I have finally made homemade ice cream for the first time in all my thirty something years of life. I remember my Nana having an ice cream maker when I was a child, but I don’t necessarily remember what the ice cream tasted like. I just remember that she needed rock salt in order to make ice cream and she didn’t use it very often.

This past month I have been using my new Cuisinart Frozen Yogurt-Sorbet & Ice Cream Maker to make homemade ice cream for my family. Making ice cream is really easy and I wish I would have owned one of these neat ice cream makers sooner. The first kind of ice cream was vanilla. We wanted to keep it simple since I had caramel syrup, chocolate syrup and nuts to go on top. My first batch of ice cream didn’t come out as well as the second. With this ice cream maker, you must freeze the bowl to the machine prior to using it. Well I only froze it the minimum of 6 hours, so I ended up having to put it in the freezer for a couple hours to get it the consistency that I wanted. My second batch came out PERFECT. I used the chocolate recipe that is included with the machine and added marshmallows, chocolate syrup and caramel syrup to make it even tastier.

The only downfall I see to making my own ice cream is the cost that might be involved. When making homemade ice cream using the recipes provided, you use heavy cream. I am not sure about where you live, but heavy cream is not cheap here in California. It is almost $4 for just a small pint or so. So you definitely want to make sure your ice cream comes out perfect. There may be a cheaper way to do this (like making your own cream) that I don’t know of yet.

Here are some of the features of the Cuisinart Frozen Yogurt-Sorbet & Ice Cream Maker:

• Double insulated freezer bowl holds up to 2 quarts of frozen dessert
• Heavy-duty motor makes frozen desserts or drinks in as little as 25 minutes
• Large ingredient spout for adding mix-ins
• Brushed metal housing with embossed logo
• Fully automatic. Put the ingredients in and go!
• Dimensions: 11.25″ H x 8″ W x 8.25″ D

This is going to come in real handy this summer when we really enjoy our homemade frozen treats!

Disclosure – The products featured above were provided free of cost to me by the manufacturer or representing PR agency. These opinions expressed are my own opinions and are NOT influenced by monetary compensation.

As a mom, I am always stocking up on toothpaste. What is confusing is all the different types of toothpastes that are available. How does one know which is the best toothpaste to use? I can’t answer that, but I can tell you about a toothpaste I have been using from Colgate that I am extremely pleased with.

For the last month, I have been using the Colgate Total Advanced Whitening Toothpaste. This is a toothpaste that offers a way that will help whiten your teeth as well as keep them strong and healthy. It has a proven 12 hour germ fighting formula that helps white your teen by removing surface stains for healthier and whiter teeth. This toothpaste also has a dual silica technology that is 30 percent more effective at whitening teeth than Colgate Total® Plus Whitening. If you like Colgate products and looking for a way to whiten your teeth, I would try this stuff out. In my opinion, it creates a fresh mouth that does last for HOURS.

You can find out more about this toothpaste by visiting: https://www.colgatetotal.com/

Or check out this video:

What kind of toothpaste do you use? Do you use paste or gel?

My husband and I both like to find things for our home that are different and unique. We actually get compliments when we have friends over on some of the random things you can find in my house. Not only do I have fun and interesting items in my living room and bedrooms, you will also find my kitchen full of various appliances, gadgets, etc.

Last month I received two of the Fake Plastic Crinkle Porcelain Cups from Karma Kiss to review. Since my kitchen already has a variety of glasses in my cabinets, I knew these were going to be a great addition. For some silly reason, I really like these cups. I drink ice water all day, so they are a perfect size for me. I have had a few friends ask me where I got these cups so I am not the only silly one who thinks these are cool.

Here are some features of the Fake Plastic Crinkle Cups:

• Made of porcelain.
• Approx. 4″ tall.
• Microwave & Dishwasher Safe.
• Packaged in gift box with handles.
• Colors: White, Purple, Blue, Orange, Red, Green

In addition to these cups, Karma Kiss has a ton of other NEAT products that I want that would also make for great gifts. You will find unique clocks, penny banks, watches, lip gloss, party favors and much more. If you have someone on your shopping list that “has everything”, you will definitely be able to find them something on this site that they do not have.

You can visit the Karma Kiss website by visiting: https://www.karmakiss.net.

Now For The Giveaway!

The nice people at Karma Kiss have offered one of my LUCKY winners a chance to receive one of these cool Karma Kiss Fake Plastic Porcelain Cups too!

1) To enter this giveaway, please visit the Karma Kiss website and tell me another product that you would like to have.

Extra Entries:

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#10 – Comment on any NON-GIVEAWAY post – Unlimited Entries – LEAVE A COMMENT FOR EACH entry with name of post

This giveaway will end on January 29, 2010 at 11:59 PM PST. The winner will be chosen at random using “And The Winner Is” plugin from all valid entries and submitted. The winner will be notified via email and will have 48 hours to contact me with their mailing information before another winner is chosen. This giveaway is open to U.S. residents only ages 18 years or older.

Disclosure – The product featured above was provided free of cost to me by the manufacturer or representing PR agency. These opinions expressed are my own opinions and are NOT influenced by monetary compensation.