Lindsay, Author at Laughing Lindsay

Vera Bradley Va Va Bloom Go Round Tote Bag Review

August 24, 2012 By Lindsay 5 Comments

Last summer I was able to do a Viva la Vera Bradley Review. As you know, I have been looking for a great teacher bag. Even if I end up substituting (which it looks like I’m going to be doing), I need a good bag to carry my stuff around in. So, I reached out to Vera Bradley again in hopes of finding a beautiful one. I’m happy to report that I did.

I was sent the wonderful Go Round Tote in Va Va Bloom. This awesome bag has many wonderful pockets. The outside has two pockets on each side. Then, it has two pockets on the side that reach around the entire bag. That’s two medium sized pockets and two extra large pockets on the sides! Those pockets are perfect for storing a cell phone, keys, id, pencils and pens. It could also carry a camera or planner. Then, the inside features three smaller pockets to store stuff. I do wish it contained one zippered pocket though to conceal my stuff.

Plus, the bag itself is a great, roomy size at 13¼” x 14¼” x 4¼”. I was actually able to fit a pair of dress shoes, socks, dress pants, a dressy shirt, suit jacket and my external hard drive into it one day for a last minute interview! It still had room! I have no doubt it will be able to handle all of my teacher papers and books. I love that the top zips close. It has a breakaway zip closure so the zipper is not in the way when I need to make something big fit into it. However, that does mean that it requires two hands to close it. I guess it can’t be perfect.

I love the look of this bag. The colors of the Va Va Bloom pattern are bright and bold. I think almost every color can be found in it. I like that because that means it can match every outfit I wear without me trying. Plus, the colors can brighten up a groggy morning and get me going. It is a pattern you would expect from Vera Bradley for sure.

Once again, I am very impressed with Vera Bradley. I can’t wait to see what they come out with next. I just love all of the things I have from the brand and want more. They might even make my Christmas/birthday wishlist. So, what do you think of this tote?

Disclosure: I received a free Vera Bradley Va Va Bloom Go Round Tote. No compensation was received. The opinions expressed are my own.

eBags Packing Cubes and Weekender Luggage Review

July 11, 2012 By Lindsay 57 Comments

Earlier this year, I excitedly introduced you to the Piazza Lucca Satchel from eBags in a review. Now, I am super happy to partner with them again for another review (and an awesome giveaway to come in the very near future). This time I want to highlight some of eBags great travel products, in case you are planning to take a summer vacation or head out to a lovely blog conference. 😉

Let’s start with one of the more unique products I’ve seen. They are called packing cubes. They allow you to organize your bag easily. There are three cubes which are made of TechLite Diamond Nylon. This means they are soft yet durable. They can be squeezed into your bag to make room for other stuff while keeping the contents inside neatly. There are three different sizes included to allow you to pack all sorts of things. They even include a handy guide to give you ideas of how they can be used. The small cube can be used to store things like toiletries, shorts, hair styling products, writing utensils, electronic cords, snacks, etc. The medium can be used to transport your shorts, pajamas, books, folders, crayons, or just an extra set of clothes. Then, the large is great for your shirts, pants, skirts, light jackets, gym towel, blankets, and even toys. As you can see, they are great for everything from travel and business use to home organization and gym or diaper bags.

So, you get your stuff organized and packed, but now you need a great piece of luggage to hold it all? Well, the TLS Weekender Convertible bag is a great one to turn to. This thing is really awesome. First, I just thought it was a pretty bag, but when I started to actually look at it, I was amazed with all of its features. This bag looks like a simple backpack, but it is much more than that. It has room for you to carry lots of stuff. I believe it would make for the perfect carry-on bag for a flight. There’s a place for your clothing (great for use with the packing cubes) as well as an adjustable Laptop Sling. So, you can have clothing as well as electronics or reading material with you. Additionally, the front of the bag unzips to reveal even more spaces to put stuff. Just look at how much room this bag has (it even has an extra zipper that can be undone to allow the bag to increase in size or zipped up to make the bag flatter).

eBags TLS Weekender Convertible Insides — Inside the eBags TLS Weekender Convertible.

Not only does the bag provide you with ample space to transport stuff, it has many ways you can carry it. I was surprised to find so many different handles on the bag. There’s one on the top of it, the side, and the top of it. Plus, I found two detachable straps for the bag. Additionally, it has the backpack straps which can be stored away and out of sight with a zipper (top left picture in the collage). This means you can wear the bag comfortably, no matter where you are. Just look at the options.

So, are you as impressed with the packing cubes and TLS Weekender Convertible from eBags as I am? I absolutely love it and am just waiting for the opportunity to take it somewhere. 😉 Stay tuned for an upcoming giveaway event with the Noise Girls called Seen in the City for your chance to win some packing cubes and this bag from eBags. Additionally, you can stay up-to-date with them by following eBags on Twitter and liking eBags on Facebook.

Disclosure: I received the eBags packing cubes and bag for free. I was not required to post about them. The opinions expressed are my own.

Titanic Museum Attraction 100 Years Anniversary Giveaway

March 16, 2012 By Lindsay 46 Comments

It’s no surprise, that I love visiting the Titanic Museum Attraction in Pigeon Forge. I mean I’ve been lucky enough to visit a couple of times and post a couple of Titanic Museum reviews. So, when I was offered the opportunity to tell you about the Titanic Museum Attraction 100th Anniversary Tribute Event going on at the museum (and host a giveaway), I jumped on it.

Both of the Titanic Museums in Pigeon Forge and Branson are hosting a Titanic Tribute Event on Saturday, April 14th at 8:30 pm. These are the only 2 places in the United States where guests can attend a tribute event. It is called “A Night to Remember: An Original Musical Tribute to Titanic,” and it will feature musical performances, historic ceremonies and appearances by actual descendants of Titanic’s passengers and crew! Wow! Won’t that be a lovely event and tribute to those who were on the ship? Oh, and in case you were wondering, April 14th is the 100th anniversary of the night the ship hit the iceberg. So, the tribute will have some real meaning to it.

I’m actually going to be receiving passes to the event. However, one lucky reader will win a family pack of tickets to the museum to visit during the 100th year anniversary. The tickets will be good until August 31, 2012 with one day they can’t be used: April 14th. So, 2 adults and up to 4 kids can visit the museum with these passes.

THIS GIVEAWAY HAS CLOSED!

Disclosure: The prize tickets are being provided by the Titanic Museum Attraction. Also, I will be receiving free VIP tickets to the tribute event at the museum for hosting this giveaway. The opinions expressed are my own.

Kraft Foods Energize Your Day Giveaway

March 13, 2012 By Lindsay 436 Comments

You may have noticed the addition of this great little button on my memberships page recently. It means I’m a very lucky blogger. 😀 Actually, it means that I am going to be able to bring readers new products and recipes from Kraft Foods now. Yay! You don’t know how excited and proud I am to be a Kraft Foods Official Delicious Byte Blogger. To kick-off this new relationship, I am hosting a giveaway for a wonderful package of new products from Kraft Foods which can energize your entire day!

Kraft Foods Energize Your Day

Last semester, I loved starting my day off with a peanut butter and banana bagel sandwich. However, I think this Peanut Butter Banana Waffle-Wich sounds fabulous. Plus, it uses the new PLANTERS Natural Peanut Butter which is so good. It has a great peanut taste and it’s a great way to get going in the morning as I feel like peanut butter keeps me full until lunch better than some other breakfast options. Another great product to give me energy is the CRYSTAL LIGHT Energy On-The-Go Sticks in new Citrus flavor. It makes for a delicious lunch beverage as it keeps me going until the bell rings at 3:30 and then some (for bus duty and meetings).

Then, I love to pack the SNACKWELL’S new Peanut Butter Pretzels or new Cinnamon Crème Drizzled Caramel Popcorn for lunch or a quick snack afterschool. They both are a really tasty snack option. My dad enjoyed the pretzels since he’s a fan of both peanut butter and pretzels. He thought it was a pretty good and unique idea to combine the two. I loved the drizzle on the popcorn. It was great to feel like I was getting a treat without the guilt.

I’ve previously told you how much I like the KRAFT MILKBITE Milk & Granola Bars in a review last month. I think they are a great snack to come home to. It’s so great to just reach for one while I wait for dinner to be made or afterwards while watching tv. One of my favorite drinks is definitely hot chocolate. So, imagine my delight earlier this year when my boyfriend and I spotted the new JET-PUFFED Mallow Bits in Vanilla. I have been enjoying these little things in my hot chocolate ever since! They would also be great on ice cream since they are so small and crunchy.

I also got a coupon to try the KRAFT FRESH TAKE. I’m a huge fan of chicken. So, the Italian Parmesan had my name on it. This is a cool new product. It’s a mixture of spices, breadcrumbs, and cheese that you put on meat before you bake it to give it some delicious taste! The Awesome Artichoke Dip doesn’t look too bad either. I love the ease and quickness of this product as does my mom. 😉

Lastly, I also received a stylish lunch tote and food storage set for this post. I had been carrying a plain, black lunch bag for my lunch. Then, I took this one to lunch and the teachers I ate with loved it! They were surprised to see me carrying a new bag and even more surprised that it’s a lunch bag! They thought I had a new purse! That’s how awesome it looks. The food storage set is great, too. I love all of the containers and neat pieces. Now, I can take literally whatever I want to eat. Haha!

This is definitely one of my favorite packages I’ve received as a blogger with all of the new Kraft Foods products and kitchen tools. Everything just fits right into my day perfectly and easily.

WIN! THIS GIVEAWAY HAS CLOSED!

Disclosure: Kraft Foods sent me a basket of free products and Kitchen tools. The opinions expressed are my own. Also, Kraft Foods is providing the prizes for this program at no cost to me and has provided me with a gift of equal value for review. This program is not administered or sponsored by Kraft Foods or its affiliates, but solely by Laughing Lindsay.

Green Giant Valley Update

December 1, 2011 By Lindsay Leave a Comment

When I went on the Green Giant Valley Visit back in August, I learned about Green Giant and its growing process. It was so much fun and interesting. If you recall from my previous posts, they were harvesting corn when I visited the valley. However, it’s now December (OMG) and things look very different.

Green Giant Valley

Here is one of the pictures I took while there in August of all of the delicious corn.

Well, now it looks very different. The corn fields in fall look less exciting and pretty. However, I definitely think it’s kind of neat to see pictures of it now and compare. You can view more photos of the Green Giant Fall Tillage on Flickr to compare the differences from August and now. In case you don’t know…

Fall marks the end of this growing season and the beginning of the next. Green Giant farmers are getting their fields ready to plant a new crop and tillage is one of the first steps to preparing for the next season. It breaks down the old vegetation and mixes it into the soil to become next year’s organic matter and nutrients, allowing for improved planting. In addition, this is the time of year that Green Giant evaluates their varieties, what was productive and what should be changed to improve the next growing season. Green Giant farmers are currently analyzing all of their research data, so they can make recommendations for the upcoming season. Although it is quiet outside, it is a busy time in the Green Giant offices, work areas, and seed vault.

I’d honestly never thought about what big vegetable companies did in between growing seasons. However, it’s really neat to know they are constantly evaluating things and looking for ways to improve their products for consumers.

Since I live at college, I don’t have a garden. However, do you have one? If so, what will you be growing in your gardens this year?

Disclosure: Green Giant paid for my trip to see the Valley. However, I was not required to post this. The opinions expressed are my own.