Digital Organization Campaign - Google Nexus Tablet Review and Giveaway!!!

I am so thankful to my blog, because it has brought me amazing opportunities to review some really great products.

Today, I'm joining Staples and collaborating in their Digital Organization Campaign.....and I'm also going to be telling you all about my husband's favorite new toy.  Yes, my husband's, because even though the tablet was sent to me, he quickly claimed it and it has been quite difficult prying it off his hands LOL

Google Nexus Tablet

World's sharpest 7" tablet screen (323 ppi)

Powerful battery, up to 9 hrs of active use

Quad-core speed and performance, 2GB RAM

Powered by Android 4.3, the latest version of world?s most popular mobile OS

If I had to ask my husband exactly what he likes about it, his answer is quick and simple "Everything".  He is absolutely besotted with it and uses it not only for college classes, but for reading and even playing games.

I did manage to pry it off his hands for two days so I could enjoy it for myself.  Let me show exactly what it does because the possibilities are endless, it really is like having a mini computer in your hands.

First and foremost, I can access my blogs just as easily as if I was on my laptop, which makes it so easy for me when I'm in the kitchen and trying to cook from a recipe on my food blog.  

The images are sharp, the text is easy to read, and it's so light that I can carry it to any corner of the kitchen, much better than walking around with a bulky laptop taking up valuable counter space in this tiny kitchen.

I'm able to store recipes in the tablet, which I find very useful as I jot them down, save them, and then later I can upload them to my blog without having to go anywhere else.

It's got everything I could need, right there on the main screen, and at the touch of a button, I can access all the other apps available.

I use so many of these on a daily basis.  I was able to enter in my email information and now I can access my email account through the tablet.

Netflix....brilliant quality and I haven't experienced any lagging or buffering issues whatsoever.  I've been able to catch up on my favorite TV shows, watch movies and best part, take it anywhere I go that has wifi access.

Facebook.....it's like being on my laptop, same quality, easy to use and the pictures look amazing.

Crochet patterns....because you know I'm all about those.  I LOVE having them on the tablet.  It's so much easier to slide the tablet into my crochet bag and take it wherever I need it, knowing that with just the touch of one button, I can have the pattern right there at my fingertips.

Games.....I don't play them but my husband does and he LOVES it.  He's all about the good graphics and the speed and whatnot, and he has really been enjoying the tablet.

College....he has been able to access his grades and read his text books.

Homeschooling....I was so excited that I could access the online website and even do some of the lessons.  It's going to be soooo handy knowing that I can take the school lessons  with no matter where we go.

I have yet to figure it all out and I know for a fact that I'm nowhere near finished unlocking all this tablet has to offer.

I'm thinking this would be the perfect gift for someone on your Christmas list.  Can't tell you how much we are loving this tablet. 

For more information about the Google Nexus Tablet, you can check out this link.

Twitter: @Staples
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/staples

Now, for the giveaway, up for grabs is a Moleskine Evernote Smart Notebook!!!

The new Evernote Smart Notebook by Moleskine uses Evernote's Page Camera feature to capture the pages of your notebook with your smartphone or tablet. Plus, each Evernote Smart Notebook comes with a 3 month Evernote Premium subscription! Evernote Page Camera is the iOS version for iPhone and iPad. Evernote Ruled Smart Notebook features the unique "Evernote ruled" page style with dotted lines designed to ensure a clean image when digitally capturing your notebook. Smart Stickers introduce Smart Tagging into your workflow. When you capture a page with Evernote, the Smart Sticker icons become searchable, digital tags that make it easy to keep your ideas organized and to keep your digital and analog workspaces synced.

How awesome is that???

-- The contest is open to US residents only.  Please leave a comment including an email where I can reach you if you're picked as the winner.

-- Let me know in the comments if you would keep this notebook for yourself or f you would give it someone else, maybe a family member or friend?

-- Contest will run until Saturday 14th, 2013.  As always I will use Random.org to determine a winner and will then contact them.

-- Please remember you will have 48 hours to claim your prize, if you don't, I will draw another winner.  

Good Luck everyone, and feel free to share if you think that someone would be interested in entering the contest :)

Paperless Kitchen Review and GIVEAWAY!!!

You all know that I love being in my kitchen and so, am always on the look out for new gadgets and items that can make my time in there even more pleasant.

A few weeks ago, I was sent a few samples from Paperless Kitchen and asked to review them AND set up a giveaway for my readers as well.

So what exactly is Paperless Kitchen?

PaperlessKitchen helps individuals, households, businesses, and organizations adopt greener lifestyles by offering alternatives to kitchen paper products, such as paper towels, plates and napkins. As a business with a social focus, we aim to raise awareness about how an individual's purchasing habits affects the environment, ultimately helping consumers reduce waste and curb the growth of landfills. By choosing our reusable and sustainable kitchen products, our customers protect acres of forests, reduce the waste that ends up in landfills and reduce their overall environmental footprint. PaperlessKitchen.com is a sensible, fashionable, and convenient step towards sustaining our environmental future.

When I first received the paperless kitchen skoy cloth, I wasn't quite sure what to think.  I mean, it looks just like a paper cloth.

PaperlessKitchen Skoy Cloth, the perfect alternative to paper towels. As a eco-friendly biodegradable cleaning cloth, the PaperlessKitchen Skoy cloth can replace up to 15 rolls of paper towels.

I really, really like these and so does my sister in law. They work brilliantly and I love that they dry up fast and don't leave any smell which was always a huge thing for me when using sponges.

They actually almost remind me of the chamois when wet. 

Knowing that the plant based fibers are biodegradable makes it even better and matter of fact, lab tests have shown that they decompose completely within 5 weeks of being thrown out, so we don't have to worry about contributing to the huge amounts of waste overcrowding the landfills.

If you're wanting to go green I think these would make a great addition to any kitchen, I know they've certainly made a big difference in mine, and I even gave some to my sister in law for when she gets her own house here soon.

You can find more information about the company from our website http://www.paperlesskitchen.com/pages/about-us. We are also very active on Facebook, Twitter - @PaperlessKitch, and Pinterest.

Now, the wonderful folks at Paperless Kitchen have offered a giveaway for my readers.  They will be sending the winner an 8 pack of the Skoy Cloths.

To enter, all you need to do is leave me a comment including an email address where I can contact you if your name is picked.  Please remember that you have 48 hours to claim your prize, or a different winner will be picked.

Contest is open to all US residents and will run until Friday 6th December.  

Good Luck!

Balance Bar Review and Giveaway

A few weeks ago, I was sent a box of Balance Bars to try out.  Having a lot of family members who are involved in some sort of physical activity, I knew that these would come very handy.

The bars included in the box were Chocolate Peanut Butter and Cookie Dough.  Now I love anything chocolate and peanut butter, but I'm not a big fan of cookie dough anything, regardless, I gave each a try and passed the remaining around to the other family members.

"To inspire our consumers to lead active, well-rounded lives by providing great-tasting and healthy,
convenient nutrition for lasting energy"

"Balance is all about creating convenient healthy foods that taste great and can be enjoyed while you do whatever it is you love to do. It's a busy world out there and we all need fuel to help us achieve our goals and better enjoy our active, on-the-go lives. Balance strives to be there to help you - the athletes of life - enjoy what keeps you going."

The great thing about these bars is that they are low in calories and high in nutrition and vitamins.

The first one I tried was the Chocolate Peanut Butter and I loved it, it was like eating a candy bar but without feeling guilty.  It tasted great and knowing that it was only 200 calories made it even better.

The second one I tried was the Cookie Dough and I really didn't like it, but like I said above, I'm not a cookie dough fan.  Other family members liked the cookie dough and one didn't like the peanut butter, that would be my brother but he is not a big fan of chocolate and peanut butter....crazy I know.

Balance Bar doesn't just have these two flavors, they have a huge variety of yummy sounding bars.  From Blueberry Acai to Chocolate Raspberry and so on.

All in all, I really liked these bars and would certainly have them again.

Balance Bar has been very gracious and is offering one lucky winner a chance to try out some samples of these yummy bars. 

Contest is open to US residents only!

Please leave a comment and include your email so that I can contact you if you are chosen as the winner.

I will draw a winner through Random.org on Wednesday,  13th November 2013.  Winner will receive their prize directly from the folks at Balance Bar.

Good Luck!!!

Oransi Fridge Air Purifier Review and Giveaway

You know when you open your refrigerator to get something out, or put something in and you're met with this foul odor?

Maybe it's the leftovers you forgot about in the back of the fridge, or maybe it's that diced onion that even though it's in ziploc bag it manages to seep through the odor?  Or maybe it's even the Garlic Chives that have such a potent smell that seem to take over the whole fridge, and not to mention the hard boiled eggs LOL

I've been there, done that.

Usually I would try the Baking Soda method, but when I was asked to review this Oransi Fridge Air Purifier, I jumped on the opportunity.

I received the little box........

All it takes is two AA batteries, and I love that it's so cute and small so it won't take up too much room in the fridge.

And then I popped it into the fridge and walked away.  This was back in June.  Since then lots has gone on around here and I've been so busy that I haven't had a chance to get to it.....but I'm actually glad I've let it sit in there this long because I can tell you that it's been working this whole time AND my fridge has no odor at all.



I plan on changing the batteries out today, but I can tell you that when they say it lasts about 3 months, they're not kidding, it really works.

Here are some tidbits from the company:

The Oransi Fridge air purifier is an economical way to refresh any kitchen. This tiny kitchen gadget (it’s only 2” x 4” – about the size of a large lemon) easily fits into any fridge and silently removes all bacteria and odors.

It helps fruits and veggies stay fresher longer thereby reducing food waste which saves money on your grocery bill. Best of all, it eliminates the strange stink that can sometimes fill your fridge and kitchen. There are no expensive filters to replace and no harmful ozone. It takes 2 AA batteries (not included) which last up to 3 months on average. Your butter will never taste like last night’s fish supper again.

To find out more about the Oransi Fridge Purifier, click here.


And now for the best part.   The wonderful folks at Oransi, are offering up one to a lucky giveaway winner.

Here is what you have to do:

- Open to USA only and no PO Boxes
- Visit Oransi and then come back and tell me which green home product from Oransi you would try next.
- Pin the Oransi picture at the top to your Pinterest boards (this is requested by the company)

I was provided the product for review, but all opinions are mine alone.

Lilla Rose and It's a Blessing Review and Giveaway

I have wonderful readers, no doubt about that.

But what also strikes me, is that I have these amazing ladies who have started their own businesses, doing what they love, and I'm all about helping get the word out and do my bit in boosting their business and getting them known better.

I was contacted by Shannon who asked me if I would be willing to review 2 products for her.

One, a beautiful hair clip from Lilla Rose and the second, a beautiful bracelet from It's a Blessing.

I received them in the mail and the thing that struck me the most was that they were packaged in these beautiful little bags, that right there made me smile.

 

Now let me show you the bracelet.  It comes from It's a Blessing on Etsy....Scripture Blessing Bracelets and Gifts.  

The one that Shannon sent me is the Proverbs 31 Bracelet and here's a little info on it: 

With the purchase of this bracelet, comes the following scripture passages printed out on pretty card stock.

 Proverbs 31 Blessing Bracelet  

A wife of noble character who can find? She is worth far more than rubies (red beads). 

Her husband has full confidence in her and lacks nothing of value. (hearts-he loves her)

 She brings him good, not harm, all the days of her life. (yellow beads-reminder of sun-days) 

She selects wool and flax and works with eager hands. She is like the merchant ships, bringing her food from afar (blue beads-a reminder of ships on water) 

She gets up while it is still dark (black beads); she provides food for her family and portions for her servant girls. 

She considers a field and buys it; out of her earnings she plants a vineyard (green beads-growth). 

She sets about her work vigorously; her arms are strong for her tasks. 

She sees that her trading is profitable, and her lamp does not go out at night.

 In her hand she holds the distaff and grasps the spindle with her fingers. 

She opens her arms to the poor and extends her hands to the needy. 

When it snows (crystal for snow), she has no fear for her household; 

for all of them are clothed in scarlet (red beads) 

She makes covering for her bed; she is clothed in fine linen and purple (purple beads).

 Her husband is respected at the city gate, where he takes his seat among the elders of the land. 

She makes linen garments and sells them, and supplies the merchants with sashes. 

She is clothed with strength and dignity; she can laugh at the days to come.

She speaks with wisdom, and faithful instruction is on her tongue. 

She watches over the affairs of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness. 

Her children arise and call her blessed; (B for blessed) her husband also, and he praises her;

"Many women do noble things, but you surpass them all." 

Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised. 

Give her the reward she has earned, and let her works bring her praise at the city gate. 

It's so pretty and delicate and I love how it looks on my wrist. 

 I also really like the fact that Shannon has matched the colored beads to the Scripture. Crystal for snow, Red for clothed in scarlet, Purple for clothed in fine linen and purple, Green for growth, yellow for the sun, black for getting up while it's still dark and the B for Blessed. 

 How wonderful is that? If you have a woman in your life that you consider to be a great example of a Proverbs 31 woman, this bracelet is perfect for her :) 

Love the B for blessed :)



Closer look at the beautiful rose clasp.

 

Love it and I will wear mine proudly :)

Head on over to It's a Blessing, and find the perfect gift for that special woman in your life.  Remember Mother's Day is coming up this weekend and I think these would make your mom very happy :) 

There are so many wonderful products to pick from, like the Blessing Blankets, Bracelets, Keychains, Bookmarks, Scripture Scarves , Child Blessing Bracelets and Blessing Bags.

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But the bracelet wasn't the only wonderful gift I received. I was also sent a stunning hair clip from Lilla Rose.

Lilla Rose ......   We've been in the hair goods business since 1992 when my wife wanted that first pair of beaded chopsticks. She bought the materials to make them but then decided to go get the expensive ones at Nordstrom instead. I took her materials, fascinated by what they were selling for and started making them myself by hand in the garage. Enthusiastic, admiring friends bought them up. Suppliers referred us to contacts with major retailers nationwide and, several million pairs later, everlasting success was assured... almost. 

 The clip I received is sooooo pretty.  I tried it out on my hair and I have to tell you, I have super thick hair and lots of it, and this clip held it perfectly without any sliding out.  

It looks beautiful too against my dark hair, if I do say so myself :)

And another view, sorry about the blurriness, not sure what happened but you can still see how pretty it is.



 I also tried it on my daughter's hair and it looks just as pretty against the red hair



If you head over to Lilla Rose, you can find a myriad of beautiful clips, including the Flexi of the Month, called A Mother's Love, perfect for Mother's Day :) Have a look at the other products too, there are sticks, orings, hair bands, bobby pins etc.

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Now for the best part, Shannon is offering a Blessing Bracelet and a Flexi Clip just like mine to one of my readers.

So the winner of this giveaway will walk away with both a beautiful bracelet and a beautiful hair clip too.  Is that not a great gift???

Here's what I need you to do:

- Leave a comment and let me know if you win, if you're planning on keeping it for yourself or give it to someone else.
- Make sure you include an email address so that I can reach you.
- If you are on Facebook, do go by and Like the It's a Blessing page and the Lilla Rose page too :)  (It's NOT a prerequisite, so if you don't have a facebook account, you can still enter the giveaway)

Contest is open to US residents only.  I will draw a winner on Friday, 11th of May.

Good Luck!

Just Ducky Custom Kids Clothes - Review and Giveaway

With Christmas just around the corner, I know that many of you are still looking for that perfect gift, whether it be for a family member or a friend, so you will be seeing lots of reviews and giveaways coming up this month.

I was contacted by Leah from Just Ducky and after taking a look at their clothing line I only wished my kiddos were little again, oh what fun I would have.

Here's a little more about Just Ducky:

In case you are not familiar with Just Ducky, we showcase and sell our unique line of children's clothing throughout the U.S. using our Home Show Program where mothers/consultants hold trunk shows at their homes and receive discounts and rewards for their very own Just Ducky originals.

We also offer part of our line through our website at Just Ducky.

(Our online selection includes classic styles for girls size 6M-14 and boys size 6M-8 including reversible garments, monogram options and accessories.)

But what I really want to tell you about today, is the Home Show Program.

All moms want to doll their children up in fun, classic clothes that are hand-made as if grandma sewed them herself. Obviously, there isn’t always time for mom or grandma to sew your little one up the adorable outfits you dream of. And money is tight these days, which is why affordable, custom, quality clothes can be hard to come by. Just Ducky, an American-made, custom children’s clothing manufacturer offers a solution to finding unique, high quality garments for your little one. Just Ducky sells their creative, custom line of children’s threads throughout the U.S. using their “Home Show Program” where mothers hold trunk shows at their homes & receive discounts and rewards for their very own sweet duds. Want to know some of the benefits of being a consultant with Just Ducky?

• Earn cash commission and a 40% discount on your clothing purchase.
• Just Ducky Collections include affordable cotton knit Essentials lines from sizes 6 months to 7/8 so every child in your house can look fabulous!
• Easy-to-use training materials will help you make your Just Ducky Home Shows successful!
• Consultants have access to an online design page where you can show your customers what specific garments will look like in different fabrics.
• Last but not least, if you become an Area Consultant and manage other consultants you can earn both cash commission on all parties and a 40% discount on your clothing purchase.
• Too busy to be a consultant but want a little “bonus?” You can simply host a home show and earn 10% clothing credit based on your sales!

Sounds great doesn't?  Do you want see a little more about Just Ducky, how about watching this video for a sneak peek?



Now here's the best part.  Just Ducky is giving away a $25 gift certificate to a winner on my blog.

If you don't win a gift card, you can still go on over and get one yourself and right now is the best time to do so, want to know why?

Well because the Spring clothing line comes out at the end of December and anyone who orders a gift card can redeem beginning January 1st and can start putting together their own outfit from the spring catalog.  You can check it out online.... Spring 2012 Catalog.

If you are interested in hosting your own Home Show, then click here to apply :)

Also check out the Sales page, lots of adorable clothes for your little ones.

To enter this contest, here are the rules:

- Leave a comment and please be sure to include your email address

- Head on over to Just Ducky's facebook page and like it, leave me another comment letting me know you liked the page, for a second chance at winning (Just Ducky do a lot of flash sales on Facebook)

- Contest is open to US residents only and the winning certificate will be sent from Just Ducky

That's all.  Now I know a lot of my readers have little ones and honestly I think you would love seeing them in one of the adorable Spring Line outfits.

I will run this until next week Wednesday, 7th December and then will draw a winner using Random.org :)

Good Luck!

The Note Project - Review and Giveaway

Have you heard of the Note Project???

Well I hadn't either until Kathleen O'Mary contacted me to let me know about The Note Project and what it was about, asking me if I would be interested in reviewing it and offering a wonderful giveaway to my readers :)

Let me tell you a little about it.

Mike O'Mary is the publisher of Everything I never wanted to be by Dina Cucera and has written a book called The Note. 

The Note is a book about the power of appreciation and how a simple note of appreciation can change a person's life. This is the book and the story that inspired the Note Project, a global movement to make the world a million times better by insipiring 1 million people to write notes of appreciation, and by supporting literacy projects around the world.
The first half of this beautiful, full-color hardback gift book with more than 50 photos focuses on the story behind a note of appreciation that the author received from his youngest sister. Separated from his siblings due to their parents' divorce, the author never knew what his brothers and sisters thought of his annual visits and of his attempts to do something special on those visits -- until one day many years later when he received a note from his youngest sister thanking him for one of those visits and the special memories they gave her. The story behind the note will break your heart, but by the time you finish reading, your heart will be mended and filled with warmth.
The second half of the book explores the importance of appreciation, why people don't do it (and why they should!), and provides very practical step-by-step advice on how to write a heartfelt note of appreciation -- all based on the author's experience from teaching workshops on writing notes of appreciation. The book also includes helpful examples of short but meaningful notes of appreciation to help readers with their own notes, and to inspire people to make appreciation a part of their lives.
The powerful and ultimately uplifting message of The Note is that a simple note of appreciation can change a person's life. Equally important, writing a note of appreciation can change your life. The positive feelings you create by sharing appreciation will ripple outwards to your family and friends, and to their family and friends, and so on, like ever-expanding ripples across the global pond.

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I had the opportunity of reviewing the book and let me tell you, not only is it filled with wonderful words but stunning pictures, it's a very visual book and I love that :)

The message of the book is simple, giving thanks, showing appreciation to those who have touched your lives in some way. 

I sat back and thought, do I really take the time to thank everyone that has done something for me?  I mean I do say Thank You on a daily basis, whether it's to my husband or children for doing something for me, or to a random stranger at the grocery store who let me through, or the kind soldier who opened the door for me at the base hospital.  But those are the ones I see face to face.

What about those that take the time to send me something through the mail, or even say a kind word on my blog?  I don't think I do a good enough job of really letting them know how thankful I am and how much I appreciate them.

I'm making a pledge over at The Note Project website, it doesn't cost anything, all you are doing is pledging to send a sincere note of appreciation to someone who has made a difference in your life.  That's it, simple but I bet you it will make the world of difference to someone out there :)

Kathleen and Mike O'Mary are generously donating a Note Project Starter Kit as a giveaway. The kit includes: 1) a hardback edition of The Note, 2) a DVD video based on the book, and 3) a set of three premium-quality thank you cards.

--- Simply leave a comment and make sure you have your email address attached to it.

The contest is open to US and Canada residents only. 

I will draw a random winner next week Tuesday the 26th.  Good Luck!