Reviews by Friends of boss8760

this2shallpass19 says "Finally, a shape sorter that is fun AND challenging!" about Battat Shape Sorter House

this2shallpass19 — Tue, 29 Dec 2009 20:27:56 GMT

My son has played with several shape sorters, just to be bored quickly or not challenged enough. Since he does enjoy playing with them, I wanted to find him one that would capture his attention and entertain him, and I did, the Battat Shape Sorter House. This shape sorter is both fun and challenging because it uses colors, shapes and keys to operate.

This shape sorter is much larger than other shape sorters I've seen. It is a "house" in the sense that it has several doors on the sides and a key is required to open the doors. There are several ways to play with the Battat Shape Sorter House. You can drop shapes into the slots on the top, push shapes through the doors on the side, or open the doors with the keys. Everything is color coordinated. Each color has two shapes, one shape for the top, and one shape for the door. The shapes from both the top, and the doors all fall into their own compartment, so when you open the door with a key, you can grab the shapes. To open...

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this2shallpass19 says "I will never go back to a regular basting brush again!" about Gourmet Trends Brush Genie Silicone Basting and Pastry Brushes

this2shallpass19 — Tue, 29 Dec 2009 17:57:18 GMT

When I walk into a Bed Bath & Beyond store, I am in kitchen gadget heaven. I spend most of my time in that store in the kitchen section, especially looking at their utensils and cool gadgets. My latest find from there is the Gourmet Trends Brush Genie Silicone Basting and Pastry Brushes. Apparently, this product used to be a As-Seen-On-TV product. I can't remember exactly, but I want to say I paid between $6-9 for a two-pack of brushes.

Before I bought these brushes, I used to use the traditional basting brush that has a coarse type of hair or bristles on it. They were a pain to clean, so I never really used them. Now that I have my dishwasher-safe Gourmet Trends Brush Genie Silicone Basting and Pastry Brushes, I can just throw them in the dishwasher when they're dirty, and they come out brand-new again.

I'm not a very good baker, so I don't use these for pastry, but they are excellent for applying BBQ sauce to ribs, chicken or whatever meat I want to use. I love how the...

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this2shallpass19 says "Bigelow's Mint Medley is a burst of mint in your mouth!" about Bigelow - Mint Medley Herb Tea

this2shallpass19 — Tue, 29 Dec 2009 16:37:43 GMT

Since mint or fruit flavored teas are my favorite, I have tried a lot of different brands and flavors. I have to say that Bigelow Mint Medley Herb Tea is by far the strongest mint flavor I have yet to find - and that's a good thing!

The first time I made this tea, I was blown away with the first sip, it's that minty. It's so minty, that after I inhale a breath after taking a sip of this tea, my mouth feels cool like it does after brushing your teeth, not exactly that strong, but similar. Unlike some mint teas, this tea has no sweetness to it, just a strong mint flavor.

Ingredients: peppermint leaves, spearmint leaves, rose hips, lemon peel, hibiscus.

After trying several Bigelow teas now, I have come to realize that they are the strongest flavored teas I have tried. I Love Lemon was a very tart, lemon flavored tea, and Pomegranate Pizzazz, which is one of my favorite teas now, is a tea made with fruit juice and is bursting with fruit flavor.

This refreshing tea is made with...

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PattyTherre says "This foot soap doesn't live up to any of its claims. A dud." about Avon Foot Works Exfoliating Bar Soap

PattyTherre — Tue, 29 Dec 2009 04:33:33 GMT

Quick View: I am all about soft skin year round and I use a variety of foot scrubs to keep my feet supple. When I saw this bar soap, it seemed like an easy way to exfoliate and soften my feet without the mess that foot scrub makes. It was very disappointing!

My Take on Avon Foot Works Exfoliating Bar Soap

This soap is light blue with little dark flecks of shells in it. It's a nice size at 4.2 ounces. It hardly has any scent which is unusual for a foot product. Generally they are more strongly scented to deodorize and leave feet fragrant. The scent is a barely there fresh one. Nothing special comes to mind when I sniff it.

Avon Foot Works Exfoliating Bar Soap lathers but I don't feel those little flecks of shells exfoliating at all. It is a very, very gentle soap and doesn't do the job or even half the job or the least potent foot scrub I own.

My feet don't feel hydrated after use, which Avon promises, and they don't feel smoother. They simply are clean which I can get with any cleanser...

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this2shallpass19 says "This Yves Rocher mascara is nothing special!" about Yves Rocher Extra-Volume Mascara

this2shallpass19 — Mon, 28 Dec 2009 22:36:31 GMT

This is the third Yves Rocher product that I have tried from my order, and I have to say that I haven't been impressed with anything I bought. Nothing is high-quality about their products, and their Extra-Volume Mascara is no exception.

The Yves Rocher website states that this mascara is supposed to:

Separate and smooth lashes
Thicken and add volume
Have the natural benefit of cellulose

My Experience

As I pulled the wand out of the tube, I thought the brush looked promising. The brush is very thick with different length bristles; some short, and some long. I was thinking to myself, this might actually be a good mascara. Um, not really. When you coat your lashes with this mascara, it feels as if it is 8 months old. It goes on like glue and once you apply a coat, it dries almost immediately, preventing you from adding a second coat because then it gets even clumpier.

On a positive note, I do like several things about this mascara. I like how it darkens your lashes, separates...

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this2shallpass19 says "Great way to incorporate green veggies in my toddler's diet!" about Happy Baby Organic Puffs - Greens Puffs

this2shallpass19 — Mon, 28 Dec 2009 15:50:02 GMT

When my son was a baby, I used to buy him the Gerber Graduates Fruit & Vegetable Puffs. He is now almost two, and I no longer need those puffs, but he has become an extremely picky eater. He won't eat vegetables no matter what, even if I hide them in his food. Short of pureeing vegetables, I have tried everything. That's where Happy Baby Organic Puffs - Greens Puffs come in handy. These are the traditional "puffs" that he used to love, but the Greens flavor is made with nutritious green vegetables. I got them at Target where they also had other flavors.

I love these puffs because not only are they organic, but they are made with nutritious green vegetables and they are also lower in sugar than the Gerber Graduates Puffs I used to buy. In fact, the label says that they contain half the sugar of the Gerber and Beech-Nut puffs.

Happy Baby Organic Puffs - Greens Puffs are made with great ingredients including: organic rice, organic oats, organic wheat, organic apple juice, organic...

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this2shallpass19 says "The Kensington Jacket is the softest, most comfy jacket ever!" about Avalanche Women's Kensington Jacket

this2shallpass19 — Sun, 27 Dec 2009 21:04:39 GMT

My mom bought me an Avalanche fleece jacket a couple years ago and I loved it so much, she bought me another one recently. My newest jacket is an Avalanche Women's Kensington Jacket. Like my other Avalanche jacket, this is the softest article of clothing I own. It is super warm too, but you'd never guess after you felt how light it is.

What makes this jacket so warm is the second layer that Avalanche calls a "thermal layer". When you look at and touch the jacket, it is only one layer, so the second layer must be hiding inside the first. This jacket is made out of 100% polyester body and lining. It is a fleece that feels like one of those really soft blankets or throws that you cuddle up on the couch with. It has two zippered pockets and a raised neck to keep the wind out.

According to Avalanche, this jacket has/is the following:

Highly breathable; allows moisture to vapor and escape
Dries quickly to minimize heat loss
Machine washable
Lightweight, but still provides warmth...

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this2shallpass19 says "I knew this Color Play Palette was too good to be true!" about Sephora Color Play Palette II

this2shallpass19 — Sun, 27 Dec 2009 19:10:16 GMT

I love having a nice assortment of eye shadow colors to choose from when I do my make-up, so when I first received my Sephora Color Play Palette II in the mail, I was in beauty product heaven. This large make-up kit includes 36 eye shadows, 12 lip glosses, 2 blushes, a bronzer, a face powder and a couple make-up brushes. It all comes in a slim, rectangular compact, with a small mirror on the top. This make-up collection was only $24.00, but unfortunately, I am totally disappointed because the make-up is not high-quality at all. On a good note, the product description states that this kit is good for sensitive skin and is paraben-free.

Like a kid playing with all her new birthday presents, I started digging into my Sephora Color Play Palette ll as soon as I got it. First, I started playing with the lip gloss. I never really found a shade I liked, so I moved on to the huge assortment of eye shadows. There is a great assortment of colors; some matte and some frosty. ...

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PattyTherre says "So sticky, I feel like I just smeared syrup on my lips!" about Avon Mark Caribbean Shine Lip Gloss

PattyTherre — Sun, 27 Dec 2009 07:45:54 GMT

Quick View: This product is more of a balm than a gloss. It is very thick and VERY sticky. It hydrates but it's too thick for me. I feel like I need to wipe it off!

My Take on Avon Mark Caribbean Shine Lip Gloss

This gloss comes in a clear plastic squeezy tube with a slanted plastic tip to apply. There are three "beachy" swirled shade combinations. I chose "Kiss on the Beach" which has swirls of pink, brown, and white. It's pretty to look at!

The gloss has a sweet taste and a chocolately scent. It's more like cocoa butter, I think, than a true chocolate scent. It lightly tints lips (in the case of Kiss on the Beach, the tint is a deep pink. The others are what look to be a brown and a coral) and does add shine.

My issue with this product is that it is incredibly thick. I usually like good coverage but sticky, gooey stuff on my lips is not a good feeling. No matter how lightly I apply, it's still very thick and sticky.

Usually when balms or glosses are this thick, they last a long time on...

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PattyTherre says "Tarte lifts me up where eye belong! Smooth, lifted eyelids." about Tarte Lifted Natural Eye Primer With Firmatrol

PattyTherre — Sun, 27 Dec 2009 01:01:53 GMT

Quick View: I always wear eyeshadow primer to lengthen the time my shadow stays in. I discovered Tarte Lifted Natural Eye Primer With Firmatrol on the Tarte website during a 40% off sale and decide dto try it. I really like the subtle lift and smoothing this product gives my lids and it's a good primer as well.

My Take on Tarte Lifted Natural Eye Primer With Firmatrol

This product comes in a typical mascara-like tube with a small sponge tipped applicator. It is a light nude color and very creamy. I just apply a couple of swipes of the applicator sponge along my lids then blend. It dries fast and leaves a smooth canvas for eyeshadow. It also almost immediately tightens the kids and smooths them for more youthful looking eyes.

Tarte Lifted Natural Eye Primer contains no Parabens, Petrochemicals, Phthalates, Sulfates, GMOs, or Triclosan. It is considered a "green" product due to its lack of chemicals and its special tube that breaks down in landfills much faster than similar tubes.

I find...

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this2shallpass19 says "This Baby Bjorn Bib catches everything!" about Baby Bjorn Bib

this2shallpass19 — Sat, 26 Dec 2009 21:48:11 GMT

Someone recently informed me about how wonderful Baby Bjorn Bibs are since I was disappointed in the bib I was using for my toddler. My toddler is starting to use forks and spoons and most of the time, the food falls off the utensil and onto his lap. After hearing great things, I went to eBay and immediately bought a Baby Bjorn Bib.

The Circo Baby Bib that I am extremely disappointed in, has a pocket on the front, but it doesn't catch anything since the pocket lays flat against the bib. The Baby Bjorn Bib is not only made out of a thick, plastic material, but it has a deep pocket that extends out from the bib. Since the pocket is made out of the same thick plastic, it stays extended and catches just about anything that might fall off my toddler's spoon.

Not only is this bib great for catching food in the pocket, but it has an adjustable neck strap, and is easy to clean. Since the material is hard, it is easy to wipe it down with antibacterial wipes or a soapy cloth.

I really...

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this2shallpass19 says "These tasty, ready-made sandwiches are a major convenience!" about Smucker's Uncrustables

this2shallpass19 — Sat, 26 Dec 2009 18:59:41 GMT

I wanted to bring some convenient, easy-to-make snacks and meals for my recent vacation, and I thought Smucker's Uncrustables would be perfect for my toddler, and they were! My son absolutely loves them, and I love how convenient they are!

A Smucker's Uncrustable is a frozen, round, peanut butter and jelly sandwich that has no crust. What makes these sandwiches so neat is that they are pre-made and frozen, so you can defrost them as needed, and have a peanut butter and jelly sandwich ready anytime you want. They only take 30-60 minutes to defrost, so I take one out before my son's nap so it is ready to eat when he wakes up.

I bought my son the strawberry flavor and he loved it. I took a bite to see how they tasted and I liked it too. The bread was nice and soft, not soggy like I was expecting. There was a good amount of peanut butter and jelly inside too. Although they might seem expensive because you don't get very many in a box, the time they save is worth it to me. I...

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stef42678 says "Great Hand Soap" about Bath and Body Works Gentle Foaming Hand Soap

stef42678 — Sat, 26 Dec 2009 10:06:49 GMT

I really love trying new Bath and Body Works products, so I was excited to find this Bath and Body Works Gentle Foaming Hand Soap on sale for less than $5 at my local store. The first thing I noticed about this product was that it contains aloe vera which is very soothing on your skin and second, it was antibacterial which is great for killing germs on skin and around the house. I liked the variety of scents because most of them were floral, and others were fruit infused. I decided to try two different scents, the cucumber and then the cherry blossom because I liked the fragrances and the colors would match my home decor. What I love most about this product is how easy it is to dispense and it isn't messy at all. The pump pushes out just a little of the product which is all that is needed and it foams up quickly. The soap really lathers and cleans and leaves a fresh fragrance on my skin. It doesn't dry my hands and even seems to moisturize which I love.

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stef42678 says "Strong Tissue" about Procter & Gamble and Gamble 33549bx: Puffs Two Ply White Facial Tissue

stef42678 — Sat, 26 Dec 2009 10:01:08 GMT

I am pretty picky about the facial tissue I buy because I want a product that is soft and gentle, but still strong enough to help with cleanup and when I have a really bad cold. I really love the high quality of Procter & Gamble and Gamble 33549bx: Puffs Two Ply White Facial Tissue because they work great for cleanup tasks and are soft too. I found a box on sale for $3 at the local store and the box was very colorful to match my home decor. The tissue paper sits flat in the box, so it was a little tough to get out one sheet at a time, but one sheet was enough for anything I needed. The tissue paper is soft and gentle to my face and great for makeup removing, as well as seasonal allergies and the common cold. It doesn't irritate my skin and really soft on my nose. What I love about these tissues is how strong they are because they seem to be double layered so they are great to grab when I need to clean and really soak up liquid without crumbling or falling apart. I use these...

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stef42678 says "High Quality Pan" about Wilton Perfect Performance Ultra Cast Fluted Tube Pan

stef42678 — Sat, 26 Dec 2009 09:54:08 GMT

One of the things I always like getting for the holidays is new cooking items, so I was thrilled to receive this Wilton Perfect Performance Ultra Cast Fluted Tube Pan because it is high quality and definitely a great gift. I got this pan from a friend and it is a high quality pan that makes any cake taste great and bake up even. Once I got the pan, I decided to experiment with some Bundt cake recipes, and everyone came out great. I used this to bake up a few holiday desserts and the pan was so easy to use and really worked to bake up some fantastic cakes. The pan is pretty heavy because it is made out of aluminum and not a soft metal, but it is also dishwasher safe which means that it is so easy to clean. It is nonstick, but I sprayed a thin layer of nonstick spray on it because the fluted design is really detailed and I didn't want any of the small cake pieces to stick in the pan. Once I mixed the cake batter, I poured into the pan and the batter spread evenly. Once baking...

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lilsquibb says "Faded Glory Life Suede Slip-On's are Like Pillows for My Feet" about Faded Glory - Women's Life Suede Slip-On Shoes

lilsquibb — Sat, 26 Dec 2009 01:31:30 GMT

I admit it… I’m a shoe person. If we had more resources I would have more shoes. But I normally keep it to a pair of tennis shoes, pair black and pair brown. Since I rarely buy myself new shoes my black pair was getting really worn, where I knew they would not make it through the winter. So, my search began for a pair of black shoes that were both comfortable and dressy enough for work wear – oh yeah a cheap price tag would be helpful as well. My quest ended when I spotted the Faded Glory Women's Life Suede Slip-On Shoes at Wal-Mart.

The Faded Glory Life Suede shoes are simple in style, yet look nice enough to put with dress pants or jeans with no problem. The shoe is a slip on, with a touch of elasticity on each side. These are simple black suede shoes with a plaid accent on each side of the shoe and accent stitching. These shoes come in 2 different colors; black with wither dark grey or light grey and brown with a tan plaid. My choice was the black with dark grey,...

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this2shallpass19 says "I've never eaten red velvet cake, but this smells good!" about Philosophy Red Velvet Cake 3 in 1 Shampoo, Body Wash, and Bubble Bath

this2shallpass19 — Thu, 24 Dec 2009 18:53:01 GMT

Lately, I have been on a Philosophy kick. It's an expensive habit to have since their 3-in-1 bath products are $1.00 an ounce! I bought this online even though I've never even eaten red velvet cake to know what it smells like. It was one of the products in my Philosophy The Recipe Box gift set, which also included a Sweet Creamy Frosting 3-in-1 Shower Gel.

Philosophy Red Velvet Cake 3-in-1 Shower Gel is a multi-purpose product. It is a shower gel, bubble bath and shampoo in one bottle. Philosophy is known for their delicious, food-inspired scents, and this scent is sure to please fans of bakery scents. I've never eaten red velvet cake, so I don't know what it smells like, but this product smells like cake, butter, cinnamon, sugar, chocolate and something fruity. I have to admit the title of the product helps with scent association, because had I not known what they called it, I would have no idea what I smelled! It's not my favorite Philosophy scent, but it is nice.

I haven't...

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this2shallpass19 says "Artificial taste & it's not creamy enough. No thanks." about Nestle Coffee-Mate French Vanilla Coffee Creamer Packets

this2shallpass19 — Thu, 24 Dec 2009 17:42:25 GMT

I recently went on vacation and stayed in a rental home in Big Bear Lake, California. I like to be as simple and practical as possible when on a road trip, so I bought Nestle Coffee-Mate French Vanilla Coffee Creamer Packets because I didn't want to bring perishable half & half, my regular coffee creamer.

I thought these single serve packets would be perfect since they can be room temperature and they come in a small box instead of a huge, plastic container, like other powder coffee creamers. Unfortunately, I don't like the way they make my coffee taste, so they were almost a waste of money.

Nestle Coffee-Mate French Vanilla Coffee Creamer Packets come with five, .42 ounce, single serving packets to a box. These are not the liquid creamers, they are powder. I do admit that these are very convenient since they are pre-measured, but what's the point if they don't cream my coffee enough? I understand they can't possibly make single serve packets that satisfy everyone, but I'm...

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this2shallpass19 says "7-Up flavored lip balm? Yep, and I like it!" about on10 7-Up Lemon Lime Lip Balm SPF 15

this2shallpass19 — Thu, 24 Dec 2009 16:22:06 GMT

Not that I need another lip balm, but I recently purchased some new ones online from Sephora. They were all on sale, came in scents that appealed to me and came in vintage-looking tins that I thought looked really cute.

I really love the on10 Schweppes Pink Grapefruit Lip Balm I bought, so I was looking forward to trying this one because of the unique 7-Up scent. on10 7-Up Lemon Lime Lip Balm SPF 15 is a unique lip balm because it actually smells like 7-Up, the lemon/lime soda. Unlike my Schweppes Pink Grapefruit Lip Balm, this one comes in an easy-to-open tin. Instead of having to try to pull the lid off the small tin, this lid slides across, making it very easy to open and close.

The scent does smell like a solidified version of 7-Up, and I like it. I also like that it contains sunscreen. Most of my lip balms don't contain any SPF, so the fact that this one contains SPF 15 is a plus. I also like that this product is free of petroleum and parabens. It's actually made with...

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this2shallpass19 says "I'm sure I'll be breathing garlic for five days!!" about Trader Joe's Garlic Fries

this2shallpass19 — Thu, 24 Dec 2009 07:15:20 GMT

Making my way through all the delicious products at Trader Joe's, I decided to try something new - Trader Joe's Garlic Fries. I have liked just about everything I have purchased at Trader Joe's, so I didn't even hesitate when I threw these fries in my cart. Unfortunately, these are one of the few products at Trader Joe's that I'm just not crazy about.

I did like how easy these fries were to make. Just bake them in the oven until they are crunchy and then mix them with a packet of garlic sauce. Unfortunately, the end result is a soggy french fry with an extremely strong flavor of raw garlic. Don't get me wrong, I love garlic - even a strong garlic flavor, but these are way too strong to enjoy. They have that spicy bite that raw garlic gives, but worse because you are getting so much of it. After eating a couple of fries, I just couldn't eat anymore. Thank goodness my husband ate them too, or I'm sure he wouldn't come near me for a while!

The packet of garlic sauce includes:...

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