HomeEco Plant-A-Bottle Review!

When a wonderful lady who works with me gave me a piece of a Wandering Jew, I didn't think it would survive. I literally threw it in a cup of water and waited for it to die. It's not that I didn't like it...it's just that I'm horrible with plants. Animals...I can do. Plants...for some reason...I have a black thumb.

To my extreme surprise, the plant not only lived, but THRIVED! Since it had made it through my harsh treatment of sometimes forgetting to add water to the cup, I figured it could stick around. BUT I felt the pressure of getting it to live and taking care of it! I knew that I would have to be SUPER nice to it to get it to live.

Around the same time, I saw a promotion come up for HomeEco's Plant-A-Bottle. I was interested because it could very well make my plant experience easier. Soon, I had my own set of four of the stakes, free to review.

The first thing that I noticed about the stakes is that they're made of bisque-fired clay. This is very smart. Bisque-fired clay is very porous and therefore, would allow the moisture to pull through it. However, I needed to see it to believe it.

The purpose of the Plant-A-Bottle is to turn any bottle into a large water supply that will deplete as the plant needs it. However, because I have cats, I won't use this with a bottle. They'll knock it over, water and dirt will go everywhere, and I'll swear that they're all going to the pound (even though that never happens...no matter how much they hurt me or ruin my things). It's not worth the potential mess. So...I've decided to use them by filling the reservoir with water, and leaving it at that. You can use it either way!

As the dirt dries, it pulls the water through the fired clay-body and to the plant roots, as it needs it. I saw it in action, and can say that the water DOES soak through. Because the process is so slow, you don't have to worry about your plant drowning. You also don't have to worry about missing a day of watering. If you decide to water, the dirt becomes moist and additional water isn't pulled out of the stake. It's literally a supply-and-demand system!

 They're also very durable. I've dropped one and it didn't even come close to breaking!

I really love these stakes! I can't wait to get more plants so that I can use them all!

If you're looking for an eco-friendly, efficient, and hassle-free way to water your plants, I would highly suggest Home Eco's Plant-A-Bottle system! See my video review below and get your set here!

Protect Your Jewelry with Active Rings!

Recently, I was offered the opportunity to review a product that I had never seen before. In exchange for my honest opinion, I was sent Active Rings. Active Rings are for those who lead an active lifestyle, and have wedding jewelry that risks being broken at the gym or during physical activity. However, my interest in the jewelry alternative was in being an artist and an art teacher. Many times, I have to take my rings off due to mess. If I don't, my rings get extremely dirty, and it's an extra step to have to clean them. 

Now, in my opinion, you shouldn't need a ring for honesty reasons. If I'm at the gym, and a guy approaches me, I TELL him I'm married, regardless of if my rings are on or not. I don't think that's the purpose of the product. I DO think that it helps to avoid awkward situations. If you're approached by someone who's interested in you and they don't see a ring, they may think it's ok to "make moves". Having the Active Rings band there, while not having the purpose of keeping you honest, helps you to avoid these awkward conversations with someone who may have their hopes up.

For me, I work in clay and ink mostly. My Active Rings serve as a memory tactic. I have an AWFUL memory, and looking down at my Active Ring while I'm cleaning up an art mess is a memory boost as to where I've put my real wedding set. Sculpey clay leaves a sticky residue while kiln-fired clay has a grit to it that will damage metal over time.

As a product, I think the idea is useful and innovative. The product itself is made of high quality rubber. I say "high quality" because I feel that it would be difficult to cut the rubber, even with scissors. The rubber is thick and the colors are very vibrant. They aren't dull and they're easily seen from a distance. As far as sizing goes, I wear a size 7.75 in rings. I was sent a size 7-8. The Active Ring fit my hand perfectly, but I was curious as to how it would fit on a finger about 3/4 of a size bigger, so I put it on my middle finger. The rubber stretched, but as you can see from the picture, it left an indention. I did try to stretch one of the rings, and I think with enough stretching, you could adjust the size permanently. When released from stretching, the band went back to it's size and shape. Sizing-wise, I think the measurements are accurate as to what it will fit. 

I would highly suggest this product to my gym and art loving friends! It's very useful, especially if you're as forgetful and messy as I am!