$25 Amazon Gift Card Giveaway *CLOSED*

Tweet  For my New Year's resolution, I have committed to buy more Made in USA items. I know it is sometimes hard to find those items. That is why I started my blog. I wanted to share the hours I spent searching for USA made products with others. I hope the winner will try to find USA made products on Amazon.

Use Amazon's search box to find USA made products.

Giveaway ends January 14, 2012 at 12:01 a.m. EST.

Joico Hair Care Products Review and Giveaway

Tweet I've always had a soft spot for skin care products, cosmetics and hair care products and love trying new things.
I love salon products. I'm especially happy that I can find these types of products made in the U.S.A.

My hair gets really dry this time of year. I sit right underneath the heater at work at it constantly blows onto my head, causing static in my hair. I want a product that will keep my hair hydrated and free from static.

Joico's Daily Care Conditioning Shampoo was developed to to replenish moisture and elasticity to hair. It is supposed to work for chemically treated hair as well. This made me a perfect candidate for trying the product. I color my hair to cover the few wisps of gray.This can cause extra dryness. Combined with my heater problem at work, I need a product that will keep my hair from showing the effects of the harsh conditions present this time of year.

The Daily Care Conditioning Shampoo worked for me. I've been using it for the last five days and noticed the static in my hair has been reduced significantly. My hair feels healthy. I haven't noticed an increase in the shine but I have noticed a decrease in the dryness. I often choose hair care products based on smell as I don't like strong, perfume smells. Joico's Conditioning Shampoo has a nice, mild smell so it is perfect for me. It doesn't leave a strong scent. I would recommend the shampoo for those with normal to mild chemically treated hair. It leaves the hair healthy.

This time of year, conditioner is more important to me than shampoo. When my hair gets dry, it is extra hard to comb through and as I get older, my head gets more sensitive. I want a conditioner that will make my hair soft and easy to comb, even when wet.

Joico's Daily Care Conditioner was developed as a daily conditioner to help prevent moisture loss and keep hair resilient and strong. It is fortified with starflower oil. I first noticed the smell. It almost has a light, citrus scent which I really liked. When I poured it in my hand, it didn't feel as thick and creamy as I usually look for in a conditioner. However,  it did help soften my hair. I usually like a conditioner a that makes my hair a little softer. The Daily Care Conditioner is great for daily use, but I would still use a deep conditioner a few times a month. I like the product. It works great if you have normal hair. I did notice a reduction of my static during the use of the conditioner. My hair wasn't as easy to comb wet as I would have liked, but once dry, it felt healthy and soft.

When I purchased the shampoo and conditioner, I received a sample size of the K-Pak Revitilizer which I am not reviewing. However I am giving away a set of products, just like the ones I purchased.

If you want to find out more about Joico products, please visit their website HERE. Joico is sold at salons across the country. You can find a salon near you by going to Joico's home page.

As with all of the products I review, Joico products are manufactured in the U.S.A. Please support USA made products and help create US jobs.

Now for the giveaway. One lucky winner will receive the Joico Hair Care Package below. To enter contest, please use the Rafflecopter form. Contest ends January 9, 2011 at 10:01 p.m. MST.  This contest is not endorsed or affiliated with Twitter or Facebook.

**Disclosure: I did not receive free product or monetary compensation for this post. The giveaway prize is offered by the blog owner and is no way sponsored by Joico. My opinions were in no way influenced by the manufacturer of this product.

Home For The Holidays: Fun In The Kitchen

Tweet      If your kids are like mine, they can't wait for the holiday break from school. It seems the first few days are full of fun and then... you guessed it:  Those dreaded words, "I'm bored." When my children were younger, it was easy to keep them entertained. They pretty much liked any activity we could think of. As they grew older, they didn't want to do much with me, well my boys didn't anyway. I still want to do something with them. I found the perfect activity to get my twelve-year-old son willing to do something with me. Okay, the offer to let him eat anything we make could be construed as a bribe. Whatever works, Right? My solution, a fun and easy homemade treat, easy turtles. Try this at home in the next few days. They make a great last minute gift and don't take long at all.

                                                   How to Make Easy Turtles

                                             

                                                             You will need

                                                  1 bag of pretzels (the square work the best)

                                                  1 bag of Rolo brand candy

                                                  1 bag of pecan halves 

                                                  Cookie sheet

                                                  A few sets of willing hands                                                    

 
              






                                         Directions
                                                       Wash those sets of willing hands

                                                               Unwrap Rolos
                                                          Set in center of pretzel
                          Put in oven at 225 degrees for about 2-3 minutes or until the caramel/chocolate is soft
                          Press the flat side of the pecan onto the chocolate an press down about halfway.
                                                                  Cool and enjoy

 

My son invited a friend over to help us with the project. It was a great way to get the older boys into the kitchen. My son had a blast and even made a second batch of gluten free turtles for his older sister with gluten free pretzels. 

In the spirit of my blog, all ingredients for this project are Made in USA.

**Disclosure: This is not a paid post nor is it endorsed by any of the products pictured. I was not provided compensation or product in exchange for the post.

Photos in the post are copyrighted and belong to blog owner. Please do not reuse under any circumstances, especially those with children. 

A Homemade in U.S.A. Christmas - Recipe

Tweet When I was younger, my sister's and I would spend a few days before Christmas cooking. By the time I was fourteen, I could make wicked English Toffee, all kinds of Christmas cookies, a killer rice pudding, salt water taffy and the best ever caramel popcorn. We were never afraid to try new recipes.

As I got older and life got busier, I found trying to make too much at Christmas was stressful. One year I sewed an entire wardrobe of doll clothes daughter with matching pajamas and a dress for my daughter. On top of that, I still made Christmas goodies for the neighbors.

Since then, I have had to scale back to make Christmas morning more enjoyable. But, it wouldn't seem like Christmas without cooking. It seems I've become notorious for my popcorn. I've been passing it around the last few years. It's not that hard and it doesn't take long. The key is to make sure you get the temperature exactly right and keep stirring the caramel until it reaches the desired temperature. I thought it would be fun to share my homemade recipe.

          

Caramel Popcorn

1 pound pkg. or 2 cups packed brown sugar

1 Cup light corn syrup

1 square butter or margarine (I use real butter)

1 can sweetened condensed milk

3 gallons popped corn (the large yellow kernels work the best)

Combine sugar, syrup and cook stirring constantly until mixture comes to a boil.

Add butter and continue cooking until butter melts and mixture boils. Add condensed milk and bring to boil again, stirring constantly. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until soft ball stage (240 degrees F). Pour over popped corn and mix evenly. If using chocolate, spread on two large cookie sheets. Cool

Optional Yummy Add On

1 bag milk chocolate chips

1/2 bag semi-sweet chocolate chips.

1/2-3/4 cup coconut flakes.

Sprinkle popcorn with coconut flakes as much or little as you like.

Melt a half bag of milk chocolate chips in microwave. I like to set it for 30 seconds at a time and stir so the chocolate doesn't burn. Repeat until chocolate is melted.

Drizzle all of the chocolate over one cookie sheet of popcorn and repeat for the other sheet. 

Melt the semi-sweet chips the same and use 1/4 bag on each cookie sheet.

You can omit any of the above items or add white chocolate as well. My photo shows the coconut, milk and semi-sweet chocolate.

This is a soft, chewy caramel popcorn and a big hit for the holidays. Wrap in cellophane and tie with a bow for a fun neighbor or coworker homemade gift.

Eden Fantasys Loves Bloggers

Tweet Eden Fantasys is an adult store which sells everything from adult toys to lingerie and even cosmetics and bath products. I'm always looking for companies who make at least some of their items in the U.S.A. I was thrilled to learn that Eden Fantasys features the  Booty Parlor items made in the U.S.A. I'm a sucker for cosmetics and can't wait to try this lip gloss.

As a blogger who promotes made in USA products, it's hard to find retailers who carry USA made products. Eden Fantasys worked with me to insure I knew exactly which of their products are made in the USA and how their company could fit with my blog. I had concerns about working with a retailer of adult products because I also have a blog for children. Again, Eden Fantasys helped me find products which would be appropriate for me to try and talk about without compromising my reputation. Their professionalism and sensitivity convinced me that they really are a company who loves bloggers. I am only interested in trying out their bath and beauty products, but they love that too.

Eden will work with mom bloggers, product review bloggers, tech bloggers, lifestyle bloggers, you name it, they will work with you. If you want to review free products, write sponsored posts, or earn money for affiliate advertising, Eden would love to have you.

Are you a blogger who wants to work with Eden Fantasys. Click HERE for more information.

Eden Fantasys is an adult store for over 18. Please do not visit this site if you are under the age of 18.

**Disclosure:  As per FTC guidelines, this is a sponsored post. I have been compensated  by Eden Fantasys with a token gift card in exchange for this post.

Skin Care Product Review: Elite Therapeutics

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Elite Therapeutics Elite Cream

 I love trying new skin care products, especially this time of year when my skin dries out from indoor heating and outdoor cold. My face gets red and itchy this time of year so I'm especially anxious to find products that will heal my skin.

Dr. Kevin L. Schewe, MD, had healing in mind when he developed the Elite Therapeutics products. As a radiation oncologist, Dr. Schewe witnessed first hand the devastating effects of radiation and chemotherapy to the skin. He has spent years researching and testing various skin care products and found that Vitamin-E technology protects and repairs damaged skin.

Though I do not suffer the effects of cancer treatments, I do suffer from uneven skin tone and skin irritation. When I read about the Elite Therapeutics skin care line, I was excited to see if the products could do for my skin what they claim to do for the skin of cancer survivors.

I received a  tube of Elite Cream Daily Clinical Skin Therapy. I immediately saw on the tube that it was fragrance free. I was relieved since I sometimes have reactions to skin care products with heavy perfume scents. When I opened the tube, I was greeted with a pleasant subtle citrus scent. In the list of ingredients, I found the scent was from the natural pink grapefruit added to product. I fell in love with the sweet citrus aroma right away.

As much as I liked the scent, how the product performed was more important. I want something that will soothe my dry skin and take away the redness. The Elite Cream did not disappoint. The product was very creamy and when I applied it to my face, felt soothing. I used it once in the morning and once in the evening as directed and found after four days, the itchiness on my face began to disappear. The redness between my nose and cheek was notably improved. My face didn't feel nearly as dry in the morning upon awakening after day four as it did on day one. I was thrilled that I didn't have any skin reactions to the Elite Cream and that it helped soften my skin.

The Elite Cream is rich with natural vitamin E and contains other natural ingredients. I was happy to see that the product is also paraben-free. It is not tested on animals and is cruelty-free as well.

The Elite Cream by Elite Therapeutics is for normal to dry skin and damaged skin. It is not for oily skin and I wouldn't recommend it for oily skin. However, I highly recommend Elite Creme Daily Clinical Skin Therapy for normal to dry skin. To purchase this product follow the link. (http://www.elitetherapeutics.com/products/elite-creme.html

You may also visit the retailers web page by clicking HERE.
Or go directly to their website at http://www.elitetherapeutics.com

Thank you to Elite Therapeutics for letting me try this fabulous skin care product. I am thrilled when I find wonderful skin care products made in the U.S.A. Elite Therapeutics is located in Colorado and manufactures the items there.

I wanted to add that I used this product after coming back from vacation with sunburned skin. I also had a tender skin under my arm. The product worked well in soothing my skin with both problems. Usually lotions and creams sting when applied to sores or sunburns, but the Elite Cream did not. My sore under arm skin healed quickly after using the cream for a few days on it.

**I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.
I received the product from the Elite Therapeutics

USA Made Product Review and Giveaway: Royal Garden Tee from All USA Clothing

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This holiday season, I took the challenge to spend $64.00 on U.S.A. made goods. I tried finding items at nearby shopping malls and came up empty handed. I searched online retailers and found All USA Clothing. I'm always nervous about ordering clothes online. I shouldn't be. My experience with All USA Clothing was awesome. The customer service was good and my order arrived quickly.

I ordered the Royal Garden Tee by Cactus Fashions along with two other shirts. When the shirt arrived, I was impressed with the packaging. The shirt was individually wrapped in plastic and included a plastic hanger. I examined the shirt carefully and noticed stitching was perfect and was really well made. The shirt is 100% cotton, but it is a stretchy knit. The fabric was very thick. Not at all flimsy like a similar shirt made in China I acquired a few weeks ago. I always hear people say they can't afford products made in the U.S.A. I paid $29.99 for this shirt. I think the price was very reasonable. It was only a few dollars more than I paid for a similar shirt made outside of the U.S. but the quality is far superior and worth the few extra bucks.

The shirt fit perfectly and is very comfortable. My favorite part about the shirt is that it is long enough at the waist to cover my back when I bend over. I love that I can wear it with jeans. However, it has such a beautiful design, I wouldn't hesitate to wear it with black slacks for a dressier look. I am glad I found All USA Clothing. I'm even happier that there are still apparel items made in the USA.

Here I am loving my new shirt.                                   

 Okay, I don't claim to be a model, but most of us aren't.

I love the Made in USA tag. I had to show it off.

You can visit the retailers website at http://www.allusaclothing.com

Want to purchase this shirt or another like it. Click HERE to visit All USA Clothing and support the Made in USA #64movement. Want to find out more about the $64 movement? Click here.

All USA Clothing has generously offered to give one of my lucky readers a chance to win this shirt or another of equal value from All USA Clothing. Thank you to this wonderful online retailer for sponsoring the giveaway.

Giveaway Details: The giveaway is sponsored by All USA Clothing and the product will be provided to the winner by them. The retailer reserves the right to substitute item with an item of equal value. Giveaway ends December 20, 2011 at 12:01 a.m. EST. Use Rafflecopter form for contest entry. Please be patient while it loads. Click here if the wrong Rafflecopter form loads.

**Disclaimer: I did not receive compensation of any kind for this post nor did I receive free product. All USA Clothing is sponsoring the giveaway and will provide the product at no charge to the winner. My opinions are not influenced in any way by the retailer or manufacturer of this item.

Made In USA $64 Movement

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 I'm starting a $64.00 Movement and I'm counting on all my readers to help made the movement get the publicity it needs by the end of the week.

The National Retail Federation estimates that the average American spends $705.00 on holiday gifts. If just $64.00 was spent on products made in the U.S.A, it would create 200,000 American jobs. Let's do what we can to get ourselves and our neighbors to work. 

Having trouble finding products made in the U.S.A.? I have a list on my left side bar of categories. Clicking on a category will bring up a list of companies who make products in the U.S.A. Support some of these wonderful retailers.

I have done my part by purchasing these fabulous shirts from: https://allusaclothing.com
You may click the images to take you directly to the purchase page from All USA Clothing.

 

Are you a USA made company who would like to sponsor a review and/or giveaway? Please contact me under the contact me link to find out how.

Thank you for doing your part to keep Americans working. 

Want to add the banner to your site? Please contact me for html code. 

Want to tweet about the movement? Use #64movement hashtag.

Leave a blog post and tell me where you will spend your $64.00. 

**Disclosure: This is NOT a sponsored post. I have not been paid nor have I been provided products for this post. 

 

Play in USA Staycation Ideas and Giveaway: Progressive International Motorcycle Shows

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My family and I love finding fun events that keep our dollars close to home and provide great play in the U.S.A. opportunities. The Progressive International Motorcycle Shows are just the kind of event my husband and sons love finding.

The motorcycle show includes a stunt show by the Smage Brothers who recently placed in the top 10 in a nationwide talent competition. There are also numerous interactive displays. One of which you can become an artist for a day by using a digital paint can to design your own motorcycle.

My boys could spend hours just looking at the cool motorcycle displays and dreaming about which one they would get if they had a million dollars. The show hosts the world's largest custom bike show. You might have to beg your spouse for forgiveness after you bring home the cool bike and gear. Asking permission? Well you know how that might end.

Use the promo code to receive $2.00 off each ticket. 


To find more information about this event and to find a city near you go to Click HERE.

Want to join the crowd? The show has a lot of city stops. Click on city name to purchase tickets. Cities include:


Dallas, TX,              Long Beach, CA ,             Seattle, WA         Novi, MI            Washington D.C.            
Cleveland, OH         Minneapolis, MN             Chicago, IL    Charlotte, NC     New York, NY
Daytona Beach, FL

Contest: One lucky winner will be provided with the choice of 2 free tickets to an event near you OR a pair of ladies motorcycle gloves provided by IMS. Please use the Rafflecopter form for entries. Contest ends Saturday, December 10, 2011 at 11:59 EST. Entrants agree to hold harmless this blog owner and IMS. This contest is not sponsored in any way by Facebook or Twitter.

**Disclaimer: I want not compensated in any way for this post. I love to promote events in U.S. Cities. The fabulous prize is provided by IMS and will be shipped to the winner by them.



I was not compensated for this post. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

Please be patient while Rafflecopter form loads.



Sponsored by Tomoson.com