Candy Addict

Once again I am branching out my blogging skills. I am an official writer for Candy Addict!!! I get to try out new candies and review them as well as writing candy related articles.

I'm really excited that I've been given this opportunity! Needless to say, there won't be any more reviews here on candy so you'll have to check out Candy Addict to find out what I'm reviewing there.

Don't Waste Your Money Alert: Crayola Washable Colored Bubbles

I know that these just came out this Spring and I know it's a brand new product and I know it says "washable", but these bubbles need to be avoided...trust me.

I thought they were a neat idea. I mean, all kids love bubbles and colored ones must be really cool. They've got regular bubbles, scented bubbles, so why not colored bubbles. Well, let me tell you why not colored bubbles.

I bought the blue ones for my kids. Just a little bottle with the "spill proof" cap. These bubbles are messy as hell. The spill proof cap is just a rubber like covering over the opening of the bottle that you have to pull the bubble wand out of. Well, it may not spill but it sure splatters all over the place. And, the bubble stuff itself is more like liquified food coloring and it gets all over the place. Wherever the bubbles pop, there is a colored splotch left behind. And, YES I did this outside. There were blue splatters all over the driveway, my pants, my kids pants and blue bubble popped splotches all over the grass and driveway. I got the watering can out to wash it off but it took a downpour the other day to wash it off the driveway. Yes it does wash out of clothes but unless you want your kids walking around with colored splotches all day, you'll need to change them after playing with these things.

Crayola also has this set of these colored bubbles that comes with a bubble blowing gun which looks like it may be less messy but I'm not buying it.

Now, don't get me wrong, I love Crayola products and the Color Wonder products are great. It's just these colored bubbles that I don't like. Oh, and the price I don't like either. A small bottle of these bubbles will run you around $3.99...um I can get a bigger bottle of regular or scented bubbles for $1. Either way my kid is happy.

Soft, Sweet and OH SO Freakin' Good

I say let the gourmet marshmallow wars begin! I've posted before on gourmet marshmallows that I bought from Have It Sweet Confections. Having tried and loved them (and am now sickened if I eat those white store bought things), I decided to give another Etsian purveyor or soft things a try.

I ordered from Softly Sweetly and was very very happy with what I got. I ordered a trio of flavors (which you can order yourself and try 3 different flavors or even the dozen variety where you get 12 different flavors) and got Triple Chocolate, Vanilla and Toasted Coconut drizzled with chocolate. There's like 20 or so flavors to choose from so you won't be bored. I'm on my second trio of flavors right now: Toasted Coconut with chocolate (again cause they were that good), Amaretto and Mexican Chocolate (think chocolate marshmallow coated in a mix of sugar, cocoa and cinnamon). These are huge squares of marshmallows and the flavor is just that good. They are so soft, the texture is great that they practically melt in your mouth! The trio of flavors will run you $10.99 for one dozen plus about $5 shipping.

A dozen marshmallows range in price (depending on the flavor I think) between $9.99 and $10.99. You can also get a half dozen for less than $6.

I must say the Triple Chocolate and the coconut ones are my favorite but I've only tried 5 flavors as of yet. There's also these Caramallows that are marshmallows coated in caramel..must try those soon.

All in all, these are huge, great tasting marshmallows for the price. And, turn around time is really quick so you won't be left waiting. I highly recommend, if you even like marshmallows, to give any of the gourmet marshmallows a try, you won't be disappointed.

Post Christmas Clean Up

It's that time...at least in my family. New Year's Day is the BIG cleanup day. The tree comes down and all the rest of the holiday decorations. It's also the time we say holy crap to all the toys that have been left around the house. Well, I nipped that in the bud yesterday

My youngest son has like a collection of Thomas wooden train tracks and buildings. And,he just got some Thomas trackmaster sets for Christmas, notably the Zig Zag Zoom set which is huge. So we needed some decent storage for our little sucker. Granted, we went thru his toys and he (yes he himself) got rid of a bunch, there was still the need for some real decent organization in there.

I saw these cool canvas bins at Target earlier in the week and decided to go back yesterday and pick some up. They are deep, huge and have wheels...plus pullin straps too. I got the 18"x18"x18" for $19.99 and the 15"x15"x15" for $14.99. The bigger one holds all of his wooden train tracks and building including his round house which is big. There's still room. The smaller one holds the entire new Thomas Trackmaster set. Plus, with the wheels, they are super easy for him to move around on his own. You can even hook the handles together and pull both at the same time. Great size and good boy colors (solid blue and red).

I also picked up one of those hanging closet things with the canvas shelves..matching of course for $12.99. And, I plan on going back and getting 3 of the standard canvas bins for his bookcase (replacing some ivory colored ones just so everything matches in his room).

I know the price seems a little whacko, I mean $20 for a storage bin right? But, it's big and deep and what needs to fit in it, fits in it no problem. So, for us, money well spent. Our son's room looks so much better for the money spent. All of these can be found at Target in their "Home" section between the bedding and the furniture aisles.

Sweet Lollipops!

Yes, I'm still alive. I've actually been caught up in my two new Etsy stores that I've been busy. (I just opened up my holiday cookie shop: Baking Keeps Me Sane)

I, once again, recently won a handmade contest. This one was for an Etsy shop on facebook. The Sweet Lollipop Shop to be exact. I forget exactly what I did to win via facebook but I won and got a whole bunch of neat handmade lollipops. They make the crystal barley sugar type that you might remember from when you were a little kid. I got a bunch of heart themed cherry lollipops along with one cherry snauzer dog pop and a daisy one too.

I'm not a big cherry flavor fan but the cherry is so subtle and laid back that I really enjoyed the pops. They've got just the right amount of sweet but not overly so as you taste in some of today's processed lollipops. The only issue I had was that the lollipop sticks couldn't handle these babies lol. The sticks need to be stronger! But, that was the only issue.

If you go to the shop you'll find lollipops in every shape and flavor imaginable. They also sell small bite size squares that they call "jewels". I got a small sample in egg nog and they melted easy in the mouth and had great flavor.

Jewels will run you from between $4.25 and $4.95 depending on the flavors. Lollipop prices range from between $7 to $24.95 depending on the quantity, flavors and styles. You can get just about any shape or style. And, there are some Halloween designs like these bats I have pictured.

So, if you like good old fashioned candies, then you will really enjoy the candy at the Sweet Lollipop Shop!

And the Winner is....

Sorry it took me so long but the winner of my Friendship Bracelet giveaway is:

jhitomi

congrats and I'll be emailing you soon to let you know.

Thanks to all who entered and just so you don't feel left out...I will give you 20% off anything I have in stock..includes cozies too. Just convo me before purchasing and I'll adjust the price of the listing.

I Opened My New Etsy Shop

I've finally opened my own Etsy shop and it's up and running TODAY. The name of my new store is: Keeps Me Sane..because doing these crafts is the only thing that's keeping me sane with all this craziness in my house.

I make Friendship bracelets, yes they are back..with a focus right now on FOOTBALL season..I'll do customize any colors you want. Here's my UNC bracelet.

I also do beaded ones as you can see from the photos. In the fall I'll have my loom knitted scarves up too.

So, I thought I'd have a kickoff giveaway since I've never done one before. So, if you'd like your own custom friendship bracelet you need to do two things:

1. Follow my blog

and

2.Leave a comment on the blog with the colors you want and the pattern (diamond, chevron, plain old stripes).

I'll pick a winner on August 31st using a good old fashioned method. Spread the word and let's get it on!!!!

Clinical Strength

After a pretty long hiatus, I am back. My family and I relocated from Northern Virginia to Cary, North Carolina and things are just settling down. The kids are in year round school and I have some quiet in the house.

Today I want to talk about those Clinical Strength deoderants out there. Now, usually, I'm not one who needs to use these stronger versions...however, it has been way to hot lately and once that heat shows up I actually find I do need them. I'm actually going to compare/review the last two brands that I've tried...there is a distinct difference in quality. So, before you spend anywhere between 7-12 dollars on deoderant please read my post.

I do believe Secret was the first "ladies" brand to come out with a clinical strength deoderant that you could buy OTC. I'm using the Secret version now because I had a coupon (silly isn't it what we buy cause we have a coupon). It's about 1.6 ounces and yes I bought the smaller one, they do make larger sizes but the price is higher. It has a small container that is not the easiest thing to hold and the dial you need to turn to get the stuff out is a little stiff. There's maybe 5 holes up top where the product comes out and it does sometimes come out uneven.

The brand I had before I ran out was Dove. The Dove version, which I think is a recent product..I usually use Dove deoderant anyway and had not seen the clinical strength till I bought it. The Dove version is about 1.7 ounces, has a larger and easier to hold container than the Secret. Also, the dial is much easier to turn and the product comes out smoother, more even. There are multiple holes in the top for the product to emerge from..both large and small so you get a more even amount for application.

The product basically feels the same no matter what brand you use and they do all have the same main ingredient. But, I found that the Dove product dried quicker and stayed dry..even after showing the next morning. The Secret does not dry quickly and throughout the day it feels wet and like I need to reapply the stuff. Now, of course I plan on finishing the Secret even though I don't like it as much, I don't like to waste stuff. But from now on, I plan on sticking with Dove, coupon or no coupon!

Handmade Birthday

Ok, sorry it's been awhile. As some of you know I am having a new home built in North Carolina which should be done in June..so I've been going nutso.

Anyway, last week I celebrated my 38th birthday and luckily the hubby got me something I wanted. I love being able to just email my Etsy favorites to people and say here get my gift from here.





My husband got me this beautiful lampwork Teapot necklace from Helen's Harvest. I've been coveting her work for awhile. She just makes the most beautiful lampwork jewelry. Take a look at her shop and peruse the floral pieces. Absolutely gorgeous. I love my Teapot..it's black, which is like my color and the pink roses make it more cute. I can't remember what this piece cost but I think it was around $35. Her prices range from $27 on the low end to $197 depending on the piece.















My boss was another "what do you want for your birthday cause I don't know" person, so I also passed my Etsy favorites on to her. She got me this gorgeous Silver Wreath necklace from Erin Elizabeth. I just love the Garnet surrounded by the simplicity of the setting. I've bought from Erin Elizabeth myself and she does not disappoint in her service and her work. I think this necklace cost around $30 or so. Erin Elizabeth's prices range from $17 to $250 with many inbetween. There's something for everyone price wise here.

Now this last one I did not get for my birthday, I won it in a treasure hunt type contest. But, it's cute no matter what you say. It's this crocheted flower bookmark from Joyous Treasures. It's made to look like a Primrose bloom and when you shut your book, you've got this little flower growing from your book, it's really unique. She's got rosebuds, full roses, daffodils (that one is really neat and I featured it on Rare Bird Finds the other day) and a ton more. Very reasonable prices too. My primrose bookmark will run you $7. Prices range from $3.75 to $15 for the bookmarks. Very unique and way better than a paper one or doggy earring the page.

So, a good birthday and even better were the gifts. I can honestly say I got what I wanted for my birthday.

To Pronate or Not to Pronate

I have been a Pronater all of my life. And, no this is not some new fangled political group or something. Basically, I walk on the inside of my feet. I've done this all my life. I've sprained my ankles I can't tell you how many times because of it (I used to think I just had weak ankles). When I was a kid, I used to shove tissue into the inside of my shoes thinking that would help. I used to get teased and told I ran like a "chicken." I've also been in denial for many many many years. I look at my shoes and see how bent out of shape they are because of my pronation. I didn't even know the term for my problem till I started going to a chiropractor years ago.

So it wasn't until my husband told me that it hurts to watch me walk and that I walk really messed up, that I decided to see if I could find a solution. So I googled "pronation" and took a look at what came up. I found this online store called Footsmart and they have got tons and tons of products from inserts to shoes that help all kinds of foot related problems. I thought the shoes were kind of expensive so I searched "pronation" under their inserts and orthopedics. I found a pair of these gel inserts that were pretty inexpensive and thought, what the hell..I don't have anything to lose. They don't have the first pair I bought anymore so I can't post a photo. But, when I got them and put them in my shoes and walked around..there was an instant difference. After a day or so my back pain started going away. The only problem I had with this one pair was they made a couple pairs of my shoes way too tight and I couldn't wear them.

I went back to Footsmart and ordered a couple more different pairs of inserts. One was these ArchUps Slim inserts in the photo to the left. Very sturdy but not made of the gel like the other pair. They also come with an adhesive if you want to keep them from moving around in your shoe. These work alot better in my shoes, especially the ones that were too tight with the other inserts. Very easy to use and you can't really feel them at all. The effect is immediate. They are on sale at Footsmart right now for $4.97 and are regularly $12.99.

The other pair I got were these Bio-Balance inserts. These are more the soft gel type but slimmer in design so they fit any shoe fairly easily. These worked just as well. They're on sale at Footsmart for $3.97 regularly $6.99.

These were the inexpensive inserts. There are more expensive ones that I won't be trying but probably give you the same results. These were much more on my price radar. I'm happy with the results I've gotten with all three. I'm walking better and my posture is better. If you've got a pronation problem, don't go as long as I did without using a shoe insert. I have to say they have made things alot better.

Pondering an Empty Zip Loc Bag

Why you might ask am I pondering an empty zip loc bag? Because I ate all my marshmallows that were inside. Not just any marshmallows, I'm talking handmade cinnamon sugar marshmallows! These marshmallows are just that dam good! I just got my box yesterday and I downed about half then including the 3 sample ones I got and just ate the last one seconds before I started writing this post. Just look at those beauties! I have a recipe somewhere for homemade marshmallows and mine turn out like crap everytime. So I got the hankerin to try some off of Etsy and I'm very very very pleased with my purchase..or did you already figure that one out lol.

These came from Have It Confections on Etsy. Marshmallows are not the only product, they make caramels and nougats too. I'm just in love with their marshmallows...but if my husband catches me ordering more I will be in trouble.. (he's over here playing his Xbox so I gotta be sneaky). I paid $9 for 15 1 inch by 1 inch marshmallows..so technically that's over 1 foot of sugary, sweety goodness! The other sweets must be just as fantastic because Have It Sweet Confections has over 3700 sales on Etsy! Whatever they are doing, I hope they keep it up cause they are doing it RIGHT! I plan on trying some caramels next and then maybe the chocolate swirl marshmallows and then maybe the Lemon Meringue or Toasted Coconut marshmallows but if you're a big fan of Products then feel free to let me know how you feel by getting me the $90 marshmallow of the month club :-) haha I wish.

Enjoy your sweets!

Don't Waste Your Money Alert: Mega Bloks Halo Wars

It's been a long long long time since I had a "don't waste your money" post. This is one I need to pass on, especially to anyone with a son who loves Halo Wars.

My son wanted Santa to bring him a few of the new Halo Wars (what he thought was Lego) sets from Mega Bloks. So, Santa brought him three (all on sale haha). What a major disappointment. These sets are made after the vehicles from the popular Halo Wars video games. And, they look pretty cool. I just wish that Lego had created them instead of Mega Bloks. What a waste of time and money these sets are and I swear I shall never purchase another Mega Bloks product again.

I'm the one who usually puts these sets together...I actually enjoy it. But the Mega Bloks sets I hate. Whoever designed the bricks should be fired. There are so many elements of the sets that just don't go together well and constantly fall or pop off. The bricks don't click together easily like Lego products do. Every time I completed one part, another would pop off or come apart. It takes alot of pressure to get the bricks to connect with other bricks. If I had trouble getting these things together, imagine your kid. My son was so upset after I got one together, he'd try to play with it and it would keep coming apart. The only good parts to these sets are the little mini figures, nothing else. I think they glued the pieces together in these photos.

Now, granted, Mega Bloks sets cost alot less than Lego sets..now I know why. They are very cheaply made. I'd much rather pay the price for Lego. I know that Lego produces a quality product even though they cost more. I highly recommend, no matter how much your kid loves Halo, to avoid wasting your time and money on these Mega Bloks products. Get them some Halo Action Figures instead.

Now Showing....Cool Jewelry!

Lately I've been finding some good marketing ideas from new Indie etailers I've come across on Etsy. It's cool to see how some of these stores are making products with unique ideas and concepts. This time it's jewelry from Now Showing Studios on Etsy. Melanie, the genius behind the designs, has taken the idea of movies and combined it with jewelry to create a really cool product. She's taken snippets from DVD movie rental cards (the ones that are behind the cases when they get rented out) and transforms them into some really neat pieces.


She has them separated by genre in her shop. Like Anime, horror, Cartoon, Sci Fi etc and you can find necklaces, earrings and bracelets. She adds coordinating beads and things to make the pieces even more one of a kind. Especially the necklaces.





This is the necklace I picked out and in case you can't figure out the snippet, it's from the Power Puff Girls. I just thought it was cool :-). I like how she uses bits and pieces so you have to sometimes think to figure out what movie it's from. Some are kind of obvious like the one below...and if you can't figure out what movie it is I can't help you.

I also was lucky enough to get a pair of earrings and some of her bracelets. The bracelets I got are memories gone wild for me...she uses those black rubber bracelets that I had a ton of in the 1980s..love them! And the earrings I got were from a Hello Kitty movie...each one is a side of her whiskered head :-).

There are just so many jewelry stores on Etsy now and it's almost mandatory that you come up with your own unique ideas to help you stand out from the crowd. I like what Melanie has done with this store. It's very unique and it's a clever idea. The pieces range from $15 to $30 and if you have a movie buff to buy for this Christmas, this might be that unique gift you're looking for! You can click the links in this post or just click on the Now Showing banner in my Shop Shop Shop section and you'll be taken straight there. Happy shopping!

Dress Me Green

Sometimes, finding a really good organic or all natural product can be difficult. And, people need to know that using natural facial care products will not produce immediate effects like those chemistry lab produced stuff. So, you need to use them for awhile before you will see and feel the results. That's why this post has been so long in coming because I've been using Dress Green's products for a few months now.





First I tried the Pure Hydration facial cream as I always need a good rich moisturizer. And, this is definitely a good rich moisturizer. It has definitely helped my skin from getting more dehydrated and dried out due to all the weather ups and downs the past few months. It's got alot of good stuff in it like White Tea, Irish Moss, shea butter, pomegranate and evening primrose oil. The fragrance is light if at all. You won't notice anything overbearing in smell. It's good and thick but goes on smooth and easy with a good absorption rate. My face didn't feel heavy or greasy, just smooth and hydrated. It's $8 for a 2 ounce jar but that jar lasted me a good month or so. Compared to some of the other things out there, this was a good price and a good product.





After I finished that jar, I gave the Calming and Clarifying face cream a shot. At the time I bought it, my skin was acting up...breaking out etc so I thought this would be a good time to try this one. Again, a good thick moisturizer. It's not heavy or greasy and no overbearing fragrance. This one has even more goodies in it including apricot seed oil, cocoa butter, tea tree oil, clary sage, licorice root extract (which is also in my Avon product that helps reduce my dark spots), green tea, and Goji Berry. There's alot more in there but you can go to Dress Greens's store and read it for yourself. The price is the same, $8 for a 2 ounce jar and I still have plenty left and I bought it back in October.





Dress Green has other products I've yet to try like perfumes, body lotion and scrubs but from what I have seen with these two products I have tried, I like what I see. The quality for the price is fantastic. Can't go wrong here.

Beauty and the Book

Anyone who knows me, knows that I am a avid book reader. None of the insane people in my house seem to understand that I'd rather read a good book than have their company (just kidding of course). Since I love books so much it's simple to figure out why I am a fan of Latherati Soap. Julie, the (I want to say "Librarian") owner of Latherati Soap combines the love of bath with the love of a good book. Every item she sells is inspired by a good book.



Since Latherati Soap is a fairly new shop, the line is still growing. Soaps dominate the selection but there are also lip balms as well as perfumes and sugar scrubs. I love the book connection, I think it's one of the cleverest ideas I've seen on Etsy in awhile (in the Bath & Body category). The labels remind me of those old book plates my parents used to use, you know the ones that announce that this book is part of the Library of.... If you have no idea what I'm talking about then you're too young, don't worry about it. Just understand that the packaging is cool ok.




I had gotten a soap called "Orchard", which (as it says on the site and label) is inspired by "Cider House Rules." There are other clever names like "Golden Ticket" and "Kimono" (if you don't know what books inspired these then you need to go to the library stat). It's obvious that alot of thought went into the creation of Latherati.





"Orchard" as you can see from the photo, reminds you of a fall apple orchard in its coloration. It smells like clean crisp apples but not overbearing and not perfumey like some can be. This is just straight good old apple. This soap lathers up quickly and very well. I've tried some soaps that don't seem to lather much as all but not Latherati soaps. It lathers well and rinses very clean. No sticky or dull residue on the skin. We like that in our soaps people. $5 per bar.









I also have one of the lip balms (called Lip Lusters here) called "Matchmaker", inspired by "Emma.". It's a strawberry flavor which is very true to what you expect in a strawberry. Not overly sweet but just right on the money. The balm holds up very well in either warm or cold temperatures. I like it when it doesn't get all melted in my pocket. And, I like it when it doesn't get all hard or gritty from being outside in the cold. All in all a very good lip balm. $3.50 per tube and comes in plenty of other flavors.


So, all in all, I like Latherati Soap. ! The prices are on par with most other beauty makers I've seen. I love the themes and hope to see much more in the future. Come on Julie, you need some stuff inspired by "Tales From Margaritaville" and "Interview with the Vampire." :-)

Avon to the Rescue

I am sooo sorry to have been so far behind on my posts. I've been trying to get alot of things wrapped up (passing on the PTO torch) that I kept forgetting. Plus, I've been working on Rare Bird Finds and here's the link to my picks: http://rarebirdfinds.typepad.com/rare_bird_finds/jennifers-picks/

Anyway....as alot of you know from past reviews, I have hyperpigmentation on my face. For those of you who don't know what that is, hyperpigmentation is the result of overproductive melanin producing skin cells. Basically dark spots. Mostly caused by sun damage and hormones during pregnancy. I've had mine for a long time and have tried a bunch of different products as well as a specific facial treatment monthly at my spa.

A couple of months ago my skin specialist as the spa mentioned that one of her co-workers, who also has some dark spots, tried this new Avon product and it worked for her. At this point, I'll try anything to get rid of these things.

The product is called Anew Alternative Photo Radiance Treatment. Just about every review on this product gave it 5 stars. So, of course I bought some. A 1 ounce tube will run you $25, but my friends, it is worth every penny. I've been using it for about a month (almost done with my first tube) and it has dramatically lightened up my spots. Now, the spots are not all the way gone but they are well on their way. I would say they are about 40-50% lightened and for me that is saying alot. Since I've had my spots for years, they will take longer to fade away. So, if you've had spots for years, do not expect fast results with any product, even this one. But after all these years and all those products, I finally found one that works and works well.

The instructions say to use it in the AM but I use it both in the morning and at night. It's simple to use and also has an SPF 15.

Avon has never disappointed me. Every product I've ever used has been great. I've praised their mascaras in the past (the best out there trust me) and I praise their Anew line now. I'm so happy that they came up with this product because it truly has been the only thing that has worked to lighten up my spots.

A Little More Salt Please

You all know that I can't deal with bubble bath and basically use bath salts exclusively. I found another great bath and body shop on Etsy and just love the bath salts she sells.

I've been buying all my bath salts lately from KimberQuinn on Etsy. Not only are they top quality, but the price is very nice too! There are many pleasing fragrances to choose from in her store and I favor the Pink Romance and the Amber, Vanilla Sandalwood scents. The salts themselves are all the good kinds you expect from a top quality products (like those expensive ones in Target) like Dead Sea Salts and Mineral Salts. Even though they are pretty chunky, the salts dissolve very quickly in the bath. There is coloring in these, but not enough to color your water which is just what I like.

Remember, bath salts help your body let loose some of those toxins and helps to relax your muscles. I thoroughly enjoy a good soak in a good warm bath with my bath salts. KimberQuinn's are some of the best I've come across, on Etsy or even in the retail stores. I don't know if she plans on continuing the sale, but right now , like today, you can get a 4 oz. bag for $2.95..regularly $4.95. I just bought 3 bags the other day..I think I've already used 2 lol. You know me, quality is number one and price is number 2. These salts are very good quality and I think you will agree.

Oh, if you are curious as to why I can handle bubble bath anymore, feel free to email me or comment here.

Give Me the Eye

Awhile back, I won a lil scavenger hunt type contest from the Muddy Muse on Etsy. The prize was $10 to spend in their shop. They make all kinds of clay goodies from magnets to dishes. They have a kind of rustic style that still brings a modern flair with it. I probably shopped the store every day looking at all the items $10 and under. But, I always came back to one particular item that was more than $10. So, I asked if I could use my prize towards the cost and they said ok.

Now, I have my beautiful Eyeball mug! This is a huge mug by the way..it holds like 18-20 ounces of beverage..my beverage of choice is, of course, tea. This is the mug I use when I really need the caffeine, when I use 2-3 tea bags to make my morning brew. My eye watches over me! Eye need my tea!

Ok, I'm starting to get kooky. Anyway, the mugs are extremely well crafted. They are, according to the shop, microwave and dishwasher safe but I still hand wash mine. You can get your Eyeball in any color you choose. Mine is blue. The best thing is your Eye never needs Visine!

I recently featured my Eyeball Mug on Rare Bird Finds as well. I like the craftsmanship and the quality of their work. This is a very strong and durable piece of pottery. Plus, you get a nice little Java magnet with your purchase, I just love the lil extras :-). You can get your custom Eyeball mug for $25 at the Muddy Muse.

I'm A Rare Bird

I am so thrilled! I am now a contributor on Rare Bird Finds! For those of you who don't know what it is, Rare Bird Finds is a blog where we find all of the unique and rare items that are available on the net. I've been a fan/reader for years and I'm honored to now be a part of it. I will, of course, still be writing reviews here on POD but just wanted to send the word out.

WARNING: Embarrassing Post Ahead

Yes, this is my most embarrassing post ever. I'm sharing things here that I normally would NEVER write about but, if it helps someone else then I've done my job. So, here goes...

I have had hemmorhoids for years..there you have it. Pregnancy and bad childhood eating caused it and it sucks. It's sucked for years! I've got interior and exterior ones. For years I have tried all kinds of crap from over the counter Preperation H to prescription suppositories. Let me tell you that any of the over the counter crap does not work!!! The prescription suppositories work but they contain cortisone which is not good for long term use. They would work for awhile but eventually the pain and the lovely itching always cam back.

So about a year ago I just searched online for hemmerhoid products and of course, got a bunch of questionable sites. I looked at several and decided what the hell I might as well give one a try. Can't be any worse that what I'm already going through right? I went ahead and ordered from Neo-Healer. I ordered the combo which has the ointment and a box of 10 suppositories which cost me $39.95 plus shipping.

I got my order about a week later and found the product was made in Jordan. Hmmm...did I make a mistake. Believe it or not, NO I did not make a mistake. This stuff really works. Go figure, a questionable product that works. I used both the ointment and the suppositories and after 10 days, gone gone gone. Once in awhile I'll have a minor flare-up, but I just put a lil ointment on it and within hours no more problems. I have been truly amazed. And, with the ointment, a little goes a long way...I've had my tube for a very long time and still am not even halfway thru it.

Here are the ingredients straight from the website, all herbal I might add:

"Lupinus Albus - The essential oil extract from Lupin (Alpha-Lupaline) has been shown to be 10,000 more potent than vitamin E, 5000 times more potent than vitamin C. This is used to support the activity of skin repair enzyme to aid in skin healing and recovery.Vateria Indica - A bitter resin from the piney tree which is traditionally used in ayurvedic prescriptions in India for centuries to heal hemorrhoids. It helps exerts anti inflammatory action and hasten up healing.Mentha Piperita - Also know as peppermint, this is a herb with downy leaves and small purple or white flowers that yields a pungent oil used as a flavoring. Use for hemorrhoids pain relief and to reduce itching.Aloe Vera - Contains gibberlin and polysaccharides, which effectively decrease inflammation and promote healing."

It works for all kinds of hemmorhoids, including bleeding ones (which I used to get alot). And, the peppermint makes you all minty fresh lol. Yes I know, TMI Jen, TMI.

All kidding aside folks, this product actually works. I would never recommend anything that did not work for me and Neo-Healer, does. I'm happy to have finally found something that works and like I said I haven't had any problems in over a year (other than one or two minor flare ups but I treatd them and they were gone within hours). I HIGHLY recommend this product!!!