Entry must be done before any extra entries)

Extra Entries: (one comment per entry_
-share this giveaway on your Facebook Wall
-Follow Mohawk on Twitter
-Follow Me on twitter (heart at top)
-Follow my blog with google friend connect
-Tweet this giveaway include @SliverStorm and @mohawk_home in the tweet, leave tweet link in comment
-add my button to your blog and tell me where to find it
-Tell me which rug you'd choose (first 6 on the list)and if it would be for your child's room or a gift


This will end on Sunday April 17th @ 11:59pm PST. At the close of this I will use Random.org to draw the winner and post on the blog. The winner has 48hrs to respond to my email before a new one will be drawn. US only.


**Disclosure**
I was not paid to post this giveaway. I was sent an item for review, and the review in this posting is my own, I did not receive any other compensation.

Charlie Banana ~ Review & Giveaway ~

I found out about Charlie Banana early in the summer, it looked super neat. I emailed asking if they were doing any reviews yet and found out, at the time, they still hadn't been released in the US yet, but they agreed to sponsor a review once they were. I was super excited.

Charlie Banana is from Hong Kong China, and very well made. Here is a little about their company:

"Winc Design Limited is a Hong Kong base Company. The team is an eclectic mix of Canadian, American, French, British, Hong Kong, which gives wonderful results. We are a distributor and a manufacturer. We only distribute items we manufacture directly so we can control everything from start to finish. Being based in Hong Kong is ideal for shipping all over the world. It reduces shipping cost for our customers and it allows us to reduce carbon footprint by having our manufacturing at our door.

Gaelle & CharlieWinc Design Ltd. was nominated last year as “Earth Champion” for waste reduction. Earth champion is a wonderful organization operating worldwide. www.earthchampions.com. At Winc Design Ltd it is Earth Day every day! We are actively promoting waste reduction and have gained tremendous support from major retailers all over the world.

With many years of experience in the Toy and Juvenile Industry as well as being a mother of two young children, Winc Design’s president, Gaëlle Wizenberg, decided to create a custom line – Charlie Banana™ . Born from the Winc Design family, Charlie Banana™ is a product collection that combines eco friendliness, quality and design in one brand. Charlie Banana™ is a result of inspiration and joy from the owner’s children – her son Zachary and daughter Charlie, or “Charlie Banana” as Zachary calls her. It’s with great joy that Charlie Banana™ comes to life."

Review:
When I got this diaper I was super excited about the packaging, all the Hong Kong stamps and custom labels were so cool! I opened the package in the car after getting to Seamus' speech appt (which he was annoyed with lol). When I got the package open I was amazed by the diaper, it was so so so soft, and the pattern they sent me was beautiful! I was sent 1 OS diaper with little butterflies on it, 2 microfiber inserts, 2 disposable inserts and a carrying bag. Such an awesome package.



I was super excited to get home and prep the diaper. Once preped I put it on Kieran for a nap, our first test. I was surprised by the fit, I have the button settings between the 5 and 4 and I was still able to cross the tabs! The fit was perfect, I love the fit on this diaper, unlike some of our other OS diapers this one was easier to find a good setting on and get a good tight (without red marks!) fit. I also loved that the pocket opening is up front so you don't have to get messy poo everywhere when taking out the insert. The diaper did perfect at nap time, no leaks and dry wake up. I also tried it at night a few nights later with both inserts in and again, perfect, no leaking and dry wake up.



The next thing I tried was the disposable insert. I was a little afraid of this because we've tried another disposable insert from another company back in February and didn't care for them. This insert was great, I think it could be a little more narrow cause it seemed a tad too wide but it fit on Kieran well. I had planned on taking her out and about to Seamus' speech with it on but she had other plans and pooed in it with in an hour. It was nice being able to just pull it out and toss, and only a tiny bit of poo missed the insert. The nice thing about this insert is that it gets tucked under the front flap to help it stay in place, not sticky tabs that have to be stuck (and never come off) on the diaper!



Over all I loved this diaper! Its now in my top 2 favorite pocket diapers (the other one being a different style then this). I also love the cute prints and they also have both gentle soft solid colors and awesome bright colors!



Charlie Banana is a nice company to work with, they respond super quick with replies and the staff is super friendly. Charlie Banana also offered to sponsor a giveaway!

Giveaway:
One of my readers will win a Charlie Banana OS diaper and Single Wipes!

Mandatory Entry: Go to Charlie Banana's web site and take a look around. Tell me your favorite color/print, of diaper they offer AND something neat you learned about the company. Please answer both in 1 {one} comment.
(both parts of the mandatory entry must be done before doing any other "extra" entries. Also please leave me your email address in the joedoe at emailprovider dot com so I can contact you if you win.)


Extra Entries:
-Fan Charlie Banana on Facebook
-Follow Charlie Banana on Twitter
-Fan me on Facebook (heart on top)
-Follow me on Twitter (heart again)
-Enter the Daffodil Dolls giveaway
-Follow my blog via Google Friend Connect
-Add my button to your blog and tell me where to find it
-Tell me what made you want to start cloth diapering
-Tell me other ways you are more "green"
-Blog about this giveaway linking back to this post and Charlie Banana
-Add this giveaway to any giveaway Linky's (that are within the last week) and leave me the link to where you put it
-Tweet about this giveaway, be sure to include #clothdiapers, @SliverStorm and @CharlieBanana as well as a link back to this post. 2 tweets per day at least 4hrs apart, and make sure to post your tweet link as soon as you tweet, not hours later.


This will end on Wednesday November 24th 11:59pm PST. At the close of this I will use Random.org to draw the winner and post on the blog. The winner has 48hrs to respond to my email before a new one will be drawn. US only.


**Disclosure**
I was sent this product review, I did not receive any other compensation. The review is my own and my honest opinion of the product.

Daffodil Dolls Review and Giveaway

One of my friends from JustMommies approached me about doing a review and giveaway of her doll clothes, with Kieran getting into the age of dolls I was super excited to be given this opportunity!



I've known Ruth online now for about 2yrs, and she is a wonderful lady. She is a SAHM to two boys and expecting her first little girl later this month. I kind of look up to her with how she makes all this cute stuff! Here is a little bit about her Hyena Cart store Daffodil Dolls:

"Daffodil Dolls provides quality, affordable, handmade doll clothes and accessories. I began making doll clothes shortly after I received my first American Girl doll as a birthday gift. We didn’t have a lot of extra money to buy a bunch of clothes for my dolls so my mom taught me to sew. After my mom passed away from breast cancer sewing became a very special hobby for me and my store is named after one of my mom's favorite flowers. Now almost 20 years after making my first doll dress I still love sewing doll clothes. When I became a stay-at-home mom I turned my hobby into a small business. It is my desire to provide handmade doll clothes at reasonable prices so that anyone can enjoy having a fun wardrobe for their dolls.

I have try to provide outfits that will fit a wide variety of dolls. I personally own 18" American Girl dolls, and 15" Bitty Baby dolls so I know the clothes will fit those specific dolls. While I cannot guarantee how they will fit every type of doll many of my outfits will also fit Waldorf dolls and a variety of stuffed animals. I am always happy to provide the measurements of my outfits so you can check to see if they will work for your doll.

I also enjoy doing custom orders which include making outfits for boy dolls. I can also making matching child/doll outfits.

When necessary I recommend hand washing doll clothes in cool water with a mild detergent and laying them out to air dry."

Review:

Ruth was super sweet and even asked if she could send something for Seamus too to use on his stuffed animals. Seamus helped pick out the shirt for one of his animals and he loved being able to do that. It didn't take long at all to get the clothes, and when I did I was shocked to see that a couple of the items had only been made days before! Ruth has these super cute tags that she sews into the clothes and dates them so you know when they were made. The shirts and dresses close with aplix. I love the aplix on them because its easier for the kids to get them on and off with out having to mess with hooks or snaps. The bottoms are elastic waisted and super easy to pull on and off.





Seamus was super excited to get something for his animals, but ended up taking Kieran's bear (standard Build a Bear bear) to play with. He got the shirt on super easy and thought it was funny he could dress the bear. The pants he had a little hard time with (partly due to his SPD though) but the bear is stuffed more then usual cause we made him with more stuffin's. Seamus spent over an hour taking the clothes off and on he loves it.

Kieran still isn't too sure how to put the clothes on but she sure figured out how to get them off and brings it right back up to get them on, hehe. We recently bought Kieran her first real baby doll and it was perfect for the dress and bloomers. The dress fit really well and I think it could even fit a doll that was a little larger and still be a good fit. I love the more "classic" look of the dress, so much nicer then the clothes a lot of these dolls come with now days.



Overall I really really loved these, they are super well made. I think Ruth pays good attention to her products and does a wonderful job making them. I'm actually making a list of some to buy Kieran for Christmas!

Daffodil Dolls doesn't just make doll clothes though, they also offer a nice range of accessories from gloves, to scarfs, doll leg warmers, hats and even doll necklaces! I think these would be perfect for that little girl in your life (or even little boy for their animals!) for Christmas, birthday's, Easter or a just because gift!

One super cool thing I wanted to point out that Daffodil Dolls offer is trading. Ruth loves to trade things! Here's a little about that:

"If you are interested in trading send me an e-mail with pictures of what you have and tell me what you are wanting from my store. Once we agree upon a fair trade you will ship the items to me and then like with any other purchase once I receive the "payment" I'll ship your items out right away. If you have 50 or more positive feedback transactions here or on another buying/selling site (ie eBay, Etsy, Diaperswappers etc) I am fine with us both shipping our packages at the same time. For trades I require that all packages must be shipped with delivery confirmation to protect both parties. Please understand that while I do like to trade there may be times that I will not be able to trade so please be understanding if I do have to say no."

Ruth has been super awesome in letting me do a review of her awesome doll clothes and is even more awesome because she's offering a chance for one of my readers to win!

Giveaway:
Ruth of Daffodil Dolls is offering one of my readers a chance to win a $15 gift certificate to Daffodil Dolls Hyena Cart store!


Mandatory Entry:
Take a look through Daffodil Dolls store and tell me what you would get if you won and who you would get it for.
(Mandatory entry must be completed before you can do any of the "extra" entries. Also please leave me your email address in the johndoe at emailprovider dot com format so I can contact you and bots dont pick it up)

Extra Entries:
-Become a fan of Daffodil Dolls facebook
-Become a fan of my facebook (heart at top)
-Follow me on Twitter (also a heart)
-Follow me on Google Friend Connect
-Blog about this giveaway
-Email 3 friends about this and cc a copy to me (knjmcd at gmail dot com)
-Tweet this giveaway, can be done twice a day at least 4hrs apart, also make sure to leave me the link of each tweet at the time of the tweet not hours later. Make sure to include a link back to this post and @SliverStorm in the tweet.
-Tell me your favorite memory of dressing things up


This will end on Sunday November 21st 11:59pm PST. At the close of this I will use Random.org to draw the winner and post on the blog. The winner has 48hrs to respond to my email before a new one will be drawn. US only.


**Disclosure**
I was sent this product review, I did not receive any other compensation. The review is my own and my honest opinion of the product.

Baby Dipper Bowl Review and Giveaway! ~*Extended!*~

I've seen this unique bowl around on other blogs and I was always interested in how different it was. I decided to ask Baby Dipper if they'd be willing to do a review, and to my excitement they said yes!! Kieran is at the age now that she's learning to feed herself with utensils so I thought this would be a perfect time to do a review.

When I first opened the bowl the first thing I noticed was the rubber bottom, to help keep it from moving around. The next thing I noticed was the shape of the spoon and fork, they are slightly curved to fit in the hand of toddlers and fit the way they hold things at this age. I also love how the spoon and fork fit perfectly in the bottom of the bowl so it can get everything out.

The very first thing I tried with the bowl was just a simple snack of Kix Cereal and it worked nice, Kieran could even hold on to the bowl a lot better then any of our other ones. Kieran hid it so it took me a couple days to find it >.<. When I found it the next thing I had her try was some spaghetti in it. She did awesome, it was super easy for her to hold the spoon and fork (tried both) and it was easy for her to eat out of it. I love that this bowl will help her learn to eat on her own. One thing that I think would be awesome is if they had some larger ones for older toddlers/preschoolers, but over all this was an awesome bowl, great design and very user friendly.

About the Baby Dipper Bowl:
-BPA-free, lead-free, and phthalate-free
-Transparent sides allow easy viewing of food
-Contoured interior guides food to spoon
-Spoon fits in lower corner of bowl
-Non-slip base helps prevent sliding
-Holds 4 fluid ounces
-Microwave safe
-Hand washing is recommended but it can be washed on the top rack of dishwashers

I think that this bowl is reasonably priced at $9.95. I've seen different bowl sets go for much higher and those sets were not worth it.


Baby Dipper has generously offed to giveaway one of their bowls to one of my readers!!

Mandatory Entry (make sure this is completed or the others will not count): Tell me why you would what this bowl and who it would be for.

Be sure to leave your email so I can contact you if you win, leave it in the johndoe at emailprovider dot com format so bots can't pick it up.


Extra Entries:
-Become a Baby Dipper Facebook "liker"
-"Like" my page on Facebook, heart at the top of the page
-Follow Baby Dipper on Twitter
-Follow me on Twitter, heart at the top of the page
-Sign up for Baby Dipper's newsletter
-Follow my RSS feed, heart at top
-Follow Baby Dipper's Blog
-Follow my blog with Google Friend
-Add my button to your blog and tell me where to find it
-Blog about this giveaway
-Add this giveaway to a giveaway linky and tell me where it is
-Tweet about this giveaway (once a day) including @BabyDipper and @SliverStorm or you can use:
"I want to win a @BabyDipper Bowl from @SliverStorm ends 10/15 http://tinyurl.com/SilentStormbdp"



This will end on Friday October 15th 11:59pm PST Extended till 10/27 At the close of this I will use Random.org to draw the winner and post on the blog. The winner has 48hrs to respond to my email before a new one will be drawn. US only.


**Disclosure**
I was sent this product review, I did not receive any other compensation. The review is my own and my honest opinion of the product.

~Also note that previous winners of Baby Dipper bowls (in giveaways sponsored by Baby Dipper, LLC) are not eligible to win again~

Babee Covee Review

I found out about Babee Covee on JustMommies, and asked to do a review for them. I got this awesome 6-in-1 Babee Covee in the mail and loved it! The Babee Covee can be used 6 different ways and is a great versatile blanket/cover. Babee Covee can be used as; an Infant Car Seat cover, a Stroller blanket, a General Purpose blanket, High Chair Cover, Shopping Cart cover and nursing Cover.


The first thing I used it on was a High Chair. We went out to eat at Texas Roadhouse for our 4th wedding anniversary and I hate putting Kieran in high chairs cause I don't think they get very cleaned. I loved this cover for the high chair, she didn't have to touch any of the the chair (other then her bum), and people kept saying how cute and cool it looked! Kieran kept rubbing her hands on it she loved the way it felt and would point to the birds and make noises at them. (sadly we forgot to get pictures)

Next I used it in the stroller while taking Seamus to speech one morning. It was only 40-50 out, so pretty chilly and I forgot a jacket for her since she doesn't ride in the car seat with one. I put this on the stroller, again pretty easy to do, and she was nice and covered. After a while she pulled part of it down becuase she got toasty in the Speech room, hehe. I loved that I could tie it on and she couldn't get it off so it kept it safe, unlike a normal blanket that she could take off and throw on the floor.


(Cell phone photo, little blurry sorry)

The last thing I tried was the shopping cart cover. I think I may have tied it on wrong because it kept sliding off in the back but other then that it was great. I liked that neither of us had to touch the yucky, germy handles. And again people kept saying how cute and cool it was.


It was very easy to put on and take off of the things I tried, and I would recommend this cover it was awesome. I also loved the pattern of it, it wasn't the plain boring cover like most out there, it was cute and perfect for a baby or even nursing. Since Kieran's a little older I didn't try it on her infant seat since we leave it in the car now and just take her in and out (too heavy to carry a 19½lb 17.5mo old in an infant seat lol) but I can see how this would be an awesome Infant seat cover. I think it would also be an awesome nursing cover in the winter or cooler months, I didn't try it since we don't nurse more then 5-6x's a day and they are almost all done at home now, but if I had a younger baby I would be using this as a cover. I say that using it as a nursing cover in the cooler or winter months would be better cause I think its a little thick to use in the summer months but perfect for nursing in the cooler months, it would keep your exposed areas warm and baby's head warm at the same time.

Over all I really liked this 6-in-1 Babee Covee. It was really well made, I can tell they pay great attention to detail and put out a great product. I would recommend this for new parents or even for a nice baby shower gift!

Check out Babee Covee on their website

Babee Covee Stats:
-Measures approximately 30"x40"
-Made in the USA
-Reinforced with double stitching throughout
-Each one is hand inspected for perfection
-Cost is $79.50



**Disclosure**
I was sent this product review, I did not receive any other compensation. The review is my own and my honest opinion of the product.

A Merry Fluffy Christmas Giveaway Event

I've decided to tank the plunge into a Blog Giveaway Event and its fun but scary at the same time! This event, started by And Then There Were 4, is going to be A Merry Fluffy Christmas!! A Fluffy event, super exciting!!




Here is a little about the event:

This December 1-5, be prepared to visit many different blogs doing a giveaway package a day, valued at least $25 per day, of ONLY CLOTH PRIZES!!!

(So that's at least $125 in cloth prizes for each blog!!)

This is the first year that I've been doing reviews and giveaways so I'm a little scared of this but I've got to start somewhere right?! I'm trying to find sponsors right now which is proven to be the most difficult part since my blog is small, but I'm working on it :)

Right now I have 4 lovely sponsors!! Give them a visit and watch the blog for the reviews coming in a few weeks!
Precious Bunz
TKCuddlers
Nivy Naps
Prairie Tails

If you are interested in sponsoring a small blog like mine send me a message, I'd love to work with you :D
knjmcd at gmail dot com

Gentle Cycle Pads Review

Cloth Pads or "Mama Cloth" something new for me to venture into. I was always a little weirded out about cloth pads, till it hit me that it was no different then cloth diapers, actually a little less icky then diapers. At the same time that I realzied they weren't "icky" I thought I should probably make the switch since we have spent between $20-40 a month in disposable pads since Kieran was 8 weeks old. Something happened, all we know is I had a uterine infection whether it was caused by the c-section and never caught or the IUD put in at 6weeks PP but I've had female issues since then (got better after 2 rounds of antibiotics but after 2mo of being better it got worse then it was before). Because of the issues I've been having its scared me to take a full plunge into Mama cloth because I didn't think they would work for someone like me. But I was approached by Cindy from Gentle Cycle Pads and asked if I could do a review of one of her cloth pads.

Gentle Cycle Pads are made by Cindy a mom of 3. I was super excited when she asked me to review her pads. I'd never tried any before due to my fears of them not working for me, but I wanted to try them. Cindy sent me a Punk pad, it has cute skulls on the pretty print side and purple flannel on the other. The pad she sent me was for light to light-medium flow so its taken me a little to be able to post this.



I have to say I'm now addicted to cloth pads. The first day I wore it I was in Heaven. I've been having an issue with the rubbing feeling from the disposable ones and to wear a cloth pad and feel like I was just wearing underwear was so awesome! I was able to wear it on a fairly light day for around 3hrs and didn't have any leaks or issues at all, it went perfectly (and the few times after that I've used it too!). These are a great, ecofriendly, convenient, and natural feeling pad and for a great price too.

To see Cindy's pads check out her etsy shop Gentle Cycle Pads
Her blog
And Gentle Cycle Pads facebook

Top to Bottom Baby Boutique Review and Giveaway ~*~*CLOSED~*~*~

I found Top to Bottom Baby Boutique on twitter one day and contacted them about doing a review and giveaway. I was super excited when they agreed!



Top to Bottom Baby Boutique is located in Nebraska (where my dad and step-mom live, though different area!). They offer a wide range of cloth diapers and accessories; from prefolds to AIOS, to wool, swim diapers and wet bags. TTBBB also carries baby carriers and cloth diaper soaps. Top to Bottom Baby Boutique also has a blog where they feature an item of the week.

I was very lucky to work with TTBBB, very friendly staff, fast shipping, and helpful if you have any questions.



I was sent a Monkey Snuggles fitted diaper in a pink Zebra print to try on Miss Kieran. My first thoughts on getting this diaper, "OMG it's so soft!" I wanted to rub my face all over the diaper. The Monkey Snuggles fitted is an OS diaper, with a fold down rise, and 2 snap in soakers. The diaper is made of organic bamboo fleece, between a layer of organic bamboo velour with an adorable cotton print outer, the soakers are made of 4-layers velour. It is an OS diaper made to fit baby's appx. 10-35lbs.





My take on the diaper:

This was an awesome diaper. I've been on a fitted kick lately and was super excited to try another one. Right now this is my favorite fitted diaper we have. The first day I tried it on Kieran I did so at nap time, since I don't cover her at naps. When she woke from her nap I could barley tell she was wet, which was awesome! I did have a little issue figuring out how to make the diaper OS but a quick email to TTBBB helped me out with that. Kieran is 19½ pounds and I have the rise folded down on her for a beautiful fit. We used the diaper again for a normal play time and she had it on for 3hrs before I started to notice she was wet, and it was just barley noticeable. I love how absorbent this diaper is, as well as how soft against her skin it is.

I made my first ever video of a diaper, its a little shaky cause I was trying to balance it on my tummy. Next time I'll ask the hubby to help out (lol)

I will have a video added soon, just taking a while to upload


If you love fitteds, WAHM's or just want to try a new diaper check out Top to Bottom Baby Boutique and look at the Monkey Snuggles OS fitted diaper for $21.00.


Top to Bottom Baby Boutique have been super awesome to work with and as an added bonus they've offered to do a giveaway!

Win it: Win a $20 gift card to TTBBB!

Mandatory entry: Take a look at Top to Bottom Baby Boutique's site and tell me what you'd get if you won the GC.
(Mandatory entry must be completed before any extra entries. Make sure to leave an email address in the form of johndoe at gmail dot com so you can be contacted if you are the winner)

Extra Entries:
(Post a new comment for each entry to count)

-Become a fan on Top to Bottom Baby Boutique's facebook, and let them know I sent you, then post here in the comments (just post your first name and last initial so I can check)
-Join TTBBB's newsletter
-Follow me on Twitter @SliverStorm (make sure to leave me your twitter name so I can follow back)
-Follow @toptobottombaby on Twitter
-Follow @monkeysnuggles on Twitter

-Tweet anything with @SliverStorm AND @toptobottombaby AND #clothdiapers along with a link to the giveaway, or you can use this(can be done twice a day at least 4hrs apart, please post link to tweet);
"I want to win a $20 GC to @toptobottombaby from @SliverStorm #clothdiapers http://tinyurl.com/TTBBBgiveaway"

-Follow my Facebook
-Follow TTBBB's Blog
-Become a blog follower of mine on Google Friend Connect
-Add my button to your blog and let me know where to find it
-Add TTBBB's Button to your blog and let me know where to find it (found on their blog)
-Blog about this Review and Giveaway and include links to TTBBB and to this giveaway


This will end on Wedensday September 8th 11:59pm PST. At the close of this I will use Random.org to draw the winner and post on the blog. The winner has 48hrs to respond to my email before a new one will be drawn. US only.


**Disclosure**
I was sent this product review, I did not receive any other compensation. The review is my own and my honest opinion of the product.

The Heart Mender by Andy Andrews ~Review & Giveaway~ ***CLOSED***

This is a wonderful book, I fell in love with it after the first few pages and it was hard to put down! A historical book that will grab the attention of history buffs like me and the average non-fiction reader alike. I loved how the flow of the book went, taking you from present day when the author was digging in his backyard, back to World War II and back to present day. For me this was a story of love first and foremost, and forgiveness.

The book starts out with the author digging in his yard where he finds some old artifacts, he then proceeds to ask around to figure out what they are. Soon the author figures some of it out and we find out about Helen Mason a war widow who finds an injured solider on the beach, nursing him back to health, even after finding out he was a Nazi. You follow Helen in her world where she worked as a waitress, and how her and Josef's relationship bloomed.

This was a wonderful book, always keeping you on your toes and trying to guess what would happen next. The historical data in it was wonderful, and knowledgeable, and down right interesting. The story of forgiveness and love throughout the book was wonderful and got me thinking about my own life as well as Helen's. I would definitely recommend this book to everyone, I believe this book has something in it for everyone to learn from.

As a added bonus the wonderful people at BookSneeze.com have given me a copy to giveaway on my blog!

Mandatory entry (to be completed before any others, also please leave your email in this entry)
What is your favorite book and what lessons has it taught you?


Extra Entries (make sure to leave 1 comment for each entry, if it says 2 then leave 2 comments)
~Subscribe to my blog via RSS reader and/or E-mail (1 entry for each)
~Follow my blog via Google Friend (2 entries)
~Follow me on Twitter
~Follow me on Facebook, link on the heart upper right side of my blog
~Tweet this giveaway making sure to use @SliverStorm in your tweet. You can tweet 2x's a day with at least 4hours between tweets
~Tell me how you found my blog
~Random question: Do you like historical books?

Giveaway will end on Friday August 13th, 2010 @ 11:59pm PST. I will use random.org to pick the winner.


**Disclosure**
I was sent this book review, I did not receive any other compensation. The review is my own and my honest opinion of the said book.

EcoMom Review and Giveaway CLOSED

I'm always looking to try new things, especially ones that are more Eco-Friendly or "green". One day I saw a post on my Facebook wall from EcoMom(Eco-friendly Baby Products), and emailed them right away to see if I could do a review for them, I was very excited when they agreed. It only took 2 or 3 days from the first email I sent till I got the products to review, I couldn't believe how fast the shipping was! I opened the box right away(while still in the car at the post office lol!) and was surprised to see what was in there. I got a wide variety of foods from; Plum Organics Tots, Plum Organics Tots Fiddlesticks, Revolution Foods Organic Mashups(4 pack for $4.99!), Revolution Foods Grammy Sammy and Jammy Sammy's.



I was a little leery to try the Plum Organics Tots($20.64 for a 16 pack) with Kieran since she had refused pureed foods. I tried the Plum Strawberry Mish Mash with Kieran the day after I got the box, and to my surprise she loved it, and screamed for more when it was gone. I was so excited that she'd actually eaten it, and I also loved how fresh it smelled unlike other pureed foods. Seamus was the next one I tried it out on, he is a super picky eater, we can usually only get him to eat a handful of things(besides fruit and veggies). Seamus saw the box of Apple Carrot Fiddlesticks and asked to eat one. In less then 5minutes he had it gone and was begging for more! For snack I decided to let them try the Revolution Foods Jammy Sammy Organic Strawberry Jam & Peanut Butter Bars, Kieran devoured it and again wanted more, not surpirsingly Seamus wouldn't try it(my child is weird lol) but hubby sure seemed to like it when he ate Seamus' instead :D. I really love sharing these with my kids, and another awesome thing about Plum and Revolution foods is they have products from High Chair feeding all the way to Lunch Box foods!

I also want to share a special program that EcoMom has called EcoPass. EcoPass sounds like an awesome deal, here is what it includes;

$99 annual membership
15% discount off every order
Free shipping on all orders
Early Opportunity to sample and test New Products

This month(July) there is a special for the EcoPass. The membership is for life instead of annually! How cool is that?!

I loved these products, they smelled fresh and not packaged like other similar products do. My children loved them (as well as hubby and Uncle Scott who decided to eat some too hehe), and I was glad to be feeding them foods that were not junk foods.



Now the best part, I get to offer one of my readers a $20 GC for Plum and/or Revolution foods, and a discount code for everyone!!

Discount: Receive 15% off your first order using the code SBBL351 expires August 2010

Giveaway
Mandatory entry, to be done before any other entries:
Tell me what you do to be more green/eco friendly, and what you would get from the Plum/Revolution line if you won.
(both in one comment also be sure to leave an email address so I can contact the winner, in the joebob at gmail dot com format so bots don't pick it up)


Extra Entries:
(Post a new comment for each entry to count)
-Become a fan on EcoMom's facebook, and let them know I sent you, then post here in the comments
-Join EcoMom's newsletter
-Follow me on Twitter @SliverStorm
-Follow @EcoMomCEO on Twitter

-Tweet anything with @SliverStorm AND @EcoMomCEO or you can use this(can be done twice a day, please post link to tweet);
"Enter to win $20 of Plum and Revolution Foods from @EcoMomCEO and @SliverStorm http://tinyurl.com/ssEcoMom"

-Follow my Facebook
-Become a blog follower of mine on Google Friend Connect
-Subscribe to my blog via email
-Blog about this Review and Giveaway
-Tell me how you found this blog


This will end on Monday July 26th July 30th at 11:59pm PST. And the close of this I will use Random.org to draw the winner and post on the blog. The winner has 48hrs to respond to my email before a new one will be drawn. Open to US and Canadian's.


**Disclosure**
I was sent this product review, I did not receive any other compensation. The review is my own and my honest opinion of the product.

Keep and Eye out

Keep an eye on my blog and suggest friends, the more followers I have the better chance I have to do more reviews and giveaways! Right now I'm in the process of putting up a review and giveaway for EcoMom and a book review. EcoMom should hopefully be up this weekend and the book review just after the 4th of July(just got the book and just started reading it so it will be a little for that one), so stay tuned!!

Skin MD Natural Shielding Lotion: Review and Giveaway

Skin MD approached me a little bit ago about doing a review on Skin MD Natural and I jumped at the chance. Here is my review (and a giveaway!) of this great lotion!




With the winter weather I usually get really dry hands and elbows. I haven't been able to find a lotion in years that helps with this. Recently I was sent a bottle of Skin MD Natural Shielding Lotion. The first thing I did when I got the bottle was smell it, not over whelming and no strong scents, loved that. Next I put some on my dry cracked elbow, I noticed right away that it didn't feel think or greasy like some other lotions, and it went on smooth with very little needed. I started using it every few hours like suggested on the bottle, with in 2 days I noticed a huge difference in my elbow. I also loved how soft and moisturized my hands felt afterwords, for hours. I've been using it once a day now, right before bed, and I wake up with nice soft hands, arms and elbows. One of the other things that I love about this is the statement, "A little goes a long way," is certainly true, you don't need very much of it to do the job and do it well.


My lovely Elbow Before Skin MD


My Elbow After




Skin MD Natural is a Shielding lotion, that hydrates and helps to keep the skins natural moisture.

* No animal products or testing
* Dermatology tested
* Fragrance and colorant free
* Hypoallergenic
* Paraben free
* Non-comedogenic


I really enjoyed this product. It was easy to use, didn't irritate my skin or my daughters if I touched her right after, actually I even let my 3 year old son use some and he loved it.

Skin MD offers a Sample online here
Or you can buy some for yourself(or as a gift :D) take a look at the store locator to see where its offered at close to you.

****
Or you can Win one! Skin MD Natural has offered to give one of Silent Storm's readers a full sized (4oz) bottle of Skin MD Natural Shielding Lotion

To enter please do the mandatory entry before any others for your entry(s) to count. Also leave a comment for each extra entry you do. NO need to be a blogger to enter, anyone can :) Remember to also leave an email address either in "blank dot gmail dot com" or "blank(@)gmail.com" format so I can contact you if you win (or have public on blogger profile) if I don't have a way to contact you, you can't win.

MANDATORY entry:
Go to Skin MD's site and tell me something you learned about their products

Extra entries:

- Subscribe to my blog via email (top of blog)
- Follow my blog via Google Friend (halfway down page)
- Subscribe(follow) Silent Storm's RSS feed
- Follow Skin MD Natural on Twitter
- Follow me on Twitter and leave me your twitter name
- Tweet "RT @SliverStorm Skin MD Natural Review and Giveaway! Win a full sized bottle of Shielding Lotion http://tinyurl.com/y8974tw" (You may tweet twice a day, make sure each tweet is at least 4hrs apart and leave me the link to the specific tweet)
- Blog about this giveaway (2 entries)
- Tell me what you look for in lotion and skin care products

(US only)

This giveaway will end, Friday January 15th, at 11:59pm PST. To choose the winner I will enter all the eligible entries into Random.org and match the number it gives me to the coordinating number here.

*Disclosure* I was sent a bottle and a couple sample packets of Skin MD Natural Shielding Lotion from Skin MD to test and review. The review is my own and my honest opinion of the product.

P.R. Friendly!

I'd really love doing reviews(and giveaways) on items that are family friendly, for example; cloth diapers, clothing, baby carriers, toys, food and more!

For doing a Product Review & Giveaway
I only require a sample of the product to be reviewed, in order to do a proper review of said product. I will have the review and giveaway posted within 4weeks of receiving the product. This is a great way to get your products noticed by readers of Silent Storm!

To contact me please email me at

knjmcd at gmail dot com