Amber is very picky when it comes to clothing.  It must be this color, or that design.  It can't have ribbons, or bows.  And definitely NO PINK.  Through Twitter Moms, I found a fabulous site for her, where she can design her own clothes, and can get just what she wants, it's called Fashion Playtes. 

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I have a lot of things on my list every year that I want for Christmas, sometimes I get them, sometimes I don't, but they are on my list every year.

A few years ago, I started adding more "comfort" things to the list.  Items that were fuzzy, warm and comfy.  My family knows that they will have a happy girl on their hands if a gift contains all three of those things.  So imagine my delight when I was asked to review the Chenille Lounge Socks from PatientStyle.com.
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I admit to not having "tough" laundry loads. Meaning that except for food stains (I do have sloppy eaters in my home), I don't have a lot of outdoors or grease type stains to deal with when I do laundry. Maybe that's why laundry is my favorite household chore! It's always a good thing when I can find a detergent and stain removal products that don't just work and smell good, but are also friendly on the environment.

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This year has been an exception to the rule - the thermometer has stayed above 32 degrees for November which is almost unheard of here in the Northern Plains (I'm not complaining by the way!). Most years we have already broken out the winter weather gear in early November, and the winter coats and jackets are usually for sale early in September. Of course most of you in the Midwest are nodding your heads along with me.

Since we migrated South from Canada, I know what cold is. Even here in South Dakota the winters aren't nearly as brutal as the winters that I grew up with. Whenever Amber complains about how cold it is she gets the "we walked to school uphill both ways in 2 feet of snow...." Well okay, not entirely true, and even it were, I had numerous Rothschild winter jackets growing up. Yes, it's true, the Rothschild brand has been around for that long, actually it's been around for over 125 years! So chances are, it's possible that even my Mom wore a Rothschild coat when she was younger!

What has changed for Rothschild Outwear is the styles and that you can now shop online! What hasn't changed is their quality for keeping families warm even in the coldest winters that some of us go through ..for many...many months!
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Starting with Thanksgiving, a lot about the holidays and the gatherings is about food.  I still try and watch what I eat, but not nearly as much as other times.  I want to enjoy the goodies that others and myself have prepared.

Of course that sometimes means that by Christmas, some of my clothes, don't quite fit me the way I want them too.  Do you have that problem?  If you do, you might want to look at a body shaper from Amon Maternity.
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I am a laundry freak.  By that I mean I ♥ doing laundry.  Yes, it's true.

I first heard about Soap Nuts about a year ago, and they thoroughly intrigued me.  I just never got around to ordering any, because quite honestly, I like the "artificials" that give me the "scent" when doing laundry.  I know in my head that no scent means clean, but my nose needs more convincing.

Then I got the chance to review a number of products from NaturOli (pronounced like naturally), and I no longer had an excuse to not try them.

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I have to say I am really amazed at how many clothes I see in the stores that flip me back to the 80's, and I can't say I mind it.

I was in Jr. High back then, and some of my favorite items to wear were preppy polo shirts (with the collar up of course!).

When I had the opportunity to review a polo from TommyWants for Amber, I was ecstatic! It's kind of like reliving those years through her lol!

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Est. 2004
Founded by designer & artist Shanda Chiumento. Sugar Apple Design focuses on translating the fun and nature of the Caribbean onto wearable art...from
tees & tanks to plush bathrobes & beach towels.

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The peeps over at Purple Pig Shirts (same peeps who run Crazy Dog Tshirts, those ones built by robot dogs...) sent me one of their Love Life t-shirts to review.  Seriously, this shirt has fast become one of my favorites in my closet.  It is very comfy to wear.
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Makes Your Washing Machine Smell and Look Great

I am on my second front loading washing machine. After a couple of months with my first one ten years ago, I soon learned that if I did not want my laundry room or clothes and towels to smell all mildewy, I had to leave the door of the machine open after washing.

Front loaders are great at saving water and not as tough on your clothes as a top loader, but the design lends itself to trapped water and residue on and in the door and gasket.

I have never thought of "cleaning" my washing machine. That seems sort of oxymoronic doesn't it, using a washing machine cleaner? I mean by default shouldn't your machine be getting clean each time you use it? Unfortunately not. Detergent and fabric softeners leave themselves behind, the dark damp environment is perfect for mold growth, and then (ick) we throw our clothes in there, and they pick all that up when we're "washing" them. Kind of ironic in a way.

In any case there is a better way to keep that scent and growth at bay then my solution of just leaving the door open and that's Smelly Washer.
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You know clothes are going to be liked by your daughter when they have been designed by girls much like her. And that's exactly how Igloo Island came into existence.

Mom Sandra and her two pre-teen daughters Brittany and Cailin created Igloo Island when the girls complained they couldn't find any fun and stylish clothing. With their creative ideas and a circle of friends who test market each product, plenty of fun and stylish clothing options in sizes XS-XL (4-6x up to size 14) are to be had.

Amber and I were sent the Denim Lurex Jumper to review.


Truthfully I have found in the past the words denim and jumper combined together conjure up images of farmers, school marms or mechanics. None of which (thankfully!) describe this piece from Igloo Island.


This jumper is really cool, with its stand out gold threading and the 2 oversized pockets (which can store lots of treasures, change or candy!).

It is very well made in my opinion, and can span all the seasons with either a tanktop or long sleeved shirt to go underneath it. Pair it with an adorable pair of tights and you have an outfit for school. Add something with a bit of lace and additional "sparkle" and you have something fancier for a holiday or special event. I'm excited because this jumper will serve Amber well for both casual and dress up dinners on our next cruise.

The jumper is stylish yet modest, a definite plus for me. I want my daughter to be able to wear clothes that are fashionable, yet still have her look 13 not 18 when she walks out the door ☺.

Amber is about 4'10" and weighs about 90lbs and the XL size fits her.

I have not doubts that your child will get complimented on her outfit while wearing it!

The fall 2009 line has lots of variety. Here are a couple more favorite pieces.....



Igloo Island clothing is sold at MyTinyCloset.com, go and check them out! Read the full story

One of my favorite things about cruising is dressing up for dinner. The little black sleeveless dress and high heels, really make me feel special. One of my least favorite things is that the dining rooms are always cold. I suppose they need to keep it that way when you have so many people in the room, but somehow the goosebumps and stand up hairs don't go well with the look I'm trying to achieve .

Packing space is always a premium when we travel, and sweaters are bulky and take up too much real estate in my suitcase. What to do, what to do?

I came across Nimli in my daily jaunt across the internet a couple of weeks ago. They seemed to be the solution to my dilemma.

Nimli offers clothing, accessories, home décor, beauty products and much more from independent designers.

One of the brands Nimli carries is Azuri. Azuri makes scarves and shawls in many fabric and color choices. I received an Azuri Wool Wrap to review courtesy of Nimli. I chose a neutral color so that I would be able to pair it with any outfit.

I had the perfect opportunity to try it out last week. You see, I think our church has a colony of penguins that they are giving sanctuary to. I have come to that conclusion because  on Sunday mornings it is frigid in there . I have a number of sleeveless dresses that have been hanging in my closet all summer collecting dust, as it is just too chilly to wear them to worship.

So last Sunday I donned one, and brought along my Azuri Wool Wrap. Not ten minutes into the hour and I was positioning it around my shoulders and arms. I stayed cozy and warm for the remainder of the service. The nice thing about it is that it is not oppressively heavy.

Folded up this shawl takes up a fraction of the space a sweater does in a suitcase and it is the perfect accessory to take with on any vacation.

Visit Nimli to view all of the different Azuri items they carry, as well as a whole host of other natural and organic products. Read the full story

If you are looking for opaque tights, We Love Colors is your one stop shop. The styles of hosiery they offer are exciting and fashionable. You can choose natural shades or step out in something bold, since We Love Colors is true to their name and carries over 50 colors!

September has arrived and soon the tights will be broken out not just for a fashion statement but to keep our legs warm too!

Hosiery can be expensive, and it can be helpful to know the quality of a brand before you buy, so you don't wear the item once and then have to toss it.

This is where (or wear!! lol) my review comes in  .  We Love Colors sent me a pair of tights to try out so I could tell you how they look, feel and fit!

I wore my Mocha colored tights for a couple of days before writing this review.



The 80 Denier Nylon/Lycra MicroFiber content of these tights has a wonderful feel to them.  They are so comfortable which makes them perfect to wear all day and night.  I had not "slouching" of tights down my legs which is generally an issue for me since I am very short and usually fall under the height range (in this case I did as well, I am 4'9" and the starting height in the s/m size is 4'11").

The mocha color was perfect throughout, which if you're looking for colored opaque tights is important.

The footed tights are constructed well, though they have a seam at the toe, and as much as I tried I could not get hat to stay in position at my toe line  .

They kept my legs warm and I'm pretty sure they'll last me the entire fall/winter season. They'll be perfect paired with a pair of boots and a knee length skirt!

Don't miss the other great products We Love Colors sells. Take a look at these fun socks.


If you already own products from We Love Colors take some pictures and send them to emem@welovecolors.com, you just might show up on Their Friends blog!


To enter visit We Love Colors and comment with which product you would love to have.


This giveaway will end on September 17, 2009 at 11:59 pm cst and open to U.S. Residents. The winner will be chosen by random.org and will be e-mailed. The winner will have 48 hours to respond to the e-mail or an alternate winner will be chosen. By entering this giveaway you are stating that you have read my **About Reviews statement at the bottom of this page and my Privacy/Rules declaration and agree to them. Read the full story

Using my thesaurus to find alternate words to the hip trendy witty tagline that Trendy Tadpole uses, I came up with fashionable stylish clever. And their clothing is their tagline, my synonyms and so much more!

Last year I had won a contest on another blog and picked out the King of the Playground long sleeved tee for my 2 year old nephew. So adorable it was, and I'm pretty sure he draws crowds whenever my sister dresses him in it.


What I didn't know until just recently was that Trendy Tadpole even sells tees for us grown ups! I was generously given one to try out and wear and chose the Japanese Bird.

These tees run small and the site does suggest ordering a size up. I normally wear an x-small or a small and ordered a medium, and indeed it fit. I like my tees fitted, but if I had wanted it a bit looser, even a large would not have been too big.

American Apparel tees are used and they are super soft. The designs available are so unique, and will have people stopping and looking. I had a couple of people ask what my shirt said (good thing the shirt's description on the site says "chirp" since I don't read a lick of Japanese! I must have looked so smart answering those people! Thanks Julie!).

If you are looking for a unique gift for a baby, or birthday, or want to get matching shirts for the kiddies and you, check out the many hip tees available at Trendy Tadpole, and know that you've done good by supporting a small business, shopping American made and being super stylish!
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What teen doesn't want to be noticed when they're out in public? Well there might be a couple out there, but I know my daughter enjoys being the center of attention, and while her brains get her noticed on occasion, many times it happens from the clothes she is wearing.

So I let Amber loose to peruse the Crazy Dog T-shirts website and she saw a number of fun t-shirts she'd like to add to her laundry pile, but ultimately she chose the Rock is Dead t-shirt.



This fun t-shirt is made by David and Goliath, who proudly announce on their hang tags "We Make Stupid Stuff So You Don't Have To". The hang tag was lovingly saved from the shirt and mounted on her cork board. That proves this shirt has style lol!

100% cotton this tee is comfy and made to look worn out right from new. If you order this brand make sure you order a size larger than you would otherwise. Amber is not very big (less than 5 feet tall and about 90 lbs), and the medium was not in stock so we chose the large, and it fits her just fine. She likes the fact that there is not an inner tag on the neckline to make it itchy!

She wore this to the fair the other day while she was manning the dairy booth handing out milkshakes, and lone behold, she got noticed! Some guy was ready to comment that "rock is NOT dead", and then read the rest of the shirt, and did laugh over it. That made her day.

Hubby is pleading asking for the I'm On A Boat t-shirt to wear on our upcoming transatlantic cruise. (For those of you who don't realize, a "ship" and a "boat" should never be confused, lol!). At only $14.99 he might actually find this one under the Christmas Tree.


You too can be the proud owner of a Crazy Dog Tshirt, as the nice peeps there are giving one away to a blog reader here at Three Different Directions.

To enter take a peek at their t-shirts and leave a comment with the one you would like to have.

For extra entries: (the above entry must be done before any extra entries are counted, please leave a separate comment for each one you are eligible for)

1. Follow Crazy Dog Tshirts and Me on Twitter and tweet this giveaway (this can be done daily)
2. Become a fan of Crazy Dog Tshirts on Facebook
3. Sign up for Crazy Dog Tshirts newsletter
3. Follow my blog publicly
4. Subscribe to my feed via e-mail or reader
5. Post my button on your blog
6. Blog about this giveaway linking back to me

This giveaway is open to US Residents ages 18+ and will end on September 3, 2009 at 11:59 pm cst. Winner will be notified by e-mail and will have 48 hours to respond with their shipping details or a new winner will be chosen. By entering this giveaway you are acknowledging that you have read and agreed to both the **About Reviews at the bottom of this page and the Privacy/Rules statement on my site.

I was provided a tshirt from Crazy Dog Tshirts to review prior to writing this post. Read the full story

If you read my blog regularly, you'll know that we like to travel. And since we live in the middle of nowhere, traveling almost always includes flying. I like to have a bag to use when we fly that is durable, but still stylish. Jumeau delivered that and more, with the bag they sent me to review.

The last thing one wants when traveling is for something to break or fall apart. No worries with a Jumeau bag. With a 45 day no questions asked return policy and a five year replacement warranty, they are pretty sure you're going to be satisfied with your bag.

I received the Ninja bag from the Commando line to review. Really, how can you not love a bag called Ninja? I got the one in the Black/Charcoal Digital Camo print. I have honestly never liked any handbag I own better.

This particular bag also comes in four additional colors of the Digital Camo print. And the Commando line has seven bag styles in all. Made with a triple dense nylon fabric this bag is extra strong. The Ninja bag is considered a medium handbag or a small utilitarian bag. In my opinion that is an accurate description; it is bigger than what generally would consider a small handbag, but perfect as a handbag carry-on for a plane flight, when you want something just a bit bigger to hold your essentials. The hardware on this bag is constructed with the utmost quality. Take a look at how much (and how organized you could be with all those pockets!) you can fit in this bag.

I have carried it both with the shoulder strap and with the handles over my shoulder. The latter is the way I prefer to carry it just because I'm tiny and find the shoulder strap, even on its shortest length, is too long for me (keep in mind I'm under 5 feet tall).

What I really like best about this bag though is, because it is nylon, I can wipe it down inside and out. When it gets dirty or it has come in contact with places that maybe aren't the most sanitary, something that happens quite a bit when we travel, I can just take a wet wipe or a damp paper towel and clean it up. This is a must for me.

Jumeau sells bags of all sizes, shapes and styles, I'm positive there is one on their site you will fall in love with. Not just bags are sold by Jumeau though, they have the cutest belts too!

Jumeau also has an opportunity for you to be a Fashion Specialist with their company. Think Mary Kay or Pampered Chef, but for Jumeau Bags. If you have a handbag obsession, this would be the perfect position for you. Spend time with family and friends, meet new people, while introducing them to a quality product and doing something you love! As an independent sales rep, you'd receive a flat commission, there are no upfront costs (you can earn your whole starter kit for free!), and there is no recruiting required or down line to maintain. These bags will literally sell themselves too, have a couple of your own and people will be asking you where you got them from, just by carrying them around! Almost an instant sale! If this interests you check out the Jumeau Fashion Specialist page for more information.
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I love socks!

That being said, my daughter hates them!

SmartKnit Kids sent us some of their seamless socks for kids to try out.

These socks are sized differently than most companies. Because of the way they are designed with no seams (read NO HEEL sewn in), they will grow with your child and hopefully get more wear than a traditional "heeled" sock (read SAVE $$).

I actually tried out one of the Knee High Length pairs that was sent in an XXL for kids. I have tiny feet (I buy anywhere between a size 3 1/2 in girls shoes to a 6 in ladies depending on the make). Traditional socks are often a problem for me because children's socks in a size 6-8 are too small and ladies socks in size 9-11 are almost always too big. The SmartKnit Kids socks fit me perfect ☺ No more embarrassing sock heel halfway up my calf!


I also find myself pulling my socks up a lot. Not with these. The elastic at the top, while not constricting, performed well, and they never fell or "slouched" on me.

The socks are comfortable, soft and don't bunch up when you put your shoes on either.

I tried to get Amber to wear them and tell me what she thought. She put one on for a whole 15 seconds and said "they're too tight" and pulled it off. Let me clarify when she said "too tight" she didn't meant the top elastic she meant the whole sock. Here's the rest of our conversation:

Me: They're supposed to be like that, they're like gloves...for your feet.

Amber: I like my socks big.

Me: So they fall off?

Amber: So they're comfy.

Me: *Shakes Head* Comfy? You say you don't even like socks.

Amber: No. I. Don't.

Ah well apparently I still have some work to do with her......

SmartKnit Kid socks are made from a super stretchy fiber so the socks are form fitting, snug and comfortable (So There Amber, take that!)

What I really like about these is that with no heel, kids can never put their socks on "upside down" (I make no guarantees about inside out though).

Overall, I think these socks are great.

Please Read **About Reviews at the bottom of the page.

So, the good people at SmartKnit Kids sent me enough socks to share some with my readers.

I have a "girl" set in a Pink M (kneehigh)& Purple XL(crew) and a "boy" set in White L(kneehigh) & Navy L (crew).

To enter simply let me know whether you want the girl set or boy set.

For additional entries (the above must be done first) Please leave each in a separate comment

* Visit Thereawear.com online (where SmartKnit Kids socks are sold) and tell me which product you like the best
* Subscribe to my RSS Feed by email or reader
* Follow my blog publicly
* Blog about this giveaway and link back to me
* Follow me on Twitter and Tweet about this giveaway (Can be done daily)
* Add me to your blog roll
* Add my button to your blog

This giveaway is open to US & Canadian residents ages 13+. It will end on June 22, 2009 at 11:59 pm cst. Read the full story

I am tiny. I often wonder who it was that decided "petite" was defined as someone who was 5'2" or less. My goodness 5'0" is gi-normous to me. I scale the grand heights of 4'9". That leaves me with two options for clothing.
1. Children's Department
2. Woman's clothing that is too large and too long
I have purchased both.

Depending on where I'm going though, I don't particularly want to bump into a fourth grader who happens to have on the same outfit as me. That leaves me with pants, skirts or shorts that I can swivel around my waist. But now that I have an IsABelt, I can buy those grown up clothes, and not worry about exposing the world to my underpants!

Watch this video to see this great product:



Now I hope you can see how it worked on my jeans in a before and after photo.

I have had to constantly hike up these jeans since the day I bought them but NO MORE, thanks to the IsABelt I received to review.

I had my skinny minnie daughter try it too, and she really likes it, even though she hates wearing belts. Partially because it was so easy to buckle, and also because it is clear, so it isn't easily visible to others. The one thing we both noticed is, that it works better with high waist pants than it does with low rise ones.

The IsABelt comes in a variety of sizes from small to large and a plus size, as well as a jr. and now a unisex wide version as well. Starting May 16th the IsABelt will also be sold in black.

This is definitely a must have product, if when you bend over your waistband gapes!

Please read **About Reviews at the bottom of the page.

I have an IsABelt in a size large (fits up to a size 14) to giveaway to one of my readers! Here's how to enter:

Head over to IsABelt and leave a comment on this post telling me something you learned at their website.

After you complete the above each of the following gains you one additional entry:

1. Twitter this giveaway. Please leave the link to your tweet so I can verify.
2. Add this post to Kirtsy.
3. For two additional entries blog about this giveaway with a link back to me. Please leave the url so I can verify.
4. Subscribe to my blog using either e-mail or RSS feed.
5. Follow my blog publicly.

This contest is open to U.S. and Canadian residents ages 18+ and will end at 11:59 pm cst on May 16th. Read the full story