valentine’s day | {Not Quite} Susie Homemaker

Fukien Tea Bonsai Tree from ProFlowers.com Review

February 14, 2013 By Shell 6 Comments

Since we’re getting married next month, Justin & I decided to skip Valentine’s Day this year. We already have the most romantic day of our lives to look forward to in just a few weeks, and we don’t usually do too much for Valentine’s Day anyway.

Last year, however, he did buy me flowers from ProFlowers.com- and he even got my favorite kind, pink roses with baby’s breath! The flowers were beautiful & made me feel so special. So when I had a chance to do a review of ProFlowers this year, I knew it would be a great way for us to treat ourselves as a couple!

Now, I’ve totally gotten myself flowers before, but this year I decided to skip their Valentine’s Day gifts section & check out their plants. Justin has always wanted a bonsai tree, and I think they’re gorgeous, so we ordered one of those!

bonsai trees

They had a large selection, including Juniper Bonsai, Gardenia Bonsai, Azalea Bonsai, and several more. We ultimately went with the Fukien Tea Bonsai because it has a bit of a whimsical feel to it & we loved how it looked!

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ProFlowers allows you to choose your delivery date, which is nice if you’re sending flowers or other gifts for birthdays, anniversaries, etc. Since I wasn’t, I was in no rush, but only two days were available for delivery within the next month so that was strange. I had to pay a small fee on top of the standard delivery charge due to the date being so close, but I literally could not choose a later date as there were none available. Since I was given a gift card to review the site, I didn’t mind the extra fee, but if I was purchasing this on my own I would have been annoyed by that. Rush fees should only be charged when you have the option to have it shipped later but decide on your own that you want it sooner. {Note: Since my purchase of the tree, every day for the next month has opened up for shipping so it is possible that this was a fluke.}

fukien tea bonsai

When we received the tree on the date specified, it looked great! It was just like the picture on the website, and I was shocked that it shipped so well. There was some minor assembly required- I had to fill the included tray with the included rocks and then place the already-potted tree onto it {it’s there to help with humidity & catch excess water}. It only took a minute & was as easy as it sounds. The tree also came with a little pamphlet on how to take care of it, including making sure it has lots of direct sunlight and water.

Bonsai Tree

Despite placing it in a direct line of sunlight between two windows and giving it a lot of water daily, it began to lose it’s leaves. We looked in the pamphlet & it said that it’s typical for the tree to lose up to 20% of it’s leaves after arrival, so we kept an eye on it. Within a few days, all but literally three small leaves had died. Just shaking the table that the tree was sitting on would cause a cascade of leaves to fall off.

Growing leaves back

I removed the dead leaves & continued to water the tree to see what could be done. Luckily, we now have lots of little leaf sprouts, so the tree, despite appearances, is NOT dead! I can’t wait until it grows back all of it’s beautiful leaves.

Buy It: You can find the Fukien Tea Bonsai {or many other plants, flowers and gifts} at ProFlowers.com! Be sure to Google “ProFlowers coupon codes” first as I was able to score a discount using a code I found online.

What is your favorite kind of house plant?

Note: I received a gift card to facilitate this review. All opinions are my own.

Filed Under: gifts, reviews, valentine's day Tagged With: gifts, ProFlowers, reviews, valentine's day

Last Minute Valentine’s Day Gift Idea: Whole Foods Chocolates!

February 13, 2013 By Shell 3 Comments

We love chocolate around here. I could eat regular candies all day long if they didn’t have calories, but sometimes it’s fun to get special ones. Whether it’s a different flavor or beautiful designs, trying something new is always fun & makes for a great gift!

If you’re still looking for a great Valentine’s Day Gift, check out your local Whole Foods where you can find several delicious varieties of chocolate, including bars with lots of unique flavors & delicious chocolates- perfect for sharing! Check out their selection below:

Whole Foods Chocolates

-Whole Foods Market Organic Tanzanian Schoolhouse Project Milk and Dark Chocolate Bars – Rich, sweet and smoky chocolate made with cacao purchased directly from farmers in the Kyela, Mbeya district of Tanzania and certified by the Fair for Life Social & Fair Trade Certification Program. To date, this program has provided funding to help build a school and provide books for five primary schools and 1,300 children in the region.

-Whole Foods Market Assorted Premium Belgian Chocolates—A variety of bite-sized indulgences sure to excite any palate…plus these delightful treats come in a heart-shaped box with 14 pieces a box!

-Whole Foods Market™ Hazelnut Cre’em Milk Chocolate Hearts – Eight mouth-watering, creamy, heart-shaped Belgian chocolates wrapped in festive red foil. And if you’re sweetie prefers dark chocolate, try our Whole Foods Market™ Hazelnut Cre’em Dark Chocolate Hearts.

-Whole Foods Market™ Specialty Chocolate Bars—In mouthwatering varieties like Milk Chocolate Toffee & Sea Salt, Dark Chocolate Pear & Almond and 71% Cacao Costa Rican Dark Chocolate, you may just want to give one of each.

We recently received the Organic Tanzanian Schoolhouse Project Milk & Dark Chocolate Bars as well as the Assorted Premium Belgian Chocolates for review. I gave Justin the dark chocolate bar since he loves dark chocolate &I’m a milk chocolate girl all the way! He loved the dark & said it was really good & I loved how smooth and delicious the milk chocolate one was. I love how the bars do good for a community & it’s definitely incentive to pick up these bars over the typical brands!

whole foods chocolates

The Premium Belgian Chocolates were delicious & the flavors were very interesting {in a good way} variety of different flavors! Each chocolate was intricately decorated & combined with the amazing taste that makes for a great gift! Whether you are buying for your child or your significant other, they’re sure to love these chocolates.

Buy It: You can find these chocolates at your local Whole Foods! &While you’re there, be sure to pick up the ingredients for a romantic dinner!

What’s your favorite kind of chocolate?

Note: I received samples to facilitate this review. All opinions are my own.

Filed Under: food, gifts, reviews Tagged With: food, gifts, reviews, valentine's day, Whole Foods Market

Valentine’s Day Gift Idea: Harvard Sweet Boutique

February 13, 2013 By Shell 9 Comments

If you’re looking to get something sweet for your sweetie this Valentine’s Day, you have to try Harvard Sweet Boutique! Harvard Sweet Boutique is an online boutique where you can find delicious cookies, brownies, toffee and more for your loved ones. You can choose from some of their gift boxes {including ones made specifically with Valentine’s Day in mind!} or you can customize your own package, choosing from lots of different flavors to find just the right gift!

deluxe gift collection

Everything they sell is made from scratch & by hand, using the freshest ingredients. The products are all natural and include great ingredients like rich European chocolate, double-strength vanilla extracts, premium grade nuts and fresh Grade A butter.

Harvard Sweet Boutique Box

I was recently sent a sample of their goodies to try &I loved the box it came in! I firmly believe that when you’re giving gifts, the presentation is very important, so I loved getting the sturdy {and easy to repurpose!} box and adored the giant bow on top! If you order from them, often times you can choose which box your order is delivered in so you can even pick a box that your loved one will appreciate!

Harvard Sweet Boutique Cookies

I loved that every item in the box was individually wrapped- I was hoping that it’d take us a long time to eat all of those cookies & I worried that since they were so fresh they’d go bad quickly! But since they were wrapped like that I knew it wouldn’t be a problem. It also made it harder for Shane to help himself to the cookies- although I can’t say he didn’t try!

I tried to sample them all, although Justin & Shane “forgot” to give me a bite of some of their treats. I loved everything that I tried though, and I have to say that these are some of the softest cookies I’ve ever eaten! The brownies were incredibly rich- and so, so chocolately! I think my favorite was either the Macadamia Coconut Blondie Brownie or the Buttercrunch Cookie. They were both so good!

I wanted to get a picture of Shane eating the cookies, but before I knew it, tragedy struck:

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The box somehow emptied itself! Although if the chocolate covered stains on Shane’s shirt are any indication, it may have had some assistance.

If you’re looking for a truly customizable- and sweet- gift this Valentine’s Day, be sure to check out Harvard Sweet Boutique!

Note: I received a sample to facilitate this review. All opinions are my own.

Filed Under: food, gifts, reviews Tagged With: food, gifts, Harvard Sweet Boutique, reviews, valentine's day, valentine's day gifts

Hallmark’s Valentine’s Day 2013 Collection Review & Giveaway!

February 5, 2013 By Shell 28 Comments

If you’re looking for something for your special someone this Valentine’s Day, look no further than Hallmark! Hallmark is one of my favorite stores because they always have such cute items that fill my heart, and this year’s Valentine’s Day products are no exception!

While Valentine’s Day is thought of as a day for romance, it’s also a day of showing your love & appreciation for others that are special to you. I plan on getting Shane a small token this year, and there are a few others in my life that I will definitely be sending a card to! &Since Hallmark has a huge selection, I can find something for everyone in one place!

Hallmark Blooming Expressions

Shane’s new favorite “toy” {that’s not actually a toy} is the Blooming Expressions flower. It starts out closed up, in a cute vase with a sweet note on it. Then when you press the button on the back, music plays & the flower blooms- revealing another message inside! Then you can just press the button again to close the flower back up.

blooming expression

This flower makes for a sweet gift, but it also makes great Valentine’s Day décor! I wanted to leave it on our entryway shelf for decoration but Shane loves this flower & carries it around with him like it’s a toy!

hallmark cards

Of course, what would Valentine’s Day be without cards? I still have many cards that I received in elementary school, when we would all decorate paper bags & set them on our desks for the exchange. I would always get so excited when my cards had extras on them- candy, charms, whatever- they were my favorite! Hallmark has several cards this year that would have delighted 8-year-old me, and still do!

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Special Delivery Card Presenters are cards that have envelopes that come with beautiful embellishments, like this glittery envelope with a metal seal! It makes the already perfect card even more special.

chalk board hallmark card

There are plenty of cute Signature Greetings &you can find the perfect one for just about anyone! I love that one with the chalk board & chalk on the front- you can even write chalk messages inside! The Signature Greetings line is made up of cards that are handcrafted with beautiful papers &fun extras.

Hallmark Light Up Cards

&Then there are the Light Reveal Cards, which are super fun & definitely Shane’s favorite. They’re cute even before you light them up, but they get super fun once you push the button!

Whoever you’re shopping for this Valentine’s Day, be sure to check out Hallmark’s great selection! You can find these items in Hallmark stores, in the card department at your local mass retailer, or online at Hallmark.com.

Win It: One lucky reader will win a gift pack, including a Blooming Expressions flower and some great Greetings! Just enter using the form below. Good luck!

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