Author: Erin Sluka

Pets Products

3 Things To Buy For Your Dog Before Winter

Erin Sluka
3 Things To Buy For Your Dog Before Winter

Before the ground fills with mud, before paws come inside wet and dirty there are 3 things to buy for your dog that are must haves for your winter dog walks. Let me share these with you and why they will save you this next season.

Let’s start with the ZenClipper Precise. Keeping your dog’s nails trimmed is a grooming must all year long, but when their skin gets frosty and ears wet after walks having trimmed nails will save them from discomfort as they scratch and thaw out once they come indoors. My dog’s can’t stand staying wet, they do zoomies and dig at their ears and coat until dry.

The ZenClipper comes in different sizes and are fully adjustable to miss those painful quicks. Just the tips is all you need to clip and these clippers are designed to do just that.

Once those nails are trimmed up it is time to leash up. The SmartLeash is great for control especially for your benefit on icy sidewalks. If your dog attempts to bolt, this leash stops them. The leash auto locks and just so you can rest easy that that locking doesn’t cause whiplash, the bungee is there for their comfort so you and your pup get a bit of give in a sudden stop.

Maya is our ‘bolter’ and this leash knows it. See that look she is giving me? This leash stops her and fast. You can tell by the green that she did not get far when we stepped outside and she attempted to take off.

Now that you are both safely back home, what about those dirty paws? The Paw Plunger should be waiting at your door with water if you were prepared. Simply grab a paw and plunge and the soft, rubber bristles inside will leave the dirt in the cup. Grab a towel (have that ready too) and let them back inside!

These 3 items are available to pet owners from Pet Product Innovations and also available on Amazon.

Fashion, Infant Toddler Products

Pink Elephant Organics Clothing for Baby, Kids and Mom

Erin Sluka
Pink Elephant Organics Clothing for Baby, Kids and Mom

We want the best for Baby. We want to gift the best and provide the best and clothing that is soft, made with quality and with an organic cotton is as good as it gets for the family. Pink Elephant Organics has clothing for baby, kids and Mom!

organic cotton

Aren’t these designs adorable? This is the Crab and Hedgehog prints under baby boys. They offer so much more than onesies and PJ’s for baby. You will find swaddles, dresses, loungewear, headbands and more. The patterns are all so adorable including elephants, llamas and lemons.

hedgehog and crab

When your clothing arrives it comes wrapped like below with a bow! It is gift ready with tissue paper and sealed. The care goes far beyond the fabric.

Pink Elephant Organics clothing is 100% organic cotton with a soft ribbed knit. You won’t find lead, phthalates and is flame retardant free. Simply machine wash and tumble dry on low to clean.

Baby gift

I plan on gifting mine to a friend expecting her first boy and am so proud to show them off. They are such a great gift! Visit Pink Elephant Organics and you will even find Mommy + Me sets!

Comment: I was sent product for authentic feature. All opinions are my own.

2019 Holidays, Home, Tips and Tricks

DIY Bar Table with Giani Butcher Block Countertop Paint Kit

Erin Sluka

When we bought our home 2 years ago I had so many ideas to do with the place. We bought new build and so we sold and donated a lot of furniture and items so we can move into the new home with new stuff. A few rooms were done right away and some spaces I am just now finishing because I could not make my mind up of what I wanted to do. This weekend I finished all I need to be as ‘entertaining ready‘ as I want to be.

By being ready to fully entertain I mean that I have the products and space needed. I looked long and hard and saved Amazon credit and bought the perfect bar cart. It’s in my dining room corner and holds everything nicely.

Then I had family over and realized while it holds all my bar cart items it leaves no table space to make your drink so everyone would take what they need and walk over to the counter and it suddenly was not serving its purpose. I loved my cart and spent quite a bit for it, but then I was sent the Giani Butcher Block Countertop Paint Kit and the wheels in my head started turning on how to gain more surface area in that corner of my dinning room.

I looked in yard sales and buy nothing pages for some table space that would match the bar cart I bought and I just had no luck. Then one day I ran into Goodwill to browse Halloween items and I saw a TV Tray leaning on the wall and it was marked $2. This could work! Now I can fold it up and store it which means matching is not an issue because I will only have it out when needed. But, it was ugly! So I went to work with my Giani paint kit.

I don’t usually tackle DIY but I really wanted this to work out so I gave it a try. I already had the paint kit which is enough to cover a lot more than this tray so I’d be out $2 if I fail. I sanded it down and applied the Primer which are the first steps.

Once the primer dried I did it again. Two coats of primer and it was time to tape my block lines. The best part about the kit is that it comes with everything you need. The only thing I used of my own supplies was my drop cloth and a larger paint pan.

Using the paint to create the grain and contrast was so easy. I found their YouTube video instructions and it was so easy to follow along! This might just work out.

Once the paint dried, I applied the sealer and that completed the project. The worst part was waiting for each step’s drying time because I was so anxious to complete it and see it done.

When you look at the finished results compared to that expensive cart I bought I get the same table surface area. This means I can dress my bar cart up and when guests come over, I can set up my Butcher Block stand and set it up so there is a surface to fix the cocktail.

Even if butcher block is not your style, Giani paint kits come in so many finishes from granite, shiplap (which is on my wish list), chalk paint, backsplash and more.

Get your home and spaces ready for the Holidays with these easy-to-use, all inclusive kits. You can do many surfaces or one large surface with just one kit (covers up to 35 sq. feet). Visit Giani Granite to get started. Also available on Amazon.

Comment: I was sent product for this authentic feature. All opinions are my own

Food/Beverage, Recipes

5 Cocktail Recipes Using Beer or Hard Cider

Erin Sluka
5 Cocktail Recipes Using Hard Cider or Beer

With so many beer and cider flavors on the market it is easy to get creative and impress your guests with some cocktail recipes using beer, ciders, wines and liquor that transform these ingredients to a brand new level. It’s like making one drink that will satisfy everyone from the beer lover to the cocktail lover.

There are some go-to items to grab at the grocery store when you plan on entertaining guests that will be handy for any recipe creation whether you are using beer, cider or hard liquor. So, make sure you grab fresh berries, citrus fruits and some bottles of Sparkling Ice!

Summer Shandy

Summer Shandy

INGREDIENTS

DIRECTIONS

In an ice filled glass, combine light beer and Sparkling Ice Peach Nectarine. Garnish with a strawberry slice and serve. 

Sunshine Boilermaker

Boilermaker

INGREDIENTS

DIRECTIONS

In a pint glass, pour beer at an angle to eliminate head. Add 1.5 oz of bourbon. Top with Sparkling Ice Lemon Lime. Garnish with lemon wedge. 

Gold Apple Cider Martini

martini
  • For Anise Simple Syrup:
  • ½ cup sugar
  • ½ cup water
  • 2 whole stars of anise

Directions 
To make the Anise Simple Syrup:
Put all ingredients in a small pot & cook until sugar dissolves. Set aside until cool. Cocktail: In a shaker filled with ice, mix the martini ingredients and stir until chilled. Strain into a chilled martini glass. Garnish with a floating star anise on top.

Pear Secco Rum Blush

rum blush

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2-ounce pear juice
  • 3/4-ounce dark rum
  • 1-tablespoon cherry grenadine
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • (1) 8 oz. cold can of Strongbow Pear Secco CiderPear slice and cherry for garnish (optional)

Directions 
Combine ingredients in a cocktail shaker with ice. Serve in a tumbler over ice with a slice of pear and a cherry.

Original Dry Spritz

dry spritz

Ingredients

Directions 
Build all ingredients sequentially in a large wine goblet, topping with Strongbow. Add ice and garnish with a lemon.

The reason why I am featuring Strongbow Ciders is that they are a personal favorite of mine. The Strongbow 100 calorie slim cans are also a 2019 Product of the Year award winner. I was sent some samples for this feature so I have tasted and recommend the brand.

Comment: I was sent product for this authentic feature. All opinions are my own