Monthly Archives: November 2011

CleanRest® Ultra Allergy Blocking Pillow Encasements Review – 2011 Holiday Gift Guide

CleanRest® recently sent me 2 of their Queen-sized Ultra Allergy Blocking Pillow Encasements (valued at $50), and I couldn’t be happier to feature them in my 2011 Holiday Gift Guide. Bed Bugs are disgusting … and a real reality that even us “clean” folks have to worry about. You can pick up bed bugs in a hotel bed, at a movie theatre, or at your doctor’s office or hospital.

I know I live in fear of something crawling into bed with me. The fact that Michigan has the third highest rate of bed bugs in the United States terrifies me! Most of my bedding is already bed bug proof, except for my 2 smaller pillows, so I’m thrilled to be able to use these pillow encasements to help keep bed bugs out of my bed! Besides bed bugs, these encasements also help me with my dust and dust mite allergies, which is a great relief to both me and my hubby, as no one likes to sleep next to a person who coughs all night, like I used to.

CleanRest® Ultra Allergy Blocking Pillow Encasements are softer, cooler and quieter. While still completely blocking micro-toxins, dust mites and bed bug infestation, these new pillow encasements have a softer hand and feel. Their new, ultra soft fabric still offers the highest level of allergen protection and best night’s sleep possible.

  • MicronOne® Allergy Blocking Technology
  • Blocks dust mites and bed bugs
  • Doctor Recommended
  • BPA Free, Phthalate Free and No VOCs
  • Water Resistant
  • Breathable
  • Comfortable
  • Machine Washable
  • Includes Warranty

I’ve been sleeping on my new pillow encasements for the past 2 weeks, and I’m so relieved that I am nearly 100% protected from allergens and bed bugs while I sleep. I haven’t coughed once during the night since putting on the new encasements. For the past 2 years, I have been slowly trying to make my house more allergy-friendly, on the strong recommendation of my allergist, so we’ve done things like rip out our 20 year-old carpet and replace it with laminate, and replaced our 40 year-old furnace and 20 year-old air conditioner. As you can imagine, it wasn’t cheap–and with me being out of work for so long, it couldn’t have come at a worse time. Thanks to CleanRest®, I’ve also now protected most of my bedding, as they were extremely generous and sent me all of the following bedding (and allowed me to host a giveaway for all of the same, too!) earlier this year:

A King Size Ultra Allergy Blocking Mattress Encasement, valued at $140.

A King Size Box Spring Encasement (King includes two Twin XL box spring encasements), valued at $120.

2 King Size Allergy Blocking Pillows, valued at $50.

The only thing I need for my house is a King Duvet Encasement, and then I’ll be 100% allergen-proof. Even though it is $139, it does has a lifetime warranty, which is pretty awesome when you think of how long you’ll need one. Since CleanRest.com also offers free shipping (valid on UPS ground shipments within the United States only), that price is worth it, in my humble opinion.

I love, love, love all of my CleanRest® bedding set. I wish I had gotten all of this bedding sooner, because I have been coughing for years–in fact, I went 38 years without knowing my allergies were actually allergies that I could do something about. It’s no fun to be constantly coughing and feeling miserable while lying in bed every night, trying to sleep. I love that they have a wide variety of products, including allergy-blocking window panels, furniture covers and a travel pillow and blanket set. I am so happy to have discovered CleanRest® bedding and vow to never sleep on an unprotected bed again! If you have allergies, or a fear of bed bugs like me, I suggest you take a look at their website today!

Warning Signs of a Beg Bed Infestation:

  • Red and itchy bumps that are usually in a cluster, or in a line.
  • Dark specks along the mattress seams, or empty exoskeletons.
  • Light brown empty skins left around the bed.
  • Bloody smears found around a bed, as a result of accidentally crushing an engorged bed bug.

About CleanRest®:

At CleanRest® our sole mission is to help you get a better night’s sleep. And not just better, but healthier. We design and manufacture the world’s most advanced and medically effective allergy bedding-barrier products.

What is CleanRest®?

CleanRest® is a family of products designed to provide the user with the cleanest, healthiest sleep possible. CleanRest® features an advanced technology called MicronOne®, which offers the highest level of protection available today. It protects you from all microscopic toxins that exist naturally in every bed and pillow.  Each square inch of the patented MicronOne® fabric contains about 3 billion pores; a weave so tiny that spills won’t penetrate and micro-toxins can’t get to you. It creates a breathable, yet effective barrier between you and what’s in your bedding. CleanRest® provides protection from bed bugs and allergens, creating the cleanest and safest sleep environment possible.

CleanRest® products include mattress encasements, pillow encasements, allergy free pillows, travel pillows, comforters and duvet encasements, which all give complete 360° coverage against allergens. This revolutionary new product is the quickest, simplest way to improve your sleep.

If you have allergies, why not invest in CleanRest® bedding products? Their products are very affordable, and well worth the investment. Visit the CleanRest® website to purchase their products now.

Your Life in Comics by Bill Zimmerman – 2011 Holiday Gift Guide

I was really excited when Free Spirit agreed to send me Your Life in Comics by Bill Zimmerman to feature in my 2011 Holiday Gift Guide. I wanted to get some more “cool gifts” to donate to charity, and since this is a book, rather than a toy, it is like an extra cool gift, in my eyes. That’s right, you guessed it, I was a girl (and teenager) who read comics, and I’m loving the idea of this book. I know this book is going to make one tween boy or girl very happy!

What’s more fun for tween guys than reading comics? Making their own. Your Life in Comics lets boys ages 9–13 do just that.

Rather than provide the story, this interactive book allows guys to decide what happens by using words and drawings of their creation. Some of the activities include completed comics where boys can dictate what happens through dialogue. Others encourage them to draw comic strips. Freestyle activities let guys personalize the book in fun ways. (Bonus: Girls will enjoy this, too!) This do-it-yourself comic book will get boys thinking about important topics in their lives, including family, friends, school, health, and the future.

Based on Free Spirit favorite 100 Things Guys Need to Know, this do-it-yourself comic book will get boys thinking about important topics in their lives, including family, friends, school, health, and the future. Features of the book include:

  • High-interest graphic-novel-style illustrations
  • Fun writing and drawing activities that can engage for hours
  • Engaging story subjects that help improve writing skills
  • Exercises and prompts that let guys explore thoughts and attitudes
  • Chronicling of tween years that can become a treasured keepsake
  • Web extensions pointing the way to fun, interactive online resources

Purchase a copy of Your Life in Comics by Bill Zimmerman for $9.99 at FreeSpirit.com.

SPECIAL OFFER:

Check out free downloads of comics from the book here.

To find out more about Your Life in Comics: 100 Things for Guys to Write and Draw by Bill Zimmerman, visit FreeSpirit.com now.

Like Free Spirit Publishing on Facebook.

Follow Free Spirit Books on Twitter.

GoPicnic Sunbutter + Crackers Review & Giveaway – 2011 Holiday Gift Guide

GoPicnic was kind enough to send me 2 of their ready-to-eat meals to feature in my 2011 Holiday Gift Guide. I’ve tried their meals in the past, and I think they are the perfect alternative to eating fast food–especially when you need to eat on the go, or want to bring something healthier to work to eat for lunch!

I received the Sunbutter + Crackers: All-Natural Meal, a balanced meal that includes Sunbutter Creamy Sunflowerseed Spread, Crunchmaster Multi-Grain Sea Salt Crackers, Enjoy Life Seed & Fruit Trail Mix, Niagara Naturals Tropical Fruit Bites and an Enjoy Life Double Chocolate Cookie. This meal had 12g protein, 4g fiber, had 490 calories, and was shockingly good, as I’ve never tried Sunbutter, which is made from sunflower seeds, and is eaten as a healthier alternative to peanut butter.

Sunbutter is a bit milder than peanut butter, and tastes a bit like sunflower seeds, but it is just as creamy and it even looks like and has the same texture as peanut butter. If someone handed me a Sunbutter and jelly sandwich, I am not sure that I could tell that is wasn’t a PB&J sandwich. I liked the crackers and cookie, too, but left the trail mix and the fruit bites for our lunches. This meal is All-Natural, Gluten Free, Vegan & Free of 7 Common Allergens including wheat, dairy, fish, shellfish, peanuts, tree nuts and egg. It sells for $4.99.

I also received the Hummus + Crackers: All-Natural Meal, a Gluten Free, Vegan & Kosher balanced meal featuring Wild Garden Hummus Dip, Crunchmaster Multi-Seed Crackers, Seapoint Farms Dry Roasted Edamame, Sweet Perry Orchards Baja Blend Fruit & Nut Mix and a Terra Nostra Organic Dark Chocolate Square. 24g protein and 12g fiber, 410 calories, and was also mouth-watering good. The Wild Garden Hummus Dip is THE BEST store-bought Hummus I’ve ever had, and the crackers were out of this world good. It is a steal at the price of $4.99.

GoPicnic offers a variety of meals, ones that are all-natural, gluten-free, vegan, kosher, GMO free, and have no artificial flavors. Actually, all of their meals are made with no trans fats, no high fructose corn syrup, no added MSG, and have no artificial flavors or colors. Who wouldn’t want to eat something so healthy and tasty while traveling, or even on a picnic or as an alternative to fast food on any occasion? I know I would.

You may purchase GoPicnic meals on Amazon.com or at GoPicnic.com. If you aren’t into the whole online shopping thing, you may also purchase them at Costco, Cost Plus World Market and Wegman’s nationwide.

Visit GoPicnic.com to check out their wide selection of meals now.

DISCOUNT CODE:

Use the promo code “TGFG10” to get 10% off.

GoPicnic Giveaway:

1 winner will receive a Sunbutter + Crackers Ready-to-Eat Meal, valued at $4.99.

RULES:

**Open to U.S. residents only.

**No P.O. boxes, please.

**Do the mandatory entry and leave a comment, making sure to use a valid email address when you sign in. If you win this giveaway, you must respond to my email within 24 hours to claim your prize.

**All comments must be separate to count as separate entries. For example, if you follow me on Facebook and Twitter, leave 2 separate comments, one with your Facebook name, and one with your Twitter name. Or, if you posted about the giveaway on your blog, leave 5 numbered comments, all with a link to your giveaway.

**Please read the additional rules here.

HOW TO ENTER:

**Mandatory Entry: Visit GoPicnic.com and tell me which meal you would choose, if you could pick any product you wanted.

+1  MORE ENTRY: Like The Girl from the Ghetto on Facebook. Make sure to leave your Facebook name in your comment.

+1  MORE ENTRY: Add me as a friend (GirlFrom TheGhetto) on Facebook. Make sure to leave your Facebook name in your comment.

+1  MORE ENTRY: Share a link on your Facebook wall with the following comment: I entered The Girl from the Ghetto’s GoPicnic Giveaway – 2011 Holiday Gift Guide here http://bit.ly/t6jNhU. Make sure to leave a comment with a link to your Facebook profile message.

+1  MORE ENTRY: Like GoPicnic on Facebook.

+1  MORE ENTRY: Follow @GoPicnic on Twitter. Make sure to leave your @Twitter name in your comment.

+1  MORE ENTRY: Follow me @NerdGirlBlogger on Twitter. Make sure to leave your @Twitter name in your comment.

+1  MORE ENTRY: Follow me on Twitter and tweet the following RT @NerdGirlBlogger – Enter to #Win the @GoPicnic #Giveaway – 2011 Holiday Gift Guide http://bit.ly/t6jNhU. You can tweet 6x a day (Once every 4 hours) for even more chances to win. Make sure to leave a link to your tweet in a comment below.

+1 MORE ENTRY: Sign up for the GoPicnic newsletter at GoPicnic.com.

+1 MORE ENTRY: Subscribe to my blog via email or Feedburner.

+1  MORE ENTRY: Add me to your circle on Google +.

+1 MORE ENTRY: Follow me on StumbleUpon. Make sure to leave me your name.

+1 MORE ENTRY: Rank me on Klout by giving me a K+ in Contests, Blogging, or another topic.

+1  MORE ENTRY: Subscribe to my YouTube Channel.

+1 MORE ENTRY: Enter one of my other giveaways and let me know which one you entered, by leaving a comment below.

+1 MORE ENTRY: Comment here and tell me why you need to win this giveaway. Do you have a limited budget this holiday season? Do you love eating in general, or have a nut allergy and want to try an alternative to peanut butter? Have you tried a GoPicnic meal before? Do you enjoy finding healthier meal choices, or, do you just love winning free stuff?

+5 MORE ENTRIES: Write about this giveaway on your own blog. Make sure to post a link to http://thegirlfromtheghetto.wordpress.com, and leave me 5 copies of your link via comment here.

Contest ends Wednesday, December 14, 2011 at 10 p.m.

Dog-E-Glow Lighted Dog Collar Review & Giveaway – 2011 Holiday Gift Guide

I was so excited when Dog-E-Glow reached out to me and asked me if I wanted to feature one of their lighted dog collars in my 2011 Holiday Gift Guide. Even though I am not a dog owner, I am a dog lover, and since I would desperately want one of these collars if I owned a dog, I said yes! Who wouldn’t want one–they are stylish, affordable and improve your dog’s visibility.

As you can see, my cat was willing to try on their lovely pink collar. Now, since she is not a fan of wearing anything, nor has she ever worn a collar, I was a little surprised that she not only wore the collar, but she let me take multiple photographs of her wearing it in the dark and with our lights on. Normally, she will turn away when I take her picture, or she will play dead, or even fight me to take off any pet or other clothing I have her try on, so this must mean that she was not bothered by wearing her Medium: 10″-14″ (25cm – 36cm) size Pink Plaid Lighted Collar. This collar also comes in size Large: 15″-21″ (38cm – 53cm), and I think it would look fantastic on any type of dog.

I love that Dog-E-Glow has collars in both their Fashion Collection and their College Collection, and that they sell both lighted dog leashes as well as lighted dog collars in very affordable prices. I live in a very dark area where my neighbors walk their dogs in the streets, since we don’t have sidewalks, so I once I bring out my dog collar to show them (it has been pouring rain for days, so bad in fact that the floods have caused my power to go off and on, so I haven’t had the heart to venture outside) that they will go CRAZY for my collar. So many times I have been driving (or walking) around my neighborhood at night and I’ve seen walkers almost get hit by passing cars. Heck, I have almost gotten hit many times myself. I would love to see my neighbors and their dogs be a lot more safer, wearing lighted Dog-E-Glow collars and/or leashes. I think this is a great gift to give your dog or the pet lover in your life, especially since Dog-E-Glow collars are fashionable, durable and weather resistant.

Features:

  • Steady Glow and Flash Mode
  • 150 hour replaceable battery life
  • 100,000 hour L.E.D. Life
  • Fully weather-resistant, visible up to 1000 feet in the dark
  • Batteries and one set of replacement batteries are included (Four 2032 3V Lithium Coin Cell batteries)

Dog-e-Glow offers a stylish/cool looking design combined with the safety/functionality of LED lighting, all in a user-friendly design. There is currently nothing else like a Dog-E-Glow collar or leash, and their rapid growth and popularity of the products with their customers is proving that.

There are numerous times when a Dog-E-Glow collar or leash comes in handy.  Nightly walks, letting your dog off the leash, tailgates, hiking, etc. are all perfect times to turn on the leash for visibility up to 1000 feet away. Their customers love our products because their dogs are now safer, easier to be spotted at night, and more stylish during the day.

Their collegiate products provide a perfect holiday gift for sports fan dog owners at an under $30 price point.  Along with their pattern designs, Dog-e-Glow has a style for every dog. My only complaint about their collegiate products is that they don’t sell any Michigan State or Michigan collars, but I hope to see them do so oneday!

Visit DogEGlow.com to check out their wide selection of collars and leashes and to purchase your own Pink Plaid Lighted Collar for $22.99 now.

DISCOUNT CODE:

Use the promo code “thegirlfromtheghetto” to get 15% off all purchases up until Christmas day.

Dog-E-Glow Giveaway:

1 winner will receive a Blue Doggie Bones Lighted Collar, in size large, valued at $22.99.

RULES:

**Open to U.S. residents only.

**No P.O. boxes, please.

**Do the mandatory entry and leave a comment, making sure to use a valid email address when you sign in. If you win this giveaway, you must respond to my email within 24 hours to claim your prize.

**All comments must be separate to count as separate entries. For example, if you follow me on Facebook and Twitter, leave 2 separate comments, one with your Facebook name, and one with your Twitter name. Or, if you posted about the giveaway on your blog, leave 5 numbered comments, all with a link to your giveaway.

**Please read the additional rules here.

HOW TO ENTER:

**Mandatory Entry: Visit DogEGlow.com and tell me which product you’d pick out for your dog, if money wasn’t an option.

+1  MORE ENTRY: Like The Girl from the Ghetto on Facebook. Make sure to leave your Facebook name in your comment.

+1  MORE ENTRY: Add me as a friend (GirlFrom TheGhetto) on Facebook. Make sure to leave your Facebook name in your comment.

+1  MORE ENTRY: Share a link on your Facebook wall with the following comment: I entered The Girl from the Ghetto’s Dog-E-Glow Lighted Collar Giveaway – 2011 Holiday Gift Guide here http://bit.ly/sOtMOG. Make sure to leave a comment with a link to your Facebook profile message.

+1  MORE ENTRY: Like Dog-E-Glow on Facebook.

+1  MORE ENTRY: Follow @DogEGlow on Twitter. Make sure to leave your @Twitter name in your comment.

+1  MORE ENTRY: Follow me @NerdGirlBlogger on Twitter. Make sure to leave your @Twitter name in your comment.

+1  MORE ENTRY: Follow me on Twitter and tweet the following RT @NerdGirlBlogger - Enter to #Win the @DogEGlow Lighted #Dog Collar #Giveaway – 2011 Holiday Gift Guide http://bit.ly/sOtMOG. You can tweet 6x a day (Once every 4 hours) for even more chances to win. Make sure to leave a link to your tweet in a comment below.

+1 MORE ENTRY: Subscribe to my blog via email or Feedburner.

+1  MORE ENTRY: Add me to your circle on Google +.

+1 MORE ENTRY: Follow me on StumbleUpon. Make sure to leave me your name.

+1 MORE ENTRY: Rank me on Klout by giving me a K+ in Contests, Blogging, or another topic.

+1  MORE ENTRY: Subscribe to my YouTube Channel.

+1 MORE ENTRY: Enter one of my other giveaways and let me know which one you entered, by leaving a comment below.

+1 MORE ENTRY: Comment here and tell me why you need to win this giveaway. Do you have a limited budget this holiday season? Do you enjoy taking your dog for a walk at night, or do you live in a dark neighborhood, like I do? Do you love a particular Dog-E-Glow collar or leash in particular, or, do you just love winning free stuff?

+5 MORE ENTRIES: Write about this giveaway on your own blog. Make sure to post a link to http://thegirlfromtheghetto.wordpress.com, and leave me 5 copies of your link via comment here.

Contest ends Tuesday, December 13, 2011 at 10 p.m.

Vibrant Flavors Pretzel Review – 2011 Holiday Gift Guide

A few weeks ago, Vibrant Flavors sent me their Flavored Pretzels Sampler, that retails at $27,  to feature in my 2011 Holiday Gift Guide. Since I am a huge fan of pretzels of all shapes, flavors, textures and sizes, I was really excited to try out a few of their different types of pretzels, as I was planning on donating most of the pretzels packages to charity.

Vibrant Flavors sent me the following pretzels: Beerzels, Italian Herb, Sweet Onion, Roasted Garlic, Barbecue, and my favorite, Maple Bacon. We decided to try out their Italian Herb and Maple Bacon flavors, and donate the other 4 bags.

The Italian Herb pretzels are flavored with oregano, basil and thyme. I liked the fact that they are fat-free and aren’t covered with a film or powder, so that when I ate them, my fingers were clean to the touch, which is perfect when working with paperwork or driving. Sadly, no one in my family really enjoyed this flavor, which surprised all of us–especially since we love finding new snack foods.

Next up was the Maple Bacon pretzels. Even though I am a meat lover, and so is my entire family, I had high hopes for this flavor. I liked that the pretzels are vegan, and that there was nothing left on my fingers after eating them. We did enjoy these pretzels much more than the other package we sampled, as we all love bacon with a passion. While I understand that the flavor is inside the pretzel, rather than covering it, the taste was a little too subtle for my taste, as I’m someone who enjoys eating foods that are very bold in flavor. I would buy this flavor if I needed a non-messy snack to eat while at work or while traveling.

The other 4 flavors all sounded very interesting to me, so if you are a fan of barbecue, beer, sweet onion or roasted garlic, I suggest you try them out.

ABOUT VIBRANT FLAVORS:

An Oregon company, whose mission is simple: to bring healthy, flavorful and exotic foods to you.

Vibrant Flavors is a dream come true. Literally. Donna Dockins created original recipes and healthy meals for her clients in a private chef and catering business. She often thought about how to bring these delicious recipes to the world. When a friend from New Zealand introduced her to dukkah, the dream became reality. Dukkah, a blend of nuts, seeds and spices, is a traditional food from Ancient Egypt. Eaten as a snack or part of a light meal, dukkah is known for its complex flavors, crunchy texture and nutritious attributes.

After realizing that dukkah’s main ingredient was hazelnuts, one ofOregon’s major crops, Donna’s quest began. She developed five unique flavors of dukkah using the traditional base of hazelnuts, sesame seeds and peanuts. Vibrant Flavors Oregon Dukkah is a healthy, delicious product made from locally sourced Oregon ingredients. The packaging for Oregon Dukkah is produced in Oregonand is made from recycled and biodegradable materials.

Donna’s attraction to the unique and unusual soon had her experimenting again. This time with an old favorite – hard pretzels. Crunchy, flavored snacks have always been a favorite of hers. Never liking the greasy film or sticky powder that coated her hands when eating flavored chips, she engaged her creative spirit to develop something clean, crisp and different. After many months of trial and error, she developed a unique way to flavor hard pretzels. Vibrant Flavors Pretzels are all natural, crunchy and delicious.

Purchase your own Flavored Pretzels Sampler for $27 at VibrantFlavors.Foodzie.com now. Vibrant Flavors Pretzels are sold in 1.8 oz. snack size, 3.3 oz. resealable serving size, 12 oz. multi serving size and 16 oz. party size.

Visit VibrantFlavors.com to check out their wide selection of gifts now.

Like Vibrant Flavors Inc. on Facebook.

Follow @VibrantFlavors on Twitter.