Jeff Gold Escapes CD [Giveaway]

Are you in need of relaxation? Music is a great way to relax. I often listen to relaxing music while I am working in the kitchen or driving in the car. Jeff Gold Music's Escapes CD is a soothing collection of original melodies featuring beautifully arranged acoustic guitars, piano, strings and flutes. One of the way I would like to try listening to this CD is at night to help me to wind down from adventurous toddler days and fall asleep easier.

Enter below for a chance to win Jeff Gold's Escapes CD below.

Please use the Giveaway Tools entry form. Open to US only. All entries will be verified. Duplicate, incomplete and invalid entries will be deleted. 

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Jeff Gold Music Escapes CD ($13.75 RV)

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Disclosure: I received the product to facilitate this review. No other compensation was received. All opinions are honest and are my own. All Natural Katie is not responsible for companies/sponsors who fail to ship the prize.

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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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John Boos & Co. Boos Block [Giveaway]

One of the most important kitchen accessories for a cook of any level is a high quality cutting board. Cutting boards range from a variety of materials. From my personal experience, a wooden cutting board is the best option for many reasons. A wooden cutting board is easiest on the knives and lasts quite a long time when taken care of properly. Enter below for a chance to win a high quality wooden cutting from from John Boos & Co.

Deliciously Savvy is hosting another giveaway and this one is super exciting! This giveaway is for a new style of cutting board from the John Boos Co. You see them all over The Food Network and Every Cook Wants One! The American Black Walnut Tenmoku Cutting Board in American Black Walnut is their newest addition ($202 RV)!!! They are made in the USA and custom made when ordered! They are the most fabulous cutting boards.... a True Treasure for life! Enter Today and Good Luck!

Sponsored By ~ John Boos Co.

Hosted By ~ Deliciously Savvy

Co-Hosted By:

Michigan Saving and More / Amy & Aron's Real Life Reviews / Capri's Coupons / Heartbeats~ Soul Stains / Virtually Shanae / Java John Z's / Romania and Missions / My Silly Little Gang

1 Lucky Winner will receive this cutting board to add to their culinary tool collection!

This board is 20" x 15" x 2", weighs 11 pounds, retails for $202, Made in the USA and they send you the board oil to keep it perfect always!

Check out John Boos Co. HERE

Follow Via Social Media Too!

FACEBOOK ~ TWITTER

1 LUCKY WINNER will receive the The American Black Walnut Tenmoku Cutting Board ($202 RV) From John Boos Co!!

And Now The Giveaway!!!

Giveaway Dates ~ 8/04 9PM EST until 09/04 9PM EST

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

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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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Personal Water Filter for Camping/Hiking/Surviving [Review]

Every year, I go through a period of updating and supplementing my emergency preparedness kits. While I have had a kit in my car for a couple of years, I needed to add a bag for my toddler and add a bag to my husband's car. I also went through our 72 hour kit and added some necessary emergency items. One of the most important items in an emergency is having clean water. While you can store as much potable drinking water as your house will allow, having potable water while you are on the go is a different story. This is where water filters come in. A personal water filter is a pocket sized water filtration device that filters up to 1,500 liters of contaminated water without any added taste or chemicals.

Life Defender Water Filter       

Rating: total green check marks out of 5.

The Good	The Not So Good
Ultra light, pocket sized, no moving parts	Plastic body could break during a fall
High waterborne bacteria/protozoa removal rate	Instructions contain grammar mistakes

The Life Defender Water Filter is a small, pocket sized personal water filter that you can take with you on-the-go or slip it into your bag (any bag). The water filter is ultra light - 2.1 oz. I really like that the filter is compact and light weight. I can even through it in my diaper bag or stash it in the glove box of my car. The plastic material is what makes the filter so light weight, though I would worry about the plastic cracking or breaking if the filter fell on something hard.

The water filter claims to filter to a market leading 0.1 microns with a 2.5 times higher flow rate (450 ml/min) than other leading brands. The filter removes 99.99999% of waterborne bacteria and removes 99.9% of waterborne protozoa through a chemical free hollow-fiber UF membrane with industry leading edge coconut shell activated carbon for superior filtration down to .01 microns. This means that you still get superior filtration with a higher flow rate in a pocket sized filter. Life Defender also claims to filter up to 1,500 liters of contaminated water without adding any taste enhancers or chemicals. This is very important to me. For a small investment, I can use the filter for quite a bit of time.

Usage: The filter is easy to use. You just need your mouth and some water.

1. Place the bottom end in water.
2. Suck through the mouth piece to begin the water flow out.
3. After drinking, blow out water to keep the filter clean and prevent from clogging.

Storage: Throw out residual water and leave caps open to dry. Keep in a cool and ventilated place. Do not expose to the sun. The filter has a shelf time of 5 years after production.

Results: The caps were easy to remove, though I could see the cap connection breaking after repeated use. The water filter itself worked as expected. It takes a few sucks to get the water flowing. Basically, you use the filter as a straw. The water flows through the filter and into your mouth. The unit is made from plastic, so it seems a bit flimsy, but I like the light weight aspect of it.

Opportunities for Improvement: The instructions need to be proofread for grammar mistakes and misspelling. Though I could tell the gist of the instructions, for a $25 product, I would hope that the instructions are crystal clear. I would also like to see the manufacture date so that I know when the 5 year shelf life is up.

The compact size, ultra light weight and superior filtration abilities makes this pocket water filter a good investment for any prepper, hiker, camper or someone who just wants to be a little prepared for any emergency. I would like to see the instructions be more clear and the manufacture date be published. The filter itself works well. I feel that for the $25 cost, the filter should be made from sturdier plastic and the instructions be more clear.

Disclosure: I received the product to facilitate this review. No other compensation was received. All opinions are my own and are honest.

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