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Natrura EVO Grain-Free Dog Food and Cat Food – A review by Chandra and Binx
Just as in the human world, an overabundance of high-calorie carbohydrates in a pet food diet can lead to obesity, diabetes and overall listlessness. Yet, many pet food companies continue to use grains and grain by-products as the foundation for their pet products.
Many pet owners have made the move to a raw pet food diet as an alternative to traditional pet food products to reduce carbohydrates while supplying the protein their active pets need. EVO pet food is your ideal partner for this lifestyle. Our protein comes from fresh meat, not cooked grains. In fact, our dry foods are comprised of up to 42% protein-rich ingredients while our canned foods are up to 95%! EVO is the perfect supplement to raw and homemade diets. Or, as an alternative when this type of preparation may not be convenient or possible.
What I think:
When my fur baby Binx developed a serious urinary tract disease called FLUTD, I was devastated. I had put another cat down just a year before due to complications with the same disease. With my first cat, I was told that FLUTD was not fully understood and the treatments my vet tried only cleared up the problem temporarily. Finally I had him put down, because the poor guy was suffering, I owed about $1,000 in vet bills, and I was under the impression nothing else could be done.
When Binx developed FLUTD, I was determined not to have to repeat this scenario. He was given some pills by his (new and improved vet) to help the immediate problem, and I Googled my little heart out to learn what I could do to keep this from happening again. I learned that it is believed that a cat's diet can trigger FLUTD. Apparently, cats who are dry food fed are highly susceptible to this disease, and that's exactly what Binx (and the other cat) was fed. I was now on a hunt for a canned food in hopes of saving Binx's life. On my quest, I also learned that the vast majority of pet food products, dry and canned, are mainly meat by-products and grain fillers. Now, lets think about this- we are feeding our pets scrap meat waste that has been collected off a packing factory floor. Yum! Even foods that are marketed as being "natural" usually contain meat by-products and grain fillers, because it is cheaper. In addition, common sense tells us that in the wild, cats and dogs eat meat from live prey, not grains. I now had a few more qualities in a food to look for- canned (for the higher moisture content, very helpful in FLUTD kitties), NO meat by-products, and grain free. A little more Googling, and presto! EVO pet foods! It took a little time for my kitties to get used to being fed at scheduled times with canned food, instead of eating the dry kibble whenever they wanted, but now they beg for their EVO at feeding time. (Actually, during my search I tried them on other brands of canned food to tide them over until I found the one that was the best for them, and they would barely touch any of them. They took to the EVO right away.)
EVO isn't just for cats with FLUTD by any means- all animals benefit from being fed food made from high quality ingredients. In fact, when the "pet food poisonings" happened last year, I had nothing to be worried about- the issue was with the gluten in the pet foods, and EVO is gluten free! Binx has been happy and healthy for 2 years now with no problems. Until that point, he was in a vicious cycle of "pee pee problems" that would eventually have led to his death. That all stopped when I started feeding him EVO. That is no coincidence.
EVO makes dry and canned food for cats, dogs, and ferrets, in a wide variety of flavors. The EVO website and customer service department is very helpful- you can find listings of all the ingredients in their and other manufacturer's food and see exactly what all those long words really mean, as well as find a place to purchase EVO. (EVO is not sold in large pet stores such as Petsmart, since the maker does not want the product sitting on warehouse shelves forever and losing it's quality, as well as they don't believe the larger pet stores truly have the animal's best interests in mind when conducting business.) I get mine from a local dog grooming shop I found on the EVO website's "Where To Buy" listings.
So how do I really feel? If this product can save my pet's life, it can greatly improve the life of yours. Enough said.
Rattan Shade Table Lamp – A review by Kat
This is an actual photo of my $19.99 lamp in my home. For our wedding we received a floor  lamp from Target that went with our furnishings. This year I decided to buy one more and a table lamp or two to finish up the lighting in the living room. Online, Target recommended lamps to go with the floor lamp that we already owned. I was short on time so I ordered lamps from Target.com and they arrived VERY quickly. I qualified for free shipping AND there was a better selection online than in the store. All in all, my experience with Target.com was enjoyable and satisfying. I guess Target.com AND my Rattan Shade Lamp are my favorite things!
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Softclaws – A review by Chandra
 Developed by a veterinarian, Soft Claws® are vinyl nail caps that glue on to your cat's claws. It covers the claw tips so no damage occurs when your cat scratches. Each package of Soft Claws® contains 40 nail caps, 2 tubes of adhesive, applicator tips and easy to follow instructions. One package contains enough nail caps for 4 applications on Kitty's front paws. Each application lasts approximately 4-6 weeks so one package lasts about 4-6 months. Soft Claws® come in a variety of sizes so your cat or kitten will have a purrfect fit and in lots of fun colors plus clear for the most discreet feline. $18.95 for one package.
I recently bought new living room furniture, and there was NO WAY I was going to allow my female cat to shred the arm of my new couch the way she did my old one. Declawing was not an option (can we say inhumane?!) so I was left looking for alternatives. I remembered a product I had used once years ago for another cat, so I looked up Softclaws. They still make them, in fact, they are VERY popular now. These little nail caps are glued to your cats claws, making them unable to snag or scratch. I bought my first pack at Petsmart, but there they are a few dollars more and are only available in clear. I can't say either of my cats loved the application process, but that's just their personalities. They tried to pull them off the first night, but now they don't even seem to notice they are there. If you have concerns about your cat cooperating while you put them on, I have been told many vets or grooming places will put them on for you for a small fee. Now that it's time for a new set, I purchased them directly from www.softclaws.com and chose Pink for my female and Blue for my male (I know, it's not original, but it is cute!) My furniture doesn't have a mark on it, and neither do I. Though they don't mean to, my cats would accidentally scratch me or snag my clothes. Not anymore! I will recommend this product to anyone as long as they are available!
Note: They now also make Softclaws for dogs!
Partylite Bestburn Jar Candles – A review by Kat
 I adore Partylite candles and I adore their Bestburn Barrel Jar candles. These are not their largest candles but they burn for 55-60 hours and they are so fragrant and lovely! My personal favorite is Strawberry and Rhubarb. One reason I love this size so much is that they fit under a decorative shade that Partylite also sells. I own several but my favorite is a light yellow one with strawberry vines on it and it also has a tray. You must smell the strawberry rhubarb and Cherry candles! Often Partylite comes out with a layered candle that smells so wonderful you will just want to sit in the room with it. To purchase Partylite Jar Candles or more, please email me, a friend of mine has an on-going fundraiser for breast cancer research and 10% of your purchases go to the Susan Komen Foundation.
Green Bags – A review by Chandra
 If you think about the amount of plastic bags we use and just throw away to remain forever in a landfill, we have a serious problem, and Green Bags are the answer. Green bags can now be found in several everyday stores; I have seen them in my local Kroger grocery store although I purchased mine at Walgreens. These seem to be the standard in my area; all the bags are made of the same material with different store logos printed on the sides. This particular style usually runs around $0.99, though others made from different fabrics can vary in price. I saw some very cute stylish ones at Borders that are of a thin material that can be folded up and be put in a purse for about $6.00.
The hardest part about using green bags is training yourself to remember to bring them into stores. (Well, maybe this isn't hard for everyone, but for me it has been). Some cashiers give me strange looks when I tell them I don't want plastic bags, and others are already accustomed to it. I have been told that Whole Foods stores doesn't even have plastic bags anymore, you either have to bring your own (and receive a $0.10 discount per bag) or they will provide recyclable paper bags. They are sturdy; hold more than plastic bags ever did, pack neatly into the trunk, and can be used over and over and over and over...
Brownberry Oat Nut Bread – A review by Kat
Call me lame but I’m going to tell you about my favorite bread. This bead is so soft and delicious! I love the flavor that it adds to sandwiches and toast. The flavor comes from walnuts and hazelnuts! It is cholesterol free, a good source of fiber, vitamins and minerals, low in fat and has zero trans fat. The first time I had this bread was at a friend’s house and I thought it was homemade. Thank the Lord it wasn’t so we can all have it too! You should be able to find this bread at any grocery store. Check out www.brownberry.com to locate a store near you that carries their products.
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Dental Revolution Toothbrush - A Review by Chandra
From the website http://www.dentalrevolution.com/
 How I feel- Having been told that despite all my efforts, I still had severe decay in my upper back molars due to not being able to bush properly in such a small space. I could get a standard toothbrush back there, but was left with no room for the brushing motion without stabbing the hinges of my jaw. Ow! This changed when I discovered the Dental Revolution toothbrush at Walgreens for $10.00 It's unique design requires no actual brushing- instead 2 rotating circular brushes run along the sides of your teeth while brushes away from your gum line, making the daily chore of oral hygiene quick and simple. Currently only available in the US at Walgreens stores and at. www.walgreens.com, this product is worth the special trip or online purchase. Note: The model available at Walgreens is battery operated, though the model shown on the company website is a rechargeable brush (and more expensive).
Britney Spears Believe Fragrance - A Review by Kat
From the advertisements: Britney Spears Believe perfume begins with a radiant blend of guava pulp and  golden tangerine, over a soft floral and feminine heart of honeysuckle, intertwined with hints of linden blossom over a sophisticated and youthful base of patchouli, wrapped in sensual amber and pink pralines.
While I worked a stint at a major department store over the holidays, I had a super great discount. I’ve been wearing PINK by Victoria Secret for as long as it has been out, at least 8 years but I was looking for something that I could use my discount on. A friend of mine who works in cosmetics had me try several perfumes. I selected one and she gave me a sample to take home. The next day I wore it and it was stinky. I went back and tried Believe by Britney Spears.
I’m not a fan of ANY of her other fragrances AND, as much as I’ve always been fascinated with her, I didn’t really want to wear a Britney perfume. However, I LOVE this fragrance! Random strangers stop me to ask what it is and I do admit that it’s Britney. At this particular cosmetics area, they have a book where they can compare fragrances, if you like this…you’ll like this. Ask a fragrance consultant for help if you want to try something new.
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Cover Girl Outlast Lipstick - A Review by Chandra
I originally wanted to try Outlast because I love red lipstick, but never wear it due to the smearing problem while eating, etc. I don't care for the red shades available, none are really a blue-based red that I prefer for my cool skin tone, but now that the line is being re-done and the original is being clearanced out, I decided to  grab a few colors a try them out.
Overall, I LOVE this product. For those who complain of dryness, I can't say I have had the same problem. It does feel different than regular lipstick, but I wouldn't say dry is the right word to describe it. This is not like putting a regular crème-type lipstick on, where it stays "wet". This is more akin to putting real paint on your lips that dries within a few minutes, and now you have a dry coat of paint on your lips, which you moisturize with the clear topcoat that is included. It is a unique feeling, but I have never found it uncomfortable.
As for the performance, it really does what it says! The first shade I used was the Ever-Redy, and it was a good test because with that bright of a shade I was really able to see how well it was staying on. Let me put it this way- I applied it around noon on Christmas day, wore it all day without any wear-off, and even slept with it on! When I woke up there were some flakes on the inner corners of my mouth, but that was it! I am sooo glad that I bought more shades now that they are discontinued, I never wore "color" lipsticks before due to the annoying wear-off. I just stuck to "my lips but better shades" that wouldn't really show if it smeared a bit or rubbed off in places. Now I am enjoying wearing actual color!
*Note- this review is for the original Outlast, not the Doubleshine, the Smoothwear, or the new (reformulated? just repackaged/new shades?) Outlast.
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