Make Laundry Easier Than Ever with the IronEase Pro Ironing Board & Giveaway {CAN Only}

Like any busy mom, laundry is my nemesis as it is a never-ending chore!

A few years ago, I shared this post where I talked about how I simplified our laundry system by doing laundry by person and NOT by colour.
However, although this method saves oodles of time, there is always the ironing pile to contend with. I think any mom would agree that anything that can help get laundry/ironing done in less time is worth investigating...which is why I was so happy to try out this amazing new IronEase Pro Ironing Board by de Machinor and now available in Canada though Amazon.

This board arrived at my home last week and I have been ironing with it ever since. {You might even say that I have gone a little ironing crazy.}  I think I actually see the bottom of the ironing pile now! I have been ironing my husband's dress shirts, shorts, blouses, curtains, and pillow cases {because I like them crisp}.

And this board is knocking it out of the park!

The Iron Ease has 8 amazing features that are designed to overcome the flaws of traditional ironing boards, therefore making ironing quicker and more enjoyable. 

This short video shows all of the amazing features that the IronEase Pro offers. And although I could write a whole bunch of words for you to read, the video really shows it best!

I have to admit that I really did not understand the value that this board had to offer until I watched the video for myself and then I was like, "Mama needs this ironing board!"

So please watch it and you will see too!

Although the IronEase Pro is more expensive than the average ironing board, it is built to last a lifetime and you are receiving a quality ironing board that is substantially more sturdy and made with a craftsmanship that includes a metal top {as opposed to plastic of the traditional board} so your ironing board will last for many years providing you with incredible value for your money!

Here are my favorite features of this board.

This is the Patented Shoulder Wing expansion system which allows you to iron shirts without having to arrange the garment around the board several times.

Here is my husband's shirt on the board with the ShoulderWing expansion.

See how I can get to those shoulders with the iron easily?

Brilliant!

And here is the other feature I love...the adjustable basket for things that you like to keep at arm's reach...like a phone or remote controls. I always watch TV while I iron, so I love having the remote controls right where I can see them.

And this board is substantially wider than a traditional board so you can get more in one go...which is great for things like curtains and tablecloths.

And it also has an extra large heat resistant iron tray for steam generators.

{I currently don't have a steam generator, but I sure would like one!}

The IronEase Pro has really made the chore of ironing easier. With it's many features, ironing can be done more quickly so you can spend less time ironing. And that is worth something for busy moms who already have enough to do!

I am really super excited that the kind folks at De Machinor have provided one IronEase Pro to giveaway to one lucky Canadian reader! 

This giveaway runs from today until August 12, 2014 at midnight MST.

De Machinor IronEase Pro Giveaway Worth $169.99 {Canada Only}

Disclosure: This post was generously sponsored by De Machinor. I own and use the IronEase Pro and I love it! All opinions are my honest opinions.

5 Tips for Cuticle Care with Trind & Trind Giveaway Can/US #TrindNailTips

With the last few weeks being full of painting walls & furniture, sewing pillows {I can't wait to share these projects with you soon!} and camping, my nails and cuticles were looking really ragged and feeling a little sore.
 I really could not ignore the state of my hands any longer as they really needed some care. I was elated when my second box of Trind Nail Care products arrived. I took some quiet time to treat myself to a manicure to get my nails and cuticles looking healthy again.
And I am really happy to share with you that Trind will be appearing on The Shopping Channel on August 5th at 9:30, 12:30, 16:30, 19:30 Eastern Time and Trind's best-selling products will all be available....everything you need for healthy, beautiful nails!

Trind is Europe's most trusted and respected line of hand and nail care products. And I got to try these two new-to-me products...the Cuticle Kit Duo with cuticle remover and cuticle balsam. 

The cuticle remover is alkaline so it is gentle on your skin and helps to remove excess cuticle, and provides hydration. The cuticle balsam contains duo-liposomes which provide hydration for all 3 layers of skin.

The cuticle remover worked beautifully for me and in 10 minutes, my nails were looking and feeling so much better.  And then I applied the Cuticle Balsam to restore my skin's moisture,  and finished with Trind Hand Repair. 

My hands felt smooth, soft and wonderful!

 

Then I applied Trind basecoat which helped fill in some nail ridges that I have and then I had to make a decision and choose one of these fabulous blues from the Trind Caring Color "Knock It Out of the Park" set of blues.

I chose this fresh & funky blue for summer!

Here are 5 tips from Trind to help keep your cuticles looking beautiful & healthy:

1-Never cut your cuticles! Make it a habit after your shower to push them back and rub gently with a towel to remove any excess skin. OR see #2.

2- To push back the cuticles, first soak them in warm water for a few minutes, Pushing back your cuticles should never be painful.

3-If cuticles are hard, ridges will form in the nail. By maintaining healthy cuticles, your nails will thank you!

4-Wear rubber gloves when washing dishes or using household cleaners. If dish soap can remove baked on grease just imagine what it's doing to your hands and nails.

5-Dehydration  can lead to splits and cracks in your nails. Keeping your nails hydrated starts with keeping your body hydrated. Drink lots of water everyday!

And here is a video from Trind sharing tips on the Bare Manicure!

To learn more about why Trind is Europe's most trusted and respected line of hand and nail care products, don't forget to watch The Shopping Channel on Tuesday, August 5 are 9:30, 12:30, 16:30, 19:30 Eastern Time.

I am so excited to share this giveaway with you! You could win this Trind Nail package {worth $117} which includes everything you see here including:

Cuticle Care Duo

Hand Repair

3 Caring Colors-the Knock It Out Of The Park set of blues.

Base Coat

Top Coat

You must be 18 years or older and live in Canada or United States to enter.

{except void where prohibited!}

#TrindNailTips Giveaway Worth $117

And if you have problems with your nails, you may want to read my first post about Trind's Keratin Treatment HERE.

Disclosure: This post was generously sponsored by Trind. I have tried the products and love them and how they make my hand and nails look and feel!  All opinions are my own. 

Be Awesome Link Party #7. Come Link Up Your Projects!

Welcome to week 7 of the Be Awesome Linky Party!We love seeing all of the incredible projects linked up here each week! You are all so incredibly talented!  Thank you so much for sharing your awesomeness with us!

Meet the Be Awesome hosts:

Angie of Echoes of Laughter, Julie of Sober Julie, Crystal of Sew Creative, Jo-Anna of A Pretty Life in the Suburbs, Tara of Suburble , Stacey of This Lil Piglet and Shauna of Satori Design for Living and myself are the hostesses of this awesome party!

This weeks features were chosen by Virginia at Fynes Designs

Edible Cookie Dough- A Mom's Take

Oreo Peanut Butter Brownie Cupcakes from What Rose Knows

Silk Wrap Braclet How To from The DIY Dreamer

DIY Mason Jar Cups from My Frugal Adventures

Galette with Fresh Fruit from Personally Andrea

Nautical Birthday Party from Tikkido

Now its your turn, show us what you’ve been up to this week!

Party Rules:

• Please link to a specific post, not your home page.
• Please link up your own work/creativity/projects only.
• Please link back to this party with a text link in your post.
• No links to promote giveaways, link parties or shops.
• This party starts Monday @6pm EST & ends Wednesday night.
• By entering a link, you’re giving us permission to feature an image on our blogs or Facebook pages. Proper credit & links will always be given.

 

An InLinkz Link-up

Easy Summer Berry & Mango Dessert

Hello sweet friends! How are you? I can hardly believe that the calendar will be flipping to August later this week. We are being hit with some super warm weather this week...you know the kind of heat where you just do not want to turn on the oven?! So it's times like these that I look to no bake desserts that feature fresh seasonal fruit or berries. This week, I created this dessert which only took 10 minutes to put together, and with a little help Patak's sauces...Sweet Mango Chutney, I mixed in a little India to give this dish some amazing flavor that was refreshing & delicious.

One of my go-to things for desserts when I am looking for something that is easy is pound cake. It is a wonderful base for so many things like berries, fruit, whipped cream or ice cream.

I kept this dessert super simple by using cake, berries, Patak's Sweet Mango Chutney and whipped cream. The Sweet Mango Chutney really adds a wonderful sweet zip that is so tasty with the berries!

And as a busy mom, when the weather is hot, I am so happy to have some dessert tricks that help me avoid turning on oven.

Summer Berry & Mango Dessert

Ingredients:

- a slice of pound cake for each serving

-assorted berries such as blueberries, raspberries, blackberries and strawberries

-Patak's Sweet Mango Chutney

-whipped cream

-chopped fresh mint {optional}

-icing sugar {optional}

To make:

1. To each slice of pound cake, add assorted berries and drizzle with Patak's Sweet Mango Chutney.

2. Garish with whipped cream, chopped mint and a light dusting of icing sugar.

This would be perfect with a scoop of vanilla ice cream as well. 

Have you had a chance to visit the Patak's site? It is full of amazing recipes that are perfect for grilling season, along with a ton of drink ideas, side dishes and desserts too.

Visit the Patak's on Pinterest to see all of the wonderful recipes. You will find lots of inspiration!

Disclosure: I am part of Patak's Ambassador program with Mom Central Canada and I receive special perks as part of my affiliation with this group. The opinions on this blog are my own.

 

Be Awesome Party #5 : Come Link Up Your Projects!

Hi there! How as your weekend? Did you do anything special or just hang out at home?
 Welcome to this week's Be Awesome Party where you can share your awesomeness by linking up your projects just once and they will be seen across all 8 blogs of the hostesses! How cool is that?

The wonderful hostesses joining me each week are:

Virginia from Fynes Designs, Julie from Sober Julie, Crystal from Sew Creative,

Jo-Anna from A Pretty Life in the Suburbs, Tara from Suburble, Stacey from This Lil' Piglet and Shauna from Satori Design For Living.

Thank you so much for partying with us! You are all so crazy talented!
This week's features were chosen by Julie from Sober Julie!

 

 In order from top left:

  Growing Flowers for Gifts & Tackling Pests from It's Organised 

Junk Yard Step Chair Redo from Redo It Yourself Inspirations 

  VINTAGE, COASTAL WALL DECOR PROJECT from Cottage Living from Beach to Burbs 

  How Miss Mustard Seed Milk Paint Saved A Damaged Dresser by Major Hoff Takes a Wife Speculoos Cookie Butter Pie from Alwayz Bakin'

Easy Grilled Pork Chops from Mommy Moment

Your Turn to BE Awesome!

Show us your awesomeness and have the chance to be featured on 8 fabulous Canadian blogs.  

Before we get started, here are a few PARTY RULES:

1. Please link to a specific post, not your home page.

2. Please link up your own work/creativity/projects only.

3. Please link back to this party with a text link in your post. If you would like to be featured, please link back!

4. No links to promote giveaways, link parties or shops.
5. This party starts Monday @6pm EST & ends Wednesday night.
6.. By entering a link, you're giving us permission to feature an image on our blogs or Facebook pages. Proper credit & links will always be given.

Let's Party!

An InLinkz Link-up

 

Octopus Hot Dog Lunch For Kids

It's National Hot Dog week and like any family, we enjoy a good round of hot dogs every now and again. And BBQ hot dogs in the summer are always a treat!

When my kids were younger, I sometimes would make fun food on day when we were just hanging out at home.

And these Octopus Hot Dogs are a cute way to serve hot dogs.

My kids love the ocean, so anything sea-themed was always popular.

They are easy to make too. Just boil hot dogs and then use a small sharp knife to cute the strips for the Octopus tentacles. And then serve with veggie sticks and dips to get those servings of veggies in for a healthy side dish.

And if you would like to have a whole ocean-themed day with your kids,  you could always be that super cool mom who does a craft too and make this sea life collage.

Do you have any special recipes for hot dogs that you like to make for your family?

When I was growing up, beans & wieners were a thing to serve for dinner.

Not MY thing, but they were a thing! 

For more delicious hot dog recipes to celebrate National Hot Dog day:

Crunchy Bacon Cheese Hot Dogs

Ultimate Breakfast Hot Dog

Thai-Inspired Hot Dogs

 

Front Porch Makeover 2014

Front porches. I love them and sitting on them is one of the my favourite ways to relax in summer.

You may remember how I decorated our front porch in this post from last summer. 

I also love to decorate our porch for Christmas, Fall, and I have made painted plant pots and chevron stripe pots for it too.

It's a thing I like to do every year. 

And I love walking around the neighbourhood and seeing other front porches too!

I always like to keep our front porch warm and welcoming as it's the first thing that guests to our home see as well. I like for it to feel like it is a room on it's own with an ambiance that fits the season. Whether reading a book, or just eating cherries from a basket...it is just a nice place to be to enjoy some quiet time.

This year's decor stemmed from these terrific chairs that I found at a yard sale for $15 each.

I adore that they are old, worn and the shape is beautiful.

So far, I have resisted the urge to spray paint them. I love their warm patina as is.

And what would a front porch be without some lovely plants and flowers to enjoy?

I picked up the wicker plant stand from a yard sale for $5 and I love the tropical feel it lends to the porch. I might spray paint it. Or not. I haven't decided yet.

I found this vase at Value Village for $4. It's great for outdoor arrangements and I like the tall shape. I definitely see spray paint in it's little future!

And the side table has plenty of succulents...the most popular plants on planet earth right now.

The porch is the perfect place for staying cool.

And I love how thrifted finds this year gave me a whole new look for not a lot of money!

And another thing I love about this porch? I often come home from running errands to find my daughter and her boyfriend sitting out here...hanging out and eating cherries.

They look so cute!

Do you have a front porch?

For more great ideas, visit these boards on Pinterest:

Awesome Curb Appeal

Fabulous Front Doors

Incredible Outdoor Spaces

Thank you so much for visiting! 

 

This post is linked to:
The Weekend Re-Treat Party, I`m Lovin`It,