Terracycle Re-purposed Products

Disclosure: In exchange for this review and giveaway, I was given the product for free. However, my opinions are my own and 100% honest. 


With the Holidays quickly approaching, the last thing on most peoples minds is the waste that we will create. I was given an opportunity to review a couple of products made by a company called Terracycle. With the way that most people think and not knowing how much my readers like to recycle or reuse, I was nervous about trying to think of a way to write up a post.

Then I noticed that a box of Entemann's Little Bites sitting on my fridge had a Terracyle logo on the side. Hmm. Here is a company that I know very little about, but yet they are sitting on the side of a package I see all of the time. Then I started to look at the products that Terracycle upcycles into new and creative items. I like the concept of keeping trash out of a landfill, but how good can they possibly be if they are made into new products?

The products arrived at my door and before I opened the box, I let out a big sigh. Once I opened the package, I was more than surprised. I am not quite sure what I was expecting from the Terracycle products, but I loved them.

I was sent a mail bag and a Lays large tote. First of all, let me say that I have seen, and purchased, several reusable bags over the last few years. None of the bags that I have seen or purchased have had as much personality as these bags.

The Shopping Tote:

Look at how cute my Lay's bag is. It is bright and cheery and I promise that it will not get mixed up with any other shoppers bags. The bag is thick and very durable. The actual size of this bag is a little larger than a traditional paper bag, so it will hold a decent amount of groceries or whatever else you may want to pack in it.

Look inside! It is just as cute!

I managed to pack an entire 20 pound bag of sweet potatoes inside of my Lay's bag and it held strong!  This bag is definitely high quality and fun from any angle. Knowing that it is made from upcycled products that people use everyday is just an added bonus to this bag.

The Mailbag:

The mailbag is just that. It looks just like the bag a bank or retail store would use for holding cash and checks needing to be deposited. There is one zipper pouch and a smaller pocket on the side that does not close.

I initially thought that I would not be able to find a use for the mail bag that I received. Then I started a new job. I do not have my own desk and I do not have a locker. So all personal items need to come in with me and leave with me.

Part of the problem with where I work and what I do, is personal belongings are expensive and walk away quite often. Pens are considered gold because they are always getting set down and walking off in someone's pocket. Unfortunately, it is never the correct pocket they walk away in.

The inside of the zipper pocket is nicely lined in a suede like material so it is soft and gentle on whatever you place inside. The zipper pocket is a lifesaver and keeps my personal belongings neat, tidy, and out of view of the pen eating pockets that walk by me on a regular basis. The exterior of the pouch is canvas and there are a few rivets on the edge of the exterior pocket to add a little decoration. The exterior pocket is lined in the same canvas that is found on the exterior of the pouch and works great to keep my granola bar for quick access.

It turns out that the mailbag was actually the item my husband kept taking an hiding. He was hoping that I would forget about it so he could start using it to carry his cell phone in for work since the new phones seem to be too big to fit in a pocket comfortably. I will absolutely be sneaking over to Terracycle to purchase a second one of these!

If you are looking for a great gift item or just a fun way to package a gift item that you are giving this holiday season, think about keeping a few pieces of trash from joining your local landfill and allow it to be re-purposed  by Terracycle. Take a look, some of the items they make would be a big hit with family and friends of all ages!

Shout Out to SOCK It To Me!

The one thing that I do not regularly do, is write a post about a product that I have purchased. Of course that is how I started this blog years ago, but I have found that I have strayed away from that over the last year or so. I have found a brand that I feel deserves a write up especially with the gift buying season upon us. In fact, this would have been a great post for back to school too, but I have been a little backed up with life.

The brand that I have fallen in love with is called SOCK it to me. They are a Portland Oregon based company that was started in 2004. The first time I ran across these socks, I was under a bridge in downtown Portland at an outdoor market called Saturday Market. If you have never been to the Portland area, the Saturday Market is a blend of local Portland artists and the eclectic. (I am trying to be politically correct here.) You can find everything from handmade ceramics to tie dye clothing.

While my family and I were looking through the local vendors "booths," we came across one that had some really wild and crazy socks. My daughter was immediately drawn in. Something about knee high socks, bright colors, and skulls. I very graciously bought her three pairs. Two of them were striped socks with skulls and one that were red socks with monkeys on them.

For months she ranted and raved over her crazy socks and I just could not seem to figure out what the big deal was. After all, I have children, I don't usually wear crazy socks unless it is Halloween. Okay fine, maybe I have a pair of rainbow socks with the sewn in toes, but that is not public knowledge.

Fast forward about 5 years. My oldest daughter still has not outgrown her crazy design phase and she has managed to rub a teeny bit of her style of on me. One day she convinced my husband to buy a pair for me because she knew that I loved frogs and she knew that my "normal" job is working as a nurse. They came home from a local store with the cutest darn socks even. A darker green sock with a big frog on the side,and a pair of grey socks with stethoscopes and needles on them. I was not sure when I would wear them. They did not exactly match my everyday scrubs for work. But I slipped a pair on just for fun and I have been hooked ever since.

Here is why I am hooked. Clearly as a Gen X child, I am not young in years, but I am not old at heart. I am not really physically aging very gracefully either, and standing on my feet for 12 hours a day causes serious issues with my poor legs. I found that SOCK it to me socks are a dream come true for more sore tired legs and add a cute twist to whatever I am wearing. They are thick feeling without the physical bulk of a thick sock and they are great for improving circulation through your legs. I hear some of you saying, "They are just socks." No they are not!! They are fun, crazy, and indescribably soft.  

About a year after getting my first pairs of SOCK it to me socks, I have grown my collection to about 30 pairs. I now have socks that have traveled to Africa with me and others that I covet. I know that I am probably the only person that went to Africa on vacation wearing Giraffe and Zebra socks, but I know that I had cozy feet through my whole trip.

If you need a great gift item for this Holiday Season, or any other time. SOCK it to me socks are a great and possibly crazy gift item. 

Why Is My Food Yellow?

Have you ever noticed that the food you made for dinner smells and looks amazing?  I started to ask myself "why is my food yellow?"  I knew from growing up that artificial red and yellow dyes were unhealthy for children with epilepsy. Then when my grandson was diagnosed with epilepsy, I paid a lot more attention.

Did you know that red and yellow dyes have been linked to an increases in hyperactivity? Even 30 years ago my doctor knew of a link between red and yellow dyes and epilepsy.

I will not aim my rant at specific companies because they know who they are and why they do it. But what we as parents and grandparents need to do is provide a little education to our children. The juice they drink does not need to be red, green, blue, purple, or orange. The noodles on the table do not need to be so bright that they appear to glow in the dark.The cheese they eat does not need to be dyed to make it more appealing.

I spent the last couple of years looking at labels on the food that I buy. Nearly every major product on the market has some form of color added to make the product more visually appealing to the consumer. That really bothers me when I have a family member with neurological issues that are exacerbated by artificial red and yellow dyes.

Then I learned that Europe banned the use of artificial colors I was thrilled. So why are major US based companies removing dye for products sold in Europe but not in the USA? Isn't it cheaper to produce all of your products the same way? Does it make you more money to add colors to my children's food? Does Europe know something that the USA is ignoring or avoiding?


I have found a few companies out there that have started to change their dyes to natural forms and I am very grateful for those few companies. In fact, I wish there were more of them! The hard part is making the food that is sold in the USA as safe and natural as possible.

No one is dying my asparagus, my lettuce, or my green beans, so keep the dye out of my pasta, cookies, and cheese. Until some of these large companies get a clue, I will only but natural products and naturally dyed products for my table......end of rant

Get Creative with WEXY bags

Recently I was approached by my 5 year old. He said "I want to be like the other kids and buy lunch at school. I don't like to be different." It made my heart drop. I happen to live in a community with a very low household income and most of the families with children qualify for a free lunch program through the state. I really just wanted to just squeeze him and tell him that I would buy him school lunches. Instead, I thought I would get creative with a review opportunity that was given to me.

I received a package of WEXY snack bags for a review and got to work. WEXY bags are eco-friendly, BPA free, and biodegradable! What more could a parent ask for? Oh, by the way, the also have adorable characters on them that my kids love.

Knowing that I am packing a lunch that is not only fun for my children, but safer for my children is very appealing. I really do not like the thought of buying chemical free foods, just to package them in a plastic bag that is made with BPA or other carcinogens.

WEXY bags are not only cute and fun. They are durable. I managed to stuff a sandwich (crust-less of course) the bag without any seams bursting or the bag falling apart. That is not usually a challenge for most, but I purchase the wide loaf breads that usually are too big to stuff in a bag.

Sometimes I feel like plastic bags have a mind of their own and I have arguments with the seals to get them to close. The seal on the WEXY bags is easy to open and close. No need to yell at these bags to get them to close.

After sending my 5 year old to school with WEXY bags for a few days, he has learned a very valuable lesson. He now knows that it is okay to be different. He also knows that just like him, other kids want to fit in too. Wexy bags are a product that will be stocked on my kitchen shelves. They are too fun not to have around for my kids lunches.




I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

Babi-Kini Review

When we added a hot tub to our back yard several years ago, I went on a bathing suit shopping spree. Now I probably own more than I should. But, when it comes to my kids, I always just let them in with me in their diapers designed for swimming.

I had the opportunity to try a Babi-Kini recently and fell in love with the cute designs. First of all, my Babi-Kini came in the mail with a cute little gift back to put it in. I had a little difficulty packing the itty bitty bikini in the package, but once it was in there I was a little giddy. It was such a cute way to present a gift to someone. 

Then there was the actual Babi-Kini. I never thought of putting my child in a teeny bikini. She is so small that it never crossed my mind. But the Babi-Kini is just too cute. If I can have a stash of bikinis in my drawer, my daughter should too.

The Babi-kini has a few bonuses that should be recognized too. First, they are made in the USA. That is such a rare find anymore that I give them a big thumbs up for that! The other thing that I found with the Bai-kini is that they are slightly adjustable. As your child grows, you can loosen the ties on the Babi-kini to allow for a little bit of growth. That is nice for me as a parent since kids grow like weeds. The last feature that I want to point out is the quality of the Babi-Kini. The stitching is straight, the material is high quality and fairly thick for a bathing suit, and the beading addition on the ties are very cute. 

Look how cute that is!! I know that summer has come and gone, but there is still an opportunity to wear a bathing suit. My daughter is wearing hers anytime she is in the hot tub and I know that it will be packed with me when we take our next beach trip. 



I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

Ageless Derma Pressed Mineral Blush

I have always been one of "those" people when it comes to my make-up. There is nothing worse that a thick heavy foundation or creases in my eye shadow. I would rather go without make-up than put something inexpensive, orange, and loaded with chemicals on my face. I guess that would make me a make-up snob to some, but others may find that I am pretty smart when it comes to quality products that are available at a reasonable price.

I was given an opportunity to try Ageless Derma Pressed Mineral Blush in Sherry, I was more than willing to try it. After all, it is 100% natural and has vitamins and green tea.

The package:
Ageless Derma Pressed Mineral Blush came to my door in a nice small black box. Inside the box was a nice hard plastic compact that contained the blush. Unlike other products that I have tried, the compact was very easy to open. There is not a brush with this blush, so you must have your own. Most of us do, so I do not feel that this is a deal breaker.

The color:

For the color, I need to explain the color in the compact and the color that actually appears on your skin. The color in the package is a darker color with hues of both pinks and browns. Honestly the colors are perfect for my skin color and the more natural appearance I aim for.

When I went to apply the product on my skin, I was very careful not to add too much to the brush for fear I might have dark streaks across my cheeks. To my surprise, this went on much lighter that it appears in the package. It went on smooth and easily and was a very subtle touch of color.

I found that the way the minerals picked up and reflected the light added a little bit of a glow to my cheeks. I have not ever looked for an added glow as a feature in my blush, but I found that I enjoyed it with my aging skin.




I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

Milk Unleashed #Milk

When you think of the Holidays, I am pretty sure that milk is not the first thing that comes to mind. However, with all of the baking that most households do or even that our families do, there could not be a better time to add an extra dose of milk to out children.

There is now also a shelf stable milk that comes in Tetra Pak cartons and doesn’t need to be refrigerated until opened. These shelf stable milk carton are still the same Grade A milk that you are used to, it just does not require refrigeration until the package is opened. These small and portable cartons of milk are perfect for your child's school lunches or your Holiday road trips. 

With the health issues that are found in my home, we use chocolate milk to hide a much needed medication. The chocolate milk hides the taste of the medication and ensures that the medication is taken and that no life threatening issues arise. We have also just recently switched to organic milk to avoid some of the unnecessary hormones and antibiotics that can interfere with the medication that is being taken.  There are several varieties of milk in shelf stable packages available that are organic. Or maybe today your children have been incredibly well behaved and they deserve a small treat. You can buy flavored varieties that include; vanilla, chocolate, strawberry, and even cereal flavored Fruity Trudy. Could you ask for anything else is a quick nutritious and sometimes indulgent drink for your family.

These small containers are the perfect portion size for children and have been used in my home for lunches and even for a drink with an afternoon snack.  And if you sneak a peak inside my diaper bag you will find at least one box of organic chocolate milk inside just in case I need to give medication to my son away from home. 

To make it even better, these great little containers filled with nutritious milk can be found at your local grocery store and are made by several different companies including Horizon, Hershey’s, Organic Valley, Cow Wow, Borden and LALA. If you want to add a healthier treat to your child's diet this Holiday season you can learn more about milk in Tetra Pak cartons at www.milkunleashed.com, on Twitter @milkunleashed, Facebook and Pinterest.