Kitchen Tools Made in the USA - Let's Eat!

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As Thanksgiving Day slowly approaches, the recipes and how-tos begin to appear everywhere.  I would love to let you in on my wonderful techniques for making Thanksgiving Day turkey 

Problem Finding a Job in America?

With Black Friday and the holiday shopping season just around the corner, I notice all of the Christmas Guides going up and the commercials for the holiday sales being broadcasted.  As we make our lists and check them twice, let's think about giving back to our fellow Americans in the form of jobs and job security.

According to the Census Bureau, the median household income between 2007-2011 was $52,762.  A report by CNN Money shows that it fell to $51,017 in 2012.  That's a monthly income of $4,251.  As of September 2013, the unemployment rate was at 7.2%.  To put things into perspective, that's 11.3 million people or about the population of the state of Ohio.

Now, what do these figures mean?  Unless you are the unemployed looking for work, probably not much.  The intention that I have in doing this blog is to encourage readers to purchase products that are made in the USA to create jobs and reduce some of that unemployment figure.  In my research of trying to find these products, I came across this story on several different websites.  I am not quite sure who the original author is and when I asked no one seemed to know either.  I found it here and got permission to post it on my blog.  I really hope that my recreation gives you a different point of view as you make your holiday shopping lists and enjoy this season of giving.

Here is my revised version of it:

A man wakes up to his alarm clock (made in SC) and while his coffee pot (made in Creston, IA) is making his coffee, he shaves with his electric razor (made in Sterling, IL).  Then he puts on his dress shirt (made in East Rutherford, NJ) and his trousers (made in Cleveland, TN) and his shoes (Port Washington, WI).  Then after cooking his breakfast on his electric Belgian Waffle Iron (made in West Newton, IA), he sits down with his computer (made in Whitsett, NC) to review his schedule, news and weather for the day.  He then checks his messages and phone calls on his Smartphone (assembled in Fort Worth, TX).  He turns on his HDTV (assembled in Detroit, MI) to watch the news and weather.  Then he gets into his Ford Explorer (made in IL) filled with gas refined in Warren, PA, and heads out to look for work.  When he returns home from his day, he puts on his robe (made in Los  Angeles, CA) and sandals (made in Buford, GA), and pours himself a glass (made in Toledo, OH) of wine (made all over the US - primarily in CA), wondering which job he should choose from, since his Made in the USA purchases have created almost 9 million jobs.

That, ladies and gentlemen, is the way to create jobs and change the mindset that everything is imported.  It is done one purchase at a time. Happy Holiday shopping!

That being said, I'm going to attempt to create a job for myself and let you know where your can purchase the products in my revised story (yes, some of the links are affiliate links - I thank you for your support.)  Happy Holiday shopping!

• Alarm clock:Bose Wave® Radio III
• Coffee pot: BUNN 10-Cup Home Coffee Brewer
• Electric Razor: Wahl All-In-One Groomer 
• Dress Shirt: Todd Shelton Baxter White Shirt (Note: Made in the USA with fabric from Italy)
• Trousers: Hardwick Flat-Front Blended Trouser
• Dress Shoes: Allen Edmonds 'Clifton' Oxford 
• Electric Belgian Waffle Iron: Palmer Electric Belgian Waffle Iron 
• Computer: Lenovo M92p Desktop 
• Smartphone: Motorola Moto X, Black (Verizon Wireless) 
• HDTV: Element 40" HDTV
• Robe: RobeWorks
• Sandals: TEROX Sandal 
• Wine Glass: Libbey Wine Glass

Montessori Services Product Review and Giveaway

There are affiliate links in this post. Please see the Disclosure page here.
 I was provided with a product to review, and I have provided my honest opinion. Thank you to the sponsoring company for working with Mom in the USA.

 

Montessori Services and For Small Hands dedicate themselves to providing schools and households, respectively, with Montessori-inspired materials.  For Small Hands is a resource for families; whereas Montessori Services focuses on the child's learning environment.   I recently had the privilege of reviewing their Birch Geo Board and Fast Food Trays - all made in the USA.

Coloring sheets can be found at 1+1+1=1 Tot School Printables

I cannot begin to tell you how excited I was to find these fast food trays.  I have been trying to find them almost since the inception of this blog.  The trays work so wonderfully when we do "school activities."  Each tray helps define each child's space on the table, but also helps contain things like crayons, markers and rubber bands, as seen in the photos, which makes clean-up much easier.  The irony is that neither of them wanted to actually use the tray for food.  They just wanted to use them for their "school activities."

The trays are a perfect size for the girls, measuring 13½" x 10½" overall and 1/2" deep and are available in blue, brown, dark green, almond (light peach), orange, mauve, red, or yellow.  They are also very durable.  Bina decided to dance on hers and they made a wonderful stage for her.  She also used hers as an art canvas and colored all over it.  Rest-assured, as beautiful an art piece as she made us, the coloring came off with a cloth.  They are also light enough that each one of the girls was able to carry it around without a problem.  The surface of the tray itself is not a smooth surface, so I used something underneath, since Lyla is practicing writing letters.

The Birch Geo Board kept Lyla busy for much longer than I had expected it to. She was fascinated by what shape to make next.  I also showed her how to make some letters.  She really wanted to experiment on her own, so I let her run with it.  After all, if it's not fun for her, then she's not going to learn.  As you can see from the picture to the right, she created several different shapes, patterns and things that resembled letters.  When she was done, she traded with Bina.  Bina surprised me with how well she caught on to putting the rubber bands on the pegs.  Don't get me wrong, she did get snapped a few times, but overall, she did much better than I thought.  She really just piled the rubber bands on top of each other in the same linear shape until she could fit no more in that pattern.  Then she created a new one on a different section of the board.  It was a great sensorial activity. 
** Note: This toy is intended for children 4 years old and older.  I let Bina use it because I was sitting right there with her and observing her.  Please exercise this same caution with your own children.  The rubber bands are a choking hazard.

Quick product facts:

• The Geo Birch Board, Item #V16
• Measures 7-3/4" around 
• Has 16 pegs on it  
• The birch wood is finished with lacquer so it has a smooth surface.  
• The rubber bands come in a little zippered-lock bag and come in five colors (red, blue, green, yellow and beige)

•  The Fast Food Tray, Item #T180 (plus the color designation, Ex: T180BN is the brown tray)
• Measures 13½" x 10½" overall; ½" deep
• Available colors: brown, dark green, almond (light peach), orange. Pictured above are the mauve, red, blue and yellow

Disclosure: The sheets that Bina is coloring in the pictures above can be found here at 1+1+1=1 - Tot School Printables.

GIVEAWAY

This is a giveaway for a $50 Gift Certificate to Montessori Services and For Small Hands.

Enter by using the Rafflecopter form below for a chance to win this awesome prize!   

• Open to U.S. residents, ages 18 and older.  
• The giveaway ends 11/12/13 at 12:00am EST.  The winner will be announced at the Thumping Thursdays Blog Hop on 11/14/13.   
• Please remember that a mandatory entry is to leave a blog post comment and to be a subscriber to Mom in the USA.  
• The winner's entries will be verified.  

Good luck to all of you that enter.  Please let me know if you have any questions.

I was provided with a product to review, and I have provided my honest opinion as a mother. Thank you to the sponsoring company for working with Mom in the USA.  You can view my complete PR policies here.  I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commissions 16 CFR, Part 255 Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising. 

 a Rafflecopter giveaway

Shop-A-Thon Thursday

Welcome back to another week of Shop-A-Thon Thursday.  These comapnies bring us the following products that are made in the USA.  They have also been added to the Shopping Directory.  Enjoy!

Amamante (Made in CA) Nursing bras, nursing gowns, and nursing pajamas made in the USA
Colorations (Carol Stream, IL) "Discount School Supply® does own and operate our own paint manufacturing facilities, which produce the majority of our Colorations paints."  The following are the products that Colorations makes in the USA:

• Liquid Watercolor™ Paint
• Simply Washable Tempera Paints (All Varieties - Classic, Cool, Fluorescent, Shiny)
• Colors Like Me Multicultural Paint
• Make It More! Paint Additives – Puffy, Glitter, Shimmer
• Simply Washable Tempera Paints
• Activity Paints (All Varieties – Classic, Fluorescent, Metallic, Sparkle)
• Washable Finger Paint (All Varieties – Classic, Glitter, Sensory Sand)
• No-Drip Foam Paint
• Confetti Paint
• Washable Glitter Paint
• Puffy Paint
• Heavyweight Construction Paper (All Sets - 50-packs, Classroom Pack, Smart Packs)
• The Ultimate Art Paper
• Perfect Art Paper Pack
• Prima-Color Fade-Resistant Paper Rolls
• 36 x 1000' Dual Surface Rolls 40 lb.

Palmer Paint (Troy, MI) Inventors of Paint-by-Number Kit.  Manufacturers of arts & crafts paints: acrylic paints, face paints, tempera poster paints, and glitter paints.

Karina

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Disclaimer: There are affiliate links in this post. You will NOT pay extra to buy through the link. If you purchase anything through an affiliate link, you give back a percentage to our family. Thank you for your purchase. You are supporting the blog, our family and all families who make these products in the USA. Please see my Disclosure Policy.
 

Shop-A-Thon Thursday

It's Thursday, which means it's time for another week of Shop-A-Thon Thursday.  I know that I have been inconsistent in bringing you this post lately and for that I apologize.  This is one of the posts that I enjoy doing the most and will get back to it.  With that said, let's get to the fantastic companies that bring us the Made in the USA products we will some day own.


All USA Clothing (Sylvan Lake, MI) "At All USA Clothing, we are committed to offering the best clothing at the best prices Made in the USA."  Manufacturer of men's, women's and babies' clothes.
Bamboosa (SC) Eco-friendly clothes - "ALL of the fabric and products sold by Bamboosa are USA Made."
Britax (NC) Manufacturer of child car seats and strollers.  Note: Their infant car seats are made in China.  The toddler car seats are made in NC.  
** I own the Roundabout 55 and just ordered our second one for Bina.  I believe in these car seats.  Stay tuned for a later post about them.
Build-A-Dream Playhouses (Cleveland, OH) Unique, one-of-a-kind playhouses made of corrugated cardboard.  They can be colored, painted, decorated, and customized to please every child’s dreams.
Carolina Chair (Conover, NC) Handcrafted furniture in NC by skilled craftsmen; third generation, family-owned
Green Dreams Orlando (Orlando, FL) Manufacturer of organic and natural bedding, including children's bedding, organic bedding, organic pillows, natural and organic mattresses, natural organic pet beds.
Heirloom Wooden Toys (Arcadia, CA) Retailer of "simple, earth-friendly toys that inspire the imagination and spark long sessions of creative play."
Little Alouette (Columbus, OH) "Wood baby toys that last for future generations- pass them down. Montessori/Waldorf natural toys, blocks, developmental, sensory, free play fun - the best wood toys for baby infant kiddo- natural organic modern safe heirloom for the future."
My Wonderful Walls (Chattanooga, TN) Manufacturer of wall stencils, wall stickers, canvas art, wall murals {Look for it under Decor Made in the USA.} 
Smiling Tree Toys (Lamberton, MN) Natural and organic wooden toys for eco-friendly play.

 

Karina

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Disclaimer: There are affiliate links in this post. You will NOT pay extra to buy through the link. If you purchase anything through an affiliate link, you give back a percentage to our family. Thank you for your purchase. You are supporting the blog, our family and all families who make these products in the USA. Please see my Disclosure Policy.

Who Joined The Made in America Bandwagon?

{Photo credit}

Since tomorrow is President's Day, I thought it only fitting to share that the Price of Freedom, a gift shop in the Smithsonian National Museum of American History, adopted a new attitude almost two years ago.  Their products now display the words Made in the USA on them.  What a great example of patriotism!  The Price of Freedom: Americans at War is also the name of an exhibit at the museum.  Here is a list of other exhibits.

If you happen to find yourself in Washington, D.C. or within driving distance, here is the Smithsonian's Plan Your Visit page.  It would make a great field trip for the kids - big and small.

What do you have planned for Presidents' Day?


Karina

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** If you like my blog, please subscribe to continue to receive updates. Simply click on the button. Thank you so much for your continued support.

Shop-A-Thon Thursday

Welcome back to another week of Shop-A-Thon Thursday, where I showcase companies that make and/or sell products that are made in the USA.  By the looks of it, this week I must have been on a food kick.  With the Super Bowl and Valentine's Day right around the corner, I imagine food will be on everyone's minds, so enjoy these great companies.  As always, I have updated the Shopping Directory to reflect the addition of these new companies.

Korff Ceramic Originals (Cabot, PA) Home of unique, personalized, hand-painted gifts for all occasions, ages and lifestyles.  These gifts include piggy banks, personalized pie plates, family platters, birthday plates, even Cookies for Santa plates. {Category: Gifts}
NordicWare (Minneapolis, Minnesota) Manufacturers of an extensive line of quality cookware, bakeware, microwave and barbecue products for the last 60-plus years.
Priester's Pecan Company (Fort Deposit, AL) Famous for their pecans, Priester's also sells a variety of nuts, jellies, preserves, marmalade, flavored syrups and candy such as pecan bark, pecan logs and pralines.  {Category: Edibles}
The TLC Kitchen (MI) The TLC Kitchen sends chef-prepared gourmet meals to friends or loved ones as gifts.  They have three programs:

1. TheMealStork.com shows your congratulations on the arrival of a newborn {or more} by sending the parents a delicious, gourmet meal.
2. SympathyFood.com helps comfort a grieving family by sending a gourmet meal as an alternative to flowers.
3. GetWellMeal.com: Whether your friend or loved one is experiencing an illness or injury, a delicious meal will surely be appreciated and will brighten their day.  {Categories: Gifts, Edibles}

Karina

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** If you like my blog, please subscribe to continue to receive updates. Simply click on the button. Thank you so much for your continued support.


Disclaimer: There are affiliate links in this post. You will NOT pay extra to buy through the link. If you purchase anything through an affiliate link, you give back a percentage to our family. Thank you for your purchase. You are supporting the blog and our family. Please see my Disclosure Policy.

Shop-A-Thon Thursday

 Welcome back to Shop-A-Thon Thursday.  Here are several more companies that sell products that are made in the USA.  They have been added to the Shopping Directory.  Enjoy!

There are affiliate links in this post.  Please see Disclosures here.

Axl's Closet (Salt Lake City, UT) Retailer: We enjoy living an active lifestyle with our children and we are interested in dressing them in styles and brands that reflect our passions, aspirations and tastes.  Every product we carry has to pass one basic test "would we buy it for our kids?"
Big Tall Pants (Bossier City, LA) Retailer offering a comprehensive range of name brand clothing for the big and tall customer.
Davis Men's Store (Bossier City, LA) Retailer: Davis' fourth generation has developed a reputation for being the premier Big and Tall men's store
C28 Christian Store (HQ: Corona, CA) C28 is a Christian retail store chain, offering an alternative to the mainstream mall stores. The Christian clothing, music, jewelry and accessories reflect a clean and positive Christian lifestyle. C28 stands for Colossians 2:8, Not Of This World (NOTW), and all about Jesus!
Journelle (NY) Retailer: A premier lingerie store for the modern woman 


Karina

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Shop-A-Thon Thursday

This is the first Shop-A-Thon Thursday of the new year.  If you are new here, first of all, WELCOME.  I am so happy you are here.  Shop-A-Thon Thursday is where I showcase any companies and/or retailers that make and sell products that are made in the USA.  These companies will be added to the Shopping Directory.

Berg Furniture (Edison, NJ) Manufacturer of Space Saver beds, Captain's beds {Sierra L-Shaped Twin Over Twin Captains Bunk Bed}, Jr. Captain's beds, Platform beds, Enterprise Collection (bunk beds that are modern and sleek and versatile), Utica Collection (loft-style beds), Metropolitan Line (feature a bed concealed behind a spacious desk), dressers, hutches, bookcases, trundles, under-bed storage drawers, desks, chairs, chests, night tables, mirrors, chifferobe (I know that one because of an episode of Family Guy. Yes, I have a husband.), AND the one that made me laugh out loud: Pet FUR-niture! (I didn't make that up. It's on their website.) They have platform and bunk beds for our four-legged loved ones. I even found one that would fit our wanna-be lap dog. **Make a note: They do not sell directly to consumers. Here is a link to their store locator.
Plaid (Atlanta, GA) Manufacturers of Mod Podge {thank you Phylicia who wrote a great post about it}, FolkArt, Apple Barrel, Martha Stewart, Delta Soy Stain Varnish and Gallery Glass Pattern, among others.  They also have a page for different types of crafts, so for all of you crafters, this page is for you.

Karina

I love comments!

** If you like my blog, please subscribe to continue to receive updates. Simply click on the button. Thank you so much for your continued support. 


Disclaimer: There may be affiliate links in this post.  You will NOT pay extra to buy through the link.  If you purchase anything through an affiliate link, you give back a percentage to our family.  Thank you for your purchase.  You are supporting the blog and our family.  Please see my Disclosure Policy.

See What's New

This weekend I decided to play around with Pinterest.  I found some very cute things to pin to some boards.  It inspired me to create a page here.  It is called the Jewelry page.  Each piece is Made in the USA.  Here is a preview of what's on the page:

Above from left to right:

Meharet Orange Carnelian Aqua Gold Hoop Earrings

Labradorite 14k Gold Hammered Circle Chain Earrings
Luminous Aqua Flower Chalcendony Gold Earrings

Like what you see?  Let me know and leave a comment.

Karina
I love comments!

Category: Shopping & Review


Disclaimer: Some of the links are affiliate links. Please see my Disclosure Policy.