Being Tazim

Weiser Locks SmartCode Electronic Keypad Deadbolt $150 Value Open to Canada Only

Tazim — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 23:28:31 +0000

No More Worrying About Keys!

As I mentioned in my Weiser review, it’s easy to update your front entrance and increase your curb appeal by changing your lock or door handle. Weiser is offering one Canadian reader a chance to do just that. I mentioned in my review that Weiser locks are great aesthetically, but also for added security.

Weiser’s SmartCode Electronic Keypad Deadbolt giveaway—open to Canadians only!

Features of the SmartCode Electronic Keypad Deadbolt:

Keyless entry deadbolt – the ultimate in convenience and security
The only one touch locking motorized deadbolt
Back-lit keypad for increased visibility
Installs in minutes with just a screwdriver – no hard wiring required
Includes SmartKey™ re-key technology

SmartCode also provides excellent security with its 1-inch, heavy-duty deadbolt and break-in-resistant strike plate. Home security has now reached the highest level of convenience and control.

Enter to win a SmartCode Electronic Keypad Deadbolt below:

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Do It Yourself, With a Little Help—DK Canada DIY Guide Review

Tazim — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 14:00:11 +0000

In a recent post, Tazim talked about the importance of taking care of what you have, and it got me to thinking about how lucky I was to grow up with hands-on parents—even if I didn’t realize it at the time.

In addition to the usual chores, mowing the lawn or doing the dishes, it was I important to my Mom that all of her kids (two boys and one girl), could cook a meal, sew their own clothes, and plant a garden. Meanwhile, my Dad taught us how to look after a house, from basic plumbing to finishing a basement and wiring electrical. It was a lot of hard work, and though sometimes we hated it, I was quickly grateful for all my experiences when I moved out on my own.

But what do you do if you didn’t have a DIY upbringing? How do you look after your house, aside from hiring a professional to do it all?

It’s true that some home repairs are best left to the experts, or at least left to their inspection-but if you’d like to lay new floor, hang a light, or figure out which walls of your house are load-bearing, you might want to check out DK’s Do It Yourself guide.

In just over 500 pages, it’s a clear visual guide to every home-improvement project I can imagine. And even if you hire someone else do do the work, a quick flip through will give you an idea of what ought to go on. It reminds me of one of those books that so entranced me as a kid. In the simplest possible way, it explodes the way things work: from how every different kind of wall is built, to the inner workings of a toilet.

Speaking of toilets, we’ve used it to figure out the inner workings of our new drop-valve toilet (just in case something goes awry) as well as to explain proposed renovations. I rally feel like I could give it to my teenaged nephew with all the supplies for a job, and find it done to satisfaction.

But maybe our favorite use has been to facilitate daydreaming. This second edition of the DIY guide has fantastic new sections on energy conservation and green design, and a great section on using space. It’s given us dozens of ideas for our next home.

It’s well worth a spot on your reference shelf, and the perfect gift for a new homeowner (or for the friend or family member that calls you up whenever their toilet acts up).

This Do It Yourself book from DK Canada has a retail price of $40.

We received this book from DK Canada in order to conduct our review. We did not receive any other compensation. All opinions are 100% our own.

Update the Look of Your Door for Greater Curb Appeal – Weiser Lock Review

Update the Look of Your Door for Greater Curb Appeal – Weiser Lock Review

Greg — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 00:47:14 +0000

And Update Your Security With the Smart Key Feature

How old is the lock on your home?

We’ve talked a little bit about the importance of upgrading your curb appeal, and you might be wondering where to start. Our top tip: with the front door of your home.

The obvious is of course the old realtors trick of painting your door an appealing color that stands out from the street (it does work). Other ideas include replacing the door itself, whether with version with windows to bring light into your front area, or with a door with old time-y appeal (Tazim wants one of the round ones from Hobbiton).

Where would we start?

With the lock.

A proper door handle and keyhole can make a positive aesthetic statement, upgrading the look of an older door. But also, a new lock can make a significant improvement in your home’s security. Many older tumble-style locks can be bumped quite easily-bumping refers to shoving a rectangular tool into the lock with force, causing the pins to jump and then to allow the lock to be turnd-you can even order ‘locksmith’s’ tools for the purpose over the Internet. . . But new locks like this one from Weiser, are not only bump-resistant, you can rekey them from home, be confident that they aren’t easily picked, and pick one up from your local hardware store. Check out the information on SmartKey technology.

Neither is installing a new lock an arduous task, with some screwdrivers and elbow grease, it should be the work of an afternoon.

We chose the Rustic Pewter finish for our Monaco HandleSet.

We selected this lock from Weiser based not only on aesthetics (though it must be said we think their collections series puts them at the top of the heap in the looks department), but also based on their lifetime warranty and track record. It’s a good idea to look for a lock that specifically mentions being bump-resistant-sadly many of the locks that are included in new door packages aren’t. Weiser calls their technology bump-guard, and it seems to work.

We’re also pleased with their smart-key technology. Basically, with this you can rekey the lock, as long as you have a single Smartkey compatible working key. This is useful for setting up temporary arrangements with contractors or room-mates, as well preventing worry over lost keys. To work it, you first use the current key, then insert a little tool to reset the lock (which comes with the lock) -and finish off with the new Smartkey compatible one. The whole process has a sort of rocket-launching drama about it, but is in fact quite practical, as it means that you can install the thing and use your existing keys, so as to not have to pay for a locksmith. If you lose the little “learn tool” you can always use an eyeglass screwdriver, this tool doesn’t do anything except put it in learn mode and you need the original key to turn it into that position so it can be used. Very secure!

To help consumers enhance their household security, Weiser has provided the top six reasons to re-key with SmartKey:

1. Lost, stolen or unreturned Keys
2. Recently moved
3. Increased security
4. One-key convenience for all Weiser locks
5. Tenant turnover
6. Remodeling, upgrading or updating

We wondered how we would like the key-flap, which covers the lock. The disadvantage is that you can’t shove your key in while in a hurry to get inside in the minus forty weather-the advantage
Is that the lock seems to run super smoothly, and we imagine it will get stuck less often then our old one.

Look at all the lock finishes you have to choose from!

One more top tip-if you elect to install a new door on your home, check out its flexibility, many vinyl doors can be bent with a crowbar, a surprisingly discreet process that pops a conventional deadbolt out like a cork from champagne. If you elect to install a bendy plastic door, look into those bolts which work at the top and bottom of your door.

Check out the store locator on the Weiser site to find a store near you where you can purchase a Weiser lock.

We received a Monaco HandleSet from Weiser in order to upgrade our curb appeal and conduct this review. The Monaco Handleset has an ARV of $200, and is only available in Canada. We have not received any other form of compensation.

A Great Canadian Paint Company—Para Paints Review

Greg — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 14:00:17 +0000

Products that aren’t available where you are sometimes have an exotic allure. A certain pull that comes from hearing buzz and whispers, but never being able to try it yourself. Like when you’re a kid in elementary school and everyone else has the newest Cabbage Patch Kid, but you’re stuck saving up your allowance for months, there’s a real potency to that itch you just can’t scratch.

For years, we’ve heard whisperings about Para paints. A Canadian brand that’s based ‘Out East,’ and is a byword for heritage and quality. Interior designers we met at conferences or online swore up and down by their quality and dense pigmentation, but it was only a few years ago that they made it to the prairies. When we saw a large display of them at our local Lowes, we were drawn in by their attractive display, featuring a range of colours curated by Sarah Richardson (a Canadian design star, host of programs like Design Inc.), and something called the Heritage Collection.

With names like Quaker Meeting house, Fort Rouge, or Papineau, the Heritage Collection conjures up nostalgic visions of prairie and seaside towns. The range of coulours is gorgeous, deeply saturated tints that aren’t pastel, or raucously plastic, but with a natural finish and a late autumn hue.

We couldn’t wait to take them for a spin off our rollers and onto our walls.

We generally select low/no voc paints, and Para does make a specifically earthkind range in the form of their Essence line. But given that the room we wanted to tackle was the kitchen in my mother in law’s house, we chose the most durable paints we could pick. For the walls, their Elite Ceramic Eggshell finish (in Sun and Silk, a warm buttercream yellow), and for the cabinets, their Ultra Cabinet and Furniture (in Quaker Meeting house, a delicate old-fashioned taupe). Both worked wonderfully. Something you should keep in mind when painting a kitchen is that conventional paint generally takes a full 30 days to cure to it’s full hardness, while low VOC paints take even longer. With a big family using the kitchen in this home, it was a constant battle to remind people to take it easy for the first month, but now that the paint has dried, we’re extremely happy with the scratch resistant and scrubbably surface that has been achieved. Sometimes when you wait and wait for something you can’t have, when you finally get it, it’s had so much to live up to that you’re left disappointed. With Para paints, this wasn’t the case at all. We’re happy converts and looking forward to trying more of their products.

Need inspiration? Check out Para Paints’ “Find a Colour” feature for some ideas.

Even on these harder wearing finishes the paints easily meet Environment Canada standards.

The Ultra Cabinet and Furniture which dries to a melamine finish is 123 g/L, while the Elite Ceramic comes in at 129g/L. Coverage was absolutely fantastic, leaving us with heaps extra.

Something that we’ve learned only over the years, is that paints really are not created equal. After we’ve brought home pale yellows only to have them dry virulently orange, or had paints turn into cling film after a couple of months, here is the real delight from these paints: coverage and the colour stability. From the time we applied them, to the time they dried, their was very little hue varience, and we were left with exactly the colour advertised on the swatch. More importantly, with a properly primed subsurface, there was very little show-through.

We’re more than pleased with the results—which is a good thing, when your’re doing a job for your significant other’s folks!

A note about VOCs: VOC stands for volatile organic compound. Unfortunately, not organic like organic vegetables, but organic in the chemical sense, as in compounds made up of hydrocarbons (molecules like gas or alcohol), that react with the oxygen in the air to evaporate at low temperatures. These compounds make paints dry faster, but also dry out the air, carry other molecules into the air you are breathing, and are generally sourced from petroleum products.

Modern paints hold relatively few VOCs, and there’s nothing wrong with using them, but as designers we really encourage our clients to select low/zero VOC paints where possible. Zero VOC paints have the following drawbacks as a general rule: they take longer to dry, this is their biggest limiting factor, and is the reason we went with conventional paints in this instance; they are much more sensitive to surface preparation, so you must prime well when using them, and make sure they are an appropriate match to what’s underneath; and finally, they tend to show marks on the original surface much more clearly—those tack holes you don’t normally bother filling, or dings and nicks in the surface of the wall. The payoff: painting without migraines, getting high, or having a lingeringly smelly home.

Para Paints is currently a subsidiary of General Paints. We were provided with product samples for the purpose of this review, but no other compensation was given. Our opinions are honest, and entirely our own. Photos from Para, except paint can ‘Quaker Meeting House’, taken by me.

New Year New Me Giveaway Hop—WellnessMats #Giveaway US/Canada 01/31 $120

Tazim — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 05:00:51 +0000

Welcome to A New Year, A New Me Giveaway Event hosted by Daily Mothering, Mommy of Two Little Monkeys and Mommy Digger! Do you want to become a healthier, fitter, slimmer, more beautiful YOU in 2012? Over 55 blogs have come together to present this exciting fitness and beauty event January 24th-31st! Each blog is giving away a fitness and/or beauty related prize worth $25 or more (and some are worth more than $100!). Enter my giveaway and then hop to the next blog on the list at the bottom of this post to have a chance to win more exciting prizes!

Enter my giveaway and then hop to the next blog on the list at the bottom of this post to have a chance to win more exciting prizes!

The giveaway on this blog is for a WellnessMat–anti-fatigue mat— of your choice, sized 3′x2′ ARV $120. Giveaway is open to US/Canada and ends January 31st at midnight.

Read my review of the WellnessMat we received here.

So how do WellnessMats work so well?

WellnessMats are ergonomically engineered and medically proven to promote and increase proper circulation. As such, our unique anti-fatigue floor mats encourage better posture, muscle conditioning and improved overall health and well being. How? By displacing and suspending your body weight on the mat.

“WellnessMats are uniquely designed to effectively suspend the body’s weight by reducing impact on the legs and back. In addition to improving circulation, reducing back stress, and decreasing fatigue, using the mat also improves balance. For anyone who has to stand for longer than 20 minutes, whether at home or in the office, WellnessMats are a must for better health,”

Dr. Mark Mandell D.C., MBA.

Enter Below:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

ABE 3.0 A Shiny New Year Handmade Jewelry Prize Package US/Canada $115 #Giveaway 01/28

Tazim — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 05:00:17 +0000

Welcome to ABE 3.0! This is an event with over 50 bloggers joined up to offer you giveaways to enter. Each giveaway has a minimum value of $100. The giveaway event takes place January 23rd to January 28th at midnight EST.

My giveaway is for a jewelry package: 1 pair of earrings from Casalinda Studio and 1 handmade necklace. The total value is approximately $115.

To make them, we took a baby rose leaf from our garden, made a wax mold of it and had them cast.

Handmade gemstone necklace, 25″ long total. Includes jade and lemon quartz beads on silver chain.

This necklace includes 6 lemon quartz beads and 1 jade leaf, approximately 1.5 inches long.

Gorgeous, simple necklace to dress up an office outfit, or to add to a dress.

Enter Giveaway Below:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Handmade Eco-Friendly Jewelry by Casalinda Studio

Tazim — Sun, 22 Jan 2012 14:00:03 +0000

Inspired by California native flowers, mudcracks, and other natural elements, Casalinda Studio draws inspiration from the mountains, deserts, and ocean of Southern California.

The handmade jewelry from Casalinda Studio comes highly recommended by me. Read my review of the Mud Cracks Necklace. I love knowing the personal story of the artists behind the jewelry. When someone comments on the beautiful necklace, I am able to tell them how a mother/daughter team Linda DaPra and Jennifer Dermer.

Here are a few of my favourite pieces from the Casalinda Studio Etsy shop:

Our heavy gauge sterling silver twig pendant is hand cut and sculpted. It hangs from a sterling silver chain and is 16″ or 18″ long.

Our baby water puddle earrings are made up of 6 tiny hand fabricated links that are soldered together and hang from sterling ear wires. Earrings hang about 2″

You’ll have a chance to win a pair of earrings from Casalinda Studio in the ABE 3.0

Virtual Mirror Review ClearlyContacts

Greg — Sat, 21 Jan 2012 14:00:24 +0000

I still remember the day I got my first pair of glasses. I’d been sitting in my grade four class the day before watching a slide-show on mining, from the fourth row in the room. When the teacher asked me (yeah, I was the teacher’s pet) if the image was in focus I kept saying no. It was all blurry to me! The next day, when the doctor checked my eyes, it turned out that my first downy facial hair had been accompanied by major-near sightedness. He couldn’t believe I hadn’t realized there was something wrong—little did he know I spent most of my time with my nose in a book, and as long as I could read print, I thought I was seeing just fine.

Trying out the Virtual Mirror feature

An hour at the glasses real quick shop in the mall later, I put on my first pair of glasses. They were horrible, like the rear-windshield of a volvo plonked down on my face, I was glass from chin to hairline—but walking through the mall felt like waking up from a bad dream, everything was crisp and hyper real. I still remember too, being blown away by how expensive glasses were.

It was the early days of high-index lenses and anti-reflective coatings, and my Mom was determined that whatever pair I’d get would be a tank. Even in the eighties, I think they topped out over $200 (several hundreds in today’s money).

As the years went on, I was saddled with worse and worse pairs until I finally convinced my parents that my prescription was changing so fast, it would be cheaper to go with contacts. But of course, camping, in the morning or at night, it’d be back to the blinders. When I got a job, one of the first thing I did was by myself a pair of decent glasses—they too, cost more than I’d have liked, I remember it was three whole paycheques to pay for them.

If only ClearlyContacts was around back in the day. Seriously, it’s hard for me not to gush. Tazim and I are huge fans. I’ve used them for contacts since I first saw a promo-code on an in bus ad. . . and Tazim now has several pairs of glasses from them. But I’d always wondered—would lenses in my crazy high and complex prescription still be cheaper, or as good as the ones I get from my local optometrist? I decided I had to find out.

I got my last pair of glasses living in Auckland New Zealand, and I paid through the nose—a little over 650NZD (about $500US). But what really got me about the experience was the fact that, like many opticians, they were ordered from a central supply depot. When I got my new frames, they came in the mail from Hong Kong. Special ordered. My prescription is high, pretty close to the limit, and a little wonky. Like having a strange shoe-size, it’s a genetic curse I hope I don’t pass on to my children.

Armed with a fresh prescription (thankfully my vision hadn’t gotten any worse), and having asked the optician to record my PD (the distance between my pupils, not always included on prescriptions unless you ask—though you can measure at home, or get an eyeglass place to do it, usually for free)—I headed to the ClearlyContacts site.

Rejects

I had an idea of what shape and style of glasses I wanted—I’d popped by a place in the mall to check some frames out—but when I got online. it all went out the window. The prices on the frames were so good, that I found myself looking at the good stuff, rather than—if you’ve shopped for eyeglasses, you’ll know what I’m taking about—the sad pathetic drawer of “value frames.” And, I was spoiled for choice, they didn’t have everything in stock. A pair of really cool D&G ones with actual wood were out, and so were a pair of really old-school black Burberrys that had a great British look. But I could have scrolled around for hours, and still had no idea what to get, except that they also have this ‘virtual mirror” feature.

Maybe calling it a virtual mirror is a little far fetched. The process is, you upload a phone (or use the site to take one with your webcam), then they superimpose a cut-out of the glasses over your face. My first attempts to use it were complete disaster, it clearly tells you, at one point, to drag to points on the screen over your pupils, but without my glasses on, I didn’t bother to try and read the not-so-fine print.

But, once sorted out, it worked a treat. Obviously it’s not magazine-front-cover photoshop, but what I like was that it gave me a good idea of what shape the glasses were head on—and how they’d match the shape of my face. A pair of young John-Lennon esque ones made me look like my creepy gradeschool librarian, a pair of huge aviator style ones were as bad as the ones I’d had as a kid, but this acetate pair that I stumbled across, with a vaguely retro shape (I dig the old–school arms), didn’t make my head look like a watermelon, or an ice-cream cone. Sweet victory.

When I order contacts from ClearlyContacts, they usually come in a couple of days. Unsurprisingly, probably because of my Superman-powered prescription, I had to wait a few days longer for my glasses. But, when I got them, I was more than satisfied, the antiglare coating is as good as any, and so is the perscription—I even had them checked out by the optometrist. So—they’re like any other pair of glasses—but between you and me, they were less than half the price.

________________________________

Check out ClearlyContacts‘s Virtual Mirror feature. I received a pair of glasses form ClearlyContacts in order to check out their Virtual Mirror feature and to conduct my review. I was not compensated in any other way.

Take Charge of Your Health—DK Canada’s Practical Guide to Drugs in Canada Review

Tazim — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 14:00:06 +0000

When we think about health and fitness, we often think about exercise, and what we can do to take care of ourselves on the outside. Sure, changing our eating habits is a great way to get healthy, but if you have health concerns that diet and exercise can’t cure, the Practical Guide to Drugs in Canada is going to give you the information you need.

That ‘Canadian Pharmacists Association’ stamp on the back means that you can trust the information contained within this book.

$14.95 can get you this guide to what ails you—the most complete book of common health concerns. There are full profiles for vitamins, minerals and supplements. This is the perfect accompaniment to the Complete Home Medical Guide, also from DK Canada.

I received the above book in order to write this review. I was not compensated in any other way.

WellnessMats Anti-Fatigue Floor Mats Review

Greg — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 14:00:05 +0000

An Anti-Fatigue Mat for the Most Used Space in Your Home

In my early twenties I did a stint in an upscale restaurant, first as a prep chef, and then with my own section. In just a few short weeks, I learned a phenomenal amount about food, and I’ve always been gratteful for that time in my life. My mom was a professional baker, and had taught me a lot at home—but the professional kitchen environment is full of so many smart economies and tricks that make cooking better.

What did I learn? The value of preparing ingredients before hand, the value of fresh ingredients, and surprisingly, that some of the cheapest kitchen products are the best—simple carbon-steel pans rather than non-stick, in fact, real metal over non-stick everywhere, silicon baking mats over fussing endlessly with cooking spray, that pastry brushes and spatulas that cost only a couple of dollars are as good as any other—and a few smart tips about laying out a kitchen efficiently.

Major changes to a kitchen’s layout may be out of reach unless you’re doing a complete redo, but tips include keeping the most used utensils in reach—for example, using a cheap rail system from IKEA; making sure that everything has a place of its own, and having large containers that are conveniently accessible for staples so that baking isn’t a hassle.

All of these are good ideas, but even more enticing are all those gadgets from a professional kitchen that we daydream about having at home. The one I’ve most wanted might surprise you: It’s this: a cushioned ergonomic floormat, like this one from WellnessMats.

There are even mats for the garage or heavy-traffic work space. Many cash registers have mats like these for cashiers to stand on.

I don’t need a monster Hobarth mixer at home, I barely use my small stand-mixer as it is—neither, as much as I daydream, do I need whole racks of carbon steel frying pans, or a Turbochef oven. But, I do spend a lot of time in the kitchen standing in one position. Breaking down veg, or washing the dishes, this WellnessMat is fantastic. It really cuts down on sore feet, and comes in a wide range of configurations. This 2′ by 3′ model is just the right size for in front of the sink, while the larger L shapes or custom sizes can run the entire length of the counter. I find that I maintain better posture while standing one the mat, which cuts down significantly on fatigue. Tazim who sometimes suffers from sore knees, appreciates it even more.

Removable ‘seasons’ covers for WellnessMats.

Finished in a durable plastic, and filled with a sturdy but cushioning foam, the manufacturer gaurantees 7 years, without wear-through or cracking. We’ve put ours to the test over the last month, and have been surprised by how well it’s held up. The finish is easy to mop, and does indeed seem to be scratch and wear resistant.

The mat in this photo is the exact same design and colour that we have. Actually, our cabinets are the same colour and we plan on changing out the linoleum for hardwood similar to that in the photo. Check out our post on the kitchen renovation/redecoration so far.

We love the fact that the mats come in such a variety of finishes, and have our eyes on a larger mat in the same trellis finish for our next place, we like the subtle pattern, love the burgundy colour, and it would cover a 6′ run.

This WellnessMat has an ARV of $119.95. We received this 3′x2′ mat in brown in a Trellis pattern for review purposes. We were not compensated in any other way.

Look out for a giveaway from WellnessMats right here, as part of the New Year, New Me Giveaway Event, starting January 24th.

Timeless Desk Accessories For a Digital Age

Tazim — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 01:20:40 +0000

In an effort to work toward a paperless office, I have digitized a good deal of my information. No longer do I need an in/out tray, paper clips and other office essentials of yesteryear. Some things haven’t changed though—I still prefer to have pen and paper to-do lists rather than digital ones, so I like to have little notebooks, cute paper and thin-tipped pens around.
This memory card reader is compatible with over 40 kinds of memory cards:

Source: momastore.org via Tazim on Pinterest

Even though a lot of information is now sent via email, there are still times when you need to send something out by mail—why not do it in style with this pewter stamp holder?

Source: google.com via Tazim on Pinterest

Even if I don’t need an in/out tray, this upright letter holder can be used for a variety of purposes. I still get bills for certain things (not everything is digitally available yet), so need to keep them all in one place. I could see myself using this to store my digital items, too—like my iPad and cellphone, perhaps. All my notebooks will need a home as well, so that they’re handy to grab and actually write in.

Source: seejanework.com via Tazim on Pinterest

Source: amazon.com via Tazim on Pinterest

A scanner is an absolute must these days—I scan in all my paystubs, bills, and important receipts. With your information digitized you have many more options for organization of information—plus you don’t need to worry about paper files being lost or damaged. This Fujitsu SCANSNAP S1100 is great because it is so small—I’ve taken it travelling with me to scan in business cards, brochures etc. so I don’t need to carry around all the paper.

Remember to back up your digital information, pictures and music on an external harddrive, like this one, which includes a thumb drive:

Source: beingtazim.com via Tazim on Pinterest

Cord-management will always be an issue in any office, even a home one. Keep things manageable with cord bundles for gadgets you don’t use everyday:

Source: containerstore.com via Tazim on Pinterest

What accessories are absolutely necessary in your home office? What did I miss?

Winter Activities on the Cheap: Creative Ideas to Get you through the Cold Season

Tazim — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 00:15:33 +0000

Source: shellsonthebeach.tumblr.com via Joni on Pinterest

It’s cold outside—not in a relative way, but in a definite one. No one could argue that -30 to -35 degrees celsius (that would be about -22 Fahrenheit) isn’t cold. Lots of snow everywhere adds to the winter-y feeling. When you want to do something other than imagine you’re hibernating under your bed covers, but don’t want to spend too much, try some of these ideas for winter activities:

Source: weheartit.com via Cathy on Pinterest

Inside:

1) Actually, maybe giving in to your hibernating impulses isn’t such a bad idea. Invite the family or friends over for a movie night with plenty of snuggly blankets, comfort foods like baked goods, warm soup and hot cocoa and enjoy each others company inside.

2) Another fun inside activity is to try out a new recipe. True, my favourite time of year to cook is during summer, when there is an abundance of fresh veggies for cheap, but there are definitely other winter-time favourites that I could be creating. Baked goods are perfect for colder months, when the heat from the oven will be welcomed.

3) If the kids are getting restless and you’d rather not have them watch another episode of their favourite show on tv, work on a craft project together. What you choose to work on will depend on the age of your children and what they (and you) most enjoy doing. How about creating a photo book or collage of some of your favourite adventures from last year?

Outside:

1) The Calgary Zoo is open year-round apart from 2 days when it is closed. I love going to the zoo in winter when they have trees and lamp posts light up with lights—and during December/early January, there are special winter activities, shows and events. There are often coupons or discounts during winter, so if you can brave the cold for a bit, going to the zoo might be a good option for family fun. The Calgary Zoo has a lot of indoor spaces and fun restaurants/cafés to stop in to warm up and enjoy a relaxing meal.

Source: insidevancouver.ca via kale on Pinterest

2) Even in cities with mild winter weather, like Vancouver, public ice skating is set up downtown and people can rent skates for $3 or bring their own. There isn’t a fee for ice skating, so if you have your own ice skates, you can go down for a few hours. Similarly, many leisure centres have cheap skating times.

3) If you have a sled and a nearby hill —or want to create an homage to the Home Alone movie and set one up going down your staircase and out the front door—sledding can be a lot of fun.

4) Snowshoes can be purchased or rented for a reasonable price and can be a fun way to go for a walk in a snow-covered park this winter.

Of course, there are many other things you can enjoy, like skiiing, but that is hardly cheap to do. I would have loved to take skiing lessons this winter, but perhaps next year when I save up some money.

What do you most enjoy doing during winter? What activities do you plan on enjoying this year?

When Times are Tough, Take Care of What you Have

Tazim — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 14:00:53 +0000

Source: sharesomecandy.com via Kevin on Pinterest

It may seem like the most sensible thing to do when times are tough, or you’re short on funds, is to not replace or keep up-to-date things that don’t seem like necessities. Sure, there are things that can wait—like getting your hair dyed or getting a new outfit, but what about getting new glasses when you need them, or fixing/replacing a leaky faucet? When times are tough, you have to take care of what you have.

If you own a home, take care of your investment. Whether or not you plan on selling the property right away, make sure you maintain it inside and out. As an example, I know someone who owns a house and has upgraded a few important things, like the hot water heater and furnace, and received a bit of money from the government for those upgrades. Look in to these types of rebate programs, which often are only available for a limited amount of time. These kinds of upgrades are great because you’ll end up saving money monthly, and they are things that home buyers look for when making their decision. Of course, someone looking to buy a home won’t see anything but the outside before deciding whether or not to consider the place.

The housing market definitely goes up and down, but this is relative to new areas or builds. Devaluations of homes can occur depending on the area, and how much homes are selling for nearby, but inspectors generally just look at the exterior. What can you do to inexpensively make sure your house looks kept up-to-date? Update your curb appeal! A bit of elbow grease can go a long way to spruce up the exterior. My mom’s house’s shrubs, and plants have completely overgrown—but would cost practically nothing to fix up. The stucco badly needs to be repainted (all the other homes in the area have siding), but it shouldn’t cost much, and would help keep the house from devaluating.

What if you need to sell your house quickly for financial or relocation reasons? People I know say that they don’t think that they need to do anything with their home until they are selling it. First of all, maybe things that need to be updated/replaced in a home have health benefits—like making sure your carpet its replaced regularly (or changing to laminate or similar). I know these things cost a bit of money up front, but they are necessary in maintaining your investment for so many reasons.

Taking care of what you have includes your body, too. It’s easier to spend money on things that I think might make me happy, but this year, I want to spend money on the right things. This includes health checkups, going to the dentist, etc. especially if you have medical benefits from work or school—you never know when you’ll no longer have those benefits.

The idea of taking care of what you have, when times are tough, can be translated to so many things—your car for instance. What do you own that you feel you could take better care of?

Antique Tea-Time Treats

Tazim — Sat, 14 Jan 2012 14:05:36 +0000

When I’m home around 3 or 4 in the afternoon, I like stopping for a bit of tea and a small snack. Tea-time can be made so much more fun with these gorgeous antique accessories, though:

Source: 1stdibs.com via Tazim on Pinterest

I absolutely love this 1930s WMF coffee/tea set:

Source: 1stdibs.com via Tazim on Pinterest

And I’ll need these spoons to stir my tea:

Source: 1stdibs.com via Tazim on Pinterest

I can put all my accessories on this lovely cart:

Source: 1stdibs.com via Tazim on Pinterest

Do you like to have special tea cups/accessories for your tea or coffee break?

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Complete Home Medical Guide—DK Canada Book Review

Tazim — Sat, 14 Jan 2012 14:05:07 +0000

We had an older version of this book in our home when I was growing up, and I remember my mom referencing it often. This new version of the Canadian Medical Association Complete Home Medical Guide includes several charts and instructional material that, I feel, greatly improve the book.

Not only is this a great book to have around when you’re not sure what to do in certain situations, but this is also a great educational book for children (and adults). If your child needs to write a report or needs information on something, you can be sure that the facts and figures are all up-to-date and accurate, because the Canadian Medical Association stands behind it.

This is the type of book that will come in handy for years to come, whether you have children or not. Check out one of many handy charts included in the book:

To tell you the truth, I don’t buy many books anymore, in an effort to pair-down my belongings. Well, at least when it comes to fiction—I love my reference books and happily shipped them from Vancouver to Calgary when I moved here. I will continue to consult a reference book like this one, for a long time, so I see it as highly valuable to hold onto.

As I get older, I am starting to think more about my health. The charts in this book, like above are really interesting to me for this reason—if I feel this, then what should I be doing? I know that some people like to just go online to find out the answers to medical questions, but I can never be sure how reliable that information is. Knowing that the Canadian Medical Association endorsed this book makes me trust the information within it—plus, I am a huge DK Canada fan so this book is a real winner in my mind.

Do you have a reference book like this at home and what do you end up using it for?

Quick Afternoon Project — Custom Designed Cork Board and Calendar for the Kitchen

Tazim — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 14:00:52 +0000

As part of my Renovation Redecoration, I’ve been putting up new artwork on the walls, and needed to replace the calendar in the kitchen. Not wanting to put up lots of extra holes in the wall for everything that someone would be pinning up in a kitchen, like phone numbers, a calendar, coupons etc. I decided to put up a cork board.

Originally, I’d looked around for framed cork boards, but they proved to be a bit pricey, even at Home Sense. I was walking around IKEA last week and came across a rather plain looking cork board that was a good price and a good size, too.

Here you have it—a quick project to customize a cork board:

Tools you’ll need:
-plainish cork board
-paint, anything from craft paint to acrylic or oil-based paint
-paint brush
-painter’s tape or masking tape

Finishing touches:
-push pins
-pre-bought or handmade calendar

This is what the wall looked like before:

Instructions:

For this project, I painted the frame silver using acrylic paint (the kind for painting on canvas) because I already had it. On a tabletop, put down some newspaper, and get a scrap piece of paper to use on the inside of the cork board (so you don’t get trim paint on it).

This is how it looked before. A bit plain for my taste. It was a good price, though—only $6 at IKEA.

I used a bit of cling-film to put the paint on and used a paint brush to apply the silver paint to the frame. It may be hard to tell, but it is a metallic paint that perfectly matches our kitchen cupboard pulls/handles.

This looks pretty good, right? Well, we were pleased with the silver frame, but decided to go a step further because the rest of the wall art in the kitchen has black matting. The calendar is one that Greg created for January to April, using images he’d previously designed, and printed in a colour scheme that matches the rest of the kitchen (we have red accents).

Next, we taped a border on the inside of the frame using painter’s tape. The cork soaks up a lot of paint, so be prepared—make sure you have enough. I have seen expensive cork boards in stores, framed and with a message or design on the cork that looks like it has just been painted on. Be creative and feel free to choose a design that works well in your space!

If you’re wondering why the calendar is placed a bit low on the cork board, it’s because the top can be used to tickets to events, grocery lists or whatever else people need to be reminded about. The clear push-pins came with the cork board. Another addition might be to have a pen and some memo paper attached for making notes and writing in events on the calendar. We’ll have to look out for a red pen, perhaps.

Do you have a plain cork board that you’d like to spruce up, or a calendar pinned directly to the wall?

3 Fantastic Home Coffee Machines {Guest Post}

Tazim — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 23:53:44 +0000

I lot of people who appreciate good design do love a drop of the old black bean. For every coffee lover looking to brew delicious coffee at home, here are 4 fantastic home coffee machines that will do the job well and looks stunning to set off your kitchen in style.

Cuisinart DCC-2600

When it comes to brewing a full-sized pot of coffee, the Cuisinart DCC-2600 Brew Central coffee maker will produce 14 high quality cups at a time. The machine comes with a glass carafe and has options to brew regular or bold coffee. It includes a water filter to improve the taste and uses a permanent filter so you won’t have to mess with paper filters. There is an adjustable heater plate under the carafe to keep coffee perfectly heated and for safety the machine has an automatic shut off. With solid chunky looks and silver steel shiny sides this is perfect for the modern kitchen and I would say would suit a many a man’s kitchen myself.

Zojirushi EC-DAC50 Zutto

For those that don’t need a large pot, the Zojirushi EC-DAC50 Zutto has a smaller profile and will brew up to 5 cups of coffee at a time. The convenient removable water reservoir is easy to fill at the sink, and a hot plate under the carafe will keep the coffee hot until it is time to refill your cup. The Zutto is a sturdy pot that comes with a water filter for a great tasting cup of coffee. Very cool and innovative looking again a high tech modern kitchen it would look the part.

Cuisinart DGB-625BC

Using your own coffee beans is a great way to get the freshest coffee, and the Cuisinart DGB-625BC Grind-And-Brew coffee maker is a great option to turn raw coffee beans into a tasty cup of coffee. This 12 cup coffee maker is programmable and will work with both raw beans or ground coffee from the store. The permanent filter is convenient and the charcoal water filter will ensure a fresh, clean taste. Classic styling and very contemporary and understated suited to the same environment clean lined kitchens.

Whichever of these 4 fantastic home coffee machines you choose, you will enjoy great coffee cup after cup and appreciate the aesthetics as you drink your choice of brew of choice.

This was a guest post by James H.

Arabica Lounge Café Seattle Travel

Tiny Book of Tiny Stories—hitRECord Review

Tazim — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 14:00:44 +0000

The Tiny Book of Tiny Stories Volume 1 is a collaborative work produced by members of hitRECord and Joseph Gordon-Levitt. This isn’t the first work put out by members of hitRECord.

You can find out more about different hitRECord goings on by connecting with RegularJoe (Joseph Gordon-Levitt’s alter ego) on Twitter and checking out the hitRECord website. I also encourage you to go to the source—become a contributor on hitRECord by creating a new piece or working on someone else’s creation. There is a 3-book deal with Harper Collins, so there is still time to work on a tiny story!

I’d planned on including this book in my gift guide for the holidays, but it arrived a bit late to do so—but there is another event coming up: Valentine’s Day! This sweet little book would be the perfect accompaniment to a box of chocolates, a candle or any other typical gift given for Valentine’s Day.

Here is one of my favourite Tiny Stories:

You can purchase volume 1 of Tiny Stories on the hitRECord online shop, along with adorable t-shirts, and other collaboratively created items. I know that I would love to have that t-shirt of the person dressed up as a bear for Valentine’s Day!

Here are a few more of my favourite Tiny Stories from the book:

The Tiny Book of Tiny Stories is a hardcover book with 88 pages. I was sent the book in order to conduct my review. All opinions are mine.

A Not-So-Annoying-Tick—Infmetry Clock Review

Tazim — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 14:00:18 +0000

The ticking of a clock is:
A) annoying
B) stressful
C) loud
D) All of the above

My answer is D, all of the above. I find the ticking noise really puts me on edge, and I certainly can’t sleep well with that sound in the background. In our own home we didn’t have any ticking clocks, we just had the digital times from various electronics—and our watches.

Why did I want to review this ‘Geek Clock’ from Infmetry, an online store full of tons of geek-gear? The second-hand sweep! Magically, this clock makes no ticking noise—and I know this because Greg is super-sensitive to such things. Rather than a second-hand that moves from second to second, the second-hand sweep glides around the clock with the greatest of ease.

Not only is this clock quiet, but it is also a great colour, and I love the pattern. It goes well with the new colour of the walls in the living room, and has enough pattern that it looks interesting.

There is a huge selection of clocks available from Infmetry, but most of them would be sure to make a ticking noise. Too often, people just buy the cheapest clock they can find and don’t take in to consideration the noise they make (especially because all clocks are out of sync), nor the overall look of the clock and how it will fit in with their décor. My mom had dozens of these ugly, noisy clocks throughout her home before I stepped in. This clock is made of a thick material that feels like wood or at least particle board, with a glow-in-the-dark face and hands, and a ‘geeky’ pattern.

Check out the selection at Infmetry for all your gift-giving needs, or just for yourself. I received a Geek Clock for my review. I was not compensated in any other way.

Toast to 2012 Giveaway Event — $40 Gift Code to Paper Coterie Stationery Shop #Giveaway 01/17 #ToastTo2012

Tazim — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 04:00:28 +0000

Toast to 2012 GRAND PRIZE! Make sure to ENTER TO WIN 1 of 5 $100 Paypal or Visa Gift Cards!!!

Toast to 2012 is hosted by Sweep Tight and Just Married with Coupons and the Grand Prize is sponsored by Likeographers.com

Likeographers.com is a website where users from all over the world can enter awesome giveaways where they can win items such as gift cards and makeup by simply signing up and uploading a candid photo. Likeographers.com is dedicated to providing a place where users can upload a picture of their likes, share them with the world and win awesome prizes.

I am giving away: a gift code for your choice of products from Paper Coterie, including free shipping! Approximate value is $40 (excl. shipping, which is included but prices vary). Open to US/Canada.

What can you get from Paper Coterie? Here are just 2 examples of types of products they offer:

Monthly Planners:

Memory Keepers, for storing photos and nicknacks inside the box:

Enter giveaway below and hop on to the next blog to enter there:

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New Year, New Reads #Giveaway Hop — DK Canada Health & Fitness Prize Pack Canada Only

Tazim — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 05:00:32 +0000

Welcome to the New Year, New Reads Giveaway Hop!

Click here to enter the Grand Prize Giveaway!

When you enter, be sure to say that I referred you!

For this giveaway, I have a prize package of 3 amazing books to help you achieve your health and fitness goals for the new year! The package is being sponsored by DK Canada and has a total value of $95.

Home Medical Guide: The bestselling medical guide Canadians have come to rely on has now been fully revised and updated to offer the most authoritative and complete health information available anywhere.

The Practical Guide to Drugs in Canada will help Canadians understand their health issues, know what questions to ask, and better manage their drug treatments.

Forget gyms, expensive equipment, and hours of punishing fitness routines. For fast results at home,Energizing Workout lets you choose from a range of programs that include stretching, dancing, and targeted calorie-burning moves, and get your body energized in no time.

Look for my reviews of these books later this week!

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Goals for 2012

Tazim — Sun, 08 Jan 2012 00:44:08 +0000

There will be no minor goals for me this year—in 2012, I’ll be going all-in! I’ve had so many major life changes last year that I’ve been forced to think about where I want my life to go, what I like and don’t like and everything in between.

I’m physically in a place I never imagined myself being again—in my old hometown, and Greg’s birthplace of Calgary, Alberta. There isn’t any point regretting the decision to move here; I want to just make the best of it . I am going to be focusing a lot of my efforts on new career prospects, hopefully in my field of study, and trying to get ahead in light of my student debt.

What do I want to change about myself and my life, other than job-related things? Well, is it too vague to say I just want to be my better self? This month and next, I plan on highlighting some health and fitness books and products in an effort to achieve a goal that I know many of my readers are also working toward.

I studied the French language in university, but without using my language skills in my daily life, I’ve forgotten nearly everything. My plan is to watch lots of French films, and polish my language skills.

What else is on my list? I do have goals for my blog, including continuing to make a bit of money from it each month—but also to clean up the overall look of it.

I’ll check back in with you all on how things are going in June, my birth month.

WellnessMats Anti-Fatigue Floor Mats Review

Best Travel Experiences 2011

Tazim — Sat, 07 Jan 2012 14:01:07 +0000

Last year we said goodbye to the West Coast of Canada and moved from Vancouver to Calgary. The thing I miss most about living there is the proximity to Seattle, Washington. Just a hop, skip and a 2 hour drive away, we could eat vegan donuts at Mighty O, enjoy climbing up hill to have food at the always-delicious Plum Bistro, and escape for a few days. During our most recent trip to Seattle (in late August), we discovered the best (vegan)Thai food restaurant outside of Thailand, toured the Boeing Factory, and visited Seattle Center.

During the first few days of 2011, Greg and I were in Honduras with his family. I enjoyed the warm water of the tropics—and look forward to swimming in the Caribbean again. Prior to Honduras, Greg and I stopped in Guatemala:

During September, Greg and I travelled to the 4 corners of the USA, and fell in love with West Texas.

We loved many parts of Texas—especially Fredericksburg, which is a little German town in Central Texas. We had just visited my dad in Midland, which was another place we really enjoyed. What I loved most about that part of our trip was the amount of sunshine, delicious food and the dryness. . .but then, we were coming from over-saturated Vancouver!

We also visited New York for the first time, but despite it being the main reason why we were on the USA trip, it wasn’t my favourite place out of the ones we visited.

In 2012, I hope we’ll spend a fair amount of time in the Canadian Rockies, which I have been missing since we moved to Vancouver. Also, we’ll be going to a conference in Colorado during June.

What was your most memorable trip in 2011? What made it so memorable?

Upcoming Lucky Day Event In March Sign-Up

Tazim — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 18:35:07 +0000

Sason and Pobi would like to invite you to A Lucky Day Sweepstakes Event. Sign Up here. I am looking forward to March already—this looks like a fun giveaway event!

Event details:
Host a giveaway on your page worth $25 or more that starts on March 12 at midnight and ends at midnight on March 20 (rafflecopter ends on 3/21)
Post about the event or pay $5 to jennifer@makobiscribe.com

No Related Posts

New Year’s Resolution Blog Carnival [closed]

Tazim — Mon, 02 Jan 2012 09:00:49 +0000

Hauling & Trucking, Medical Transcription Source and Makobi Scribe Present New Year’s Resolution Blog Carnival. My New Year’s Resolution is to be on top of my gift-giving, by ordering gifts in advance!

The giveaway I have for you is a $50 gift certificate to Shop the Gift Basket Store.com.The giveaway is open to US/Canada.

Be sure to check out the Shop the Gift Basket Store.com Facebook page to get info on the latest deals and products!

There are gift baskets for all occasions, as well as for men, women and newborns. There are quite a few holidays coming up, and I, for one would like to get my gifts ordered ahead of time. I like a lot of the gift baskets for mother’s day, which have things like picture frames, candles, etc. in them. You don’t need to go shopping for each item with a gift basket, though.

DISCLOSURE:

Please note that Tazim, or Being Tazim is not responsible for sponsors that do not fulfill their prizes. We have represented each sponsor with the expectation they will fulfill their prize and in a timely manner we will contact the sponsor regarding your prize(s). The sponsors, in most cases, are shipping their items to you directly. We will make every effort to assist you obtaining your prize. If there is an issue with a sponsor please notify the blog you won a prize from within 30 days for assistance, after that we may be unable to assist you.

Enter to win below, and then hop on to the next blog to enter giveaway there:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

*This gift certificate works like a coupon code. Apply it at the checkout and $50 will be subtracted from the order. The gift certificate does not include taxes, shipping, etc. It will expire on May 30, 2012. The gift certificate can only be used once.

Home Organization — Best of 2011

Tazim — Thu, 29 Dec 2011 14:00:41 +0000

2011 was, above all else, a time of major reorganization in my life. I graduated from university and moved from being a full-time student to working full-time. Physically, Greg and I moved across country, which meant playing the ‘beautiful or useful’ game, trying to decide which items to bring with us.

Source: etsy.com via Tazim on Pinterest

Magazines—Beautiful or Useful? What are your thoughts on this?

Want to get a good start on organizing your life in 2012? Check out my list of the 12 best letterpress handmade calendars.

Moving back to Calgary meant that I could reorganize my mom’s older home. Greg and I began reorganizing, decorating and renovating in October, and it will be many more months before we’ve finished.

Here are a few of the best organization posts from 2011:

Clutter Above the Cabinets.

How do you keep clutter at bay in your children’s room(s)? Check out the guest post.

The post on organizing your first-aid kit was popular.

One thing I like to do each year is to clean out my closet.

Taking a Break From Holiday Shopping at Second Cup #CBias #EqualCanada

Greg — Tue, 27 Dec 2011 14:00:19 +0000

We left our holiday shopping until the very last moment this year—busy with work, renovations, and freelance projects—we didn’t even notice that we were running out of time until December 23rd, and we found ourselves in a sea of similarly disorganized shoppers. We started out the morning all gung-ho, but by the time we’d spent almost an hour getting to the mall that’s usually ten minutes away—we were more than ready for a coffee.

Normally we try and avoid large chains of coffee shops—but when we passed by Second Cup, we couldn’t resist. They’re sort of the Canadian Starbucks, and have been around for years. Way back in our mall-crawling high school days, Tazim and I used to stop for a cup of joe at the very same joint often. We were glad to see how much things had changed! We’d stopped going as cafés offering organic and fair-trade coffee opened, so we were especially keen to note the huge variety of organic and shade grown beans now on offer at Second Cup. And we were even keener to try an espresso based drink when we noticed that they had a huge non-automatic Rancilio espresso machine (the big brother of the machine we use at home).

It wasn’t long before we had an americano and a double espresso in hand. We were pleased that the barista didn’t bat an eyelash at providing a ceramic mug for both drinks, and better yet, that they didn’t add a disproportionate amount of water to the americano. Tazim was a little sad to note that she was so generous with the dash of soy milk—there was a little too much. But then again, how explicit can you be when you order your coffee? Sometimes I want to bring along a measuring cup and specify ounces—but I suspect that that would be a little ridiculous!

I was disappointed though that they didn’t have Equal Sweetener, which I particularly appreciate on hectic days when I want to avoid a sugar rush. They didn’t have a comment card for me to fill out, so instead I spoke to the manager of this location. She said that she’d look into it, as they’ve had lots of requests! The manager suggested we leave a message on twitter to make further comments on the types of sweeteners available —which I encourage you all to do.

Want to check out what Equal Sweetener can do for your coffee or tea? Check out @EqualCanada on Twitter and Equal Canada on Facebook.

This shop has been compensated as part of a social shopper insights study for Collective Bias. All opinions are 100% my own.

Synthetic Luxury Support Pillow King Sized From MaggiesDirect Review

Tazim — Fri, 23 Dec 2011 14:00:42 +0000

As I get older, I find myself having neck and shoulder pain (and back pain, sometimes, too) and my sleep at night suffers as a result. I have tried out many different types of pillows without much success. Supportive pillows are not all designed equally—I often find that the height/thickness of the ‘support’ part is too much for my head, so I actually end up with a sore neck the next morning.

I received a new kind of supportive pillow from MaggiesDirect, made by CUDDLEDOWN. This supportive pillow is made of 100% polyester fibre (I can’t use down—but this is down-like for sure) covered with the softest, smoothest cream-coloured cotton fabric. I really like the large king sized pillow because when I roll around at night I still have support for my neck without falling off the edge of the pillow! I prefer soft pillows, like this, to more firm ones—and I’m really pleased with how this pillow helps me get a good night’s sleep. This pillow is priced at $99 on the site, but the MSRP is $104 or so. There is 17oz. of fill and the size is 20″x36″. It is a soft pillow, recommended for side and back sleepers.

The synthetic luxury supportive pillow can be found from MaggiesDirect, a social network shopping site. The site allows you to earn ‘social bucks’ for signing up, reviewing products, recommending the site to your friends and any purchases you make.

MaggiesDirect has really good prices on linens for the bedroom and bathroom. I especially like their selection of bedspreads, as well as their soft towels. Looking for an easy fix for your décor? There’s a nice selection of beautiful area rugs to quickly jazz up your space. If, like me, you prefer to shop for organic and eco-friendly products for your home, MaggiesDirect has a whole section of stuff to choose from.

I received the supportive pillow for review purposes but was not compensated in any other way.

MaggiesDirect is offering one reader from the US or Canada a queen sized comforter valued at $124 in this giveaway on my blog. Be sure to enter by January 9th!

Win an Envy-Worthy Cubical With The Pimp My Cube Contest

Tazim — Thu, 22 Dec 2011 22:13:41 +0000

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Contest Factory for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

For those of you who work in an office, your cubicle can feel like a second home—since you spend so much of your day in it.

Sure, LOLCats are funny, but do you need their cute little faces splashed ALL over your cubicle? If your cubicle has outdated technology, old creaky furniture that is anything but ergonomic, or just plain messy and disorderly—the Pimp My Cube Contest wants to hear about it! Better yet, show everyone just how bad you have it in a video. You can quickly upload a video taken with your smartphone or webcam.

There are 3 prize packages available to win: a high-end computer system, new furniture including a desk chair and decorations, stereo and espresso machine. Which one would you most likely want to win? The total grand prize amount is $2000. There’s also a $200 secondary prize.

As of right now, there aren’t any videos uploaded, so you have a great change at winning! You have until January 31st, 2012 to enter this contest. Check out the Pimp My Cube Contest to enter—register and upload your video, then have your friends and family vote for you to increase your chances of winning!

Timeless Desk Accessories For a Digital Age

Winter Warmth Bedding #Giveaway — Sanctuary Comforter From Maggie’s Direct

Tazim — Thu, 22 Dec 2011 14:15:11 +0000

Winter has just (officially) started but I’ve been feeling like I’ve needed an extra comforter or blanket on my bed for quite a while now. The rest of winter will seem very long if you’re too cold at night to get a good sleep.

One lucky winner will receive a queen-sized Sanctuary Comforter to help them keep warm at night. Approximate retail value $124. Open to US/Canada Ends January 9th
About MaggiesDirect:

What is MaggiesDirect.com?
Maggies provides you a wonderfully unique shopping experience. We combine an amazing selection (always changing) of high quality products at fantastic prices, with the fun and power of social network shopping (learn more about this here). If you like saving money on high quality items you’ll love Maggie’s. Our product mix is always growing. Right now you can find fantastic deals on the finest products for you and your home, some of which we manufacture ourselves. We make wonderfully cozy comforters, pillows, and featherbeds, in our own factory in Maine. Check out our bath category for amazing towels, our sleepwear section for super soft pjs, and our new gift & decor area.

About the Sanctuary Comforter:

Hypoallergenic / synthetic
453 thread count sateen
Eco-friendly
Lofts like down
Made in the USA

The giveaway is open to US and Canada, though there will be extra shipping costs to Canada.

All you need to do to enter to win is sign up for an account on Maggie’s Direct. Fill out the rafflecopter form below to enter.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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No More Worrying About Keys!

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This is what the wall looked like before:

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