Real Clear Cool

Wordless Wednesday: A Day at the Beach

March 27, 2013 by Jennifer 1 Comment

Holmes Beach, Florida; March 2013

Filed Under: Random Ideas Tagged With: beach, Florida, March Break, photograph, Wordless Wednesday

Product Review: Herkimer Diamond Quartz

March 27, 2013 by Jennifer Leave a Comment

Herkimer Diamond Quartz

I received a package a few weeks ago from Thailand with a small little treasure enclosed in a tiny purple pouch.

What was it?

Well, it was a Herkimer Diamond Quartz crystal. A tiny, clear quartz crystal with gold flecked inclusions. What a stunning piece!

My Herkimer Diamond Quartz Crystal

I had never heard of Herkimer Diamonds until I received my crystal, so I went to work and did a little research. I learned that Herkimer Diamonds are doubly terminated quartz crystals which are generally mined in Herkimer County, New York. They have a hexagonal shape which is typical of quartz, but they have a termination on each end (instead of one termination, typical of most quartz). This makes them unique crystals, which are highly prized among mineral collectors.

The Herkimer Diamonds are found in rock formations called dolostone, which were formed some 500 million years ago. Cavities within the dolostone are where Herkimer Diamonds are typically found. They have very little contact with the dolostone itself, which accounts for their unique double terminations.

The Herkimer Diamond Quartz Crystal website is an online company which purchases rough Herkimer Diamonds from mines around the world. From there, their production facility in Bangkok, Thailand produces beautiful gold and silver jewelry using these amazing crystals. Each piece of jewelry is as unique as each piece of crystal quartz.

The Herkimer Diamond Quartz online store has a variety of crystals and pieces of jewelry. There are several price points, from under $100 (most pieces) to over $1000. Herkimer Diamonds are graded according to size, clarity, coloration and several other factors. The price of your piece of jewelry or your quartz crystal is based largely on their grading system. That having been said, many beautiful pieces of jewelry including rings, bracelets and earrings are very affordable, and wonderfully unique. Check out their online store, browse their selection of jewelry, and you’ll quickly see what I mean.

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.

Filed Under: Product Reviews Tagged With: crystal stone, Herkimer Diamond jewelry, Herkimer Diamond Quartz, Herkimer Diamonds, hexagonal quartz crystal, jewelry store, quartz crystals

It’s Kids, Crafts and Creativity at Play with Lysol No-Touch Hand Soap! #LysolHandSoapContest

March 19, 2013 by Jennifer Leave a Comment

Lysol Contest: Decorate your Hand Soap Dispenser

I have been a fan of Lysol No-Touch Hand Soap for a long time. In fact, as soon as this product came onto the market, I hit the store immediately to buy one for our guest bathroom. My two boys are soooooo messy, and the soap dispenser in the bathroom is always a complete disaster. Their little hands try to manipulate the bottle, usually unsuccessfully, and what’s left is a liquid mess of soap all over the counter. A hands-free dispenser was a no-brainer for me.

The kids like the “magic” aspect of the product, waving their little hands in front of the dispenser, and POOF, the soap comes out. It makes them more likely to wash their hands after using the toilet, and it minimizes the mess. For that reason, we have these no-touch hand soap dispensers in 2 bathrooms in our home.

Lysol sent us a no-touch dispenser in a stainless steel finish. The mission: get our creative juices flowing, and decorate our dispenser in whatever way we liked. After talking over designs with my two boys, we decided to make ours a CANADA themed soap dispenser.

I picked up some supplies at the dollar store: red ribbon, glue stick, a pack of cut out letter stencils, markers and glittery adhesive stars of varying sizes. When we sat down to start creating, the kids were excited. All those little hands on board!

My 4 year old was thrilled to be part of the project!

My 4 year old was afraid that he would be left out of the fun, so when I told him he would be helping out he was grinning ear to ear. We started by gluing our stencil letters to the red ribbon, CANADA. The Canada banner was wrapped around the soap dispenser like a banner. The boys took turns affixing the glittery foam stars all around the dispenser.

My 6 year old son and I made a homemade Canada flag out of red ribbon, white paper, and a hand-drawn maple leaf by yours truly. My boy colored it in and glued the Canada flag to the bottle which contains the soap at the top of the dispenser. Flying the flag proudly!

Busy boys making their soap dispenser creation!

The boys were very proud of their newly anointed Canada soap dispenser. Of course, they laid claim to it immediately, and are going to be putting it into the bathroom they use upstairs. Too cool!

Did you know that Lysol is hosting a contest where you can decorate your own soap dispenser?!? They are looking for some creatively designed soap dispensers. Starting on March 19th, they are giving away a Mini tablet each day for twenty one days. They want to see how you and your kids can get groovy with their soap dispensers, your imagination is the only limit! Visit the Lysol Canada Facebook page for the contest details.

Our Canada soap dispenser!

“Disclosure – I am participating in the Kid Who Touches Everything blog tour by Mom Central Canada on behalf of Lysol. I received compensation as a thank you for participating and for sharing my honest opinion. The opinions on this blog are my own.”

Filed Under: Contests and Giveaways, House and Home Tagged With: craft supplies, crafting, creativity, decorating, dollar store, Facebook, Lysol Canada, Lysol contest, Lysol No-Touch Hand Soap, Lysol soap, Mini tablet, soap dispenser, wash hands

Product Review: Thought Spots

March 6, 2013 by Jennifer Leave a Comment

Thought Spots

It’s the tail end of winter here in Eastern Canada, and a long, cold, miserable season it has been. It seems like it’s been months of endless gray days, and lots of snow to boot. It’s time for spring to arrive, don’t you think?

Well in the spirit of rebirth, and refreshing changes, I came upon a cool product called Thought Spots. It’s time to clear the cobwebs out of our tired routines, and infuse some happiness and inspiration into our lives. Thought Spots are just the ticket to help accomplish this task!

What are Thought Spots? Well, essentially they are colorful, adhesive decals which contain messages which are meant to inspire, praise and remind. Each decal is beautifully designed, and can be affixed to a shiny surface like a mirror or window. Each Thought Spot can be used over and over, and you can place them in different places, as long as they are stored in the special envelope in which they are contained.

There are several different varieties of Thought Spots. For instance, they have a package which can be used for younger children to help remind them of behaviors which a parent is trying to reinforce. (like “Wipe and Flush”…this is a good one!) I chose the Inspiration Thought Spot pack because I thought it would be useful to me as I have a number of personal goals that I am trying to accomplish right now. Everyone needs a little inspiration now and then! Because my goals are fairly personal and specific, these Thought Spots are a nice way to remind this insecure girl that “I am Strong” and “Share What Inspires You“.

My Inspiration Thought Spots

I also am a huge fan of the Thought Spots which contain quotations. I had a really inspiring one which is from Charles Kettering: “Believe and act as if it were impossible to fail”. Awesome! As a solo blogger, it feels a bit lonely at times creating content and wondering if anyone is actually reading. Sometimes you need a gentle reminder to go after your dreams, no matter what. So I decided to affix this Thought Spot to the top of my computer. Every time I open up my laptop to do some writing, there’s my inspiration.

Thought Spot on my Laptop

I really loved this product. There are a number of ways that I can envision using my Thought Spots, and I’ll probably rotate them periodically to keep my inspirations fresh.

Are you curious about Thought Spots? Check out their website and browse their different designs, and you might find an inspiration or two! Thought Spots are also on Facebook and Twitter so you can catch up with them there and find out what’s new. For my readers, you can use coupon code “realclearcool” and receive a free Big Thought (a larger decal than the regular Thought Spots) with the purchase of every Thought Pack. This offer is valid until March 21st, 2013.

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.

Filed Under: Health and Wellness, Product Reviews Tagged With: decals, inspirational messages, inspire, mirrors, praise, remind, Thought Packs, Thought Spots, windows

Weight Loss Challenge: Where I Started, and Where I’m At

March 5, 2013 by Jennifer 2 Comments

Since I am at the six-month mark in this weight-loss challenge, I felt that it was important that I chronicle where this whole journey started.

I wish I had a “Before” picture. No really. It would be a good reminder to me that I never want to be THAT heavy again. However, I spent the last 4 years studiously avoiding the cameras. I tended to be the one holding the camera, and I didn’t want to be in any shots, because I was so self-conscious.

I can say that I started out in September of 2012 at a crossroads. I was heavy, and at the borderline of being defined as obese. I was disgusted with myself for having let myself go, and I was uncomfortable in my own skin. I joined Weight Watchers, and had to start tracking my food and my physical activity. Being accountable for I was ingesting…this was a totally new concept.

The change was instant. A couple weeks after joining Weight Watchers, I had lost about 3 pounds, and this small achievement was fuel enough to continue this new lifestyle. Every week since September (with the exception of 2 weeks), I have lost some weight. Sometimes it was a modest loss (less than half pound) and other times it was more dramatic (over 3 pounds). The only consistency was the fact that I was losing. And those small victories gave me confidence that I never had before.

If you had asked me in September of last year what my expectations were, I would have shrugged my shoulders. If you had asked me if I thought I could lose weight, and truly change my eating habits, I probably would have said no. I was fearful, despondent, and not very confident. Then after a few months, I felt much differently. I have more confidence, and I want to be my best self in the time left I have on this earth.

In total, I have lost 38 pounds. My target is to lose about 55 pounds. I don’t have a “target” weight. I am aiming for a general number, and when I am in the “range” of that number, I will cease the weight loss portion of this journey, and switch into weight maintenance mode. It’s not about achieving a specific number, it’s about achieving a healthy body. There is no way I could be 120 pounds; the body frame with which I was born is “sturdy” as opposed to delicate. Using various body mass calculators and tools, at my current weight I could be considered to be in a relatively “normal” range. However, I feel that I am still carrying some extra folds of fat that I could probably do without, so I will continue this journey until its completion.

Filed Under: Health and Wellness Tagged With: activity tracking, body fat, body measurements, food tracking, healthy lifestyle, lifestyle choices, obesity, weight loss, Weight Watchers

Giveaway: Dr. Beckmann’s Colour and Dirt Collector Laundry Samples (10 Winners!)

March 1, 2013 by Jennifer 7 Comments

Dr. Beckmann’s Colour and Dirt Collector Sheets

I have a cool giveaway to share with you, my Canadian readers! There is an innovative new laundry product that I am inviting you to try, and it’s very different from anything else I have seen out there before.

Dr. Beckmann’s Colour and Dirt Collector Sheets are small, and they look somewhat like dryer sheets. You put in the sheet in your washer, not your dryer. The cool thing about these sheets is that they trap both dirt and dye, leaving your clothes clean and bright. A practical side of this: you can put your mixed colours and whites together in the same wash load, and you will not see any bleeding of dyes on your white clothing.

I was intrigued! So I did just that: put some new-ish bright blue clothes in the washer with some whites, and a Dr. Beckmann Colour and Dirt Collector laundry sheet. It was amazing! The laundry sheet had indeed taken on the dye of the blue shirt, but my whites were completely normal, unstained, clean!!

Dr. Beckmann’s is a family owned company that has been in business since 1934. They are based in Germany, and have a full line of stain removal products that are now available in Canada.

I have 10 samples to give away, but there’s a catch! I need 10 product testers who have a Facebook account and are willing to try the product, and share their photos as part of an ongoing contest sponsored by Dr. Beckmann’s. My team is called The Captains of Clean. The winning team wins $600 in gift cards…that means each team member gets a $50 grocery gift card! Also Dr. Beckmann’s is giving away full-sized samples of their entire product line as part of the contest. So I will send out product to the winners, the Captains of Clean, and I will need your enthusiasm as part of the contest, so that we can score those grocery gift cards!
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Disclosure: I have received a sample of this product in order to facilitate this review. All opinions are my own. No other compensation was received in exchange for this post.

Filed Under: Contests and Giveaways, House and Home, Product Reviews Tagged With: dirty clothes, Dr. Beckmann's, Dr. Beckmann's Colour & Dirt Collector Sheets, dyes, grocery gift cards, laundry, laundry stains, product review, product testers, washing machine

ABC Photo Share Friday: H is for Hobby

March 1, 2013 by Jennifer 3 Comments

H is for Hobby

About 12 years ago, after I finished university, I decided I needed a hobby. With a bit of extra free time, I decided to teach myself how to cross stitch. I started small, and before long, I was hooked! My late mother was thrilled with this new hobby of mine, as she collected completed cross stitches and had them hanging around the house.

I finished a few projects for her, which she displayed with pride. She bought this pattern that she asked me to do for her, a set of three teacups that said “Faith, hope, love”. I started doing them, and when she got diagnosed with breast cancer, the project was put to the side as my Dad and I poured our efforts into taking care of her.

As she got sicker, she made me promise to complete the teacup project, even if she ended up dying first. I said I would do it.

Then in 2006, she died. I was absolutely devastated. I put my cross stitch patterns away, and packed everything in boxes. I didn’t want to even look at a cross stitch project, as it brought back too many painful memories of my beloved mother.

Fast forward 6 years, and I decided to pick up my cross stitching again. I hadn’t touched any in so long, it took awhile to locate the box I had packed away so long ago. Once I picked up my needle and floss, I just felt wonderful, peaceful. I missed my hobby. This week, I have been curling up on the sofa and stitching away happily, and I wonder why I abandoned it for so long. The photo is the first few rows of stitches that I did on that first night. Small steps!

ABC Photo Share Friday is hosted by Mom Vs. The Boys and Maple Leaf Mommy. This week the featured letter is H, and bloggers are encouraged to submit their H themed photos and stories. Happy Friday!

Filed Under: General Ideas, House and Home, Random Ideas Tagged With: ABC Photo Share Friday, breast cancer, cross stitching, death, floss, hobby, Mom, photographs, projects, relaxation, stitching

ABC Photo Share Friday: G is for Ghost Stories

February 22, 2013 by Jennifer 4 Comments

One of the many ghost stories we saw in Quebec City

We took a trip to Quebec City in November of 2011 with some friends of ours. One day, we visited a garden in the old city, where flowers were still blooming despite the time of the year. (It was unseasonably warm and rainy that month) In the Jeanne D’Arc Garden was a sort of outdoor Ghost Stories exhibit, which was in keeping with the Halloween time of year.

There were several different ghost stories at different points in the garden. Most of them were truly very creepy! I was enthralled with the stories, and the props they used (fake skeletons and the like) only added to the spooky factor.

This story recounts the discovery of two skeletons which were unearthed a few years ago when a public washroom was being constructed in the city. They were approximately the same age, female and male, lying side by side. The nature of the death, and why they were lying in this spot are still unknown. Creepy!

Have you heard about ABC Photo Share Friday? This weeks letter is G, and different bloggers are posting pictures and anecdotes which are G related. Thanks to Mom Vs. The Boys and Maple Leaf Mommy for hosting this fun event. Happy Friday!

Filed Under: General Ideas Tagged With: ABC Photo Share Friday, garden, ghost stories, Halloween, November, Old Quebec, photograph, Quebec City, travel