It dices like a wizard

To my audience: My apologies for the broken promises to write about a product once a week. My wallet is empty and sometimes my mind feels the same. All I can say is that I will try to keep up with this, however; I am a winter writer so it may be a few weeks in between before I get back on a steady writing schedule. I do enjoy my summer days as I am sure you all do as well.

So, I return with the Vidalia Chop Wizard. It was a gift from the boyfriend's mother. She picked it up from CVS. I think it sat in the cabinet, fully packaged for almost a year before I pulled it out to use. I was chopping onions for pasta and had grown sick of using the slap chop. It's such an aggressive product, but I'll save that explanation for another blog.

The chopper came with two blades and a small comb for clean up. I think it cost around $9.99, although it sells on the official site for $19.99. (Of course, you get two of them.)

This product worked great! It dices an onion in about two seconds. It's so much better than chopping by hand. Unlike many products where the clean up process isn't worth the time saved originally, the Chop Wizard can be thrown right in the dishwasher. Just knock any stuck pieces off with the comb and place on the top shelf.

Before I knew it, we were using the Chop Wizard for all kinds of food. It makes salsa in seconds and you can even slice potatoes then put them in to be diced for hash or soup. This product is definitely worth the price and lives up to the claims it stands behind.

Steam me up Scotty

I am a bad blogger. I know in my last post that I promised there wouldn't be a huge lapse in time between posts. I lied a little but not on purpose. So here we go.

Steam cleaning devices seem to be taking over the household appliance industry by storm. How well do they really work? I inherited a Monster steam cleaner. It very closely resembled the Shark cleaner.  I thought I would try to create a video blog of me using the Monster to clean, but it required both hands, and I am a solo act without a tripod.

I looked over the attachments to my Monster-a few brushes, a nozzle, an upholstery steamer and a window cleaner. Oh, and it requires some kind of antibacterial solution that you can only order from Monster. If you buy the product online, they'll include the sanitizing solution for free whenever you need it. I was lucky enough to have inherited quite a collection of the sanitizer.

I decided to clean my bathroom using the upholstery steamer because it most looked like the attachment used in the infomercial on the Website. Water dripped out the bottom and everything was covered in a layer of saturation. I used a towel to go over everything making the instant dry and sanitized look you see on television not happen at home. So if you use one of the steamer mops, you may want to watch your step as to not slide across the kitchen floor on your fannie.


The steam did get my bathroom sink and counter top clean. It even seemed to work on the toilet, but again it left everything sopping wet.


The upholstery steamer would work great to steam the wrinkles out of clothes but again, the water dripping issue would just make a wet mess.

I tried to use the steamer to clean the brake dust grime off my wheels that the car wash missed. The steam didn't do anything to cut through the dirt. The cloth I pulled out to wipe the wheels off worked 10 times better than the steam power.

The Monster is small and lightweight yet bulky. It almost requires using both hands, and you can only go as far as the cord lets you. By the time you fill the steamer with both water and the sanitizing solution and wait for it to warm up, you would have been better off just grabbing your regular cleaning tools and chemicals. Just a thought-if steam powered cleaners disinfect then why do I have to add a sanitizing, antibacterial solution to the steamer? That just doesn't make sense to me.

I would say the Monster steamer is probably just a waste of money and time. If you're into not using any type of cleaning chemicals, avoiding the clean smell and wanting to spend three, wait two easy payments of $33.33, then maybe this could be for you, however, I think I'll just stick to my sponge and scrubbing bubbles.

A return with scratched lens resuscitation

First I would like to apologize for my lack of blogging lately. I started a new job and needed a little transition time. The good new is, I am back. Also, a new job means I can now afford to start purchasing products for my blog again. It's a win for everyone-but please, feel free to send me products, any little bit helps.


My return to the As Tried By April blog starts with a product called Lens CPR. I had seen it on television in the past but almost forgot about the product until I saw it on sale at Meijer. I was picking up a few grocery items and saw the Lens CPR box nestled on a shelf among a few other As Seen on TV products. The tag said it was only $4.99, a fair price and one within my almost minuscule budget. (Of course when I got home and looked at my receipt, I noticed I was charged $9.99 for it. Always pay attention when things are being rang up at the register-silly me.)

I was a little excited about trying this one. I love sunglasses and had at least three pairs in need of lens mending. I started with my pair of Oakley glasses. These are my sporty glasses and have really taken a beating over the years. The lenses were covered with small scratches-scratches Lens CPR claimed it would make disappear.


I read the instructions and prepped the lenses by spraying them with the included cleaner, then ran them under water and dried with the provided lens cleaning cloth. I then used the applicator, which looked like a lip gloss wand, to apply the scratch coating. I applied even streaks that slightly overlapped as instructed. At first glance, I saw every single line. I wasn't worried though because the instructions said the scratch coating formula was self leveling and after the glasses were set to dry and cure, the lines would be gone.

I let them set all day. The lines did not disappear, the scratches remained on the lenses and now I had glasses with a weird film on them. I was pretty upset because I thought I had ruined my glasses until I read that the lens cleaner included in the kit would remove the coating and should never be used as a regular cleaner for the lenses once treated. I cleaned my glasses, removing the coating. Thinking I did something wrong, I re-read the instructions and tried again. This time I also tried the product on a second pair of glasses. Again, I was left with the same results. Actually, my other pair of glasses, REVO's, looked like I put a rainbow clear coat on them. The glasses actually had a rainbow swirl across them. I used the lens cleaner on both pairs in order to return them to their original, scratched yet coating free state.

This will be the second time I have boxed up a product and promptly returned it. (Always save your receipt. I keep mine in the box the product came in until I have decided on the products success or failure.) The best scratch repair is scratch prevention.


Take care of your glasses by rinsing dust off with water then patting dry. Once the dirt is removed, used a clean microfiber cloth that is designed for glass cleaning to wipe the lenses clean. Finally, keep lenses stored in a hard case. I know, so simple.


LensCPR=FAIL

What should I try next? Looks like you guys chose the Shark Steamer.

A pedicure for the furry one

I know I said I would be trying the detox foot pads next. For the last three weeks, I have searched just about evry store in town looking for them. I have been to CVS, Walgreens, Target, Meijer, GNC... The list goes on. No one seems to carry them. It looks like I may have to put an order in via the Web. This also makes my skeptisism of the product very high.

Speaking of being a skeptic, I picked a product that I have doubted since the day it appeared on the market in the form of an infomercial. I was standing behind the cash register at PetSmart trying to figure out what my next product would be when staring at me was an entire shelf of PediPaws. At their retail debut, it seemed like they flew off the shelf. Then like most fads, sales slowed and the price came down from $19.99 to $12.99. The product can be purchased at most drugstores for $9.99 now.

I was razzed at first by my co-workers for my purchase but later their curious minds wanted to know if PediPaws actual worked.

Now why such a skeptic? Well, I trained in the grooming salon as a bather, meaning I did a lot of nail trims and grinds-two things I am not a hug fan of doing-two things most dogs despise as well. In the salon, I used a Dremel tool with a file tip to grind down the nails. Why grind when you can clip? Well, the grinding is less painful because there is no squeeze factor. Grinding the nail also pushes the quick back, allowing the nail to eventually be quite short. Finally, no little razor blades scarring your legs and arms when your furry little friend wants to say hello. The downfall of grinding-getting the hair from a long-haired dog tangled around the file or small burn injuries from the squirmy pups. Sometimes those burns end up being on you.

When I got home, I decided I just had to try it out right away. I would know in seconds if this product was going to be a total failure. I flipped through the directions even though I was quite confident I could use this product. There is even a Website that can be accessed that shows a video how-to. The PediPaws is long and slender. The file has a guard with a guide cut into it. To my surprise, it's very quiet, quieter than a Dremel in fact. The PediPaws also has a safety feature that prevents the user from pushing the file down too hard on the pet's nails. It will automatically stop when too much pressure is applied.

PediPaws took a little practice. At first I decided to use it without the guard. I tried to grind my dog's nails, holding the PediPaws like I would a Dremel tool. It didn't work so well and Zoe wasn't enjoying the funky grind. Actually, Zoe hates getting her nails done. I was able to grind one nail before having to give up and wait for my boyfriend to come home and hold her. When I take her to the salon, it usually takes two people to do her nails, so her attitude problem was nothing new.

When the boyfriend got home, he held, ok sort of tackled the 14 pound dog. She is a squirmer! I placed the guard back on the product and proceeded to grind her nails. I kept putting the nail in the larger part of the opening and it did an ok job. By the last paw, I realized all I needed to do was set the nail in the smaller part of the keyhole shaped opening and just roll it to smoothly grind around the nail. It worked great!

I am sure that after a couple weeks, Zoe will get used to having the two of us grind her nails. It's so much easier to just do it at home rather than drag her feisty little self to PetSmart every two weeks. It will also save me a huge amount of money. It's $11 every two weeks to get her nails done and the PediPaws cost just as much. No longer am I the skeptic about this product. I think it's great for pet owners and could be used to safely grind down most pet's nails. (dogs, cats, rabbits, ferrets, birds)

I am going to have to give the PediPaws an A+.

At the request of a friend, my next product will be DepilSilk. I am hoping to find it in a store if not I will order it and find something else in the meantime.

ShakeWeight Update: I am at the end of my second full week of use. I am doing it every day with the exception of Sunday. I can't see a difference yet, but I feel one. My arms still ache a little every evening which is amazing from a two pound weight. They are starting to feel a little firmer though. I am hoping it's not just wishful thinking. Only time will tell.

The perfectly dry brownie maker

Originally, I was going to borrow a Perfect Brownie Pan but decided to just purchase one. I feared I may like it despite being told by friends and co-workers that the brownies cooked in the pan were both rubbery and dry. The pan came in a very large box and included the decorating stencils and a small recipe book for $19.99. The price seemed to be at least reasonable.

I rushed to Meijer to get the ingredients for a batch of brownies-from scratch mind you, not a box. I would recreate the brownies I made in a regular brownie pan the previous week. While I drove home, I started to worry that the pan would be too large for the amount of batter the recipe made. How could the batter for a batch of nine brownies made in an 8" x 8" square pan fill a pan that said it would make 18 brownies? The picture on the box showed large delicious brownies. I decided I would make a second bowl of batter if needed.

I opened the box and my smile quickly dissipated. The pan inside was about half the size of the box it came in. I would definitely have enough batter. The browines would end up measuring about 1" x 2", much smaller than the ones made in a normal pan.

All the instructions were carefully followed, and it was a good thing too. Although the brownie pan had a nonstick coating, it still needed to be sprayed with cooking spray-even then there was some slight sticking, not terrible though. The brownies came out cooked evenly. Unfortunately, evenly cooked means no gooey center. These brownies were a little dry, but that's just in my opinion. I tend to enjoy most of my baked goods being a little under done.

The tiny browines looked quite nice on display. The pan would be great for a person that participated in a lot of bake sales. All the baked goods would come out evenly cooked and equal in size. I thought the pan would be a great option for cutting down on the paper mess of cupcakes. In the end, I decided to keep the pan. I enjoy baking for work and friends. The pan would make travel and display much easier. Overall, the pan was pretty good-despite the slight dryness and tininess of the end result.

Up next -----> Detox Foot Pads

**On another note...I received a Shake Weight for my birthday from my friend Jessica. I would love to be able to blog about it now, but it will take some time to get results. I started my six minute a day workout, complete with before photos. After day one, I feel the burn more than with my simple free weight routine. There could be some potential in this. Stay tuned...

It's Straptastic!

I may have found the perfect solution for stubborn bra straps, the Strap Perfect. This product was praised by a few of my friends who have owned the little plastic clips for months. All I have heard is how great the clips work. I finally decided to try them, and it looks like I will continue to use them, especially once tank top and dress weather hits.

I picked up a box of the Strap Perfect clips from

Walgreens for $9.99. Now, I think a price of $5.99 would better suit the product. The box contained six clips: two each of clear, black and nude, along with a pack of clear tape strips for adhering revealing clothing. I can see the tape being very useful for those nights out when the cleavage shirt has the potential to malfunction. I am sure many women know what I am talking about, and it's never fun to spend the entire evening fidgeting with your shirt.

To put the product to the test, I first tried it with a racer back tank top. It worked like a champ, no straps. Then I tried it on a dress that from the front the straps are almost concealed but a quick look at the back shows a less than classy look. The Strap Perfect solved the problem in about 10 seconds. It is so easy to clip on and I was able to do it alone without even having to awkwardly stand and try to look at my back in the mirror.

The final test was simple. I have a bra that no matter how I adjust the straps, they always seem to fall. It makes for an annoying and uncomfortable night at work when I am constantly adjusting and pulling my straps up. After an evening with the Strap Perfect-No problems! Well, maybe one small problem. I would suggest loosening the straps on your bra if you plan to wear the Strap Perfect clip for an extended period of time. I failed to do so and got a headache from the pressure and by the time I got home, had strap lines embedded across my shoulders and back. It was a little painful but of no fault other than my own.

The claim to better posture seems to hold true. the added pressure of the clip does seem to force the shoulders back a little, so I guess I'll give it some credit. Now the claim to a better cleavage line, um yes please. Pair the clip with a good push-up bra and you have an amazing push-up bra. The girls will look fantastic.

I am going to say this is a great product, a little expensive, but overall great. It's a quick, simple solution to a nagging problem.

Up Next: The Perfect Brownie?

The ShamNotWow

This time I tried the ShamWow. I have actually had a set since right after it came out. The ShamWow has always been used to dry and detail the cars at my house. It really works no better than any towel. I would say a chamois probably leaves less water spots than the ShamWow does. Rather than write about the product and my experience with it, however; I thought I would put the ever so annoying infomercial to the test.

Please enjoy my little video. It's not perfect, but I am sure I will get better and better with time.

Consumer Reports on the Sham Wow

-------> Strap Perfect or Perfect Brownie...I haven't decided yet.

Smooth Away-some dead skin maybe

Disappointment finally struck this week in my quest to try everything that's "As seen on TV." While picking a few groceries up from Meijer, I grabbed my weekly vice. The $9.99 price tag shocked me a little bit this time. I hadn't had a price complaint about any of the products I had used until now. How could something in such a small box cost so much? After reading the packaging, I realized Smooth Away came with two applicators, 10 refill pads and a carrying case. I did say I was going to try this one after all, and it is under $20, so I purchased it and raced home to give it a whirl.

Like all the items I try, the first thing I do is spread all the parts out before me and read the directions. Clean, dry, unlotioned, semi hairy legs and under arms were all I needed-Check.

I started with my legs, working the area from my knees to my ankles-three buffs clockwise and three buffs counter. I went over every section about three times and to my surprise, my legs felt pretty smooth. I had to use a separate pad on each leg, making this product start to become even more expensive. I tried to only use one but it just wouldn't do it. Now I know why it comes with so many refills.

Now there is a bit of disclaimer here. I am one of the lucky few women who was blessed with leg hair that grows back super fine, soft and blond, making it a little easier to remove. Why the disclaimer...well the coarser hair on my underarms wasn't going to budge. (The bikini area was another failsome attempt.)

The larger pad worked great for the legs but was too large for the underarms. The smaller applicator was not only awkward but not quite large enough for this area. (or the other)

After 15 minutes of buffing my body with what appeared to be super fine grit sandpaper, they call it European crystals, I thought it may be a good idea to moisturize my ashen skin. When I started to apply the lotion, I noticed that my legs were still hairy, the Smooth Away had merely buffed away my dead skin, making my legs feel smooth but leaving them fuzzy nonetheless.

Immediately after I took my photos and finished my notes about Smooth Away, I returned it to Meijer where I received a full refund. Now I would like to say I went home to shave my legs with my trusty Schick Quattro, but come on, it's winter, and I like many women don't shave unless I have to.We'll call it insulating myself for the cold. We'll also call Smooth Away a giant fail.

Next: ShamWOW!

PS: Taking close-ups of your own legs is no good. Mine look odd, like the way you look in a circus mirror.

A pet egg? Oh the PedEgg

A quick trip to CVS, and I had the small plastic egg in hand ready to wage war with the rough bottoms and heals of my petite feet. A quick read through of the instructions, and I was on the front line, making the first move.

At first sight, the PedEgg looked like a small, hand held cheese grater. As a matter of fact, it crossed my mind to grate some Parmesan with it for my spaghetti. Okay, so not really-I have a cheese grater that I use for food-and now I have one for my feet.

My feet didn't look too terrible. They were a little rough and cracked, casualties of the dryness winter brings. I crossed one foot over the other knee and began to run the little egg across the bottom of my heal, careful to only go in one direction as a back and forth motion would leave my heal looking like it was beaten with the egg shaped planer. Speaking of the egg shape, it made the PedEgg easy to maneuver and hold onto.

I rubbed the PedEgg across the rough areas of my foot for less than five minutes before switching feet. I wasn't sure I was that impressed at first. My foot looked worse than it did before and felt like I dragged it across rough pavement. I thought this was supposed to smooth the rough not accentuate it.

I opened the egg to see if it was in fact doing anything. To my surprise, the egg was full of a fine white powder, a powder made of my nasty, dead and rough foot skin. Yuck!

The PedEgg came with two small adhesive, oval shaped papers. the papers were gritty like a very fine sandpaper. The instructions said to pull the backing off and stick the gritty paper to the grater on the PedEgg. I decided to just hold the sandpaper sheets in my hand and rub over the still rough parts of my feet. This way I could use the paper more than once, where as sticking it on the PedEgg would make it a one time use. (I think you can buy refills, but I'm a little cheap.)

After the second step, my feet actually began to feel smoother. The grit took all the flaky, hard skin off. I followed this up with a quick foot massage and lotion. Although I could still see some cracks on my heals, my feet were completely soft and smooth. They felt as wonderful as they did after a $30 pedicure.

I keep my PedEgg on the nightstand next to the bed. To maintain my softened feet, I use the PedEgg for three minutes about every other night before bed. The real test will be this summer when my feet become gnarled from wearing sandals. Come on ladies, you know

what I am talking about. Flip flop foot-dry, cracked, flaky and permanently black.

As for the icky foot war. I think I may have won the first battle.

Next: Can rubbing sand paper crystals on my legs really work better than shaving? Smooth it Away.