Knitting Zeal

Dial for kids to keep them squeaky clean!

With the warm weather now, there is a lot of outdoor playing going on, which means the kiddo is digging in the dirt and sandbox, sliding across the lawn for fun, and getting all sweaty. It also means he is taking lots more baths to get clean.  As a Purex Insider, I had the chance to try out a new bath product for kids, Dial Kids Body & Hair Wash.  I let my son pick which scent to try out, and he chose the Peachy Clean scent that is formulated for kids ages 2+.  There are versions for kids ages 6+ in Watery Melon and Berry Cool scents, too.  The Peachy Clean version is specially formulated for sensitive skin.  I am really glad that we were able to try that version out, as everyone in my family has sensitive skin. 
My son used to fight getting a bath, especially having is hair washed.  Switching to a kids' body wash combined with a shampoo really helped and made him feel like a big kid.  He was excited to try out the Dial Kids Body & Hair Wash, as it was also a combo product.  I love that it is tear free, hypoallergenic, free of artificial dyes or added parabens and Ph balanced.  With his sensitive skin, having a very mild cleanser is really important.  We both really like the peach scent, as it has a light fresh soap scent.  His hair smells lightly of peaches the day after washing, which I just love!  So far we are really loving this new kids' body wash!  My son has not had any skin reactions to it and he has not complained about it bothering his eyes when having it rinsed off his hair.  It gets all the little boy dirt off easily and without a fight. This is a product we will continue to use in the future!

For more information and to stay up to date with Dial products, check out their Facebook page. 

Disclosure:  As a Purex Insider, the Dial brand provided me with a sample of Dial Kids Body & Hair Wash in exchange for this product review.  The opinions expressed here are honest and based upon my (and my son's) experience with the product.   

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Lands End and the Spring into Summer Mom Mixer!

Last weekend I had the fun opportunity to join some of my blogging mom friends at the Spring into Summer Mom Mixer hosted by Whitney of Mommies With Style and Colleen of Classy Mommy, along with a number of incredible brands. 

Photo courtesy of Sherry Aikens @Babypop

Held at the Bellvue Hotel's XIX Restaurant in Philadelphia, it was a fun morning spent socializing with other bloggers, meeting some wonderful people who work for the brands who participated in the event, and learning. 

I really enjoyed the presentation by Lands End, who make at least half of my wardrobe.  They focused on their 2013 Swimwear line and described all the new features, including great tips on how to get a perfect fit in a bathing suit.  Something that I absolutely loved was learning that they are now selling swim shirts with SPF protection for women that do not look like surfer rash guards.  My son and husband have been wearing rash guards for sun protection at the beach, but I never found one for women that was flattering or feminine.  This season, Lands End is offering their swim tees that have SPF 50 protection, are lightweight, and fast drying.  They come in lots of colors and patterns and I hope that they are popular so that they continue to offer them in the future.  I went home that day with plans to purchase one for our upcoming beach vacation, since I am really tired of sitting on the beach with a sweatshirt on to protect me from burning.  I ordered the violet colored one, because I love purple! 

The Beach Living swim tee!

Ordering a swimsuit online without trying it on can be a challenge.  I learned that Lands End offers fitting and style advice via online chat or by phone.  If the person you are chatting with can't answer a question you have, they agent contacts one of the fashion consultants for more information and will get back to you.  They also have a great swim resource guide online to find your perfect fit and style.  I also learned that all those comments online that customers leave, the ones under the description for each item for sale....they actually read them and pay attention to what their customers say!  If they receive enough similar feedback about an item, they take that into consideration for the future designs.  I am glad to hear that leaving feedback actually counts! 

I have been a Lands End customer for years.  My son has a thing for fabrics.  He loves how my cotton clothing from Lands End feels.  In fact, if I'm not wearing a Lands End item, he tells me I'm not feeling snuggly enough.  (He is a slightly crazy and cuddly five year old!!)  He has many LE items too, as their kids clothes are awesome!  His winter coat for the past four years has been from LE. 

Disclosure:  I did not receive any monetary compensation for attending or writing about the Mom Mixer.  I really have been a LE customer for years and the opinions expressed here are honest.  I did recieve a tote bag from LE. I was not required to write about the brands or event. 

Carmex skin care review and giveaway

As part of the Carmex Blog Squad, I received these two skin care lotions to test out and review.  This past winter has been particularly tough on my skin and my five year old's skin.  It really bothered my son to find his hands sore, dried out and sometimes bleeding from the constant hand washing and cold weather.  I let him use these two Carmex products, the hand lotion and the hand cream, to see if it would help.  He reported that he really liked the smell of the products and that they smelled like vanilla to him, one of his favorite flavors. I personally prefer unscented products, but the scent of these skin care products dissipated fairly quickly, which I liked.  

Overall they seemed to hydrate our skin. The hand cream is obviously thicker than the lotion and works great to put on at night before bed. We used the hand lotion during the day.  My son did not protest using either product and was happy with the relief he felt from having hand lotion on his dry skin. I think they would have worked even better if we had been using them prior to the chapped skin, as they might have given us a layer of protection.  (Something to remember for next winter!)

Want to try out these skin care products yourself?  Leave me a comment on this post by April 12th.  A winning comment will be chosen using Random.org and will be contacted via email.  Carmex will send the winner the prize directly.  

Disclosure: Carmex sent me these complimentary products for the purpose of facilitating this review.  Opinions expressed are mine based on my experience.  No monetary compensation was received.  

New Purex with Crystals Fragrance smells fresh and clean

As a Purex insider, I had the chance to try out the newest product in the Purex Laundry Detergent line: Purex plus Fabric Softener with Crystals Frangrance.  As I've mentioned before, I do a lot of laundry each week so I was happy to try out a new product from a brand I trust and use.  

I've grown to love the Purex plus Oxi and the Purex Free & Clear products, so I was curious as to how this new detergent would work.  I found that it had the same superior cleaning power as expected from Purex.  It did smell fresh and clean without being overly floral for me.  I tend to prefer unscented detergent, but this wasn't too overpowering.  For people who prefer to use fabric softener, I think this is a great product, as the softener is included with the detergent, making one less addition needed when doing the wash and a better value as only one product needs to be purchased.  Personally, I prefer not to use a fabric softener, but this seems to be a good product that does add a touch of softness to freshly laundered clothing.  

Purex is hosting a new sweepstakes in conjunction with the release of their latest product, Purex with Crystals Fragrance.  Enter the Experience the Enchantment Sweepstakes to have the chance to win $1,000 and a year of FREE Purex detergent plus Fabric Softener.  500 second place winners get to try this powerful, fresh detergent for FREE! Be sure to enter and let me know if you win!  

Disclosure:  The Purex brand provided me with a sample of Purex detergent plus fabric softener with Crystals Frangrance in exchange for a product review.  Opinions expressed here are honest and my own based on my experience with the product.  No monetary compensation was received. 

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Woolzies Dryer Balls in my laundry

It amazes me every week how much laundry my little family of three creates.  It is unending and I only have one child!  A while ago I stopped using fabric softeners in my wash.  I still use Purex Crystals when I want certain things, like linens, to have a fresh scent, but I hated the coating the softeners left on fabric.  I also hated finding those softener stains on clothes that just wouldn't wash out.  The thing I missed most about fabric softeners, especially in the winter, was the static control.  Having socks stick to fleece and hearing that crackle when separating them was annoying.  

I saw an offer on Facebook to try out Woolzies Dryer Balls in exchange for a review.  Since laundry is my main hobby (HA!) I thought it would be an appropriate item to test out.  Being a knitter too, I loved the idea of using wool to soften my clothes naturally.  

Woolzies are made out of New Zealand wool by hand.  The package I received contained six XL dryer balls.  Woolzies claim to soften clothes naturally for up to 1000 loads, reduce drying time, reduce static, help eliminate wrinkles, are hypoallergenic and safe for people with allergies and are chemical free.  For each dryer load, all six balls are used.

I've been using Woolzies for over three weeks now and I have to admit that I am surprised at how great they are.  I've noticed that my clothes, linens and towels are much softer than before without using any softeners and I have noticed that cotton shirts that normally are very wrinkley, are not when removed from the dryer.  Even better, that static cling that was so troublesome has stopped!  I'm not sure if the drying time has been reduced, as my dryer has some sensing feature that dries for as long as needed and I don't have time to sit and watch the time!  

As a fiber enthusiast, I love that I can use wool in the dryer to help soften clothes.  The XL balls are a natural colored wool and about the size of a baseball.  They do clunk around a bit in the dryer and sometimes hide inside clothes, but those are the only cons I found for Woolzies.  They are easy to store to, since I just leave them in the dryer all the time.  I plan on using these until they fall apart! I do an average of six loads of laundry a week, which is at least 312 loads per year.  If these six Woolzies balls last for 1000 loads of laundry, that's over three years worth of laundry that they will soften!

Giveaway!

Want to try out Woolzies for yourself?  The company has generously offered one of my readers a box of six Woolzies balls. Check them out on their website, on Twitter and Facebook to learn more about this great product and their company.  Leave me a comment on this post with your name, email and why you want to try out Woolzies yourself.  One winner will be chosen on April 1, 2013 and contacted via email. Woolzies will send the product directly to the winner! Contest open to US addresses only.  

Disclosure:  I received a complimentary product to try out for the purposes of this review.  The opinions expressed are honest and my own.

Borax for crafts: it's not just for laundry!

Borax Laundry Booster

Recently I received a box of Borax, the 20 Mule Team detergent booster, to try out and review.  I have always had a box of Borax next to my washing machine because we have hard water and it is a great laundry booster to make cleaning laundry more effective.  I add about an ounce of Borax per load when I add my detergent.  

What is hard water?  It's water in your home that has calcium and magnesium ions in it. Detergent can attach to these calcium and magnesium granules and settles on the bottom of the washing machine instead of mixing with the water and cleaning the clothes.  What exactly is Borax?  Its sodium teraborate, a natural mineral that results from the perpetual evaporation of seasonal lakes.  There is no chlorine, phosphate or other additives in it.  

Borax is an ingredient in the homemade laundry soap mixture I found on Pinterest and have wanted to make for the past year, but haven't!  I finally have all of the ingredients to make it, so now to finally do it! (And you can too if you read all the way to the end for the giveaway info!)

Crafting with Borax

Did you know that besides laundry and home cleaning that you can also use Borax for crafts?

 

Crystal Snowflakes made with Borax

A while ago we made homemade slime using Borax and white glue.  This time we made crystal snowflakes using Borax and water.  There are many "recipes" for this online, but I ended up combining instructions from several sources.  The first place I found directions was on Martha Stewart Living's site.  

Supplies:

• one quart sized mason jar or similar container per snowflake...we made two.  
• pipe cleaners 
• scissors to cut pipe cleaners
• two cups of boiling water per jar
• 1/2  to one cup of Borax per jar
• food coloring if desired
• string
• pencil or tape

Directions:

1. Shape pipecleaners into snowflake patterns.  We got a bit too fancy.  Simple works just fine! We used sparkly pipe cleaners instead of food coloring. The color shows through the crystals. 
2. Tie string to the snowflakes.
3. Boil water in a large mixing container.  I used the microwave.
4. Add the Borax to the water and stir well to disolve. 
5. Fill the jar or container with the Borax/water solution. Suspend the snowflake into the solution so that it is completly submerged.  I had to add a bit more water to my jars to get the snowflakes covered.  To keep the snowflake suspended, tie the string around a pencil and balance it on the top.  We used tape and attached the string to the side of each container.  
6. Sit the jars in a safe place overnight. Check them the next day and you'll find crystals will have formed on the pipe cleaners! 

Take out your snowflakes and let them dry a bit before hanging.  Clean out the jars with hot sudsy water to break up the remaining crystals that are on the bottom of the jar.  Experiment with all sorts of shapes, not just snowflakes! 

Win it!

Want to win big?  Enter the Borax Fresh Year, Fresher Laundry Sweepstakes!  It's your chance to win either $1500 or coupons for Borax from Borax.  You can't win if you don't enter!

Giveaway!

Want to try out Borax for free?  Leave me a comment on this blog post telling me you want to win a free box of Borax and/or leave a laundry tip.  I'll select one comment to send a coupon for a free box of Borax!  US addresses only. Coupon giveaway ends February 1st, 2013.  Winner will be contacted via email and will have 48 hours to respond, so be sure to include a way for me to contact you!

Disclosure:  Borax provided a free sample of their product for the purpose of this review.  No monetary compensation has been received and opinions expressed here are my own.  

2012, my year in review in photos

I can't believe another year has passed and it's January 2013.  The month of December flew by, thanks to our family vacation to Disney World and the rush of the holidays.  I haven't even had the chance to get online much, especially to blog.  Here is my wrap up of last year in pictures:

January

A visit to our favorite place, the Please Touch Museum!

 

February

Crafty idea inspired by Pinterest

Completed Summit!!

 

March

 

My favorite photo of the kiddo and his best girls. Getting a taste for spring at the Morris Arboretum.

 

April

Built the kid a playhouse, injuring my elbow! He loves it.

 

May

 

The Maryland Sheep and Wool Festival was so much fun! Saw these cute little goats.

 

June

We spent a week at our favorite NJ beach, Ship Bottom, Long Beach Island. We didn't know then that the beach and town would be devastated months later from Hurricane Sandy.

 

July

 

We saw the Imagination Movers three times in 2012, including this time in July at Sesame Place! So much fun!

August

Fun at the Turkey Hill Experience! Ice cream samples galore!

 

September

 

My baby turned FIVE in September! And found out he was going to Disney World in 60 days!

 

October

Some spooky fun at the Morris Arboretum in the fall!

 

November

 

We visited Grover and the gang at Sesame Place in November for the opening weekend of a Very Furry Christmas. Saw the Imagination Movers there again too!!

A fun family day at the Garden State Discovery Museum. Here the boys are encased in a giant bubble!

 

December

We had our first family visit to Disney World! Meeting Mickey was just one of the highlights!

We spent the afternoon on Lido Beach in Sarasota too! Loved being on the beach in December!

The kiddo sang with his classmates in a lovely Christmas program at school! Such cuteness. Happy New Year!!

 

 

Festive Dial Complete Foaming Hand Wash, a review

The day before Thanksgiving I received a package of Dial Antibacterial Foaming Hand Wash to try out, complete with cute holiday decorated packaging. The hand wash came at the perfect time, as with hosting family and cooking all day, there was lots of hand washing going on that week!

Aren't those bottles cute?  My son loved them and insisted on replacing the soap bottles in our kitchen and bath immediately.  Not only are they festively decorative, they are easy to use for even little hands.  I love the foaming hand wash as opposed to the liquids, especially for my five year old who tends to use too much and then has trouble washing the liquid soaps off.  With this Dial foaming hand soap, the bubbles are already there and it rinses easily and cleanly with no residue.

The hand soap is very lightly scented, with a pleasant scent that is not overpowering.  I have a problem with dry skin, especially in the colder months.  Combined with frequent handwashing, I end up with chapped hands easily.  So far, this anitbacterial soap has not irritated or dried out my skin more than usual.  Between cold and flu season and cooking with raw poultry, I wash my hands constantly.  I am happy that this soap helps kill 99.99% of household germs when used properly. 

These cute holiday designs are available for a limited time, so pick them up now.  I think they would make a great classroom gift for my son's preschool, as the kids practice proper handwashing daily there.  

 

Disclosure: Dial provided a product sample for the purposes of this review.  As always, my opinions and experiences are my own.  

Winter lips need Carmex lip conditioner

As a member of the Carmex blog squad I had the chance to try out a new product this past week, Carmex lip conditioner.  It's not waxy like a balm, or sticky like the little Carmex jars.  Instead it's more of a lotion for lips that has 13 moisterizers that absorb quickly.  It has a smooth, matte finish, that makes it perfect for layering with lip color (lipstick or gloss.)  

I've been using the lip conditioner for about a week and so far I like it.  It has a very light organge scent and flavor that is not overpowering and a slight tingle when applied.  It doesn't seem to last as long as the lip balm products from Carmex, but that's because it isn't a thick layer on my lips.  I like that it isn't sticky.  I have long hair that when it's windy out it gets stuck in my lip balms or glosses.  My hair doesn't stick to the Carmex lip conditioner!  The true test of this new Carmex product will be how it helps during the winter when my skin dries out.  I'm glad I'll have this product to use!

 

Disclosure: Carmex provided me samples of their product for the purpose of this review.  My opinions expressed here are my own.  

Purex plus Oxi helped us get prepared for the hurricane

As a Purex Insider, I had the opportunity to try out a new product, Purex plus Oxi laundry detergent.  With my hurricane preparations, washing all laundry so it was out of the basement was part of that job, so I had the chance to really try out this liquid laundry detergent that has Oxi added to it so I did not need to add more.  

Liquid Laundry Detergent

After five loads of laundry, I can safely say I put this new detergent to the test.  I have been using Purex liquid detergent for about a year now, and have almost always added a scoop of Oxi-Clean powder to each load, especially whites and my son's clothes.  I found that the Purex Plus Oxi detergent did clean the laundry great, and I did not have to add more Oxi to the machine for most clothes.  For really bad, set in stains, I might still add a bit extra Oxi...time will tell!  I really liked the light clean scent of my wash after it was finished.  

With a five year old boy, most of his clothes end up covered in stains.  My normal routine is to presoak bad stains overnight in a mix of Oxi and water.  I like that I can use the new Purex plus Oxi as a pretreater too.  

After the hurricane passed and our power returned, we spent a lot of time cleaning up two defrosted refrigerators and freezers. Melted ice was all over, so I used tons of bath towels to mop it all up.  I relied on Purex plus Oxi again to help with the laundry and was pleased with the results.  

Purex Plus Oxi is currently hosting a sweepstakes where one winner will receive $1000 and 250 second place winners will recieve $25!  Enter the Purex plus Oxi sweepstakes for your chance to win! 

Along with the sample of detergent, Purex also sent me some coupons for free product.  In light of the widespread damage Hurricane Sandy caused in nearby areas, I am passing along those coupons to another blogger who is collecting items to donate to the Hurricane victims in New Jersey. Everyone deserves to have clean laundry.  

Disclosure: Purex provided me with a sample of Purex plus Oxi so I could review the product.  All opinions expressed here are my own.