MomGadget.com - A guide to gifts, gadgets, gizmos and product reviews for everyday domestic bliss

The bumGenius Elemental One-Size Diaper Review

Marissa — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 18:24:39 +0000

Let me tell you about one of my favorite sites – Thanks Mama! They have everything you need as a mother and for your baby! I especially love that they carry my absolute favorite diaper – The bumGenius Elemental One-Size Diaper!

Thanks Mama has cloth diapers, diaper covers, potty training pants and more from top brands like BumGenius, Fuzzi Bunz, Blue Penguin and Bummis. They carry a variety of cloth diaper styles and accessories like prefolds, pocket diapers, inserts, flushable and washable liners and swim diapers for when your baby hits the beach or pool!

Plus, they always offer Free Shipping on orders over $60!

Looking for organic, natural fibers next to your baby’s bottom? The bumGenius Elemental One-Size Diaper is just the one for you!

The bumGenius Elemental One-Size Cloth Diapers offer an industry first – tabs that stretch for a perfect fit. Stretchy tabs combined with their brand-new snap fasteners make cloth diapering easy. Their new “no-stuff” system available only in the bumGenius Elemental One-Size Cloth Diaper is an ideal solution for families with a child in day-care or family members resistant to cloth diapers! It really is as easy to use as a disposable diaper. Using the snaps on the front of the diaper, adjust the size if needed, put the diaper on your baby, wash, dry and re-use. No extra steps. No stuffing. No cover required. Their one-size diapers are designed to fit most babies weighing between 7 and 35 pounds.

Highlights

•Absorbent layer integrated into the waterproof outer layer.

•One step cloth diaper – no stuffing!

•Now also available in snap closures! Two rows of snaps ensure a trim, bumGenius fit everytime!

•Ultra-absorbent, certified organic cotton inner.

•Gentle leg elastic contains the mess!

My Opinion

I absolutely love the bumGenius Elemental One-Size Diaper from Thanks Mama. I pretty much love everything about it! It is my number one favorite diaper ever!

I love that it is an all-in-one and I don’t have to mess with dirty inserts, trying to find the matching insert, and washing and rinsing it is so easy! It is so easy to use. Just put on and snap! Even my husband can do this one!

I also love the that it is one size. I can use this amazing diaper for all my children from birth to potty training! That makes me so happy!

Most of all, I love that it is organic! That is so important to me as I diaper my son! He has such sensitive skin and I want only safe fabric against his skin!

The only downfall is it takes a little longer to dry. However, I will sacrifice that for all the other great features it has! I just set it outside after washing it and by the end of the day it white and dry! I love the sun!

I recommend the bumGenius Elemental One-Size Diaper for everyone that cloth diapers! It is perfect for expert or beginner and I don’t think you will find a better cloth diaper out there!

Buy It: You can purchase the bumGenius Elemental One-size Diaper for $24.95 on the Thanks Mama website.

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GroVia AIO Cloth Diaper Review

Marissa — Wed, 25 Aug 2010 23:12:48 +0000

Lately, I have really gotten into cloth diapering my little guy and I LOVE IT!!! The diapers are so cute, easy to use, and save so much money and waste!

One of the latest and greatest diapers I have used is the GroVia AIO diaper from Wee Little Changes.

GroVia Cloth All-In-Ones have a super absorbent, organic cotton inner with a soft layer of water resistant TPU outer. There are no stuffing and no doublers!!

This diaper combines ultra soft organic cotton with stretchy wings and a side snap design. They have stretchy tabs for a perfect fit and the trim one size design that grows with baby. Best of all, there is no cover required and it has a quick dry design!

Just simply adjusts rise snaps as needed and fasten on baby. Use snap in soaker for older babies or heavy wetters. When soiled start fresh with a new diaper. The unique design fits babies 10-35+lbs!

April from Wee Little Changes is so great to work with! Her and her family own and operate Wee Little Changes out of Wilmington, North Carolina.

Wee Little Changes is dedicated to providing quality (and cute!) products that are good for your baby, the environment and your purse. April has done countless hours of research on all of their products, and each one has been tested by her family and found to be a winner.

My Opinion

This was the first time I have used a GroVia diaper but I have always wanted to try one since I heard such great things about it from a lot of people!

The first thing I noticed was that it was very trim and slim! I was nervous it wouldn’t hold up against my heavy wetter! However, it did a great job and I never had a leak, even with solids!

I loved that it had an extra soaker you could snap on to the attached one for more absorbence. Because it could unsnap to dry it helped it dry faster! This diaper is definitely the fastest drying all-in-one diaper I own!

The side snaps helped it fit snugly and created less bulk in the front. I also loved the snaps – they were easy to snap even with a struggling and wiggly baby!

I recommend these diaper for all moms that like all-in-one diapers. This diaper was easy to use and absorbent!

Buy It: You can purchase the GroVia AIO diaper for $21.95 on the Wee Little Changes website.

* Thank you to April and Wee Little Changes for their product for review! Disclosure – This product was given for review for my honest opinion. No other compensation was given.*

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DishNetwork – A Customer Experience Tale Part 1

Gayla Baer — Fri, 20 Aug 2010 11:45:51 +0000

No matter how much you like a product or service – one incident can ruin your loyalty and trust.

I’ve been a customer of DishNetwork for over 5 years. In June when I moved to my new house, I brought Dish account with me and even upgraded to DVR with a new unit and have service in four rooms.

Last night our receiver began acting strange. Shutting off at random – leaving us to watch a nice black screen with the words NO SIGNAL.

I phoned technical support who walked me through actions I already knew and had conducted including unplugging the unit from the wall for 30 seconds.

Throughout the night – the unit continued to shut down.

This morning I phoned tech support again and the end result is they are shipping us a new unit.

The representative told me we would have the new unit via UPS by Monday or Tuesday.

That is NOT acceptable!

I told them we have not had unstable weather – there has been nothing done differently – this is a faulty unit and not at our hands. I should not be responsible for the $25 charge they are tacking on my bill to have them overnight equipment that should have been right to begin with.

At this point we SHOULD have our new unit tomorrow – if not, I will be in a house full of unhappy characters and will be forced to take my frustrations out on someone – I’d sure hate to be the rep that gets me if Dish fails on this call.

I do have my old DVR unit from my other house – Following a long detailed chat with them in June – I learned I could keep it and pay a penalty of $100 or I could send it back and purchase one for $300.

Uhhh Do the math! What do you think I did?

Now, whether or not the unit that I kept will work or not – is yet to be seen. I will have to have help in installing it due to the heavy wall unit the main television sits in – but you can bet I’ll be giving it a shot.

Have you had similar issues with DishNetwork? How were things handled and were you happy with the end result?

Going Back to School With HP and Snapfish

denice — Tue, 17 Aug 2010 17:50:13 +0000

With school starting you or the kids are going to be needing a laundry list of supplies. HP and Snapfish have the solution to help.

With HP’s new Photosmart e-All-in-One printer the kids can print out their homework assignments and photos. They can also access new print apps including Crayola for coloring pages. This will keep those pre-school kids occupied and happy too. There’s PBS Kids for literacy, math and science activities. The HP e-All-in-One Printers start a $99 and are equiped with ePrint, a unique simple email address which is assigned to the printer that allows you to send and print the same way you’d send an email message.

You’ll also love Snapfish photo gifts such as personalized notebooks ($9.99) or a desktop organizer ($26.99) to display a favorite photo while keeping supplies handy

Now if you’re tired of looking at the book cover and locker you can download and print free book covers and locker posters from the HP Creative Studios. They’re free. The HP Creative Studio also offers bookmarks, flashcards and mini journals to stay on track and record special memories.

No matter what your back to school needs are HP and Snapfish are sure to have you covered.

Deluxe Sidewinder: The Portable Bobbin Winder

Susan Warren Utley — Mon, 09 Aug 2010 11:25:20 +0000

How many times have you found yourself in mid-project only to have your bobbin thread run out without a spare ready to replace it? With the Deluxe SideWinder from Simplicity, gone are the days of un-threading and re-threading your sewing machine to fill a new bobbin. Wind as many bobbins as needed for your project or, if you are a seamstress or quilter who frequently works with a favorite thread, the sidewinder makes short work of preparing multiple bobbins to have at the ready.

From the compact size, convenient for storage or travel, to the practical storage compartments in the lid, ideal for stashing away the power cord, bobbins, or thread, the Deluxe SideWinder is another well-designed product from Simplicity. It features a built in carry handle, rubber feet on the base, and even a handy thread cutter.

Setting up and using the Deluxe SideWinder for the first time is a quick process. Simply remove it from the box and plug in the power cord. The machine comes with a yellow spindle already inserted and includes additional spindles in green, red, and blue. If necessary, remove the yellow spindle and replace it with the correctly colored spindle to fit your bobbin. A handy Bobbin Chart on the instruction sheet well help you determine the correct spindle required to fit your bobbin for all makes and models for sewing machines, embroidery machines, or long arm quilting machines. The spindles sit snugly in the spindle slot so when removing a spindle for the first time use a firm grasp and pull straight out. I promise it will slide out and a new spindle will pop right back in its place! Unless you change machines on a regular basis, this isn’t something you should have to do often.

Now that you’ve selected the correct spindle for your bobbin, you are ready to wind! Place your spool of thread on the raised thread holder. With an adjustable thread guide bar, the Deluxe SideWinder will accept different heights of spools from small spools to large cones. Make sure the guide bar loop is positioned directly over the spool. Run your thread through the loop of the guide bar, through the metal eye, between the tension disks and finally wrap it around your bobbin. Adjust the bobbin fill knob so that you can wind the correct amount of thread needed for your project. Turn the SideWinder on by pressing the power button on the front of the machine and press the start button when ready. It’s always a good idea to check the tension on your spool to make sure it’s not too tight or too loose. In seconds you’ll have a perfectly wound bobbin.

The Deluxe SideWinder is yet another time saving device from Simplicity. I recently decided to start machine piecing with a common thread, so this nifty gadget is really going to come in handy. To learn more about The Deluxe SideWinder, visit Simplicity Creative Group online.

This reviewer is not compensated for purchases made from links in this review. Sample product(s) were provided for testing and reviewing purposes.
Please see my FTC Disclaimer for more details regarding this review.

Deluxe Rotary Cutter & Embosser

Susan Warren Utley — Mon, 09 Aug 2010 04:20:20 +0000

Simplicity has done it again! When I heard I was going to have the opportunity to review the Deluxe Rotary Cutter & Embosser, I wondered how they could improve upon their original Rotary Cutting Machine, already an accurate and time saving device appreciated by quilters and crafters alike.

Upon removing the Deluxe Rotary Cutter & Embosser from the packaging, I knew right away I was in for a treat. This is a well-made machine. Measuring approximately 14 1/2” in length and 7” in depth, this machine weighs in at 6 1/2 pounds making it light enough to move around my studio but solid enough to stay put while in use. The machine also features a convenient built-in carry handle, sturdy rubber feet to grip your table, and a light that illuminates the work surface while you cut or emboss. Designed to cut strips in widths of 1/4” to 6”, the work surface is clearly marked at 1/8” intervals with an easy to adjust guide bar that moves with a simple twist of a knob. The work surface itself is large enough to work comfortably with your fabric or paper but Simplicity also designed an extension table so you can extend your work surface to 18” x 24”. This item is sold separately and you can read more about it at Simplicity Creative Group online.

Setting up the Deluxe Rotary Cutter & Embosser is a breeze. Simply remove it from the box and plug in the foot pedal and power cord. The machine comes with a straight blade already inserted so if your project requires a straight edge cut, you are ready to go. If not, changing cutting blades is easier than ever. Simply remove one screw with a Phillips head screwdriver to detach the clear safety blade cover. Then remove the black knob which holds the blade in place by turning it in the “Loose” direction clearly marked on the knob. Now you can remove the blade and insert another. Replace the black knob and the safety cover and you’re done. You can find Pinking and Scalloped blades at Simplicity Creative Group online. By the way, as with Simplicity’s original Rotary Cutting Machine, these blades are not sharp so you can hold them gently in your hand and not worry about cutting yourself! This is because the cutting action is achieved through pressure between the blade and the feed roller, not the sharpness of the blade.

Now that you’ve selected the right blade for your project, you are ready to cut! Turn your machine on by pressing the power button on the front of the machine. Set the guide bar to the desired width and test a sample piece of fabric to make sure the pressure is set to achieve a perfect cut. Place the fabric to be cut under the lip edge of the guide bar and press the foot pedal down. This is my favorite feature of the Deluxe Rotary Cutter & Embosser! Unlike a sewing machine foot pedal which controls the speed at which the machine runs, the rotary cutter foot pedal only provides power to make the blade turn. Simplicity added a speed control knob on the machine itself so you can easily adjust it as necessary with your hand and not have to focus on the pressure provided by your foot. This allows you to cut at a constant speed making your cuts more accurate. Now back to adjusting the pressure. If the blade isn’t cutting, you will need to adjust the pressure of the blade on the feed roller. Simplicity provides you with a handy little tool to adjust that pressure for different weights of fabric and paper. A simple twist to raise or lower the feed roller is all that is required! Turn the pressure adjusting tool in the “Up” direction to tighten the pressure or in the “Down” direction to loosen. Again, clear markings make determining the direction in which to turn the tool a simple decision.

Next, I tried out the embossing feature. Switching from rotary cutting to embossing is as simple as changing blades. Simply remove the cutting blade and replace it with an embossing disk. Simplicity provides you with a cute zigzag embossing disk and you can find hearts, scallops and floral circles at Simplicity Creative Group online. To begin embossing, simply follow the same instructions for rotary cutting. It couldn’t be easier.

The Deluxe Rotary Cutter & Embosser is sure to become another Simplicity favorite of quilters and crafters. In addition to making accurate cuts on cotton quilting fabric, I love how this machine makes the perfect scalloped edge on my wool felts. I’m also looking forward to adding embossing to my scrapbooking projects as well as business cards, letterhead, and handmade greeting cards. To learn more about The Deluxe Rotary Cutter & Embosser, visit Simplicity Creative Group online.

Infiniti Pro By Conair Hairdryer Review

Jill McAllister — Sat, 07 Aug 2010 16:37:06 +0000

I was lucky enough to be able try out the new Infinity Pro Hairdryer by Conair. I have really long, thick hair. It takes forever to blow dry. I have tried tons of them and they all take forever. Until now.

This is the best hairdryer I have ever used. It dried my hair without a problem and fast. It has alot more power than the other models I have tried. I also have problems with frizz in this humidity here in Florida and this offers ionic technology to reduce frizz which I did not have a problem with after using this product. It also has a amazing, cool style.

Some of the great features include:

A cold shot of air to help set your hair lock in your curls and waves. I tried this and it worked.

Removable Filter which helps prevent lint build up and helps extend the motors life.

Comes with 2 air concentrator attachments to do different hair styles.

3 heat and 2 speed buttons

AC motor with is puts out more powerful air flow which is 1875 Watt motor

Retails for around $38.99

Naturepedic Organic Cotton Ultra Crib Mattress Review

Marissa — Thu, 05 Aug 2010 17:30:12 +0000

When I was first pregnant with my little guy, I read a lot about what to look for in a good crib mattress and I wanted to make a great choice because I knew my son would spend the majority of his first year in his bed.

What I found out from all my research is that Naturepedic is the best baby crib mattress and bedding company out there! That is why I am so excited that I got to try out their Naturepedic No-Compromise Organic Baby Crib Mattress! It has been at the top of my list to get since my son was born!

So why is picking a quality and safe crib mattress such a big deal? Well, baby and children’s mattresses typically use materials such as vinyl/PVC and polyurethane foam which release questionable chemicals over time. These materials and chemicals have been eliminated in the No-Compromise Organic Baby Crib Mattress. Babies in particular spend up to 70% of their early life sleeping and playing on a crib mattress.

Your baby’s health and safety should not be negotiable. This Naturepedic mattress has also been tested for chemical emissions and certified by GREENGUARD® to meet their strict standards for children.

It features a luxurious organic cotton fabric with an easy-to-clean clear food grade 100% polyethylene waterproof coating. Polyethylene is an excellent alternative to the vinyl/PVC found in nearly all crib mattresses. Polyethylene is an environmentally friendly plastic used throughout the food packaging industry for its purity and non-toxic properties. It provides the ultimate non-toxic waterproof and stain resistant mattress cover.

This Naturepedic mattress also features a organic cotton filling. Mother nature provides the best materials for a healthy and comfortable sleep. A crib mattress made with organic cotton promotes a healthy and more chemical-free sleeping environment. Cotton is an ideal filling material that is both natural and renewable. Organic Cotton is unbleached, undyed, and grown without synthetic pesticides, herbicides, or chemical fertilizers.

The heavy-duty orthopedic innerspring and firm flat surface provide ideal support in accordance with pediatrician and Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) firmness recommendations. It has 252 Coils (702 Coil Count) + Edge Support.

It is hypoallergenic and has a dust mite barrier cover which creates no need for an additional dust mite barrier encasing. There is no wool or latex so there is no need to worry about these potentially high allergy materials.

And finally sleep soundly at night knowing it is also protecting your child from fire hazards. Cotton does not burst into flames or release deadly fumes when ignited (as compared with polyurethane foam). Exclusive fire protection system features a non-toxic and naturally derived fire barrier system that is safe and effective. It meets and exceeds all Federal and State flammability standards without the use of potentially harmful chemicals.

These five priorities of Naturepedic really sum up the differences between them and other companies:

Priority #1: No harmful chemicals.
Priority #2: No allergenic materials.
Priority #3: Practical design (e.g. easy-to-clean waterproof cover).
Priority #4: Natural, organic and renewable materials wherever possible.
Priority #5: Third party independent testing and verification.

My Opinion

As you can see from reading the description above, these Naturepedic mattresses are top quality! They have removed all the harmful unsafe ingredients of normal mattresses out there and replaced them with healthy, natural and organic ingredients that will keep your baby safe and healthy, especially in the place they spend their most time – their beds!

I was extremely happy with the Naturepedic mattress we received! The mattress fit perfectly in our crib and the sheets fit perfectly over the mattress! I just sleep better at night now knowing that my son is sleeping on a Naturepedic mattress!

Since he was born, my son has always had some wheezing and stuffiness at night while breathing. I haven’t noticed any of that anymore while he is sleeping and I only hope that continues all the way through winter because of this new mattress!

I definitely recommend Naturepedic mattresses and other bedding accessories for all babies out there! Do the research and you will find that Naturepedic is the highest quality and safest baby crib mattresses out there! You won’t regret your purchase of Naturepedic products!

Buy It: You can purchase the Naturepedic No-Compromise Organic Cotton Ultra Baby Crib Mattress for $359.00 on the Naturepedic website.

* Thank you to Naturepedic for their product for review! Disclosure – This product was given for review for my honest opinion. No other compensation was given.*

Robby Wash Laundry Ball Review

Jill McAllister — Wed, 04 Aug 2010 19:54:39 +0000

I was not too sure how this product was going to work when I received this at home. I love my laundry detergent and I don’t like to change. I am really glad I did. This was well worth the try.

I was afraid that I might not like the scent. I have to say it has a delightful fresh and clean scent. My clothes smelled wonderful after I washed them.

I do suggest you make sure the lid is locked before putting it in. If it comes loose the balls will fall out. Just to be sure I check before every load.

Great for use in hot or cold water. Each ball comes with a free stain stick. Detergent that is in the ball is hypoallergenic. Each Robby Ball pack will clean for approximately 12 months. Includes 3 refill packs. Each ball should last you approx 2-3 years. This detergent does not have phosphates or chlorine.

Each ball retails for $32.95. You can fid them here Robby Wash Blue Laundry Ball Pack (12 months) The blue ball is recommended for for high temperatures (32-180ºF).

Robby Wash Fuchsia Laundry Ball Pack (12 months) The fuschia ball is recommended for low temperature loads (32-90ºF).

I highly recommend trying this out. I am loving using this. Saves time and money.

Blizzard® Treats Make Miracles on Aug. 5

Gayla Baer — Wed, 04 Aug 2010 18:28:20 +0000

As the Dairy Queen® system celebrates the 25 birthday of its iconic Blizzard® Treat, participating Dairy Queen and DQ® Grill & Chill® locations throughout the U.S.

Dairy Queen will host the Fifth Annual Miracle Treat Day and donate $1 or more from every Blizzard Treat sold to Children’s Miracle Network, a non-profit organization dedicated to saving and improving the lives of children by raising awareness and funds for 170 children’s hospitals. All funds collected on Miracle Treat Day will benefit the local communities in which they were raised.

This event will run all day on Thursday, Aug. 5, 2010
Visit MiracleTreatDay.com for the nearest participating Dairy Queen location.
Customers can choose from all currently featured Blizzard Treat flavors on Miracle Treat Day including the special "Blizzard of the Day," the ever-popular Oreo® Blizzard Treat, which reigns as the most ordered flavor since the first one was served upside down with a spoon in 1985. They also can try the new Oreo Brownie Earthquake® Blizzard Treat, the Blizzard of the Month for August. There now are more than 100 different Blizzard Treat flavors.
Last year, Dairy Queen raised $4.6 million on Miracle Treat Day. One of the top 10 contributors to Children’s Miracle Network, Dairy Queen has raised more than $81 million for the organization since 1984.