Gifts for the Home

A product was given for review for my honest opinion. No other compensation was given.

Practical gifts for the home can be such great gifts for people who enjoy cooking, cleaning or entertaining this holiday season or for newly married couples or new homeowners! They really are a gift that can be used over and over and, therefore, it keeps giving!

Check out some of my favorite gifts for the home this holiday season:

Infinity Conical Burr Grinder, Stainless Steelfrom Capresso

For maximum aroma and flavor retention nothing beats the Infinity Conical Burr Grinder. Conical burr grinders provide the widest range of precision grinding for every type of brewing method from Turkish, espresso, drip coffee, French press, pour-over brewers and percolators.

Features and Benefits:

• Extremely wide grinding range from ultrafine Turkish to coarse for all kinds of coffee preparation
• Commercial-grade solid conical steel burrs with advanced cutting design for high precision grinding
• 16 clearly marked fineness settings with four levels for each: extra fine, fine, regular and coarse
• Gear reduction motor grinds slow with reduced noise and little static build-up
• Slowest grinding speed in its class creates less friction and heat buildup preserving maximum aroma and flavor for all grind settings
• Safety lock system for safe operation during and after use; auto off when upper burr is not locked
• Upper conical burr removable for easy cleaning
• Tight-fitting ground coffee container holds up to 4 oz of ground coffee
• See-through bean container holds up to 8.8 oz of beans
• Timer can be set to grind from 5 to 60 seconds
• Pulse grinding
• Elegant, timeless and user friendly design

Purchase for $149.99 on the Capresso website

Colori+ Classic Culinary Set from Kuhn Rikon

Colori®+ Classic knives offer convenience through their sharpness, secure-grip handles, and lightweight design, making all of your kitchen prep tasks a breeze.

This versatile set offers a greater amount of control for slicing, de-boning, and other kitchen prep-tasks.

Each knife has a sharp Japanese stainless steel blade with a colorful ergonomic handle and matching safety sheath. Japanese stainless steel blades are super sharp, making short work of cooking tasks.

Set contains:

• Paring Knife: perfect for slicing cheese for your sandwich, peeling an apple, or chopping vegetables.
• Serrated Paring Knife: perfect for slicing bread, tomatoes, and other soft fruits.
• Utility Knife: for de-boning meats and other tricky kitchen tasks.
• Serrated Utility Knife: perfect for slicing smooth-skinned fruits and vegetables, bread, or meat.

Purchase for $30 from the Kuhn Rikon online shop

Shark® Rocket Complete with DuoClean™ Technology

The Shark® Rocket® Complete with DuoClean™ Technology has the power of two distinct brushrolls spinning in unison to remove dirt from carpets and bare floors of every type.

Shark’s most technologically advanced ultra-light upright provides remarkable floor to ceiling cleaning and obliterates embedded dirt and stuck-on dust, while providing improved flexibility.

With Triple Particle Cleaning designed for an incredible clean, the new dual brushroll system automatically transitions from floors to carpets.The dirt that gathers on floors and in carpets comes in three sizes - small, large, and stuck-on. Cleaning all three can be a real challenge for an ordinary vacuum. With Triple Particle Cleaning™, there's no need to rely on dustmops and brooms to get the dirt left behind.

With two brush rolls working together, the Shark Rocket Complete with DuoClean Technology picks up large particles, small particles, and stuck-on particles — on all types of floors and carpets.

Purchase for $199.80 from the Shark website. 

VTech VC7151-109 Wireless Monitoring System with Cordless Telephone and Open/Closed and Garage Door Sensors

This Vtech home phone system comes with a garage door sensor that alerts you when your garage door opens. Additionally, the included open/closed sensors can be placed on windows, doors and medicine cabinets, providing an alert system for homeowners when an off-limit area is accessed. Alerts can be sent to both the home phone system as well as any mobile device.

This system includes:

• Garage door sensor: Receive alerts on your home phone when your garage door opens.
• Open/closed sensor: Know if important areas are secure with magnetic sensors you can put almost anywhere, including windows, doors and medicine cabinets.
• Sensor alert: Hear and see the message "door is open," so you'll know if you forgot to close it, or when someone has entered the house.
• Programmable alerts: Customize when you receive alerts: when the garage door or an object opens, when it has been open for more than a certain amount of time, or after a certain time of day.
• Remote alerts: The VTech Wireless Monitoring System can call any number to announce programmed sensor alerts.

Purchase for $119.95 from the Vtech website

Oster® Pizza Drawer Oven

Bake, broil, toast and more with the Oster® Convection Oven with Pizza Drawer. Specially-designed pizza drawer is ideal for preparing a variety of foods such as pizzas up to 12”, bruschetta and quesadillas. The top oven features turbo convection baking technology to cook faster and brown food more evenly for perfect results. Either way, you’ll enjoy the flexibility and convenience for making delicious meals and snacks with ease.

Features: 

• Turbo convection heat technology circulates hot air through the oven for faster, more even cooking
• Adjustable temperature and cook settings
• Adjustable broil control for broiling at any temperature
• 60-minute, audible signal timer automatically turns the oven off when cooking is complete
• Two rack positions accommodate a variety of foods
• Durable baking pan and baking rack double as a broiling pan when assembled
• Cool-Touch handles for safe operation
• Easy to clean with removable pizza oven rack and crumb tray
• Note: Pizza Drawer and Upper Oven cannot be used simultaneously

Purchase for $89.99 from the Oster website. 

*Disclosure - This product was given for review for my honest opinion. No other compensation was given.*

Must-Have Gifts for Grads

A product was given for review for my honest opinion. No other compensation was given.

School is out and upcoming college freshman are starting to think about what they need to start college next year. It will get here sooner than they think so help them out with these essentials for their college years!

T-fal FV4495 Ultraglide Easycord Steam Iron 

with Ceramic Scratch Resistant Non-Stick Soleplate

T-fal’s FV4495 Black Ultraglide is the ultimate grad essential to ensure smooth, wrinkle-free clothing so you don’t have to spend tons of money on dry cleaning. 

This new iron provides super glideability and scratch resistance for the easiest and fastest ironing. Ranked #1 in “glideability” and speed in lab tests against the top 20 competitors, it features a unique ceramic soleplate with a pointed tip that easily works around buttons, pleats and seams. 

(Available at Amazon.com for $44.99)

KRUPS F230 EGG COOKER

Help your grad make cooking eggs easier with the KRUPS Egg Cooker. Boil up to seven eggs at a time, prepare poached eggs or whip up individual omelets in poaching trays (2 included). 

An audible signal indicates when your eggs are done cooking, and the KRUPS Egg Cooker also includes a water level indicator and egg piercer. The lid and egg holder are dishwasher safe for easy clean up.

(Available at Amazon.com for $30.16)

KRUPS KH732D Breakfast Set 2-Slice Toaster

Make toasting a breeze for your new grad with the KRUPS KH732D50 2-slice Toaster.

To satisfy each and every user, the toasting technology browns evenly any type of bread and let you choose your level of browning thanks to the shade-setting dial ranges from one (lightest) to six (darkest).

For your grad’s convenience the 2-slice toaster features a high lift lever to remove smaller pieces of bread easily and safely as well as a removable crumb tray for easy cleaning.

(Available at Amazon.com for $44.99)

If you have a grad on your gift list this summer, make sure to check out these useful gift ideas! They are sure to be used for years to come!

* Disclosure - This product was given for review for my honest opinion. No other compensation was given.*

My Favorite Products of 2014

* This post is sponsored by tommee tippee. All opinons are 100% mine!*

As the year 2014 nears its end, I have started reflecting on all my favorite products from the last year! I have been blessed with many wonderful products and companies to receive and share with you but there are some real standouts this year that I want to share with you to give them an extra shout for being so A-MAZING!

I have several categories below with winners in each category. Check them out, try them out, and I hope you love them as much as I do!

Favorite Clothing: 

SOYBU MICHELLE DOLMAN RAFFIA TOPS

This sumptuously soft and comfy Michelle Dolman continues its meteoric rise in popularity because it simply looks great on every body type. They've updated this favorite dolman fit with a refined finish at the neckline, cuffs and hem. Supremely versatile, the Michelle is a perfect workout top, but delightful over jeans and super-cute over tank dresses too. With so many pretty prints and solids available, you'll be tempted to collect them. Crafted from our Soft Jersey and Burnout Jersey.

I am a HUGE fan of Soybu clothing but this Dolman is my favorite shirt from Soybu! I absolutely LOVE this Michelle Dolman shirt! It works great with leggings or jeans, it is so comfortable to wear and it is has been the perfect transition shirt to wear after having a baby and working on losing the baby weight! I highly recommend this one!
See more about it here.

Favorite holiday decor:

6-Pc Entry Set from BrylaneHome

Transform your entryway with a festive assortment of all-weather, fade-resistant, pre-lit evergreen to create a welcoming glow at your doorstep. A great addition to your outdoor Christmas decorations, this set comes at a value that can't be beat.

This 6-pc. set is cordless and each uses 3 AA batteries (not included). I love that it doesn't require cords but I don't love 3 batteries for each piece! However, I do LOVE that you can put them on a timer and have it turn on by itself each day and stay on for 6 hours!

(priced at $64.99)

See more about it here.

Favorite Baby Item:

Tommee Tippee Every Day Pacifiers

When my son needs soothing I turn to the first company that I trust the most: tommee tippee and their Every Day pacifiers! 

Moms know there’s nothing more wonderful than a calm, content baby so they’ve developed a new collection of pacifiers that are approved by babies. These symmetrical orthodontic nipple has been specially designed to help optimize baby acceptance and in independent tests more babies accepted these new pacifiers first time.

As you can see by my son's sad face on the left, he doesn't like when the tommee tippee pacifier is NOT in his mouth! :) And he is Oh So Content with it in! :)

See more about it here.

Favorite Snack:

G.H. Cretors Popcorn

This is not your ordinary popcorn. It is so much more! If you’re looking for a clean, healthy, and delicious snack, then this is it!

And most of all, (if I didn't mention this enough!) IT IS DELICIOUS! (and so addicting!)

My favorite is the Caramel Corn and the Chicago Mix! The Chicago Mix is the perfect mix of sweet and salty (or cheesy!) and the Caramel Corn is not too sweet on its own and seriously addicting! I had to literally make my husband pull the bag out of my hands at night!

See more about it here. 

Favorite Dessert: 

Fairytale Brownies

FAIRYTALE BROWNIES has been baking brownies since 1992. Every batch is made by hand using a secret family recipe. The brownies, cookies and bars are all natural, baked with the finest ingredients such as dark chocolate, farm fresh eggs, pure creamery butter, and dark brown sugar. Each brownie, cookie and bar is individually wrapped and certified kosher dairy.

These brownies are so decadent, soft and chocolately. I look forward to indulging every time I eat one! I highly recommend these in all flavors!

See more about it here. 

Favorite Household Item:

BLACK+DECKER's all-purpose 20V MAX Lithium Pivot Vac 

The BLACK+DECKER's all-purpose 20V MAX Lithium Pivot Vac has strong and consistent suction provided by the 20V MAX Lithium Ion battery. The Pivot is not only powerful, but it's also compact and can be stored within easy reach to any mess. A distinctive pivoting nose feature enables easy cleaning for those hard to reach areas, such as under cupboards, above tall shelves, and in between couch cushions.

There are so many amazing features about this vacuum and I love how it is so portable and easy to use! Plus, it hangs on the wall or stands in a corner out of the way!

See more about it here. 

* This post is sponsored by tommee tippee. All opinons are 100% mine!*

Simply My Designs Personalized Doormat & Giveaway

A product was given for review for my honest opinion. No other compensation was given.

A great gift for any recipient all year round is a personalized one! Personalized gifts are so unique and personal and are great for any hard to buy for person! Plus, it makes a great gift for yourself and your own home as well!

One online shop that personalizes for free and has a great selection of personalized and monogrammed gifts for everyone is Simply My Designs!

Simply My Designs sells personalized phone cases (including the popular otterbox cases), iPad cases, Kindle cases, mugs, mousepads, koozies and so much more!

I personalized and received the super cute and durable Personalized Live Laugh Love Hearts Doormat. It looks great outside our home and welcomes guests with a warm welcome, warm colors, and our family name!

I love that you can choose between two great sizes, 18" x 24" or 24" x 36". Both sizes are safe for outdoor or indoor door mat use. The personalized doormats are 1/8" fleece smooth with latex action backing and I know it will be gracing our doorstep no matter where we live for many years to come!

And make sure to check out their other great personalized items like jewelry, water bottles, kitchen items and SO MUCH MORE!

Buy It: You can purchase the Personalized Live Laugh Love Hearts Doormat for $29.99 or $39.99 (depending on size) from the Simply My Designs website.

Win It: Simply My Designs is generously offering (1) $75 gift certificate to a lucky winner!

Enter here for a chance to win:

(1) $75 Simply My Designs Gift Certificate

a Rafflecopter giveaway

* Thank you to Simply My Designs for their product for review! Disclosure - This product was given for review for my honest opinion. No other compensation was given.*

NEW Push-Pull-Rotate Knobs & Levers & Giveaway

A product was given for review for my honest opinion. No other compensation was given.

I bet you can share memories of this scenario...

You just get back from getting groceries and you decide you only want to make ONE trip from the car to the house because you are in a hurry! So you grab up all 6 bags - 3 in each hand - and hustle to the house as quickly as you can while the bags bang against your legs and your hands feel like they are going to rip open. You finally reach the door after what seems ages and you realize you are going to have to drop your bags to open the door! Your momentum is gone and you know the minute you put those bags down, you will not want to pick them all up at the same time again....ughh...what a bummer!

But you want to know the great news? You may have full hands again but you will never have to worry about getting in your door again or setting your groceries down because Brinks Home Security has come out with revolutionary new Push-Pull-Rotate knobs and levers - the biggest advancement in doorknobs in 135 years!

This new product from Brinks Home Security makes opening any door in the home as easy as pushing or pulling on the knob. With an elbow, a hip or even a single finger, busy homeowners can push or pull open their doors without having to set down their groceries, their toddlers or their mobile phones.

Since the U.S. patent for the doorknob was awarded in 1878, Americans have rotated door handles open trillions of times. Finally, an advancement in door handle technology has arrived to make opening any door in the home as easy as pushing or pulling on the knob.

The Push-Pull-Rotate line of door handles are constructed with thoughtful design features to deliver a durable product while maintaining a stylish look and feel. A full selection of styles, functions and finishes, including satin nickel and polished brass, are available. What's great is you can get these doorknobs for every door to your house because Brinks Home Security Knobs and Levers are available for both exterior and interior doors, with matching deadbolts to provide the highest level of security. They're also complemented by matching Classics Collection conventional locks to provide a full selection of styles, functions and finishes for an entire home remodel.

Push-Pull-Rotate knobs and levers feature durable, all-metal construction with cylindrical chassis, as well as hidden screws for enhanced appearance. The locks feature classic architectural styling and larger roses to cover blemishes left on the door by an old lock. Additionally, flat areas on the surface of the knobs and levers allow for maximum comfort when pushing.

All Push-Pull-Rotate keyed products meet ANSI Grade 2 standards with heavy-duty construction, are pick-resistant, bump-resistant, drill-resistant, and are equipped with an anti-pry shield for the highest level of security. Installation is simple: Busy homeowners can install the knobs in minutes using only a Phillips screwdriver. Each come with a lifetime warranty for defects in material or workmanship.

I received the Push Pull Rotate Satin Nickel Round Residential Keyed Entry Door Knob and I love the classic look and the awesome new Push Pull Rotate technology!

• Features innovative, new Push Pull Rotate™ technology-the hands free way to open a door
• Reinforce your doors with the quality and durability of Brinks Home Security - guaranteed to fit all standard doors
• Lifetime warranty for defects in material or workmanship
• Simple to install- only a Phillips screwdriver

So next time you are loaded down with laundry?...use your hip. Coming in from the backyard BBQ with a tray of food?...just pull with your finger. Dirty hands from working outside?...just push with your elbow. Or maybe you just want an easier way to open a door! The Push-Pull-Rotate knobs and levers from Brinks Home Security is the perfect solution!

Buy It: You can purchase The Push-Pull-Rotate knobs and levers priced from $24.97 for basic interior door knobs to $54.97 for an exterior door handle and deadbolt set from Lowe’s Home Improvement stores and on Lowes.com.

Win It: Brinks Home Security is generously offering (1) Push Pull Rotate Satin Nickel Round Residential Keyed Entry Door Knob to a lucky winner!

Enter here for a chance to win:

(1) Push Pull Rotate Satin Nickel Round Residential Keyed Entry Door Knob 
from Brinks Home Security

a Rafflecopter giveaway

If you love this review and my site...

* Thank you to Brinks Home Security for their product for review! Disclosure - This product was given for review for my honest opinion. No other compensation was given.*

Storage & Organizing Products from QVC

Who has done there Spring Cleaning??

Do you tend to go through your closets, dressers, and boxes when you are cleaning your house? I know once I get started cleaning and organizing, I want to get through everything and get rid of anything that I don't use or wear anymore!

Are you looking for some helpful organizing items this Spring as you clean and organize your house? Well, look no further than QVC and their organizing and storage products! I love the awesome closet organizer and storage pouf that I received from QVC. They have helped me organize and store items that I just stuffed under the bed or in a corner somewhere!

Jill Martin 360 Rotating Hexagonal Hanging Closet Organizer

(Approximately $44.00)

Put a new spin on organization with this great organizer! Available in two different fabulous prints, this hexagonal closet organizer is suspended from a silvertone metal hook that rotates a full 360 degrees to make selecting an ensemble a snap. Just hang up the organizer, sort your wardrobe amongst its four shelves and 20 pockets, and give it a whirl!

I have a lot of STUFF (as I am sure my husband would vouch for...) so I absolutely love having this organizer in our closet to organize shoes, purses, clothes, belts, and so much more! My favorite part has got to be that it spins 360 degrees so I can get to all my stuff at any time!

It features: 

• Four shelves
• 20 pockets
• Silvertone metal hook rotates 360 degrees
• Printed canvas
• Approximate measurements: Organizer 49"H x 15"W; Shelves 9-1/2"D

Jill Martin Square Shaped Storage Pouf Space Saver

(Approximately $41.00)

Do you have the same trouble I have finding some places for extra pillows off your bed at night, extra blankets for guests, or other bedding? I have never found a good place for extra bedding until I received the Storage Pouf Space Saver from QVC!

Keep extra pillows, comforters and other items neatly tucked away in this flirty faux-fur square pouf. Simply unzip the bottom and fill for a storage solution that's also perfect for extra seating.

I love that it not only serves as great storage but it also creates another seating spot for a living room or bedroom! I LOVE how soft it is and the soft warm brown color! It matches perfectly in our gold/brown themed bedroom!

• Measures approximately 18" x 18" x 18"
• Shell face 65% modacrylic/35% acrylic, back 100% polyester; trim 100% cotton
• Dry clean only

So let QVC help you Spring Clean and organize your house this Spring! They have some awesome organizing and storage solutions that will match your personality and house decor!

If you love this review and my site...

* Thank you to QVC for their product for review! Disclosure - This product was given for review for my honest opinion. No other compensation was given.*

Celebrate Mother's Day with Bormioli Rocco Glassware!

Instead of going out this year, treat Mom to dinner at your place and set your table in style with Bormioli Rocco’s inexpensive and stylish Italian glassware. I absolutely LOVE my Bormioli Rocco Wine Glasses that I previously reviewed and you can believe that I WILL be using them to toast to myself this Mother's Day!

I am equally excited about the new Bormioli Rocco glassware I am now a proud owner of - the Bormioli Rocco Premium Carafe and the Premium Champagne Flutes. I can't wait to serve my guests a summer Sangria in the Carafe and pour it into my new Flutes! They are beautifully made and so sleek looking!

Make sure to check out some of my other favorite Bormioli Rocco products that are perfect for Mother's Day!

Buy her flowers and provide the vase - the Bormioli Rocco Capitol Flower Bud Vase - and use it as the centerpiece for the dinner party. After the Mother's Day meal, serve coffee or espresso in the very modern Verdi Espresso Cup with Stainless Steel Handle. For tea drinkers, the H Drink Dea Teapot with Infuser has a sleek design and brews and serves your favorite tea like a pro.

Give your mother a very unique gift from Bormioli Rocco that she can use everyday and for special occasions OR (if it is to good to give away) just help her celebrate by bringing your own Bormioli Rocco glassware to use!

If you love this review and my site...

* Thank you to Bormioli Rocco for their product for review! Disclosure - This product was given for review for my honest opinion. No other compensation was given.*

GelPro NewLife Mat Review

Do your knees or feet start to hurt after you stand for awhile washing dishes at the sink, doing laundry, or working outside in the garage or gardening? Then YOU need a GelPro mat!

GelPro is the leading brand of premium gel-filled comfort floor mats and they offer the NEW NewLife innovative mats that are made from renewable resources and include a durable top-surface, resilient inner core and a non-skid bottom for the best traction on any floor type .

These NewLife innovative mats offer customers an eco-friendly option for use in more high traffic areas in the home, including laundry rooms, garages, multi-functional workspaces and the kitchen. They are also easy to clean and contain anti-microbial additives for added protection.

They offer a great variety of colors so they can match any decor or color scheme - and they blend in so nicely! They come in four earth-inspired colors: Spice, Stone, Midnight and Earth. All four colors bring warmth into any room and help create a relaxing, comfortable environment! I picked out the Midnight color to match my black, white and silver kitchen color scheme and it matches and blends in perfectly!

Stepping onto this mat was like stepping onto a super comfortable cushion! Every guest who stepped on it exclaimed, "Ooohhh, this mat is so cool!" or "Wow, this mat is so cushiony!". My husband loves it for standing on to do the dishes (Yes, my husband does ALL the dishes in our house - thank you dear!) and I love the way it blends in nicely with my other black mats and my kitchen!

It is really easy to clean and wipe off if there is a spill and it dries quickly! Best of all, I love what it is made of - only renewable and plant-based resources!

If you need relief for your feet or knees in high traffic areas in your house, make sure to check out the NewLife GelPro mats! They are SO comfortable to stand on and blend nicely into any area in your house!

Buy It: You can purchase the NewLife mat starting at $69.95 on the GelPro website.

If you love this review and my site...

* Thank you to GelPro for their product for review! Disclosure - This product was given for review for my honest opinion. No other compensation was given.*