Reviews by Friends of kristinafh

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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Bryan-Carey says "Hayneedle.com: More than 200 Stores to Keep you Busy" about Hayneedle

Bryan-Carey — Sun, 27 Dec 2009 05:25:28 GMT

Finding the right gift can take some time and shopping online can often involve jumping from web site to web site as you seek out the right item for the occasion. One web site that offers a large variety of merchandise in a sngle place is Hayneedle.com, an online store that sells home- related products.

Online Store Commentary:

Hayneedle.com is an online store that offers goods in categories like patio & garden, home accessories, babies & kids, sports & games, and more. Hayneedle.com is unique in that it combines multiple “web sites” into a single online shopping experience. As you click the links and search for something to buy, you will notice that the screen changes names to another web site, such as cribs.com, musicboxes.com, birdcages.com, etc. However, the Hayneedle.com logo remains at the top of the screen and this is because most all of these web domains are part of Hayneedle.com. There are a few exceptions, but most of the stores you find while shopping at Hayneedle.com...

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njchicaa says "Freshen up your counters with this Norwegian Angelica Spray." about Caldrea Norwegian Angelica Countertop Cleanser

njchicaa — Sun, 27 Dec 2009 02:20:44 GMT

I've been a big fan of the Caldrea line of cleaning products over the past 10 years now, so it wasn't a surpise for me to find their Norwegian Angelica Countertop Cleanser in a Christmas gift from my ssiter.

According to the label, Caldrea Norwegian Angelica Countertop Cleanser contains essential oils of lemon and parsley. The name of this product comes from the name of a plant, Garden Angelica, that has an herbal fragrance. The actual scent of the product is very herbal, fresh, and clean. If you gave me 4 or 24 hours to try to figure out exactly what the scent components were, I wouldn't be able to do it. To me, the scent is just a bright and fresh herbal-type aroma.

As with all Caldrea Countertop Cleansers, this one is highly-scented spray cleanser that can be used on walls, woodwork, tile, laminate, porcelain, fixtures, sealed wood floors, and sealed stone. It is great for light clean-ups and freshening up the scent of a room, but this Norwegian Angelica Countertop Cleanser...

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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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njchicaa says "Cran Slam is a nice holiday candle scent!" about Yankee Candle Beanswax Cran Slam Candle

njchicaa — Sun, 27 Dec 2009 00:24:53 GMT

I never really got into the soy wax candle thing, so I had no experience with it until a few days ago when I received a Yankee Candle Beanswax Cran Slam Double Wick Candle as a gift from my cousin's fiancee. I'm all about candles, so I was eager to try it out.

According to the Yankee Candle company web site, Beanswax candles contain 100% soy wax, no artificial colors or dyes, and are made from a renewable resource. The Cran Slam candle that I received was completely opaque white in color and with a wooden lid lined with some kind of metallic foil layer to prevent it from catching on fire.

I've been burning my Beanswax Cran Slam Double Wick Candle for a few days now and I just love it. The scent is a lovely combination of sweet and tart cranberries. Despite the fact that the wax melts and the wicks become exposed quickly, there is no black smoke or soot produced by this Beanswax Candle. One of the biggest turn-offs for me about the regular Yankee Candle Housewarmer Jar Candles...

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njchicaa says "Goodbye Grind and Brew! I love my new Keurig Platinum Brewer!" about Keurig Platinum B70 Keurig Brewer

njchicaa — Sat, 26 Dec 2009 23:29:24 GMT

We received a Cuisinart Grind and Brew Coffee Maker a few years ago as a Christmas present from my sister. I hated it from the get-go, but we were stuck with it because it was a very expensive gift that family members expected to see in the kitchen month after month and year after year. I expressed a desire for a Keurig Platinum B70 Brewer many times over the past year to my husband, and wouldn't ya know? Santa left one under the Christmas tree for me this year. He's good like that!

The whole point of the Keurig Platinum Coffee Brewer is that you simply put a pre-measured package of coffee into the machine, put a cup under the dispenser, and then simply hit "brew". You'll have a piping hot cup of coffee in 30 seconds! There is no messing around with measuring beans, grinding beans, cleaning out filters, etc. You just pop the K-Cup into the Keurig, hit brew, and voila! Coffee! There are also K-cups to make several varieties of tea, hot chocolate, and even chai. K-cups average...

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njchicaa says "If you like red licorice, check out this philosophy shower gel!" about Philosophy Red Licorice 3-in-1 Shampoo, Shower Gel, and Bubble Bath

njchicaa — Sat, 26 Dec 2009 22:41:29 GMT

I used to be an equal-opportunity licorice fan until one very bad night back in college involving Black Sambuca. I stick to red licorice these days and was thrilled to find a bottle of philosophy 3-in-1 Red Licorice in a Christmas present from my sister.

philosophy Red Licorice 3-in-1 is a combination product that can be used as a shampoo, shower gel, and bubble bath. It is a transparent but deep red in color and smells SURPRISE!!! like red licorice. If you had someone blindfolded and wafted the scent of this stuff under their nose, they would bet their life that you had a bunch of Twizzlers in front of them. The smell is THAT dead-on.

As with all of the philosophy shower gels, Red Licorice works exceptionally well as a shower gel. A dime-sized amount of a mesh sponge produces enough bubbles and lather to completely wash my whole body. As a bubble bath, it does produce some bubbles and fill the tub area with the pleasant licorice scent, but the bubbles disappeared fairly quickly. ...

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Jo says "New Green Acres RV Park, SC: A great overnight stay" about New Green Acres RV Park, Walterboro, South Carolina

Jo — Fri, 25 Dec 2009 23:59:27 GMT

We left Massachusetts several days ago heading south. The first campground in which we stayed one night was New Green Acres RV Park in Walterboro, SC.

Information you may want:

www.newgreenacres.com
396 Campground Road, Walterboro, SC 29488
(843) 538-3450
The longest and widest pull-thru sites east of the Missisippi. That is according to the website; however, the sites were very long and although we are used to backing, in most of the sites were pull-throughs so we went with that.
Electric hook-up (30 and 50 amp)
Water and sewer
Cable- but note: it is an additional $2.00.
Laundry
Swimming Pool
Children's Playground - Note: I wan't all that impressed with the playground. All in all I consider New Acres a great place to stay for a night of two but it is not a destination campground- especially since it seemed to be in the middle of nowhere!
Dog Playground
Wireless Internet Service though we didn't use it so it either wasn't available or it was to hard to use.
Restrooms...

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njchicaa says "Jodi Picoult's Vanishing Acts is not her best work." about Vanishing Acts

njchicaa — Fri, 25 Dec 2009 04:04:49 GMT

Jodi Picoult's Vanishing Acts is a novel that was first published in 2005, but I am just getting around to reading it thanks to my sister's loan of several Picoult paperbacks. I recently had 3 unplanned days off from work due to a major snowstorm, so I tore through Vanishing Acts in some of that free time.

This novel centers around Delia Hopkins, a woman who works with her bloodhound to perform search and rescue missions for local police, county, and even federal agencies. She is engaged to be married and has a gorgeous daughter... life is good for Delia until her father, the only parent she has ever had, is arrested for kidnapping her as a child. Her life is turned upside-down and the fact that her fiance is representing her father (and not sharing information about the case with her) doesn't help the situation.

There are many subplots in Vanishing Acts. Aside from the obvious kidnapping trial, there is a prison story, a sisterly story, a relationship story, a friendship story,...

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PattyTherre says "If you're gonna do purple eyeliner, be HIP and do it right!" about L'Oreal HIP Color Truth Cream Eyeliner, Eggplant

PattyTherre — Thu, 24 Dec 2009 03:08:12 GMT

Quick View: I'm obsessed with the color purple and have been buying purple eyeliner and mascara but have generally not liked the color. I am brunette with brown eyes and I like a very deep purple as opposed to a violet shade. I tried L'Oreal HIP Color Truth Cream Eyeliner in Eggplant and wow! The liner is dark, deep, and very dramatic. I like it!

My Take on L'Oreal HIP Color Truth Cream Eyeliner, Eggplant 960

This cream eyeliner comes in Black, Teal, Navy, Brown, and Eggplant. I bought the Eggplant because I wanted a dark purple liner and this one looked very deep. The brush included is not great. I can use it but I prefer to use my Smashbox eyeliner brush for a much more even line.

The cream is very thick and only a bit is needed. It does glide on well and looks very intense. It is almost a black purple shade which is exactly what I wanted. Anything less would look kind of weird with my skin coloring and at my age (45).

The liner is super pigmented as all HIP products are. It is intense...

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Bryan-Carey says "American Diabetes Association: Advocate for the Diabetic " about American Diabetes Association

Bryan-Carey — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 19:34:47 GMT

Do you know someone with diabetes? Chances are you do. More than 25 million people in the United States alone suffer from this annoying and sometimes fatal disease and the numbers continue to grow each year, due in part to the obesity epidemic and poor eating habits among Americans of all ages. The foremost charity that works on behalf of diabetics everywhere is the American Diabetes Association, a non- profit health organization.

Charity Commentary:

The American Diabetes Association mission is threefold. First, this organization wants to assist those who presently have diabetes and help them live a normal life. Second, the American Diabetes Association wants to educate the public and help prevent future cases of diabetes. Third, this health organization wants to search for a cure. Its annual spending budget is divided among these three key areas of support.

I have been an active contributor to the American Diabetes Association for many years and what first drew my attention...

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ChrisJarmick says "Solid Randolph Scott Western with superb supporting cast" about Ride Lonesome (1959)

ChrisJarmick — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 10:27:31 GMT

Budd Boetticher made at least 7 several solid Westerns with Randoph Scott during the 1950s. One of the first big screen CinemaScope pictures he directed was 1959's Ride Lonesome. It's a solid fairly simple Western dealing with classic Western themes. Well cast, acted and directed, Ride Lonesome's screenplay is solid and spare. The story slowly unfolds for us, but we are never bored.

Brigade (Randolph Scott) is taking dangerous outlaw Billy John (James Best) to Santa Cruz where he will most certainly be hanged for shooting a man in the back. We don't yet understand why he seems to want Billy's even more dangers brother, Frank (Lee Van Cleef) to catch up with him. He has his reasons, though.

Brigade meets Carrie (Karen Steele) a very attractive woman whose waiting for her husband to return. There are also two wanted men who have decided to hang out on Carrie's property and watch over her for a while. They are Sam Boone (Pernell Roberts and his friend (played by James...

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ChrisJarmick says "Holiday Movies and dozens of Sherlock Holmes movies too!!!" about Classic Movies, Turner Classic Movies Christmas & Sherlock Holmes Movie Marathons Dec 24 to 26 2009

ChrisJarmick — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 08:39:08 GMT

TCM, cables classic movie station has programmed a marathon of under the radar holiday movies followed by around 20 Sherlock Holmes movies airing December 24th through the 26th.

The Christmas Eve program begins with a wonderfully entertaining romantic comedy written by Preston Sturges and starring Barbara Stanwyck and Fred MacMurray. It's 1940's Remember the Night . MacMurray plays an Assistant District Attorney who falls in love with the shoplifter (Stanwyck) he is prosecuting. He doesn't want the woman to spend Christmas in jail waiting for her trial so he bails her out and takes her to her childhood home in Indiana, but Stanwyck's mom is cold and mean so he takes Stanwyck to his mom's home also in Indiana where she sees so much love and affection it changes her attitude about life and love. Of course both realize that soon they will have to return to the city and resume the trial. Will MacMurray blow his own case? Would she let him do that? It's a lightweight film...

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njchicaa says "Ooooooooooooh I love my Sunbeam Microplush Warming Throw!" about Sunbeam Microplush Warming Throw

njchicaa — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 02:58:04 GMT

I'm always cold during the winter... I keep an electric blanket on my side of the bed to keep me warm and cozy while in bed. Sitting on the couch at night after the automatic thermostat has cranked down the heat has always been problematic, but I recently bought myself a Sunbeam Microplush Warming Throw to deal with the situation.

Basically, this product is a mini electric blanket that you can keep by the couch or office desk to keep you warm and comfortable if room temperatures are chilly. The suggested retail price is about $65 but I bought mine for only $35 which is a much more reasonable price in my opinion. The Sunbeam Microplush Warming Throw has a 3-level heat controller (low, medium, high) and an automatic turn-off after 10 hours. It is supposed to be machine-washable, but I've never had luck with washing my electric blankets so I'm not going to start with this one.

I love the convenience of having this Sunbeam Microplush Warming Throw Blanket. I can take it downstairs...

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njchicaa says "This Iowa Pine Lquid Hand Soap simply smells like Christmas. " about Mrs. Meyer's Iowa Pine Liquid Hand Soap

njchicaa — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 01:23:22 GMT

I've been a big fan of the Mrs. Meyer's line of cleaning products for several years now. They used to sell a lovely gingerbread-scented hand soap each Christmas, but this year they are featuring Iowa Pine as their holiday scent. The company describes it as an "aromatherapeutic" and festive blend of pine, clove, and cedar.

I picked up a 12.5 fluid ounce bottle of Mrs. Meyer's Iowa Pine Liquid Hand Soap at the local Target for about $7. I love the fact that the company doesn't test on animals and uses biodegradable ingredients. This is a fairly thick liquid soap, so you only need one pump's worth of product to completely and thoroughly wash your hands. It produces lots of bubbles and lather as you use it, it rinses away quickly and easily, and leaves hands smelling lovely without completely stripping skin of moisture. The scent is complete and total "Christmas": spicy fresh pine with a hint of cedar and spice. LOVE IT!

I'm very happy to have found Mrs. Meyer's Iowa Pine...

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ChrisJarmick says "Garbo, Astaire, Bogart & Bacall in several movie gems!" about Best Classic Movies, Turner Classic Movies, Bogart and Movie Pairings December 22 & 23, 2009

ChrisJarmick — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 16:36:25 GMT

Tonight Turner Classic Movies offers 'The Same but Different' mini movie festival in prime-time, tomorrow throughout the day and evening its Bogart Wednesday and coming up on Wednesday and Thursday lesser known holiday gems fill the Christmas TV.

The Same but Different tonight offers two movies with different casts and directors that tell the same story, shown back to back.

The audience pleasing 1964 Oscar winning musical My Fair Lady kicks things off at 5 p.m. It's directed by George Cukor and stars Rex Harrison as the phonetics instructor who bets that he can transform a lowly street urchin into a proper lady. The 'lady to be' is Audrey Hepburn.

The musical is based on the Broadway show that was based on George Bernard Shaw's Pygmalion. And so at 8 p.m. on the West Coast, TCM offers the 1938 screen adaptation of Shaw's non-musical stage play, Pygmalion. Shaw wrote the screenplay himself and won an Oscar for it. That makes George Bernard Shaw the only writer to win both...

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Saxguy says "Tastes great and seems to work ok" about Yogi Tea - Berry Detox

Saxguy — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 15:54:13 GMT

I have been drinking Yogi Tea Berry Detox for several months now.

I enjoy the flavor, which is made for strawberry, blueberry and raspberry, my favorite.

It also includes a propietary blend of the following herbs:

Organic Ginger Root

Organic Fennel Seed

Organic Hibiscus Flower

Organic Orange Peel

Yellow Dock Root

Organic Rhubarb Root

Organic Honeybush

Acai Berry

Organic Stevia Leaf

and also includes Emblic Fruit Extract and Tannins.

It's billed as supportng healthy liver and intestinal function. I don't know how to valdate that, really, but I was getting tested all summer for liver size and function and I have had no problems. It's a mild concern as I am a moderate drinker.

It has no caffeine.

The box reports that up to 10 bag can be used per day and the tea can be enjoyed for 30 consecutive days. The box also says that 2 bags can be used for a stronger effect. I enjoy two bangs when I drink several times a week but not daily.

For me, the biggest con is the $4.99 retail price...

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Saxguy says "Failed in less than a year" about Timex Timex 5G941 Personal Heart Rate Monitor

Saxguy — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 14:52:08 GMT

I bought the Timex 5G941 Personal Heart Rate Monitor during the early part of the summer. I was getting occasional arrythmia and rapid heart beatand I wanted a basic monitor so I could check my pulse, not necessarily during exercise as I have a second monitor with more features.I was attracted to the Timex 5G941 Personal Heart Rate Monitor because it's name and price. I paid less than $40.

The unit comes with the watch, of course, and a chest strap, feauthing a front plastic portion that fits under the chest, wth 2 sensors and an elastic band around the back.

The monitor tracks exercise time and pulse rate during exercise, and reports exercise time, average heart rate and eak heart rate when finished.

The watch itself has a backlight and reports time of day.

It worked adequately when I first got it. However, it is not working now. I wanted to use it yesterday, when my arrhythmia flared up. I turned it on and the watch did not pick up the pulse. So, I replaced the CR 2032 battery...

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njchicaa says "Everyone loves Christmas Vacation!!!" about National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation

njchicaa — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 04:00:46 GMT

I've never been a fan of silly, obvious, and slapstick humor which is why I refuse to watch movies by Adam Sandler, Will Ferrell, Mike Meyer, Steve Carell, etc. I really am a huge movie snob when it comes to watching holiday films. I hate most of them but I absolutely adore National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation.

National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation once again follows the Griswold family as they prepare to celebrate the holiday. Clark has decided to host both sides of the family for a "fun, old-fashioned Christmas". He starts by getting a tree that is entirely too large for his yard, let alone his living room. He follows that up with several tens of thousands of lights all over every exterior surface of his house. Most people would consider such a spectacle to be, well, a spectacle... but after watching Christmas Vacation a house completely illuminated by tiny white lights seems reasonable.

Simply put, there is no funnier holiday movie than Christmas Vacation. Chevy Chase...

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njchicaa says "Emeril's Essense Seasoning is a wonderful addition to your meals" about Emeril Original Essence Seasoning

njchicaa — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 01:58:15 GMT

When I was growing up, my mother made hamburgers out of plain ground beef and occasionally topped them with a slice of cheese. They never had much flavor and I wasn't a huge fan of burgers... until I met my husband. When we would hang out on weekends, he'd make these delicious hamburgers that he made with various spices/seasonings, A1 steak sauce, and a dash of worcestershire sauce. I was introduced to the whole wide world of flavored ground beef!

I've been using Emeril's Original Essence Seasoning for several years now to add flavor to the meals that I prepare. I add it to ground beef to add flavor to burgers, meatloaf, and savory meatballs. I've also sprinkled it on roasting potatoes and even grilled corn on the cob to add a bit of spice. You can buy a regular-sized bottle in your local grocery store for like $5, but I picked up a large 21 ounce bottle for about $8 at the local BJ's Wholesale Club.

A little goes a long way with this seasoning blend that contains ingredients...

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