Purex Complete Crystals Fabric Softener Review + Giveaway

Look, unless you’re Danny Tanner from Full House, you pretty much hate doing laundry. If you are, in fact, like Danny Tanner, then come on over and tackle my humble abode for me, please! Laundry isn’t necessarily difficult—in fact, it’s probably the easiest chore there is. No real physical labor, and you can even sit while you fold. Am I painting a prettier laundry day picture for you? No? How about I add in some really awesome fabric softener to the mix?

Purex Complete Crystals Softener is a totally new product that is unlike any other fabric softener you’ve tried before. Why? Because it’s not a liquid! It’s in crystal form! It’s also 92% natural, and is safe for all of your clothing. Did you know that traditional fabric softener will eventually make your child’s flame retardant pajamas unsafe? Not only that, but the major difference between Purex Complete Crystals Softener and traditional oil-based softeners is that traditional softeners actually coat your fabrics with an oily residue. Purex Complete Crystals Softener instead infuses fibers with a long-lastic fragrance. Plus, this stuff is easy as pie to use! Just measure out a loads worth, and pour it in with your clothes. No messy plastic fabric softener balls, no waiting for the rinse cycle or missing the teeny tiny cup in the center of the agitator. How easy is that?!

I used Purex Complete Crystals Softener in the Fresh Spring Waters scent, and it was absolutely heavenly. I’m so very picky about my laundry smells—not too strong, not too weak, please! I figured I’d give the Crystals a workout on their first go ‘round, so I tried it out on a particularly nasty load of laundry. We’re potty training. Need I say more? Those sheets, towels, and clothes came out of the dryer smelling light, airy, and CLEAN. It was just the right amount of scent so that you’d get a refreshing whiff throughout the day, but not so overpowering that you walked into a room and people got headaches from the bouquet of roses stuffed under your shirt.

Buy It:
Purex Complete Crystals Softener is priced from $3.99 to $5.99 depending on the retailer and is available in food, drug, and mass retailers nationwide. (They have it at my rural Wal-Mart…odds are your local store has it!)

WIN IT:
One FOUR (yep, FOUR!) lucky Freckleberry Finds reader will will a full bottle of Purex Complete Crystals Softener in the scent of their choice!

Mandatory Entry:
Follow Freckleberry Finds via Google Friend Connect and leave me a comment with your email. That’s it!

Extra entries (‘cause free laundry supplies are awesome!)
-Like Freckleberry Finds on Facebook (+1)

-Follow Freckleberry Finds on Twitter (+1)

-Tweet up to 3 times daily using this text: “I entered to #WIN a bottle of @Purex Complete Crystals Fabric Softener from @freckleberrymom! #giveaway http://bit.ly/i69dJo" Make sure there’s at least an hour in between tweets, pretty please! (+1 per tweet)

-Follow Purex on Twitter (+2)

-Follow Purex on Facebook and thank them for the giveaway at Freckleberry Finds! (+2)

-Grab my Button and leave me a link so I can find it! (+3)

-Blog about this post with a direct link pointing to this giveaway. Leave me a link so I can check it out! (+5)

-Enter this giveaway in a linky (aside from my own). Leave me a link and the # on the list. (+3)

-Subscribe to Freckleberry Finds via email in the left hand sidebar (+1)

-Vote for me on Picket Fence Blogs. Button is in the left hand sidebar. You can vote once a day! (+1 per vote)

-Enter another one of my giveaways. When you comment on this post, tell me the comment number of your other giveaway entry. Only one giveaway, please! (+2 per giveaway)

The Fine Print

This giveaway ends March 14, 2011 at 11:59 PM CST. Any entries submitted after the contest ends will be deleted. Random.org will choose the winner, and I will announce the winner on my blog on March 15, 2011. I will email the winner as well. If chosen, you have 48 hours to respond before a new winner is chosen.
Make sure that you leave an additional comment for each additional entry! For example, if you tweeted twice today, make sure you comment back here two separate times with the two separate links.
*Disclosure: The review above is my own words and honest opinion. I received a product in order to complete my review as a part of the Purex Insider Program. I will ship the winnerS their voucher for a free full size bottle of Purex Complete Crystals. By entering this contest, you release Freckleberry Finds of any liability.

Super-Duper Saturday Giveaway Link Up 2/26-3/4

Whew! Sorry that the giveaway linky is up a little late this week. I have a feeling I've got the flu, and it is really kicking my butt (shhh...don't tell Emma I said 'butt').

Post your giveaways here and check out what awesome stuff other blogs are giving away! Be sure to check out my fantastic giveaways right above this post. The My Emmy Baby Personalized St. Patty's Day or Easter Tee giveaway ends on Monday and it has LOW ENTRIES! How cute is this shirt?! You get to pick your design and have it personalized for your little one! Check it out :).

Bee Friendly Friday Follow

Guess what, Freckleberries? Family and Life in Las Vegas hosts a blog hop each Friday, and they've chosen little ol' me as their featured blogger for this week!

Here's a great opportunity to link up your blog and find some fantastic new blogs, too! Link it up, loves!

Daisy Petal Designs & Littlest Blooms Giveaway

Bangs. They’re awesome for little kids! They’re easy to trim, and they fill in that gap of having wispy baby hair and growing long luscious locks. But then it comes time to either grow them out or maintain. My daughter is almost 4, and we’re just now getting to the stage where her bangs don’t drive me absolutely nuts with them being in her face 99.99% of the time. Our bathroom drawer (okay, and her bedroom floor) is littered with clippies so we can get her bangs out of her face. She’ll wear headbands, so that just gives me one more thing that I can shop for!

Littlest Blooms is an Etsy store owned by Dawn, a super talented jewelry and headband designer. She makes the most adorable headbands for kids and babies! She has created headbands in a variety of colors and styles that range from subtle and sweet to bright and cheery!

Not only does Dawn own and operate Littlest Blooms, but she also is the creative mind behind Daisy Petal Designs! There, she offers headbands, earrings, and jewelry for adults. Let me tell you—I am in love with her stuff. I’ve recently begun wearing headbands myself since I’m trying to grow out my bangs, and I think her creations are stunning! Her jewelry is so classic—perfect for a night on the town or everyday wear! Her line of Vintage Glamour earrings are crafted with beautiful colored stones and have just the right amount of pizzazz to catch someone’s eye!

BUY IT:
You can buy a pair of Vintage Glamour Earrings in many different designs from Daisy Petal Designs starting at just $6.00 a pair! What a steal.

Children’s headbands from Littlest Blooms range from $8.00-$16.00.

Deal Alert! Use the code Freckleberry10 and save 10% off any order from EITHER shop!

WIN IT:
Dawn has graciously offered one pair of Vintage Glamour Earrings from Daisy Petal Desings, AND a children’s headband from Littlest Blooms! So that means TWO lucky Freckleberry Finds readers will take home a prize from this giveaway! How awesome is that?!

Mandatory Entry:
You must be a public follower of Freckleberry Finds on Google Friend Connect AND Like Daisy Petal Designs on Facebook. Be sure to thank them for the giveaway at Freckleberry Finds!

Extra Entries (you don’t want to miss out on this!):
-Like Freckleberry Finds on Facebook (+1)

-Follow Freckleberry Finds on Twitter (+1)

-Follow Daisy Petal Designs on Twitter (+1)

-Tweet up to 3 times a day using this text: “I entered to #WIN a Children’s Headband or Vintage Glamour Earrings from @freckleberrymom & @daisypetaldesig! #giveaway http://ow.ly/42EOE”. Make sure there’s an hour in between tweets, pretty please! (+1 per tweet)

-Subscribe to Freckleberry Finds via email in the left hand sidebar (+1)

-Vote for me on Picket Fence Blogs. The button is in the left hand sidebar. You can vote once a day! (+1 per vote)

-Enter another one of my giveaways. When you comment on this post, tell me the comment number of your other giveaway entry. Only one giveaway, please! (+2 per giveaway)

-Grab my button and leave me a link so I can find it! (+3)

-Blog about this post and include a direct link pointing to this giveaway. Leave me a link so I can check it out! (+5)

-Buy a space of advertising on my blog! (+10)

The Fine Print

This giveaway ends March 10, 2011 at 11:59 PM CST. Any entries submitted after the contest ends will be deleted. Random.org will choose the winner, and I will announce the winner on my blog on March 11, 2011. I will email the winner as well. If chosen, you have 48 hours to respond before a new winner is chosen.
Make sure that you leave an additional comment for each additional entry! For example, if you tweeted twice today, make sure you comment back here two separate times with the two separate links.
*Disclosure: The review above is my own words and honest opinion. Daisy Petal Designs and Littlest Blooms will supply one winner with a children’s headband of the designer’s choice, and another separate winner with a pair of Vintage Glamour earrings in the color of the designer’s choice. Daisy Petal Designs and Littlest Blooms will ship the prize(s) to the winners. By entering this contest, you release Freckleberry Finds of any liability.

Snap, Crackle, Pop, YUM!

You know what I love? Marshmallows. You know what I love even more? Rice Krispie Treats. You know what I love most? Quick, easy, no bake Rice Krispie Treats!

Emma’s 4th Birthday is coming up (FOURTH! YIKES!), and her school discourages cupcakes for the class treat. They’re messy, I get it, but c’mon! Cake! It’s your birthday! So I’ve decided to send rice krispie treats to her preschool class on her birthday. Lucky for you, I felt like making a batch early! That means you get the recipe and you will now be forced to drool over the pictures. They’re entitled “Mom’s Rice Krispie Treats” because my mom would always make these for us as kids, so the measurements will be sorta kinda guesstimated. And hey, marshmallows are fat free, right? So they’re not TOTALLY bad for you!

Mom’s Rice Krispie Treats

2 bags of mini marshmallows (10.75 oz)
About 12 cups of Rice Krispie cereal, divided
1 ½ cups of margarine, divided

1. Spray a microwave safe bowl with non-stick cooking spray. Make sure it’s a big bowl. Pour in one whole bag of marshmallows. Let your kids eat a few.
2. Put about ¾ cup of margarine in the bowl along with the marshmallows.
3. Microwave! I do 45 second increments. So stick ‘em in for 45 seconds, take them out and shake the bowl a bit so that the marshmallows settle. Repeat. They’re almost there! Repeat again. Now they should be nice and melty and sticky and delicious looking.
4. Now add about 4 cups of the Rice Krispies cereal. Spray a cooking spoon with non-stick cooking spray, and stir it up! Add another 2 cups of cereal. Stir it again! You’re going for mostly cereal with just marshmallowy goodness as the glue, not marshmallows with a bit of cereal.
5. Pour the mix into a 9x13 pan. Spray it with non-stick cooking spray first! It should fill about half of the pan.
6. Rinse out your mixing bowl, and repeat steps 1-5 to fill the rest of the pan. Let finished product set for a chunk of time (3 hours or so should do it), and enjoy!

Some fun stuff you can do is add little treats in the mix. M&Ms are always fun, especially when they come out with the seasonal colors! Just pour some into the rice krispie mixture before you transfer it to the pan, and voila! Colorful treats!

Don't forget that I have some awesome giveaways going on right now! You'd hate to miss out on those!

Now run along, and melt into marshmallow bliss. You're welcome.

Super-Duper Saturday Giveaway Link Up 2/19-2/26

Howdy, Freckleberries! Welcome to our Super-Duper Saturday Link Up! Make sure you check out my giveaways first! I'd love it if you followed me--I'll follow you back! Just leave me a comment letting me know you're a new follower. Tweet about this linky to get more traffic for your giveaways!

Check out the Super-Duper Saturday Link Up hosted by @freckleberrymom! http://ow.ly/3ZsSH

Fuzzi Bunz Mama Pads 3 Pack AND a Wet Bag from Leslie's Boutique compliments of circleME (3/2)

My Emmy Baby Personalized St. Patty's Day or Easter Tee (2/28)

Extra, Extra!

I'm not one to plug other giveaways and such on my blog, but these two things are too awesome to pass up! You guys gotta hear about these great giveaways!

First up to bat is the Outnumbered 3 to 1 Spring Fling Giveaway Event! These gals always have fantastic prizes, and my good friend Farrah is now a contributor! The Spring Fling starts April 1st, and you can find a button on my right hand sidebar to get you there!

Second, April Showers Blog Design is giving away NINE .. yes, NINE blog redesign prizes from various talented designers! The prizes go on up to a $135 Design Package from Ritzy Design. Don't miss it!

Also, don't forget to enter my two current giveaways while you're here!

FuzziBunz Mama Pads 3 Pack AND a Wet Bag compliments of circleME!

Personalized St. Patrick's Day or Easter Tee for your kiddo from My Emmy Baby!

I've got a big ol' giveaway up my sleeve for sometime next week, so get your typing fingers ready, Freckleberries! 

Fuzzi Bunz Comfort Pads and Wet Bag Giveaway

Mama Pads, Mama Cloth, Mama Fluff. Whatever you call it, I’ll straight up admit it---at first, I was a little skeeved out. You want me to do WHAT with my pads? No, thanks! I’ll stick to my horribly uncomfortable plasticky, sticky, and downright awful panty liners and pads, thankyouverymuch!

But then I thought about it a little deeper. I thought the same thing about cloth diapering, and then I tried it. My baby doesn’t have to deal with plastic diapers, and I save serious dough and the Earth. Why would it be weird to do the same thing with feminine hygiene? A good friend of mine has even told me, “They are about 1000% more comfortable than the disposables. Seriously, they are great.” Okay, I’m convinced. I’ll look into them!

So where can you get these mama pads? Are you curious like me? Let me introduce you to my new favorite brick-and-mortar store, circleME! They're local yokels for me, as they are located in Lincoln, Nebraska! I'm a big fan of promoting local businesses, and the folks over at circleME are fantastic! They offer free classes such as Natural Family Planning, Cloth Diapering 101, Baby Wearing 101 and more to help parents and caregivers get the hang of natural parenting! How amazing is that?! Though they don't have an online store, circleME will take phone orders and ship to you! circleME carries lots of fantastic products like bumGenius cloth diapers, amber teething necklaces for mom and baby, Leslie's Boutique wet bags, Fuzzi Bunz diapers and ... you guessed it! Mama Pads! 

I have heard such great things about these pads! These mama pads are from the makers of Fuzzi Bunz cloth diapers. They offer a super absorbent, mess free menstrual pad that comes in three different sizes: super, regular, liners and a combo pack that contains one of each. They are available in a variety of feminine colors with fun prints, and are made with a 100% micro fleece top layer, and a 100% polyester laminated waterproof bottom layer. these pads are so neat because they have wings that snap similar to the sticky wings on disposable pads -- but these won't stick to you in the most uncomfortable of places! 

Additionally, you'll want a wet bag to store used pads in until it's wash time. Leslie's Boutique makes the cutest wet bags I've seen! Here's some of the features:
-Designer fabrics
-Convenient snap handle
-2 MIL PUL for a strong, leak proof wet storage area
-Available in size medium (13x15) and large (16x20)
-Several fun prints are available
-Ground-breaking pleated outer pocket for EXTRA storage of dry items

What's even more awesome about my good friends over at circleME is that they've generously offered one of my readers a pack of three regular absorbency Fuzzi Bunz Comfort Pads! Not only that, but they're ALSO going to give the winner a mama pad bag to go along with it! That's a total retail value of $27.00! 

Mandatory Entry:

You must be a public follower of Freckleberry Finds on Google Friend Connect AND Like circleME on Facebook. Make sure to thank them for the giveaway at Freckleberry Finds! 

Extra Entries ('cause this is one you're determined to win, right?)

-Like Freckleberry Finds on Facebook (+1)

-Follow Freckleberry Finds on Twitter (+1)

-Tweet up to 3 times a day using this text: "I entered to #win a 3-pack of @FuzziBunz Comfort Mama Pads AND a Mama Pad Wet Bag from @freckleberrymom! #giveaway http://ow.ly/3XwIB". Make sure there's an hour in between tweets, pretty please! (+1 per tweet)

-Follow circleME's blog (+1)

-Subscribe to Freckleberry Finds via email in the left hand sidebar (+1)

-Vote for me on Picket Fence Blogs. The button is in the left hand sidebar. You can vote once a day! (+1 per vote)

-Enter another one of my giveaways. When you comment on this post, tell me the comment number of your other giveaway entry. Only one giveaway, please! (+2 per giveaway)

-Grab my button and leave me a link so I can find it! (+3)

-Blog about this post with a direct link pointing to this giveaway. Leave me a link so I can check it out! (+5)

The Fine Print

This giveaway ends March 2, 2011 at 11:59 PM CST. Any entries submitted after the contest ends will be deleted. Random.org will choose the winner, and I will announce the winner on my blog on March 3, 2011. I will email the winner as well. If chosen, you have 48 hours to respond before a new winner is chosen.

Make sure that you leave an additional comment for each additional entry! For example, if you tweeted twice today, make sure you comment back here two separate times with the two separate links. 

*Disclosure: The review above is my own words and honest opinion. circleME will supply the winner with a choice of in-stock Fuzzi Bunz Comfort Pads as well as a choice of in-stock wet bag from Leslie’s Boutique. circleME will ship the prize to the winner. By entering this contest, you release Freckleberry Finds of any liability.

My Emmy Baby Custom Tee Review + Giveaway *CLOSED*

Valentine's Day is upon us! I, for one, adore this holiday. Not only do you get an excuse to eat an entire box of Russel Stover chocolates, but you get to be a little mushy and give your loved ones a little something! For this Valentine's Day, I wanted to give my kiddos something that would last them longer than 15 minutes like the M&M's in their goody bag from preschool, so I scampered off to browse Etsy.

Sure enough, I found an awesome store named My Emmy Baby. This is owned and operated by a wonderful gal, Emily, who is such a talented designer! Her store offers customized tees for infants, toddlers, and big kids. Not only does she have seasonal shirts (I'm talking EVERYTHING--Christmas, St. Patrick's Day, Easter, the whole shebang!), but she makes super cute birthday shirts and "Big Brother/Big Sister" shirts, too! I love how personalized everything is. She will put your child's name right into the design. There's no way your tot will have to suffer through the humiliation of McKenzie having the EXACT SAME SHIRT on for her school Valentine's Day party. The horror! She'll be set with her very own one-of-a-kind threads.

I'm a repeat customer of My Emmy Baby, and I know you'll love their stuff! At only $15 a shirt, I can afford to outfit my kids for each holiday and event!

You want to know what's even cooler about My Emmy Baby? They've generously offered one of our readers a customized St. Patrick's Day or Easter onesie or tee of their very own!

Mandatory Entry:
You must be a follower of Freckleberry Finds via Google Friend Connect and head on over to My Emmy Baby's Etsy Store. Tell me what design you think is to-die-for cute!

Extra Entries ('cause this would be too good to miss!):
-Follow My Emmy Baby on Twitter! Leave your @username in your comment. (+1)

-Follow Freckleberry Finds on Twitter! Leave your @username in your comment. (+1)

-Like My Emmy Baby on Facebook!  Leave your Facebook First Name and Last initial in your comment.(+1)

-Like Freckleberry Finds on Facebook!  Leave your Facebook First Name and Last initial in your comment.(+1)

-Follow My Emmy Baby's Blog! (+1)

-Tweet about this giveaway using this text: "#Win a customized tee from @MyEmmyBaby and @freckleberrymom! #giveaway http://ow.ly/3WjKJ". You can tweet up to 3 times a day, with one hour in between tweets, pretty please. (+1 per tweet. Include link in comment!)

-Subscribe to Freckleberry Finds via e-mail in the left hand sidebar (+1)

-Snag my button from the top right hand sidebar and leave me a link telling me where you put it! (+3)

-Blog about this giveaway and leave a link for me to check it out! (+5)

The Fine Print

This giveaway ends February 28, 2011 at 11:59 PM CST. Any entries submitted after the contest ends will be deleted. Random.org will choose the winner, and I will announce the winner on my blog on March 1, 2011. I will email the winner as well. If chosen, you have 48 hours to respond before a new winner is chosen.

Make sure that you leave an additional comment for each additional entry! For example, if you tweeted twice today, make sure you comment back here two separate times with the two separate links. 

*Disclosure: The review above is my own words and honest opinion. My Emmy Baby will supply the winner with one short sleeved shirt of the winners choosing, either St. Patrick's Day or Easter themed. My Emmy Baby will ship the prize to the winner.  

Ok, folks. Get to gettin'! You gotta be in it to win it!

Super-Duper Saturday Giveaway Link Up 2/12-2/19

Howdy, Freckleberries! It's that time again...link up any giveaways you're hosting, or check out what great giveaways are going on now!

It's certainly not required, but if you show us some love and snag our button, we'll snag yours right back! Just post a comment letting me know you did so, and I'll return the love :).

Now on to the good stuff! Don't forget to come back by and see what we've got up our sleeve in the next week or so...the giveaways are brewin'!

Freshly Picked - Barnes & Noble Edition

Congratulations to comment #68...heartnsoulcooking! 

You just won a $10 Barnes & Noble Gift Card!

I will be emailing you shortly letting you know that You've Been Picked by Freckleberry Finds! 

Thanks so much to everyone who entered. Our first giveaway was a great success! We had just over 300 comments entering the giveaway, and are now nearing 100 followers!

Keep an eye out, folks. More giveaways are coming! Happy Blogging :). 

Super-Duper Saturday Giveaway Link Up 2/5-2/12

Freckleberry Finds is excited to bring you a brand new giveaway linky! We'll post a linky every Saturday, and you all can spread the word about your fab giveaway!

Make sure you include the ending date in your post!

Also, be sure to check out our giveaway ending on Monday!

Barnes and Noble Gift Card (Ends 2/7)

Recipe Share!

Look, I’m not gonna lie to you. I am by no means a cook or a baker. I do my best to follow recipes that seem like they’re easy enough to tackle with ingredients that don’t sound too intimidating. If a recipe has stuff in it I can’t pronounce, I’m not too likely to attempt it. I will say, however, that I did host Thanksgiving at my house this past November, and no one ended up with food poisoning or any other digestive illnesses. It was even, dare I say, tasty! So since that culinary success, I’ve gained a bit of bravery in the kitchen.

These granola bars didn’t seem too difficult to make. With all this blasted snow we’ve had lately, I’ve had both of my kids home during the day due to school closures. After we played with Play Doh for the seven trillionth time and my one year old started reciting lines from “Bubble Guppies”, I decided it was time for a change of pace. Let’s bake, kids! They loved helping, and loved eating these bad boys just as much as I did. Deeeeelish!

Oatmeal Cinnamon Raisin Granola Bars

2 cups rolled oats

3/4 cup packed brown sugar (I used the Splenda brown sugar)

1/2 cup wheat germ

3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 cup all-purpose flour

3/4 cup raisins

3/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup honey

1 egg, beaten

1/2 cup vegetable oil

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Generously grease a 9x13 inch baking pan.

In a large bowl, mix together the oats, brown sugar, wheat germ, cinnamon, flour, raisins and salt. Let your kids stir it for a little while so they feel like they’re “helping”. Make a well in the center, and pour in the honey, egg, oil and vanilla. Mix well using your hands. If you’re brave, let your kids dig in! Pat the mixture evenly into the prepared pan.

Bake for 30 to 35 minutes in the preheated oven, until the bars begin to turn golden at the edges. Cool for 5 minutes, and then cut into bars while still warm. Do not allow the bars to cool completely before cutting, or they will be too hard to cut.

I’m still no Paula Deen, but what the heck: “Y’all come eat!”