I found it! I found it!

August 27, 2010 By

A couple of weeks ago I posted here on She Scribes how I was searching for something that smelled just like a fresh cut Christmas tree. I used to purchase a Christmas tree oil from Bath & Body Works but for some odd reason they no longer carry it. Its the ONLY thing I have ever found that actually smelled like a real Christmas tree. Needless to say I was very disappointed to learn that I could no longer experience that wonderful scent during the holidays.

Yesterday my family and I were at the Dutchess County Fair (more on that in another post). Walking up and down the pavillions I noticed a vendor who was selling oils as well as bath and body products. I took a chance and stopped to see if they happened to carry my beloved Christmas tree scent.

I was very impressed by the sheer number of oils they carried. There must have been 100+ on display.

As I waited patiently to ask the gentleman on the other side of the counter if they carried a Christmas tree scent I over heard him telling another customer about a “tree” scent. Instantly I felt a sense of excitement. Did they really carry something that smelled like a fresh cut Christmas tree?

When it was my turn to talk to the gentleman he told me that yes indeed. They DID carry a Christmas tree scent. Its called Vermont Pine. He was more then happy to hand me the bottle to smell it for myself.

OMG!!!! I found it! I found another oil that smells EXACTLY like a fresh cut Christmas tree!!! I cannot even begin to tell you just have THRILLED I am.

But wait! It gets better!

The nice man also handed me another bottle called Walk in the Woods. He told me it was also a nice holiday scent. Oh! It sure is! Walk in the Woods does have a pine scent too it but with a bit of a spicy kick to it (for lack of a better description). It reminds me of a Christmas tree with some cinnamon sticks dangling from it.

SCORE! Now I have TWO scents that smell like Christmas.

They do have a scent on their site called Christmas Tree. I will have to order that one and see how beautiful that one smells too. I guess they didn’t have one handy at the fair (unless it was sold out).

On a whim I asked him if he had Lilac too. NEVER, EVER have I found ANYTHING that smelled like a true Lilac. I have wasted so much money on oils, candles, sprays – you name it – and have NEVER found a real Lilac scent. I was over joyed to find that not only did they carry Lilac but it smells like they squeezed the Lilac scent into a bottle. It was the REAL DEAL! Just one whiff of the Lilac and I was instantly sent back in time to when I had a Lilac bush outside of my bedroom window. That sweet Lilac scent used to fill my room. It was amazing!

The name of the company is Scentastics. They hail from Vermont and they make all their own oils. Their oils are sold in bottles comparable to those I purchase at Bath & Body Works for around the same price too.

I ended up purchasing 10 bottles of oils. They had a special where you could buy 10 bottles for $35.00. It sounds like a lot but it was well worth every penny.

I picked up some other AMAZING scents.

- Baby Powder - I love the smell of baby powder. This reminds me of baby powder mixed with baby lotion.

- True Rose – Think of the most amazing bouquet of roses you have ever seen. Try and picture how that would smell. That is exactly how the True Rose scent smells. Its like a big bouquet of perfect roses in a bottle.

Scentastics also carries oils that smell like $$$$ perfumes and colognes. They smelled just like the real thing except at a fraction of the cost. All you need to do is put a drop or two on your wrist then rub both your wrists together.  

- Jean Paul Gualtier – I bought this for my husband. NICE! 2 ounces of the real cologne will set you back $50-$60. I paid $3.50 ($5 if you purchase just a single bottle).

- Abercrombie & Fitch Fierce for Men – ONE ounce of the real cologne from the Abercrombie & Fitch store will set you back a whopping $44! The Scentasitcs version smells exactly like the cologne but for a much affordable $5.00 per bottle. I bought this for my son.

- Be Delicious – This is their version of the popular Donna Karen perfume by the same name. I purchased this for my daughter. This beautiful and delicate perfume scent is sold at Sephora for $40 for one ounce. The same scent from Scentastics is only $5.00!

Scentastics offers so many scents and perfume oils that its hard to count how many. They also carry soaps, lotions and other bath and body products.

Scentasitcs has no clue that I am writing this review. I felt compelled to post this because I am BEYOND pleased with their products. I L♥VE their scents! I may not get to the Dutchess County Fair every year (we go every other year) but I WILL be purchasing from their website, www.Scentastics.com. I wish they offered the same deal on their site as they did at the fair (10 bottles for $35). On their site the oils and perfume oils are $5.00 each (a small handful are $6). They have a minimum order of $20 but that is REALLY easy to do (trust me!).

Scentastics makes all of their products fresh daily, with no added harsh chemicals or detergents. They also do not use alcohol in their oils which means that they will last longer (alcohol makes the scent fade away a lot quicker).

I can tell you from experience that the scent lasts a LONG time. I smelled A LOT of scents at their booth. They did have coffee in jars for you to smell (coffee clears the scents from your nose) but I still had the scents in my nose when I left. Even standing around the food vendors I couldn’t smell the foods. All I smelled was roses (the last scent that I smelled at the booth). Even inhaling deeply all I smelled was the scent and not the fair smells.

I am totally “sold” on Scentastics. They have a new #1 fan in me!

Kimberly

*I was not asked to post this review, nor was I compensated in any way. I fell in love with the products that I purchased on my own and felt compelled to share these products with my readers.

Related Posts:

Filed Under: Beauty, Decorating, Ramblings, Reviews Tagged With: , , ,

Nutrisystem Update – August 27, 2010

August 27, 2010 By

Today’s Nutrisystem update is going to be a quick post. I am sorry that I didn’t take any pictures to share with you. I’ll take some next week. This week has been busy with some back-to-school stuff and squeezing in some last minute fun before the kids go back to school.

I didn’t think I would be able to do the post today but we haven’t decided what we are going to do today so I have some time. We were going to the Bronx Zoo but the county fair ended up costing $$$$ more then we anticipated so we don’t have any money left to go to the Bronx Zoo. Sigh… I was really looking forward to going today too. We haven’t been to the Bronx Zoo in 11 years.

T0 be honest I was on “autopilot” this week when it came to eating. I did what I needed to do but I didn’t put much thought into it. I don’t know if that is a good thing (that I’m not obsessing about what I eat) or a bad thing (mindless grazing?). I was also concerned that I “might” gain weight this week. THANKFULLY I lost weight! Yeah me! I lost 2 pounds! (“Technically 1.8 pounds but I am rounding to the nearest pound).

I didn’t lose anything last week. Yesterday we went to the county fair and I was concerned that I might gain weight. Traditionally my husband and I love to get chicken-in-a-pita sandwiches at the fair (they are SO GOOD!). I was going to get one but opted for a steak in a pita instead with NO “special sauce”. With the chicken-in-a-pita is automatically comes with a thick and creamy sauce (not really sure what it is). With the steak sandwhich you get veggies on it instead. So I opted for the steak on. The steak is grilled and its topped with onions and peppers. I thought that was a healthier choice. After all, its a county fair, there are very limited “healthy food” options.

We did A LOT of walking yesterday so I think that helped to eat up (no pun intended) some of the calories. I also skipped my usual favorites like ice cream, fries, lemonade and a few other goodies. I think I did pretty good if you ask me. I could have EASILY splurged and eaten EVERYTHING in sight, but I didn’t. I remained strong and concious about what I ate and drank all day.

We DID bring home some roasted peanuts in the shell, but I don’t think I’ll take more then 1 or 2 at a time. Too much “work” to get at a tiny nut. LOL!

I know this is not exactly a great, in-depth post about my week on Nutrisystem. Next week will be better. This week was just an exception.

For more information about Nutrisystem visit www.Nutrisystem.com.

Kimberly

*I received the Nutrisystem foods free to do this review. There was no other compensation. The opinions expressed are my own.

Related Posts:

Filed Under: Diet & Weight Loss, Health, Reviews Tagged With: , , ,

TNT Week: Leverage (Giveaway)

August 27, 2010 By

Today is the final day of TNT Week here at She Scribes. The last show to be featured is Leverage. Leverage airs on TNT on Sundays. Please check your local listing guide for air time.

Leverage follows the adventures of a highly skilled team out to settle scores against those who use power and wealth to victimize others. The gang is led by former insurance investigator Nate Ford (Hutton), who got involved in the con business after his former employer refused to pay for treatment that could have saved his son’s life. His highly skilled team includes Sophie Devereaux (Bellman), a grifter who uses her acting skills to corner her marks; Eliot Spencer (Kane), a “retrieval specialist” with bone-crunching fighting skills; Alec Hardison (Hodge), a gadget and technology wizard who keeps the team informed; and Parker (Riesgraf), a slightly off-center thief adept at rappelling off buildings or squeezing into tight places.

By the end of the second season, the Leverage team had scammed a hedge-fund manager who happened to be in the custody of U.S. Marshals; used Eliot’s martial arts skills to corner a corrupt fight promoter; and took over a private school to recover millions of dollars lost in a Ponzi scheme. They also went head-to-head with an almost identical team of grifters to recover a painting, took down an oppressive sweatshop owner, cornered a fake psychic, freed Nate’s ex-wife from a Ukrainian jail and thwarted a gunrunning scheme by a corrupt mayor.

But for Sophie, her conflicted relationship with Nate left her questioning if she wanted to continue working with the team. She took some much-needed time away, arranging for a friend and fellow grifter to take her place temporarily. But even though Sophie has now returned to the team, there are still some unresolved issues between her and Nate.

The third season of Leverage opened with Nate in prison after having to make a tough choice on the most recent con. He could either allow his team to be arrested or simply give himself up to his nemesis Sterling, a former insurance investigator now working for Interpol. Nate soon discovers, however, that the prison is corrupt. The only way he can bring the crooked officials down is to get his team to help him stage his jailbreak.

But that’s only the beginning of Nate’s challenges. He must also contend with a shadowy intelligence agent known only as “The Italian,” played by actress and model Elisabetta Canalis, who blackmails him into helping bring down a financier. Between “The Italian” trying to control Nate and Nate trying to hold both his crew and his personal life together, it’s looking to be a challenging and twisted summer for the Leverage team.

To learn more about the show you can visit http://www.TNT.tv/series/Leverage/.

Today’s giveaway is a Safecracker PC game for your computer. With this game you’ll explore over 30 rooms with 35 unique safes to crack. This is a fun, creative and clever game you’ll surely spent hours enjoying. 

To enter please leave a comment and tell me something nice. I don’t care what it is, as long as its nice. Maybe you can tell me that you really liked my post about “xxxx”, or that “xxxx” was your most favorite giveaway. Easy peasy!

For an extra entry you can do any one (or all if you are so inclined) of the following. All options are found on the right side bar.

- Subscribe to She Scribes.

- Follow She Scribes on Twitter.

- “Connect” with She Scribes on Google Friend Connect.

- “Like” She Scribes on Facebook (click on the Facebook button, then click “Like” on the following page).

This giveaway is open to US residents and will end on September 4, 2010 at 11:59 PM (EST). The winner will be chosen at random using a random number generator from all eligible entries. The winner will be contacted via e-mail and will have three days to reply with a name and mailing address or an new winner will be chosen.

Don’t forget to check out the other great giveaways going on at She Scribes. Just check out the right side bar under “Win It”.

Kimberly

*I was not compensated in any way for this post. I posted this for the benefit and enjoyment of my site readers.

Related Posts:

Filed Under: Giveaways Tagged With: ,

“Out of the Office” (LOL) Today

August 26, 2010 By

I wanted to let my readers and visitors know that I will be gone pretty much all day long today. I probably won’t have a chance to post much when I get back. It all depends on what time I get back and how tired I feel.

My family and I are heading up to the Dutchess County Fair. We’re leaving bright and early since its a nearly 2 hour drive each way.

I’ll be sure to take a lot of pictures and share my experience when I get back online.

I might not post much on Friday either. Our “game plan” is to take the kids to the Bronx Zoo that day. Chances are we won’t be gone all day since the zoo is less then an hour away.

My Friday Nutrisystem update might have to wait until Saturday. We’ll see how Friday goes.

If you e-mail me and I don’t reply back right away you’ll know why. I can access e-mails on my cell phone but I won’t do that today. Today is all about spending fun, quality time with my husband and children and making memories that will last us a life time. I’ll reply to all e-mails when I get home. 

I hope you all have a wonderful day!

Kimberly

Related Posts:

Filed Under: Ramblings, Uncategorized

TNT Week: Rizzoli & Isles (Giveaway)

August 26, 2010 By

Today is the fourth day in the special TNT week at She Scribes. Today’s TV show feature is a new series on TNT called Rizzoli & Isles. It airs on Monday nights on TNT.

Rizzoli & Isles follows Boston detective Jane Rizzoli (Angie Harmon) and medical examiner Maura Isles (Sasha Alexander), complete opposites and good friends who solve crimes and bust some of Boston’s most notorious criminals. Growing up at opposite ends of the economic spectrum, the two remain strikingly different from one another in many ways.

Jane, the only female detective in Boston’s homicide division, is a tough and gutsy cop who doesn’t let her guard down (except with Maura), dodges her overprotective mother and is better at basketball than her brother.

Maura, meanwhile, is usually more comfortable among the dead than the living. She is always impeccably dressed in designer duds with a steady, sometimes icy temperament. And she is working on curbing her tendency to diagnose the people she meets – including her first dates.

Jane and Maura often find themselves working together as both use their brilliant minds and expertise to figure out the “who done it” as well as the “how done it” of Boston’s most complex cases.

Despite their many differences, Jane and Maura are best friends, with a quirky and supportive relationship. As Tamaro explains, “That Jane and Maura are so different and yet so effective as a team makes them unusual. There’s something rare about their relationship that I see in the world but not enough on television: two smart, strong, competent women who instinctively drop the protective shield when they’re with each other.”

Rizzoli & Isles also stars Lorraine Bracco (The Sopranos) as Angela, Jane’s demanding and intrusive mother; Lee Thompson Young (FlashForward) as Det. Barry Frost, Jane’s somewhat green partner; Bruce McGill (Law Abiding Citizen) as Det. Vince Korsak, Jane’s seasoned former partner; and Jordan Bridges (Dawson’s Creek) as Jane’s brother, Frankie, a patrol cop who hopes one day to become a detective.

I saw Angie on “The View” earlier this summer talking about the new series. I have a feeling TNT has another hit on their hands. I know that there are plenty of “cops and robbers” type shows already saturating the airwaves but I think that Rizzoli & Isles stands out from most because it stars two smart women in the leading roles.

Look for Rizzoli & Isles on TNT on Monday nights. Please check your local listing guides for channel and air time.

For more information about the show visit http://www.tnt.tv/series/rizzoliandisles.

In honor of Rizzoli & Isles today’s giveaway is a copy of the book “The Apprentice” written by NY Times Best Selling author Tess Gerritsen.

To enter please comment on your favorite TV show (or another TV show) that features a woman as one of the leading characters. It can be any show from any channel.

For an extra entry you can do one of the following. Please let me know which one that you have done. All the extra entry options can be found on the right side bar.

- Subscribe to She Scribes.

- “Friend” She Scribes with Google Friend Connect.

- “Like” She Scribes on Facebook (Click on the Facebook button, then click on the “like” button).

- Follow She Scribes on Twitter.

This giveaway is open to US residents only and will end on September 3, 2010 at 11:59 PM (EST). The winner will be chosen at random using a random number generator from all eligible entries using a random number generator. The winner will be contacted by e-mail and will have three days to reply with a name and mailing address (no PO Box) or a new winner will be chosen.

Other awesome giveaways are found on the right side bar under “Win It”.

Kimberly

*I was not compensated in any way for this post. I posted this for the benefit and enjoyment of my readers.

Related Posts:

Filed Under: Giveaways Tagged With: ,

Soap Soundz – Handwashing Has Never Been This Much FUN! (Giveaway)

August 25, 2010 By

As a Mom I must nag my kids a million and one times per day to make sure they wash their hands. I guess I’m a bit fanatical about it, only because I don’t want anyone to get sick. Not only is having  sick kids (or worst yet a sick husband - ha ha) no fun, but “I” don’t like to be sick either. There is no one to take care of Mom when she’s sick. Plus I still have to take care of the rest of the family and our mini-zoo.

There are many ways to control the spread of germs. One of the most important ways is to do a great job washing your hands.

My kids are at the age where they know they need to wash their hands in really warm water with soap for at least a minute or two. Sometimes they do, sometimes they don’t. I know from experience that little girls are notorious for not washing their hands or doing a good job.

What if I told you there was a way to make hand washing a more fun and enjoyable experience, not only for children, but also adults.

Introducing Soap Soundz, musical soap dispensers for your whole family.

Soap Soundz are liquid hand soaps with a very special feature – they play music and some even talk to you.

When I was approached to see if I was interested in doing a review I immediately checked out the Soap Soundz website. On the site you can listen to audio clips from each of the soap bottles. I was instantly smitten with Soap Soundz! The holiday Soap Soundz are wonderful. The Halloween Soap Soundz plays creepy Halloween music and eerie sounds and the holiday Soap Soundz plays a cute Christmas tune. These will be PERFECT to set out during the holidays. I think they would also make a cute stocking stuffer gift or hostess gift during the holidays.

Soap Soundz has a collection of kid-friendly soaps featuring the Hygiene Heroes; A-Bac (hand sanitizer), Lord Viral, Princess Sanipure and my personal favorite, Captain Cleanhands. Captain Cleanhands “sounds” are especially amusing.

I couldn’t wait to review Soap Soundz!

My husband brought up a great point. He didn’t think it would be a wise idea to get up in the middle of the night to use the bathroom and setting off the soap and waking anyone up. Good point. Thankfully the makers of Soap Soundz thought of that. You CAN push on the soap without setting off the sounds and music (but why would you want to do that? LOL). 

I received Princess Sanipur, Captain Cleanhands and two of this Winter/Christmas Holiday soaps.

My kids LOVE the scents of the “kiddie” soaps. Princess Sanipur has a strawberry scent and Captain Cleanhands has a Raspberry scent. They both have commented on how they like that the scent stays on their hands even after they are rinsed clean. Its not a strong scent, but enough that it can be enjoyed.

I personally L♥VEthe holiday Soap Soundz! I received  Sugar Cookie and Apple-Cinnamon. They smell SO GOOD! I have written on my blog many times how much I enjoy scents. I’m a huge fan of anything scented (oils, candles, plug-ins, soaps, body washes…). The Sugar Cookie smells EXACTLY like a REAL sugar cookie! I have never come across any product that has come THAT CLOSE to the real sugar cookie scent before. The apple-cinnamon is equally as delightful. It has a strong cinnamon scent. It reminds me of an apple pie.

Too bad Soap Soundz couldn’t come up with a Fall sound. The apple-cinnamon scent with some pretty pumpkins and colorful fall leaves would be ideal for the fall and perhaps even Thankgiving.

I took a video of some of the soaps. I know the quality is not the best (sorry) but you can hear them really good. Also my apologies for not centering the video. For the life of me I can’t get videos to center for me on the new platform.

Are these cool or what? I think the Hygiene Heroes are really cute for kids and I LOVE the holiday collection. Soap Soundz is also working on an Earth Tones collection (non-musical), coming soon!

More more information about Soap Soundz, or to make a purchase, please visit www.SoapSoundz.com.

Soap Soundz would like to give THREE lucky readers their Hygiene Heros collection featuring Captain Cleanhands, Princess Sanipur and Lord Viral. Thank you Soap Soundz!

To enter please comment on why you would love to win these fun soaps.

For extra entries you can do any or all of the following. Please be sure to leave a separate comment for each that you have done. Extra entries are optional.

- Subscribe to and/or connect with Google Friend Connect with She Scribes. Both options are found on the right side bar.

- “Like” Soap Soundz on Facebook, http://www.Facebook.com/pages/Soap-Soundz/374181075297

- “Like” She Scribes on Facebook (click on the button on the right side bar, then click “like”).

- Follow Soap Soundz on Twitter, http://twitter.com/soapsoundz.

- Tweet about this review/giveaway (tweet button also found above and below this post). Please be sure to follow She Scribes (@She_Scribes) and include me in the tweet so I may see it too. This is limited to 3 tweets per day, spaced apart (not one after the other).

- Use any of the social networking buttons found at the bottom of this post to promote this review/giveaway. Be sure to tell me what you did and if possible provide a name and mailing address.

This giveaway is open to US residents only and will end on September 3, 2010 at 11:59 PM (EST). The winners will all be chosen at random using a random number generator from all eligible entries. The winners will be notified by e-mail and will have three days to reply with a name and mailing address (no PO Box) or a new winner will be chosen.

Don’t forget to check out the other great giveaways found on the right side bar under “Win It”. 

Kimberly

*I received free products samples in order to do this review. There was no compensation. The opinions expressed are my own. 

Related Posts:

Filed Under: Giveaways, Health, Reviews Tagged With: , , , ,
« Older Posts
Newer Posts »