Knitting Zeal

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.

Consignment Sale finds at Just Between Friends

I had a fun time shopping at the preview sale at the Just Between Friends Sale in Oaks, PA this week.  I got a media preview of the sale and was amazed at how much stuff was for sale at low prices!  

Since it's almost spring, it was time for me to find a cute argyle sweater vest for the kiddo.  Not only did I find a cute vest, but also a matching tie, which is the kiddo's favorite dressy items, since then he looks like daddy! I was also able to buy three bathing suits for the kid for $3.50 each!  He is set for summer and swim lessons now.  Another great find was a navy windbreaker from Gap for $3.50.  

I big find for me this time were Legos.  One gallon sized zipper bag filled was $6 and a box set of basic bricks was $6.50.  For Easter I have been planning to fill those plastic Easter eggs with Legos instead of candy, since we STILL have Halloween candy.  (He'll still get a small amount of candy in a basket, but we don't need 50 eggs filled with  more!) I had been planning to buy a new box of Legos for filling the eggs, but the two packs of used Legos I bought at the Just Between Friends Sale is more than enough.  I am thinking I'll wash them in a laundry bag in the dishwasher without the dry cycle to clean them.  

My son approved of all the clothing items I purchased for him except for a pair of crazy plaid shorts that I thought were fun.  I gave him one toy, and hid the Legos for now.  I bought him a tool box kit to make from Home Depot that was $2.  He loves going to the build-it clinics and this would give him a good project to make with his dad at home. 

It was an amazing site to see a warehouse sized room filled with all kids and baby stuff!  From strollers and car seats to Easter baskets and even new Melissa and Doug toys, there was everything needed for kids at great prices.  Check out the sale this weekend if you are in the area!

 

Disclosure: I attended a preview sale for bloggers and received a gift certificate to shop. No review or post was required.  I have been a long time fan of consignment sales!

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Make way for the Big Boy room!

My son's bedroom has been through a metamorphis over the past five years.  It went from baby nursery to a big boy bedroom in no time at all!  

When he was a baby, his room looked like this, complete with hand knit blankets and a beautiful crib (that was later recalled due to the drop down side!)

 

Then he grew up into a toddler bed, his blue race car bed.  The blankets were still there, but lots of boy stuff too!

And now, he has a real twin sized bed...the one he'll sleep in until he leaves for college!  We searched for over a year and really debated what type of bedroom set we'd get him.  He wanted a really cool castle bed with a slide, but in the end we decided it just wasn't practical or fiscally wise!  We let him help choose this set from our favorite local family-owned furniture store.  They thought it would take about 4-6 weeks for the furniture to arrive, but we were surprised that it came in under two weeks!  Yikes!  That meant lots of cleaning out and disposal of the old dresser and chest of drawers that had been my furniture.  We had to replace them since the drawers were broken beyond repair.  I had a week to empty out the room and sort through everything.  I was able to donate tons of clothing and baby bedding, along with a bag of unused stuffed animals.  We still have an abundance of stuffed animals, but I think they'll be here for a while.  

My son wanted a construction themed bedroom.  I am still in the process of making that theme happen, but for now he is happy with these cool wall decals I found that have construction vehicles, cones and signs.  I like that they are repositionable and won't harm the paint.  And for $12, when he changes his mind about the theme, they won't be a huge financial dent!  We picked out some construction themed fabric to use for pillow cases and I found some construction themed bedding that will make it on his bed once I get it all washed.  For now he is using his Ikea duvet with trucks and cars on it, and it works well!  

We decided not to get the desk that matched the furniture.  It was huge and would not fit into the room well.  We chose to buy a very small desk from Ikea that fits nicely and was very inexpensive.  If it ends up with crayons or marker stains on it, it won't be the end of the world.  Eventually it will hold a laptop nicely or be a good place to do some homework.  For now, my son is pretending it's his work desk!  He has the best imagination!

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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.  

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.  

Rock me like a Hurricane, Sandy

Well, I'd prefer not to experience another hurricane, but it looks like in less than 24 hours we are going to be blasted by the Frakenstorm of the year, category 1 Hurricane/Nor'easter Sandy.  When about a week ago my husband mentioned that the long range forecast included the crazy potential for a storm, possibly snow, I laughed.  As last week went on and I watched all the weather geeks on Facebook share their viewpoints on the forecast I started to believe it.  By Thursday we were stocked with water and groceries so that I wouldn't have to battle stores on the weekend.  We spent the weekend preparing the house while still trying to keep a schedule so that the kiddo wouldn't panic.

Here are some of the ways we prepared for the unknown, although I am really hoping we went WAY overboard!  (I think part of me is more in "Survivor" mode after watching too many episodes of Revolution and reading the Passage this summer.  I realize it's a hurricane coming, not the apocolypse, but there was a nagging feeling in my head...what if there was no more electicity ever again??)

• Purchased 9 gallons of water, one gallon per person per day for three days supply
• have a stock of juice pouches, a case of Horizon milk boxes, and boxed soymilk and parmalot
• crackers, peanut butter, jelly, and lots of snack bars
• filled both freezers with baggies of water so there are no gaps. Freezers will stay cold for 24 hours if they are packed. 
• Cleaned up the basement.  Re-located important boxes upstairs, cleared areas so that if we have to hide out there because of tornados, there is a space, and washed all laundry, just in case!
• My husband purchased a new pump, so now we have three.  They are not built in, so if we loose power, they won't work.  We are debating buying a generator after all of this is done to have for next time.  (Although neither of us has any idea how to use one!)
• Sand bagged a problem basement window and our basement door. Our neighbor's sump pump dumps water on our side, which runs downhill and into our house, since we live on a hill.  My husband covered one window that leaked in the past with sandbags in an attempt to redirect water elsewhere. 
• Cleaned the gutters, put away all outdoor furniture and hoseboxes, and trash cans. Even the new grill is stashed in the shed. 
• Stocked up on batteries and tested all flashlights.  We have a flashlight in almost every room.
• My husband purchased Mophie juice packs for our phones, so that we can recharge our phones as needed. 
• Hit the library for books!  Have a stash of crafts on hand.  Legos and board games stocked.
• Charged my laptop and updated anit-virus protection.  If we loose power and need to go elsewhere to use public wifi, I want my computer safe!
• We have public water, but we plan to fill at least one bathtub, just in case it's needed for flushing!
• Gassed up the cars, got some extra cash.
• Found our old fondue pot and it's fuel, for heating up canned soup!  (We have a gas range, so if we loose power, we can still use the burners for cooking, just with a lighter instead of the electronic ignition.)
• I still need to gather some important paperwork and put them in plastic baggies.  I'm debating packing an evaculation bag of clothing. 

When I told my son that he probably wouldn't have school for a couple of days he became upset and said, "but how will I learn?"  It's G-week at preschool this week.  I pointed out that he helped clean the gutters, which is a g-word.  I told him not to worry, I would teach him!  I'm so glad he likes school!  Storms make me extremely anxious.  We always get water in our basement.  We have always had success with pumping it out with our little pump.  We have never lost power, so with the threat of loosing power and not being able to pump the basement has me on edge.  My husband and I are trying very hard to not appear anxious in front of our son so that he isn't frightened.  He actually asked if we could go to the library to get some books on hurricanes, so we did. 

As I write this I have the news on.  The mayor of Philadelphia just closed the city for tomorrow.  The public transportation system will be shut down too.  This is really scary.

I hope that come Wednesday, Halloween, all of this has passed and the kids can celebrate Halloween.  It would be something nice after all of this stress.

Be safe!

 

For info about being safe in a Hurricane, consult the Red Cross.

Why shop at a consignment sale: Just Between Friends Sale!

Every fall and spring I take the time to evaluate my son's wardrobe needs and make a mental list of what is missing: hoodies, jeans, winter boots, etc.  Then I shop.  I've had good luck hitting clearance sales at local stores, but I also try to visit at least one consignment sale and store too, as there are certain items that I've found in the past at great deals.  About a month ago I sold his old things at a local consignment sale.  Being a "consignee" is a great way to clear out closets at home, make a little money for new items, and recycle and reuse things instead of sending them to a landfill.  

 So why shop at a consignment sale?

• Huge savings!  Many items are up to 90% off original retail
• Environmentally friendly. Reusing and recycling isn't just fashionable, it's smart for our planet.
• Great place to find special items, such as holiday clothes, fancy dress clothes, and dress shoes, many often barely worn.
• Winter Coats, Rain Coats, Spring Jackets, snow and rain boots. Kids grow so fast and these items are not worth spending full retail price on them.
• Toys. There are so many toys available at consignment sales and many times they are new in box. It's a great way to buy some holiday or birthday gifts.  You never know what treasure you'll find, like the tool belt my son discovered at a recent sale that he had wanted forever. It was only $5!
• Halloween costumes and accessories at low prices.
• Baby equipment.  Having a baby or wanting to have an extra bouncey seat for grandma's house? Babies grow out of equipment fast and usually leaving them in great condition. Find strollers, carriers, pack and plays, jumpers, etc for low cost.
• It's fun! Get a babysitter and go with some friends to shop.  Then go out afterwards to compare your loot!

Just Between Friends Sale 

Toys galore for sale at low prices

Starting today and through this Saturday is the Just Between Friends consignment sale in Oaks, PA at the Greater Philadelphia Expo Center.  I had the chance to preview the sale on media day and was astounded at the quantity of goods there.  They have about 700 consignors, with a floor space of 35000 square feet filled with merchandise!  It was the largest consignment sale I've ever seen and was incredibly well organized.  I was able to purchase a couple of pairs of pjs, a beautiful knit vest for the holidays and a cute Halloween shirt for my son.  I also found two DVDs for him, Peter Pan and the Rescuers, for $3 each, as well as a game and a cool responsibility chart that I've put away for the holidays. All for $36! If you are in the Philadelphia area, this was an easy sale to get to and shop.  Check it out!  And if you miss the sale in Oaks, they are also hosting a sale later this month in Reading, PA.  See the Just Between Friends Sale website for details regarding hours of operation.

I posted a while back a list of tips and tricks for shopping effectively at a consignment sale.  Check out that post for more information on how to shop at a consignment sale.

Tons of Halloween Costumes and accessories at the Just Between Friends Sale

Disclosure: I was invited to preview the sale and received a gift certificate to shop as part of the media event.  My thoughts shared here are genuine, as I've been a fan of consignment sales since becoming a parent.  

Screen Free Week, be creative

 

Turn off the TV this week!

This week, from April 30th until May 6th, is Screen Free Week.  It is a way to encourage people to reduce thier screen time and interact, exercise and play more using their brains and bodies, instead of watching TV, movies, video games or the computer.  

I noticed that after the amount of allergies and cold illnesses we've had the past few months that we have had the TV on way more than usual.  This week gives me a great excuse to reduce the exposure to TV and increase our play time in better ways.  I'm really hoping the weather agrees with me and stays nice this week, as it would really help!  My son is only 4 and at this age does not play video games or on the computer at home, so that isn't something that needs to change.  He is a big fan of PBS and Disney Jr, though, and while I like the programs he watches, it could be reduced drastically.  

Another really bad habit we have developed here is keeping the TV on during dinner.  I really hate it, but I am so tired by that time that I just give in to the arguing.  This is the week that it's going to stop.  I usually use the TV as entertainment later in the afternoon for quiet time, since my kiddo stopped napping.  It also helps me get dinner made, as he is occupied.  I haven't figured out a solution to that yet, except to have him help me cook dinner.  

I told my family about screen free week at dinner tonight, and said that my main goal for the week is to stop the TV on while we eat and to reduce the amount of TV that we watch.  So while we won't go completely TV free, I am curious to see how much we reduce our viewing. My son just sort of looked at me for a minute, and moved on.  (We kept the TV off all afternoon and evening today and worked in the garden outside instead!)

 Here is my list of things to do this week while we cut back significantly on TV time:

• Listen to music
• play with water beads  
• make mother's day gifts
• make fingerprint robins craft
• build our backyard racetrack
• garden
• dig for weeds (so fun, right)
• visit the library and READ
• fly a kite 
• make sidewalk chalk
• fingerpaint
• go for a walk
• visit a local garden center
• play outside in the yard
• visit a playground

How are you keeping your family occupied while cutting back on screen time this week?

Crafting a spring ribbon wreath

I used to make wreaths frequently, back when I had more time on my hands than I knew what to do with, you know, before parenting!  I forgot how much I enjoyed it.  This year I've been working on finding my lost creativity, slowly.  I made a fun pompom wreath for Valentine's Day/month that I really hated to put away, I liked it so much.  I replaced it with my latest creation, a ribbon curlicue wreath in spring colors. 

I was inspired to make this after reading some posts by Nikki of Nikki, in Stitches.  She posted a how to for a really great red and white Valentine's themed ribbon wreath a while back and the concept just stuck in my head.  I love ribbon, especially grosgrain ribbon, and always wondered how to make those corkscrew curlicues with it.  She posted great instructions for how to make them that I loosely followed and had great results. I chose to make my wreath a bit different than hers, using hot glue as opposed to straight pins for assembly, and I loved the results I had.

Spring Ribbon Wreath!

ribbon and trim detail

love those curlicues!

I debated about adding something like bunnies or colored eggs to the wreath, but I didn't want it to be an Easter wreath, as I wanted to leave it out for all of spring.  I found these butterflies at AC Moore and they were a perfect addition.  They even just clipped on!  I'm thinking about doing another pompom wreath for the summer in bright summer colors.  My son wants me to make him a rainbow pompom wreath!  I have to dig through my yarn stash to see what colors of yarn I have on hand.  I think a red, green and white ribbon curlicue wreath would look great for Christmas time.  So now I've discovered two new ways to decorate wreathes.  Thank you Pinterest!