Saturday, April 30, 2011

Bryton Pick Review




If you haven't heard of the Bryton Pick, then you're missing out. I have had so many horror stories of my friends and I that this could just be the thing to save us the embarrassment of those stories. You know when you go out to eat and you've just had a wonderful meal and a great chat with friends and then you're laughing and smiling? Now stop...you're grinning with your mouth wide open and what's that stuck in between your teeth but a chunk of gorgeous green veggie. Sure, veggies are great for your health but let me tell you something, that does not look good on you! Well, and we all get awkward and think, "We should probably tell them, right? But they'd get embarrassed if we do and the last thing we want to do is to make them feel that way." We've all been there at some point in our lives and worse yet, I know its happened to me before and its probably happened to you as well.


Here's the solution, Bryton Pick is like a portable dental floss developed and tested by dental professionals that comes in a credit card size carry-pouch so that you can put it in your wallet or pocket and keep it on you. So, if that situation comes up or you just like to floss between meals, which is a good habit by the way, you can! Its so easy and convenient to use anytime, anywhere; just slide it in between your teeth and then slide it between your teeth from inside-out. It even works great with braces. Its reusable for up to 30 days and works as well as floss because its super thin.


We tried it and my SO has braces and he was able to work it quite easily. It worked great and we cleaned it with hot water before putting it away. Such a simple and easy solution...that it made me really disappointed when the sample pack I got said it was a 3 pack and all I got was 2.


Buy It: Buy it online $4.99 (3-pack) or look for it in your local drugstore.


Until next time, 
 
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I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com created by WebBizIdeas a Minneapolis SEO and Web Design firm. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commissions 16 CFR, Part 255 Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising. Tomoson Product reviewgiveaway Disclosure.

Friday, April 29, 2011

Children's Book Review & Giveaway: The Adventures of Joe-Joe Nut & Biscuit Bill, Case #2: Mineral Mischief

CLOSED
So through these wonderful blog hops, I've come to know Renee Hand, a homeschool parent and a children's book author. She's the author of the "Crypto-Capers Series", which encourages children to read by solving cryptograms and puzzles to help solve cases and the "Joe-Joe Nut and Biscuit Bill" Series which stars animal detectives as the main characters. I was lucky enough to be able to review Book 2 in the Joe-Joe Nut and Biscuit Bill Series...or rather Case #2: Mineral Mischief.

Synopsis:
In the midst of having her friends visit her rock collection, Maple Moo’s rare mineral goes missing from underneath her large cow nose. She instantly turns to Joe-Joe Nut and Biscuit Bill, the most famous detectives in Acorn Valley, to find it. They didn’t know the task was going to be an impossible one. The suspects were hard to figure out. Was it Candy Cardinal, who committed the crime? She collects various gemstones to make jewelry. Brutus and Betty Blue Beaver also collect minerals and have a fancy quartz collection. Liam the Llama looks suspicious with his igneous rocks and exploding volcano, or was it Huckleberry Moose with his sedimentary rock collection? Joe-Joe and Biscuit find themselves at a loss until some bullies roar into town. Will the detectives be able to find the missing mineral? Or, will this be a case they won’t be able to close? Find out in case #2 in the Joe-Joe Nut and Biscuit Bill Series-Mineral Mischief. Look for the various activities in the back of the book concerning rocks and minerals for added learning. Bubbling rocks, anyone?  
This is a fun and engaging book that begins with the star detective squirrel, Joe-Joe Nut, in a bit of a pinch and his partner Biscuit Bill to the rescue.  A scene that is sure to catch your children's interest, it then takes you on a journey of mystery and suspense as well as some geological tidbits that I bet you wouldn't have known before you took a read through this. I really enjoyed the fact that although, this is an interesting children's book, it also piques their interest to learn something. Particularly about rocks...I once took a course in geology during my undergrad years and all those terminology like streak, luster, and transparency were all terms that I used to know. This served to be a fun review of the joy I had during that course and better yet, it even tickled my geeky side as I wanted to try out the experiments in the back of the book to make bubbling rocks! That would be such an awesome project to do on the weekends with your kids and I think I will be trying these out with my nephews when they get a little older.

Overall, a wonderful book that will have your child learning about rocks and the fun of it before they even realize it! Its definitely not too full of learning material, its all subtly and very cleverly incorporated.  I would recommend it for children ages 8+.

Visit Renee at her blog.

Buy It: Joe-Joe Nut and Biscuit Bill, Case #2: Mineral Mischief is available for $9.95 at various bookstores including Amazon.com.

Win It: One very lucky Whirlwind of Surprises reader is going to win a copy of the book.

To Enter (MANDATORY)
This must be entered as ONE entry before the bonus entries count! I will check. PLEASE Leave a contact email in your entries if it is not found in your profile, if I can't contact you, you can't win.



1) Follow Whirlwind of Surprises on Google Friends Connect AND
2) Follow Renee on her blog 

Bonus Entries -Please make sure you put 1 comment for each entry. e.g. If it says 2 entries, put 2 comments. 



  • Like Whirlwind of Surprises on facebook. Please leave your first name and last initial-1 entry
  • Like Renee on Facebook -1 entry
  • Blog about this giveaway with a link to this post. Please leave your link. -2 entries.
  • Grab my button and tell me where its at -2 entries
  • Enter any of my other giveaways -1 entry
  • Follow Whirlwind of Surprises on Networked Blogs -1 entry
  • Follow Renee on Twitter
  • Follow Whirlwind of Surprises on Twitter and ReTweet this: RT @cinnybbs @theCryptoCaper #Win the newest in the Joe-Joe Nut and Biscuit Bill Series from #WOS http://bit.ly/kh85vY Ends 05/27. #giveaway
    • (can be Tweeted up to 3x daily for extra 2 entries each time. Each tweet must be 2 hours apart. Leave your tweet link)
  • Subscribe to Whirlwind of Surprises via email. -2 entries
Giveaway ends 11:59 pm EST on May 27, 2011. Open US/CANADA!! Winner will be drawn by a random number generator, posted on this blog and emailed. Winner must respond within 48 hours or a new winner will be drawn.

Disclaimer: The product/s mentioned above have been provided free of charge from the manufacturer or PR firm for the purposes of this review. Opinions expressed belong to Whirlwind of Surprises and are NOT influenced in any way. Please view my full disclosure.


Until next time,

Like what you see? Follow me on GFC and twitter (@CinnyBBS) to get the latest updates. Like us on facebook or join us through Network Blogs. Leave me a comment if you'd like me to follow back on any of these.

Thursday, April 28, 2011

Children's CD Review: 'Flying!' with Recess Monkey



I love the cover of this CD, its so cute but still definitely cool with its super-hero feel! 'Flying' is Recess Monkey's seventh studio CD for children ages 3-8, with a run time of 47 minutes. The three inspirations behind Recess Monkey are elementary school teachers (Jack Forman, Daron Henry and Drew Holloway) who met while working at the same Seattle school and brought their real life children's experiences into musical compilations. 



While ditching their day jobs, they transformed into Super Cheese (Drew Holloway), Professor Pinstripe (Daron Henry) and Mustachio (Jack Forman) to create this super CD, made just for the little super heroes in our lives. While listening to this CD, I found myself tapping my feet along with the first song and bopping to the following tunes. Definitely catchy and down to earth, it makes you imagine what its like to be a superhero on the playground and picks your mood up, even if you were happy to begin with.  What kid doesn't love superheroes?! No matter the generation, we always love our superhero movies and wished that we could be a superhero ourselves. So, this CD caters so well to that genre that I'm sure kids will love it!



Recess Monkey's last CD, 'The Final Funktier' was on the "Best of 2010" lists by amazon.com, Parents Magazine, The Washington Post, Time Out NY Kids, and so many more and I can't imagine why not, this CD was absolutely awesome! To be released June 21, I am so glad I was able to get my hands on it to review it first. I absolutely love it and think its something that fans of Recess Monkey should look forward to. 


If you'd like to see them before the release of their new CD, check them out at their 2 CD release "Sneak Preview" shows in NYC.
APRIL 30 – BROOKLYN CENTRAL LIBRARY
MAY 1 – 92YTRIBECA


Visit Recess Monkey.

Buy It: Flying can be purchased for $14.99 from Amazon.com, CDbaby.com, and recessmonkey.com, bigkids.com, theAVcafe.com, and iTunes June 21, 2011.
Disclaimer: The product/s mentioned above have been provided free of charge from the manufacturer or PR firm for the purposes of this review. Opinions expressed belong to Whirlwind of Surprises and are NOT influenced in any way. Please view my full disclosure.

Until next time,

Like what you see? Follow me on GFC and twitter (@CinnyBBS) to get the latest updates. Like us on facebook or join us through Network Blogs. Leave me a comment if you'd like me to follow back on any of these.

Flirty Aprons

How adorable are these and what a great idea for Mother's Day Gift Ideas!! They're cute, they're sexy, they make being in the kitchen so fashionable!




There are so many designs available at Flirty Aprons and I love how cute you can get with these, kids can have the same design as their mom and help out in the kitchen on Mother's day! They're definitely not your normal apron!


And guess what, I have some sweet codes for you! 40% off Marilyn style aprons (use code: Marilyn40) and 20% off (use code: 20M2011) any other style of aprons through May 10, 2011 so you can grab a sweet present without busting your wallet! Get it for your mom, your mother-in-law even yourself, there's something for someone of every age!


Until next time, 
 
Like what you see? Follow me on GFC and twitter (@CinnyBBS) to get the latest updates. Like us on facebook or join us through Network Blogs. Leave me a comment if you'd like me to follow back on any of these.

Tuesday, April 19, 2011

Mother's Day Gift Ideas -Rue La La $20 Credit!!

So, my fellow shoppers out there, you've heard of sample sale sites, right? One of these is Rue La La, a place where you can find authentic brand name items at a super deal! Right now, they have a $20 credit for new sign ups that happen before April 25, 2011. You have to use your credit before May 25, 2011 though but this makes a great $20 extra that you can spend on a super present for your mom! How sweet is that, an extra bonus 20 bucks!


I've purchased lots from Rue La La including designer Rock and Republic jeans that retail for $200-300 but I got at around $100! So its one of those sites I love where I can have my newest fashion items and not have to blow everything away! Anyways, it not just clothing, there's appliances, accessories and even travel destinations.


Anyways, check them out. There's no harm in signing up, no fees, and you get that $20 credit for a month to use. Who knows, if you find something for mom there, that $20 could help you get a little extra for her.


If you're interested in more sample sale sites, scroll down on the left, I have a list of links that'll get you access. Enjoy!



Until next time, 
 
Like what you see? Follow me on GFC and twitter (@CinnyBBS) to get the latest updates. Like us on facebook or join us through Network Blogs. Leave me a comment if you'd like me to follow back on any of these.

Monday, April 18, 2011

Costume Supercenter Review




So, when I was offered the opportunity to review Costume Supercenter, I was thinking, Halloween's a long way off. However, when I visited their site, I was blown away by their selection of costumes. They have costumes for every holiday imaginable...Easter, Halloween, Theme-parties, Christmas, etc.. They also have a variety of props that go with different costumes.



I browsed through so many categories and realized the massive selection of costumes they had for everyone in the family: the baby, kids, pet and adults. Say the kids want to be superheroes, fine, you have a selection of all the superheroes they would possibly want to be: Buzz Lightyear, Woody, Iron Man, Spiderman, Batman, Wolverine...the list goes on! The girls also have so much to choose from, there's princesses, cartoon characters, TV and movie personalities...even a whole series of Lady Gaga costumes. Can you believe that? Anyhow, for kids, they can not only use the costumes for Halloween, but also use the costumes during playtime. What kid doesn't play dress up and imagine themselves as a pirate, for example, or some sort of action hero? Sorry, I was quite the tomboy when I was a kid, I always wanted to be a strong heroine (LOL).



Well, who says I can't have a little fun? So I wanted to try a costume for myself too, a little more feminine this time. I was having a dilemma. I am absolutely in love with the Betty Rubble Flintstone costume; it was just gorgeous, cute and chic at the same time. I also liked Pebble Flintstone's adult costume; it was just too adorable! (Oh, while I'm at it, I wanted to mention that there are group costumes! Your family or group of friends can dress up as the gang from Flintstones, ScoobyDoo and so on. ) However, I always always wanted to be a bumblebee for Halloween but never had a chance. Plus, costumes are so costly and you wear them once a year. So, I found the perfect solution! It makes me excited to be able to find the Bugging Out Adult Reversible Costume. Its 2 costumes in 1, meaning I can reuse it for more than once. It came with the wings, headband, and the reversible dress. One side was the bumblebee I always wanted and the other side was a lady bug. Here goes the pics... Its not as good as the model's pics! I tried to take one myself and failed miserably so you can laugh at that. Had to get the SO to help take the other shots!


Overall, Costume Supercenter IMO is like a magic warehouse of all sorts of costumes, whether it be for Halloween, playtime, holidays or themed parties. Next time you need something, check it out, you'll definitely find what you were looking for and more!


Disclaimer: The product/s mentioned above have been provided free of charge from the manufacturer or PR firm for the purposes of this review. Opinions expressed belong to Whirlwind of Surprises and are NOT influenced in any way. Please view my full disclosure.

Until next time, 
 
Like what you see? Follow me on GFC and twitter (@CinnyBBS) to get the latest updates. Like us on facebook or join us through Network Blogs. Leave me a comment if you'd like me to follow back on any of these.

L'Oreal Paris Sale/Deal!!

So, I was checking out the flyers/circulars this weekend and if you ladies read my review on L'Oreal Paris Double Extend Eye Illuminator Mascara and The One Sweep Eye Shadow and were interested in trying one or even both, I have a BOGO deal for you.


If you head to either Rite Aid or Walgreens this week, they both have a BOGO 50% off on L'Oreal cosmetic products! Rite Aid is also offering a $5 Up Reward on any L'Oreal purchase over $15 and with the mascara MRSP at 10.95 and the eyeshadow as $9.95, even with the BOGO, you should be able to make the 15 needed for the Up Reward so really, you can make two great additions to your cosmetics drawer for about $10!


If you haven't read my review yet, go and check it out



Until next time,

Like what you see? Follow me on GFC and twitter (@CinnyBBS) to get the latest updates. Like us on facebook or join us through Network Blogs. Leave me a comment if you'd like me to follow back on any of these

Sunday, April 17, 2011

cityslips Review -Perfect for any woman...be it your mother, friends or yourself


Alright, whether it be for the clinic, hospital or going out, a girl's gotta have some gorgeous shoes. Now, I admit I can't do stilettos, I would be the first to fall flat on my face but still, I buy gorgeous shoes...some with heels and others without. However, when you try on those shoes in the store, they're always gorgeous! And hell, we even convince ourselves that they're comfortable because, why would we ever feel uncomfortable in the two minutes that we try them on and walk around in them?? Its not until the night we go out or having to walk around in them all day, that we realize...oh god, what a mistake!? For beauty and fashion, we go to extreme lengths. I love my shoes and well, I just bought myself 4 pairs yesterday! And yes, I convinced myself they would be comfortable and I really hope they will be. 

Can you imagine though, however, at the end of the day, how your feet feel?! This is where the ingenuity of two friends, Katea Shea and Susie Levitt, comes to play in the form of cityslips. Check out their idea below. Its so simple! When your feet hurt, just switch into some cityslips! They're much more comfy and more importantly, they give your feet a break without sacrificing your look! I was able to pair my black cityslips with dress clothes with no problems at all.


They're also tiny and so compact that they came in this little pouch that can even unfold to become a larger bag to store your heels. 


How easy is it to just slide the pouch in your purse and go? An added feature I love is the double soled structure for durability...I actually find that more comfortable because I have these boots that have an incredibly thin bottom and although they are one of my favorite pairs of boots...(they're sooo HOT!) I can feel every little pebble and crack in the ground underneath my feet. With cityslips, I don't feel that and its thanks to the soles.


The only problem I had with my cityslips, however, was the elastic backing on the back. The right side was perfectly comfortable and I was so happy with it. The left side, unfortunately, had a bump in the elastic backing that dug into the back of my foot making it a bit painful but maybe that's just a problem with my feet itself...


Overall though, cityslips is a wonderful idea and quite comfortable in comparison to my boots, heels, and other dress shoes. It is the solution for us girls who love our sexy shoes! Great buy at $24.95 and guess what? They would be absolutely perfect for your friends, yourself, and yes, even as Mother's Day Gifts! Who says just cuz you're a mom, you can't be in style! Mom needs comfortable, functional flats as well. They even have portable flip flops (cityflips) and AfterSoles (roll up ballet flats)!


Disclaimer: The product/s mentioned above have been provided free of charge from the manufacturer or PR firm for the purposes of this review. Opinions expressed belong to Whirlwind of Surprises and are NOT influenced in any way. Please view my full disclosure.


Until next time,

Like what you see? Follow me on GFC and twitter (@CinnyBBS) to get the latest updates. Like us on facebook or join us through Network Blogs. Leave me a comment if you'd like me to follow back on any of these.

Saturday, April 9, 2011

CSN Stores and Zwilling JA Henckels International Forged Premio 7" Santoku Hollow Edge Knife

So, remember I moved into my new apartment back in August...and I brought some of my kitchen knives with me. However, when I started unpacking, I realized I was missing my larger kitchen knife. I thought, oh well, I'll just use the little one for now. It works...but its a big pain in the bum bum if you know what I mean. Take a look...my knife that I've been using all long for all purpose food preparation: veggies, fish, and meats! That would be the dinky little knife on the right in this picture...so I was very happy to be able to review a Zwilling JA Henckels Santoku Hollow Edge Knife with a blade that was a good 7" long. Imagine my excitement, a real  kitchen sized knife actually designed for all purpose food preparation!



I couldn't wait to try it out. This was actually the first time that it took awhile for CSN Stores to ship me my product. Usually, I receive everything within a week but I did have to wait awhile...several weeks before it finally came. Didn't dampen my happiness at all though when I received it. Its made of high quality stainless steel and is dishwasher safe.  It fits comfortably into my hand. I put it to good use today! I was very excited at how smoothly my veggies were being cut whether it be romaine lettuce or onions. You know how when you get down to the last tiny chunk of onion to be cut, it always slips and slides on you, and you're paranoid that you might cut yourself!? Well, that always happens to me and to my utter amazement, it didn't happen today. My onion stayed still while I put in that last slice. Before I knew it, I had everything sliced and diced within 5 minutes. 


I also tried it on my salmon, whether it be sashimi or baked. Decided on sashimi today. Used the knife to help me start to skin it and then sliced it up nicely. It cut smoothly and I didn't need to make any repeat strokes. Nothing got mushed up and I think it did great overall!
Before:   After: 


Bottomline: 
CSN Stores: Still loving it!
Zwilling JA Henckels Santoku Hollow Edge KnifeIt was a much needed tool in my kitchen and I am so glad to have been able to test it out! Very neat, functional and I love the sharp edges! Better yet, its even gotten free shipping now for those of you who are interested. It didn't have free shipping when I was getting it so if you need a versatile kitchen knife, get it now. 


Disclaimer: The product/s mentioned above have been provided free of charge from the manufacturer or PR firm for the purposes of this review. Opinions expressed belong to Whirlwind of Surprises and are NOT influenced in any way. Please view my full disclosure.



Until next time,

Like what you see? Follow me on GFC and twitter (@CinnyBBS) to get the latest updates. Like us on facebook or join us through Network Blogs. Leave me a comment if you'd like me to follow back on any of these.