tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-84123778116915863722024-02-06T21:41:20.608-05:00Outside the BoxSubscription Boxes, Crafts, Geekdom, DIY, and moreAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14511329696925369359noreply@blogger.comBlogger456125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8412377811691586372.post-71990776161563763362015-05-11T09:53:00.001-04:002015-05-11T09:53:39.514-04:00Word on the Street Junior Review by CraftyWhen I received my<a href="http://outsidethebox15.blogspot.com/2015/04/awesome-pack-review-from-crafty-march.html" target="_blank"> March Awesome Pack</a>, I mentioned that I wanted to review each of the games as we played them. We played <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Word-Street-Junior-Wacky-Words/dp/B003GZH0SG/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1430836628&sr=8-1&keywords=Word+on+the+street+junior" target="_blank">Word on the Street Junior</a> shortly after the box arrived; in fact we have played it several times, but I am just getting around to the review now.<br />
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I could give a million reasons why it took me so long to get this review written, but I want to be honest. I have a habit of saying yes to people or planning to do something, which results in me being overwhelmed, stressed, and forgetful. When this happens, I also have a habit of throwing my hands in the air and saying, "FORGET IT!" Then I choose not to do anything instead of having to pick what I can handle and what I can't. This review got caught up in the "Forget it" pile of things, but not because we didn't enjoy it or didn't like it. It was simply because my coping skills when it comes to stress are terrible. </div>
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With that out of the way, on to the review! The first time we played the game, we set it up so that my daughter, who is nine, was on one team and my son, who is eight, and I were on the other team. This game is nice because it doesn't require more than one player on a team allowing the kids to play by themselves. However, having more than one person on a team does seem like the best way to play this game, because the game requires brainstorming and two brains are better than one, right?<br />
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The level of strategy in this game is enough to keep an adult interested, but not too much that the kids get frustrated. It requires the teams to come up with a list of words that fit a category and then choose a word they want to play in an attempt to "steal" the tiles off the board. I watched both of my kids think very hard about words with double letters, unusual letters, and more letters just so they could win the game. One of the things I really liked about this game was that it doesn't rush the kids into spelling words quickly. There is a timer that is used for brainstorming words that fit into the category, and once that time is up, the team must choose a word to play. The team can then take their time spelling that word out using the letters on the board. This has been extremely helpful in getting my eight-year-old to practice spelling.</div>
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This game is easily one of our favorites in this house. I regret not taking the time to get this review up sooner.</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14511329696925369359noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8412377811691586372.post-24287572697692290742015-05-07T13:33:00.000-04:002015-05-07T13:33:00.677-04:00Update from BoxyHi all!<br />
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Things are really busy here and with the move, I just don't have time to deal with much else. I also paused most of my subscriptions so I don't have a great deal to review anyway. Crafty will be keeping up the blog, I'm sure, but there may be a bit of lull until I get myself settled! Hope to see you this summer once I'm out from under boxes!<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14511329696925369359noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8412377811691586372.post-9522021157784114192015-05-06T20:00:00.000-04:002015-05-06T20:00:16.365-04:00My Geek Box Review: April 2015I think this was the April <a href="http://mygeekbox.co.uk/" target="_blank">My Geek Box</a>, but it may be March since getting from the UK to US takes forever sometimes. I have to admit that I was so disappointed with this, but mostly because I had high expectations. My Geek Box only recently started shipping to the US again and I've seen some of their boxes and wanted to sign up so badly. I noticed they often included candy and British candy is hard to get here, especially now that we're not allowed to have Cadbury, and they also tended to heavily gear themselves toward British stuff like <i>Doctor Who </i>and <i>Sherlock</i>. I feel like this stuff is sorely lacking in all the geek boxes I get, so I was really excited when this arrived. Sadly it wasn't great British fandoms, but mostly more of the same.<br />
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I will say that the shirt is pretty nice and the design is great. Although I'm inundated with <i>Avengers</i>, I understand that every box is kind of capitalizing on the movie release right now, which makes sense. Hopefully they'll all do the same when <i>Doctor Who </i>returns in the fall.<br />
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<a name='more'></a>We also received an <i>Adventure Time </i>mug. I have to admit I don't watch this although I would probably like it. Still a mug is useful and it's cute.<br />
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The other items, though, were pretty much meh. I don't really understand why we get send MegaBloks, since I thought these were for kids. I guess people like making their own collectibles, though? Either way, I don't, but to each his own. I'm giving My Geek Box another go because this could just be a bad month. (Also why do these pictures insist on being upside down?)<br />
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Finally there was an Optimus Prime bottle opener keychain, which could be useful, I suppose, and an Avengers wallet. I did really like the Grapeheads, though. Hopefully next month will be more enjoyable and maybe with my expectations more realistic, it won't feel so disappointing.<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14511329696925369359noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8412377811691586372.post-74951642710038043792015-05-06T14:00:00.000-04:002015-05-06T14:00:04.885-04:00Companion Tees Review: April 2015I may have said this before, but <a href="http://companiontees.com/" target="_blank">Companion Tees</a> is the best subscription ever! They always send perfect shirts, whether in <a href="http://outsidethebox15.blogspot.com/2015/04/companion-teesonce-upon-tee-monthly.html" target="_blank">their monthly grab bag</a> or in the monthly subscription like this one. Since their monthly grab bag, for me, includes three shirts, I get that one in a box, but the regular subscription comes in the TARDIS. :)<br />
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<a name='more'></a>I <i>loved </i>this shirt, because I pretty much always love what Companion Tees sends. I love that it's grey, I love the design, and I actually like the entire concept of the Cybermen tee. It fits with my introvert shirt! ;)<br />
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Now I just need to see if they have a similar design for Daleks and I would be ecstatic. I am so, so happy with this subscription because I love all the shirts and the surprise is a lot of fun as well.<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14511329696925369359noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8412377811691586372.post-25391505620361298442015-05-06T08:55:00.000-04:002015-05-06T08:55:00.607-04:00Hatchery Review: March? April? 2015The reason I'm not sure which month this box is for is because I signed up for one of those online deals for three months with <a href="https://hatchery.co/tasting-box/" target="_blank">Hatchery</a>, but it auto-renewed. After two months, I canceled so it wouldn't auto-renew because I didn't want to be worrying about while moving. However, in doing so to avoid being charged, the system also canceled my last box.<br />
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I recently realized I hadn't received that third box and contacted Hatchery. They not only replied in an hour, but also had a box in the mail that day. Talk about awesome customer service! I'm actually a fan of this box and think it would make an awesome gift, but the last thing I need right now is to worry about another address change.<br />
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Each month, with the Tasting Box, you are sent five small samples of cooking items or food ingredients from artisans around the US. There's always a great variety and Hatchery provides suggested recipes as well.<br />
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My first item was a bottle of Michigan Apple Pie shrubs. I've never really used these, but it sounds interesting and I don't mind trying it out. Now that summer's on the way, maybe I can make something yummy and sit out on the porch!<br />
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I have to check the ingredients for the egg seasoning pack, although usually these are free of meat. However, you never know so before I use it, I will check. Also knowing what's in it will help me decide how best to use it.</div>
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I'm not sure why the apricot jam insists on being upside down, but either way, I will use this for sure. I love jams and jellies and it's one of the things that most interested me about the Tasting Box. This is the kind of item I'm always looking for - an artisan jam or spread. I'm lucky that we live close enough to Maine that Stonewall Kitchen is literally everywhere, but new brands are always welcome, too!<br />
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I'm very excited about the sweet and tangy mustard and the first thing I'm doing when we settle and unpack this will be to buy pretzels for dipping. Yum!<br />
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Finally there was a jar of salted caramel and recently, thanks mainly to Treatsie, I have discovered I am quite the fan. I cannot wait to use this - maybe for a sundae!<br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14511329696925369359noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8412377811691586372.post-81192500907362407522015-05-05T19:00:00.000-04:002015-05-05T19:00:01.770-04:00GeekMeBox Review: April 2015I was already planning to cancel <a href="http://geekmebox.com/" target="_blank">GeekMeBox</a>, mostly because I have too many of these and I haven't found anything to really hook me with this one, but then they announced that April's box would include <i>Game of Thrones </i>and <i>Harry Potter</i>, so I stayed on. I'm not sure it was really worth it, but it wasn't terrible, either. I can't really say anything negative about GeekMeBox, but I just don't feel like there's anything really unique about them, either, and they're more expensive than others that offer basically the same thing.<br />
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The first two items were a Hulk POP and some <i>Legend of Zelda </i>socks. I really like these items, but I think we have this POP. He's a bobblehead, though, so we may not. I do love that there are figures in the GeekMeBox subscription, because I get really tired of the kid-friendly stuff that isn't transferable to adults in some of these boxes. At least figures can be collected by someone at any age.<br />
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<a name='more'></a>The shirt is actually adorable, with Link and Harry both going for the Golden Snitch. The other <i>Harry Potter </i>item was one of those projector lights with the Hogwarts crest, so I probably won't use that.<br />
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Finally, the <i>Game of Thrones </i>item was a mystery mini, which would have been really disappointing since I stuck around for this. However, we were fortunate enough to get Viserion, who is super cool even in mini form, so kudos. Again, this is actually a great box, but as I whittle down to nothing in order to worry less during the move, one area to cut is in the redundancy. I find that with all the geek boxes, it seems to make less sense to get them all and just focus on the ones that are consistently stronger and that make me the happiest.<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14511329696925369359noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8412377811691586372.post-5395390266066493352015-05-05T14:00:00.000-04:002015-05-05T14:00:04.978-04:00Fandom of the Month Club Review: April 2015<a href="http://fandomofthemonth.cratejoy.com/" target="_blank">Fandom of the Month Club</a>, for those who've missed it, is a jewelry/accessory subscription box that caters to nerdy fandoms. It's all for less than $15 a month, which is pretty amazing. This month's fandom was <i>Harry Potter</i>.<br />
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Recently, Fandom of the Month Club had new boxes made rather than their old padded envelopes and the owl image comes at the perfect time!<br />
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<a name='more'></a>Each month comes with a collectible bag and postcard, which are, for me, two additional items to look forward to. The card this month is a silhouette of Hogwarts and there's a quote and wand on the bag.<br />
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I have to be honest and admit I didn't love all of the items in the box, but I'm still a big fan of the subscription. I have picky jewelry taste and I'm just as happy to get the bag and pass along the jewelry if I don't love it. The earrings were golden snitches, and I did like these. I also loved the deathly hallows keychain, complete with piece from the book. The feather necklace is nice, and I may wear it, but it may also be a bit too delicate for my taste. The ring is an owl and adorable but it's SUPER tiny. I wish these were adjustable for normal size fingers.<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14511329696925369359noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8412377811691586372.post-58123380421259359052015-05-05T08:00:00.000-04:002015-05-05T08:00:12.571-04:00SH&SH Pizza Cutter Review<a href="http://www.tomoson.com/?code=TOP03ee20e9716b3d0742a8d04199f1d9e7" rel="nofollow"></a>
So I like to make homemade pizzas, because 1. I love pizza and 2. I like easy meal prep. Of course when you make homemade pizza, sometimes the crust can be tough to cut through and although we have some knives to do the job, the end result isn't always pretty. Therefore, I was excited to review <a href="http://amzn.to/1JbxCQz" target="_blank">the pizza cutter from SH&SH</a>.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-q6Hs5AlCkJ43ZVroF1eFByMnoM5_xAobdkJhnivI7NQrQgIWwWyuBvQ_nUnCYMHMlctzIxdtpKcj9rtP5wMO1YUGIclhEwRsJnF5ycMfRFGq4f4-AJBPR5BjJqSVaGly1hIBzw7z0F8K/s1600/IMG_0135.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-q6Hs5AlCkJ43ZVroF1eFByMnoM5_xAobdkJhnivI7NQrQgIWwWyuBvQ_nUnCYMHMlctzIxdtpKcj9rtP5wMO1YUGIclhEwRsJnF5ycMfRFGq4f4-AJBPR5BjJqSVaGly1hIBzw7z0F8K/s1600/IMG_0135.JPG" height="640" width="640" /></a></div>
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Sadly, I am a bit of an idiot. I should have sent this to Crafty for review because as I was packing up my kitchen, leaving only the necessities until we move, I discovered we already had a pizza cutter. I didn't even know we had one!<br />
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Anyway, the biggest difference between a knife and pizza cutter is simply that this is designed to roll through the pizza, while a knife can make a mess. Pizza cutters, and this one especially, also are balanced for just that and this has a nice sturdy handle to make getting through even the toughest crust possible.<br />
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Right now, we are not really making pizza at home, since we aren't doing a ton of cooking beyond things in the fridge or in cans so we don't have to move them or throw them away. However, once we move and settle in, I will definitely be using this - and it's partner I forgot I had! ;)
<a href="http://www.tomoson.com/?code=BOTTOM03ee20e9716b3d0742a8d04199f1d9e7" rel="nofollow"></a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14511329696925369359noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8412377811691586372.post-20932690854443761012015-05-04T18:00:00.000-04:002015-05-04T18:00:05.408-04:00Geek Fuel Review: April 2015Sadly this wasn't my favorite <a href="http://geekfuel.com/boxy/" target="_blank">Geek Fuel box</a>, because it's all about superheroes. For me, superheroes and superhero movies are a perfect example of too much of a good thing. I enjoyed the first <i>Avengers </i>movie and even kind of liked the early <i>X-Men </i>movies. I didn't even mind the first <i>Iron Man</i> and actually loved the original <i>Spiderman</i>. My husband is definitely the comic book geek here, but I never minded seeing the movies with him because even when they weren't great, they were generally entertaining. But now I am just so, so sick of them. There seems to be a new one every month - and they rarely offer anything different. We will be seeing <i>Age of Ultron</i>, but even my husband - who has followed the Avengers since he was a small child - didn't care about seeing it later. We went to the midnight release for all the <i>Harry Potter </i>movies and <i>Spiderman </i>and <i>Lord of the Rings </i>and, of course, <i>Star Wars</i>, but he just figured he had to work Friday morning. However, we have both gone to work on no sleep from a movie before, but it's too much. You can't stress about every movie and Marvel, like Disney, just doesn't know how to give people a second to breathe. The dilution of excitement comes from the fact that they have movies every month or two. Part of what made the others exciting was that they didn't.<br />
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ANYWAY, long story short, the emphasis on superheroes in this month's Geek Fuel subscription box felt the same way. I'm getting so many Avengers items and I just don't care enough about them. My husband doesn't care enough, either, because again, too much of a good thing.<br />
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<a name='more'></a>Fortunately, Geek Fuel remains the only geeky subscription box that sends game codes each month so even if I don't play them, I feel like that's always worth the cost.<br />
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We will use the mug and I actually did like this. It's a mashup of Avengers and <i>Breakfast Club</i>. We have way too many mugs (as Crafty can attest to) but I don't feel like geeky mugs are ever a bad item because I will use them.<br />
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The shirt was a total fail for us, though. It's a mashup of Avengers and TMNT. As I said, I'm so bored with superheroes and my husband, although an obsessive comic book fan, HATES TMNT with a passion, so we will pass this along to someone else.<br />
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The filler items were also somewhat disappointing, with the exception of the <i>Star Wars </i>jelly beans (mainly because they were <i>Star Wars</i>, yummy, and did not include dead animals). We couldn't eat the Avengers candy because of gelatin and I don't really know what to do with a Scribblenauts figure.<br />
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My final bonus item was a plastic orange ghost thing, but I really like the tin it came in.<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14511329696925369359noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8412377811691586372.post-56354070642342711772015-05-04T14:00:00.000-04:002015-05-04T14:00:01.157-04:00Treatsie Review: April 2015<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
This is going to be a terrible review, because I have to admit something. I have a ridiculous <a href="http://treatsie.com/" target="_blank">Treatsie</a> addiction. The reason the review will be terrible is because I didn't get pictures of the box, since I was so quick to tear the box open and start enjoying it! </div>
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So every month, before your subscription box ships, Treatsie also invites you to add on treats. I gave in this month and added a few as well, and the shipment notice came in about a week before it arrived. On scheduled delivery day, I waited quite impatiently. The FedEx driver didn't come until after 7 PM!!! I asked my husband every ten minutes if the box had come, but thankfully it finally did. At which point, I opened and split the box between us and started enjoying my portion. Only to realize I didn't have my camera. </div>
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One of this month's featured items were marshmallows between butter cookies and held together with caramel. Although this sounds yummy, these had gelatin and so they were taken to my husband's work with him to be given away. </div>
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Another of the featured item's was the PB&J chocolate bar, which is made with peanut praline and raspberry pate. I haven't tried this yet but it sounds fantastic and knowing Treatsie, it will be. </div>
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Also featured was a variety of mini chocolate bars in great sounding flavors that we haven't tried, either, as well as chocolate covered corn nuts and pretzels. I don't have pictures because these were split up and are now in various locations, but everything sounds wonderful. </div>
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For add on items, we added some caramels that were gone quickly, chocolate bars, and these caramel treats below. The only thing we've finished was the caramel pack, which came in a cute Treatsie bag. I've recently discovered that salted caramel is one of my favorite things ever and there were salted caramels, too, so it was delightful. These little caramel confections are also amazing and the chocolate bars sound fantastic. </div>
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I'm always excited for Treatsie to arrive and it's always so yummy! I just get disappointed when there's gelatin in the snacks because then I can't eat them. If that starts to happen a lot, I may just have to cancel and order items directly, but hopefully it will not!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtTWLDO0M6spf-rnRl6gMnB00KftcBmWcCzd2av8HCjLKkXBuz0Ra1buljG7NauVeiecM6NKlzSdVsCpspd9BeDueDfMCSKJJAC5Zwp5h9jd2MTTIAxc1iTsc18tVa8i4SaLMR7MknfhlB/s1600/IMG_0138.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtTWLDO0M6spf-rnRl6gMnB00KftcBmWcCzd2av8HCjLKkXBuz0Ra1buljG7NauVeiecM6NKlzSdVsCpspd9BeDueDfMCSKJJAC5Zwp5h9jd2MTTIAxc1iTsc18tVa8i4SaLMR7MknfhlB/s1600/IMG_0138.JPG" height="640" width="640" /></a></div>
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14511329696925369359noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8412377811691586372.post-34065335781203994962015-05-04T08:00:00.000-04:002015-05-04T08:00:08.500-04:00MagiKitchen Mesh Strainer Review<a href="http://www.tomoson.com/?code=TOP73193f356c8227d20bede46b58c1d9c7" rel="nofollow"></a>
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I was provided with the <a href="http://amzn.to/1EFwzbP" target="_blank">MagiKitchen Mesh Strainer</a> for review a while ago and I've had it to review. As you can see in this picture, I was in the process of using it. You may also recognize the bags/labels from Plated, but this meal ended up being a disaster. I haven't reviewed Plated in a while because things kind of imploded with this particular meal. A bit of artichoke got stuck in the garbage disposal and rather than enjoy dinner, we spent the night fixing our sink. </div>
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Anyway, I have had this strainer for a while but hadn't ended up using it since I hadn't made pasta recently. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicYLZaIzEaD9o0EqQ3gFKr5u763JDEOfnEi_MKGAAnp0KFYDBFIrpYzTChyphenhyphenH4apPrrfZFTnkbeanqfLmXX1H6ltMDCVy_fRDlGui0mm3asE1QGEmzsa7qAIOMyAthvFDXB2025gQAvSgcd/s1600/39866771-2EF5-4EE6-8DE5-8704FE750095.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicYLZaIzEaD9o0EqQ3gFKr5u763JDEOfnEi_MKGAAnp0KFYDBFIrpYzTChyphenhyphenH4apPrrfZFTnkbeanqfLmXX1H6ltMDCVy_fRDlGui0mm3asE1QGEmzsa7qAIOMyAthvFDXB2025gQAvSgcd/s1600/39866771-2EF5-4EE6-8DE5-8704FE750095.JPG" height="640" width="480" /></a></div>
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<a name='more'></a>One thing I noticed and liked right away was the handle. It's solid and sturdy, which allows you to hold the strainer when using it. All my current strainers are the kind you flip the pot over, so this is new and I like it. It's more likely to get all the water out because I can pour the pasta directly into the strainer. It also means less pasta down the drain!<br />
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Another thing I like about the strainer is that it's bigger than it looks. At first I was a little concerned it wouldn't hold enough pasta, but it's fairly deep and once the water is drained, it forms a perfect bowl to hold your pasta. This is also helpful when you're tossing the pasta into something else and need to keep it to the side for a bit, because the strainer can hold it for you.
<a href="http://www.tomoson.com/?code=BOTTOM73193f356c8227d20bede46b58c1d9c7" rel="nofollow"></a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14511329696925369359noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8412377811691586372.post-21394719459282156852015-05-03T19:00:00.000-04:002015-05-03T19:00:01.482-04:00Fulmar Expandable Bamboo Cutlery Organizer Review<a href="http://www.tomoson.com/?code=TOPb8a379038947aab2290d86a5fed24081" rel="nofollow"></a>
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Crafty had just come to help us pack our house up for the move and when we received the message about the <a href="http://amzn.to/1zeelh4" target="_blank">Fulmar expandable cutlery organizer</a>, she knew it would be perfect. We currently have a smaller one in the drawer, but with the move, it's time to think about what we could use and this was something I commented that we needed. So it came at a perfect time!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_UYFDegyP9oCJUFHo-vs5nvGHWQMnHj70Rhzslcnc8xaosUDQVP89ja6QJOGrI1i3BO0xvy6cyA1h4fYIkHKgv74TIRrnnj31ufNn9QyYIdzTN4Tv12-hXz0CBbgugzknNQdK-yn5SP1G/s1600/IMG_0108.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_UYFDegyP9oCJUFHo-vs5nvGHWQMnHj70Rhzslcnc8xaosUDQVP89ja6QJOGrI1i3BO0xvy6cyA1h4fYIkHKgv74TIRrnnj31ufNn9QyYIdzTN4Tv12-hXz0CBbgugzknNQdK-yn5SP1G/s1600/IMG_0108.JPG" height="640" width="480" /></a></div>
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<a name='more'></a>This is actually a really versatile product and wouldn't have to be used only for cutlery. It could store arts or crafting supplies, could serve in a junk drawer, or could even organize school supplies. Since it's advertised for cutlery, though, let's focus on that.<br />
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Because it's expandable, you really have two options - use the utility drawers or don't. There's also a built-in knife block, which is nice since I know we have one really sharp knife without a home at the moment and we have cut ourselves on it more than once!<br />
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The tray is also made of bamboo so it's very sturdy and is a good product for holding items that go near food (not chemically-treated plastic, for example).<br />
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I was surprised at how big this was, too, and I know it is going to be a great product as soon as we unpack and settle this summer!
<a href="http://www.tomoson.com/?code=BOTTOMb8a379038947aab2290d86a5fed24081" rel="nofollow"></a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14511329696925369359noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8412377811691586372.post-26012891812515980612015-05-03T14:00:00.000-04:002015-05-03T14:00:05.156-04:00How We Communicate (By Crafty)<div class="MsoNormal">
Communication is a necessity in this world. It is a way to
express and exchange thoughts, ideas, and information. Communicating
effectively, though, is a whole different story. Recently, I taught my students about
verbal and nonverbal communication. We also discussed active listening and the
difference between hearing something and actually <i>listening</i> to it. In a world
where we spend so much time on the computer or texting, it has become hard not only to communicate effectively with each other, but it also leaves us struggling to
comprehend sometimes what another person is really saying. <br />
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Word choice is one of the things that, whether written
or spoken, should be pretty clear. I choose the words I want to say, a person
understands them, and we move on, right? Not always. Sometimes word choice can
be over someone’s head or too technical. Other times the words that are chosen
actually require a person to infer what it is truly meant. Just because
someone doesn’t spell it out for you in simple terms, making sure you get the
point of the message, doesn’t mean they are not communicating effectively.<br />
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Honestly, we have gotten lazy. We don’t want to have to infer things, and we
want it all right there in front of us - usually as quickly as possible. It wasn’t
always that way, but we have managed to dumb down society to the point where
some people don’t even know what the word inference means. <br />
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Another aspect of communication that gets lost in the digital
world is tone. When you are
composing a text or email, the person receiving it has no idea if you are truly upset or kidding around. Of course, you can always put a “lol” at the end to
show you are joking, but sometimes it still leaves someone to wonder if
the person is truly kidding around or taking a stab and hoping “lol”
will make it better. When you can’t hear
the different components of communication, it makes it hard sometimes to understand and interpret the information being relayed.<br />
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When communicating using technology, nonverbal
communication is also lost. You can’t tell the person’s facial expressions when sending a text or email. I tell my husband that things are “fine” all of the time,
but unless is looking at me, he doesn’t know if they are in fact fine, or if I'm just saying that. When
I text him to ask if he can stop at the store on the way home, how do I know he
isn’t rolling his eyes at me while texting back, “Okay?” I don’t because I can’t
see his body language. Along the same
lines, someone can’t see me nodding my head in agreement with a statement made in a text. He or she simply has to wait for my response and assume that my
agreement is truthful.</div>
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Lastly, we feel the need to respond to things that are sent
to us, posted on Facebook, or even a blog as quickly as possible. This isn’t
doing anyone any favors. Step back from the message for a minute and let it sink in;
put some thought into how you want to reply. Something that I have learned more
recently from Boxy is that sometimes it is important to put yourself in the
position of the person you are communicating with. If you can put yourself in his/her
position, you can better understand what he/she is trying to say and respond
accordingly. Your comprehension of what is being communicated is higher,
plus you are using skills that are quickly being forgotten in the digital
age. </div>
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So before you send that text, comment on that Facebook status,
or reply to that email, take time to step back. Think about what the person is
truly trying to say, look at it from their position, and give helpful and
honest feedback. If you have the chance
or ability, make a phone call to that person to give your feedback. That can go
a long way in making sure you understood correctly, or better yet, if you can, stop by his/her desk. It is no wonder things are misinterpreted today. We
take the easy way out so often, just leading to more frustration and negativity. </div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14511329696925369359noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8412377811691586372.post-40608318152329321282015-05-03T08:00:00.000-04:002015-05-03T08:00:02.364-04:00Federico's Car Care Tire Gauge Review<a href="http://www.tomoson.com/?code=TOP9b55f9810ef0f3c87d92aeb804cd0e67" rel="nofollow"></a>
My husband travels more than 50 miles each way daily for work, so I'm always concerned about him driving that much and always on the lookout for products that will help keep his car running. When I was given the chance to review the <a href="http://amzn.to/1zebBjz" target="_blank">tire gauge from Federico's Car Care</a>, I was excited, because we have definitely spent a small fortune on tires over the years. It's a simple product, but having something on hand to ensure that we can extend the life of those tires is nice.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwXY4tQOzPt530jfTxw0XsFx2qitEuorzfl3UEx1EV6lMze9YpVtgivuVfkr-tpHrACbZsaOmQZidRXOlLTiOQmr0mDtlKOnZF3fY4neoVHRenzeSA3SQfOEN1NykLn6uUq1iyHINNfEGn/s1600/IMG_0107.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwXY4tQOzPt530jfTxw0XsFx2qitEuorzfl3UEx1EV6lMze9YpVtgivuVfkr-tpHrACbZsaOmQZidRXOlLTiOQmr0mDtlKOnZF3fY4neoVHRenzeSA3SQfOEN1NykLn6uUq1iyHINNfEGn/s1600/IMG_0107.JPG" height="640" width="480" /></a></div>
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<a name='more'></a>One thing I really like about this gauge is that it's small enough to fit in the glovebox, but it's not so small or inconspicuous that you couldn't find it if you needed it. As usually happens, you need something for the car and it's buried somewhere in the trunk so this is great because it's easily accessible.<br />
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I also like that it's quick and easy to use, because it's the kind of thing you can do as part of your routine and protect your tires from wear that is preventable. By checking regularly, we are able to get air on the way home from work or something and not wait until the alignment seems off or the car isn't running as well - at which point the tires are already a mess.
<a href="http://www.tomoson.com/?code=BOTTOM9b55f9810ef0f3c87d92aeb804cd0e67" rel="nofollow"></a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14511329696925369359noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8412377811691586372.post-42232559164344505982015-05-02T14:00:00.000-04:002015-05-02T14:00:02.201-04:00Paws & Play Dog Box Review<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Boxy's cats get spoiled every month. After all, they are her children. (Also, they are cute enough to deserve it - trust me.) However, when <a href="https://pawsandplay.ca/" target="_blank">Paws & Play</a> offered us a pet box for review, Boxy was kind enough to consider my dog. Thanks, Boxy! </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2TQSK-PJkA53cL05K276wCYJcbVkukcuTGfFlES1zVyipRQRq_-471NzIzEUO0kTvO7NEwby5RP0N8xboZDEmXfIM7mbBPlXuH3RczjDaQgEK2G_UEV62vMIHujLEm1VILdcBrDkDKucb/s1600/019fad4a4fd609515cb00fa9e595cfce1aa854e382.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2TQSK-PJkA53cL05K276wCYJcbVkukcuTGfFlES1zVyipRQRq_-471NzIzEUO0kTvO7NEwby5RP0N8xboZDEmXfIM7mbBPlXuH3RczjDaQgEK2G_UEV62vMIHujLEm1VILdcBrDkDKucb/s1600/019fad4a4fd609515cb00fa9e595cfce1aa854e382.jpg" height="480" width="640" /></a></div>
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We have a Jack Russell/Beagle mix who is about 11-years-old. She has some spunk, but as she gets older, the lazier she becomes. When she was a puppy, she literally chewed on just about anything, but now she tends to favor the kids' stuffed animals that they leave around the house. At least once a day she will going tearing through the house with a stuffed animal in her mouth and proceed to flip it in the air as though it is attacking her. When she is finished, she promptly falls right back to sleep like nothing ever happened.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHsXGEGcK6gUzYgBqK-3E-w8rF4vHWIBq4juETwI7YNeo8kmBAyJ3TXIwlFIdeYf9rZgU9VbfAlStbH4jjcNoREkgm4wUCsQTAir1IgCs2_Oa5oax7OEPhrbWZ0DFnD00DZM6wMoULUxS5/s1600/013e2de35ebe6d652c764062ece7ed977f07bf6a17.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHsXGEGcK6gUzYgBqK-3E-w8rF4vHWIBq4juETwI7YNeo8kmBAyJ3TXIwlFIdeYf9rZgU9VbfAlStbH4jjcNoREkgm4wUCsQTAir1IgCs2_Oa5oax7OEPhrbWZ0DFnD00DZM6wMoULUxS5/s1600/013e2de35ebe6d652c764062ece7ed977f07bf6a17.jpg" height="480" width="640" /></a></div>
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Paws & Play sent us the medium standard box for review, which is $19.95 a month. Included in the box was a bag of treats, a really cute squash stuffed toy with a squeaker inside, a pig snout, a gourmet dog biscuit, Tucker's Chicken and Bacon treat for dogs, and a teeth cleaning chewy treat. This is not the only option that Paws & Play offers, though; they have a wide variety of boxes for both dogs and cats, including B.Y.O.B (Build Your Own Box) and boxes that, when purchased, give back to certain charities. This is something that both Boxy and I look for in a company. We believe in doing good, and this makes it easy.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1yOby8FDyZGygKhf16mFliTe64UkqgV_xpsgxEWziGHn2dJb92xYM74yZ3eJR3XiKOpzzdfp94Bv3xXS9ZIV5nW6qw0_-rOVpbk8ZPfKGyBNb5y09d7fu-02ANs-6kDoFxeUwUl7Lv9nj/s1600/0165458d28fcd7bca9daa47085ba50c980858a40bd.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1yOby8FDyZGygKhf16mFliTe64UkqgV_xpsgxEWziGHn2dJb92xYM74yZ3eJR3XiKOpzzdfp94Bv3xXS9ZIV5nW6qw0_-rOVpbk8ZPfKGyBNb5y09d7fu-02ANs-6kDoFxeUwUl7Lv9nj/s1600/0165458d28fcd7bca9daa47085ba50c980858a40bd.jpg" height="480" width="640" /></a></div>
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I love this box for the most part. I will be honest that the pig snout really sort of grossed me out a bit. I get that dogs love to chew on things like rawhide and pigs' ears, and that these things benefit the dog, but I just couldn't get over the actual snout in the box. Even my dog looked at it funny and walked away. She was not kneen on the <a href="http://www.northernbiscuit.ca/bark-product.html" target="_blank">Northren BARK</a>, either, which was the dental chew, although that sounded good to me, since it was a pumpkin recipe. She did love the treats and the <a href="http://www.petplay.com/toys/" target="_blank">PLAY squash squeaky</a> toy, which the kids are happy about because maybe she will start to leave their stuffed animals alone. We haven't given her the chicken and bacon dog treat yet, but I think she will like this one because she loves chicken and bacon.<br />
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Overall, I would recommend this to pet owners, and it seems like a good deal. However, because my dog is older and very picky, it wasn't something she truly loved. I think she would rather spend her time sleeping instead of getting treats or playing with toys.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14511329696925369359noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8412377811691586372.post-27777512423211198482015-05-02T09:00:00.000-04:002015-05-02T09:00:04.286-04:00Balance Bath Pillow Review <a href="http://www.tomoson.com/?code=TOP62287151aecf9fae0a0a058df29955f9" rel="nofollow"><img src="http://www.tomoson.com/images/front/pixel.png" style="display: none;" /></a>
I love to take baths. When we bought our new house several years back, I told my husband that if we did not get the upgraded bathroom for the master bath, I wasn't moving. I love to sit in our jacuzzi tub to read, without the distraction of the three kids, but I admit eventually my neck gets pretty stiff. Then I was sent the <a href="http://www.amazon.com/dp/b00o1gu1zs" target="_blank">Balance Bath Pillow</a> for review, and now my concern is falling asleep in the tub!<br />
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<a name='more'></a>This bath pillow is different than the ones I have tried in the past. It is larger, featuring two sections that allow you to to place it at just the right angle for both your tub and your neck. Also, some of the other ones I have tried have been inflatable, so they slowly deflate while you are using them. Worse yet, they sometimes develop holes. The pillow from Balance is foam with a vinyl covering on it so there is no worry about deflation or holes.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmrKGPWi5TKBA8HZJU74cYBS_QDITDXYAPqIJrPKmpsSsl-z3gorg2b4VU51tAKeUszHH6ELkz7ArOjxa-M3bA8axK4dAx7oYw-JwQwkynZ_1MYQoG9J0YjgLe76qKTtv1FaORpcnUFiuj/s1600/01d10763d1a1211940fea0af4e6ef6557daee83880.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmrKGPWi5TKBA8HZJU74cYBS_QDITDXYAPqIJrPKmpsSsl-z3gorg2b4VU51tAKeUszHH6ELkz7ArOjxa-M3bA8axK4dAx7oYw-JwQwkynZ_1MYQoG9J0YjgLe76qKTtv1FaORpcnUFiuj/s1600/01d10763d1a1211940fea0af4e6ef6557daee83880.jpg" height="640" width="480" /></a></div>
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When I tried this pillow out, it took me a while to get it adjusted to support my head and neck just right, but eventually I got it. The thing I found to be the most difficult was actually getting the suction cups to release from the side of the tub so that I could adjust it; they are seriously strong. I filled the tub, grabbed my book, and laid my head back to relax. With the pillow to rest on, my neck doesn't get stiff, which means I don't get a headache from holding it up; my family could lose me for hours to the tub now.<br />
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<a href="http://www.tomoson.com/?code=BOTTOM62287151aecf9fae0a0a058df29955f9" rel="nofollow"><img src="http://www.tomoson.com/images/front/pixel.png" style="display: none;" /></a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14511329696925369359noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8412377811691586372.post-78181712761983003842015-05-01T19:00:00.000-04:002015-05-01T19:00:00.959-04:00Goals: May 2015There's been a lot happening for Boxy, and Crafty is also dealing with some changes, so we are in the process of adjusting our goals and our lives to fit those changes.<br />
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<a name='more'></a><b><i>Little Miss Boxy:</i></b><br />
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Right now, my main focus is moving. We are at the end of the packing stage and we have started to move items into the new place. Our official move is in June, but we are trying to get things done a little at a time to make it easier on us. Unpacking will be the next step, of course, so that's what we are looking forward to for the whole summer!<br />
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I hope to get back on track with our meals, which is a bit harder with our lives in flux, but it's still out there as something to focus on for us.<br />
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I noted that there were some personal stressors and I am hoping to resolve those sooner rather than later, but I have to admit that one of the biggest ones is out of my control. I just hope we can find a solution because it's been weighing heavily on me.<br />
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Blog wise, I'm not sure what direction I want to go in. I'm really not interested in being a product reviewer and I am not going to do free marketing for anyone. I think I may just cut back and post only things I want to share, or eventually I may end up deciding that this kind of blog isn't for me after all. It's tough because Crafty and I come from very different places and I struggle to retain my own sense of self with a shared blog. We manage to get along despite that, but maybe we need to figure out a way to differentiate posts so our voices are kept intact.<br />
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Finally, for me, a big goal is just to move on and accept certain things. I find I'm happier when I remove things from my life and focus on only the small pleasures, so that's a major goal for me heading into May.<br />
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<b><i>Little Miss Crafty:</i></b><br />
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I have one big goal for the month of May. It might seem basic to some, or impossible to others, but it is a goal I need to focus on for myself and my family.<br />
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My focus this month is to engage more in the things around me. Things like reading a book, watching a movie or TV show, even things as simple as engaging in conversation at dinner time. It has been brought to my attention that I have spent so much time connected to technology that I have disconnected from others. I am not exactly living a life at all but simply waiting for the next thing to happen to me.<br />
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What does this mean for me? I am stepping away from Facebook. I have become addicted. When I am bored or have a bit of down time, I open the browser only to sit and stare at things that, in the end, make me miserable. I have deleted the app from my phone and will only check it a couple of times throughout the day. I have better things to do than depend on other people to make my life happen or not happen.<br />
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One of my other goals this month is to set my phone aside at dinner. I generally only eat three meals a week with my family since I work nights. Those are three nights a week I could use to find out what my children have been up to, how work is going for my husband, and talk about plans for upcoming weeks. This is not a time that needs to be interrupted by text messages or endless surfing of the internet for no reason. My family and friends are extremely important to me, but I have not been putting the time into building those relationships. Instead I have managed to disconnect myself by being so connected.<br />
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May will be a time of change for me, but I feel like it will be a positive one. I am looking forward to living my life, learning more, and spending time with the people who matter most in my life.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14511329696925369359noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8412377811691586372.post-38171162070837035482015-05-01T14:00:00.000-04:002015-05-01T14:00:06.444-04:00Little Lace Box Review: April 2015<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Reviewing <a href="http://littlelacebox.com/" target="_blank">Little Lace Box</a> has become difficult for me, because it's such a nice box and a pleasant surprise each month - and every time I see anything online about Little Lace Box, I find myself irritated. I don't understand why this box seems to get so much animosity from the same group of people, but I grow exhausted by it. It's well worth the value, the items are so nice, and it really does cater to a lifestyle of treating yourself well and appreciating the finer things. I suppose that's not something a lot of people do these days, but I really like this box and it makes me happy - and then the negativity that gets thrown at it feels draining. </div>
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Anyway, other people and their issues aside, I thought this box was phenomenal. I smiled while opening it and my husband and I loved every item. </div>
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<a name='more'></a>The market list is great, since we use these all the time for grocery lists and, well, lists about everything! I love that it was designed by one of the sisters who runs Little Lace Box, because that's such a personal touch (and she obviously has talent in this area).<br />
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The handmade trinket dish from Stuck in the Mud Pottery is lovely. This seemed to be a big issue for people, because there were two versions. The first was a glazed and completed version with a lacy pattern on the top. It's more modern, but for me, it's less interesting. Still pretty, but the version I received is unglazed and the pattern is on the bottom. The idea is that, over time, the dish will develop a patina and take on an antique look. This is one of the things I absolutely adore about Little Lace Box. Rather than a selection of items that may fit everyone's style, they select items that have meaning for them and fit the lifestyle of the box they've developed. Because they limit subscriptions, it seems like everyone wanted to get in on the box just to be in the "club," but it also seems like maybe a lot of people aren't really interested in the subscription itself or the style of the items. It's hard on those of us who are, because these items really should be appreciated more. This is one of the most thoughtful subscriptions I have seen. There's a lot of comparison to POPSUGAR Must Have, but I feel like they're very different. One (PSMH) seems to be about trendiness and mass appeal, while LLB is more about style and a specialized lifestyle. It's not <i>not </i>trendy, but it's not really about what's hot right now, rather what's meaningful in a lifestyle. It makes sense in my head, even if I can't seem to communicate it here.<br />
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Anyway, we also received an adorable hand towel, and I will definitely love having this in my kitchen.<br />
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Of course, a kitchen box included some food and we received pasta, balsamic, and olive oil. All subscribers also received a full-sized bottle of either, which we redeemed on the site. My husband and I already selected the blood orange olive oil! I am so excited for that.<br />
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I also really liked the dish soap, which is something I use a lot of and will be happy to have. Everything in this box will be great in my new house, because the kitchen has a very old-fashioned country feel.<br />
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The last two items included a set of mini dipping bowls for the olive oil (or really anything). They are so cute. I should also note that the whole box was very well packed, which each item wrapped in bubble wrap to keep it safe during shipping. </div>
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We also received the black olive pate. Subscribers were sent one of a variety of items in this case, with some receiving sauce or pesto. Since we are vegetarians and many pestos include rennet, I am happy we got the pate, as there is nothing we can't eat in it. I will bring this to a holiday so we can share!</div>
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14511329696925369359noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8412377811691586372.post-51361628746755689752015-05-01T09:52:00.000-04:002015-05-01T09:52:00.730-04:00UrthBox Review: April 2015<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
I had signed up for the <a href="http://www.urthbox.com/" target="_blank">UrthBox</a> special promotion a few months back and these boxes are so loaded it's ridiculous. With the move, though, it's a good time for it to be coming to an end for us, because we were just saying that we have too much stuff!</div>
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This is only a small selection of the extremely full box. This box was quite heavy on the kale, which isn't a favorite in this house, but there were still some awesome finds. In particular, I will be looking into buying more from <a href="http://pretzelperfection.com/" target="_blank">Pretzel Perfection</a>!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEQAlzmG0SyWWG-3KItDSThmSkiKXOHNcaFXIG8e4sNu_HfbbrHvVLthO6s_FIrhqSkmHYcLM3H_FPErZTiCyBkzDGsx3uf08_9SEXnN0lYiUqgWL7KL5EIIV_B0_SAVx7DDNHBI3HcCQT/s1600/IMG_0069.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEQAlzmG0SyWWG-3KItDSThmSkiKXOHNcaFXIG8e4sNu_HfbbrHvVLthO6s_FIrhqSkmHYcLM3H_FPErZTiCyBkzDGsx3uf08_9SEXnN0lYiUqgWL7KL5EIIV_B0_SAVx7DDNHBI3HcCQT/s1600/IMG_0069.JPG" height="150" width="200" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_8cceZMms_vyOjL0Ft3NausD3OUmkSvHLBn-0v622sY8uLjGwxEnUYrCnyk06ivkf9JImj9CdYQLgVIT5e0Ot_T6t4GQvmyIZtcD3e7MOjSdreIQuSWWbOY-GkDcCmVHAO7fkN8xbA3kQ/s1600/IMG_0067.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_8cceZMms_vyOjL0Ft3NausD3OUmkSvHLBn-0v622sY8uLjGwxEnUYrCnyk06ivkf9JImj9CdYQLgVIT5e0Ot_T6t4GQvmyIZtcD3e7MOjSdreIQuSWWbOY-GkDcCmVHAO7fkN8xbA3kQ/s1600/IMG_0067.JPG" height="150" width="200" /></a>We received two snacks from Pretzel Perfection. The first was a pack of twice-baked Lemon Toffee sticks. These aren't sweet, although they sound like they would be. The recipe also includes rosemary and instead this is a savory and unique flavor that I couldn't put down.<br />
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The Salted Caramel clusters were sweet, however, and they were also delicious. I am definitely a fan of both!<br />
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As I said, there was a ton of variety, from water to candy and from veggie chips to cookies. My husband and I both really liked the sesame cashews, although neither of us ended up being a fan of the kale snacks. There were raw kale chips, "cheesy" vegan kale snacks, and kale-flavored beans, but we didn't like any of them. It was too bad, because there was SO much kale!<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14511329696925369359noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8412377811691586372.post-87358194346807342702015-04-30T19:00:00.000-04:002015-04-30T19:00:05.625-04:00Awesome Pack Review: April 2015<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
I really hate having to pause certain subscriptions, and I especially hate it with Awesome Pack, because they do such a good job customizing each pack to our interests. However, we are now two months behind on playing any of the games we've received and until we settle in the new house, it doesn't make sense to have more to move. I will <i>definitely </i>return to Awesome Pack immediately upon settling, though!</div>
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This month, we received our cat toys, but asked to hold off on the little bonus items simply because everything is in boxes right now and the less we have to move, the better. </div>
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<a name='more'></a>Our first game is Epic Spell Wars of the Battle Wizards, which has a warning of adult language and content. That makes me happy, since we don't care about things like that and I like that this is a game designed for adults, not kids or families. It also sounds a bit like M:TG and since I tell Awesome Pack in every survey that they should send me cards, they did! ;)<br />
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The second game we received was Jab Realtime Boxing, which seems like an odd choice for us, but I bet it's one of those games that is strangely addictive and surprisingly fun. It's card-based and sounds interesting, but I'm so not a sports fan. However, my husband is and I bet this will become a game we didn't anticipate was as enjoyable as it is.<br />
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Our last game was another strategic card game, since we did stress that we enjoy those. This is Maximum Throwdown and I am looking forward to trying all of these as soon as we settle into the new house and set up our gaming area.<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14511329696925369359noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8412377811691586372.post-38391435598168278272015-04-30T14:55:00.000-04:002015-04-30T14:55:00.745-04:00Eco Emi Review: April 2015<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
I always get so excited when <a href="http://ecoemi.com/" target="_blank">Eco Emi</a> arrives! Admittedly, this was my least favorite of the boxes I've received, but mostly because it's all about renewing products and I'm inundated with that kind of stuff. Sadly it's also the end of the road for Eco Emi, which they recently announced. :(</div>
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<a name='more'></a>This month's box was actually pretty full, but it was a lot of stuff I wouldn't normally use. Again, the theme just isn't really for me, but I'll try some of the items for sure.<br />
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Included was a sample of Aromaflage, a dual perfume-bug repellant. I'm interested in how this works. It smells like perfume, but apparently it can work to keep bugs away. Although I don't know what that says about the perfume, I like the concept.<br />
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There was also a jar of cuticle rejuvenator, which I likely will not use since my nails are so far from help at this point. I also received a packet of cleansers and facial care products from Eslor, which I will try, on the other hand. There was also a midnight chocolate biscotti and that's already been tried and enjoyed!<br />
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One of the items I'm pretty excited to try is the Arnicare pain relief gel. I put it aside, though, since I bet I will need these a lot once we move and have carried our billions of books!! Finally, there was a little big of goodies for facial care. Again, not really something I'd seek out but I'll try it.<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14511329696925369359noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8412377811691586372.post-15226872053463617482015-04-30T08:31:00.000-04:002015-04-30T08:31:00.330-04:00Goal Check In: April 2015How did we do for April? In some ways, great. In others, not so much. Both of us are in the middle of a lot so there's been too much happening lately overall. However, we still did our best! And that's better than nothing, I suppose.<br />
<a name='more'></a><b><i>Little Miss Boxy:</i></b><br />
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As far as the move is going, we're doing very well actually. We're mostly living out of a few rooms and just have some last bits to do. We recently began the process of getting some of the stuff into the new place, so as it gets cleared out, it feels even more real. Crafty came to help for a few days and that was incredibly useful!<br />
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With the move and some other things happening, we finally slipped off the meal plan system. We had been doing so well and I'm proud of where we were. Now we just need to get back. We've had difficulty keeping up with that and the move and some other stresses. Meals tend to be the lowest on the list of priorities, but hopefully with summer coming and the move approaching, it can be turned around fairly easily.<br />
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From a personal standpoint, I know I said I wanted to find myself in a better place emotionally and also try to rid myself of certain negative things. I'm still doing that. It doesn't help that my life is in a bit of turmoil at the moment, of course. I am not a very social person, either, and I find that when I'm asked to be, I get really frustrated. It's tough because I feel so strongly about certain things, but then I don't really want to discuss them with anyone.<br />
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I also noted that something personal was going on and that was a big focus. That's still in the mix and it's really causing a ton of anxiety. I am hoping that it can be resolved, because the added stressors aren't good for any other goals.<br />
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Finally, we had the blog goal of making some changes. We are slowly getting there. We started this because we were happy with subscription boxes, but I have to admit the thrill has worn off. Lately I just feel like I'm throwing money at people. People who really don't care and I'm very much a person who prefers kindness to <i>things</i>. I will buy something from someone who makes me smile, regardless of what it is, but if you treat me like dirt, I have no interest in anything you do - even if it's amazing. I'm trying to bring my life around, so focusing on lifestyle posts, as we are slowly starting to integrate, is beneficial for that. That also means that we are going to be more focused on lifestyle posts as we proceed, which is why I will be doing away with the monthly hits and misses. I may do something like I did with the geek boxes or a quarterly summary, but we are going to start focusing on different topics.<br />
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<b><i>Little Miss Crafty:</i></b><br />
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From a school standpoint, I feel like I am still on track. I started my second term with College Composition II and Statistics. I am currently doing very well in both classes, although it isn't easy some days. I am thankfully keeping up with all of my work.<br />
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My big trip went fantastic. It was actually a trip to meet Boxy in person for the first time. To be completely honest, I had some anxiety prior to the door opening at her house. I made the long drive perfectly fine. I was even excited. But as I knocked on her door I became so nervous. I stood on her doorstep for what seemed like an eternity waiting for her to come to the door, although it was actually probably seconds. Once the door opened, all of my fear was relieved and I was just so happy to be able to meet her and help out with the packing and moving. It was an amazing weekend that I will never forget.<br />
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My health and weight are still a work in progress. I have to remind myself I didn't get to where I am overnight, so to think that it will all be fixed overnight is ridiculous. I have been more active, thanks in part, I believe, to the nicer weather we have been experiencing. It is so much easier to get out when the weather is nice. I have made the choice after talking it over with a couple people to start to wean down off the medication I have been on for nearly ten years. I started at the end of March, and so far I am doing well. I am hoping by June I will be completely off the medication and seeing progress in my overall health.<br />
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Emotionally, I have my days. Some are better than others, but I feel like over the last few weeks, things have begun to even out a bit. I recently completed one of the hardest months yet at work, yet I made it through with very little stress. I still worry about things often, but not nearly to the extent that I had been. I have to realize that there are some things out of my control in this world.<br />
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My last goal was that I wanted to work on my words matching my actions. This, too, is a work in progress. I do not intentionally say something without following through, but sometimes it is easier to say you are going to doing something than it is to complete it. I do feel as though I have been successful in this area. It just isn't something that you can do once and walk away from, though; it is a process.<br />
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14511329696925369359noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8412377811691586372.post-27653747160238951812015-04-29T19:27:00.000-04:002015-04-29T19:27:00.054-04:00Companion Tees/Once upon a Tee Monthly Grab Bag: April 2015<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
I don't remember how I found <a href="http://companiontees.com/" target="_blank">Companion Tees</a> originally, but man am I happy I did! Each month, I get two shipments from them: a Whovian shirt and a three-shirt grab bag that is a mix of Whovian shirts and plain old geeky stuff from <a href="http://www.onceuponatee.net/" target="_blank">Once Upon a Tee</a>. This month's grab bag is AMAZING!!</div>
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The first shirt is "I Geek, Therefore I Am." A. I love this because making the already geeky Descartes even geekier is awesome and B. I love the franchises featured. You have <i>Star Wars, Sherlock, Star Trek, Doctor Who, </i>and <i>Firefly. </i>Um, yes, please? LOVE THIS.</div>
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The next shirt is a Whovian one and it's awesomely inspirational. I agree, too. So the Doctor can show up anytime, because I'm ready. I already have a bag packed. :D</div>
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Finally, I couldn't be more excited about the last one. I saw this design and actually sent it to my husband as an image because I loved it so much. It's hard to see in the picture, but it says "Still Waiting for" and then there are nine things: screwdrivers (sonic, of course), acceptance letter (with the Hogwarts seal), super powers, magic balls, minions, pet dragon, perfect neighbor, cake, and Season 2 (with the Serenity). This is perfect.<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14511329696925369359noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8412377811691586372.post-36116531176901004582015-04-29T13:00:00.000-04:002015-04-29T13:00:04.463-04:00My Geeky Goodies Review: April 2015<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<a href="http://outsidethebox15.blogspot.com/2015/04/geek-subscription-boxes-list.html" target="_blank">Geek subscription boxes</a> can be tough, because these days, everyone seems to want to be part of geek culture. It's ironic, since most of us who grew up geeky were tortured about it for years, only for it now to be the thing to do. So there are a variety of boxes and they all tend to be similar, but there's something really special about <a href="http://mygeekygoodies.com/" target="_blank">My Geeky Goodies</a>. (I would say this goes for <a href="http://www.geekfuel.com/boxy" target="_blank">Geek Fuel</a>, too). Take out things like <a href="http://customfanbox.com/" target="_blank">Custom Fan Box</a>, which is customized and therefore going to appeal to you since it's based on your interests and not random themes, and <a href="http://www.collectiblegeek.com/" target="_blank">Collectible Geek</a>, which is a more expensive collectible box, and you're left with several mystery geek boxes in the $15-$30 range each month. How do you stand out then? I think it's easy for My Geeky Goodies, because they advertise as a box FOR geeks BY geeks - and they mean it. </div>
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A lot of people love Loot Crate and that's fine, and from a casual observer's standpoint, there may not be much of a difference between something like that and My Geeky Goodies. In April, both boxes included a shirt, a value item in the $10 range, and some filler. But for me, as a hardcore nerd and gamer, there is a dramatic difference - and it comes down to something very simple: curation. </div>
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I've had a hard time explaining this, but I am going to do it this way. My parents and in-laws don't really know or care much about my interests. I don't mean that in a bad way, but we're all people living our own lives and I don't really know much about theirs, either. When the holidays come, unless someone asks for something specific, there's a lot of generic gift giving happening. Beyond gift cards (the savior for when you have no idea what to buy), we tend to shop on a superficial level. My dad likes to garden and my mom likes taking baths. That's kind of shallow, but I know I can pick up some gardening supplies and bath products and they'll probably like them. I <i>can't</i>, however, select specific seeds. My mom collects these weird wooden figure things and birdhouses or something, but I couldn't tell you which kind or which ones she has. And it's the same for us. They know I play video games. They know I love <i>Harry Potter </i>and <i>Doctor Who </i>and <i>Game of Thrones</i>. If you asked my parents to name a house in either <i>Harry Potter </i>or <i>Game of Thrones, </i>they wouldn't have a clue. (My dad could tell you about Tom Baker, since he got me into <i>Doctor Who </i>as a child, but he didn't even know it was back on.)</div>
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How does this relate to geek subscription boxes? Well, it relates a lot, actually. A set of <i>Game of Thrones </i>magnets or a <i>Harry Potter </i>luggage tag is something my parents would get me for Christmas. It's fine, but they don't have a clue what the different magnets mean or what 9 3/4 is. Last month, Geek Fuel sent a dragon glass arrowhead. My parents would NOT buy this, because it means nothing to them. It means a great deal to me, though, as a fan. THIS is the best way to explain the difference in curation. I feel like the people sourcing items for My Geeky Goodies and Geek Fuel get it; the people sourcing for Loot Crate are not appealing to fans, as much as they're appealing to generic concepts and franchises. And really, superficial enjoyment of popular franchises is, for me at least, the absolute antithesis of geekdom. Again, it's a slight variation, but little bothers me more than corporate greed. </div>
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So, going along with this, the April My Geeky Goodies box included some filler items, two of which I love and one I'm not sure what to do with. One is a box of Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans. This demonstrates what I mean about curation. It's a filler item and probably has less value than a luggage tag (although I would never pay more than a few dollars for either), but it's more reflective of the inner circle of fandom. You don't have to be a die-hard <i>Harry Potter </i>fan to know what these are, but you have to have seen the movies at least. </div>
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Also included was a Garbage Pail Kids pin. First of all, I love Garbage Pail Kids and now I want to go through our collection of original cards. Secondly, My Geeky Goodies digs into the heart of fandoms (previously they included a DVD set of <i>He-Man</i>) and I love that. Finally, this is a legitimate pin - copyright Topps 1986. For many people, value comes from what they can sell and trade, but for me, at $25 a month, I just want to like what is in the box. I'm not going to bother with selling the items, but I will definitely put this pin out on a shelf because it's reflective of me and what I consider geeky.<br />
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The last filler item was a handicorn and I admit I have no idea what to do with this! </div>
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For the shirt, it's a chestburster Kool-Aid man. This is hilarious. That's it - it's just hilarious (maybe the reason I love My Geeky Goodies is based on age, too, because it seems like they're more in my wheelhouse and I grew up in the 80s and 90s with all this stuff, so I like it more than a lot of the kiddish, contemporary stuff you see in some of the other boxes).<br />
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For two months now, My Geeky Goodies has included a shirt AND POP, which is awesome. They advertise that you will get at least one, but that's been a big draw for me. I love the POPs and I love that the ones I've gotten from My Geeky Goodies are unique. Cthulhu last month and now Ash. These aren't obscure by any means, but they're also figures people are less likely to have (rather than sending, say, Tyrion). That makes me even happier. And Bruce Campbell makes a fantastic POP. :)</div>
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14511329696925369359noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8412377811691586372.post-86101433203263306332015-04-29T08:30:00.000-04:002015-04-29T08:30:04.155-04:00Klover Box Review: April 2015<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<a href="http://kloverbox.com/" target="_blank">Klover Box</a> is a subscription box of lifestyle products that are organic, natural, and ethical. I enjoy that, because I love finding cruelty-free items. It's very similar to <a href="http://ecoemi.com/" target="_blank">Eco Emi</a>, except the products are bigger (it's also more expensive, so there's the trade-off). This is my last box for a bit. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMAnKSz_yXUmutXmFu7cFrb6wqz6DP8YJcWwErWTucpeaggYq8yGcdqDWPE6dqiaK28kkwBZHqmUOaEOim4RmQ9crhkkgHuCKtG4lERPp2eX3mzMjgZ47vwLsizEKJZ3lJtaVYwqR0GwtP/s1600/IMG_0081.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMAnKSz_yXUmutXmFu7cFrb6wqz6DP8YJcWwErWTucpeaggYq8yGcdqDWPE6dqiaK28kkwBZHqmUOaEOim4RmQ9crhkkgHuCKtG4lERPp2eX3mzMjgZ47vwLsizEKJZ3lJtaVYwqR0GwtP/s1600/IMG_0081.JPG" height="640" width="480" /></a></div>
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<a name='more'></a>Because there was an issue with the product from Urban Organics last month, one of the items this month was an additional product from UO. This was a brush cleaner, which is a nice, unique product. Also included was a coffee scrub. I like coffee and being clean, so I'll definitely be trying this!!<br />
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We received a foaming hand soap, something always used in the house although we generally get it from Honest Co. It's in lavender, which is my least favorite scent, but it's soap and I will use it. I tend to hate floral anything, though.<br />
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The soy candle is citrus and it smells amazing. I can't wait to use it once we settle into the new house. There was also a lotion bar, which I noticed is flower-shaped in other reviews. I didn't open anything because I basically have been moving things right into new boxes for packing at this point.<br />
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The last item was a pack of honey oats and I ate these so I didn't have to pack them! ;) Of course, they were tasty and I like that Klover Box uses the same model as Eco Emi - beauty, household, and food. It gets boring to only get makeup and personal care products (at least for me) and I like getting the extras like this.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14511329696925369359noreply@blogger.com3