Open Jars Easily With Jar Heads Rubber Jar Opener Gripper Pads

I have always found opening jars with very tight lids to be a challenge, since I have fairly small hands and limited grip strength. Now that I'm over 65 and my hands are weaker, that task evolved from a challenge into a struggle, until I discovered Jar Heads rubber jar opener gripper pads. They make opening jars significantly easier for anyone, and are especially helpful for someone with small, weak, or arthritic hands. They're also thoughtful, practical gifts for seniors. 

Here is my product review of these terrific Jar Heads jar opener rubber grips, which have become kitchen essentials at our house.

Finding the Best Jar Opener For People With Limited Grip Strength or Arthritis Can Be Hard

There are many types of jar opening tools and gadgets on the market. Many, if not most, claim to be good for seniors and people with weak hands or arthritis. Nearly all of them have mostly 5-star ratings and glowing reviews on Amazon. (It's really unfortunate that Amazon's customer ratings and reviews system seems to be easily "gamed," and isn't nearly as helpful in making purchasing decisions as it used to be.) So, despite having more experience than most with online product research and comparison shopping, I found that picking out a jar opener that had a high probability of living up to those claims was a bit like playing roulette. 

So, if you are looking for an extremely effective jar opener that not only would be a welcome addition to any kitchen, but could also be a blessing for someone with small or weak hands, arthritis, or limited grip strength, I hope to spare you considerable time and effort by summarizing the most popular types of jar openers available and sharing some of the products I purchased, or seriously considered, before I discovered the awesome Jar Heads rubber jar gripper pads that I have been using, and loving!

The Most Popular Types of Jar Openers and Rubber Jar Grips

Traditional Handheld Jar Openers

In my experience, most traditional jar openers and screw-top bottle openers are only moderately effective, and often quite frustrating. 

• None of the ones without teeth that I've tried over the years, especially the strap wrench (AKA grip wrench or loop wrench) types, have worked well on very tightly sealed screw-top bottles or glass jars with metal lids.
• I've found that, for the most part, jar openers with sharp, serrated teeth (like the older version of this OXO Good Grips Jar Opener I've owned for many years) can be more effective than the "toothless" models at breaking the vacuum seals on new, unopened glass food jars. Unfortunately, they often end up skidding around the rim of those stubborn, firmly stuck, tightly sealed metal lids, rather than biting into and gripping the metal securely as you twist the lid counterclockwise. Consequently, the teeth can score a deep, sharp-edged gash around the perimeter of the pugnacious jar lid, whether or not the jaws successfully break the seal and loosen the lid. Sometimes I have had to wrap the sides of those lids with flexible, nonwoven, self-adhesive bandage strips to protect our hands from the sharp, jagged-edged score lines around the rim when we subsequently open or close the jar.
• All these types of handheld jar openers require not only grip strength in both hands (the one that holds the jar and the one that turns the lid), but also sufficient leverage to twist the jar and lid in opposite directions. 

Mounted, Under-Cabinet Jar Openers

Two of the issues with traditional handheld jar lid and screw-top bottle openers are weak grip strength and lack of leverage. A jar opener that is mounted securely to the underside of a cabinet above the kitchen counter(s) and has a V-shaped area with large, serrated metal teeth on one side of the "V," such as the popular and highly rated EZ Off Jar Opener, can help with both these issues, and also accommodate a wide range of bottle cap and jar lid diameters. It enables you to grip the jar more securely with both hands as you turn it counterclockwise, and holds the lid firmly in place as you twist the container.

When trying to open very tightly sealed jars, however, the large, serrated teeth could bite into the sides of the metal lids deeply enough to cut grooves or gouges with sharp, jagged metal edges.

Automatic Electric Jar Openers

Many women (especially those who have limited grip strength), seniors, and people who suffer from arthritis are fans of automatic electric jar openers, and find that these (theoretically) hands-free electric openers give them a greater sense of independence in their daily lives. They can be quite effective at opening straight-sided glass jars (ideally without rounded "shoulders" at the top) that have tightly sealed, hard-to-open, metal screw-top lids.

However, these kitchen gadgets are more expensive than most manual bottle or jar openers, and have some limitations that manual openers don't. 

• These automated openers should not be used with plastic jars or on plastic lids. 
• While it is possible to use this type of automatic opener with tapered glass jars, doing so requires placing a hand on top of the gadget and maintaining firm downward pressure to prevent the plastic arms from slipping. Obviously, that isn't optimal, particularly for someone with arthritic or weak hands.
• If one of these electric jar openers malfunctions, or just slips off a glass jar with "sloping shoulders" (potentially knocking it over, and perhaps causing it to break), they don't turn themselves off automatically, which I consider a safety risk. 
• This type of opener operates fairly slowly, and it is important to wait until the entire automated cycle is complete before removing both the gadget and the newly-loosened bottle or jar lid. For someone who either lacks patience or needs to prepare a meal in a hurry may find this wait frustrating, or even be tempted to try to stop or remove their automatic electric jar opener prematurely. If they remove it during the cycle, the opener will continue to operate until the cycle completes, and stopping it mid-cycle would require removing the batteries while it was still running, which would be dangerous. 
• They are wider and bulkier than most other types of jar openers, and may not fit in a crowded kitchen tools drawer.  
• Most run on two AA batteries, which will need to be replaced for as long as the product remains in use. 

Despite those limitations, these electric jar openers are a wonderful option for anyone who is physically unable to grip both a jar and its lid securely and twist it open with the aid of a handheld or under-cabinet jar opener or rubber gripper pads. As long as they can press the enormous button on the top of this tool to initiate the cycle, the process of opening a jar is fully automated and hands-free, except for jars that are tapered or have rounded "shoulders." (As I mentioned, opening those types of jars requires placing a hand on top of the device and holding it firmly in place throughout the entire automated cycle, to prevent it from slipping off the lid, which makes that a hands-on vs. a hands-free operation.)

Rubber Jar Openers AKA Rubber Jar Grips, Jar Opener Rubber Grips

I would never had considered buying a rubber jar opener, or even looked at the terrific Jar Heads rubber jar opener gripper pads, if my husband and I hadn't received one as a promotional gift from our favorite local barbecue restaurant many years ago, when we lived in Boston's Back Bay neighborhood. It was a large, pig-shaped cutout made from a thin, pink, textured rubber sheet, emblazoned on one side with the restaurant's whimsical logo and its address, phone number, and website in bold, black permanent ink. At the time, we thought it was a cute idea, but nearly threw it out. How could this flimsy piece of rubber sheet work better than a traditional jar opener with sharp, serrated, stainless steel jaws? 

Fortunately, we never got around to tossing it. One day, on a whim, I decided to give it a try. I was astonished at how much faster and easier I could open a brand new jam jar with an extremely tight lid by using this silly, pig-shaped, subtly textured rubber "rag" than with any of the traditional handheld jar openers I had owned over the years. When my husband came home from an errand, I was excited to show him how much more securely I was able to maintain a grip on a stubborn lid and twist it open successfully with Porky's help, compared to my usual struggles with hard-to-open jars. Seeing how well it worked for me piqued his curiosity, and he wanted to experience the difference  between using this thin, rubber jar opener pad and using our traditional model, with stainless steel jaws with large, sharp teeth on one of the sides. Even though my husband is very strong, has a powerful grip, and doesn't need the help of a jar opener most of the time, he also was impressed by Porky's performance. He also liked the idea of using this simple rubber jar gripper pad to help him subdue the occasional extra-defiant lid and break the vacuum seal without having to rely solely on brute force. 

It's ironic that this mildly amusing, but seemingly worthless piece of thin, floppy, lightly textured rubber sheet, which we had nearly thrown in the trash bin, turned out to be by far the most useful, memorable, and appreciated promotional item either of us has ever received from any business. In addition, my husband and I soon figured out that if we could get two of these rubber jar openers, using one in each hand would strengthen my grip on the jars as well as the lids and increase my leverage, so that I wouldn't need as much strength or have to use as much force to open even stubborn jars with tightly sealed lids. 

At the time, our crazy work schedules and pressing family health issues left us with neither the time or energy to pursue the possibility of acquiring a second Porky. Then, after several years of loyal service, poor Porky met his demise in the line of duty, when the thin rubber sheet tore as grappled with one recalcitrant jar lid too many. Since we were no longer living in the city, I decided to call the barbecue restaurant and ask whether they still had any of their old promotional jar opener rubber grips and, if so, whether they would let me purchase half a dozen (two for immediate use and four more as spares). That's how I learned, to my dismay, that the restaurant had closed the previous year.

It was it was time to begin the search for a worthy successor to our beloved porcine rubber jar opener. 

I looked high and low for something similar, but there wasn't much to choose from at the time. I purchased a pair of white, flower-shaped, jar opener rubber grip pads, currently sold as NORPRO 597 Non-Slip Rubber Jar Openers, so I could use one in each hand to help me hold the glass jar securely while I twisted the lid open. I also liked the wider, 5.5-inch diameter of this style, and the rubber was thicker and, presumably, more durable. Unfortunately, that thickness made the rubber much stiffer and less pliable, so it couldn't conform to the lid, and the surface was smooth and almost slick, all of which made it harder to get a good grip with these, despite the "non-slip" marketing claim, 

A few years later, I found two more possible contenders. One was a set of natural rubber jar openers with an open waffle pattern similar to foam shelf liner, which also had a wider, 6-inch diameter. And, since they came in a set of four, I would have one to hold the jar, one to grip the lid, and two extras for backup. However, I worried whether the soft foam material and open weave might make them less grippy or less durable than I needed (or both), and in reading through the customer reviews, I found several that mentioned those issues. 

The other contender, the Prepworks by Progressive Jar Grips Multi-Purpose Lid Openers, looked very promising. This set of three rubber jar openers includes one teal blue, square grip pad approximately 5" wide, made from thin, flexible, lightly textured rubber sheet that looks to be very similar in weight, thickness, and flexibility to that the jar opener we had; a somewhat smaller green round sheet made of a slightly thinner material, and a red, 2" wide, rubber grip shaped like a truncated cone for gripping bottle lids, and made thicker and, presumably, somewhat sturdier material. Unfortunately, as I read through the numerous reviews, many of the customers who gave this set 5-star ratings did so primarily because of the bottle opener. People seems much less enthusiastic about the two rubber jar openers, which some considered too flimsy and likely to tear.

Jar Heads Rubber Jar Opener Gripper Pads for the Win!

When I felt that my search for Porky's replacement had reached the point of diminishing return, I decided to stop looking for additional candidates and go with options I might have missed, order a set of Jar Heads rubber jar openers, and cross my fingers that they would actually live up to their claims. 

Lady Luck must have been smiling on me, since the first time I used my new Jar Heads rubber jar opener grippers, I knew at once that I had hit the product roulette jackpot with these well made, easy to use kitchen gadgets!

Here are the main attributes, features, and benefits that led me to choose Jar Heads Rubber Jar Opener Grippers over the other rubber jar openers on my "short list" of contenders. 

Thin and Flexible Enough to Conform to Jars, Bottles, and Lids, Yet Tough Enough to Hold Up Under Pressure, and Over Time

• Even though these jar opener pads are only about 1/16" thick, they're also sturdy and substantial.
• Made from recycled rubber tires, which are designed to withstand much more abuse than twisting open bottle and jar lids! 
• After 10 months of frequent use, and being squeezed into a drawer crammed with kitchen tools and kitchen gadgets in between uses, all five of our Jar Heads still look, feel and perform the same as they did when I first opened the package. 

Made From 100% Post-Consumer Recycled Tires

• Uses sustainable, eco-friendly, recycled material and manufacturing practices.

Superior Grip Strength Lives up to "Non-Slip" and "Works Great for Weak Hands,...Seniors With Arthritis and Children" Claims 

• While nearly every rubber jar opener product’s marketing makes these claims, few live up to them.
• By contrast, Jar Heads take advantage of the powerful grip strength that has been engineered into the rubber tires from which these jar opener gripper pads are made, which also gives them exceptional durability

Wide Enough to Grip Large Jars, Flexible Enough to Grip Small Bottles

• The 5" diameter make these rubber discs are wide enough to grab onto even oversized pickle jars or  party-sizes pretzels sold in bulk at warehouse stores like Costco or Sam's Club.
• They are also thin and flexible enough to grip a small, slender hot sauce bottle and its extremely small screw-on lid. 

Made in the USA

• Buying products made in the USA supports American companies, workers, and their families.  

Sold in Sets of Five

• That's enough to share, or use in pairs, and still have spares!

Strong, High-Quality Jar Openers for $2.50 Apiece

• At the time this post was published, a 5-pack of Jar Heads was selling on Amazon for $12.50, with free shipping for Amazon Prime members. That works out to just $2.50 each for these excellent jar opener rubber grips! 
• At that low price, you could give these out as stocking stuffers to everyone on your holiday gift list, or as small "just because I'm thinking of you" gifts any time of year.

30-Day, 100% Money-Back Satisfaction Guarantee

• I respect and prefer to buy from companies that have enough confidence in the quality and performance of what they make or sell, and have a strong enough commitment to their customers to stand behind their products with a risk-free, 100% money-back satisfaction guarantee. 
  
  Jar Heads are sold by First Class Products of NY, which describes itself as a "Small Family Run Business founded in New York" on its Amazon Seller Profile Page, where you can contact them directly with a question or concern, and also read the overwhelmingly positive seller feedback from their Amazon customers. 

A screenshot of the seller's Amazon Seller Profile page 

Jar Heads Make Great Gifts for Seniors

Or Anyone With Small or Weak Hands or Limited Grip Strength

• Gives them more confidence to open jars and bottles by reducing the legitimate fear of losing their grip on glass containers and knocking over or dropping them, potentially causing them to break into dangerous, sharp glass pieces and shards.
• Reduces the frustration and embarrassment of needing to rely on someone else to take care of this routine task for them, and waiting for someone to be available to help.

A Helpful, Inexpensive Aid That Makes Anyone, Regardless of Their Grip Strength

• Even people who have strong enough hands to loosen tight lids or break the vacuum seals on new, unopened bottles and jars will appreciate how much less effort it takes to open them with the help of these Jar Heads rubber grip pads.

Jar Heads Rubber Jar Opener Gripper Pads product review by Margaret Schindel

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Ninja Foodi Grill Review

 

Our daughter got this Ninja Foodi Grill as a Christmas gift and I just have to tell you how amazing this kitchen gadget really is.

Fran and I are both retired but we both work part-time jobs. On the days that we work, we don't always prepare a meal for when we get home. 

With the Ninja Foodi Grill, we have a nice hot meal in 30 minutes or less. You can grill, air fry, bake, roast, and dehydrate with the Foodi Grill. Take foods from frozen to grilled juicy perfection in 30 minutes or less.

Ninja Foodi Grill Features and Settings:

Grill Control, Low, Medium, High, and Max

Time Setting button in minutes

Air Crisp Setting

Dehydrate Setting

Roast and Bake Settings

Above is a photo of everything in the Ninja Foodi Grill box:

Recipe Book

Quick Start Guide

Owner's Guide

Foodi Grill

Splatter Shield

Removeable Cooking Pot

Grill Grate

Crisper Basket

Cleaning Brush

The recipe book has 15 great recipes for you to try. There are also charts for grilling, air frying, and frozen food. The charts give you the amount of food, preparation tips, Cooking temperatures, and recommended cooking times. 

We made these Sausage and Pepper Grinders, the recipe is on page 26 of the included recipe book. 

First, Fran cut 2 bell peppers and one onion and tossed them in a plastic bag with 2 tablespoons of canola oil. 

Then, insert the grill grate and close the hood. Select Grill, set the temperature to low, and set the time to 28 minutes. Then, select start/stop to begin preheating. The unit will beep to indicate that's time to add the food, I love this feature it really takes the guesswork out of preheating. 

Add the peppers and onions on top of the grill grate and close the hood. The timer will begin to count down. Grill the peppers and onions for 12 minutes, when the timer counts down to 16 minutes lift the hood, place them in a bowl and cover with tin foil for later.

Add the sausage and close the hood, the timer will begin to count down again. We cooked the sausage for 7 minutes per side for a total of 14 minutes. The recipe cooks the sausage for 6 minutes per side but I added 2 minutes at the beginning of the process knowing that I wanted my sausage cooked a little more.

Lift the hood and remove the sausage. There will be 2 minutes left on the timer, add your sausage rolls on the grill top and close the hood for the last 2 minutes. Now you'll have nice toasty rolls for your sandwich. These sausage grinders were delicious, I went a little overboard and ate 2 of them myself.

I like the fact you can cook your whole meal by setting one time. We've also made shrimp and fish fillets in the air crisper from frozen to perfection.

Last week I made a couple of ribeye steaks. I brushed them with canola oil, seasoned them, and grilled them for 6 minutes per side, they were a perfect medium-rare. Let's say someone in the family likes their steak cooked medium, all you have to do is leave one steak on the grill and add another minute or two.

So far this has been a great addition to our kitchen gadgets. We've been having a lot of fun experimenting with different foods and time settings.

By the way, the splatter screen, removable cooking pot, grill grate, and crisper basket are really easy to clean.

Find more Product Reviews Here: ReviewThisProductReviews.com

Ninja Foodi 5-in-1 4-qt. Air Fryer, Roast, Bake, Dehydrate Indoor Electric Grill (AG301), 10inch x 10inch, Black and Silver (Renewed)Check the Price

 

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USPS Informed Delivery Reviewed

 Ever wonder what the mail will bring? Are you trying to track a lost package or envelope? Try the Informed Delivery Service offered for free by the United States Postal Service. Incoming mail and packages are scanned by the USPS and the images are delivered to you everyday via email.

Email Delivery

Every morning around 8:00 a.m. I receive an email with the scanned images of incoming mail. Incoming envelopes and some direct mail flyers are scanned, larger junk mail is not included.

I have found the service to be very accurate as to what is actually delivered and of course shout out to a wonderful mailman we are lucky to have.

Packages

The service also tracks any incoming packages. This has been very helpful when trying to track a package ordered online, but the package is mailed via two delivery services. I have found this to be happening more and more frequently where one major delivery service hands off the package to the local USPS for delivery.

When you track the delivery route at times it has been difficult to determine when/if the package is being delivered and by which service.

How To Sign Up?

A few clicks of the mouse will bring you to the sign up page for Informed Delivery Service.

Click here to view the sign up instructions.

The service is free. An USPS account is not needed. If you already have an online account with the USPS you can sign in and then navigate to the instructions if desired.

Looking For A Specific Piece Of Mail?

This service is wonderful if you have an important piece of mail you are expecting or if unfortunately a piece of mail is expected, but has not arrived.

A Handy Dandy Companion

The Guard Your ID Stamp is a handy dandy companion to the USPS Informed Delivery service along with your paper shredder to protect your personal information.

Review of the Guard Your ID Stamp is available here.

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Review of Blackout Window Panel Drapes - Highly Recommended

A Review of Room Darkening Drapes - Yes. Recommended.

 Let me start this review by getting right to the point; I highly recommend these blackout drapes.

My son selected them for his recently re-vamped bedroom.  Actually, I suggested them (based on reviews and price), and he said "what-ev." Lol. Boys ... I've raised four of them, so I can safely say they are men of few words. However, few words or not, he loves these drapes.

The Nicetown Blackout Window Panels do exactly what they advertise they do - they blackout the light. 

These Drapes Completely Block the Morning Sun

My son's room faces east, so it gets the full morning sun. Certainly, that's a lovely feature when you're awake, not so much when you're trying to sleep.

In the morning, while he was still sleeping, I opened his door expecting to see some sunlight, and to my surprise, there was zero light in the room.

Honestly, I was shocked. I expected there to be some faded light peeking through, but nope, nothing. His room was night-time dark in the morning.

He said, and I quote, "it was so dark, I had to check my clock and was shocked that it was noon." He enjoyed his morning sleep-in. 

Closed Room Darkening Drapes in My Son's Room

How Many Panels Do You Need for a Window

I'm a bit fussy about having too little drape for a window.

My son's window, from outside frame to outside frame, both width, and height, measures 51 inches by 51 inches. However, from the top of the curtain rod to the bottom of the window, the measurement is 54 inches long. 

The choices in size widths are 29, 42, and 70. The length choices are 18, 36, 45, 54, 63, 72, 84, and 90 inches. 

To ensure proper window coverage, we purchased two sets of the 42 by 63-inch drapes. Thus we have four panels; two panels on each side.

We decided on the slightly longer measurement of 63 inches versus the 54-inch length for fear that the 54-inch drape would be slightly short, and allow the light to peek through.

To completely block the light, make sure the drape seams (where each drape meets) are pulled so that you can't see the window at all. Otherwise, the morning light might peek through.

The finished look of the drapes - open - two sets of drapes

Affordability? Absolutely

We were able to cover this window for under $75 (Canadian). The curtain rod was already installed; just the drapes had to be replaced.

How Many Colors Do These Drapes Come In?

Lots. Lots of colors. When I last checked, there were about 20 colors to choose from.

Would We Rebuy These Drapes?

Yes. In fact, my first granddaughter is due to arrive in August, and we're planning on choosing a set for her room. They're ideal for a nursery since they completely block the morning and day light. 

They're available on Amazon:

Check out the bedding we selected for his room here. The bedding is also good value for the money.

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The Spider Plant As A Houseplant Reviewed

 

Spider Plant With Spiderlings

I have grown up with spider plants or Chlorophytum in the house for as long as I can remember. My Mum always had at least six spider plants in the house all with a myriad of little baby spider plants hanging from the parent in glorious abundance. 

My Mum was a true master of caring for houseplants so that they grew healthy and abundant. All I knew as a child was that they were pretty and indestructible! 

Spider Plants In Our Home

Now I have six spider plants in our home, one in the bathroom, one in the living room, one in the bedroom, two in the dining room/study and one in the kitchen! I could have many more and probably will over time. In the meantime, I give away the little baby spiderettes potted up as gifts.

All mine are variegated, though you can buy all green ones as well. Four of mine are young plants taken from the parent so they do not have any offspring yet. I think they really brighten up a room!

Two are more mature and have beautiful little spider plants or spiderettes hanging down from the main plant. You may need to wait a while for the plant to mature enough to have offspring and a little patience will reward. Once you have a mature spider plant you will always have more! 

 

Mature Spider Plant With Many Spiderlings!

Where To Site Spider Plants.

As when I was a child these plants remain pretty indestructible! Ideally, they like well-drained soil and light but not too sunny position. They do prefer a slightly cooler environment, so I never place a spider plant in direct sunlight on a sunny windowsill or directly above a radiator.

In winter with the central heating on it can be a little more difficult to keep them cool, but as long as they are not directly on top of the radiator or heat source they seem to cope. They are the easiest and most forgiving plants I have ever looked after. 

If any of the leaves go brown I just gently pull them out and if the tip of the leaves only goes brown I just snip off with a pair of scissors. 

Young Spider Plant 

Watering And Feeding Spider Plants

They do need watering well but also like to dry out between waterings. I have a tendency to overwater but this can lead to soggy roots and make them very sick.

If this happens I have found the best thing to do is to take the plant out of the pot, allow it to dry out a little, then repot in fresh dry soil, then water normally, meaning lightly. All mine recovered this way but you do need to catch it early or the plant will be sick.  

The best thing is not to overwater in the first place and always let the soil dry so it is just slightly moist in between waterings. 

The opposite issue is if they get too dry. If this happens you will see them visibly droop and the leaves will start to go yellow and then brown.

This is easily remedied by giving them a light watering over several days. It may also be advisable to mist them now and again if you know the atmosphere in your home is dry.

If they get to this stage of drought, it is better in my experience not to give them a big drink all at once as it seems to overwhelm them a bit, rather just a small drink to begin.

Then simply pull or trim off any dried leaves and the spider plant will look good as new.  You will soon see them perk up again! 

So with normal care, they respond to watering only when necessary, allowing any excess to drain off and then leaving it until the top of the soil feels dry before we water again. 

We can feed spider plants but they do not need it very often. Mine get a feed perhaps once or twice a month, only in the growing season of spring and summer when I remember and they are fine with that. Any general houseplant feed will do in either liquid or granular form. I give them a far weaker solution than is recommended on the bottle as too much feeding can result in browning of the leaf tips. There is no need to feed in Autumn and Winter. 

I only repot when the original pot has become obviously overcrowded. You will either be able to see the roots on the surface or bursting out of the bottom of the pot, or it will be so congested it becomes tricky to water them.  Then it's time to just pot on into the next size pot into compost that will drain well. This should only be necessary every two to three years.

Hirt's Gardens Reverse Variegated Spider Plant - Easy to Grow/Cleans The Air - 4in Pot

How To Propagate Spiderettes!

I do love the name Spiderettes! Usually in spring when daylight hours increase they start out as tiny white flowers on the parent plant and then develop into a fascinating mini spider plant attached to the parent with a long stem. They can remain like this as they grow bigger for a long time and do look beautiful. 

However, I have found it best to propagate at least some of them before they get too large or too many of them and drag the parent plant down. The one in the first photograph now has a lot of young and really needs some spiderettes propagating this Spring. 

Propagation is so easy. Simply prepare a pot with well-drained soil and without detaching the spiderette from the parent, lower the spiderette roots into the soil, cover and keep watered. Once you see growth and roots developing well, you can snip the long cord from the parent. You can make so many new spider plants by this method! 

Alternatively, if when still attached to the parent, there are already good strong roots visible on the spiderette, you can snip it from the parent plant and pot on by itself. 

When spider plants are very young they have a more upright habit but as they mature they tend to hang down and so I like to place them on a bookshelf, cupboard or shelf so that they and their spiderettes can show off to their full glory.  

They also look great placed in lovely natural macrame baskets that can be hung in the house. This can make them look even more special. 

I like the white macrame baskets which make them stand out and pick up on the white variegation of the long leaves. This is a lovely selection of macrame baskets to suit many hanging houseplants and spider plants would love them. 

 

GROWNEER 5 Packs Macrame Plant Hangers with 5 Hooks, Different Tiers Handmade Cotton Rope Hanging Planters Set Flower Pots Holder Stand for Indoor Outdoor Boho Home Decor

 

If you don't like macrame then a hanging pot like these  La Jolie Muse Planters in a speckled white colour is lovely to pick up on the white stripes in the spider plant leaves and will look modern and beautiful.

They are lightweight enough made of recyclable plastic and stone powder to hang with a beautiful spider plant inside. These planters come with drainage holes and a water reservoir to ensure that the plants get what they need. 

LA Jolie Muse Hanging Planters for Indoor Plants - Flower Pots Outdoor 10 inch Garden Planters and Pots,Speckled White Set of 2

Spider Plants Are Good For Us! 

Spider plants are well known to be a cleanser of the air inside our homes.  It is a great idea to have one in every room. Our homes have more pollutants and chemicals than are good for us from everyday cleaning products to our technology.

Many of us do not open windows and ventilate homes enough especially when it is cold in winter and central heating can dry out the air. 

I especially like to have a spider plant in the bedroom and also in any room where we use technology. They are perfect for a home office.

Houseplants are fantastic at absorbing carbon dioxide and giving out oxygen and some are very good at cleansing the air. Spider plants have been shown in tests by NASA to be able to clean formaldehyde for the air. Tests were conducted under sealed conditions and those tests showed that one plant per 100 square feet would be required.

However, in the less controlled and much more changeable environment of our homes, this may be a bit different. I think if we have a spider plant per room it can do no harm and only help towards a healthier environment for us.   

Spider Plants are a great house plant gift for anyone starting out in their new home or for a student going to University. They cope admirably with conditions that are not quite optimal for them and can amazingly survive a degree of neglect. 

 Young Spider Plant With A Small Spiderling

They are one of the few plants I do not worry about when I go on a two week holiday and ours were all perfectly fine when we went away for a month once. 

I just watered them well in the weeks beforehand and left them in a shady spot.

If you would like pretty, low maintenance, evergreen and interesting all-year-round houseplant that is healthy for us and looks especially good where it can cascade down from a high surface, or in a hanging basket, then spider plants are well worth considering. 

More House Plant Reviews

Reviewing Caring For The Stunning Polka Dot Begonia House Plant

Reviewing the Care Of Beautiful Anthurium Or Flamingo Flower House Plants

Reviewing The Growing And Care Of Dracaena As A Houseplant

Caring for A Mother In Laws Tongue As A Houseplant Reviewed

Reviewing The Care Of Living Stone Flowers or Lithops As Houseplants

Care Of The Intriguing Carnivorous Venus Fly Trap House Plant Reviewed.

Reviewing The Growing And Care Of Bottlebrush Plant

Reviewing How To Take Care Of Your House Plants On Vacation

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Brown Sugar Keeper Reviewed - I Love My Brown Sugar Bear!

If you have ever had brown sugar harden in your pantry, you will understand the need for the brown sugar bear.

Not only is he adorable, but he keeps your brown sugar soft for months.  He can also be used to remove moisture from salt, spices, and other food products that are prone to go stale after the package is opened.  

Many years ago, I was given a brown sugar stone.  It looked like a flat terracotta disc or flat rock.  Not pretty, but it did the job.  I have no idea what happened to that disc.  I fear it got thrown away at some point when cleaning out my pantry. I may have looked at the date on my box of brown sugar and simply tossed it, not even thinking about the brown sugar keeper.  That seems like the most likely scenario since I haven't been able to find it anywhere.

When I opened my brown sugar a few weeks ago, I discovered it was hard as a brick.  That hardened box of brown sugar could easily be used as a weapon.  Since I have no need for a brown sugar weapon in my kitchen, I went in search of my brown sugar keeper.  That is when I discovered it was missing.  Such great sadness enveloped me until I thought of Amazon and how they might have a brown sugar keeper.  The website search began and I quickly found a variety of options.  Success!  But, now I was faced with another dilemma.  I had to choose a design.  After all, I don't really need a dozen different brown sugar keepers just because they are cute.

Choosing a design took me all of about 3 minutes. As soon as I saw the brown sugar bear, I knew the one (well, 2) that I needed.  I promptly ordered my bears and anxiously awaited their arrival.  The bear siblings arrived in perfect condition 3 days later.  

Isn't he just the cutest brown sugar keeper you ever saw!  His sister awaits her opportunity to come out and play.

How to Use a Brown Sugar Keeper

 Brown Sugar Bear Harold Import Co Original Sugar Saver and Softener, Terracotta, Set of 2Check PriceFor keeping your brown sugar soft, you simply soak the brown sugar keeper of your choice in water for 20 minutes.  Dry him off with a paper towel, and place him in your brown sugar.

For keeping moisture out of other spices or food items, you don't get him wet.  Place the dry keeper in the bag or container and let him absorb the moisture.

If your brown sugar is already hardened, like mine was, soak him and put him in the container (box or bag).  Within 24 hours, your brown sugar will be soft again.  He is a magical little bear! 

Well, they all work the same way, but you know I love my little bears.   

 Terra Cotta Brown Sugar Saver, Food-Safe Sugar Preserver for Long-Term UseCheck Price Brown Sugar Bear Light Brown Sugar Original Sugar Saver and Softener, SingleCheck Price Now Designs Terracotta Brown Sugar Saver, Hedgehog, 3 CountCheck Price JBK Owl Terra Cotta Brown Sugar SaverCheck Price

 

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Brown Sugar Keeper Reviewed - I Love My Brown Sugar Bear!"  written by:

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Six Weeks To Live - Book Review

Imagine going into a routine doctor's appointment and learning you have six weeks to live.  For most of us, that would be the worst news ever.  Though it is an unexpected and terrible diagnosis for forty-eight-year-old Jennifer Barnes, the real shock is yet to come.  

To cope with an anonymous, random killer like brain cancer is hard enough.  To suspect that the real killer is someone she once loved, makes everything that much more devastating.  With the end so near, will there be time to discover the truth?  

Catherine McKenzie's upcoming release, Six Weeks To Live, is stunning suspense that explores how family secrets, deception, and revenge is a cancer far more potent than glioblastoma.

Jennifer's family members doubt her sanity.  Surely, the brain cancer is warping her mind.  One would have to be losing it to believe her husband, the father of her children, could do something as diabolical as poisoning her.  It's crazy.  Or is it?

There is plenty of motive.  Jennifer's estranged husband has been relentlessly hammering her for a divorce, which she refuses to give him.  He and his new girlfriend are harboring a secret, which is more than reason enough to want to knock off the wife standing in the way of their happily ever after.  

Dare we hope Jennifer's grown girls, a complex set of triplets, might come on board to help her track down an explanation for mysterious lab results predating her terminal diagnosis?  Isn't it the least a mother can expect when things turn dire?  If only family dynamics and relationships were that easy.  

Time is very quickly running out.  Who, or what, will win in the end?  Can there even be a win in this situation?  

Six Weeks To Live is the best novel I have read all year.  You will want to pre-order your copy now.  It releases on May 4, 2021.  I received a digital galley from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.  My sincere thanks to the publisher, Atria Books, and the author, Catherine McKenzie, for this deeply satisfying reading experience.  

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The Push by Ashley Audrain - A Book Review

 

During these days when we are called to remain indoors unless necessary, I find that I spend a lot of time reading.

I love to read historical novels and spy thrillers, murder mysteries and some autobiographies if the person is someone I admire.  In 2020, I made myself a promise that I would expand my reading genres.

So far I think I have accomplished that task and will continue to expand into other genres just for my own interests.

The Push by Ashley Audrain was a book that I really wasn't sure I would like. It was made available to me through #Netgalley, as a  pre-published book.  The only requirement to being able to access this book, was that I provide a review when I was finished reading it.  

Personally, I'm a very sensitive person, and I don't like things that upset my sense of balance.  Psychological Thrillers are among the types of books that tend to really upset my life, but I was willing to give this one a try. Suffice it to say that it turned me upside down and inside out, yet I could not put the book down.

My husband would chuckle when I would be getting ready to sleep for the night and be repeating the mantra "It's only a Story!" , over and over again.

This book is a must read for those who like this genre of deeply disturbing mentally challenging type of books. It is haunting but at the same time very understandable and possible.  This book has been read and acclaimed by many authors and found it's way to the New York Times Best New Books List.  It already has over 1500 reviews and is highly recommended  by many different authors.

Author Claudia Dey puts her thoughts on this book as follows:  

“A meteoric debut. Ashley Audrain’s The Push is a force of nature, an unforgettable arrival that will linger in your heart—shimmer, darken and then haunt you. Every sentence is just so achingly alive. Audrain descends with near pointillistic precision into the gore of motherhood and love. Perhaps if Stephen King had experienced motherhood—the singular exaltation and morbid terror of that state—he might have been able to dream up this book. Wise, monstrous, and tender, The Push operates at a different frequency. It seemed to pulse in my hands. I could not put it down. I could not look away.”
—Claudia Dey, author of Heartbreaker and Stunt

That is the draw of this book, even if you don't like mentally jarring books, you cannot put this one down.  

This book has just been published and it is #6 on Amazon Best Sellers this week.  It is a book that book clubs and mothers will be talking about for a long time.

All of the thoughts on motherhood, marriage, child raising and everything we think we know is in question.  Haunting is a great adjective for this book.  

I haven't really told you any of the story and I don't think I will.  It is one of those books that you just have to get a copy of and read it for yourself.  Trust me, you won't be able to put it down. 

Should you decide to get this book, I'd love to know how you reacted and what you thought. 

**I am a member of NetGalley and as such have access to many books that have not yet been published.  These books are given to members electronically, and the only requirement from members is an honest review!  

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Home Storage Cabinet

Home Storage Cabinet - Reviewed

Sometimes finding more storage space in your home can be a real challenge. As a Christmas gift, our daughter got us three sets of large bath towels.

Now, the challenge for us was where to put them. We decided on a small storage cabinet for our bathroom. I measured the space we had available and we began to search.

We decided on this Bar Cabinet with wine storage from Bush Industries. Now I know this sounds crazy you are probably wondering why on earth would we buy a wine storage cabinet for bath towels.

Well, let me tell you why. This is the most versatile storage cabinet I have ever seen. It measures 32-inches wide which is a perfect fit for the space we had available. The 42-inches high was great because Fran did not want a tall cabinet, and 16-inches deep makes it a perfect fit for the large towels.

This cabinet is designed to be used for a variety of uses. You can use this cabinet as a Coffee Bar, or Wine Cabinet, or general storage in an office, kitchen, or bathroom. So, if you are looking for some added storage around the house this cabinet will fit the bill.

Wine and Storage Cabinet Features:

Two accented glass doors with tempered glass.

Three fixed shelves.

Four adjustable shelves.

The Stemware rack will hold a dozen 12-ounce wine glasses.

The shelves will hold nine bottles of your favorite wine.

Bush Industries is a leading manufacturer of ready-to-assemble furniture for your home, office, or business. Offering a variety of desks, workstations, bookcases, storage furniture and so much more.

The unit was very well packaged, I found no damaged parts. Every part was labeled and easy to read. Each piece of hardware was packaged separately and labeled with the part numbers so there was no guesswork as to what screw went to what part.

The instructions were quite easy to follow and they tell you what steps to skip if you’re just setting the cabinet up as a storage cabinet.

The above photo is from the instruction sheet. On the left, it shows just a storage cabinet, on the right, it shows the wine cabinet.

When I first saw this I was concerned, I thought how am I going to know how to set this up without the wine storage. 

But not to worry, as I stated above the instructions tell you what steps to skip to set the cabinet up for just storage.

After we set this up as our bathroom storage for the towels. I assembled the adjustable shelves with the wine racks and set them on shelves in my basement. Now I have a wine rack for nine bottles of wine.

Bush Furniture Bar Cabinet with Wine Storage, Pure WhiteCheck the Price

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OXO Good Grips POP Container Review

 I have been searching for large canisters for my kitchen but none seemed to suit me. The cute canisters were too small or didn't seal. The large canisters weren't a nice shape or were far too expensive. I recently came across the OXO Good Grips POP containers and purchased just one for a test run. I was skeptical of the fit of the lid. But after filling the first container with flour, I quickly bought 5 more containers because I liked the first one so much.

I need more organization and better pest-proofing. In an apartment, with an extremely small kitchen space, I can never seem to store everything in a way that makes sense and allows me to access everything I need easily. Organization has become even more difficult during these times of social distancing and remote working. Between trying to make fewer trips to the store and stocking up when things are available, my kitchen has been bursting at the seams. In addition to the space issue, the pest issue has been more troublesome. Dry goods (especially flour, rice, and pasta) have potential for the presence of insects in the cleanest of kitchens. Then add neighbors and a rental situation on top of that and food loss is increasingly possible.

OXO Good Grips POP Containers

The OXO Good Grips POP containers are clear, hard plastic (BPA free) canisters with lids that have a softer plastic/rubber gasket. 

The lid has a push button that breaks the airtight seal and allows the lid to be opened. I love that it operates with one hand. Push the button, release the seal and the button pops up, and the lid can be lifted off with one hand. My other hand is free to continue stirring or doing other things. (Do not attempt to carry the containers by the lid button. If the button is up, the lid is not secure.) Press the button down, it is flush with the top, and the lid is sealed.

The containers are stackable which saves space.

The containers are clear - making it easy to see the contents of each one.

These OXO canisters can be found locally or on Amazon. I purchased mine first container at Target and  the remainder via Amazon. At that time - using Prime free shipping - they were several dollars less expensive through Amazon and arrived at my doorstep.

Living in a metro area, I fell into the habit of stopping at the grocery store every 2-3 days on the way home from work. I tended to buy what I needed for only the next few days. We our area closed down I could easily be out of flour after one or two batches of biscuits or loaves of bread. I would be out of pasta after just a few meals. During the pandemic shut-down, I occasionally had to stop at 3 different grocery stores to get the ingredients for a single meal. With these containers, I can keep a larger amount of food and be less reliant on multiple trips to the store. 

I am also happy to have found the OXO canisters as they are exactly what I want in my future kitchen. My home is under constructions. The kitchen there will be small but over two times larger than the kitchen in my apartment. In the new home, I will have both a pantry and open shelves. I have always imagined clear containers on those shelves; making it easy to spot what I am looking for and always know quantities without having to open containers and look in. In the pantry, I have always imagined containers that can stack. 

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It seems I am not the only Review This Contributor who trusts the OXO brand. Margaret reviews the OXO bread pan. She writes "I discovered the OXO Good Grips Non-Stick Pro Baking Pan line while researching options for replacing my old Teflon nonstick baking pans with ones that had newer, more durable, and safer PFOA-free coatings". Read her full review here.

I still love my biscuit jar. The jar is not airtight but is perfect for housing fresh biscuits or cookies on the countertop. There is nothing better than having A Jar Full of Biscuits. These biscuits are one of the reasons I need so much flour on hand. Yum!

A biscuit worthy of display in a jar on the countertop.

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