Pepperpot Fan: A Review

I had the privilege a while back to work with a wonderful woman from the Gift Wrap Company.  I was in awe at the Pepperpot photo album and baby record book that I reviewed.  And now I am thrilled to announce that I am working with her again for a second time.  This time, I have a few other things to show you.  I hope you love them as much as I do.

Let me first tell you about the photo album.  As you may remember from my last review, the quality is fantastic.  I LOVE Pepperpot for their quality.  But their designs are cute too.  Check it out:

Now tell me that isn't adorable.  It's perfect for a gift for a surprise baby or for multiples.  And there is a whole set of these Patterned Pals baby items.  There's brag books, a baby record book, note cards, and even gift wrap.  This collection is just so cute.  And the inside is full of 50 acid free pages and leaves room to journal for 200 photos.


Wanna see the brag book?  Of course you do :)

 

I love that the pages are exactly the right fit for the photos, so it looks nice and clean and the photos don't fall out.  It's super cute with the flowers and the snail.  And it's great size for a purse or hand bag.  I think it's really nice.  And acid free, which is great for your photos.  It would make a great gift for a new mom, and they have a Grandparents' brag book too.


And if those two things weren't cute enough, check out these note cards:

They come in a sturdy keepsake box that you can keep little baby things in, like say... hospital bracelets, lost teeth, lock of baby hair, etc.  The box has a magnet closure.  It's the cutest box, I love it.  And what I also love about these cards is that they are completely blank.  Use them as Thank you cards, invites, or even jot down special moments or events and tuck them inside their matching pink envelope to use them in your baby scrapbook.


The Gift Wrap Company has a lot more incredible things in it's catalogs.  You can find their products at lots of retailers nationwide.  You may even notice that those amazingly adorable gift bags that you get at say... a birthday party (Thanks Hil!) are from the Gift Wrap Company.  But you can find them on Amazon if you are looking to buy online.

  They are definitely worth checking out, their products are amazing, great quality and adorable too.

Disclaimer: I received these products to review and was not paid for this review. My review is 100% my honest opinion.

BuildASign.com Rocks: A Review

So, I got these signs a while ago from BuildASign.com.  First, let me say that I completely ADORE the fact that you can totally customize the signs that you make.  I mean COMPLETELY customize it.  I used Photoshop and used all my own images and fonts and did it exactly the way I wanted.

Let me show you.  This is before:

And... after:

 And another:

Aren't they great?  The quality is fantastic and they have a new paint kind of smell, which personally, I like :)  I got one for each bedroom and a couple others for around the house.

I was especially impressed that I was contacted about one of my signs having a bleed issue.  I was asked if I minded it having a white border to prevent the issue.  I was a touch worried that the border would make the holes lay right where the words were, but I put my trust in them.  And I am glad that I did, it looks fantastic.


When I was making the signs, I did have an option to use an in-site editor to make them, which would have been something I would have used for generic signs, like for yard sales or for business and it is a good option for those who don't or can't use an editing program at home.

And also on the site were a bunch of other options for signs.  I struggled with deciding between these license plate bedroom signs, and getting a great big metal real estate sign and having a photo printed on it, kind of like a canvas, but metal.. It would have been awesome.
And also, it wouldn't be a bad idea to get one of these.  In fact, I will have to put this on my list because it is unbelievable the way truckers come flying by on my road *shudder*.

They also do vinyl lettering, window clings, wooden signs, magnetic signs, street name signs, and more.  Even the poles to hang them.  For personal and for business, they have the sign you need.

I am now a big fan of BuildASign.com and if you are in the market for a sign... any kind of sign, i highly recommend you check them out.

Dress them up for Easter with Willow Branch Boutique

Do you love to dress your kids up for Easter and other holidays?  I do.  It's getting a bit hard to find four matching dressed in sizes 6 mos -  6 years, but I try to make them match (corny?... maybe, I don't care).   Easter is coming next month and I am already planning what their hair will look like, no joke.  I wouldn't normally, but I have been collecting hair pretties the last few months, and I am excited. I have gotten a good many of them from Willow Branch Boutique.

Have you heard of it?  If you have a daughter, you should definitely check it out.  Kiki, the owner, makes amazing bows, clips and headbands for little girls.  And she loves to celebrate the holidays with new products, like the one above that she made for St. Patrick's Day.  I don't care if St. Patrick's Day is over or not, I still want that headband.  It is awesome.

And this one would look great on a little girl for Easter.  In fact, I have my eye on a LOT of her things.  Particularly all her Valentines bows and clips.    Her ribbons are great!  And you don't have to worry about quality.  All of Kiki's headbands are hand sewn so that they will not easily be torn apart by little hands.  And thank goodness for that because my girls are destructive *sigh*  And so far, they haven't destroyed the clips either :)

And she doesn't just have hair pretties either, she also does some great embossed note card sets, like this one:

That bad boy is on my list.  I absolutely love it.  It's so... green.  It speaks to me.  It says "Save the bees!"


You should definitely check her out.  She has lots of great things to come and lots of amazing things already there.  Want something customized?  Ask her!  You will find no one sweeter and better to deal with.  I promise :)



Disclaimer: I received these products to review and was not paid for this review. My review is 100% my honest opinion.

Do you want to be a part of something bigger?

 The photo above is pretty scary to think about.  Homes, like the ones that you and I live in... destroyed, belongings lost.  Children, moms, dads, and siblings lost.  By now, you have heard, I am sure, about the crisis facing Japan.  My heart goes out to everyone involved.  They say it will likely take years to rebuild what has been lost, and it is no wonder.  The destruction was devastating!  But you can help those who are struggling to pick up the pieces, and here is how:

 

Origami birds.  Yep.  Birds, but not just any birds.  Cranes to be exact.  Cranes are a symbol of healing and hope, something Japan could definitely use right now.  That is why Students Rebuild has teamed up with DoSomething.org and is asking for your donations of paper cranes.  For every paper crane that they receive in the mail, the Benzos Family Foundation will donate $2 (up to $200,000!!!) to the Architecture for Humanity's reconstructive efforts in Japan.  I don't know about you, but I think that is pretty amazing.

Wonder what will happen with all those cranes?  They are going to be woven into an art installation as a gift to Japanese youth.

Now if you are like me, you would love to help, but are having trouble affording even gas to get to work.  No biggie, if you have enough paper (old magazine pages would work) to make 50 or more, then email Students Rebuild at info@studentsrebuild.org and they will gladly send you a free pre-paid shipping label.  Just put it on your box and shipping is free.  It's a great way to be a part of something bigger than yourself and to feel like you have really done something to help, even if you can't afford to.  All cranes should be mailed to:

Students Rebuild
1700 7th Avenue
STE 116 # 145
Seattle, WA 98101

And if you do make some, feel free to snap some pics and post it to the Paper Cranes for Japan Facebook page, and check out some other cranes while you are there!

Regret Free Parenting Review

This book is great, I will just put that right out there.  It really is.  I enjoyed it very much.  However, if you are confident in your parenting, and if you feel like you always have your child's best interest at heart and you make decisions about your children for the here and now with thoughts of how it will affect their future, then this book will not tell you anything that you do not already know.

I didn't find this book helpful, so much as just nice.  It didn't help me rethink the way I parent, but it DID reassure me that I am an "intentional mother".  But it did help me realize that my purpose in being a parent isn't solely about raising confident and morally sound children, but also to grow myself.  I was given children to teach ME lessons.  Lessons in choosing battles, in selflessness, and someday, in letting go.  So I guess it did teach me something that I hadn't thought of before.

But I definitely enjoyed this book, and believe it or not, my 2 year old did too.  She would nag and nag every night for me to read it to her, and when she sees it in the day, she gets all excited about it.  Honestly, I don't know what is in it that she finds so exciting.  Maybe it is Catherine Hickam's repeated references to God, whom the Streaker adores... I don't know, but she loves it and listens intently.  She even talks with me about what it says and how she agrees.  She's so silly.

But I say, if you wonder about whether you could do better at parenting, or if you wonder about how you could be more intentional in the way that you deal with day to day decisions, this book will be great for you.  If not, it is still a good read and you might still get some things from it that you find helpful. 


Disclaimer: I received these products to review and was not paid for this review. My review is 100% my honest opinion.

21 Day Weight Loss Kick Start Review

If you are like me, losing weight just isn't happening.  I switched to chicken instead of beef... and I gained 10 lbs in one month!  I thought, 'What the heck is going on here!?  I switch to the healthier meat and GAIN weight!?'  In my body's defense, I was eating a LOT of meat and skipping the veggies, because that chicken was seriously too good to leave leftovers.  But I was seriously getting depressed about it, which honestly, is the only reason I caved and got the book.  But I am so glad I did.

I am still overweight.  In fact, I haven't lost any weight yet, but tomorrow is the start of my 21 Day Weight loss Kick start.  I would start today, but I have raw beef in the fridge, so I will have some nice steak tonight as a farewell to meat and start tomorrow.

Yes, I said "farewell to meat".   Why?   Because apparently, meat is LOADED with stuff that is NOT helping me lose weight, in fact, as my scale will attest to, it is only helping me look 5 months pregnant.  Yeah, it's sad.  This book helped me understand exactly why my meat eating ways is causing this weight gain.  And I will say this, fat and depressed or not, I DO have hope, and I also have support, and it is in this book.

I never thought that I would be a vegan, and I am still not sure that I can do it 100% for always.  But I am going to do it until I am down 15 lbs or until I lose my meat-loving sanity, whichever comes first.  This book is full of recipes though, and I am sure that I will like at least some of them.  I am especially interested in the hummus and the gravy, which I will use to make those portobello mushrooms taste just a little more meat-like.  I have to say though, as much as I hate the McDonald's sandwiches that showcase the mushrooms (I gag the second it hits my tongue), I was very pleasantly surprised when I cooked them for a wrap and really enjoyed them.  If you fry them dry with a little steak seasoning, they are not bad.

So, if you are looking for something to help you get started in going vegan or if you are looking for help with weight loss, I HIGHLY recommend this book.  It is so easy to understand, even if you aren't a biology freak, you can understand this material.  I will keep you all updated on my progress as I go.  Wish me luck!


Disclaimer: I received these products to review and was not paid for this review. My review is 100% my honest opinion.

***Jenulence Mineral Makeup Review***

Thinking about mineral makeup?  What woman isn't?  We've heard that it leaves your skin feeling natural and it covers flawlessly.  We've heard that it could actually improve skin over time and that it is easy to apply.  What's not to love?

If you are going to try mineral makeup, Jenulence has lots of choices to offer.  From body shimmer to eye shadow to makeup gift sets.  They also carry mineral blushes and bronzers, as well as concealer.

Jenulence was generous enough to allow me to try their starter kit for fair skin.  I had no idea what to expect having never actually tried mineral makeup before.  I guess my initial expectations were that the powder would fall right off my face and do no good and that the miracle flawless makeup was just for actors on infomercials. 

I am happy to report that the makeup did not just fall off my face.  But it did improve my complexion and help to cover blemishes.  It felt light and natural, as makeup should.  I was pretty impressed, actually.  Wanna see?

Don't mind my eye brows, it's been one heck of a month!  In fact, don't mind me at all, lol.


But I love how it helped hide the tired look under my eyes and it took the shine off my face.  I am fortunate to have pretty great complexion without foundations of any sort, but in person, you can see some problem areas that could use a little evening out, and Jenulence mineral concealer did that for me.


I will say, however, that if you are very light skinned like me, save the beige for a bronzer or natural blush type look because light beige is going to be perfect for you.  Trust me on this one.

The kit also came with a really nice kabuki brush, which is essentially a really poufy horse hair type brush that does a great job at spreading the powder evenly.  You will need to take your powder containers and turn it upside down and tap a little bit into the cover.  Then flip it back again and open the container.  Then you take your kabuki brush and dip it into the powder and then tap the bottom of the brush onto a nearby sink or counter top to get the powder to settle.  After that, you are good to go!  It is so easy and it looks great.  I would definitely recommend Jenulence to anyone who wants to start using mineral makeup.

WIN IT!!!

Jenulence was nice enough to offer up one of their starter kits to a lucky My Everything Blog reader.  Here is how to win one:

MANDATORY ENTRY:

Be a follower of My Everything Blog via GFC.

EXTRA ENTRIES:

Follow Jenulence on Twitter.

Like Jenulence on Facebook. 

Sign up for the Jenulence newsletter (lower left on the page). 

Go to the Jenulence Etsy shop and heart their shop. 

Share this on Facebook or tweet about it (worth 3 entries each... leave 3 separate comments)

Grab my button or blog about this giveaway (worth 5 entries apiece... leave 5 separate comments).

Disclaimer: I received these products to review and was not paid for this review. My review is 100% my honest opinion.