Jammy Jams Brings the BEST in Lullabies!

Another review that I'm sharing on my personal page tonight because I know a lot of you are new mothers or expecting! This review is too sweet to keep to my review page and I think a lot of you will like it!

I saw this product and knew that I had to have it! If nothing else, I can use it in my classroom with the kiddos since it's calming, adorable, and it's all music that I can appreciate as an adult!

Lullaby music can be boring...drag on...all start to sound the same. It's especially hard for me to keep focused on it when I don't know any words.

Enter: Jammy Jams. The Jammy Jams label produces albums that are soothing instrumental (xylophone) versions of popular music. I sampled a wide selection that included the Billy Idol "Rock the Cradle" album (which included songs like "Rebel Yell" and "White Wedding"), "Lullabylooza - 90's Alternative Goes Lullaby" (think Nirvana, Stone Temple Pilots, and The Cure), and "Once Upon A Rhyme - Lullaby Renditions of Hip Hop" (which includes Run DMC, Outkast, and 2Pac).

Those options were the ones that Gage and I selected. There's SO many others, including various versions of the Hip Hop albums, a baby Headbanger's album, Pop albums, 80's, Christian Contemporary, and even specific artists only (like Lady Gaga!).

I really love these albums! They're so much fun and I wouldn't go crazy hearing them over and over! I love that they're clear enough that you can hear the words inside of the instrumentals and not just the background music (sometimes that can make it hard to figure out the song).

My personal favorite was the 90's Alternative because it brought back memories of my bus rides to school during my elementary years. As an adult, I also tend to listen more to this genre than any other. It's exciting to know that I could share this music with my baby and not have to worry about the harshness of some instrumentals and some of the lyrics!

Here are some of the album covers! You can check out the selection atjammyjams.net ! ‪#‎jammyjams‬

An Interesting Concept: Strapsnake's Cotton Guitar Strap!

Any time that I have the opportunity to review a product that my family will extensively use, I go for it! Whether it's my husband, myself, or my pets, I love trying something new for free! That's exactly what happened when I saw Strapsnake's Cotton Guitar Strap. At the time, I was very intent on learning acoustic guitar, but found myself at odds on how to hold the thing. Even if I didn't stick with it as religiously as I was (obviously, I've began pursuing other passions for the moment), my husband would use the strap daily.

I've bought him a guitar strap, and our experience with it wasn't great. He performed live with it, and within a few songs, the end of the strap snapped. NOT good. The nylon strap couldn't handle the movement demands that live shows entail.

Upon opening the cotton guitar strap, it was immediately clear that this strap was MUCH more durable than nylon or polypropylene straps. After our experience with the nylon strap, I scoped out the ends of the strap (where it'd connect to the guitar) and was delighted to see that it was leather. For good measure, I gave the strap a pretty violent tug from each end and the strap didn't budge, stretch, or rip. It is extremely well built.

The overall look of the strap is sharp. The strap and the leather are all black and it goes with anything (attire, other band equipment, various guitars).

If you're looking for a way to end shoulder fatigue or a strap that will be WELL worth your investment dollar, look no farther than Strapsnake's Cotton Guitar Strap. You can't beat the quality and durability of this one!

Something TOTALLY New: Organic Deodorant Creme by Bella Naturals

Normally, I'm open to trying a lot of new things, so long as they're within the range of products that I've used before. Facial serums, hair growth vitamins, and conditioners are examples of products that I review pretty regularly. When the opportunity arose to review an organic deodorant creme, I hesitated to apply just because I had never tried a creme deodorant. However, I was really interested in the idea of using an organic deodorant, so I gladly accepted my free product.

When it arrived, the first thing that I noticed was how strong the scent was. If I would change anything about the product, I would have much preferred to have it in a floral or fruity scent. The vanilla mint scent is wonderful, but it's not a common deodorant scent. It's very strong, but I didn't find it any more overwhelming than someone chewing a minty gum.

The deodorant came in a small jar that reminded me of a Carmex jar. It has a screw on lid and easily opens and closes. The product inside is a thick, white creme and has the consistency of melted deodorant (I hope I'm not the only one who's left it in a hot car...), but a little firmer.

The only other thing I would change about this product is to have it easier to get out. Now, it isn't an issue, because my container is full (a little goes a LONG way!). When I've used it more, the level will go down, and I'll have to reach further into the container to get to the product. This will be messy, as I'll have to stick more of my fingers in. I think a push-up bottom in a tube would be a fantastic idea for this product. That would eliminate the mess and getting the deodorant all over consumer's hands.

Once I applied the deodorant, I noticed that it had a cooling sensation. I liked it! :) It went on smoothly and evenly.

At this point I have to add: organic deodorant won't work immediately. Non-organic deodorants clog the pores of your skin, so it takes about a week to detox. For me, personally, I decided to detox over spring break because I knew it could get ugly. After detoxing and exfoliating a few times, I tried the deodorant.

My results: as long as I'm not doing anything extremely strenuous, it works perfectly. On days that I'm not active, I noticed that it did a decent job of keeping me from stinking. However, once I ran, I believe it sweated off, and I became a nasty, stinking, mess.

Typical deodorants keep you from sweating or they use tons of chemicals to mask the scent. The concept of organic deodorant is that it fights the bacteria that is sweated out.

The ingredients listed are: Organic Shea Butter, Organic Arrowroot Powder, (Vegan), Organic Sunflower Oil,  Organic Virgin Coconut Oil, Aluminum-Free Baking Soda, Organic Peppermint Essential Oil, Organic Vanilla Extract, Organic Tea Tree Essential Oil

So...as a healthier alternative, I will wear this deodorant anytime I'm not running or at the gym. I know that, ideally, I would go straight organic, but mostly organic with few exceptions is much better than having deodorant on 24/7 that contains aluminum! For those days that I have to get active, I'll look for an aluminum-free alternative with a little more punch. Although I know that this deodorant will have chemicals and unnatural additives, I just can't stand sweating the deodorant off and smelling bad.