7/29/2023

Amazon Basics Eyelet Hole Punch Plier with 100-piece Eyelets

This is a good-value-for-money sturdy basic eyelet punch plier with 100 golden-like small eyelets. It is easy to use and I've had no issues with the included eyelets and with others I had at home. Actually, the end result was more polished with the ones I had at home, I think because they're less taller. But the golden eyelets included in the package are lovely, as per my photo. I find that using the plier with thick paper requires some strength on my part, so ain't sure if I would be able to use it with leather or stronger materials.  
 
On the other hand, the plier is quite heavy to me and my hands (despite it being labelled as 'lightweight in the product page). Besides, it only allows me to place eyelets at 2 cms or less from the paper/material border. This is more than enough for most purposes, but it's frustrating to me as I wanted to place eyelets in my artwork in places that aren't that width, and that's not possible.

Timex Women's Weekender 31mm Watch

This is my third Timex Weekender. I bought this brand and line because I've had years of awesome experience with these watches and I know what to expect; also because I wanted to replace my first weekender, which, after years, isn't working that well.  
 
As per my photo, this Weekender is targeted to women and it's slightly smaller than my previous Weekender. It looks perfect on my small wrist, not too big, not too small, and I can read the time without squinting. For the rest the watch some features I love:
 
The blue band is made of threaded nylon. I love the blue tone as it gives it an elegant look, even though this is a sport every-day watch. The best thing about this band is that is fully washable with water and hand soap, dries quickly and the color doesn't ran out.
 
The button battery lasts for a long time and is a standard battery so I can buy it  anywhere.
 
The afterglow feature is wonderful when I wake up in the middle of the night as it allows me to check and see the time perfectly.  
 
I can wash my dishes or deal with water without worrying about a water splash damaging my watch. I would not be swimming with it, but if I forgot to remove it, it is 30m water resistant. 

The instructions leaflet comes in different languages: English, Spanish, French, Portuguese, Italian, German, Dutch, Japanese, Mandarin and Russian,
 
Good value for money overall and I love it.
 
DOWNSIDES
> You'll notice that the battery is running out because the time starts to get imprecise. Said differently, the battery doesn't have a capacitor that holds the power consistently, so when the battery is low, it affects the time reading.
> The same can be said of the after-dark glow. You'll notice that the battery is low because the glow barely lights up. 
>  Packaging is poor and the methacrylate holder is not the best; the quality of the plastic is good but not the design. The cardboard box is bad quality and arrived in a bad condition.
> The multi-lingual booklet of instructions is wrapped up tightly around the watch holder and it is written in tiny-winy font size, so I need to use a magnifying lens to read it.  

 

7/26/2023

English Tea Shop Gift Pack Your Wellness Collection Light Blue 36 Sachets, 54 g

I'll be honest, I bought this tea pack because I love the tin box and I wanted to add it to my collection of ETS tins at home. The illustrations and overall quality of the tin are just beautiful and I use this one to store craft materials. It's not just that I wanted to have the tin, I knew beforehand that I would get good-quality organic herbal-blend tisane teas. The varieties in this pack didn't disappoint me. They are beautiful light enjoyable clean teas with no caffeine, so I drink them in the evening without a worry; now that's Winter I drink these teas instead of water as they are hot, healthy and taste good. The labeling information on the tin and the way it's displayed are excellent, something I don't take for granted. 

Vegeta Chicken Stock Powder 200 gms

This is a staple in my kitchen pantry. There are many reasons for it. The first is that this is large good-value jar with plenty of product in it. The second is that the flavor is good so it lifts all the dishes I add it to; it has a good amount of salt (even if the jar says 'reduced') so I don't add salt to my dishes if I'm using this stock powder. The third is that, as it is powder, not cubes, I can add the right amount of product without wasting anything.  Fourth, the inner foil-lining keeps the product fresh and aromatic for a long time and the jar lasts me for months. Fifth and last, it has no MSG.
 
DOWNSIDES
Barely any chicken in it (1%). It's mostly veggies, spices, fats and oils, as per the list of ingredients on the jar back. Also it is sold as 'no added flavours' but the list of ingredients shows 'flavour (chicken)' so what does this mean?
 
It tends to solidify after using a wet spoon or after a long time of no use, but the 'caking' is easily broken down with a fork.
 
The jar small lettering is barely legible due to the lack of contrast between the lettering and the yellow background so I use a magnifying glass to read anything written in it.
 
MIND
I don't use to drink it, just as a cooking condiment, so I cannot comment on the taste as a drinkable broth.

Friinder Pen Pencil Telescopic Holder Pen Holder Bag (Pink)

This is such a cute telescopic pen holder. I love the Kawaii pink style design; it brings out the child in me. It has plenty or room inside. I have put many markers and pencils inside and there is still room for more. The holder is plastic-lined inside, which prevents leaking from possible ink spills. The outer part is sturdy canvas and it stands upright easily. The design is really good as the straw part in the design helps me pull the pouch up easily while the two lower tabs help me to pull the pouch down. The zip is good quality. as well. This holder is a bit taller than other similar pen holders I own, so I can put some of my longer pencils and markers inside. Not my Tombows (see my photo) if I want to zip the pouch. As it is made of canvas, I don't put it on my table when using acrylics as it can be stained easily.

Unbranded Telescopic Pouch Pen Holder (White& Black Grid)

For the rest, a great good-looking pen holder. The only downside is that it's slightly shorter than most telescopic pen holders I own, so my longest new pencils or my dual Tombow markers won't fit in if I want to zip the pouch. Also, there is no tab to pull up tab to help bring the upper pouch up. I love this pen holder. It has a very elegant gender-neutral style that I love.  Most importantly, it holds a lot of pens, pencils and markers inside, as per my photos. It's plastic-lined inside, so the outer fabric won't get stained if there is ink spillage. The outer part is made of sturdy canvas so it stands upright without a problem.  It has a good-quality zip, too.

7/23/2023

Yellow-Price Wearable Blanket with Zipper Oversized Hoodie

This oversized hoodie is the comfiest item of clothing I've bought this year. I really love wearing it because of its plush tact, warmth and how light feels on. I thought it would not be as warm as it is due to the lightness of the materials it's made of, but it is. 
 
The size is really huge and I think it can fit most adults. The sleeves cuff around the wrists holding the excess sleeve length that can be expected from an oversized item. This is important as I tend to do the dishes or cook with this robe on and the cuffing prevents my sleeves to get fully stained or fully soaked; I still have to be careful as the excess material is still there.  
 
The hood part of the hoodie is also a bliss to wear, something I do when it's really cold at room temperature and my heater obviously doesn't reach my head. I especially love the feeling around my ears when I have it on.

I like the discreet neutral color, which doesn't stand out (for the wrong reasons) when I go out to get the rubbish out, for example. Also, it doesn't feel like a pajama or child-like as other oversized winter hoodies. 

I bought this one at a discounted price and that's an added bonus.
 
This has become a winter essential for me and I wear it all day long when at home. I have noticed that, since I started using this hoodie, I switch my heater way less, which makes me happy because that's power and money I'm saving. 
 
DOWNSIDES
Some of the inner fleece started coming off almost immediately and I worry that it'll  come off once I put it in the washing machine. I will update this review and rating after my first wash if needed. 
 
Also, the zip came unsewn on the upper part after barely any use and, not even a month after purchase, the zip head got broken for no reason. So, not the best craftsmanship or quality.  

UPDATE 14/04/2023
I've washed the hoodie in the washing machine, everyday sort of setting, high speed spinning, and it washed well and, despite my initial fears, no fleece came off. 

 

Clover Jumbo Chibi Darning Needle Set, Golden

I love these two needles, which I use to finish crochet ends, sew two crochet pieces together and also to wave stitching as the needles point is round, not pointy, and it's safe for the latter. For the rest, the needles are quite large but also very light. I've used them with thick crochet thread and also with yarn. I've also tried to use them on thick watercolor paper, but they were not good for that, unless I'm doing weaving stitching. These are mending needles but I think I use them just for yarn and woolen stuff. I love the container. I keep in it not only these two needless, but also most of my large needles; the container has a screw crap, which keeps all safely stored. NB = Measurements 6.2" Height x 2.1" Length x 0.8" Width, 340

7/20/2023

Tombow Storage Tote Bag

This is a lovey large, roomy, beautifully-made storage bag. The bag material is good-quality threaded nylon and the combination of colors, finishes and embroidered logo made up a very good-looking bag. Both the upper reinforced handle and the shoulder bag are sturdy, and the latter is easily adjustable. 

My photos don't make it justice to the amount of stuff I've been able to put in, and there is still room for more.

The two Velcro separator individual sheets come handy to create different spaces within the bag, and can be moved and/or re-positioned easily. There are two mesh external elastic pouches that can hold plenty of stuff, and I store all my crayons and pastels flat tins in the front pocket. 
 
I don't use it to store my markers but to store a good deal of art & crafts supplies. 
 
THE WEAKEST LINKS
I find that the bag has three design flaws that rest quality to the product if used for anything that isn't markers. The first one is the average quality of the zips, that aren't sturdy enough to carry a fully loaded heavy bag. This mostly affects the upper zip, which is pulled every time I carry the bag.
 
I find that other type of containers hold and organize my markers, pens and pencils better (either vertically or horizontally) and I won't store mine upright here.
 
Finally, although the bag cover is very roomy, it has no reinforcement inside, which seems necessary to me to counteract the pressure put on it by the holder when the bag is full; the sewn attachments aren't strong enough and might eventually  break through here.
 
IN SHORT 
Great storage bag. Good looking. Very spacious. It allows me to store tons of stuff. Yet, the upper cover and the zips are a bit of a let down as they seem fit for a mass-produced bag not for a Tombow product. I will update this review in the future if necessary.

Vicks VapoDrops Butter Menthol Lozenges 24 Pack

I always have a packet of these in my first-aid kit, especially in winter or when I fly. I use them when I suffer from slight cold symptoms, like clogged/blocked nose, scratchy throat and minor idiopathic dry coughing, and they work well for me. Besides, I love the taste. If I get serious dry or chesty coughing I would get other lozenges or just prescription medication. Yet, this is not always needed because my blocked airways are sometimes the result of very dry air-conditioned environments, long flights or just changes in weather that affect me. They're good priced too.

SECOND VERSION, AS THE FIRST ONE, WAS NOT PUBLISHED
I always have a packet of these at home, especially in winter or when I have a long flights. I use them when I suffer from slight cold symptoms, like clogged/blocked nose, scratchy throat and light dry coughing, and they work well for me. Needless to say, I don't use this for chesty coughing or severe dry coughing. I also love the taste.


7/19/2023

Luxor Cotton Terry Fully-Fitted Waterproof Mattress Protector

I've been using this protector for several months now. It is really good quality, light and fits my mattress perfectly. Before purchasing it, I feared that the waterproof part would be very plasticky and very noisy when rolling on the bed, but I was mistaken. It slightly noisy, barely noticeable, way-way less than other waterproof protectors I've used in the past and it doesn't make me sweat. The plastic part feels almost like fabric on touch.  I wash this in my washing machine on a normal every-day setting, high-revolution spinning, and it comes out as new, no deterioration at all so far. Good value for money, too.  Sometimes the photos on a product page are misleading or better than the original, but, in these case, they reflect the texture of the protector and how it fits my bed. I haven't had any liquid spillage happening on this protector, so  I cannot comment on its level of impermeability.

Toni & Guy Damage Repair Mask for Intense Reconstruction, 200ml

TThis is my fav mask by Tony & Guy and one of my top-3 fav hair masks in the market. It works wonderfully on my tinted hair and it  untangles my long thick wavy hair easily. It is very creamy, so it really penetrates my hair if  I leave it 5 minutes on, something I do when tinting myself with DIY haircolor. The results are great, as my hair looks hydrated, nourished, healthy and very shiny without any grease or heaviness. Many people ask me which hair products I use to have such a healthy-looking hair and this is the mask I usually use when the question pops up. The product lasts me quite a bit as a small amount of product does the job and goes a long way. The scent is kind of neutral to me, not strong or very gender-oriented, something I like. I don't mind paying a bit of extra more money for the jar because the results on my hair are amazing. On the other hand, I usually stock the product when it is heavily discounted, so it's not that much more expensive than than average or bad quality brands from major brands.

7/09/2023

G-Fresh G-Fresh Himalayan Pink Salt, 100 g

This is a good Himalayan pink salt, in a  good-quality plastic grinder at a great price. My only 'but' is not the salt per se, which is good, but the container cap. The grinder cap cannot be unscrewed, something I wanted to empty out one of the jars I bought; however, I had to cut the container jar body with a sharp knife for me able to do so. For the rest, very happy with the product quality and price.

Heaven Dragon Oolong Tea, 100 Tea Bags

I love this Oolong tea brand. I have been using it for months and is one of my fav morning teas or when I want something that is not too heavy on my stomach. It is full of flavor but not strong at all. I tend to add a drop of skim milk and it is perfect. This 100-bag package has an amazing price, too.

7/03/2023

Comiart 4-piece Ball Sphere Stylus Set

Good quality set of large stylus that I use with air-drying paper paste/clay. Kind of heavy as the balls are made of metal. Easy to use and clean. I love that the tools are double sided and comes in a good selection of sizes. They complement well my set of small styluses from the same brand. 

Better Jonny 26-piece Crochet Hooks Set

Every possible crochet hook size I would need at a killer price. The hooks are made of good quality metal and the vibrant metallic colors coating is beautiful and helps me distinguish different sizes. The length of the handle is average. The hooks are great for all sort of threads and wool. Packaging is minimum, but I'm very happy with the purchase.