influenster | college voxbox

i recently received a new voxbox from influenster with a variety of products geared toward college students. although i am not currently a college student, sometimes i feel i am with all these late nights of writing blog posts and reading other people's blogs. here are the products featured in this box: 

pentel energel-x gel pen

sheets mint boost energy strips

broadway nails impress press-on manicure

necco tropical wafers

nyc new york color show time glitter pencil

i absolutely love the pentel pen! i carry it around with me everywhere for fear that one of my kids will steal it from me. i am a sucker for a good writing pen. i carry at least 20 pens around with me in my purse at all times, but lately my pentel energel-x pen is the only one i use. they come in a variety of colors and i plan to get them all!

i used the sheets mint boost energy strips right away and finished them all within a couple days. i drink energy drinks every one and then and i just didn't feel like these sheets worked as well as the drinks, in my opinion. 

i was most hesitant about the broadway nails because that just isn't my thing. i don't like long nails and don't even paint my nails because i dislike the upkeep. when i tried these, i cut them down very low, the same length as my own nails. surprisingly, they stayed on well for about one day. i even washed my hands with them on and they held up. however, i know i would never buy them. just being honest!

the necco tropical wafers were tasty. i remember the original flavors and was very turned off by them...pretty gross actually, but these were actually quite good. i ate through the whole pack in about 20 minutes, and was very hesitant to share, if that tells you anything.

and lastly was the nyc new york color glitter pencil. i have used it a few times now, but very sparingly. quite honestly, i am super scared of this pencil because the glitter is quite large. not so big that you feel like you are carrying weight on your eyelids or anything, but big enough that if any one of those little flakes of glitter got into my eye, i would feel it, and probably develop a case of pink eye trying to get it out. seriously though, my eyes are very sensitive. other than that, i do like the pencil and it glides on smoothly. 

have you tried any of these products? if so, which ones and what did you think of them? if not, which products would you be most interested in trying?

want to know more about influenster? check out the post i did HERE for more information and find out how you too can become an influenster.

 joni - sixcherriesontop (at) gmail (dot) com | twitter | facebook | pinterest | instagram

are you an influenster?

i'm not just a mom of six, i am also interested in other things like food, fashion, beauty, music and movies. recently, i joined influenster, a great online community where i am able to share the latest news about all those topics i love, as well as share my thoughts and opinions about new products.  i love that i am able to get together with other like-minded individuals to gather inspiration and advice to help increase my scores on influenster. the more involvement i have with influenster, the more perks and opportunities i will gain.

sound confusing?

influenster isn't just about getting free products. it's about getting a chance to spread my knowledge about products, brands, and services, based on my influence online. remember me telling you all about my experience with crest 3D whitestrips? that was an awesome opportunity made possible through influenster. it's a great community to join and you should definitely check it out to learn more.


once you have read what influenster is all about, let me know if you are intersted in joining. i would love to send my most influential friends an invite!

   

joni - sixcherriesontop (at) gmail (dot) com | twitter | facebook | pinterest | instagram: sixcherries

karoo app review | #doyoukaroo

let me just say that karoo is really one of the greatest apps ever. seriously! i wish i had this app back when i worked in childcare because it is one of the most genius ways for early childhood educators to keep working parents in the know about their child, while they are apart each day.  from personal experience, it is a difficult decision for parents to make when it comes to putting their little one's in childcare. we worry about missing certain milestones, and wonder if you have made the right decision. this app is sure to ease parent's minds throughout the day, as they are able to stay connected with their child so easily.

karoo is a free iphone app and website from care.com that allows anyone who signs up to keep up to the minute information about a child's day and share it with others. when you sign up, you will be able to view that information in a secure account that can only be viewable by approved members. great for teachers, babysitters, and grandparents.

wouldn't you like the convenience of being able to see how your child's day is going at a quick glance while they are at school, share with distant grandparents, or even while your child or pet is at home with a sitter? one of my favorite ways this app. can be used is by childcare providers. you and your child's teacher can both sign up with karoo and throughout the day your child's teacher will be able to keep record of meals, naps, and even diaper changes or potty breaks. you can also take and post photos and video right there in the app. on your iphone.

do you karoo? 

disclosure: this review was part of a social media promotion with one2one network. i was not compensated for this review and all comments, opinions, and ideas are my own and in no way influenced. six cherries on top disclaimer/terms of use.

 

joni - sixcherriesontop (at) gmail (dot) com | twitter | facebook | pinterest | instagram: sixcherries

the ants go marching one by one

as a family, we didn't do very much this summer. we had a few great days at the lake, and even a few days at the pool, but there were no day trips or vacations this year. quite frankly, our summer was pretty boring because money has been very tight for us recently.

however, one thing we did do this summer was make a lot of our own fun at home. last christmas, we received a fire pit from my mom that we kept in the box forever. we had planned to keep it in the box until moved (another thing that didn't really happen this year either), but decided that not getting some use out of it was ridiculous. we pulled it out of the box, set it up, and right away started using it to cook hot dogs and make s'mores. we did that many times throughout the summer and we all really enjoyed it.

another thing we enjoyed doing throughout the summer was growing our own container garden on our back porch. it was a first for us because we have always grown a garden in the backyard. we definitely have the space for it, but it was so much work keeping the weeds out and the hot NC heat seemed evaporate any water we tried to give our plants. container gardening has been much more doable for us, and we loved eating fresh foods from our garden all summer.

we also spent quite a bit of time on our porch, eating snack everyday. the 100+ degree weather we were having most of the summer usually had us reaching for popsicles to keep cool. in the hottest of summer, i bet we ate a popsicle (or two) every day for weeks.

all of this eating and food going on, on our back porch left us with more than just great memories...it left us with a bunch of new friends...ANTS! some days, i would go outside and find that my hot pepper plants were covered in ants. apparently they like it hot because i could not keep them away. the peppers drew them in and the crumbs from our hot dogs, s'mores and popsicle juices was like a big ol' welcome sign right into our house. nothing i did would keep them away.

ironically enough, i received a package from combat to try their combat source kill max ant products. by the time i received it, i was pretty fed up with my uninvited guests, so i immediately opened up the fast killing gel formula and got to work. the gel is a colorless odorless formula that comes in a syringe making it easy to  squeeze into tiny cracks and corners. i used it in the track of my sliding glass door that leads out to my porch to keep them at bay. within 2 days, one of my children pointed out a little "battlefield" of dead ants near the back door. i had only used a small amount with plenty left in the syringe for several other uses. i was surprised how quickly the formula worked and have not seen a single ant, or any other bugs, coming in through that door since. i must say, i am impressed with the combat source kill max fast killing ant formula!

 

our garden is slowly coming to the end of its life for this season and we sit outside for snack less and less, but we still plan to use the fire pit into the fall and maybe even winter...bug free! next year i will be better prepared for the warm weather seasons by researching ways to keep the ants away from my plants and definitely have my combat ready to keep ants out of our home... i'm the bouncer and your not welcome in this club guys!

right now you can get a coupon for $1 off. stop by and get your coupon to try this combat product if you are having a problem with ants in your house. and be sure to go watch this video to understand more about how combat works. 


as a purex insider, i was provided with the products mentioned in this post to try, free of charge. i received no compensation for this post and all comments, opinions, and ideas are my own and in no way influenced. six cherries on top disclaimer/terms of use.

 joni - sixcherriesontop (at) gmail (dot) com |twitter | facebook | pinterest| instagram: sixcherries

building self confidence through working out

 
six months ago when i added working out for 30 days in a row to my spring and summer bucket list, i never thought i would be here now, able to check it off my list.  i certainly never thought i would be closing in on 60 days either and that it all would have such a profound affect on my self esteem. whoa!

perhaps you are sick of hearing me talk about weight loss and working out, but i believe that the best way to stay motivated is to keep it at the forefront of my mind...live it and breath it, right?

to be honest, it is one of best feelings to work so hard for something. in my 20's, losing weight was pretty easy for me. i'm not sure why because i don't really know enough about health and nutrition and the body, but working out for a few minutes each day was all it took to lose 40 lbs. in just a few months. what i didn't realize was how out of shape i still was because not a lot of effort needed to be put in to lose the weight. i didn't know what it was like to push until i thought i would die, and i certainly couldn't run a mile. in fact, i had never been able to run a mile, even in high school.

so, here i am nearly 60 days after starting one of the biggest challenges of my life, and i feel amazing about myself. i have other "demons" in my life that try to wreck my good mood at times, but when i look in the mirror, i see someone i am proud of...the example i want to be for my kids...someone who doesn't give up. i feel like i can go out in public without a sense of shame and i can truly look people in the eyes when i talk to them. i feel like i am getting the old me back. the me that wasn't afraid to be odd or goofy, or even make you feel a little bit uncomfortable with my weirdness.

like my glasses? the awesome company, firmoo, recently sent them for me to try out. i have gotten so many compliments on the uniqueness of these frames, and i enjoy telling them about the variety of styles firmoo has to offer. i was even able to upload a picture of myself and "try" my glasses on before i made my final choice.

the yellow and blue in these glasses definitely fit my personality and style. a new pair of glasses that better suite me have definitely played a role in how i feel about myself as well. and guess what? new customers receive their first pair of glasses FREE! be sure to check out firmoo for more details and to make your next glasses purchase.

p.s. they even have sunglasses! woo hoo!

joni - sixcherriesontop (at) gmail (dot) com | twitter | facebook | pinterest | instagram: sixcherries

carmex makes lotion too! (review and giveaway)

about a month ago carmex sent me a package with two full size containers and two travel size tubes of their new lotion to try. i am usually pretty skeptical about certain lotions because many of them smell great but don't really do anything for my itchy dry skin that usually starts to irritate me this time of year. 

every fall and into the winter, my skin starts to get dry and itchy....winter dry skin and i hate it. i even hate to shave my legs because shaving seems to always make it worse. 

like i said, i was a little skeptical, but i am always willing to try something new.

i put it on my legs and feet after a shower and shaving. it smells great, just like carmex lip products actually, and has worked amazingly to keep my legs from feeling dry and itchy. and the dryness i usually get on my heels has not gone completely away, but i have seen a big improvement. 

i have been using it every day and love it. 

• has the classic, minty carmex scent that i love
• not greasy (i WILL NOT use greasy lotions, i can't stand the way they feel)
• soothes my itchy dry skin

GIVEAWAY:
now one six cherries on top reader has a chance to win a gift set of these same lotions to try themselves. 

what you will win:

 a carmex lotion set 

(set will include one 5.5 oz. carmex healing lotion, 

one 4 oz. carmex healing cream, one 1 oz. 

carmex healing lotion, one .75 oz. carmex healing cream)

how to enter:

there are several chances for you to win. please take the following steps to enter the giveaway and to increase your chances of winning. you must complete the mandatory entry first for all other entries to count. please be sure to leave a separate comment for each entry and leave a valid email address for me to contact you if you win.

mandatory entry (worth 1 entry each):

how do you take care of your toughest winter dry skin problem areas? no dry skin? tell me why you would love to try these products.

extra entries (worth 1 entry each):

• follow six cherries on top via google friend connect (left sidebar!)
• like six cherries on top on facebook
• like carmex on facebook
• follow @sixcherries on twitter
• follow @carmex on twitter 
• use the following phrase to tweet this giveaway (once a day!) CARMEX NOW HAS LOTION! I just entered to win a Carmex lotion set from @sixcherries and Six Cherries on Top. http://ow.ly/7LnAp

this giveaway will end at 11:59 pm (est) on december 6, 2011 and is open to u.s. residents only. a winner will be chosen at random via random.org and will be notified by email. you have 48 hrs. to respond or a new winner will be chosen.

thanks to carmex for offering this giveaway. this is an unpaid giveaway. i was sent a set of carmex lotion products in exchange for an honest review. all opinions expressed are my own and not influenced in any way or by anyone. by entering this giveaway, you agree to six cherries on top disclaimer/terms of use.

joni - sixcherriesontop (at) gmail (dot) com | twitter | facebook | pinterest | instagram: mamacherry

i should be doing laundry: a purex giveaway

the last thing i wanted last weekend was to be stuck inside cleaning and doing laundry.  as the days get longer and warmer, i will probably be putting off a lot of my daily duties to spend more time outside with my children enjoying the fresh air and sun.

 

unfortunately for me, that means i will be up later at night after the kids have finally gone to bed to do all that i have been putting off during the day.  i wouldn't dare show you our laundry pile.  even with my two oldest boys not being here every day, our laundry is ALWAYS backed up.

as a purex insider, i was recently sent a sample to try the new purex complete crystals fabric softener in the fresh spring waters scent along with a coupon for a full sized bottle.

washing our laundry, i used up the sample in one day and just recently used the coupon to try the tropical scent. purex complete crystals also comes in a lavender blossom scent and i love the way they make my clothes feel and smell. even clothes that i hang to dry come out feeling soft.

did you know?

many of the other liquid fabric softeners have been known to use up to 20% oil in their fabric softeners. the oil in those other liquid fabric softeners cause clothing to become flammable and is why they should not be used on children's sleepwear. purex complete crystals are 92% all natural and dissolves in water unlike other traditional liquid fabric softeners.

how about a giveaway?

three six cherries on top readers can now have a chance to try out a 28 oz. size bottle of purex complete crystals softener.

what three (3) people will win:

one coupon per person for any one 28oz. bottle purex complete crystals softener

how to enter:

there are several chances for you to win. please take the following steps to enter the giveaway and to increase your chances of winning. you must complete the mandatory entry first for all other entries to count. please be sure to leave a separate comment for each entry and leave a valid email address for me to contact you if you win.

mandatory entry (worth 1 entry each):

tell me about the fabric softener you are currently using and whether or not you have ever tried purex products.

extra entries (worth 1 entry each):

• link to six cherries on top. grab my button (left sidebar!) and add it to your blog
• follow six cherries on top via google friend connect (left sidebar!)
• like six cherries on top on facebook
• like purex on facebook
• follow @sixcherries on twitter
• follow @purex on twitter
• tweet this giveaway (once a day!) using this phrase: I entered to #win @purex complete crystals @sixcherries & sixcherriesontop.com, #giveaway http://ow.ly/487Dx  then come back and leave a link.
• visit the purex complete crystals website and view any of the videos. come back and tell me in a comment something you found interesting about purex complete crystals.

this giveaway will end at 11:59 pm (est) on march 13, 2011 and is open to u.s. residents only. a winner will be chosen at random via random.org and will be notified by email. you have 48 hrs. to respond or a new winner will be chosen.

thanks to purex for offering this giveaway. i was given free products to test in exchange for an honest review. all opinions are my own and are not influenced in any way or by anyone.  by entering this giveaway, you agree to six cherries on top disclaimer/terms of use.





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Glade Sense & Spray - A Review, Part 2

I was given the opportunity a while back to test out the new Glade Sense & Spray since I am a BzzAgent.

If you are familiar with how I do my product testing, I only look at information or packaging enough to know how to use the product (i.e. if assembly is required). In the case of the Glade Sense & Spray, I read enough to find out how and where it needed to be placed. I was concerned about how close I needed to be to activate the motion sensor it has. I don't look at packaging until I get to the part in my blog where I post product information, because I don't want it to influence my opinion about the product.

I sat it on a low bookshelf near Elijah's bassinet, which is also near a diaper pail, in our room on Oct. 21. I had planned to test it out for only a couple of weeks, but then I thought about it again and I wanted to see exactly how long it would last.

The automatic freshener is in a place that I consider a high traffic area of my home (which has the potential to be stinky as well, since I do have a diaper pail in my bedroom. I also walk past that area many times a day.

I already knew, because I have seen the commercials, that the Glade Sense & Spray device is set to go off when it is motion activated, no more frequently than every thirty minutes. If you prefer more freshness, it did have a button available on the front that can be pushed for more fragrance in the air.

As frequently as I pass by the Glade Sense & Spray device, it still lasted 28 days. It had a light fragrance that was noticeable each time it's fragrance was released, but dissipated quickly once it was released. After just a minute or two, you could no longer smell the fragrance, even when I first received it.

Overall, I thought that the concept was a great idea, however, I've heard some people say that they prefer a constant fragrance throughout their home. Most Glade Plug-Ins last for 30 days and they are continuous fragrance. I feel that this product would not have lasted 30 days if it had gone off continuously every 30 minutes, but it did a wonderful job of getting rid of odor without being continuous. I did enjoy the fragrance, it wasn't too overpowering even when I was sitting rocking my son in our rocking chair. Occasionally, it would go off while I was in the other room for no apparent reason, but this did not happen all the time (perhaps I have a ghost!).

The product lasted 2 days shy of the 30 days, so it was pretty close, considering I thought it went off quite a bit. Now that I no longer have fragrance coming from my Glade Sense & Spray, I have noticed that the odor from the diapers is beginning to return. I would like to purchase another one and would like to try some of the other fragrances as well. I would definitely recommend this product in addition to some of the other products that Glade offers. I suggest putting this one directly near a source that you would consider an "odor area" and putting something like a Glade Plug-In in other areas to disperse scent throughout the entire home.

Glade Sense & Spray - A Review, Part 1

This review is strictly my opinion and I am not persuaded or paid in any way to give an opinion of this product. My opinion is based on my own personal experience using the product described. I am honest in my review without degrading or belittling the company or manufactures, including all employees, in relation to this product.

Secret Clinical Strength Deodorant - A Review, Part 2

A little over two weeks ago, I started using Secret Clinical Strength Deodorant, sent to me by Vocalpoint for product testing. I have been using the deodorant each day since then, and must say that overall, I am pleased with the product. Up until this review I had not read any of the packaging except what was on the front label of the deodorant. I do this simply because I don't want any of the product's "promises" to influence me in any way. I actually have not looked at any of it as of this sentence in my post, and will not do so until I get to the bottom and tell you what this product promises to you as a consumer.

I am not one for having heavy perspiration, which is typically the crowd they are aiming for to use this product, however, I found this to work just as well for "the average sweat glands". I noticed right off the scent when I opened the packaging. It has a very light scent that I had at first predicted would not be very noticeable.

I applied the deodorant before work on the first day, and while at work that day, I noticed a fragrance in the air...it was me! A good smell though. After the first few days, I took notice that when my temperature rose, that was most often the time when I would be able to smell its light aroma. Very nice I must say, and nothing no one else ever noticed, so it wasn't a smell that shot up red flags that I was perspiring.

There were a couple of times that I did some low impact exercise and could definitely tell a difference then as well. Again, that light fragrance.

Compared to my usual deodorant, the most noticeable difference was the fragrance of the deodorant. I actually like this a lot because it lets me know it is working. I certainly never felt stinky, even after increased activity. I must say, I wish I had received this product during the summer, when I am more active. Normally, during the summer months, I perspire much more, and if I anticipate a more active day, I will apply deodorant under my breasts. I would be curious to know how well this would work compared to my usual deodorant during that time of year.

Secret Clinical Strength Deodorant:
Antiperspirant/Deodorant
Light and fresh scent
Advanced Solid (that just means it is the type that is not quite a liquid or a solid)

"The Advanced Solid's triple-action technology provides three layers of protection:

• Clinically proven, prescription strength wetness protection.
• Odor-fighting capsules that absorb odor and release scent all day to keep you smelling clean and fresh.
• Skin soothing conditioners."

Wow! I would have to say that this product lives up to what it claims. I would definitely recommend this product to others, especially those who suffer from excessive underarm perspiration. Visit the website via the link above to find even more about Secret Clinical Strength Deodorant.

Secret Clinical Strength Deodorant - A Review, Part 1

This review is strictly my opinion and I am not persuaded or paid in any way to give an opinion of this product. My opinion is based on my own personal experience using the product described. I am honest in my review without degrading or belittling the company or manufactures, including all employees, in relation to this product.

Glade Sense & Spray - A Review, Part 1

I am a member of BzzAgent, one of my favorite product testing companies, and last week they sent me a full size Glade Sense & Spray to test.

As a member of BzzAgent, I receive a box containing the product along with other materials that I will use to help me as I test the product. I share my honest opinion with others, whether good or bad, to get the word out, and submit BzzReports to BzzAgent.com.

The box that my Glade Sense & Spray came in

Welcome letter describing the campaign

Official BzzGuide - gives me information about the product I am testing

coupons to share

I have opened the box and read the materials provided. I found a great spot in the house to put my Glade Sense & Spray. I believe the best place to put it is probably in the bathroom. However, my girls enjoy playing in the bathroom, so I can just imagine opening the bathroom door and choking on the scent of my Glade Sense & Spray as it engulfs my bathroom from ceiling to floor. I decided to put it on a small bookshelf in my bedroom. I will be testing the product for the next couple of weeks, and then I will post my opinion. Stay tuned!

This review is strictly my opinion and I am not persuaded or paid in any way to give an opinion of this product. My opinion is based on my own personal experience using the product described. I am honest in my review without degrading or belittling the company or manufactures, including all employees, in relation to this product.

Secret Clinical Strength Deodorant - A Review, Part 1

Being a member of Vocalpoint, I get to test products and give reviews. This is not something I get paid to do, but just receiving the products is a major perk. I just received a sample of Secret Clinical Strength Deodorant the other day and I wanted to do a review and share with you my opinion of this product.

I will use the deodorant for the next several weeks and then return to post what I like and dislike about the product. If you have tried this product as well, I would like to hear your comments about how this product has worked for you.

This review is strictly my opinion and I am not persuaded or paid in any way to give an opinion of this product. My opinion is based on my own personal experience using the product described. I am honest in my review without degrading or belittling the company or manufactures, including all employees, in relation to this product.

I am a BzzAgent!

I have been a BzzAgent for many months now, and I love it! I get to try products for FREE...oh, and I get coupons too (double bonus!). Basically, they send me a product, I try it out, I let others know what I think (good or bad, doesn't matter), and then report back. This is not the only product company I get to try products for, but it is one of my favorite.

Just the other day, I received 2 new products that I will be sharing with you soon. Stay tuned to find out what they are. I will post to let you know what they are and then I will repost later on to let you know what I think of them. I would also like your feedback if you have tried any of these products yourself.