Reviews by Friends of kater16123

PattyTherre says "Good soap but doesn't last long. The others are better values." about Bath and Body Works Gentle Foaming Hand Soap

PattyTherre — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 05:33:01 GMT

Quick View: Bath and Body Works Gentle Foaming Hand Soap is great smelling soap that effectively cleanses hands. I find, though, that the foam type seems to run out very quickly compared to the deep cleansing and moisturizing varieties in the same scents. I like this soap but prefer the longer lasting non foaming soaps better.

My Take on Bath and Body Works Gentle Foaming Hand Soap

This liquid hand soap comes in 8.75 ounce plastic pump bottles in many signature scents and newer fragrances that Bath and Body Works carries. You can choose from unisex scents to very girly ones to clean, fresh types. The pump soap is fragrant and it is, indeed, a frothy foam. It's very lightweight and doesn't dry my skin. However, I find that I have to pump it several times to get enough to feel as though my hands are really clean. My husband and son also seem to use much more than they would if it were regular hand soap as compared to the foam.

When I rinse my hands, they do feel cleansed and smell great....

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njchicaa says "Trader Joe's Spanakopita has yummy filling but mushy filo dough." about Trader Joe's Spanakopita

njchicaa — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 02:28:04 GMT

I'm not usually one for pre-made appetizers or meals, but when I saw Trader Joe's Spanakopita sitting prettily there in the freezer last month, I remembered how good the Barefoot Contessa's version looked when I saw it on Food Network and tossed 2 boxes into my cart. I didn't get around to actually trying them until today...

To prepare Trader Joe's Spanakopita, you simply open up the box, remove the plastic wrapping, and bake the pieces (straight out of the freezer) in their foil pan at 375 degrees F for 20-22 minutes. After they are cooked, you are supposed to let them cool for 10 minutes before serving. I followed the directions while preparing the Spanakopita and was somewhat disappointed. Yes, after 22 minutes the filling of the little pockets was warm, but the phyllo/filo dough was still very soft and doughy. I tried to cook one of the trays for an extra 10 minutes or so, but that just resulted in the phyllo dough cracking, splitting, and otherwise self-destructing rather...

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njchicaa says "I'm very happy with this Depo-Provera generic birth control." about Medroxyprogesterone Acetate (Depo-Provera generic)

njchicaa — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 01:42:29 GMT

At 32, I'm pretty sure that I don't want children. I already take a fair amount of medication daily for my asthma, so I didn't want to use birth control pills. I had used Depo-Provera injections successfully in the past, so that was what I chose to go with again on my last visit with the OB/GYN.

Medroxyprogesterone Acetate is the generic version of Depo-Provera and what the pharmacy has been giving me for the past year. It is basically a derivative of progesterone, that prevents ovulation and thickens cervical mucus. It is 99.7% effective which means it provides more pregnancy protection than pills and condoms. It is worth noting, however, that Medroxyprogesterone Acetate Injections do not provide any protection from STDs, including HIV and HPV.

You receive these birth control injections intramuscularly every 11-13 weeks. The needle is rather large but, I promise you, you won't feel it if you can stand to drop your pants a bit and have the injection in your upper butt. ...

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njchicaa says "It isn't Christmas in my house without WickIt Good's Noel Candle" about WickIt Good Noel Candle

njchicaa — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 01:08:15 GMT

I really enjoy candles and am always looking for new brands and exciting fragrances. One of the lines that I keep returning to is WickIt Good Candles, a local candle company that has 3 New Jersey shops and an online store. Each Christmas I buy several of their Noel Candles and enjoy every minute of the fragrance that they spread throughout the house.

WickIt Good's Noel Candle is opaque white in color and has a fragrance described as a "true tanenbaum". I'm not sure what "tanenbaum" is supposed to smell like, but I can say that this Noel scent is simply Christmas. It seems to be a blend of evergreen, mint, and a hint of sweet berries. WickIt Good Candles contain 10% fragrance oil as opposed to the competition's 4-5%, so these are very strongly-scented candles that don't contain fillers, hardeners, or stabilizing chemicals. Basically, they are wax and fragrance.

I bought WickIt Good Noel in the 18 Ounce Double Wick Jar Candle for $22.50. It is a bit more expensive per ounce...

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TheBard says "Delve deeper, if you dare, into the world of the supernatural" about Living Dead in Dallas

TheBard — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 20:43:02 GMT

By the end of the HBO series True Bloods' first season I had become intensely interested in reading the series of books upon which the show is based, and so I bought the boxed set of (7) books, the second of which is Living Dead in Dallas.

Synopsis

Living Dead in Dallas picks up where Dead Until Dark left off. The book revolves around the life of a waitress, 26-year-old Sookie Stackhouse, who makes her home in the Northern Louisiana town of Bon Temps.

Living Dead in Dallas opens as Sookie finds the dead body of Lafayette, the openly Gay short order cook at Merlotte's the bar in which she works. Sookie soon learns that Lafayette had been frequenting local sex parties and she believes members of the group might know something about her associate's murder so she uses her "disability" to start tuning into people's thoughts as they come into the bar.

About this time Bill informs her that they have been summoned to Shreveport to appear before Eric Northman at his bar named Fangtasia. ...

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PattyTherre says "A very limited can opener that is really just a novelty" about As Seen on TV Onetouch Automatic Can Opener 29101

PattyTherre — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 05:56:51 GMT

Quick View: The As Seen on TV Onetouch Automatic Can Opener 29101 is a battery operated can opener that actually opens cans by itself, shuts off by itself, and supposedly lifts can lips up and out of the cans with ease. I found it works on normal sized cans but not on smaller or larger ones very well. It's noisy and slow too.

My Take on the As Seen on TV Onetouch Automatic Can Opener 29101

I bought this gadget when I saw it on a deal a day site for around $11.00 shipped. The hype was that it opened all cans with just a touch of a button, lifted the lids up with its magnet, and took no space on the counter. I liked all that but it turns out that the claims were inflated.

This hand held unit does latch onto normal (vegetables, dog food, fruit) cans and it "walks" itself around the lid. It does seem to lift those lids up with its magnet and the lids nor the can edges are sharp. The unit is noisy and slow though and has a 20 second cycle no matter what the size of the can.

When I use it on...

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PattyTherre says "The Micro Hot Plate keeps hot food HOT!" about Micro Hot Plate Thermal-Insulating Stone Plate

PattyTherre — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 03:36:51 GMT

Quick View: I am no domestic diva but I love food that is HOT, not warm. recently, I was given a Micro Hot Plate Thermal-Insulating Stone Plate and didn't even know what it was. I found out that it is a very effective hot plate that keeps food hot much longer than simply setting the bowl on a regular hot plate. It doesn't burn fingers either!

My Take on the Micro Hot Plate Thermal-Insulating Stone Plate

This hot plate is 6"x6", a bit small for my taste but will hold a casserole dish or large bowl just fine. It has a smooth marble surface and two handles to carry the plate. To use, you just warm it in the microwave for up to four minutes. The smooth top will be very hot but the handles remain cool.

The bottom also stays cool so there is no worry of burning the table or other surfaces. The plate keeps foods hot for at least a couple of hours. We used the Micro Hot Plate Thermal-Insulating Stone Plate to set a casserole on and it stayed incredibly hot for a long time. We all like hot foods...

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PattyTherre says "Pretty lip shines on the go. Artiste On-the-Go Lip Shines!" about Youngblood ARTISTE On-the-Go Lip Shine Trio

PattyTherre — Sat, 28 Nov 2009 05:58:10 GMT

Quick View: This little trio of lip shines is easy to carry and can be swapped out with other lip shines, blushes, or eye shadows so you always have a compact of the shades you're wearing on hand. I have the lip gloss trio and like it quite a bit. I'm looking forward to trying the blushes and eye shadows as everything they make is all natural mineral products.

My Take on Youngblood ARTISTE On-the-Go Lip Shine Trio

This trip contains the shades Devotion, Reflection, Fantasy. One is a rose shade, the other a shimmery clear gloss, and the last is a bronzy plum shade. They can also be used as blushes and eye shadows since they are all natural and very gentle on the skin.

The case is a milky opaque plastic one with a magnetic strip on the bottom. That holds the tray of three circles of lip shines. The tray can be popped out and another one inserted or you can pop a single color out and replace it with another. It truly is a mix and match compact and high quality as well.

I like that the products...

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PattyTherre says "Refreshes and smells nice but $35.00 a can? Get outta here!" about Colorescience Achromatherapy Gem Spritzer - On The Mend

PattyTherre — Sat, 28 Nov 2009 04:32:11 GMT

Quick View: This four ounce can of spritzer for the face does revitalize dry skin and smells great but I wouldn't pay $35.00 for it for any reason. I got mine in a thing called the "Test Tube" which comes quarterly packed with cosmetics and accessories to try for $29.95. I like this but would never buy it due to the crazy price,

My Take on Colorescience Achromatherapy Gem Spritzer - On The Mend

This product is a green can of spritzer made to be misted on the face whenever it feels dry. The scent is On the Mend which is made with rosemary to sooth taut skin or skin that is dry from chemical peels or just the elements. There are three other scents which use other herbs but all do the same thing. They just have different scents.

This green can only contains four ounces of mist. It smells to me like rose water and it mists on nice. My face feels a little wet if I'm not careful so I have to be very conscientious when spritzing over makeup. It can be used anytime - on bare skin or on skin with...

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njchicaa says "Yum! I love Trader Joe's Cafe Pajaro Whole Bean Coffee!" about Trader Joe's Cafe Pajaro Whole Bean Coffee

njchicaa — Sat, 28 Nov 2009 00:33:19 GMT

I'm a big fan of organic and fair-trade products, but the main reason that I bought Trader Joe's Cafe Pajaro Whole Bean Coffee was because it was nicely priced and had a cute picture of a bird on the container. I'm not kidding.

According to the Cafe Pajaro container, this is a whole bean arabica coffee that is full-bodied and has an extra-dark roast. It also consists of organic coffee beans that have been fairly-traded, which means that the growers are given a fair price for their product and don't have to sell at cut-throat prices. I paid about $7 per 13 ounce can of Trader Joe's Cafe Pajaro Whole Bean Coffee which is cheaper than the usual brand that we buy that *isn't* organic, fair-trade, or the rest...

We really enjoy this Cafe Pajaro coffee. It is an extra-dark roast which produces a robust and flavorful coffee which is the perfect way to perk us up at 5am each morning. The price is nice and this product also has the benefits of being organic and fairly-traded. For someone...

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njchicaa says "Ocean Potion Moisturizing Body lotion isn't moisturizing. " about Ocean Potion Moisturizing Body Lotion Aloe Lotion

njchicaa — Fri, 27 Nov 2009 23:05:02 GMT

Every spring a large group of my family heads south for a spring break vacation at Cozumel, Mexico. My birthday is usually a few weeks before the trip, so it wasn't surprising last year to receive a beach tote filled with a new towel, a bottle of tequila, sunscreen, aloe, and a bottle of Ocean Potion Moisturizing Aloe Lotion.

I didn't get around to using it until just the past month or so (6+ months after receiving it) because I had quite a stash of lotions already in the house. I don't get much sun exposure in November/December these days, but I decided to use this stuff as a daily moisturizer. Ocean Potion Moisturizing Lotion contains ingredients like rapeseed (canola) oil, sunflower oil, glycerin, aloe leaf juice, vitamins C/E/A/B6/D, tea tree oil, etc.

Ocean Potion Lotion is an opaque, white, and fairly thin product that spreads easily across and absorbs quickly into skin. The scent is strong and somewhat fruity, though I'd be hard-pressed to name exactly what fruits are combined...

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PattyTherre says "Inexpensive creamy eyeshadow but tends to crease." about e.l.f. Duo Cream Eyeshadow

PattyTherre — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 05:57:41 GMT

Quick View: I love playing with eyeshadow but don't love spending tons of money for one or two shades unless I absolutely adore everything about the shadow. I bought a few one dollar e.l.f. Duo Cream Eyeshadows and like them although they tend to crease and aren't too pigmented, For the price, though, they're pretty good!

My Take on e.l.f. Duo Cream Eyeshadow

These little pots of cream eyeshadow have two shades per pot. I like that since I rarely use tons of any one shade. I found that the colors look deep but apply with little pigment. I can add more but then my lids get a bit sticky. They also have a bit of shimmer to them. One duo, Cookies and Cream, which is a brown and a white shade, is super shimmery. The white is KABAM shimmery but still pretty,

If I don't use primer, these shadows will crease. They end up in the crease of my eyelid and I have to use a finger to get the color back onto my lids. With a primer though, they tend to work better.

These duos are good as primers themselves....

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njchicaa says "What a horrible film adaptation of Confessions of a Shopaholic." about Confessions of a Shopaholic

njchicaa — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 04:35:35 GMT

When I first read Confessions of a Shopaholic, I was completely charmed by Becky Bloomwood and her spendthrift ways. This first book in the Shopaholic series is one of the best examples of what is now called "chick-lit". The story follows a twenty-something woman who is doing her best to keep her head above water financially while working, ironically, as a financial journalist. The movie version of Confessions of a Shopaholic is a bizarre, twisted, and weak adaptation of the original and brilliant book.

The Confessions of a Shopaholic movie has turned Becky Bloomwood into a humorless, weak, and simple girl who spends more than she earns on clothing, shoes, scarves, etc. In the book she had much more character and strength and her relationship with Luke Brandon was a much more interesting and believable connection. Even Becky's roommate, the supposedly wealthy and very sophisticated Suze, has been completely altered. In the book, Suze rides horses, wears plaid and flannel, and has a...

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njchicaa says "Looking for a non-antibacterial hand soap? Check this one out!" about Softsoap Black Raspberry and Vanilla Hand Soap

njchicaa — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 02:56:26 GMT

Hand soap is just one of those things that you have to buy. I usually stick to environmentally-friendly products like method or Mrs. Meyer's, but I sent my husband off to the store with the shopping list, so I wound up with a 7.5 fluid ounce bottle of SoftSoap Black Raspberry and Vanilla.

This is basically your typical hand soap: inexpensive, easy to find, mostly unpronounceable ingredients, and pleasant fragrance. Softsoap seems to make the same hand soap in 50 different scents, but their Black Raspberry and Vanilla one is a winner. I normally don't like raspberry or vanilla scents, but the combination along with some other fragrance notes seems to be an unoffensive fruity, floral, and fresh scent.

I wash my hands dozens of times a day... and that is only during the hours that I am not at work! I was worried about drying out the skin on my hands with all of the repeated hand-washings, but it all was fine. This is a lovely and moisturizing hand soap that also has the bonus benefit...

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njchicaa says "Finally, a LUSH massage bar that melts enough to use!" about LUSH Sexy Boy Massage Bar

njchicaa — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 23:48:09 GMT

I've bought several LUSH massage bars over the years (Each Peach, Soft Coeur, Strawberry Feels Forever, Nutts, Mange Too) and, while I found some of them to work well as a basic skin moisturizer, none of them were actually "melty" enough to replace a true massage oil for a full-body massage. I received a very generous sample piece of LUSH Sexy Boy Massage Bar in my latest order and I must say that I am impressed!

The idea behind LUSH massage bars is that they are solid blocks of butters and oils that will melt when exposed to skin's heat and provide the lubrication necessary for a good massage. They are "naked" products in that they don't require plastic packaging which is good for the environment. LUSH Sexy Boy is a holiday product that contains cocoa butter, shea butter, extra virgin coconut oil, lime oil, cocoa absolute, etc. and has a gingerbread man shape. Personally, I don't consider gingerbread men to be sexy, but to each his/her own.

My husband simply doesn't do massages...

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njchicaa says "Not impressed with LUSH Gnome Name Bubble Bar." about LUSH Gnome Name Bubble Bar

njchicaa — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 22:59:34 GMT

I passed on buying most of the LUSH Christmas items this year because they simply didn't dazzle me as I browsed the company web site. When I had the opportunity to check everything out in person a few weeks ago, I again passed on almost everything, but decided to buy 2 of their Gnome Name Bubble Bars.

As the name implies, these solid pieces of bubble bath are shaped like gnomes. LUSH describes them as "fruity, spicy, and soda-scented". To my nose, they smell more like a combination of Necco wafers and Red Hots candy. The Gnome Name moniker is kind of silly because every LUSH store calls this particular product something else. I think the NYC store I bought mine in called it something like "Aikko"... don't ask me what that's supposed to mean.

To use your LUSH Gnome Name Bubble Bar, you simply crumble it under running water as you fill the tub. The eyes on this guy are chocolate chips and won't melt in the tub, so I suggest just removing them and throwing them away before putting...

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PattyTherre says "Very strong, long lasting fragrance kit that many love. I don't." about Danica Aromatics I Am Me Fragrance Kit

PattyTherre — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 05:19:59 GMT

Quick View: The whole line of I Am fragrances is vastly different in scent. I have a couple of them and really am not pleased with them. They are very strong, too strong for me. I have allergies and this scent is the least offensive but still can give me a headache if I don't apply very sparingly. Still the three piece set is a great deal for those who like this fragrance.

My Take on Danica Aromatics I am Me Fragrance Kit

This three piece fragrance kit comes with the following:

# 1.7 oz. I am Me Eau de Parfum Spray
# 8.4 oz. I am Me Rich Body Wash
# 7 oz. I am Me Rich Body Butter

The fragrance is described as a fruity floral with notes of green apple, orange blossom and vetivert. I don't smell any apple or orange blossom and have no idea what vetivert is. I do smell something floral but not sweet. It's more of a sunflower type scent. There is a base of something earthy as well which makes the fragrance much less feminine than many other perfumes. I generally like that because sweet florals...

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njchicaa says "Laura Ingalls becomes a young lady in Little Town on the Prairie" about Little Town on the Prairie

njchicaa — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 23:37:33 GMT

Little Town on the Prairie is the 7th book in the Little House series of books by Laura Ingalls Wilder. It follows Laura and her family as they recover from The Long Winter. The town is growing, the family is improving their situation, and Laura becomes friends with other young women and men her age. It seems that little Half-Pint is growing up!

Basically, Little Town on the Prairie encompasses the two years following the winter of blizzards that cut the town off from supplies and saw the residents almost starve to death. Laura and her sister Carrie attend school daily now, make friends, and soon become comfortable with "town" life. The residents of DeSmet do what they can to spice up prairie life by sponsoring Fourth of July gatherings and horse races, sociables, New England suppers, literary society meetings, a school exhibition, church revival meetings, etc. This book also has Laura meeting and being escorted home several times by Almanzo Wilder, her future husband.

Little...

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dmdifalco says "FARM HUSSY BATH BOMBS MAKE BATHTIME ADDICTIVE! STOCKING STUFFER!" about FARM HUSSY PIGGIGGLES BATH BOMB

dmdifalco — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 19:31:53 GMT

Looking for that little something extra to put in the kid's stockings or indulge in for yourself. Well @ $3.50 you came to the right place. Here's a true story of what occured when I bought my best friend some Farm Hussy Bath Bombs for her birthday along with some other items from this online AWESOME store! When she called to thank me, she told me she had to hide the bath bombs from her daughter who was taking baths more than usual just to use the bath bombs. She said that she hadn't even gotten the chance to try them because her daughter was going through them so quickly. The bath bombs melt in your bath water and leave your skin feeling silky smooth! Not only that....they smell so incredible. You won't have to beg your kids to get into the tub when they have this wonderful accessory. The Farm Hussy products are hand crafted and custom blended. Julie Jak (the owner) bends over backwards to please her customers and with each order she rewards her clients with free samples......

dmdifalco says "Only $10. Farm Hussy Depression~Recession Holiday Gift Package!" about Farm Hussy Depression~Recession Special

dmdifalco — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 19:15:23 GMT

You don't have to break the bank to have an AWESOME HOLIDAY this year! Farm Hussy Bath and Body Products Rocks...insomuch that I buy from them regularly. I've got to share this HOT HOLIDAY GIFT PACKAGE with all of you! You get sooo many items that you almost feel guilty not paying more. It's called the Farm Hussy Depression~Recession Holiday Gift Package. What does this include? Your choice of 2 oz Sissy's Silotion Hand Cream or 2 oz Udderly Tickled Lotion AND 2 oz of Cream of the crop Body Butter or 2 oz of whipped soy glace PLUS BATH SALTS AND CANDY!!! Julie (the sweet owner and mastermind behind Farm Hussy) designs her products for the Holidays so they will look cute in your bathrooms or on your dresser for the Holiday. Here's a little idea of some of the scents available....Bayberry; egg noggin; pumpkin; cinnamon; gingerbread; hot cocoa; and many many more. These items smell so great that I don't even use candles or air refresheners in my bathroom anymore. Just don't...

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