Holiday Gift Guide: Flat Iron Experts

Holiday Gift Guide: Flat Iron Experts

I have crazy hair!  That is the best way that I can describe it.  It is not straight, not curly and very unmanageable.  I can't stand dealing with it so much that I pull it back into a pony tail every day. 

Why me?

I have two sisters, one has hair that is straight as a board and the other has super curly hair.  It is so curly that you can wind it around your finger and it will stay in a perfect spiral.  How did I end up with spastic hair? 

Not sure but last year a friend of mine from work introduced me to a flat iron.  The first time I ironed my hair was during my lunch break.  My friend brought in her old flat iron since she had recently received a new on from her significant other.  It was an older model that tended to snag and pull my hair but it did what it needed to do.   I have thick hair and a ton of it so it took some time but I was amazed at how straight my hair turned out.  When I straighten my hair it is 2-3 inches longer than normal.  I received so many compliments on my hair that day it was fantastic.  I vowed to someday get my own flat iron and use it more frequently. 

That day finally came when I teamed up with Flat Iron Experts.  I began my search for my first new flat iron.  I wanted something that was good quality but not outrageously expensive since I often do not have the time to spend on my hair in the mornings.  I selected the H&R Tourmaline Ceramic Flat Iron and have been using it for a little over a month.  The HR Tourmaline Flat Iron was rated the best budget (under $100) flat iron and it has not let me down.  I get multiple comments every time that I have a chance to use it.  I could not be happier with the HR flat iron.  It does a fantastic job and does not pull my hair.  I love it!

About the HR Tourmaline Ceramic Flat Iron: 
H&R Flat Iron has all the newest technology that will help you straighten, curl or flip your hair with ease. With the latest Tourmaline and Ceramic Technology this flat iron guarantee smooth and shiny results that will last. H&R Flat iron features a "New Patented Suspended Plate Technology" that prevents pulling of your hair, meaning comfortable and painless styling. 

H&R Straightener's Tourmaline / Ceramic plates are able to distribute heat across the entire surface evenly, retains heat more efficiently, and eliminates damaging hot spots. Tourmaline and Ceramic plates emits a natural source of negative ions and far infrared heat that helps your hair:
1. Preserve more moisture within the hair shaft
2. Eliminates frizz and close the cuticle to create smooth and shiny hair
3. Causes less damage to the hair cuticle during styling.

*Disclaimer: I was not paid any form of cash for this posting.   I received free product for the purpose of this posting..  This is solely the opinion of Over Thirty Mommy. Other people may have different experiences with the products.**   

Bring Holiday Joy To Pets With Some of This Year'sBest Products

PetMate gifts for you and your furry friends

Pets are family members too so don't forget them on your Christmas shopping lists this year!  

I am a dog lover myself but I have owned cats, lizards and hamsters in the past.  Until recently, I had two wonderful dogs but now that I am down to one dog, I am pampering her and got a couple of the below gifts for her this year for Christmas.

Six Petmate® Products Chosen as Best Products of 2011 by Dog Fancy, Cat Fancy, Dog World and Pet Product News. 

About PetMate:

Petmate, with its family of brands, is the trusted authority in smart pet care solutions. As the first to provide a safe and comfortable alternative to wooden travel crates, Petmate has gone on to introduce smart solutions for every stage in a pet’s life. At Petmate, we believe in what we do, because we have pets too! Check out all of the other great brands and products in the Petmate family: Bamboo, Fat Cat, Booda, Petmate and Aspen Pet.

A few of PetMate's Top Products:

Winner of the Editors’ Choice Award for both Cat Fancy and Pet Product News, the Petmate® Curvations™ Luxury Pet Carrier offers safe and reliable transport in a modern design that will comfortably accommodate small pets with holiday travel plans! Covered with a soft, cushioned, fashion-forward fabric, Curvations provides comfort and style, including a washable plush bed, safety door clasp for added security and molded feet for stability. The 360-degree mesh ventilation panels enable the pet to see what’s going on at all times while enjoying continuous air flow. Available at pet specialty stores nationwide, Curvations retails for $99.99.

It’s the challenge all dog owners share: how to clean up their pup’s “business” as easily and quickly as possible. A Dog World Editors’ Choice pick, the Clean Response™ Swivel Bin & Rake is a canine waste pick-up system that turns this unpleasant chore into mess-free, stress-free disposal. Simply swivel the high-capacity bin down to the ground, scoop the waste using the rake and lift the handle. The bin swivels up, acting as a storage device for the waste until emptied. The rake is designed to work well on both grass and hard surfaces. Pet parents can use ordinary plastic grocery bags that hook on in seconds and keep the bin clean. It can also be used without bags—simply hose off the bin after use. The long ergonomic handle eliminates back and leg fatigue, while the soft comfort grip makes it easy on the hands. The Clean Response snaps together as one unit for compact storage, and can be hung on the wall. It can be found at pet specialty stores nationwide for $34.99.

 Feeding your pet has never been so easy than with Petmate’s LeBistro® Programmable Feeder. Not only does this automatic feeder reliably deliver portion-controlled meals while you are away, it also eliminates the daily chore of scooping and measuring. The stylishly designed feeder features a large LCD screen and built-in meal counter and holds 5 or 10 pounds of food. With three simple buttons, you can easily program your feeder to dispense the right amount of food for your pet at the right times throughout the day. The food hopper is conveniently transparent for monitoring food levels at a glance and has a handy twist-lock lid to keep food fresh and secure. The bowl is removable for easy cleaning and is top-shelf dishwasher safe. Available in 2 sizes and colors.

 Where to Purchase:

Petmate does not sell directly to the public but their products can be found at many local retailers. They encourage you to print out your "wish list" of products, visit your local pet store and ask for Petmate by name!

Over Thirty Mommy's Thoughts

I love my dogs very much, I had them LONG before we had our daughter.  It was a very sad day when I was notified that my beloved Malamute passed away while I was on vacation.  We had him for over 10 years and our other dog right about 10 years so they were mates for a long time.  Our female dog has been very sad since her mate passed away, so we are giving her extra love and attention to help her with the grieving process.  

Before his passing, both of our dogs were outside dogs (by their choice) but now that she is alone, she seems to want to spend more time inside with her people.  For this reason we needed to get her set up with feeding dishes inside.  The Le Bistro automatic feeder was perfect for us because we are always in a hurry to get out the door for work in the morning and this feeder helps us by not adding another task to our already busy mornings. 

The Clean Response™ Swivel Bin & Rake has been great.  I used to use a shovel and bucket but this is so much simpler.  I did find that the twist together sections easily untwist while scooping but I remedied that with some tape on the sections and have had no troubles since then.  It is great, it uses grocery sacks and it is easy to tie it up and toss it.

*Disclaimer: I was not paid any form of cash for this posting.   I received free product for the purpose of this posting..  This is solely the opinion of Over Thirty Mommy. Other people may have different experiences with the products.**   

Holiday Gift Guide: SodaStream Fountain Jet Starter Set

SodaStream Fountain Jet Starter Set

We have had a Sodastream soda maker for almost a year now and it is fantastic.  At first I thought that we would lose interest after a few months and it would just take up space on the counter but that is just not the case.  We have over 2 dozen different flavors and love trying out new combinations all the time.

We started with a starter kit and loved it so much that we went out and got more syrups, extra soda bottles and spare CO2 cartridges so that we would never run out.  I love that the bottles are only one liter, it allows us to try new flavors more regularly.

The Sodastream soda makers are so much fun that for my daughter's family birthday party we had a Soda Shoppe party.  We were blending all sort of flavors and everyone kept coming back to see what the next concoction would be.  It was a blast and everyone had a ton of fun

About Sodastream

SodaStream is the world's largest manufacturer, distributor and marketer of Home Carbonation Systems. Our brands are sold in over 50,000 retail stores in 42 countries. 

Our long standing and deep heritage dates back to 1903, when we introduced innovative solutions to the beverage market. We continue to grow as market leaders in both technological advancements and the quality of our products.

The SodaStream system enables consumers to carbonate water and to flavor carbonated beverages at home as an alternative to purchasing pre-packed bottles or cans. This has many important benefits to the consumer including cost savings and no hassle with bottles.

 

The advantages of SodaStream's Home Carbonation System include:

• Convenience: No need to carry heavy bottles from the store. The SodaStream system is simple to use and requires no batteries or electricity.
• Environmentally-Friendly: SodaStream is an "Active Green" solution that minimizes the huge eco-footprint caused by the manufacture, transport and waste of plastic bottles.
• Variety: SodaStream offers over 100 flavors to suit everyone’s taste. Regular, diet, natural, fruity flavors, ice tea, energy drinks, sport drinks, tonic and many more.
• Space Saver: No need to store bottles of beverages or empty bottles for recycling in your home.
• Personalization: Make drinks just the way you love them… more bubbles, less bubbles, sweeter or lighter, even create your own flavor!
• Family Fun: The system is quick and easy to use. It's fun for everyone and kids just love it!
• Value for Money: Great savings compared to pre-packed carbonated water and beverages.
• Satisfaction Guaranteed: SodaStream drinks makers are of extremely high quality and include a money-back satisfaction guarantee.

Sodastream Fountain Jet Starter Kit

This package includes everything you need to make great tasting soda in your own home.
This package includes:

• Fountain Jet Home Soda Maker
• 1 60 liter Carbonator
• 1 Carbonating Bottle
• 3 SodaMix flavors (your choice) - each bottle makes 12 liters of soda
• Sodamix Variety 6 pack

*Disclaimer: I was not paid any form of cash for this posting.   I received free product for the purpose of this posting..  This is solely the opinion of Over Thirty Mommy. Other people may have different experiences with the products.**   

Gourmet Gift Baskets.com Christmas (giveaway!)

Gourmet Gift Baskets.com Christmas (giveaway!)

About GourmetGiftBaskets.com
GourmetGiftBaskets.com strives to achieve the highest quality customer service through our in-house customer service team.  Every gift basket experience is backed with a 100% satisfaction guarantee, and be assured that anytime you reach out to us  our friendly and knowledgeable staff is ready to assist you. We want your shopping experience to be as hassle free as possible  and we encourage you to contact us with any questions, concerns, or if you need help placing your order.  The quality of our products and the experience our customers have with us are our founding family values and top priorities.

About the Classic Christmas Basket:
One of our most popular Christmas designs, the Christmas Gift Basket Classic is an excellent choice for the home or office. Why? Each Christmas Basket contains a variety of award-winning gourmet snacks that appeal to a wide variety of tastes. With gourmet snacks including a chocolate covered cherries, dark chocolate bar, chocolate chip cookies, almond clustered popcorn, raspberry honey mustard pretzel dip along with pretzels and so much more! So, if you want to send a gift that everyone will love, send one of these delicious Christmas Gift Baskets!

Over Thirty Mommy's Thoughts:
I LOVE gift baskets.  I love giving them and getting them. I think that gift baskets make great gifts for family members that live far away and also excellent gifts for bosses or co-workers.  I also find gift baskets to be great group gift since they contain something for everyone.  The classic Christmas basket included yummy items for everyone in the house, I loved the Signature Dark Chocolate Bar by Lake Champlain and the Chocolate Covered Cherries by Marich.  Wiggle Bean liked the Metropolitan Trail Mix and hubby liked the Buttered Peanut Crunch.

Kidorable Apparel and Accessories (Giveaway!)

Kidorable Apparel and Accessories

Kidorable rain wear is absolutely adorable!  My daughter received her first pair of Kidorable ladybug rain boots well over a year ago and while they were too big for her at the time (that did not stop her from wearing them) they are now on the too small side (still not stopping her from wearing them).  This year we have a new pair that will be waiting for her under the Christmas tree come Christmas morning.  

Wiggle Bean has loved ladybugs since she was one, her first birthday was ladybug themed and she has many ladybug toys.  

To go along with her new shiny red kidorable ladybug boots, Kidorable generously provided me with an adorable ladybug rain coat and matching umbrella.

About Kidorable

In 1997, Kidorable sprung from the minds, hearts and efficiency apartment of Liping and Jonathan Domsky. They proclaimed, "The world needs someone to create children's apparel and accessories that are both functional and fun. We can do that." 

In its first three years, Kidorable grew from a hopeful startup to a thriving business with $2 million in sales. Ever since, Kidorable has continued to blossom, evolving into a flourishing global enterprise, contributing to the success of dozens of sales professionals and thousands of retailers, with sales projected to exceed $15 million by 2015.  

Throughout its first decade, the key to Kidorable's success has been growth. But not growth simply in the financial sense. For the ultimate Kidorable customers - kids - it's all about growing imaginations. For Kidorable's employees, it's all about nurturing personal and professional growth. And for everyone touched by Kidorable, it's about growing smiles. For Kidorable, growing larger is a natural and happy consequence of growing better, individual by individual.

Today Kidorable is a striking presence, not just in stores, but across the vast landscape of the children's apparel and accessories industry. By encouraging personal and professional growth in the service of imagination and smiles, Kidorable's own growth projections continue to soar.

APRA International Fragrance Company

APRA International Fragrance Company

Perfumes and fragrances are one of those products that can be found on wish lists every Christmas.  I have a mother, sister, sister-in-law and a teenage niece that all have fragrances on their wish lists. 

These new APRA fragrances will make great gifts and wonderful stocking stuffers for the girls/women on your shopping list.

About APRA:

Apra International LLC. is a leading fragrance company known for creating high-quality, affordably priced celebrity/designer fragrances. By introducing up and coming celebrity fragrances at affordable prices, Apra plans to carve out a piece of mass market fragrance sales by giving its consumer base something that the other leading market fragrance companies cannot offer due to their competitor’s inefficient cost structure.

  Just launched at Target stores for the affordable price of $5.99 each, these 5 high quality body sprays are inspired by the cult of self-expressive body art and spun into a modern collection that celebrates individuality and personal style

Targeted to a young, hip, trendy audience, lightly fragranced body sprays have become a popular everyday beauty/grooming essential for both sexes. Used after showering or as a pick-me-up during the day, these body sprays refresh and revive the senses, with just the right amount of scent. The Tattooed by Inky collection offers 5 distinctive scents---two men’s, two women’s, and one unisex. The women’s scents are subtle and evocative; the men’s are appropriately brisk and masculine; and the freshness of the unisex version appeals to both genders.

·         MONKEY BUSINESS (male) - for the smart, funny, no-nonsense guy with a lovable bad boy streak. Has a bold blend of leather, lavender, pepper and sandalwood.

·         DRAKO (male) - for the strong, enigmatic and fiery guy with an elemental blend of spices, musk and precious woods.

·         A MI AMOR (female) - vividly captures all your loving feelings of passion and romance with a complex blend of white florals, vanilla and amber.

·         SUDDEN FREEDOM (female) – for the confident, vibrant and independent woman who reaches for the stars and inspires others to do the same. A fresh and feminine bouquet of aquatic florals, pink jasmine and warm rosewood, this scent innately captures your charismatic spirit and style.

·         KOI (unisex) – for the easy going, colorful personality and affectionate nature who also has a resilient strength and courage of convictions. An intricate blend of radiant citrus, ginger and the warmth of patchouli, Koi shows off your many sides.

Jordin Sparks’ First Ever Fragrance

“Because of You”

This October, Grammy nominated platinum recording artist and Broadway star, Jordin Sparks, is unveiling her first ever fragrance line with the fruity floriental scent titled, “Because of You”- thoughtfully named by Sparks to pay tribute to her fans that have helped her to achieve her dreams. Scents have always inspired memories and captured adventures for Jordin and she hopes to create new experiences for her fans through her new attainable, yet sumptuous scent. With her fans at the forefront of her mind, Jordin will release this high quality fragrance at an affordable price that is available for sale across the United States. Jordin has always been an avid fan of fragrances and was highly involved in the creation of her new, signature scent with award winning Perfumers, to ensure that it would be unique and represent her young and vibrant personality and embrace her creative force.

Fragrance Assortment and Suggested Retail Prices:

•      2.5 fl oz Eau de Parfum Spray - $17.95

•      On the Go Mini Gift Set - $6.95

o    .2 fl oz Eau de Parfum Spray

o    1.65 oz Moisturizing Body Lotion

•      Fragrance Luxuries Gift Set - $19.95

o    2.5 fl oz Eau de Parfum Spray

o    3.4 oz Moisturizing Body Lotion

o    .21 fl oz Eau de Parfum Spray

Availability: Kmart, Walmart, Sears stores, Dots stores, Rainbow stores and www.jordinsparksbeauty.com

Over Thirty Mommy's Thoughts

I have a collection of fragrances that I rarely wear any more since my husband is sensitive to them. So I am always on the look out for fragrances and body sprays that have a lighter scent to them.  The new Tattooed fragrance sprays are light and not too overbearing like some that I have smelled (whew, if you have ever walked into a department store perfume department, you know exactly what I mean!).  Not to mention that awesome designs of the spray bottles. How awesome are they!  I want to purchase these just for the cool bottles.  It is also great that they have scents designed for men. 

When it comes to scents, I prefer a fruit based scent over a flowery scent.  I am just not a flowery kind of gal but I know many people that are.  This makes the Jordin Sparks perfume perfect since it is both fruit and flower based.  I also think it is fantastic that it is affordable, it is hard to find celebrity lines of anything that come at reasonable prices.

STAY TUNED, I MIGHT BE ADDING A GIVEAWAY TO THIS POST SOON!!!

**Disclaimer: products.**