Oliver's Labels (Product Review)

I have a two year-old daughter. She does not go to daycare or preschool yet, but she is in the church nursery every Sunday.   Many Sundays when I go to pick her up, I find her holding another child's sippy cup.  This is nobody's fault; this is simply the life of a two year-old.  As flu season approached, I decided it was important to label her sippy cups.  I cut out pieces of paper, wrote her name on them, and fastened them to her cups with clear packaging tape.  This worked well until the day the tape became dirty and I tried to remove it.  Much scrubbing was needed to remove all of the adhesive residue.

That is why I was excited to learn about personalized kids' labels from Oliver's Labels.  I browsed their website and was impressed with the selection of label designs.  I chose the polka dots design, thinking that would be cute on my daughter's belongings.  Oliver's Labels provides a "preview" function, so you can see exactly what your labels will look like before you order them.  Since my daughter has a common first name, I decided to have her last name included on the labels as well.  I also requested the optional "Found-it" code.  I love this idea:  The Oliver's Labels website is printed on my daughter's labels, along with a numerical code.  Oliver's Labels then acts as an intermediary between myself and anyone who may report a missing item they have found.  This provides a sense of security, in that none of my contact information is actually provided on my daughter's labels, yet missing items can still be returned to my possession.

A few days after I placed my order, my labels arrived.  I received the rococo design rather than what I requested.  However, since this design was too cute to resist, I did not contact the manufacturer.  I was immediately pleased with the design of the labels, and I was anxious to put them to use.

I read the enclosed, easy-to-follow instructions, and fastened the original and mini labels to my daughter's sippy cups.  After almost two weeks of daily washings, wear and tear by a two-year old, storage in a refrigerator and diaper bag, my labels still look brand-new.  I tried to peel them off (out of curiosity), and they do peel...without sticky residue!  They also reapply nicely and stay in place after reapplication.  I took my nail and tried to cause scuffs, to no avail.

 

I applied a stick-eez clothing label to my favorite pair of my daughter's jeans.  This no-iron, no-sew tag is perfect for a two-year old's clothing.  The label has stayed in place throughout 3 wash and dry cycles, yet peels cleanly so these jeans can be passed to another child later.  These labels are perfect for one who is in daycare or even going away to summer camp for a week!

Finally, my favorite:  The shoe labels.  I love that these are shaped like footprints.  How adorable.  But also, they do not bunch or slide around!  Even after playing for hours, my daughter's sweaty feet did not cause any damage to these labels.  They are durable, just as claimed! 

Overall, I am very pleased with the personalized kids' labels from Oliver's Labels.  The shipping time was excellent, and the product exceeded my expectations.  Head on over to Oliver's Labels and take a look at their great products and designs!

I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com and sponsored by Favorite Wigs Shop Name Brand Wigs at Low Prices! Large Wig Selection of Estetica Wigs, Quality Wigs. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. 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. Tomoson Product review & giveaway Disclosure.

The Gift of Church

I was excited when I found out that I had the opportunity to do my first official book review.  Then I faced a difficult decision:  What book would I choose that would be pertinent to my own life, as well as to the life of you, my blog reader?

I chose Jim Samra's The Gift of Church.  I do believe the local church is a gift to Christians, and I am saddened when I hear loved ones express the frustrations and difficulties they have experienced within their own local church.  I read in anticipation, eager to find some truths that I could share with these loved ones to encourage them to persevere in their trials.

In his introduction, Samra acknowledges that the church has been hypocritical, among other things, "and worst of all has been these things while claiming to represent God".  With all the failures of the church, why is it so important for Christians to be involved?  Simply put, "God designed and created the church for our benefit and for his glory".  The church is God's idea!

Samra walks the reader through the different parts of Scripture, showing what God designed the church to be and how He designed it to function.  Samra clearly points out the difference between churches and parachurch organizations and shows the benefits that can only truly be found in churches.  He also candidly discusses possible hindrances to the community that should be found in the church.  His conclusion brings the reader back to the fact that the church is the place where "God's infinite grace is highlighted".  What a great reminder that the church is God's design, and it is intended for His glory.

I would encourage any of you who are questioning the importance of being involved in a local church to read this book.  Although the writing is somewhat difficult to follow at times, the content is excellent.  Samra does not attempt to ignore or sugar-coat the problems that are all too often found in our churches, but addresses them with candor.  Perhaps the problems in our churches actually stem from the heart attitudes of you and me.  Or perhaps the answer to the problems in our churches is actually the involvement and dedication of you and me.

* This book was given to me for review purposes, and I do not have to return the book to the publisher. All opinions expressed in this post are mine.