National Clean Out Your Garage Giveaway

Having an organized garage is essential in keeping your sanity. Not only do you park your cars inside, but you may keep a multitude of other items in there too. You could have tools, brooms, cleaning supplies, children's bikes and outdoor toys, a lawn mower, etc. You can see how a garage can easily become a dumping ground for items if not stored properly and in an organized manner. It's important to clean out your garage from time to time, to keep your sanity!

"National Clean Out Your Garage Day” is an observance dedicated to educating Americans about garage safety. This year, Ace Hardware and Quickie are joining The Lehigh Group, manufacturer of Crawford branded garage organization products, making the 2012 program the largest campaign to date.

Slated for Saturday, Sept. 8, this year’s “National Clean Out Your Garage Day” campaign will focus on teaching people how to perfect their parking zones by providing tips for organizing and preventing garage accidents.
To celebrate, Crawford has prepared organization kits – filled with essential tools for ensuring the highest level of garage organization. It's easy to keep your garage an organized paradise with this prize pack!



-Crawford 16” Adjustable Storage Organizer: Designed for use anywhere in your home, garage, workshop, tool shed or basement, this system is great for hanging brooms, rakes and other lawn supplies.

-Crawford Sliding Spring Grip Organizer: Grips slide into position anywhere along the bar for maximum use. Guaranteed to never lose tension, the grips can hold hardware, garden tools, shovels and more.

-Quickie 2-in-1 Squeegee Pushbroom: This 2-in-1 pushbroom is designed for both indoor and outdoor use. Effortlessly sweep away dirt and debris or use the built-in professional-grade squeegee to push away excess water.

-ACE Multi-surface Pushbroom: This durable pushbroom is perfect for sweeping heavy debris, including caked-on dirt, gravel and construction materials.

-Lysol Sponges: Super absorbent and safe on most surfaces, these sponges can help tackle any tough mess.

Having a neat garage is not only important for you, but your family too. Make sure you don't leave sharp or dangerous objects around that small children could potentially be interested in.

How do you manage keeping your garage organized and clean?

GIVEAWAY RULES:
1. I will be picking ONE (1) winner for this contest. One winner will win a organization prize pack to help them make their garage more organized.

YOU MUST DO THIS FIRST or all other entries will be DELETED!

2. Please tell me why your garage needs an organizational makeover. (1 entry)

BONUS ENTRIES

3. Subscribe by Email and Confirm that Subscription (1 entry)

4. Subscribe to Sammi's Blog of Life in a Reader (1 entry)

5. Follow me on Blogger. (1 entry)

6. Follow me on Twitter (www.twitter.com/pinkice88) (1 entry)

7. Leave a Tweet and the direct link to that tweet (1 entry) (You can do this daily)

8. FOR 5 EXTRA ENTRIES - Blog about this giveaway with a link to my blog and come back and leave the link to your blog post. Post FIVE separate comments that you've blogged about this.

9. Add my main button to your sidebar (if it's already there, let me know that! Leave link to your blog.) (1 entry)

10. Add Sammi's Blog of Life to your blogroll (using my URL), with a link back to me! (1 entry)

11. Become a fan of my Facebook fan page for 1 entry (https://www.facebook.com/pages/Sammis-Blog-of-Life/307593407356)

Winner will be chosen on September 14th, 2012 at 10 pm and then will be emailed.
One entry per day.
Alternate winner will be chosen if winner does not respond after 48 hours. Thank you and good luck!
Disclaimer-
I was provided a product in exchange for my review. All thoughts and opinions are strictly mine and not based on anything else.
You can read more about my blog policies in my disclaimer.
Sammi's Blog Of Life Follows All New FTC & Facebook Laws for Reviews & Giveaways.
IF YOU DO NOT CORRECTLY ANSWER MY CONTEST QUESTION, YOUR COMMENT WILL BE IMMEDIATELY REJECTED.

Be In The Know About Teleflora

Beautiful flowers help to light up a room. I know when I walk into a room and I see a gorgeous bouquet in a vase, I instantly gravitate towards it. I want to smell the bouquet and see the stunning bold colors of the flowers up close. Flowers bring happiness and joy and they are a perfect gift for so many occasions.



Teleflora is proud to have been connecting customers with local florists in the US and Canada for more than 75 years. Their 18,000 member florists deliver fresh floral arrangements, plants and gift baskets. All of Teleflora's bouquets and centerpieces are professionally arranged using only the freshest flowers available and hand- delivered by the florist. In most cases bouquets and plants are offered same day flower delivery from Teleflora.

If you've previously received a Teleflora flower arrangement delivery, you know the joy that comes from a flower delivery. Remember how you felt when the van pulled up and the driver came to your door with a gorgeous bouquet, just for you? If you've given Teleflora flowers as a gift, I'm sure you can remember the joy the recipient had when they received the flowers.


These are my current favorite flower arrangement from Teleflora. So pretty!

A flower arrangement from Teleflora makes the perfect gift for a birthday, a person who is ill, a just thinking of you gift, a thank you present, or for any other occasion. Don't forget that flower arrangements are perfect for holidays too!

Whatever occasion it may be that you need to order flowers for, Teleflora is your flower headquarters.

*DISCLOSURE* This sponsored post was made possible by Mom Spark Media. I was compensated for my time investment and work on this campaign. Thoughts are my own.

Collage.com Giveaway

Remember those collage projects you did in school showcasing things that were important to you? You would feature your friends, family, pets, favorite flowers, food, etc. I always enjoyed doing those because all of the items and people that I loved were on one posterboard. It was fun to show off the poster too. Now with Collage, those picture dreams can become a sophisticated reality.

Collage.com allows you to create a photo collage in minutes! You can choose from over 100 shapes to feature your pictures in. Why not order high quality prints or share online for free? The shapes are a great feature, I believe. If you recently were married, why not feature your wedding photos in the shape of a heart or a bride and groom? It will look great on your wall and will certainly be a conversation starter. Other shapes include rectangles, circles, words, animals, etc. There's a shape to fit anyone's needs.

You can upload up to 500 pictures that will print bold, beautiful, and high quality. You can even upload a caption or title too. A collage would be great to feature family photos, vacation/trip pictures, and so much more.





A collage from Collage.com would make a fantastic and memorable gift for any occasion.

GIVEAWAY RULES:
1. I will be picking ONE (1) winner for this contest. One winner will win a 20x30 collage of their creation.

YOU MUST DO THIS FIRST or all other entries will be DELETED!

2. Please tell me what theme you would use for your collage. (1 entry)

BONUS ENTRIES

3. Subscribe by Email and Confirm that Subscription (1 entry)

4. Subscribe to Sammi's Blog of Life in a Reader (1 entry)

5. Follow me on Blogger. (1 entry)

6. Follow me on Twitter (www.twitter.com/pinkice88) (1 entry)

7. Leave a Tweet and the direct link to that tweet (1 entry) (You can do this daily)

8. FOR 5 EXTRA ENTRIES - Blog about this giveaway with a link to my blog and come back and leave the link to your blog post. Post FIVE separate comments that you've blogged about this.

9. Add my main button to your sidebar (if it's already there, let me know that! Leave link to your blog.) (1 entry)

10. Add Sammi's Blog of Life to your blogroll (using my URL), with a link back to me! (1 entry)

11. Become a fan of my Facebook fan page for 1 entry (https://www.facebook.com/pages/Sammis-Blog-of-Life/307593407356)

12. Follow Collage.com on Twitter for 1 entry
(https://twitter.com/collagedotcom)

13. Like Collage.com on Facebook for 1 entry
(https://www.facebook.com/collagedotcom)

Winner will be chosen on September 13th, 2012 at 10 pm and then will be emailed.
One entry per day.
Alternate winner will be chosen if winner does not respond after 48 hours. Thank you and good luck!
Disclaimer-
I was provided a product in exchange for my review. All thoughts and opinions are strictly mine and not based on anything else.
You can read more about my blog policies in my disclaimer.
Sammi's Blog Of Life Follows All New FTC & Facebook Laws for Reviews & Giveaways.
IF YOU DO NOT CORRECTLY ANSWER MY CONTEST QUESTION, YOUR COMMENT WILL BE IMMEDIATELY REJECTED.

Duane Reade and the Bryan Brothers #DRNesquik

I've always been a fan of chocolate milk. Even to this day I indulge in the cold and sweet beverage from time to time. Chocolate milk is comforting and of course who doesn't love the delicious chocolate-y taste too? Nesquik has always been my chocolate milk brand of choice.

When I had the chance to attend a Duane Reade event to meet the Bryan brothers, who have won a gold medal in tennis in the Olympic games, of course I was interested! It was sponsored by Nesquik and I've always been interested in tennis. How can you go wrong when combining tennis and Nesquik? I secretly hoped I'd be able to meet the Nesquik bunny too!


The van that's filled with chocolate goodness!

If you didn't already know, Nesquik recently partnered with the Bryan Brothers. The partnership was a smart choice and made sense. Mike and Bob Bryan grew up drinking Nesquik. They still regularly drink it as an athletic recovery beverage after their workouts. It has the perfect balance of protein and carbs to help them after their intense tennis matches.



As part of the Nesquik/Bryan Brothers partnership, Bob and Mike Bryan participated in a few events in NYC. The event that I went to took place at a large Duane Reade on 51st and 6th avenue, in Manhattan. The Bryan brothers were there for a meet and greet with their fans, and to sign autographs. There was a Nesquik sampling going on too. I, of course had to sample the drink. Since it was a hot day that day, the cool beverage was very refreshing. Myself and a few other Duane Reade bloggers were there to interview the brothers and get the latest scoop about them! The line grew longer and longer with their fans waiting for the chance to say hello.


Me and the Nesquik Bunny. I love him!

Check out the Duane Reade bloggers and staff with the Bryan Brothers!


I had a chance to ask them a few questions. I asked them what they would be doing if they were not playing tennis. They said they would most likely be focusing on their music career, since they play music on the side when they are not playing tennis. I had no idea they were into music and I thought that was really interesting.

Other bloggers had the chance to hold their gold medal, but I didn't have the chance to. How cool!

Me interviewing the Bryan Brothers.


All of us enjoyed ourselves when taking pictures with the Nesquik bunny and the Bryan Brothers. Both Mike and Bob were very nice and down to earth. I enjoyed speaking with them.

The only thing missing is the Bunny's autograph!

Later on that day, they participated in a charity table-tennis tournament at SPIN, which is a ping pong clubhouse co-owned by actress Susan Sarandon, against New York City firefighters to raise funds for the FDNY Foundation. They won the tournament and Nesquik donated $25,000 to the FDNY Foundation which supports fire prevention and health and wellness programs! That is amazing and very generous.

I had never previously been to Spin. It was exciting to see all of the FDNY firefighters competing for a great cause. There was a lot of action going on and my eyes darted from table to table, watching the games.



I had a great time and it was truly exciting to meet the Bryan Brothers. Thanks to Duane Reade for coordinating this.

Please check out my Google+ pictures here.

Make sure to stay in the loop of Duane Reade on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube!

Disclosure: I am a member of the Collective Bias™ Social Fabric® Community. This shop has been compensated as part of a social shopper insights study for Collective Bias™ #CBias #SocialFabric #DRNesquik All opinions and views are 100% my own.

RugsUSA Review

A rug helps to truly pull a room together. People's eyes immediately draw from the floor and up. It adds personality and character and becomes the focal point of the space. Let your creative energy flow and choose a rug that defines your style and personality. Decorating should be fun, and not a chore.



RugsUSA offers area rugs at discount prices and free shipping. Browse their large selection contemporary, traditional, outdoor rugs, clearance, and more. If you're in need of a rug, RugsUSA is the rug headquarters for you! They have gorgeous, high quality rugs that come in different sizes, colors, and styles to suit your needs. I gravitated towards the contemporary rug section. The fun and funky styles were right up my alleyway.

I've been wanting to redecorate my bedroom for a while now. I've had the same decor and bedspread for a while now. I knew it was time for a change. I bought a new bed in a bag set to help liven up the room a bit. Since my old rug was black and matched my old decor, I needed a new rug, of course to help tie everything together and to match. I was given the opportunity to review a 5x8 rug from RugsUSA and was delighted at the chance. I browsed the website and finally settled on the stunning Satara Edison Nickel rug. I knew it was the perfect choice when I saw it.



The rug matches my new comforter set amazingly. The picture does not do it justice, it is so beautiful in person! The rug is extremely high quality, soft, and thick. It's very plush to walk on too. The pattern is adorable and very modern. The base color of the pattern is more of a taupe than a grey, but that's what I was wanting. It really helps to tie my new decor together and the 5x8 size is perfect for the room its in, and my needs. I am absolutely very satisfied.

If you're looking to update your house or need a new rug for a certain room, I highly suggest RugsUSA! They will make your decor dreams come true.

*DISCLOSURE* Thank you to RugsUSA for providing me with this complimentary rug in exchange for this review. All thoughts and opinions are strictly mine and not based on anything else.

SpiceStack Review and Giveaway

I like to keep a very organized home. All of my clothes and shoes are neatly put away in the closet, my linen closet has everything meticulously folded, and my kitchen cabinets have all the cans and boxes lined up nicely. It can be frustrating to keep items organized if you don't have a lot of kitchen cabinets, which I don't. It's always been an uphill battle not to have items eventually become unorganized. I depend on racks and organizational tools to help me achieve that.



SpiceStack helps turn your jumbled spice mess into an organized success. The unit fits in all standard-sized kitchen cabinets and features three horizontal drawers for easy location, retrieval and return of store-bought spices. You simply pull the drawer out until it's extended and lower it to resting position at eye-level. Because all the labels face out, it's easy to select the spice of your choice. You save time searching for spices while cooking meals and preparing your shopping list. It also saves money because you're not buying duplicates of spices you already have. It's available in two sizes: the original which holds 18 full-sizes or 36 half-size spice bottles.



This is an absolutely fabulous tool. I cook a lot and have many spices in the kitchen. I'm always fumbling in the back of my cabinet to find the exact spice I need. I tend to pick out the wrong one because other food items are blocking the labels. I used to line up the spices in the front of the cabinet, but then it blocked other food items and eventually everything would become unorganized. I've always wished for a product to help me, and now the organization gods have spoken!

The SpiceStack fits neatly in my cabinet (which luckily is very wide.) It allows me to save space and still have room to store other food. The unit is white which is neutral and fits in with anything you might have. No assembly is required with the product and the rubber feet keep it securely in place inside your cabinet. I put my spice bottles into each row and I loved how each one fit properly and I was easily able to view the label. You can even put certain bottles on each row for easy access. For example, the spices that you use the most can go on the first row, so you always know where they are.

I first used the SpiceStack last night when I was cooking. I needed a bottle of seasoned salt in this recipe. I slid the first row and pulled it down and I loved what I saw staring back at me. My spices were facing front and easily viewable. Everything was at eye level and I did not need to fumble through the cabinets while the food was cooking. I didn't even have to stop cooking the chicken! With my free hand I could grab the spice, I thought this was truly fantastic.

The SpiceStack is here to make your life easier and less hectic in the kitchen. For that I am very grateful. When your items are organized, you feel better. I know I do. This would be a great gift for someone who just moved into a new apartment or house, or that budding chef in your family who's always cooking. Let SpiceStack help you turn your kitchen cabinet into an organized dream!

GIVEAWAY RULES:
1. I will be picking ONE (1) winner for this contest. One winner will win a SpiceStack from YouCopia products.

YOU MUST DO THIS FIRST or all other entries will be DELETED!

2. Please tell me how SpiceStack would keep you organized. (1 entry)

BONUS ENTRIES

3. Subscribe by Email and Confirm that Subscription (1 entry)

4. Subscribe to Sammi's Blog of Life in a Reader (1 entry)

5. Follow me on Blogger. (1 entry)

6. Follow me on Twitter (www.twitter.com/pinkice88) (1 entry)

7. Leave a Tweet and the direct link to that tweet (1 entry) (You can do this daily)

8. FOR 5 EXTRA ENTRIES - Blog about this giveaway with a link to my blog and come back and leave the link to your blog post. Post FIVE separate comments that you've blogged about this.

9. Add my main button to your sidebar (if it's already there, let me know that! Leave link to your blog.) (1 entry)

10. Add Sammi's Blog of Life to your blogroll (using my URL), with a link back to me! )1 entry)

11. Become a fan of my Facebook fan page for 1 entry (https://www.facebook.com/pages/Sammis-Blog-of-Life/307593407356)

12. Follow YouCopia Products on Twitter for 1 entry
(https://twitter.com/#!/youcopiainc)

13. Like YouCopia Products on Facebook for 1 entry
(http://www.facebook.com/pages/YouCopia-Products-Inc/109796922417321)

Winner will be chosen on September 11, 2012 at 10 pm est and then will be emailed.
One entry per day.
Alternate winner will be chosen if winner does not respond after 48 hours. Thank you and good luck!
Disclaimer-
I was provided a product in exchange for my review.
You can read more about my blog policies in my disclaimer.
Sammi's Blog Of Life Follows All New FTC & Facebook Laws for Reviews & Giveaways.
IF YOU DO NOT CORRECTLY ANSWER MY CONTEST QUESTION, YOUR COMMENT WILL BE IMMEDIATELY REJECTED.

Conair Giveaway

Are you one of the millions of women who are always wishing they had more volume in their hair? You tease your hair, use root boosting volumizing shampoo's, conditioner's, and assorted products that guarantee volume but don't achieve the results that you want? If your hair still constantly falls flat and disappoints you, listen up! Conair has come to the rescue once again to make your hair full and fabulous.



Conair is a developer, manufacturer and marketer of health and beauty products and kitchen and electronic appliances. Since its founding in 1959, the company has become a leading manufacturer of nationally branded personal and health care small appliances. Conair holds the number one position in the industry with hair dryers and curling irons. Other products also include grooming, health and wellness appliances.

Did you know that big hair is back in? I know, I know. Horrible flashbacks of your senior prom from 1986 might be entering your mind when you read this, but don't worry! We aren't talking about huge feathered or crimped hair. Conair knows how to bring back volumized hair into 2012.

Lots of celebs and fashionistas are tapping into the volume trend for their daily looks and red carpet events. Conair has a unique, just launching, secret tool to help you pump up YOUR volume without needing a celebrity stylist on speed dial! The Conair AdjustaCurl™ Self-Grip Rollers is the product you need to be in the know about. Voluminous hair is now fun and easy to achieve with this new styling essential.



This video is a great tutorial on how to use the product.


This great hair styling tool provides volume and also gives you great bouncy curls. The best part is that no heat is needed, so those days of worrying about heat damage to your hair is gone. You can also forget about waiting around for the curling iron to heat up too. No clips are necessary either. Just roll your hair into the self securing rollers and watch your hair turn into a glorious mane of curls in no time.

Using the Adjusta Curl Self Grip Rollers would be ideal to use for a date night with your significant other, a wedding, a fun night out with friends, or for any other formal event. You can easily store the product in a bathroom dresser drawer for convenient access. Pack them in your suitcase for beautiful hair on the go. Whatever your curly hair needs are, Conair is here to help.

GIVEAWAY RULES:
1. I will be picking ONE (1) winner for this contest. One winner will win a pack of Adjusta Curl Self Grip Rollers from Conair.

YOU MUST DO THIS FIRST or all other entries will be DELETED!

2. Please tell me how often your regularly curl your hair. (1 entry)

BONUS ENTRIES

3. Subscribe by Email and Confirm that Subscription (1 entry)

4. Subscribe to Sammi's Blog of Life in a Reader (1 entry)

5. Follow me on Blogger. (1 entry)

6. Follow me on Twitter (www.twitter.com/pinkice88) (1 entry)

7. Leave a Tweet and the direct link to that tweet (1 entry) (You can do this daily)

8. FOR 5 EXTRA ENTRIES - Blog about this giveaway with a link to my blog and come back and leave the link to your blog post. Post FIVE separate comments that you've blogged about this.

9. Add my main button to your sidebar (if it's already there, let me know that! Leave link to your blog.) (1 entry)

10. Add Sammi's Blog of Life to your blogroll (using my URL), with a link back to me! )1 entry)

11. Become a fan of my Facebook fan page for 1 entry (https://www.facebook.com/pages/Sammis-Blog-of-Life/307593407356)

12. Follow Conair on Twitter for 1 entry
(http://twitter.com/#!/Conair_Hair)

13. Like Conair on Facebook for 1 entry
(http://www.facebook.com/conairhair)

Winner will be chosen on September 10, 2012 at 10 pm est and then will be emailed.
One entry per day.
Alternate winner will be chosen if winner does not respond after 48 hours. Thank you and good luck!
Disclaimer-
I was provided a product in exchange for my review.
You can read more about my blog policies in my disclaimer.
Sammi's Blog Of Life Follows All New FTC & Facebook Laws for Reviews & Giveaways.
IF YOU DO NOT CORRECTLY ANSWER MY CONTEST QUESTION, YOUR COMMENT WILL BE IMMEDIATELY REJECTED.

Canvas4Life Review and Giveaway

I love anything to do with interior decorating. I'm constantly picking out new pieces of artwork for my apartment, or updating accent pieces. I love to watch HGTV too. There's nothing like having a new piece of art on the wall. It makes the room come alive and bring warmth and conversation to it. Do you know what makes an ordinary piece of art stand out? The answer to that question would be a canvas on your wall that you custom designed from a picture that you took. That is extra special.



Canvas4Life is an exciting and innovative company giving people worldwide the ability to transform their digital photos into amazing canvas art prints. Their mission is to provide great custom wall art, at affordable prices, to every home around the world. There is no canvas art print that they cannot create. Simply upload your photo onto their website and they do the rest. They print just about any sized photo on high-quality, 100% cotton canvas. Each print is gallery wrapped on professional stretcher bars and you even get to choose from many free creative options, like their Andy Warhol effect, as well as special cropping and other advanced edit.

A beautiful canvas displaying a picture of your family would be a great addition to a family room or living room. Capture your memories and enjoy them through a beautiful piece of art on your wall.

I had the opportunity to create my own canvas for review purposes. Since I am moving next month, it couldn't have come at a better time since I can hang it up in my new apartment. I spent some time deciding what I would like. I didn't know if I wanted a picture of the beach, flowers that I took, or what. I love photography and am constantly taking pictures, so I had a lot to choose from. I finally settled on a gorgeous picture of Manhattan that I took a few months back. I took the picture at night and I really loved the way it came out. I knew it would be perfect to choose.

The canvas came very quickly, within a few days. It was packaged very carefully and bubble wrapped well. The canvas is a 16x20 which is a great size for any wall.



I took this picture when I was standing on a bridge, which is how I achieved that angle. I instagramed it, which I tend to do to most pictures I take. I love when photos have a vintage feel to them. It really appeals to me and makes the pictures look like they are from a different era.

The canvas is created very well. It's solidly made and is of high quality. The back of the canvas has an area for you to hang up on the wall, which makes things a lot easier. I can't wait to hang this up in my new apt, it will look great!

Ordering a canvas would be a perfect gift for practically anybody, for any occasion. Why not order a canvas featuring a favorite picture of you and your girlfriend, or a photo of your grandchildren for a proud grandma to display? The possibilities are endless. This is one gift that will surely make anybody happy.

GIVEAWAY RULES:
1. I will be picking ONE (1) winner for this contest. One winner will win a 16x20 custom canvas of their creation from Canvas4Life.

YOU MUST DO THIS FIRST or all other entries will be DELETED!

2. Please tell me what picture you would choose for your canvas. (1 entry)

BONUS ENTRIES

3. Subscribe by Email and Confirm that Subscription (1 entry)

4. Subscribe to Sammi's Blog of Life in a Reader (1 entry)

5. Follow me on Blogger. (1 entry)

6. Follow me on Twitter (www.twitter.com/pinkice88) (1 entry)

7. Leave a Tweet and the direct link to that tweet (1 entry) (You can do this daily)

8. FOR 5 EXTRA ENTRIES - Blog about this giveaway with a link to my blog and come back and leave the link to your blog post. Post FIVE separate comments that you've blogged about this.

9. Add my main button to your sidebar (if it's already there, let me know that! Leave link to your blog.) (1 entry)

10. Add Sammi's Blog of Life to your blogroll (using my URL), with a link back to me! (1 entry)

11. Become a fan of my Facebook fan page for 1 entry (https://www.facebook.com/pages/Sammis-Blog-of-Life/307593407356)

12. Follow Canvas4Life on Twitter for 1 entry
(http://twitter.com/#!/Canvas_4_Life)

13. Like Canvas4Life on Facebook for 1 entry
(http://www.facebook.com/Canvas4LifeUK)

Winner will be chosen on September 7th, 2012 at 10 pm and then will be emailed.
One entry per day.
Alternate winner will be chosen if winner does not respond after 48 hours. Thank you and good luck!
Disclaimer-
I was provided a product in exchange for my review. All thoughts and opinions are strictly mine and not based on anything else.
You can read more about my blog policies in my disclaimer.
Sammi's Blog Of Life Follows All New FTC & Facebook Laws for Reviews & Giveaways.
IF YOU DO NOT CORRECTLY ANSWER MY CONTEST QUESTION, YOUR COMMENT WILL BE IMMEDIATELY REJECTED.

Progresso Review

Cooking is one of many things that I enjoy in life. I'm not a gourmet chef by any means, but I find cooking relaxing and therapeutic. Of course I always love to try new recipes in the hopes of finding new dishes to create and serve. Like everyone else, I don't always have time to make a meal from scratch. I welcome any cooking shortcuts to help me make delicious meals, but in a fraction of the time. For that, I turn to Progresso.



Crafted for taste, Progresso Soups are made from authentic recipes, using only the highest-quality ingredients. Their chef-inspired broths are 100% natural and deliver rich, homemade flavor. Progresso Foods brings you premium quality ingredients that can help you make a meal everyone will remember. At Progresso, they believe that food should always be delicious.

I've been enjoying Progresso soups for as long as I can remember. What I love most about the brand is that they offer lower calorie or reduced sodium soups that are still equally delicious. They have so many delicious flavors that are sure to satisfy. A lot of their soups contain hearty servings of veggies, making them light, or 100 calories per serving. The soups are filling and wholesome.

Recently, Progresso has introduced a new line of cooking sauces. Progresso Recipe Starters come in five varieties and give cooks a head start to home cooked. The five delectable flavors are creamy parmesan basil, creamy portabella mushroom, creamy roasted garlic, creamy three cheese, and fire roasted tomato. Don't these sound fabulous? Ideas of what to make with these sauces floated through my head as I awaited their arrival.

Pretty soon, a big box showed up at my door containing the cooking sauces, 2 recipe booklets, and a Progresso branded wooden spoon. I love the way it was packaged too.

I read through the recipe booklets for ideas and inspiration on what to make with these fabulous sounding sauces. There are so many different ways to incorporate these sauces into your meal, don't worry you'll never run out of ideas!




I finally figured out what to make. I knew I wanted to use the creamy three cheese sauce first, so why not make a casserole? I got together noodles, broccoli, and ground chicken. I cooked them all and then poured them into a baking dish along with the cheese sauce to bake for about 20 minutes. Since the only thing that had to bake was the cheese sauce, I felt like that amount of time would be enough. The cheese sauce wasn't extremely thin, but it wasn't overly thick either. It was a beautiful soft yellow.

20 minutes later, this is what emerged. I love how beautifully everything cooked together. Do you see the cheese sauce?


When I took the casserole out of the oven, the cheese sauce was bubbling away. It smelled wonderful. The dish tasted top notch too. The sauce really gave the casserole the burst of flavor it needed to be extra delicious. It wasn't overly cheesy, but it gave the dish the perfect amount of cheesiness. I don't like overly creamy and thick cheese sauces, so I was happy to see that the sauce wasn't like that. You could even make a casserole like this with the fire roasted tomato sauce and add a little bit of cheese for a fun Italian style dish. You could substitute my wide noodles for penne too.

I am very much looking forward to trying the other sauces. I want to use the creamy mushroom sauce on chicken breasts and serve them with rice and a salad. I bet that will be delicious.

When you use Progresso's new cooking sauces, you can become your own chef, which is the best part. Have fun creating new recipes and using these sauces in your favorite dishes. Experimenting and finding what works and doesn't is what cooking is all about.

*DISCLOSURE* Thank you to Progresso for supplying me with these complimentary cooking sauces in exchange for this review. All thoughts and opinions are strictly mine and not based on anything else.

Who wants to win some $$?

The Soft Scrub Tough & Gentle Sweepstakes is up and running! I know everyone always loves the chance to win gift cards and money. Please see below for more infomation.



There is a $1,000 grand prize and fifty 2nd place winners will each receive $40 in gift cards.

All you have to do is sign up by clicking on my unique URL (http://insiders.purex.com/soft-scrub?id=783t)

Good luck!

*Disclosure* I was not compensated to write this post. I do receive a chance to win prizes from posting this from being a Purex Insider.

Ripley's Believe It Or Not Review

I've been watching Ripley's Believe It Or Not since I was a kid. The weird and bizarre oddities of people and objects are very intriguing. I think everyone is interested in hidden talents, but this takes hidden talents to a whole different level. Two headed sheeps, women with 20 inch waists and shrunken heads are just some of the freaky things that we love to see. Ripley's Believe It Or Not Museum glorifies all that is strange for your viewing pleasure!



Ripley's Believe It Or Not in New York City's Times Square showcases the odd and celebrates the weird and outlandish from around the world. Your self-guided adventure is sure to astonish as you come face to face and interact with remarkable relics and rare treasures from around the world in their museum attraction. For over 40 years, Robert Ripley - the real-life Indiana Jones - traveled the world collecting the unbelievable, the inexplicable and the one-of-a-kind. His vast collections praised as “amazing”, “ludicrously strange” and “extremely amusing” are now on display in their exhibits for you to see, hear and touch, Believe It or Not!

I've lived in NY for years and have always wanted to go to the attraction, but never had the chance to. I've always been interested in Ripley's and knew that I would enjoy going. When I had the chance to review the establishment, I was looking forward to going.

As I rode the train to Times Square, I was imagining what kind of things I would see inside. I pictured shrunken heads, extraordinarily tall or short people, two or three headed animals, and who knows what else! Ripley's is the perfect place to take your family to for a day of family fun. Your children will enjoy seeing all of the strange exhibits and the establishment is educational and entertaining for all. This is a perfect place to go to if you're looking for something different and out of the ordinary to do.

Even before you go into the main galleries there are things to see in the lobby. Everywhere you look there is something that catches your eye.






Don't tick him off!

Ripley's is very large. There are more than 20 themed galleries on two separate floors featuring outrageous videos, interactive exhibits, and archival exhibits too. Whether you're wanting to see torture tools used decades ago, war masks, odd animals, and much more, there is a gallery that you will enjoy. I wanted to take my time and walk around the exhibits and make sure that I took everything in.

I took some pictures as I walked into the first few galleries. The plaques below the pictures/exhibits are really detailed and inform you well of what you're seeing. I really enjoyed having the chance to see and learn about things I would otherwise not be able to see unless I went to Ripley's.

It was interesting to see the museum through children's eyes. There were many families when I visited and it was actually pretty crowded. Some of them were scared, some were extremely curious, and others were asking questions and wanting to learn more about what they were seeing.




I stopped and viewed everything and kept walking to the next and future galleries. I couldn't find anything that didn't pique my interest. I think that's the beauty of Ripley's, they appeal to any age. Each gallery contained many exhibits inside for you to see.


A view of the main lobby from up above.

What I liked most about certain galleries is how interactive they were. Instead of just reading a plaque, you can actually see a video about what you're looking at, or press a button and the exhibit becomes interactive. It keeps you hooked and provides you a different and more entertaining way to learn. Some of the interactive exhibits actually startled me, they spoke or made noise when I wasn't expecting it! I was even uncertain at times what I was going to see next as I walked through the museum, ha!

There were monitors playing clips in some galleries from the Ripley's show, usually having to do with an exhibit in the same room.




Seeing these exhibits was incredibly fascinating and cool. You don't realize things like this exist until you see them in person! The galleries and exhibits were well put together and everyone that I saw was having a good time and enjoying themselves.





One thing I really enjoyed was the black hole. You go inside and it is sort of like a ride, you feel like you're tilting and falling off the earth. You can't see too well in there because it's dark, except for the lights on the side of the walls. It was a lot of fun! I didn't stay in too long because it was making me dizzy! It was funny to see how many people didn't want to go into the black hole, or they went in a few steps and quickly came back out. They even had a short cut for the "cowards!"

Besides there being odd and strange things, there are very interesting things to see; like a picture of President Abraham Lincoln made completely of pennies, and a whole list of every odd thing swallowed by people. Did you know that someone once swallowed a needle and a screw? My stomach hurts just thinking about it!




As I made my way into the final gallery and did the LaseRace, I couldn't believe that I had seen everything already. I felt like time just whizzed by because I was having such a good time. There's even a gift shop downstairs for you to buy odd items that are definite conversation starters.

I really enjoyed my time at the museum and would love to come back in the future, especially if they ever change the exhibits. I loved being educated on subjects that I wasn't already tuned in to. I highly recommend coming to Ripley's if you're looking for something entertaining to do while in NYC. You won't be disappointed!

*DISCLOSURE* Thank you to Ripley's for providing me with complimentary admission in exchange for this review. All thoughts and opinions are strictly mine and not based on anything else.

Hampton Forge Review and Giveaway

If you cook a lot like me, you appreciate having kitchen items that are top notch and produce great results. I believe that quality food starts with quality tools. It's frustrating to use dull tools that hurt your food, rather than help it. Make sure that you have the sharpest knives to slice, dice, and chop the ingredients needed in your dishes.



Hampton Forge is passionate about enhancing dining and entertaining by creating flatware, cutlery and accessories of artistic excellence, material quality and value. They produce gorgeous flatware in styles that will please everyone. Their knives are sharp, quality made, and long lasting. If you're looking to update your kitchen, Hampton Forge is your go-to brand.

I received the opportunity to review three Hampton Forge printed paring knives, I was looking forward to it. I use paring knives to peel fruits and veggies, and also to chop small items. A paring knife should be an essential item in everyone's kitchen.


What I like most about these knives is that they are perfect to use for the rest of the summer. Each knife features a summer fruit; red tomatoes, green apples, and citrus oranges. They are very cute. The colors on the knives are bright and they are full of personality. I've always had plain black paring knives, so I welcome anything to bring color and fun to my kitchen and meal prep.

The knives are very sharp and worked effortlessly to help me chop a small piece of garlic and cut up an orange. Of course I used the orange knife on the orange! The knives are fairly large and the handle is long and comfortable to hold and grip while using them. The dishwasher-safe and high-grade stainless steel shell non-stick coating offers ease in meal preparation safety, with its matching blade guards that maintain product sharpness while in storage. The knives also come with a 30-year warranty. If you have small children around, the blade guards are the perfect way to keep curious hands away from sharp objects.

I'm very satisfied with the knives so far. They would make a great gift for a college student or someone who just moved into a new apartment or house. Why not help in bringing fun to someone's kitchen?

GIVEAWAY RULES:
1. I will be picking ONE (1) winner for this contest. One winner will win a 6 piece printed paring knife set (3 knives and 3 blade guards) from Hampton Forge.

YOU MUST DO THIS FIRST or all other entries will be DELETED!

2. Please tell me why you need new paring knives. (1 entry)

BONUS ENTRIES

3. Subscribe by Email and Confirm that Subscription (1 entry)

4. Subscribe to Sammi's Blog of Life in a Reader (1 entry)

5. Follow me on Blogger. (1 entry)

6. Follow me on Twitter (www.twitter.com/pinkice88) (1 entry)

7. Leave a Tweet and the direct link to that tweet (1 entry) (You can do this daily)

8. FOR 5 EXTRA ENTRIES - Blog about this giveaway with a link to my blog and come back and leave the link to your blog post. Post FIVE separate comments that you've blogged about this.

9. Add my main button to your sidebar (if it's already there, let me know that! Leave link to your blog.) (1 entry)

10. Add Sammi's Blog of Life to your blogroll (using my URL), with a link back to me! (1 entry)

11. Become a fan of my Facebook fan page for 1 entry (https://www.facebook.com/pages/Sammis-Blog-of-Life/307593407356)

12. Follow Hampton Forge on Twitter for 1 entry
(https://twitter.com/hamptonforge)

Winner will be chosen on September 4th, 2012 at 10 pm and then will be emailed.
One entry per day.
Alternate winner will be chosen if winner does not respond after 48 hours. Thank you and good luck!
Disclaimer-
I was provided a product in exchange for my review. All thoughts and opinions are strictly mine and not based on anything else.
You can read more about my blog policies in my disclaimer.
Sammi's Blog Of Life Follows All New FTC & Facebook Laws for Reviews & Giveaways.
IF YOU DO NOT CORRECTLY ANSWER MY CONTEST QUESTION, YOUR COMMENT WILL BE IMMEDIATELY REJECTED.