Showing posts with label #sponsored. Show all posts
Showing posts with label #sponsored. Show all posts

Monday, June 1, 2015

#SausageFamily Babe & Chef Hubs enjoy Johnsonville Grillers!

I’m a member of the Crowdtap Johnsonville Grillers rewards program, and Johnsonville sent me a sample of its Grillers to review- and they really are great! My chef hubs actually had to drive 2 hours each way (!) from the Elkhorn Inn in Landgraff, West Virginia to a Walmart in Virginia to get them, because our Walmart in Kimball, WV doesn't have them- yet! (We hope they DO get them, because they're great- and a great deal, too!) He got three different kinds, too (if you're driving for 4 hours, you are not just going to get one box. LOL), and the first one we tried was the Steakhouse Onion- and we were really impressed! They are truly good for guests and parties, as well as Just Plain Eating! They cook up fast, they're well seasoned and really tasty, they stay juicy and tender, they don't shrink, and they aren't greasy- in short, they are really yummy and were a big hit with everyone!

 The finished product: Johnsonville Griller Steakhouse Onion, on a grill-toasted croissant, with lettuce & tomato, and our house-made West Virginia ramp and Mexican Gherkin pickles, and fries! YUM!
Hubs, starting to grill!

Grillin' Johnsonville Grillers!












The directions say to heat your grill to Medium-Low, and to cook them for about 13 minutes until they are 160 degrees inside on a meat thermometer- and they cook REALLY fast if your grill is hot!

Hot off the grill...

Toasting the croissants...

About to enjoy our Johnsonville Grillers!


YUM! "Sausage Babe" with her eyes closed in foodie joy!


Yes, we got three- can't wait to try the rest!
Thank you #Crowdtap and Johnsonville- we are definitely a #SausageFamily!

Sunday, January 11, 2015

Brookside Dark Chocolate Crunchy Clusters: YUM!

Okay, I'm lucky. LOL I recently got to try Brookside Dark Chocolate "Berry Medley" Crunchy Clusters, through a #sponsored #Crowdtap sampling program called #DiscoverBrookside, and they ARE yummy! Dan and I have both enjoyed them, and we shared them with our guests at the Elkhorn Inn, too!

Brookside Dark Chocolate "Berry Medley" Crunchy Clusters are delish, chewy fruit bits and crispy multigrain clusters, covered with creamy dark chocolate... and they are Wonderful with a cup of coffee or a glass of wine! :-) The "Berry Medley" ones have soft cranberry bits in the center, and are flavored with fruit juices (pomegranate, raspberry, blueberry, apple, etc.), and they really are yummy!
They're also not horribly fattening, and because they are small, you can enjoy just a few with a cup of coffee and satisfy your sweet tooth! (As my faithful readers know, I am on a mission to finally lose the weight I need to lose and succeeding- and "everything in moderation" is my motto!)  
Brookside has a variety of delicious chocolate snacks, and this is one of the best we've tried. Check out www.brooksidechocolate.com for more info on their products!

Me, my coffee, & my Brookside Crunchy Clusters!


Dan, stuffing his face with Brookside Crunchy Clusters. LOL

Coffee and Brookside Dark Chocolate "Berry Medley" Crunchy Clusters- YUM!


                          Our Breakfast Buffet & "Snack Table" at the Elkhorn Inn!


Saturday, January 10, 2015

L’Oreal Age Perfect Cell Renewal: Update!

I am participating in a Vibrant Influencer Network campaign for L’Oreal Age Perfect. I am receiving a fee for posting; however, the opinions expressed in this post are my own. I am in no way affiliated with L’Oreal Age Perfect and do not earn a commission or percent of sales. #sponsored #cellrenewal



As you know from two previous posts, I was delighted to be chosen to try the L’Oreal Age Perfect Cell Renewal regimen, and I’ve been using all three products- the Age Perfect Cell Renewal Golden Serum, Age Perfect Cell Renewal Day Cream, and Age Perfect Cell Renewal Night Cream- Religiously, daily and nightly since early November. I’d always wanted to try a complete anti-aging skin care regimen, where all the products were made to work together and complement each other, and I finally got to do it! Hubs took some “before and after” photos of my face so I could tell if there’s been real, visible improvement, and here are the results to date: 
 
 
After- NOW!
Before... (Nov.6)


After! NOW!






















Before... (Nov. 6)


I think I look a WHOLE heck of a lot better!
Seriously, the photos really speak for themselves! 
I love the "dewy" lightly golden glow I get from the serum, and the way makeup goes on smoothly and stays that way (I am using only very light makeup now :-) ), and I love the velvety way my face feels when I put on the Serum and then the Day or Night Cream, but most of all I'm delighted with the new condition of my skin. It's smoother, softer, and the blotchyness and lines have noticeably decreased.  I'm So glad I got to try it, and stuck with it, using it every day and night. And I'm glad hubs took photos, so I could really see the results! It's an easy-to-do regimen, and the results are real! 

Those who read my first post on the regimen in early November noted that I did see an immediate and positive difference in the appearance and texture of my skin. The regimen promises to accelerate skin cell renewal, by enhancing exfoliation, so surface cells are revealed faster, resulting in "refreshed, re-plumped, and visibly renewed skin", and firmer skin after only one month! I am- sadly- an “instant gratification” girl, and I did need to see something positive fast- and I did! For more information on the products, see the L’Oreal Age Perfect Cell Renewal website: www.lorealparisusa.com/cellrenewal 


 
In short, I am REALLY happy with the L’Oreal Age Perfect Cell Renewal regimen, and I am going to KEEP on it! I am pleased with the fact that L'Oreal products are affordable, and readily available at places like Walmart, so there's no reason NOT to try it! The products lasted long enough that I only had to buy more Serum- there is plenty of the Day & Night Creams to get you through 2 months. And if it can make a real, visible improvement in my 55 year old face, think what it might do for you! :-)

A week with Neutrogena® Rapid Dark Circle Repair® eye cream: Results!

After a week of using Neutrogena® Rapid Dark Circle Repair® eye cream, and I'm pretty darn impressed! I thought I was stuck with the purple circles I've had for many years, but quite apparently, I'm not! I was able to try it through a ‪#‎Crowdtap‬ ‪#‎sponsored‬ program! YAY! for Crowdtap and Neutrogena

I think the photo results truly speak for themselves. I have been using it daily, and I am going to KEEP using it daily- because it works! And one of the best things is that Neutrogena products are affordable, and readily available! I am so intrigued by how fast this worked that I want to try the rest of their "Rapid" products!

Before...
After one week! Pretty impressive, huh?

After one week- light makeup



After one week- NO makeup!

Thursday, December 25, 2014

Chef Dan becomes a Campbell's Gourmet!

Through a #Crowdtap #sponsored program, we recently got to #DiscoverCampbells and try an assortment of Campbell's new products (which include Swanson, Prego, and V-8), and we liked several of them SO much that Chef Dan has bought them again and again, and is using them in his signature recipes at the Elkhorn Inn! We had such a blast "taste-testing", that I even made a fun YouTube music video about it: http://youtu.be/EvkOMLXhcwg
 
The products we got to try included Swanson Cream Starter, the Chicken Parmigiana Skillet Sauce, Prego Alfredo Sauce, V-8 Fusion, Campbell's Savory Portobello Mushroom Soup for Easy Cooking, Campbell's Creamy Poblano & Queso Soup, Campbell's Chunky Beer 'n Cheese Soup, Slow Cooked Chicken Noodle Soup, & Spaghetti Os!
Ingredients for a great dinner!
The clear winners, so far, are the Swanson Cream StarterCampbell's Chicken Parmigiana Skillet Sauce, Prego Alfredo Sauce, and V-8 Fusion!

Chicken with Cream Sauce and Spinach Pesto!
As you can see, you can turn out some truly fine meals- really quickly!- using Campbell's products! Dan and I had a lot of foodie fun taste-testing, as you can see! There are several other prodcuts we are intrigued to try now, including the V-8 Spicy Mango (which we haven't been able to find here in southern WV/western VA),  and the Korean & Thai cooking sauces! Check 'em out next time you go shopping!

Chef Dan, sauteing the chicken...





Chef Dan with his Campbell's Creation!

Chicken Parmigiana with Fresh Parsley, over Pasta!

Chef Dan, starting the Alfredo-Dill Sauce with Prego...


Chef Dan's Herb-Poached Salmon with Alfredo-Dill Sauce, over Pasta!

V-8 Fusion, Rum, & Fresh Rosemary! YUM!

Cheers!!!

Tuesday, December 2, 2014

L’Oreal Age Perfect Cell Renewal Test: Update!



I am participating in a Vibrant Influencer Network campaign for L’Oreal Age Perfect. I am receiving a fee for posting; however, the opinions expressed in this post are my own. I am in no way affiliated with L’Oreal Age Perfect and do not earn a commission or percent of sales. #sponsored #cellrenewal


As you know from my post last month, I was delighted to be selected to try the L’Oreal Age Perfect Cell Renewal regimen, and I’ve been using all three products- the Age Perfect Cell Renewal Golden Serum, Age Perfect Cell Renewal Day Cream, and Age Perfect Cell Renewal Night Cream- Religiously, daily and nightly! I’d always wanted to try a complete anti-aging skin care regimen, where all the products were made to work together and complement each other, and I’m finally getting to do it! Hubs took some “before and after” photos of my face so we can all see if there’s any real, visible improvement after only a month, and here are the results to date: 

Before: Oct 27 - no makeup
Now:  Dec 1 - no makeup
Nov 14 - with light makeup

Dec 1 - no makeup
Dec 1 - no makeup







  I personally think I'm looking MUCH better! The best part (for me), is that my HUSBAND sees a positive improvement, and wants me to stick with the program!  Where I see the most visible improvements are in the lessening of redness and blotchy discoloration, both on my face and neck and décolletage, where the “wrinkly” area is much smoother, too! YAY! The regimen has smoothed and improved the texture of my skin, which is a real plus, as well.

I strongly suggest you take “before" photos, too- because day-to-day you may not see results, but you WILL when you look at the photos after a couple of weeks!
I have to say I am Quite impressed! I honestly wasn’t expecting anything so dramatic at all! 

As I wrote in my last post, my initial experience with the products was lovely, and it still is; I especially like the way the Serum goes on smoothly and velvety, and the pale, golden sheen it gives my skin. The Day Cream is creamy and richer, and goes on smoothly on top of the serum, as does the Night Cream, and all the products are readily absorbed into my skin, and give me a nice, “dewy” glow, but no oiliness or greasiness or breakouts. My skin continues to feel soft and velvety after applying the products, and that feeling lasts through the whole day, which is great! I don’t wear makeup most of the time, but when I do, it goes on smoothly over the products with no problems at all, and the Serum and Day Cream make my foundation look and wear better- as you can see from the photo where I have on light makeup, I have a nice "dewy glow", as opposed to the usual matte finish that full-coverage foundation gives me, which seems to accentuate every single "fine line" on my face... The Serum has no perfume to speak of, and I like the light, sweet scents of the Day and Night Creams. I have already bought more Golden Serum, and I am continuing with the regimen!
No, Age Perfect didn’t take off 40 lbs. or 15 years (yet - LOL), but I do find that in only 34 days it has made a noticeable and positive difference in the appearance and texture of my skin- and what made me happiest is that Other People (hubs) noticed it, as well. The regimen accelerates skin cell renewal by enhancing exfoliation, so surface cells are revealed faster, thus resulting in refreshed, re-plumped, and visibly renewed skin, and it also promises firmer skin after only one month- and it has noticeably improved the look and texture of my skin.
 
My feeling is that the regimen of all three products would be a wonderful holiday gift for a friend who you know would Love to try it, but might not buy it for herself! (Or himself! :-) )  I don’t know about you, but I have LOTS of friends (and relatives) like that! And in the new “one for you, and one for me” tradition of holiday gift-giving, here’s a great coupon to get you started: http://bricks.coupons.com/Start.asp?bt=vi&tqnm=vixncnp45783236&o=116959&pt=&lang=&ws=&ct=&ci=&cl=&cp=&eb=1&c=LP&p=168169158&z=&r=&pc=&  One of the nicest things about L’Oreal products is that they are not prohibitively expensive, and are readily available across the country, so this is also an easy gift to get oneself or for a friend!  TIP: if you are getting all three products, my suggestion is to get two bottles of the Golden Serum, as there wasn’t enough product in one bottle of Serum to get me through one jar each of the Day & Night Cream. That’s really my only “pet peeve”- I wish there had been twice as much Serum in the jar, so I hadn’t had to go buy more Serum when I was only half way through the Day and Night Cream!

Stay tuned, because I'm going to post another update in about a month!
 
Here’s the link to the L’Oreal website, so you can check out all the products: www.lorealparisusa.com/cellrenewal
May you all have a happy- and beautiful- holiday season!

www.lorealparisusa.com/cellrenewal
 






Friday, November 14, 2014

Fun with Four Fabulous Folgers Flavors!

I was part of the #sponsored #FolgersFans sampling through #Crowdtap, and received four Folgers Flavors coffee enhancers to try. We're enjoying them, and so are our guests at the Elkhorn Inn!

My husband Dan and I, and our guests at the Elkhorn Inn, have been enjoying the four different Folgers Flavors coffee enhancers this month, and I'm pleased to be able to review them. There are four flavors: Mocha, Caramel, Vanilla, and Hazelnut, and you can squirt as little or as much as you like into your coffee- or mix them to suit your taste! They won't cool your coffee like a cold creamer would, and they give you a bit of a "cafe" experience right in your own home! It's a lovely thing to set out for guests, too!
Our Four Folgers Flavors in the Fall!
Dan, trying out Folgers Flavors in his coffee


Elisse, enjoying Folgers Flavors!

Coffee Break Time at the Inn!


















                                                          

We have had such yummy fun trying them out and sharing them with our guests, that I made a YouTube video: 

Thursday, November 6, 2014

L’Oreal Age Perfect Cell Renewal: Testing, Testing, 1, 2, 3!

I am participating in a Vibrant Influencer Network campaign for L’Oreal Age Perfect. I am receiving a fee for posting; however, the opinions expressed in this post are my own. I am in no way affiliated with L’Oreal Age Perfect and do not earn a commission or percent of sales. #sponsored #cellrenewal


I was recently selected to try the L’Oreal Age Perfect Cell Renewal regimen, and, as at 55 I’m the Perfect Age for it :-) , I was delighted to be selected! I've always wanted to try a complete anti-aging skin care regimen, where all the products are made to work together and complement each other, but in the past I've usually wound up using only one piece of the skin care puzzle, and this may be the reason I've never seen any great results… This time I got to try a complete regimen, using all three products: the Age Perfect Cell Renewal Golden Serum, Age Perfect Cell Renewal Day Cream, and Age Perfect Cell Renewal Night Cream, and I used them like a Good Girl, every day and night, and exactly as instructed! I also got hubs to shoot “before" photos of my face (see below), so we'll all be able to see if there are any real, visible improvements, and to prove to all of you that I really am 55 and no beauty queen! LOL Unfortunately, Age Perfect can’t take off 40 lbs. or 15 years (LOL), but when used daily, and according to the instructions, I do find that it made an immediate and positive difference in the appearance and texture of my skin, and I'm hoping it will just get better and better! The regimen promises to accelerate skin cell renewal, by enhancing exfoliation, so surface cells are revealed faster, resulting in "refreshed, re-plumped, and visibly renewed skin", and also promises firmer skin after only one month! (The “instant gratification” girl needs to see something fast!) I have always been pleased by spa and salon facials which incorporate exfoliation, so I have high hopes for this regimen!
For more information on the products, see the L’Oreal Age Perfect Cell Renewal website: www.lorealparisusa.com/cellrenewal  

I have used L’Oreal products for years, and one of the things I like best about them is that they are readily available and affordable- so you can actually afford to try a complete line of products to see if they work for you. So many of the highly-touted anti-aging skin care lines are So incredibly expensive ($75, $150, $200 and more, per item…), that even purchasing one product is prohibitively expensive, much less a whole regimen! 
I was intrigued by two innovative ingredients in all three of these L’Oreal products: LHA, to stimulate surface-cell renewal, and Natecium DHC, a powerful antioxidant to help protect from free radicals. 
I started with the Age Perfect Cell Renewal Golden Serum each morning after washing my face, followed by the Age Perfect Cell Renewal Day Cream. At night, after washing my face, I again used the Serum, followed by the Age Perfect Cell Renewal Night Cream. I used all the products on both my face and neck, (rubbing the last of the creams on the back of my hands), and I didn't add any other products, so I'll truly be able to tell if these products worked for me. My initial experience with the products was delightful: the serum goes on smoothly and velvety, and it has a pale, golden sheen, which is quite flattering. The Day Cream is creamy and richer, and goes on smoothly, on top of the serum, as does the Night Cream. The products were all absorbed readily into my skin, and left no oiliness or greasiness, but I did have a nice, dewy glow! My skin felt soft and velvety after applying the products, and that feeling lasted throughout the day- and I liked the way that felt! I had no breakouts or any negative reactions. I find the smell of all the products pleasant, too, and not overpowering. The Serum has no perfume to speak of; the Day Cream has a light, sweet perfume, and the Night Cream has a stronger, sweet perfume, and I liked them both. (I know some people do not like perfumed skin care, but I have no problem with them- IF I like the scent).
I’m self-employed (my husband and I have the Elkhorn Inn in Landgraff, West Virginia), and I don’t wear makeup every day (as I used to when I lived in NYC), so when I first started using the products I didn't use makeup over them. When I did wear makeup, I simply applied my foundation, etc., after the Serum and Day Cream, and it went on smoothly with no problems. To cleanse my face, I used a gentle facial cleanser, and sometimes a non-alcoholic toner with a cotton pad, which I also used to remove my makeup. I also used a microdermabrasion tool once a week, as that’s been a part of my “beauty regimen” for quite a while, and I think it may help the serums and day creams be more readily absorbed.
Me: before




The things I would like to correct about my skin are some blotchyness and discoloration, the lines around my eyes and mouth, and the deeper ones between my brows. I’d love my skin to be firmer, too… in essence, I’d like to look younger, of course- 42 would be nice! LOL- but I’ll happily ‘settle’ for looking as good as I can possibly look right now! As I mentioned, I am Totally (and, of course, unrealistically) into “immediate gratification”, so I can hardly wait to see the results after a month!
"Selfie" with light makeup,
 over the Serum & Day Cream
I will say that the one (and only) thing that I wasn't so crazy about, was the four sunscreen chemicals in the Day Cream: Avobenzone, Homoalate, Octisalate, and Octocrylene, which are literally listed as the Day Cream’s “active ingredients”, a.k.a. medicines, and I prefer not to ingest- or slather my skin (the body’s biggest organ) with- unneeded medicines and chemicals. I would much have preferred the Day Cream to not include these chemicals, so one could choose to add a sunscreen or not. I, personally, would have chosen not to. On the advice of doctors for many years I never jumped on the “anti-sun” bandwagon, as all my doctors have told me that sun is good and necessary, and that the recent anti-sun hysteria has been, in fact, harmful, with many people now suffering from Vitamin D deficiencies as a result. I’d much rather get my Vitamin D from the sun than from a bottle! I know there are people who really can't and shouldn't be in the sun, but my philosophy has always been “all things in moderation”, and I do feel that genetics, as well as what you do for a living, both have a great deal to do with how one ages. I don’t go to tanning booths, and I use a sunscreen (and sometimes a sunblock) if I’m out in the sun for many hours, but both my 92-year old golfing, bowling mother and I have always enjoyed sunshine with no ill effects; on the contrary, we both always feel Much healthier after being in the sun, and a nice tan has always made us look our best, too! 

My next post will have some "during" photos, so we'll hopefully be able to see I'm getting visible results!