Nivea Care Nourishing Cream Review

NIVEA recently gave me the opportunity to test out their new Nourishing Care Cream. The product comes in a generously sized tub with a twist off lid

NIVEA describes this cream as an effective yet fast-absorbing moisturize. According to the product description, “it melts into the skin leaving your skin well-hydrated and touchably soft. Its our best formula yet to get deep nourishment without the hassle of a greasy feel.”

I love that it can be used on your body as well as your face . The product absorbed very quickly and left my skin feeling soft and supple.

I received this product for free from NIVEA in exchange for my honest review.

Annie's Homegrown Shells & White Cheddar Macaroni Review

Deliciously versatile - Annie's Homegrown Shells & White Cheddar Macaroni & Cheese is my new go-to for mac and cheese. You can add anything to it for a completely unique meal (pesto, tomato, broccoli, tuna, etc.). 

According to the product description, it's made with real cheese from cows not treated with growth hormone rBST. It has no artificial flavours, synthetic colours or preservatives and Annie's works with trusted suppliers to source only non-GMO ingredients.

Annie’s Homegrown sent my family a package of this to try for free and my family devoured it. The only complaint I heard was that they wished there was more. It would be great if Annie's could come out with a larger family-sized box!

I received this product for free from Annie's in exchange for my honest review.

Annie's Classic Cheddar Macaroni Review

Wholesome and delicious!- Annie's Homegrown Classic Cheddar Macaroni & Cheese has been reformulated to be creamier and cheesier. According to the product description, it's made with real cheese and milk ingredients, 80% organic ingredients and no artificial flavours, synthetic colours or preservatives!

Annie’s Homegrown sent my family a package of this to try for free and my family devoured it. In the past, our household has typically bought Kraft because it’s what my family always purchased growing up. However, this brand is a game-changer. It is definitely creamier and even my husband noticed a difference in the quality of cheese.

The fact that it's 80% organic and made from non-GMO ingredients with no artificial flavours, synthetic colours or preservatives makes it a definite win in my books.

I received this product for free from Annie's in exchange for my honest review.

Camper Renos: Before-and-After

This summer, we bought our very first camper and as soon as we brought it home, I started measuring every nook and cranny to plan how best to organize our new mini home for camping trips.

Campers are small homes (and ours is small even for a camper) so I knew we would need to maximize existing space as much as possible while still not making it look like we were cramming everything in.

The first thing I did was replace the dark, black-out curtains in our dining room: 

BEFORE

Here's what they looked like before. I am sure they were great for keeping light out in the morning but for the rest of day, they kept this living space unnecessarily dreary.

AFTER

Here's what they looked like after. I love these curtains. They add a nice vertical texture to the room and their weaved appearance means they're not completely transparent yet still let in a lot of light during the day. Best of all, they don't wrinkle.

  

This was an easy $20 upgrade that immediately brightened up the space so I decided to replace the curtains in the bathroom, kitchen and living area as well. (Those windows were a little shorter but I found these cute scalloped curtains on Amazon for a mere $12!) 

AFTER

  

Note: I've left the outdated valances in place (for now!) since they match the couch cushions. But I have hopes of finding a nice piece of weathered wood while camping to replace them some day.

After updating the curtains, we also updated our kitchen and bathroom walls using these easy-stick backsplash tiles

BEFORE 

Here is what the wall looked like before the tiles. 

AFTER

Here is what it looked like after. 

AFTER

We also replaced that plastic gold soap dish and toothbrush holder (which was flimsy and too small to hold any of our electric toothbrushes) with these cute Fintorp utensil buckets from Ikea. The buckets are large enough to hold all of our toothbrushes, a soap bottle and even a plant!

AFTER 

Since these peel and stick tiles came in a package of four square foot tiles, there was enough to do both our kitchen backsplash as well.

We chose this checkered pattern for the bathroom but I later came across these pure white tiles that I think would look gorgeous in the kitchen, alongside some nice contrasting oil-rubbed bronzed fixtures.

  

This stovetop cover from Camco completed the look, adding valuable counter space while protecting burners. The non-skid bottom also keeps the cover in place and helps reduce rattling when on the move.

  

Note: In case you're wondering, the cute little daisy vase was just a $2 purchase from Dollarama that we hold in place while travelling using Quakehold Museum Puddy.

We also added a bit of decor to the living area.

I admit, this was not really a space-saving purchase but I justified spending the money as it makes our camper seems a bit more home-y and thus more liveable.

BEFORE 

  

AFTER

We bought the plant and pot from Ikea and snagged the framed decorative map of Canada from Winners. 

My son found the below coordinating piece for the entry, too.

This artwork is visible right when you walk in and is located on the exterior wall of the bathroom. It complements this pretty, gold magazine rack (also from Winners) that we added to the wall on opposite side of the bathroom door. It's conveniently located next to the kids area so we use it to store their books and craft supplies.

Next to the kids' bed is this bank of drawers. The drawers are perfect for storing clothes on-the-go but the cupboard at the bottom is awkward to get into. 

BEFORE 

To fix this, I set out to find a bin with handles for easier storage. Initially, I bought a wooden crate from Marshalls that was the right width but it was still a bit awkward to get in and out. Then I came across these nice canvas storage bins on Amazon. The canvas material is much more flexible (so it's easier to get in and out) and the bin is taller, too (so we can store more stuff inside). Plus, it comes as a set of 3, so it was a better deal.

AFTER

  

The other two bins also came in handy as they fit perpendicularly in the overhead cabinets above our dining table. I haven't yet decided what we will be storing there but I know whatever gets put up there will now be easy to take down!  

Underneath these cabinets, we added ceiling hooks to hold these cute, tin camping mugs that were custom-designed by Ashley, over at Mellowcrafts. 

When you're on the road, you want to keep supplies to a bare minimum and these personalized tin mugs help ensure every family member just sticks to re-using their own cup. I absolutely adore how these turned out and the bear theme is so camping-esque! 

Keeping with this idea of under-cabinet storage, we also added this useful magnetic knife bar that I bought from IKEA years ago below our kitchen cabinet and to attach these cute little spice tins.

  

The best deal I found for tins was this 6-piece set on Amazon. But really, you can attach anything that's metal. In fact, the bigger tin at the end was from my daughter's figit spinner!  

Inside our cabinets, we added an extra shelf to maximize wasted vertical space to store dishes and command hooks for larger utensils. 

Then, to maximize space even more, we purchased collapsible cookware like this awesome stainless steel pot,  this handy popcorn popper, and these super colourful nesting bowls from Joseph Joseph.

The cool space-saving nesting design allows individual pieces to be stacked neatly together and the set includes a 4.8 qt large mixing bowl, a 9-inch colander, a 7.5-inch steel sieve strainer, a 6-inch small mixing bowl with measurements, plus measuring cups and spoons.

We also added this handy over-the-cabinet plastic bag holder to store grocery bags from shopping trips and we reuse them inside our garbage can.

  

We found this one on clearance at Winners but you can also find this on Amazon. 

BEFORE 

And speaking of garbage, we realized we could use this awkward angled space:

...to store this awesome in-cabinet trash can from Simple Human:

AFTER

It fits the space perfectly so it provides easy access while we are busy at the kitchen counter yet tucks away out of sight when not needed. We bought this from Bed Bath and Beyond but you can also find this one on Amazon with free shipping for the same price.

Another super useful addition was this Extend-A-Shower by Stromberg Carlson. According to the package description, this bendable rod adds 30% more room to our shower.  

 

We also love it because it because it folds inwards when not in use so we can use it to drip dry our towels and bathing suits, too! My plan is to attach hanger hooks to the rod down the road so we can hang shampoo and body wash as well.

My favourite addition to date this season; however, has been this maple table by Cassidy over at Backroads Woodworks. The table was custom made to fit our dining nook (so it can still fold down into a bed) but also includes two fold away leafs to extend the table and extra 1.5 to 3 feet for when we have guests or simply need extra space.

Standard Size *with folded drop leafs 

39 inches

One drop leaf 

53.25 inches

Two drop leafs 

67.5 inches

We love that it extends all the way to our couch so a 7th person can actually sit at the very end if needed.

Note: Some affiliate links have been provided for your convenience so you can easily find the items we purchased. If an item is old or no longer sold, there may be a close match linked instead. Just click on the links to be taken to the product.

Hellmann’s® with Olive Oil Review

Hellmann's is my go-to brand for mayonnaise. I've tried other brands but my kids are very particular when it is comes to mayo so I wasn't really sure how a new variation would go over. 

Hellmann’s® with Olive Oil, however, passed my sandwich test and even the more difficult french fry test (where it was eaten au naturel as a dip for fries!)

This mayo is rich and creamy just like the original but instead uses a healthy olive oil, which I love. According to the packaging, it’s also made with real ingredients like 100% free run eggs and is a source of omega-3 polyunsaturated fat. It contains no trans fat, and is low in saturated fat and cholesterol.

Both tasty and healthy, we will definitely be purchasing this mayo again. I'm looking forward to trying on juicy burgers tonight!

I received this product for free from Hellmann's in exchange for my honest review.

FREE Teen Fitness Membership at GoodLife

 

FREE memberships to GoodLife Fitness for teens this summer, July 3 - September 2, 8 a.m.-4 p.m. Register here: https://www.teenfitness.ca

Looking for more freebies? Go to: 
http://reviewswhatsnew.blogspot.ca/search/label/Freebies%2FGiveaways 
to view a full list of all FREE samples and reviews on one page.

FREE things to do every day in Winnipeg this summer

Winnipeg has TONS of free activities and events lined up for the season! Below is the daily line up of city freebies to enjoy this summer:

• Sundays (July plus August 19 and 26): FREE salsa dancing instruction, plus live bands and DJs at the Forks, 6:30-10:30pm
• Sundays: FREE jazz at Leo Mol Garden in Assiniboine Park from 3-4pm 
• Sundays: FREE Summer Music Series at Lyric Stage, Sundays at 7
• Monday through Sunday (July and August): FREE trolley rides between Assiniboine Park Zoo and the Forks 
• Mondays (June - August): FREE yoga at noon at Millenium Library Park
• Mondays (June - August): FREE zumba at noon at Memorial Park
• Tuesdays (June - August): FREE pilates at noon at Memorial Park
• Tuesdays (June - August): FREE bootcamp at noon at Upper Fort Garry
• Tuesdays (August): FREE WSO concerts at noon June 5-August 7 at the Millenium Centre starting at sundown ~9pm
• Tuesdays (August): FREE outdoor movies at Memorial Park starting at sundown ~9pm
• Tuesdays (August): FREE outdoor movies at Memorial Park starting at sundown ~9pm
• Wednesdays (June - August): FREE yoga at noon at Memorial Park
• Wednesdays (June - August): FREE zumba at noon at Millenium Library Park
• Wednesdays: FREE summer concerts at noon for Mecredis en Musique every Wednesday through July at the Sculpture Garden, 219 Provencher Blvd 
• Wednesdays (1st of every month): FREE admission to the Canadian Human Rights Museum, 5-9pm 
• Thursdays (July 5- August 23), 10-11 a.m: FREE Family Days at Living Prairie Museum
• Thursdays (June - August): FREE pilates at noon at Millenium Library Park
• Thursdays (June - August): FREE bootcamp at noon at Upper Fort Garry
• Thursdays: FREE Downtown Concert Series at noon every Thursday through July at the Downtown Biz Farmers’ Market at Portage Ave and Edmonton Street
• Thursdays: FREE Summer Music Series at Lyric Stage, Thursdays at 7
• Fridays (June - August): FREE yoga at noon at Millenium Library Park
• Fridays (June - August): FREE zumba at noon at Memorial Park
• Fridays: FREE dancing and live bands performing every Friday on Corydon, 7-10pm  
• Fridays (August): FREE double feature outdoor movies at Assiniboine Park, 7 and 9:15pm 
• Saturdays: FREE dancing and live bands performing every Saturday on Corydon, 7-10pm

***For even more ideas, see a full list of Winnipeg activities here: 
http://reviewswhatsnew.blogspot.ca/2016/03/summer-things-to-do-in-winnipeg.html

Becel Avo Plus Review

Becel Avo Plus is great to cook with (it has light, somewhat buttery flavour) and works fantastic in salads. 

According to the product description, Becel Avo Plus provides a source of Omega 3 and is made with a blend of canola, avocado, and mid-oleic sunflower oils. 

I tested this product in three variations:

I added a splash to some pita bread that I was crisping in the oven for a light bruschetta appetizer and it worked beautifully. 

I also tossed some of this oil in raspberry almond salad with a reduced balsamic vinegar and it made for a nice, light dressing.

Lastly, my husband used this oil to deep fry some chicken fingers for pre-Bomber Game snack and the chicken turned out great --crispy without any heavy, after-taste (probably because this oil has a smoke point of 455 °F, which is higher than EVOO's 320°F).

Whether you’re searing, sautéing, or mixing salad dressings, I highly recommend trying Becel Avo Plus. It's great-tasting, heathy and works well for all your cooking needs.

I received this product for free from Becel in exchange for my honest review.

FREE bonus from Plastiq (plus how to earn credit card rewards on regular household bills)

Got bills? Consider Plastiq! - Plastiq allows you to pay and manage all your bills by card - even if the business doesn't accept cards. Think rent/mortgage, tuition, business expenses, club memberships, etc.

While I wouldn't recommend putting anything on credit if you don't have the means to pay for it, using credit cards for rewards is a financially savvy move for those who do have funds in their bank account to pay credit card bills in full.

When you're unable to pay directly by credit card, here are a few reasons to use Plastiq:

1. Plastiq is a great way to rack up credit card rewards without spending more than you normally budget. Some people are reporting that rent and mortgage payments may code as travel for bonus categories on other cards. With fee-free dollars, you’re earning rewards for free. It’s a no-brainer way to pay bills like mortgage, utilities, student loans, taxes, etc.
2. Plastiq is a convenient way to consolidate all bill payments to a single service and/or credit card
3. It is safer to pay by credit card for services or goods not yet fully delivered because it gives you the ability to initiate a credit card chargeback if the payee doesn’t deliver as promised.
4. Plastiq makes it possible to pay bills when you do not have the cash readily available. While it is never a good idea to go into credit card debt, paying by credit card can give you more time to get the required funds. 

Sign up using this link (or referral code: 987843) to earn $500 in fee free payments!

Note: Your first $500 in payments will be subject to the regular fee. Interestingly, the terms do not seem to stipulate that you must make that initial $500 in payments via credit card — meaning that you could make the first $500 in payments via debit card (at a 1% fee) rather than via credit card (at a 2.5% fee).

AOR Breath Biotics Review

These Breath Biotics are amazing. Unlike regular mints that only temporarily mask bad breath smell, this oral probiotic actually targets the root cause of halitosis by helping ensure oral microbiota is healthy. 

Breath Biotics' patented strain of the probiotic Streptococcus salivarius K12 promotes a healthy oral microflora and reduces bacteria that causes bad breath by increasing the good bacteria present in the mouth! 

I received this product for free from AOR in exchange for my honest review.