Better Homes and Gardens Stainless Steel Pots and Pans Review

I am so not a chef.

I mean, I want to be.  I wish I loved to cook.  I have these delusional visions of wonderful, warm, home-cooked smells wafting through the air as my family smiles and says how wonderful everything looks and smells, all while I beam back radiantly from the kitchen as if it comes second nature to me.

In reality I’m usually a hectic, crazy mess, who fails to clean up after herself as she goes and ends up being exhausted and frustrated because I inevitably burn OR under-cook something.

Don’t believe me?  Here’s what my countertops looked like the last time I made Quiche Lorraine.

So, when Walmart and Better Homes and Gardens offered me the opportunity to review a set of Stainless Steel pots and pans I thought, who better to review them than a chick who will REALLY put them to the test.  (That’d be me.)

When the box arrived I immediately dove in, unwrapping all of the pieces.  I loved the pretty stainless steel trim around the lids (since I’m no pro, I went based on aesthetics first!) and when I lifted the first pot out of the box I immediately noticed the weight of them.  Nice and heavy, with sturdy handles.  I’ve got to say, they were awfully shiny and pretty.

Considering that my knowledge of these babies seemed to end at “oooh, pretty” I called in reinforcements.  Audrey’s grandma, or “Gra” as she is affectionately known, is an amazing cook who used to own her own restaurant.  After coming to my senses and realizing that the extent of my cooking prowess was in, reality, macaroni and cheesy (as Audrey Grace calls it), we decided to give the pots to Gra as gift.

Let’s just say that Gra was overjoyed.  So overjoyed over her new stainless steel pots, in fact, that she promptly threw all of her old pots out.

According to Gra, these pots are AWESOME.  The weight that I previously mentioned?  Apparently that’s a really good thing.  The stainless steel heats quickly and evenly and cooks food quickly and using less heat – which is always a good thing!  She also raved over the handles, saying that her last set of stainless steel pots had a handle that would sort of bend once the pot had been heated, making it hard to handle and also hot to the touch.  These handles apparently stay nice and cool.

I’ve done my part of course – Gra and Nana live only a mile away from us, so we have eaten several meals cooked in these pots and pans, which leaves Gra raving every time.

What do you use to cook? Are you a world-class chef or a mac and cheese expert like yours truly?  Share your thoughts!

Disclosure: Walmart sponsored this post and provided me with a set of the pots and pans as well as compensation. However, all opinions are, and always will be, 100% mine.

Host a Holiday Party: Ornament Exchange

I’ll readily admit it – I’m a bit nutty about the Holiday Season.  Ok, more than a BIT nutty – I’m like one big ball of Holiday Spirit!  One of my favorite things to do is to host a Christmas Ornament Exchange party with my friends – we all draw names ahead of time and then we shop for the perfect ornament for that person, wrap it, then bring it to the party (alternately you can just bring an ornament meant for anyone and do a round-robin type game!).  If you’re looking for the perfect ornament this year, you should definitely check out Walmart for some reasonably-priced options.  If you are willing to shop online you can even buy a personalized ornament like some of the ones below!  Cute, right?  Even the personalized ornaments run about $10, so it’s very affordable!

Of course, the idea for the party is just the beginning!  Everyone knows that you can’t host a party without FOOD!  If you are the hostess and the party is just for close friends, consider asking everyone to bring their favorite holiday treat – which will save you some money (because we all know you’ll have to spend 2 days cleaning your house from top to bottom.  Hey, time is money!) and also allow for a nice spread!

One of my favorite treats to bring is Oreo Balls.  They are easy to make and taste AMAZING (my friends always fight over taking home the extras!).  Usually I use regular chocolate almond bark drizzled on top, but for the Holidays I use only the traditional white almond bark with red and green food coloring for effect!

To make Holiday Oreo Balls, you need

• 1 package regular Oreo cookies, crushed
• 1 (8 oz) package cream cheese, softened
• 2 packages white almond bark

To make the Oreo Balls, follow these steps:

1. Mix Oreos and cream cheese together using a blender or hand mixer.
2. Take little scoops of the mixture and roll it into “walnut sized” balls.
3. Refrigerate the balls for approximately an hour.
4. Melt 3/4 package of white almond bark in a double boiler.
5. Stick a toothpick in the refrigerated Oreo ball and dip it in the melted white almond bark.
6. Place dipped Oreo balls on wax paper and allow them to harden for about 15 minutes.
7. While waiting melt 1/4 package of almond bark and add red food coloring.
8. Repeat with another 1/4 pacakge of almond bark with green food coloring.
9. Cut off the corner of a sandwich bag and drizzle hardened Oreo Balls with red and green almond bark.
10. Voila!  Refrigerate until ready to eat – remove about an hour before your party!

I place them on a pretty Christmas platter and put them in the center of the table – they almost look like a centerpiece!

I also often make a cheese ball, baked brie (the easy way, with a wedge of brie wrapped in crescent roll dough with Bonne Maman preserves in-between the dough and the cheese!) served with Table Water Crackers, or my famous (but time-consuming) Bûche de Noël which is a French Christmas tradition.

Do you like to host Holiday parties?  What kinds of traditions do you have?  Share your ideas in the comments!

May your days be merry and bright! Happy Holidays!

Disclosure: Walmart sponsored this post and provided me with a gift card to host my own party. However, all opinions are, and always will be, 100% mine.  Now, go make some Oreo Balls!

Holiday Gifts at Pier 1

This post brought to you by Pier 1 Imports. All opinions are 100% mine.

They don’t call this the most wonderful time of the year for no reason.  Everything about the Holiday season seems warm – the colors, the smells, and people filled with Holiday cheer.  One of my favorite things to do to welcome the season is to decorate my home with a few well-selected items, like the ones you’ll see in this post from Pier 1.

Now, you already know this is a sponsored post, but for once, the sponsor didn’t come to me – I went in search of them.  You see, when I found out that Social Spark was doing a campaign with Pier 1, I contacted them and professed my undying love for Pier 1 and begged for a spot.  I was even turned down originally because my blog is mostly about fashion and style – but in the end having good taste pays off and I was offered the last spot!

I have a Pier 1 within walking distance of my house – which also happens to be next to my favorite Chinese restaurant.  Generally on evenings when I don’t have my daughter, my guilty pleasure tends to be to order my favorite Chinese dish and browse around Pier 1, daydreaming about how to decorate my perfect home, while I wait.  I am a longtime lover of the candles and scents at Pier 1, and I’m pretty sure they carry the softest blankets known to man.  I treat myself to an accent piece whenever I can afford it – a little reward for all of my hard work.

This time I went in equipped with a gift card and with a mission – holiday decor. 

When I went in, there were so many beautiful items that I was overwhelmed.  Dinnerware striped like candy canes (perfect for a dinner party!), classy silver reindeer, giant glittering ornaments, and Santa Claus door hangers all sparkled under a sea of giant glittering snowflakes.  I wanted to buy it all – and I even tweeted as much!

  

In the end I settled for two perfectly sparkly, soft pillows.  I purchased the snowflake pillow (pictured below) and a red pillow with a sparkly reindeer on it – both take a side of the couch and add the perfect amount of Christmas cheer. 

  

While I was there, I realized that Pier 1 is a dropoff location for Toys For Tots, and Audrey and I had purchased some toys that we wanted to donate to our local Toys for Tots organization.  A few days later we returned with two bags full of toys to donate – which got everyone excited – even the store manager was excitedly sifting through the bags.  It’s not too late to support Toys for Tots – throughout the rest of the month of December you can make a cash donation at any Pier 1 register.  You can also become a fan of Pier 1 on Facebook – they will donate a dollar to Toys for Tots for every new fan that they gain during this time. 

If you’re still in search of the perfect holiday gifts consider shopping at Pier 1.  They have tons of great items (see my mention of the softest blankets known to man, above) that would be great gifts for anyone in your family.

May your days be merry and bright!  Happy Holidays!

Walmart $25 Stocking Stuffer Challenge

If you’re anything like me, you’ve finished all of your big ticket Christmas shopping and are sitting smugly at home, admiring your tree and all of the wrapped presents when you suddenly realize that you’ve forgotten something – you’ve forgotten to stuff the stocking! Even worse, your holiday budget is already long gone – you blew the extra bit on a few holiday treats or the name-brand food for the Christmas party – or you simply put it back into the bills for the month. What’s a mom on a budget to do?

This year, Walmart challenged me to a stocking stuffer challenge – to fill a stocking for anyone in my family for $25 or under. Since I usually find myself in the above situation, I decided to fill a stocking for none other than my little angel, Audrey Grace.

Audrey is a big Disney fan, and a huge fan of Tinker Bell so I decided to go with a Tinker Bell theme for her stocking this year. However, it is customary that Santa always fills her stocking with a pair of pajamas and her favorite candy, so I already knew that some of the money would be spent on that.

I was pleasantly surprised to find 2-piece Tinker Bell pajama set in her size for only $7, and I couldn’t get them in the basket fast enough! I grabbed some Christmas Peanut M&Ms as well, which were $2.98 for a large bag. So far I had the two required items and I was only up to $10! I found a pair of Tinker Bell dress-up shoes for $5 in the toy section (complete with puffy white pom poms on top!), as well as the book version of Tinker Bell and the Great Fairy Rescue (which she adorably calls “Tinker Bell to the Rescue”) for $3.50. I found a mini Tinker Bell doll with 2 changes of clothing for $5, and I called it a day, figuring I’d come out at about $25 some-odd dollars with a $23 pre-tax total – and I was right!

So, to recap:

Tinker Bell Pajamas: $7
Christmas Peanut M&Ms: $3
Tinker Bell Shoes: $5
Tinker Bell Book: $3.50
Tinker Bell Mini-Doll: $5
———————-
Total: $23.50

I am SO excited to stuff her stocking this year and I know she is going to be absolutely delighted with what she finds inside! Consider taking the stocking stuffer challenge and share your tips for staying under budget or under $25 in the comments below!

May your days be merry and bright! Happy Holidays!

Disclosure: Walmart sponsored this post and they provided me with a $25 gift card to meet the stocking stuffer challenge. However, all opinions are, and always will be, 100% mine.

Holiday Gifts: Our Top Sephora Picks

So you’re still not through with all your shopping. You’re out of ideas and finding the perfect holiday gifts for her seems daunting. You need something that is sure to make any girl on your list smile. I have answers, all at a variety of prices-whether you’re buying gifts or stuffing stockings! Help is here-it’s name is Sephora. Sephora carries over 250 brands, so this is obviously just a start…but check it out, you’re sure to be rescued from your shopping dilemma (or at the very least, inspired!).

Stella will leave her smelling like roses.

The gold-on-gold tones make this glittery polish sophisticated.

Makeup brushes are the perfect thing on any beauty-addicts list.

Rosebud salve is a perennial fave among gloss-fiends, and this updated more portable tube is a great alternative to the old pot version…no more greasy fingertips!

Add some pizazz to her pedi-every glam girl deserves a pair of sparkly toe separators!

This perfect peachy shade has just a little bit of sparkle and works on any skintone.

Argan oil is a miracle product-tames flyaways, fights frizz, increases shine…it does it all.

The party girl needs something shiny-this set gives her tons of choices.

Everyone can use a great hand lotion-what’s the use of a fresh mani if you’re hands aren’t soft?

Holiday Gifts: Goldfaden’s Peppermint Body Polish

Ya know what’s awesome? Kids with mohawks cheese tots Goldfaden’s Peppermint Infused Body Exfoliating Polish. Why so awesome you ask? It’s minty — so it really wakes you up and refreshes you. It’s scrubby without being super harsh and it’s made with natural botanicals, so it’s good stuff for your skin.

Now I’m not your run-of-the-mill bath products and scrubby stuff junkie, so I take most products on a little trial run-make them prove themselves before they get to live in the corner of my shower with the best of ‘em. So here’s what I did:

I started with a pair of legs that needed some shaving/exfoliating/moisturizing (think pre-VersaSpa routine). On my left leg, I used the scrub as directed and on the right, nothing. I proceeded to shave both legs and continue on with my routine, then moisturized both legs with the same ole lotion I always do. Fast forward to being dressed later that day and me having all of my friends feel my legs to compare. At a restaurant. Yeah. Anyway, the Peppermint-Polished Leg won hands down. It was noticeably smoother and felt much more moisturized than the other-almost silky. So imagine this feeling head to toe (head use not actually recommended)!

So, if you’re looking for holiday gifts, this body polish would be great for the bath junkie, spa-lover, or any overworked and under-spoiled girl in your life…

Holiday Giving: Our Toy Haul For Charity at Walmart

Thanks to Walmart, this year Audrey Grace and I were able to start a new tradition – a tradition of giving.

In my role as one of the Walmart Moms, Walmart equipped me with a $100 gift card and a mission – shop for toys to donate to the charity of my choosing. We’ve done a lot of Holiday projects with Walmart this season, but I have to say that I was most excited about this one and Walmart’s Hunger Initiative.

Audrey Grace and I made our way to Walmart late one evening to shop for the toys.  She was so excited to find some special things for “her kids” as she put it.  Wanting to encourage a giving spirit in the heart of my daughter (who will be so blessed this holiday season, as she has been in the past), I allowed her to choose the toys all by herself.  As a result, every item that she chose was geared towards little girls, but I liked the idea that each items was chosen with love by my daughter, as if she was choosing a present for a friend.

I tried my best to help Audrey Grace to stretch our gift card as far as we could, but in the end she had the ultimate say-so.  Even so, you can see that we easily filled a basket with toys and we only went $5 over our $100 budget, even with buying some of the season’s hottest toys.  $100 really gets you far at Walmart (and trust me, as a mom on a budget I’ve checked toy prices everywhere this year!) – further than any place else I have found this Holiday Season – so it made the most sense for us to shop there, even if Walmart hadn’t sponsored our trip!

Check out the video of Audrey during our Toy Haul below!  We donated all of the toys to a local Toys for Tots headquarters, and Audrey Grace proudly marched in to put all of the toys in the proper bins.

In the end, I decided that we will continue this tradition next year – with or without a gift card from Walmart.  We will return to our local store and choose toys to donate to local children in need because in the end, the Holidays are about giving.  In all honesty, the opportunity to give is one of the best gifts I’ve yet to receive, and I’ve vowed not to forget that.

I hope you’ll join us and reach out to make a difference in your community this Holiday Season.

May your days be merry and bright.  Happy Holidays.

Disclosure: Walmart sponsored this post and they provided us with a $100 gift card to purchase these toys. I’ve got to say, this is possibly the most fulfilling post I’ve ever written, so thank you so much Walmart for providing us with the opportunity to give back to our local community!

Top Toys At Walmart: Holiday Barbie, VReader, Tangled

I’m totally in the throes of my Holiday Shopping for Audrey – I’m determined to finish early this year!  Thankfully, this year Walmart gave me an easy way to browse through the season’s hottest toys with their Top Toys Catalog.   So, do you want a sneak peek at Santa’s workshop this year?  I’m so excited about Christmas morning that I think I may end up having more trouble sleeping than my daughter.  I feel like a kid again!

No girly girl should be without a Holiday Barbie!  A long-standing Christmas tradition, we have a Holiday Barbie for every year since my daughter was born.  This year is no exception!

Also, do you think Mattel would consider making me an adult version of that outfit?  LOVE.

Holiday Barbie here was on Rollback for $35, down from the $40 I found her everywhere else.  SOLD!

Audrey Grace and my nephew Colton BOTH scored a VTech VReader for the Holidays.  I love these because they are like Kindles for Kids.  Audrey Grace and Colton are both turning 4 in the next few months, and this is the perfect gift for the point that they are at in the learning/reading process.  The Tinkerbell and Mickey Mouse Clubhouse Books to go with the readers will keep them interested for hours, plus it’s a fun activity that we can do together!

The VTech VReader is $54 which is a steal for such a great product, in my opinion.  I’m SO excited to see her reaction to this one!

My sweet little girl has been really into chalk and chalkboards lately – especially now that she is writing some letters, etc. so Santa scooped up this Pink Step2 Easel with a chalkboard on one side and a dry-erase board on the other.  I had this shipped to my home and it got here insanely fast.  The delivery man was even kind enough to leave it in the truck until he could tell me that the box revealed it’s contents, so that he wouldn’t ruin the surprise.  That is why I LOVE the holiday spirit.  I also got her some non-toxic chalk and dry-erase markers, so she is ready to go to town as soon as she sees it.  Bonus: Santa will be leaving Audrey Grace a Merry Christmas note on her easel – just like he did for me when I was a child!

The Step2 Pink Easel is $34.

We are certainly fans of the new film “Tangled” and Audrey Grace is receiving a slew of Tangled items this Christmas from Santa Claus.  Maximus was one of the highlights of the film for us, so I couldn’t resist picking up this sweet toy when I saw it in the Tangled section.  By the way, I did a little research on this toy later, and this was by far the best price – it was at least $10 more everywhere else.

Maximus the horse from “Tangled” is $19.88.

Of course, I couldn’t pass up the traditional Rapunzel doll – SOMEONE needs to sit on Maximus!   Plus, Rapunzel herself was only $12.  Can’t wait to meet her when we go back to Walt Disney World in January!

So tell me, what is on the list of Top Toys for your children this year?

Disclosure: This is a sponsored post by Walmart that was offered to me because of my role as one of the Walmart Moms.  However, everything you read above is 100% true and real and all opinions are my own!

Christmas Cards: Personalized Photo Cards at Tiny Prints {A Giveaway}

It happens to me every year.

I’m bopping along, humming “Jingle Bells” to myself, feeling very self-satisfied with the amount of Christmas shopping that I’ve already accomplished, when I walk over to my mailbox and absentmindedly pull the mail out of it.

A red envelope tumbles to the ground.  A white envelope addressed in a gold pen in perfect cursive handwriting remains in my hand, when it hits me.

Christmas Cards.

I’m late!  I’m behind!  I haven’t ordered my Christmas cards yet!  The rush has started.  Not only have my perfect friends with their perfect families already taken pictures in their matching Christmas sweaters (during the 80-degree Louisiana October, mind you), but they’ve also beat me to the choosing, the ordering, the addressing, and the stamping of my Christmas Cards.

You know, the Christmas cards that exist right now, uh, only in my mind.

I try not to hyperventilate.  And yes, I am a bit of a drama queen.

Thankfully a few years ago I made friends with the folks over at Tiny Prints.  They take my less-than-perfect timing and my drama-queen tendencies and turn them into the most perfect Christmas cards that you’ve ever seen — and they’ve been doing this for 3 wonderful holiday seasons, now.  My parents still have the last two Christmas cards up on their refrigerator, and this year Audrey and I will be brightening their mailbox with the following tri-fold card:

Because we didn’t have time to take Christmas photos this year, I used some photos of Audrey and I from throughout the year, which I think turned out wonderfully.  Of course, I couldn’t resist adding one of my handsome boyfriend and I in the mix as well – it made the card even more representative of the wonderful year that we’ve had.

The printing and quality of the products that I get from Tiny Prints is always top notch – I’ve gotten Christmas cards, business cards, and birthday party invites from them in the past, and I’ve never been disappointed.  Each year our Christmas Cards get so many compliments that I can’t imagine going back to the 1-hour photo place for my cards ever again — or anywhere else for that matter!

If you are much like me, and have gotten so wrapped up in the Holiday Season that you’ve totally forgotten to order your Christmas Cards, Tiny Prints wants to help.  They want to offer one very lucky Chic Shopper Chick reader a chance to win 50 Christmas cards for this year!  Because Christmas will be upon us before we know it, this contest will move fast and involve some express shipping, but you can have a beautiful, personalized cards in your family’s mailboxes before the holiday itself!

Win It! Would you like to win 50 personalized Christmas cards to make your friends and family oooh and ahhh?  Of course you would!  Head on over to Tiny Prints and let me know which of the Christmas Cards you would choose if you were to win by leaving a comment!  For bonus entries, you can tweet this contest out to your followers, share it on Facebook (see the buttons at the top of this post for help sharing), subscribe to my site via email (box at the top right), subscribe to my YouTube Channel, or write a blog post about this contest (worth 3 extra entries).

That’s it! Good luck!

This contest will run from December 8, 2010 to December 15th, 2010 and will end at 11:59 pm CST. No purchase necessary to win, and a winner will be chosen at random.  If the winner does not respond to emails within 72 hours of notification, then another winner will be chosen.  US entries only.

Disclosure:  Tiny Prints sponsored my Christmas Cards this year, which prompted this post. However, I am a long time fan of the brand and can’t imagine that ever changing – these cards are awesome. For more information, see my disclosure policy.

Holiday Gifts: Diamonds Are A Girl’s Best Friend {A Giveaway!}

You know what they say – Diamonds are a girls best friend!  Ok, I don’t know who “they” are but I’d have to say – they’re totally right.  Every girl deserves to sparkle and shine (oh, and showoff) a little bit, don’t you agree?  Of course, any wise man knows that the best holiday gifts come in small packages, so for all of the gentleman out there searching for the perfect gift for the woman in your life – consider spoiling her with diamonds!

Helzberg Diamonds agrees that every woman deserves to be spoiled – and to prove it they sent me this GORGEOUS diamond knot pendant.  I saw a photo of the pendant before seeing it in person, and I have to say, the photo doesn’t at all do it justice.  I opened the box and literally “oohed” out loud.

This Everlon sterling silver and 14 karat yellow gold knot pendant with a 1/7 carat round brilliant cut diamond delicately hangs from a sterling silver box chain, and would be a stunning addition to every woman’s jewelry collection.  This piece is something I feel like I can pass on to my daughter once she is older, something that will hopefully make the round for generations.

Helzberg Diamonds also sent me a box set of 5 pairs of Honora Pearl Earrings which are just lovely for the holidays.  These would make great holiday gifts for a co-worker, favorite aunt, or close friend – something different than the typical coffee shop gift card/candle/bath set.

You can purchase the Everlon Diamond Knot Pendant at Helzberg Diamonds for $299.99 or the Honora Pearl Earrings set for $50.  Both are stunning and would make incredible holiday gifts – so consider clicking over and getting some of your holiday shopping done!

Win it! Helzberg Diamonds wants to give one very lucky Chic Shopper Chick reader the opportunity to win a diamond knot pendant and box set of 5 pairs of Honora Pearl earrings, just like the ones above!  To enter, head on over to Helzberg Diamonds then come back here and leave a comment letting me know your other favorite items is from their website, or what you would buy for your girlfriend/fiancee/wife if you could.  For bonus entries, you can head over and vote for Morgan by clicking the FB “like” button on his submission for the Last Original Idea in Marketing Contest (3 entries!), you can tweet this contest out to your followers, share it on Facebook (see the buttons at the top of this post for help sharing), subscribe to my site via email (box at the top right), subscribe to my YouTube Channel, or write a blog post about this contest (worth 3 extra entries).  For any of these that you choose to do, please come back here leaving a comment to let me know that you did so.

That’s it! Good luck!

This contest will run from December 7, 2010 to December 15th, 2010 and will end at 11:59 pm CST. No purchase necessary to win, and a winner will be chosen at random.  If the winner does not respond to emails within 72 hours of notification, then another winner will be chosen.  US entries only.

Disclosure: I was sent the diamond pendant and pearl earrings for review by Helzberg Diamonds.  This in no way affected my opinion of the product and all thoughts expressed above are 100% mine.  Check out my disclosure policy for more information.

Stylish Workout Gear

bras at target $16.99, capri at sports authority $22
socks at old navy $6.50
lululemon tank $42
tee at gap $12, nike shorts $28

Turkey. Cheesecake. Potatoes. Cookies. What didn’t we eat over the past few weeks? Now that I’m coming out of the Thanksgiving food coma, it’s time to really focus on staying on track with my gym routine through the rest of the year. I can get derailed so easily by holiday parties, cocktail hours, treats brought into work, and just plain wanting to stay in from the frigid weather. There is no better motivation to get into the gym than shopping…for new gym clothes! You can use my method of buying new duds and being excited to wear them so I go to the gym, or the Pavlovian method of rewarding yourself with new stylish workout gear when you hit a milestone (lose a certain amount of inches/pounds, are able to lift a certain weight, are consistent with your gym routine, or add time to your cardio). Either way you win! You look good in your new threads, feel good in them, and in a few short weeks you look even better! Score.