The Love Bamboo Tea Tumbler Thermos with Infuser

The Love Bamboo Tea Tumbler Thermos with Infuse

By Sacred Love

Buy it on Amazon

I like the look of this bottle, and the fact that it comes with a removable loose tea/fruit basket.

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The stainless interior makes it safe and sanitary while helping to maintain temperatures for long times.  The lid screws on, meaning you can sip or take big drinks at your will, not that of a lid's opening or straw.  This also means it can tip without worry of spill.

I was a bit in question of all the fancy packaging for a bottle that has specifically gone the way of bamboo for the exterior doe to it being sustainable.  This item came in a shopping box, then in a cardboard tube which then had foam padding followed by plastic wrap before I ever got to the bottle itself.  A lot of wasted stuff there.  Great for a gift, I guess, it looks nice, but it seemed over the top.  I also have reservations about washing it because of all the warnings directing users to not submerse or soak the outside as it will wreck the bamboo shell.  Makes it a little more challenging to clean thoroughly when you can't dishwash or soak it.

This bottle gets high marks for function and appearance otherwise, and I have gotten plenty of .
compliments

TriNova Stainless Steel Cleaner and Polish, 16oz

TriNova Stainless Steel Cleaner and Polish

In my home, all of the kitchen appliances are stainless steel.  In my home, there are also a lot of young children as well as multiple adults who use the appliances daily,  It is a constant struggle to keep them clean.  I have tried many different avenues to accomplish this task, and a recent one I have had the opportunity to try has done a fantastic job of wiping the prints and grime off.

The Stainless Steel Cleaner & Polish by TriNova comes shipped in a plastic bag with the bottle capped and the sprayer separate to eliminate leaks.  Installing the sprayer is a simple as unscrewing the lid and screwing the sprayer on.

The cleaner also comes with a soft, two sided microfiber cloth.  One side is for cleaning, the other is for buffing and polishing.  The cloth is generously sized, think and of great quality, this is not a cheapy piece of fabric.

This cleaner sprays on as a white liquid, which has a pleasant smell.  It lifts prints away right away and also easily cleans off whatever the kids may have left behind on the handles and other surfaces. Once the surface has been cleaned, it is easy to flip the cloth over and use the other side to polish and buff the surface back to the shiny clean intended.

I didn't notice any residue left behind once I had finished cleaning.  I never had to fuss with streaks either, it just wiped on smooth and came off just as easily.  The surfaces seem to stay nice looking for an acceptable stretch of time.  Claimed to repel fingerprints and dust, I would agree that it does work at keeping the surface looking clean longer, though I have never compared this with other products to verify this claim against others.

A little goes a long way, so this 16oz bottle will last quite a while!  However, when I do run out, TriNova's Stainless Steel Cleaner & Polish will be at the top of my list.


Click below to learn more or purchase:

 Stainless Steel Cleaner

* I received this product for free in exchange for my honest and un-biased opinions.  I was not compensated for my review or required to write a positive review, all thoughts are my own.

https://www.tomoson.com/account/profile/campaign-verify/trinova-stainless-steel-cleaner-and-polish-for-commercial-refrigerators-with-mic/blog?

Family Honor Plate

I love traditions and fun things that keep my kids involved in what is going on with the family.  We try to celebrate a lot of things together, the big holidays and the small personal victories too.  When I got the chance to try out the Family Honor Plate and Let's Talk cards, I couldn't say yes fast enough!

 The Family Honor Plate comes in a kit with everything you need to personalize it and make it your very own.  It is very well packaged and easy to get to.

 Within in the kit, you will find the plate, paints, nice pain brushes (not the cheapy ones with bristles that fall off or handles that give slivers), a paint tray with spots to mix colors and a plate stand.

 The plate is a nice, heavy, finished piece that should stand up to regular wear and tear. On it is printed "Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness, Gentleness and Self Control"

The idea behind the Family Honor Plate is to honor a member of the family when they have displayed one of the attributes in their daily life.  This can be used for every day or on more special, larger event occasions, the choice is completely up to the family.  Imagine little Susie steps out of her comfort zone and helps a new student at school, or little Johnny has a great report card after lots of hard work...  Maybe Dad earns a promotion or Mom remembers to be patient on a very trying day...  There are so many ways to use this plate!  The fun thing is that anyone can decide who should get to use it, not just Dad or Mom.  

 Available separately but to compliment the plate are the Let's Talk Table Thyme cards.

 On a convenient flip pad, there are more than enough to fill a year with a new question each day.  These are questions that invite each member to contribute thoughts and ideas and spur conversation.  Even the little ones can do this!

 On a sturdy cardboard stand, this set holds up nice and is easy to use.

The included paint is designed to be baked, hardening and setting up after a 30 minute bake time.  With 8 colors: red, white, black, blue, orange, yellow, purple, green, there is enough color to make any picture or design you wish, and enough white to mix colors and make your own.  We were sad to find that, in our box, though the paint cups were well sealed (and easy to open, thank you!) the red was completely solid and that the blue, purple and yellow were chunky and on their way to becoming solid as well.  We were able to limp them along with a little water, but they did not apply smoothly or offer us much.  Big bummer there!

 My children were very excited to get started on the plate!  We decided for ours we would let each member do their own section.  As my children are younger, one just 10 months old, this will surely become a treasure as they grow in addition to the fun it will add as we use it to honor one another.

 My older three worked very diligently, each perfecting her masterpiece.

 Dad, Mom and baby added their parts and then it was time to bake.  The baking process was super easy!  Just put the plate in a cold oven, turn it on to 350 and set a timer for 30 minutes once the oven reaches temperature.  After the timer goes off, turn the oven off and let the plate cool with the oven.  That's it!  And it's now ready to eat on.

We opted not to paint on the center of the plate, as suggested, to avoid having paint get scraped off with use.  The children were very pleased with the end result and Dad and Mom agree it turned out pretty cute! 

We have already put it to use, honoring our oldest daughter for her kindness to a new child at church, helping to bring the child to her class and befriend her for the whole day so she would not be lonely.  What fun to give her the special plate!  She had fun being the special person and the other children were chatting about how they might be able to get the plate too.

Here are some videos to walk you through the Family Honor Plate:

You can find out more about the developer, Michelle, here

You can find and purchase the plate here

* I received this product for free for the purposes of review.  My opinions are not influenced by the free gift nor required to be positive, but are from my actual experience.  

#HonorPlate #FlyBy

Kuuk Stainless Steel Water Bottle/Thermos Review

I was in search of a durable water bottle that could take a beating when my husband took it out into the garage or shop, as most water bottles he uses end up destroyed in quick fashion, especially the plastic variety.  The Kuuk Stainless Steel Water Bottle/Thermos has provided us just that option.

 This water bottle/thermos is good for hot or cold liquids.  He can use it for water that stays cold for a very long time, or for coffee, which stays hot for a very long time.

 The bottle is very simple in design with a flip top lid that has an option to lock when in transport in case of bumps or tips.  A simple press of the button flips the lid up and open to access the spout for easy drinking.  No worries about slow drinks or pressure built up from stoppers, this has an air hole that allows for liquids to pass through the opening as quickly as desired.

 The inside of the bottle is stainless steel and has a wide opening for easy filling.

 A tall, wide bottle, it is a lot to hold on to for smaller hands, but holds a lot of liquid - 34oz!

I have been very impressed with this water bottle and its ability to keep liquids at desired temperature for a very long time, much longer than expected.  It is very durable, stands up to drops with ease.  The double walls keep the liquid insulated and protect the beverage as well as hands from burns on the outside.

You can find one for yourself here

* I received this product for free in exchange for my honest and un-biased review.

Chefast Herb Scissors Set

Part of my gardening experience this year has been to add a few herbs.  As I grow them, I have begun to harvest some and found that a better way of chopping them was desirable, so I got a pair of herb scissors.

These herb scissors come well protected as they ship.

In the box, there are 2 bags for storing herbs or whatever else you desire, the scissors and a protective case.

The scissors are super sharp, with five blades.  They open and close smoothly.  The guard acts as a protector when not in use as well as a cleaner with grooves that slide between the scissor blades to clean off any remaining herbs.

These scissors work great!  They cut through fresh or dried herbs with ease. When cutting wet or fresh herbs, they do stick to the blade, but a tap or pass over with the guard/cleaner and it comes right off.

The pieces left behind are finely chopped and in nice sized pieces.  I cut a basil leaf, which left some longer pieces, but a second pass over the long pieces fixed that quickly.

I am very glad I added these to my collection and cannot wait to begin harvesting all of the goodness from my garden to use in cooking and store up for later.

You can find this product here

* I received this product for free in exchange for my honest and un-biased review

Grill Mat Review

Summer is here, and grilling season is upon us.  I had heard about mats made for grills, and was curious to see if they were worth the chatter, so I ordered some.

These grill mats come in a small cardboard box.  All instructions are printed on the box.

 Inside the box, there are two rolled up thin mats.

 This set of two 16"x 13" mats are made of Teflon, Fiberglass PTFE (Polytetrafluroethylene) (PFOA (Perflurooctanoic Acid) free) coated fabric.  I did research on these letters and terms to learn that Teflon is PTFE.  Teflon creates the non-stick surface we are all familiar with.  PFOA is used to make Teflon and is usually burned off in the process.  While Teflon is not suspected of causing cancer, PFOA has been found to be "possibly carcinogenic to humans" .  The company claims that these are "FDA approved healthy".

 At first, I was under-impressed with how thin they are, and immediately questioned how good they would actually be.  This product claims "extra thick heavy duty" mats, but I definitely would not define them with such words.

These mats can be used in any charcoal, gas or electric grill application for temperatures up to 500 degree, which also makes them great for oven liners to catch drips.

 

I enjoy grill marks on my brats, hot dogs and hamburgers, so I do not see myself using these for such foods.  However, I can see the benefit in using them with fish, vegetables, fruits and kabobs.   These mats are non-stick, reusable, dishwasher safe and easy to wipe clean.

You can find these grilling mats here

* I received this product for free in exchange for my honest and un-biased review.

Glass Water Bottle with Silicon Sleeve Review

I enjoy having a water bottle on hand at all times, so I am always interested in trying out a new one.  This time, I got my hands on a glass bottle with a silicon sleeve sold by Purify You.  This bottle ships well protected!  It comes bubble wrapped in its own box, which ships in a bigger box.  

 Once unwrapped, this is a very pleasing water bottle.  It has a plastic cap with a handle for hooking onto packs with a caribiner or strap, or just for holding on to.  It is wrapped in a flexible silicon sleeve that coordinates with the cap.  I chose this aqua color, but it is also available in purple, grey, blue, pink and green.

 The bottle is a thick glass that has an opening big enough that I cans slide ice cubes into it (those made by my built in ice-maker, I have not tried the self-made rectangular ones that come from trays).  The lid easily screws on and off with a couple of turns.

 Even when wet from condensation, the bottle is not slippery thanks to the silicon sleeve design.  It is easy to grip.  My one complaint is that I keep dropping the lid thanks to my butterfingers, and I would have liked to see some sort of strap or lid leash included to keep it from falling off completely.  However, this does not in any way affect function and I still like the bottle.

It is dishwasher safe, so it is easy to clean.  A 12 ounce capacity, it is a smaller bottle that easily fits into vehicle cup holders and stroller trays.  This is not a "guzzle it down after a long workout" kind of water bottle, more of a sidekick for all day hydration - with refills, of course.

You can find one for yourself here

* I received this product at a discount in exchange for my honest and un-biased review.

Pancake Pen Review

 We have breakfast for dinner regularly in addition to the morning meal.  Many times a month this means pancakes, which my kids love.  Lately they have been asking for some more creative shapes and designs, which I have attempted with a spoon with poor success.  So, adding a pancake pen to my kitchen gadgets seemed like a good idea, and it was!

 This Pancake Pen is big!  It holds over 2 cups of batter which equates to a lot of pancakes (depending on size).  The pen comes apart in four pieces - the main body, bottom, top and a lid.  They easily unscrew for filling or washing.

 The lid has a rubber tipped opening that is heat resistant so it does not melt if it accidentally brushes the pan.

 The bottle itself is a softer, flexible plastic that is easy to squeeze.

Filling the bottle is as easy as removing either the top or bottom (I chose to remove the top so there was not an opening for the batter to leak out), pouring in your batter (it was near Valentines Day, so we got pink this time) and replacing the top/bottom.  That's it - then you are ready to go!

 Making pancakes is now so much easier and less messy.  The first few I had a couple of extra drips until I learned how to use the pen.  Simply tip and let the batter flow out, making shapes if you choose.

 We had a request for hearts, so I did my best!

This pen is also great for making muffins or cupcakes.  The opening of the lid is big enough to accommodate any chunks in muffin batter.  It makes pouring the batter into the muffin tin so much neater, eliminating drips, spills and wasted batter.

The cap makes it convenient to store batter between uses if you should desire to make up a full tube of batter but only use a little per day.  Now, a few day's worth of pancakes are pre-mixed and ready to make without the extra dishes or time.  Washing the pen is easy too.  After removing all the pieces, just drop it in the sink with other dishes and it comes right clean.

I love this thing!  I feel a little sad I didn't get one sooner.  So worth the price (which is quite minimal) for the time saved and fun enhanced.

You can get one for yourself here

* I received this product for free in exchange for my honest and un-biased review.

Reusable Food Pouches Review

I love the convenience of the food pouches on the market now, but not so much the processed foods inside or the waste involved.  When I got the opportunity, I purchased a set of reusable pouches to try out.

This 6 pack of food pouches comes packaged simply enough.

The front is decorated with fun pictures (balloons in this case) and the back has spaces to write the child's name and the date the pouch was filled for easy tracking of food safety.

The bottoms of these pouches seal much like a Zip-Loc bag.  This makes them easy to fill and wash.  The seal is leak proof and can even withstand a child squeezing a sealed pouch without bursting. 

The tops of the pouches are sealed with the same twist off lids as the store bought variety.  Once the top is twisted off, you find the familiar spout a child can then suck the food out of the pouch through. 

 My only confusion with this product was in the lid.  The lids were sealed as a new store product would be.  I had to break the plastic seal to twist it loose.  Once that was done, I was left with the broken seal pieces still stuck to the lid.  These pieces are sharp and jagged, and not something I would feel comfortable giving to my child until removed as the product is intended to be re-used.

It was very easy to fill the pouch with applesauce, other fruit purees, even yogurt, and my children enjoyed them very much.  They were great for on the go and allowed my kids to eat messier snacks without the need for spoons.  The pouches retain their shape and condition well.  I did find that I could only fill them half to full or the contents would squeeze out as I tried to seal the bottom. 

I definitely recommend these over the store bought variety for the value, eco-friendly aspect, and the ability to use foods from your own home.

You can find them here

*I received this product for free in exchange for my honest and un-biased review.