Do you know how to properly set a table? How to ask for a dish of food, decline a dish of food, where to put your elbows (hint: never on the table!), or what to talk about with the person sitting next to you? No? Then say hello to Lovely Manners. Lovely Manners is a company that produces reusable, eco-friendly, stylish and quite all-around awesome placemats in three different colors: gray, blue, and orange. Each placemat shows the proper setting for a table (placement of plate, cup, napkin, and utensils), and each placemat also has unique pieces of advice and general table etiquette/info written around the borders.
Lovely Manners sent us one of their 6-piece placemat sets, in orange, to review and enjoy. They were an instant hit on our table, and stayed there until the holidays, when they were put away only because it was time to bring out our holiday place settings. I admit, the placemats have been handy in reminding me of the placement of the utensils (you’d think that at 27 years of age this would not be a problem for me, but I digress…). But more importantly, the placemats have helped my five year old son and seven year old daughter set the table, as well as learn and reinforce table manners and etiquette.
Lovely Manners’ 6-piece placemats are just $26.95, and since they are eco-friendly and reusable (after three months of being used they show very little sign of wear – they are quite durable!), you’ll definitely want them gracing your table.
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Disclosure: Lovely Manners provided me with a free product in exchange for my honest opinion.
Do you live in Calgary, Canada, or are you looking to relocate to that area? If so, then houses for rent in Calgary may be of interest for you. Why should you rent, rather than look for a place to purchase? Well, while renting has several disadvantages (rates going up, restrictions on pets, painting, hanging wall decor, etc.), there are numerous advantages to choosing to rent rather than own:
- You can move at any time (barring any restrictions in your lease, of course)
- The property owner/landlord is responsible for repairs
- Renters’ insurance is generally cheaper than homeowners’ insurance
At RentCalgary.com, you can find a generous selection of properties that are available for rent in Calgary. You can browse by area/neighborhood, and use filters to specify other features/requirements. Additionally, you can also check out properties that are for sale, if that is something that you would like to pursue.
For more information, visit RentCalgary.com.
Your prom date may be several months away, but now’s a great time to start planning out what you’ll wear to prom. Of course, you’ll want to keep that prom date in mind when selecting colors (cold weather may cause you to gravitate towards darker, cooler colors; whereas prom is held in warmer weather when lighter, warmer colors are a must-have!), and when selecting dresses. While long prom dresses never go out of style, depending on where you live and where your prom is being held (indoors where there may be no air conditioning; outdoors where warmer temperatures and humidity may cause you to be uncomfortable), you may find that shorter prom dressers may be a better choice.
I have a titanium ring, and I love it. Titanium is a relatively light-weight metal that is durable and long-lasting, much like stainless steel – only it’s a little nicer. 
Titanium can be made with a matte or shiny finish, and many specialty titanium rings, such as mens titanium wedding bands, may even have gold or platinum or diamond or other gems inlaid! Consider titanium as a ring material for your next ring purchase.
Once upon a time, the only condiment I would put near my meat was ketchup. I had nothing on my fast food sandwiches except for cheese and ketchup; at Chinese restaurants I ate nothing but sweet & sour chicken (without the sauce) and white rice; and at Mexican restaurants I’d have tortilla chips and a grilled cheese sandwich. But as I’ve aged, and especially since having weight loss surgery a little over two years ago and thus being much more picky about what I put in my body (space is limited, you know!), I’ve branched out. Now I’m all about all sorts of seasonings and spices and sauces.
The right kind of sauce can really make a huge difference in a meat’s juiciness, tenderness, and all-around flavor. I’ve read some really good reviews of Country Bob’s All Purpose Sauce, so I was definitely excited when the company offered to send me a few bottles to review. Country Bob’s All Purpose Sauce comes in several flavors: Original, Spicy, Honey Habanero, and Apple Chipotle. We received the Original flavor, which is perfect for adding flavor to or even marinating all sorts of meats in – chicken, beef, pork, fish. You name it, it can be jazzed up with Country Bob’s All Purpose Sauce. Check out the dozens of Country Bob’s recipes for main entree, side, and appetizer recipes; or use your own creativity to come up with a great-tasting dish.
We have used Country Bob’s All Purpose Sauce on steaks, steak sandwiches, hamburgers, grilled chicken, even on French fries! Recently I made meatloaf following Country Bob’s meatloaf recipe (though I used ground venison instead of ground beef, and I added some ketchup and a pinch of ground mustard) – delicious! Even my super-picky five year old son cleared his plate, and asked for seconds!
Needless to say, Country Bob’s All Purpose Sauce is a huge hit in our household. We’ve quickly gone through two of the three bottles, and it won’t be long before we’ll be purchasing more. If you love steak sauce and barbeque sauce, then you’ll love the zest and excellent flavors that Country Bob’s All Purpose Sauce can provide you with.
Follow Country Bob’s on Facebook and Twitter.
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Disclosure: Country Bob’s provided me with free products in exchange for my honest opinion.
Have I mentioned my seven year old daughter’s love for Hello Kitty? Her minor obsession with Hello Kitty began back in 2007, and we (as in her parents, close family members and even extended relatives and friends) have been only too happen to feed that obsession. Here are just a few things my daughter has that are Hello Kitty themed: clothing, bed sheets, temporary tattoos, lotion, lip gloss, shoes, rain boots, umbrella, coat, lunch box, tent, toys (of course), Nintendo DS case, stationery, alarm clock, stereo, water fountain.
So when I saw that Crane USA carried an extensive line of Adorable Humidifiers that include a Hello Kitty humidifier, I just knew we had to have it. We do have a humidifier in the house, but that’s one humidifier to be shared amongst three bedrooms, and with winter’s cold, dry air, the dry air produced by forced heat, and not to mention the numerous colds, bacterial infections, sinus infections and general bugs that will be making the rounds this winter and even early spring, it just makes sense to have more than one humidifier, rather than fight over one.
Humidifiers, in case you’re not familiar with them, are electric-powered devices that convert regular tap water into a warm or cool soothing steam. This steam can help with congestion, as well as dry, irritated skin – particularly the nose, nasal passages, and throat. When used at night, close to your sleeping area, a humidifier can ease your breathing and improve the quality of your sleep. If you’ve ever dealt with the misery of not being able to comfortably sleep due to being congested, then you’ll want the comfort and relief that a humidifier can provide.
The Hello Kitty humidifier features a 1 gallon water tank that can run for up to 24 hours, misting up to 2.1 gallons of water in a 24 hour period – and no inconvenient filter is required. In addition to providing enough humidity for a room that is up to 250 square feet, the Hello Kitty humidifier also has a night light function (perfect for a child’s room!), and has an auto-shutoff safety sensor. A dial on the front of the humidifier allows you to determine the output based on your needs, preferences, and room size.
This humidifier is the perfect addition to our daughter’s bedroom during the colder months. She has been sick a few times, including right before and right after Christmas, and the humidifier was a great help when she was dealing with a dry cough and a sore throat. The humidifier is indeed whisper-quiet, while providing more than enough vapor to humidify the room and provide comfort for my daughter; the night light feature is also a welcome addition, and one that she enjoyed.
The Hello Kitty humidifier retails for $49.99, and can be purchased here. You can purchase any of the other Adorable Humidifiers on Crane USA’s website; you can also use the Where To Buy section to find local retailers.
Follow Crane USA on Facebook and Twitter.
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Disclosure: Crane USA provided me with a free product in exchange for my honest opinion.
What child doesn’t like fruit snacks? Both of my children have loved fruit snacks since their very first taste of them, which was when they were toddlers and I offered them toddler-appropriate fruit snacks. What I loved about those fruit snacks is that they were packed with real fruit. These days, most childrens’ fruit snacks are nothing more than sugar, food coloring, and artificial flavoring.
Then there are Buddy Fruits. Unlike so many other types of fruit snacks, Buddy Fruits are a type of fruit snack that are actually made out of fruit. In fact, each pouch of Buddy Fruits contains 100% fruit – no additives or artificial substitutions. The story behind Buddy Fruits is an awesome one: a French family traveling across America were on a quest to find fruit pouches, similar to those that are so popular in France, for their children; and they were unable to, so they decided to create their own!
Buddy Fruits are especially awesome because they are available in three different forms: Pure Blended Fruits (fruit juice in a squeezable, collapsable pouch); Pure Fruit Bites (soft fruit snacks); and Blended Milk & Fruit (fruit smoothie). All sound appealing to me, but I have a feeling that my children would like the Pure Fruit Bites most – and that’s exactly what Buddy Fruits sent us to review.
My friend’s daughter was at our house the weekend that we “reviewed” Pure Fruit Bites. They were an instant hit – of the available flavors, pomegranate and orange seem to be the most favored. We made sure to try them all, and each definitely tasted deliciously fruity and natural.
Buddy Fruits have definitely found a permanent home in our snack cabinet. 100% fruit-containing treats that my children like and want to eat – what’s not to love? Want to provide your children with a nutritious and delicious treat? You can buy Buddy Fruits online, or use the Where to Buy section to find a local retailer.
Follow Buddy Fruits on Facebook and Twitter.
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Disclosure: Buddy Fruits provided me with a free product in exchange for my honest opinion.
Hello, and welcome to In My Bag! My name is Jenn, and this is my product review blog. In My Bag is where I showcase my reviews of many of the products and services I buy and use, as well as the occasional trials, coupons and freebies that come my way. Interested in learning more? 
