Reviews by TunefulGal

TunefulGal says "Grimy relatives? Fill their holiday stockings with LAVA!" about Lava Heavy Duty Hand Soap Bar 5.75 oz

TunefulGal — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 01:32:13 GMT

That great, gray, gritty bar. I saw my first Lava Soap in my little Swedish grandma's bathroom when I was about five. To wash with it was to experience the I-Mean-Business tingle of volcanic pumice. Why, there was even a volcano on the wrapper. Awesome!

Today, Heavy Duty Lava's been slicked up a bit colorwise. Moisturizers have been added to both the bar and Lava Liquid. But, just as it was a favorite with coal miners and oil-rig workers in the 1890s, Lava Soap remains the province of dirty people.

Dirty people like me, always grubbing around in the garden without gloves. People like my friend Tom, a former auto mechanic who now tinkers with race cars. Painters, craftspeople covered with glue, kids sliding into home base, printers forever picking up ink on their hands and arms -- you name dirty, and Lava spokesmen talk back. "Whatever You're Into, Lava Gets It Out."

The WD-40 Company, multiple generations removed from the original owners, intends to keep Lava Soap and...

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TunefulGal says "Here's a great mattress for platform beds! Newer models now in." about Ikea Sultan Forsbacka

TunefulGal — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 12:34:04 GMT

Go to Ikea and lie down on a Sultan. Take 90 days and try one at home. Ikea will exchange it if you don't like it.

The favorites at our house are the latex and latex/foam models we bought several years ago. Mine is a single Forsbacka, placed on a box spring. My husband Pal's is a queen size set on a platform bed. Both have very sturdy covers which you can clean with upholstery shampoo. They also come with handles for turning them around or flipping them over. Best to invite a couple of muscle men over to help though. Foam/latex mattresses weigh a ton!

I think Pal has the best deal. His Sultan Mattress rests on the platform and supports, supports, supports his often-tired back. My Sultan on the box spring has taken a few dips since I usually cozy up in one position. That said, I'm glad it's my single-bed size that needs the occasional turn-around or flip. But I continue to look for a platform bed I like.

The latest Sultan foam and latex mattresses have removeable...

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TunefulGal says "Surprise a guy with one of these Classy, Sassy Beau Ties! " about Beau Ties Ltd. of Vermont Tremendous variety of bow ties & other neckwear.

TunefulGal — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 11:18:48 GMT

DOES YOUR DOCTOR WEAR A BOW TIE?

Medical experts recommend them since regular ties are highly likely to be contaminated by and further spread germs. Many pediatricians already wear them so they won't be strangled by their little patients.

So... if you have a favorite male medico, you might try one of the great Beau Ties from www.beautiesLtd.com. My favorite is the abstract (but not unrecognizeable) stethoscope design found under Career Bow Ties. Come to think of it, this tie would look cute on a gal, too.

YOUR NAME IT, THEY'VE GOT IT -- in the hundreds!

You'll find other special interest bow ties in categories including Animals & Pets, Birds & Insects, Boating & Nautical, Great Outdoors, Scholarly, Party (check out the Pink Martini), Music, and Military. Since music is my specialty, I'm fond of the Chopin tie and, yes, the music on it is really Chopin (the "Military" Polonaise, in fact). Need directions? Read the How to Tie One On instructions. Or see the head photo on this...

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TunefulGal says "ZOUNDS! Clocks accurate to 1 second every 60 million years." about LaCrosse, Chaney, Sharp, more - Atomic Clocks

TunefulGal — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 02:16:25 GMT

BLASTING OFF

Sorry. You can't do it without reading the directions.

Is is time to reset the clocks and watches or change batteries AGAIN? Can you get your fingers around the tiny knobs? Can you get the kitchen clock off the wall? ... and get it replaced again on the wall? And, hey, what time is it at this very second?

If you don't mind losing or gaining a second in 60 million years, GO ATOMIC!

One of the best buys I ever made was a Chaney Atomix Digital Desk Clock for about $12 at Office Depot. I've had it for half a dozen years without doing work other than changing the two AA batteries in a timely fashion.

A similar, updated Atomix is the Dartmouth model. It gets some of the lowest reviews online, however atomic clocks seem to have as many people cursing as complimenting. The gist? If you're going to give one to a 95-year-old relative, be sure that you know how the thing works in your own home.

Yes. We need to read the directions and save them. That said, I've...

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TunefulGal says "Sometimes, the best medicine is POP CORN!" about Popcorn (Various Brands)

TunefulGal — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 08:04:43 GMT

Would you like your fiber in a liquid remedy? Or would you rather have some freshly-popped popcorn?

My six-star favorite would be the salty, buttered popcorn Dad kettle-cooked for Mom and me when we watched I Love Lucy in the fifties. Oh, the aroma floating down the stairs to the familyroom. . . Another six-star would be the dishpan full of cooled but crisp "corn" that awaited me in Grandma's sewing room when I visited. We knew nothing from real butter and salt in those days, and it was heaven!

Now, I'm appreciative of the health benefits -- no trans fat, low salt, zero cholesterol, plenty of fiber, and whole grain goodness. Popcorn if not "abused" fits the bill for all but children under four (a choking danger according to the American Academy of Pediatrics) and for those folks whose large intestine disdains the roughage popcorn represents.

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My current favorite? A quick-and-easy, of course -- Orville Redenbacher's 94% Fat-free SmartPop! Kettle Korn. I've just placed...

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TunefulGal says "Save energy! Stay cozy or cool with CHF's insulated curtains." about Commonwealth Home Fashions Habitat Insulated Curtains

TunefulGal — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 02:40:36 GMT

Our "weird old house" has French-style, open-in windows, Since they're both drafty and hard to fit I've covered them with things as dodgy as homespun shower curtains on rings and opaque Ikea bedspreads with clips. So... you may imagine how rapturous my friends were when I finally hung real curtains.

I purchased my Commonwealth Home Fashions Habitat Hearthside insulated style on ebay. While I would have loved off-white, I chose this cocoa-ish brown color because of the flying hair, dust, and dirty paws so common in our two-person, three-pet household. That said, the tab tops make it easy to remove these curtains when it's time for machine washing. The fabric of my linenlike curtains is 55% polyester and 45% cotton.

Commonwealth Home Fashions' thermals darken the room as well as insulate it. Regardless of the color or pattern, the insulating, 100% acrylic suede backing is always white. Though my rooms are dark when I pull the curtains closed, this darkness favors home "theater"...

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TunefulGal says "Full Spectrum light is healthiest for reading and work!" about Full Spectrum Solutions BlueMax 42w Dimmable Floor Lamp

TunefulGal — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 23:57:38 GMT

Reading and working take on a totally different significance when you do them in the "natural" light of the BlueMax 41w Dimmable Floor Lamp manufactured by and sold at www.fullspectrumsolutions.com.

Various studies have shown that people who work under full spectrum light -- whether in factories, schoolrooms or at home -- experience less glare, greater comfort and physiological benefits that impact on production and general health. Varied versions of Full Spectrum lamps are used to treat SAD (solar affective disorder), a form of depression resulting from appropriate-light deprivation.

Well... there's no mistaking the lamps pictured here for things of beauty. I chose the model at top because the shipping was free if I bought an extra bulb -- a very good deal in this case. Each bulb lasts up to 10,000 hours and is warranteed for a year. (The lamp, itself, has a two-year warranty.)

Compared to my older Full Spectrum model, my new one has a bad case of "dress-up" with detail lines...

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TunefulGal says "MOSSIMO's terrific tissue tee's my new winter basic!" about MOSSIMO Long Sleeve Crewneck Tissue Tees

TunefulGal — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 01:08:42 GMT

A piano student gave me a tissue tee with Scott Joplin music all over it. I was so conflicted over the skinny-ness of the tissue tee look and the fact that, after a number of washings, this particular tee (NOT a Mossimo) stretched nearly down to my knees, I vowed I'd never wear another tissue tee.

Then, I was seduced by the Long-sleeved Crewneck Mossimo Black: Tissue Tees that Target had on sale for a pittance. (This particular tee generally retails for $9.99.) The nothing, weightless feel of the 95% cotton and 5% lycra won out over the fact that I, myself, have a nothing and practically weightless chest over a very generous pair of hips.

I chose a greenish-blue shade hoping that that and the match to my eyes might pull the attention of anyone who cared away from my hips. Thus dreaming on, I put the Mossimo tee on and watched as my upper body shrank to super-skinny. Still, the naked weightlessness attracted me, and -- finally -- I found a formula that would work for both looks...

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TunefulGal says "Choose from a flurry of Lenox snowflakes. Superb on the tree!" about Lenox China Snowflake Christmas Ornaments

TunefulGal — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 23:11:47 GMT

Lenox China in any form is an heirloom item. Its manufacture began in 1889 with owner Walter Scott Lenox visualizing his organization as an art studio rather than a factory. Lenox' ivory porcelain has gained worldwide admiration and graced the tables of presidents beginning with President Wilson who, with his wife, commissioned 1700 pieces for the White House service in 1918.

I am very fond of the lacy Lenox Snowflakes. I purchased my first one for $5 not that many years ago at May Company. Today the price can be six times that amount for new issues and quite a bit more for some of the appreciated favorites from past years. But...

...Lenox Snowflakes are worth it! They look heavenly on a fresh green Christmas tree or Hanukka bush, and they distract nobly from the often less atmospheric artificial tree. I've downsized my trees in recent years and been glad to find that the Lenox Snowflakes never seem disproportionate to even a three-foot tree. In fact, the more of them the...

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TunefulGal says "Waterford Crystal means coming up 'diamonds' everyday!" about Waterford Crystal - New and vintage holiday items

TunefulGal — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 20:07:22 GMT

The handcut, faceted work of Waterford Crystal claims history to 1783, and its pieces, large or small, have become classics. Waterford Christmas ornaments, for example, don't die with their dates. The most popular and rarest of them appreciate over the years. Waterford Pendants hung from silk cords or silver chains will attract attention with their clarity and cut. Because most of them are transparent, they will distinguish garments of most any color.

The Waterford Christmas ornaments, pendant jewelry, miniature bud vases, and winestoppers provide an excellent, reasonably-priced starting point for anyone interested in this crystal. You can examine items in person in stores like Macy's or Dillards or you can comparison shop and order them at auction sites online. Bright green Waterford tags, etched IDs on items, and the expertise of the seller can verify authenticity.

Waterford Crystal ornaments often come in series such as The 12 Days of Christmas and annual bell and snowflake...

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TunefulGal says "Embrace a Swedish tradition with uncommon holiday icons." about Swedish Santa Lucia and Dala Horses

TunefulGal — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 09:32:59 GMT

The half of me that is Swedish adores the tradition of Santa Lucia, the blonde girl with her crown of candles, her white gown with red sash, and her tray holding cups of hot coffee and freshly-baked cinnamon buns.

Originally a martyr of Italian origin, she's now represented by the oldest daughter of each Swedish family. She celebrates Santa Lucia Saint's Day (December 13) by waking her parents before dawn with a tasty breakfast.

There are a surprising number of small Swedish or Scandinavian shops scattered widely over our country, and the Santa Lucia tradition appeals to kids as it can also incorporate brothers and sisters in its procession.

My piano students enjoyed adding Lucia to their Christmas parties. The oldest girl became Lucia, the oldest boy played the song Santa Lucia as she processed, and the rest of us sang. (Tenor Luciano Pavarotti usually performed this Italian folk song in the legendary Three Tenors concerts.)

It's obvious that any Santa Lucia celebration requires...

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TunefulGal says "Bake individual servings with this AppleBaker Baking Dish" about Christian Ridge Pottery The Original AppleBaker Baking Dish

TunefulGal — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 08:03:42 GMT

The Original AppleBaker Baking Dish by Christian Ridge Pottery seems like a good wedding or shower gift. At $19.95 a pair (figuring you'll need two pair), some newly wed couple can serve guests individual baked apples in the dishes they were baked in. Chances are they won't get extras of this gift! And, with minimal prep, the AppleBaker Baking Dish apples can be nuked on high for 1-1/2 to 3 minutes. Or can they?

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Always parsimonious and on the look-out for gizmos at thrift shops, I found my first two Original AppleBakers for a dollar each, brand new. No one looking at them could figure out what they'd do and, to be honest, it took me a while to make an educated guess.

My husband, Pal, was as curious as I. We looked up the product name on the net and found some scrumptious recipes on the Christian Ridge Pottery site. Being quick'n'easy types, we decided a few minutes in the microwave beat heating up the oven and cooking the apples at 350' for 40 minutes.

Nuking is...

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TunefulGal says "'TOM's makes up to 70,000 tubes of natural toothpaste a day!" about Tom's of Maine Natural Anticavity Fluoride Toothpaste Spearment

TunefulGal — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 06:29:56 GMT

I remember when Trader Joe's began carrying Tom's of Maine Toothpaste. It seemed something like a counter-cultural event. After all, Tom and his wife began stirring products up in their home kitchen in Maine...

Now, since 2006, Colgate-Palmolive owns most of Tom's, following through with the real Tom's natural ingredients but providing so many products and variations on products that it dizzies the mind.

Obviously I chose improperly when I, of the sensitive mouth, chose the six-ounce tube of Tom's Natural Anticavity Fluoride Toothpaste in Spearmint flavor.

I admire the ethic that Tom's still represents -- no saccharin; arificial sweeteners, preservatives, colors or flavors or animal ingredients (or animal testing). But this particularly flavor and formula can burn the dickens out of someone with canker sores, mouth abrasions from braces or dentures, or someone, like me, with contact allergies to strong substances such as the piercing Spearment that flavors this particular Tom's

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TunefulGal says "Sport Extreme Hold comes through even with finicky fine hair." about Walgreen's Sport Extreme Hold Styling Gel

TunefulGal — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 01:23:33 GMT

You can stop right there! The tube says "Compare to L.A. Looks". But there's really no need. Walgreen's generic, Sport Extreme Hold Styling Gel holds as promised and contains sunscreen to boot.

No alcohol, no flakes and, especially as I use it, no gummy or sticky feel. This bubbly blue gel registers 10 on the holding scale even when I dilute it to favor my itchy, finicky scalp and my skinny, fine hair.

Directions on the tube would have me towel dry my hair and work a small amount of gel through my damp hair. I can "sculpt and scrunch" or achieve a "wet or glazed look" or go for the "dry look" by blowing and styling with a brush.

This assumes I have hair like Patty Therre or others of you with lovely manes and naturally "embodied" short cuts. Instead, please think of me when you are combing your infant's hair (maybe). My hair gets shorter every time I get perturbed with it. My personal, customized Walgreen's Sport Extreme Hold Styling Gel instructions are to dilute about...

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TunefulGal says "Give the Copenhagen "Blues", Christmas plates to be cherished!" about Royal Copenhagen Annual Christmas Plates

TunefulGal — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 00:31:56 GMT

My mother started a collection of Royal Copenhagen Porcelain Christmas Plates for me years ago. In the fourth year, my first husband chipped one with a hammer. Suddenly, my affection for these plates dimmed. Mr. Ex had nicked one of my favorite plates and left my least favorite (right next to it) intact. Hmmmm.

RC revs into business in 1775

Royal Copenhagen porcelain products date back to the establishment of the Danish Porcelain Manufactory in 1775 by Frantz Heinrich Mueller, a chemist who specialized in mineralogy and porcelain. The Danish Royal Family, headed by Queen Juliane Marie, made the Manufactory possible by becoming limited partners.

In the beginning, the partnership proved costly. After King Christian VII took charge in 1779, however, things looked up. The name of the company, under a management chosen by the King, changed its name to The Royal Copenhagen Porcelain Manufactory. It remained in the charge of the Royal Family until 1868 when it passed into private...

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TunefulGal says "Hang this Xmas-red apple/potato Peeler very low on your tree! " about Back To Basics, a Brand of Focus Electric, LLC Peel Away Peeler

TunefulGal — Sat, 10 Oct 2009 07:58:54 GMT

I'm not a cook. And I'm certainly not a peeler. One time hand-peeling a half dozen apples for a go at microwave-chunky applesauce pooped me out. Unfortunately, the homemade applesauce (I used Granny Smith apples) emerged so warm and delicious that I was trapped. To peel? Or not to peel?

My answer, after a little research, turned out to be the Back to Basics Peel Away Peeler which, if you're comparison shopping varies widely through the $20+ dollar range online and in stores. I liked the fact that it this was a cast iron gadget just like the one Grandma used to use. (She didn't know nothing from the aluminum options also available now.)

After choosing the Back to Basics brand, I decided on the vacuum grip model that sticks to the counter with a mere turn of the handle on the suction device. Clamping, I believed, would create difficulties, but there is that option if you're working at a table.

Of course, you can't turn on an apple peeler and leisurely watch it work. Uh-huh. ...

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TunefulGal says "Super stocking SAVER for folks w/ allergy mouth, Sjogren's etc.!" about Toothette Mouth Moisturizer, Tube 0.5 oz

TunefulGal — Sat, 10 Oct 2009 06:55:49 GMT

A bag of drab-looking health aids came home with my Pal after his hospital stay last December. Not one to throw things out, I kept these things floating around from shelf to shelf in our bathroom. In the meantime my usual dry-mouth syndrome became dryer when I started allergy meds in the summer.

Toothette Oral Care Mouth Moisturizer suddenly moved into my view one evening when my lips were already stuck to my teeth and I despaired of another night with discomfort. "Why haven't I tried this," I asked myself. (Yes, DUH.)

At bedtime, I took the rounded end of the half-ounce tube and squeezed some of this light white moisturizer between my lower lip and teeth. I've also had good results just applying it generously to my finger and smoothing it beneath my lips.

The final results? Toothette may have a funky, flirty name, but it's seriously good business when it comes to dry mouth. The results are nearly immediate and, for me, the overnight effect has been long-lasting.

Toothette...

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TunefulGal says "DRY carpet cleaner CAPTUREs stains, odors and ALLERGENS!" about Milliken & Company Capture Carpet Cleaning Kit

TunefulGal — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 10:07:27 GMT

Down with damp carpets!

Away with pet allergens and dustmites!

Be gone sticky residue that attracts new dirt!

Cleaning with the CAPTURE Carpet Cleaning Kit is a revelation for any of you who've worked with home carpet products before.

I found CAPTURE by accident on the net half a dozen years ago. It seemed expensive, but its claims impressed me. First of all, it's a dry powder which eliminates bulky rented machines, a long, wet down time, and the possibility of the mildew and/or mold that wet or steam cleaning can invite. Second, it's found on numerous specialty sites for people with allergies and asthma.

Third, CAPTURE has passed the tests for accreditation by WOOLSAFE as a cleaner suitable for wool as well as other fibers. The Carpet and Rug Institute, representing more than 95% of U.S. carpet makers, has similarly awarded CAPTURE with its own Seal of Approval. In addition, Johns-Hopkins University reseearch demonstrated that cleaning with the Capture Kit removes 70% more...

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TunefulGal says "My favorite project spray paint. Even a klutz can get results." about RUST-OLEUM Gloss Protective Enamel

TunefulGal — Sun, 04 Oct 2009 12:09:30 GMT

Look up and you're looking at my current favorite color -- Harbor Blue -- in the RUST-OLEUM, Stops Rust, Gloss Protective Enamel line.

My house wouldn't be a home without an assortment of these spray paints to revive my wicker furniture and energize the fantastic array of items I find curbside or in thrift stores. Currently I'm using this color to fancy up some unpainted, framed Ikea mirrors I bought at Goodwill for a dollar each. They're part of my current project to New Mexico-ize my kitchen. I can also take advantage of this paint in half pint or quart containers in gloss, semi-gloss or flat finishes.

Gloss Protective Spray Enamel never disappoints me. For one thing, it can be applied directly to properly-prepared metal even if it's somewhat rusty and that rust is sanded down. Unless I'm particularly lazy, I can spray on RUST-OLEUM Rusty Metal Primer Spray first for even greater durability. The Spray Enamel can be applied directly after the Primer.

In the case of my mirrors,...

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TunefulGal says "Winegard has these valley residents at 60 channels and counting!" about Winegard - 769 Series Antennas Digital/High Definition

TunefulGal — Sun, 04 Oct 2009 11:01:23 GMT

At last! Our digital TV saga has come to a successful conclusion!

We owe it all to the replacement of our older antenna with the Winegard Digital/High Definition VHF/UHF Model HD7697P* Antenna. After battling the great tall, 11-lb box into the house, my husband, Tuneful Pal, set to work with what he knows best.

Pal moved the monster out of our diningroom, set up shop on a table outdoors, unfolded and adjusted the antenna, installed the boom brace, attached the cartridge housing then the coaxial cable, and mounted it on the first section of the multiple poles that would go from ground past rooftop. When the time came to raise the antenna, two men were needed. Thank heaven for neighbors!

The Winegard is a big sucker, but it was our last hope in gaining multiple channels for watching TV in our foothill valley. Our purchase of a new digital, Vizio TV (see review below) gained us several channels more than we'd had with the converter box, fossil analog TV, and old antenna. But we...

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