It's the Balm Organic Sunshine [Giveaway]

I love discovering new natural body care brands! It's the Balm contains natural ingredients and offers a variety of products for every room in your house. Enter below for a chance to win the Citrus Bundle!

Deliciously Savvy is Hosting a Giveaway for 1 Lucky Winner to Receive an It's The Balm! (ORGANIC SUNSHINE) Fresh Citrus Prize Pack Bundle! I LOVE Organic Sunshine's Products and I love the results of going Organic! Read a Review Of The Citrus Gift Lovers Gift Set Here!

Sponsored By: It's The Balm! Organic Sunshine

Hosted BY: Deliciously Savvy

Co-Hosted by :

Amy & Aron's Real Life Reviews // Better on a Budget // Heartbeats~ Soul Stains // The Homespun Chics // IMHO Views, Reviews and Giveaways // My Silly Little Gang // Michigan Savings and More // Capri's Coupons

PLUS a Big Thank You To All Of The Blogs Helping To Promote This Giveaway By Sharing It With Their Amazing Readers! Thank You :)

FACEBOOK ~ TWITTER ~ PINTEREST

1 Lucky Winner Will Receive All Of The Products Pictured Below:

This luxurious Citrus Lovers Gift Set has everything you need to uplift your spirits and pamper your body. Made with pure and natural ingredients, it makes a great gift! The body products comes wrapped in a luxurious reusable Muslin Gift Bag.

Each product is scented with pure, therapeutic grade essential oil for an uplifting experience. Made using natural ingredients, these products will uplift your mind, moisturize your skin and keep you smelling fresh and clean.

What comes in the Kit: *Fresh Citrus Foaming Hand Soap (8 oz.) *Citrus Body Scrub (4 oz.) *Fresh Citrus Lotion (4 oz.) *Fresh Citrus Body Mist (2 oz.) *Key Lime Lip Balm

Giveaway Dates ~ 11/28 9 PM EST through 12/13 11:59PM EST

Entrants must be 18 years old to enter and giveaway is open to US residents only.

Any Questions Email Me At mcushing7 (at) hotmail (dot) com.

This giveaway is in no way endorsed, affiliated or associated with Facebook,

Twitter or any other Social Media Networking Site. This giveaway is valid only

in the United States. Entrants must be 18+ years of age to enter.

This giveaway will end at 11:59PM (EST) on 12/13/2015.

Good Luck! Enter Below

Also we all “love it if you like us” on Facebook!

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Reusable Chalkboard Labels [Review]

There is something about having an organized pantry with lots of similar jars to store all of the pantry items. Unfortunately, my pantry is overflowing with bags and containers of different sizes. To reduce trash and recycling, I usually purchase items from the bulk bins. My local Whole Foods recently switched to recycled brown paper bags instead of the plastic bags. When I bring the bulk items home, I need to put them in something for storage. I prefer clear glass jars and will often reuse jars from foods and drinks that were consumed. Labeling the jars helps my husband to distinguish between couscous and quinoa, for example. Firefly Crafts' reusable chalkboard labels can be reused in two ways - peel and stick to another surface or remove the chalk with a wet towel and write a new name on them.

Firefly Craft Chalkboard Labels            

Rating: total green check marks out of 5.

The Good	The Not So Good
Premium vinyl stickers	Regular chalk and chalk markers are a bit too "thick" to write on these labels.
Reusable in two ways
Elegant design

Firefly Craft Chalkboard Labels are made from thick vinyl, which allows them to be peeled and placed somewhere else. This is a great feature for reusing the chalkboard labels. The labels can be used on pretty much any hard, smooth surface. Though I'm sure they are easier to remove from some surfaces than others. Regular chalk and chalkboard markers and pens can be used to write on the stickers. The chalk can be wiped off with a wet towel.

Let's start off with THE BEFORE - thin strips of paper taped on, edges curled up, not reusable, not pretty.

 And this is THE AFTER - the label was easy to place on the glass jar. My chalk markers weren't ready for use and I didn't feel like shaking them and getting the paint to come out, so I used regular chalk. It was a bit hard to write with the thin chalk, so I will invest in a chalkboard pen. Even the chalk markers would have been too thick to write on the labels.

The chalkboard label is pretty thin, which is necessary to adhere to different curved surfaces. The thinness did not take away from the durability of the vinyl. The label was easy to peel off the glass jar and stick back on. I like the variety of sizes and shapes to fit different containers. I plan on using the round labels to stick on top of my spice jars so I can quickly find spices in the pull-out spice drawer.

My recommendation is to identify which containers you would like to use the labels for and order the appropriate size. If you will be using bigger jars, the bigger labels will work. If you are labeling the tops of spice jars, then you would want to choose the small round labels.

Firefly Craft reusable chalkboard labels can be used for just about anything, from labeling food storage containers, to dinner party seat assignments, to wedding favors. The high quality and reusability makes these vinyl chalkboard labels a great investment.

Disclosure: I received the product to facilitate this review.  I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. All opinions are my own.

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GoPure Lavender Essential Oil [Review]

Essential oils have become a good part of my life over the past few years and especially recently as I try to reduce my son's reaction to outdoor allergens. I love using essential oils to boost immunity during the flu season or to help  me stay more calm and relaxed during a challenging day. Not only are essential oils great for keeping your body healthy or for treatment of conditions, but they are also great for natural scent and homemade cleaning products. Lavender Essential Oil is one of the most commonly used essential oils and is a great starter essential oil.

GoPure Lavender Essential Oil            

Rating: total green check marks out of 5.

The Good	The Not So Good
Pure and undiluted	Not certified organic
Comes with eye dropper lid	Dropper plastic absorbs oil and lets scent through
Generous size bottle will last a long time

GoPure Naturals Lavender Essential oil is 100% natural and undiluted. The country of origin is Bulgaria. The oil is bottled in the US.

I have lavender essential oils from several different brands. From my experience, essential oils will smell different based on the country of origin, the land they are grown on and even the time of the year that they are harvested. No two lavender essential oils are going to smell the same unless they were grown in the same location and harvested and processed at the same time. Nonetheless, this lavender essential oil smells strong and floral. Just what I would expect from a therapeutic grade, pure lavender essential oil.

The main benefits of lavender essential oil are:

1. Improve mood
2. Fight insomnia
3. Calm the mind
4. Neutralize stress and anxiety

Usage: The main ways I use lavender essential oil is to add to homemade body products like facial scrubs, to diffuse 5-10 drops in water in the essential oil diffuser when I feel stressed and on edge, and to put a few drops on my pillow at night to help me sleep. Since this oil is 100% pure, it is very concentrated. A little goes a long way.

Essential oils are very concentrated and it is recommended that it be diluted for any topical uses. If applied directly to the skin, essential oils must be diluted in an appropriate oil (Jojoba Oil and Grapeseed Oil make the best carrier oils, but can also use Sweet Almond Oil or Olive Oil).

Opportunities for Improvement: The soft plastic part of the dropper top seems to let the scent of the oil through. The bottle only comes with the dropper top, while other brands ship their oil with a hard plastic cap. I like having the dropper top and would like to see the company invest in a better quality top. I have two other 4 oz bottles of essential oils with the dropper caps by 2 different brands. One of the brands does not let the oil scent through. The second brand lets the scent through and the essential oil actually started to crystallize on the dropper top. The essential oil scent stays on my fingers when I use the dropper and even made my whole fridge smell like peppermint essential oil. Not too bad for freshness, but my food started to smell and taste like peppermint essential oil. I assume this is what is going to happen with the dropper top because they seem to be similar in materials.

I love the generous 4 oz bottle of the Lavender Essential Oil. This bottle will last a long time. I plan on using the lavender essential oil for home made body products and in the diffuser. I would like to see GoPure Naturals move toward organic certification to ensure no pesticides or unwanted chemicals in the lemon oil. The price is reasonable for the quality and the amount of essential oil.

Disclosure: I received the product to facilitate this review. No other compensation was received. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. All opinions are my own.

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Spring Cleaning [Giveaway]

Spring cleaning for me does not occur only during the Spring. Since I am a stay at home mom, I clean periodically throughout the year. This usually occurs when I go to put a box in a closet that I have not cleaned in a long time. And then, the vacuum, the homemade cleaner and the scrub brush come out. Here is a little incentive to get you cleaning! Enter below to win the following items:

1st Place Winner ($100 ARV)

• Clean Spin 360 Mop - Compact Press Handle and Bucket bonus Free Dolly
• Duster Mop Head
• MicroSoap from Viatek
• CleanWave Portable Sanitizing Wand from Verilux

2nd Place Winner ($60 ARV)

• CleanWave Portable Sanitizing Wand from Verilux

Sponsored By:

Viatek & Verilux

Hosted By:

Deliciously Savvy & My Silly Little Gang!

Co-Hosted By:

Heartbeats ~ Soul Stains

Michigan Saving and More

Amy & Aron's Real Life Reviews

Jingle Jangle Jungle

Mom 'N Daughter Savings

Do Try This at Home

Java John Z's

Kaisy Daisy's Corner

&

Mami's 3 Little Monkeys

Open To Us Residents and must be 18+ to enter

Giveaway Dates ~ 4/08 12AM EST until 4/25 12AM EST

This giveaway is in no way endorsed, affiliated or associated with Facebook,

Twitter or any other Social Media Networking Site. This giveaway is valid only

in the United States. Entrants must be 18+ years of age to enter.

This giveaway will end at 12:00 AM (EST) on 4/25/15!

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FREE Blogger Opp: Spring Clean Giveaway

Spring cleaning for me is an event that happens multiple times throughout the year. Since I stay at home with my son, I am constantly finding something to clean or a closet that has not been organized and cleaned in a long time. In order to help you spring clean, an opportunity to host and enter a giveaway of useful items is below. FREE and Paid options are available.

One winner will receive a Clean Spin 360 Mop – Compact Press Handle & Bucket BONUS Free Dolly, Duster Mop Head, and MicroSoap from Viatek PLUS a CleanWave® Portable Sanitizing Wand from Verilux! This prize package is worth $100 ARV!

Sponsored By:

Viatek & Verilux

Deliciously Savvy and I need your help promoting. Sign up today! As always, there are 2 FREE links (Facebook visit, Twitter, Pinterest, or Instagram) with the announcement post or pay $3 to (mcushing7@hotmail.com via PayPal) for 2 links minus the announcement.

Grab ANNOUNCEMENT POST & SIGN UP Here

***You Made Need To Add Pics If They Do Not Populate***

Co-Hosts Wanted & Needed ~ $7 for 5 links of your choice (and I mean any you choose other than Google+). You can do Facebook Comments, Blog Comments, Giveaway Entries, Daily Votes, Social Media Follows of your choice, ANYTHING! PLUS the 2 FREE links above gives you 7 Links Total! Co-Hosts will also be promoted via graphics and link backs to their site via their Co-Host page AND extra follow pages! (# of extra follows depends on # of sign ups so promote, promote, promote!) 

Co-Hosts are not required to post announcement but it is greatly appreciated!

***Other Sign Up Options Available On Sign Up Form***

Sign Ups Close 4/05

Open To Us Residents and must be 18+ to enter

Giveaway Dates ~ 4/08 12AM EST until 4/25 12AM EST

Savvy Offer!!! The Blogger With The Most Referrals will Receive a FREE Co-Host Spot! If you signed up to co-host and you are the person with the most referrals, you will be refunded! Promote Away and Make Sure They Know To Say You Sent Them!

Congrats to Maria’s Space For Winning the FREE Co-Host spot in the Deliciously Savvy Candy Giveaway! Who will win next?

Any questions, email mcushing7 (at) hotmail (dot) com.

 

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Crystal Wash 2.0 [Giveaway]

Here is another opportunity to win a Crystal Wash laundry system. I am partnering with Deliciously Savvy and other bloggers to bring you this giveaway. Crystal Wash cleans clothes without the use of detergents. Little Bio Ceramic balls change the pH of the water and allow dirt and stain to lift from fabrics. 

Deliciously Savvy & Heartbeats ~ Soul Stains are teaming up to Host a Giveaway for 2 Lucky Winners to Receive Crystal Wash 2.0! ( $50 ARV each) This is an amazing product that I am already In love with after only 2 washes!

Check Out Crystal Wash HERE

Sponsored By: Crystal Wash 2.0

Hosted By:

Deliciously Savvy & Heartbeats ~ Soul Stains

Co-Hosted By:

Michigan Saving and More

Kaisy Daisy's Corner

Mami's 3 Little Monkeys

Your Strong Tower

&

Sweepstakes Fanatics

Giveaway Dates: 12 AM EST 2/28 until 12 AM EST 3/14

Open To Us Residents and must be 18+ to enter

This giveaway is in no way endorsed, affiliated or associated with Facebook,

Twitter or any other Social Media Networking Site. This giveaway is valid only

in the United States. Entrants must be 18+ years of age to enter.

This giveaway will end at 12:00 AM (EST) on 3/14/15.

Good Luck!

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FREE Blogger Opp: Crystal Wash Ball Giveaway

I am bringing you a second opportunity to win a Crystal Wash laundry system. I am partnering with Deliciously Savvy and other bloggers to bring you this giveaway. Crystal Wash cleans clothes without the use of detergents. Little Bio Ceramic balls change the pH of the water and allow dirt and stain to lift from fabrics. 

Below is a FREE blogger opportunity to offer a giveaway to ours readers. Details below!

Deliciously Savvy Is Hosting A Giveaway for 2 Lucky Winners to Receive Crystal Wash 2.0! ( $50 ARV each) 

Sponsored By: Crystal Wash 2.0

Hosted By:

Deliciously Savvy

&

Heartbeats ~ Soul Stains

Sign Ups Close 2/22 ~ Short Window! Sign Up Today!!!

Giveaway Dates: 12 AM EST 2/26 until 12 AM EST 3/12
Open To Us Residents and must be 18+ to enter

As Always, 2 FREE Links With Announcement Post ~ Choose from Facebook Visit, Twitter, Pinterest and Instagram. (OR Choose No Announcement Post and pay $3 to mcushing7@hotmail.com via paypal for the 2 links)

ANNOUNCEMENT POST HERE

Co-Hosts Needed: $5 for 5 links of your choice PLUS the 2 FREE links above = 7 links total. And I mean ANY links you choose… Facebook Likes, shares and or Comments, Twitter Re-tweets, Website Comments, Giveaway Entries, Daily Votes, Daily Endorsements, Extra Follows, Anything, you tell me! You will be be highlighted in the Giveaway Picture and Giveaway HTML, as well as receive a co-host page PLUS an extra follow page or two depending on total number of sign ups, which are all linked back to your website. Co-Hosts Are Not Required To Post Announcement BUT It Is Greatly Appreciated.:)

***Other Sign Up Options Available On Sign Up Form***

SIGN UP HERE

SAVVY OFFER: The Blog With The Most Referrals for this giveaway (whether your own announcement post or word of mouth) will receive a FREE Co-Host spot for this giveaway. If you sign up for the co-host spot and have the most referrals you will be refunded the co-host fee.
  

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Lemon Peel Oil [Review]

Essential oils have become a bigger part of my life over the past 2 years. Since getting pregnant and giving birth, I try to keep our family healthy through natural and homeopathic ways. Not only are essential oils great for keeping your body healthy or for treatment of conditions, but they are also great for naturally scents and homemade cleaning products. Lemon Essential Oil is a common ingredient in essential oil blends and in homemade cleaners.

Lemon Essential Oil            ($17.95, 4oz)

Rating: total green check marks out of 5.

The Good	The Not So Good
Pure and undiluted	Smells industrial
Comes with eye dropper lid	Not certified organic
Generous size bottle will last a long time

Pure Body Naturals Lemon (Citrus Medica Limonum) Peel Oil is 100% natural and undiluted. The country of origin is Italy. From my quick research, there are different names for Lemon Peel Oil and they seem to be synonymous. This oil is 100% pure and undiluted. The Lemon Peel Oil is extracted through a cold press method. I waited on more information about the extraction process to understand if any chemicals or solvents are used. Traditionally, a cold press method would not anything other than the machinery to grind the lemon peel.

I have lemon essential oil from another brand, so I am familiar with how lemon essential oil should smell. However, I am also aware that there are different origins that could result in different smells. When I opened the bottle and smelled the lemon peel oil, it smelled of citrus, strong and bold, but also had a bit of an industrial smell. I asked my husband to smell it also and he agreed on the strong industrial cleaner smell. The scents almost reminds me a little of Lemon Balm (think Pledge).

Lemon Peel Oil is great to add to water for flavoring and for digestive purposes. I used the other brand of lemon oil quite often in water and enjoyed the pleasant taste. However, I would not use Pure Body Naturals Lemon Peel Oil in water because the strong industrial cleaner taste was not pleasant when I added two drops of the oil into 16 ounces of water.

Though I do like the citrus smell, I would probably stick to using this product for cleaning purposes. I added about 30 drops of this Lemon Oil into my homemade shower spray and it cut through the strong Tea Tree Oil smell, but was not overpowering with the lemon oil smell.

Lemon Peel Oil is very concentrated. If applied directly to the skin, it must be diluted in an appropriate oil (Jojoba Oil and Grapeseed Oil make the best carrier oils, but can also use Sweet Almond Oil or Olive Oil).

Here are some of the ways that I use Lemon Peel Oil in my home:

• Homemade Daily Shower Spray recipe - 1 cup vinegar, 1 cup water, 30 drops of Tea Tree Oil, 30 drops of Lemon Peel Oil mixed in a spray bottle. Shake and spray after shower use.
• Laundry disinfecting - add 10-15 drops (depend on load size) into washing machine.
• Laundry scenting - add a few drops to a piece of cloth and add to drying machine.
• Bathroom Deodorizer Spray recipe - 30 drops of Lemon Peel Oil mixed with 2 cups of water in a spray bottle. Shake and spray to deodorize.
• Lemon Tea Tree All Purpose Cleaner recipe

I love the generous 4 oz bottle of the Lemon Peel Oil. This bottle will last a long time. I plan on using the lemon oil for homemade cleaning recipes and purposes. Personally, I would not use this brand of lemon peel oil for therapeutic purposes such as ingestion (diluted) or aromatherapy.

I would like to see Pure Body Naturals move toward organic certification to ensure no pesticides or unwanted chemicals in the lemon oil.

The price is comparable to other brands who offer the 4 oz bottle of conventional lemon peel oil.

Disclosure: I received the product to facilitate this review. No other compensation was received. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. All opinions are my own.

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reCAP Mason Jar Caps [Review]

I have acquired a number of glass Mason jars over the past few years from my canning endeavors. From the small 4 oz canning jars to the big 1/2 gallon canning jars, I love the versatility for more than just canning. The 4 oz canning jars are perfect for storing leftovers for my toddler. The quart and half gallon canning jars are great for storing grains and dried beans. However, Mason canning jars can be used for so much more! Not only do reCAP Mason Jar caps transform ordinary glass jars to containers that can store and pour, but they also allow you to make your own homemade cleaning and beauty products with the pump and sprayer caps.

Mason Jar Pump Cap                 ($7.00)
Mason Jar Sprayer Cap              ($7.00)

Rating: total green check marks out of 5.

The Good	The Not So Good
Transform Mason jars into usable containers	Caps are made from plastic
Reduces use of plastic containers	Regular size only
Easy to install and use	Does not dispense stream

I reviewed the reCAP Mason Jar Pour Cap a couple of months ago and I loved it. Being able to use all of the glass Mason jars that I have lying around for other purposes is very eco-friendly. reCAP offers many other types of caps for Mason jars, including the Pump Cap and the Sprayer Cap.

reCAP Pump Cap and Sprayer Cap are made from plastic and are 100% BPA free. The caps are made in the USA.

reCAP Pump Cap worked as expected. After a few pumps to prime the pump, the liquid soap was coming out nicely. This is a regular pump (not a foaming one), so it would be perfect to use with soap or with lotion or any similar liquid. The tube is 6" long, so it could work with the smaller Mason Jars (8 oz). The pump outputs 2cc with a lock down saddle in case you want to "close" the pump. The 6" tube was a little tight with the 8 oz Mason jars, but I was able to get it in there with the tube being bent a little. This did not hinder the ability to pump.

reCAP Sprayer Cap also worked very well. The sprayer only sprays mist, not stream. It has a dial at the end of the sprayer to turn off or on. Both "on" sides dispense mist. The mist is good for covering a large area, but not for targeted areas where a stream would do better. I poured my homemade shower cleaner into a quart 32 oz Mason jar. The tube on the Sprayer Cap is about 8" long and it fit well inside this Mason Jar with a little bend in it. This did not hinder the ability of the sprayer to work.

I was a bit skeptical about using a quart (32 oz) Mason jar as a prayer jar because of the bigger width of the container. After trying it, I was was able to hold the jar with one hand and spray with the same hand. I love that I can make my own homemade cleaner sprays and reduce the amount of plastic I use.

I would recommend reCAP Mason Jar Adapta caps in the Pump and Sprayer Caps. They fit regular sized Mason jars and allow you to use Mason Jars for other purposes. Reducing exposure to plastic and reusing the items we already have in our home is eco-friendly and economical. Plus, you can decorate the glass Mason jars to match your decor, or give them as gifts.

Disclosure: I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free. No other compensation was received. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. All opinions are my own.

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