It's Jeanette

Sanford's Sharpie Gel Highlighters, Premium Pen, & Paper Mate's InkJoy FTW!

2012-05-26T03:03:00.000-04:00

I have a confession. I am a pen thief.

I have a pen obsession.

Now don't get me wrong... I'm not the type to purposely snag and secretly take off with your pen. Oh no... I will blatantly tell you I love your pen and I am stealing it.

I know that might come off kind of strange. But, that's me! I love pens, and when I find the perfect one, I must own it.

Smooth writers with a nice grip and a slight weight are my thing. Sometimes I like a thick ballpoint pen, sometimes I like it thin, and... sometimes I like it in-between! It varies from time to time, but the perfect pen IS the perfect pen.

As a Shoplet reviewer, I had the opportunity to check out Paper Mate's new InkJoy 700 RT line, Sharpie's new Gel Highlighters, and the Sharpie pen. Clearly, they weren't aware of my pen obsession. (Or were they?)
Shoplet specializes in office supplies, so when my InkJoy 700 RTs run out, I know exactly where I'm going. But, I'm going to use every last drippy drop of ink in these pens. They are amazing!

First off, before I even tried the pens, I loved the look. As a color obsessed girl (I guess I have a lot of obsessions, huh?), I really loved the color distinguishing tops. Shiny red, shiny blue. I could only hope the pen wrote as well as it looked.

And yep, they sure do! One of InkJoy's tag lines is "effortless writing", and I couldn't agree with that statement more. Oh my gosh, it was so fluid writing with these pens, that I went absolutely haywire on my to-do list. (Another obsession)

I had the sudden urge to re-write the entire thing - which is an every other month kind of deal. I used red for due dates, I used blue for items that needed attention. I was crossing things out here and there, adding things, and to put it simply - I was going to town on that paper. Then I rewrote it again the next day. It looked so neat and color coordinated. And to be perfectly honest, these pens are just fun to write with.

Shiny things!

The ink comes out so smooth, even, and bold, it was hard to resist writing quickly. And the InkJoy 700 RT is a pleasure to hold. It has a nice curvy body, a firm grip, and just the right amount of weight. I quite possibly could be rambling, but that is only because I am in love.

No doubt, my new favorite pens!

Paper Mate's InkJoy 700 RT features:

- InkJoy writing system gives you the best in effortless writing. Starts quickly without dragging, requires minimal pressure from the hand and delivers crisp, clean lines every time.
- Combines an hourglass shape with rubberized grip to provide comfort and control.
- Solid metal accents for long-lasting durability.

The Sharpie Premium Pen didn't quite compare to the Inkjoy, but it's still a great pen nonetheless. It has a nice, classic, clean, and professional look. It's the expensive looking pen with the reliability of the Sharpie name.

So shiny

I can closely rate the performance and feel of it with Sharpie's fine-tip markers, however, this pen doesn't bleed through the paper, which is a HUGE bonus!
The Sharpie pen also writes fluidly and bold, which is really what you want in any pen, isn't it? And as another perk, it definitely does not carry the odor of it's permanent marker family.
Another very cool feature? It is refillable. We've all had it happen. Your favorite pen dies, and gets buried in the trashcan grave. When you have the ability to refill, this stainless steel Sharpie pen will outlive you!

Just testing... again ;)

Sharpie Premium Pen features:

- Offers a smooth, high-quality writing experience.
- Delivers clean and concise lines that are permanent and smear-resistant.
- Special Ink Type: N/A Pen Style: Stick Ink Colors: Black Pen Type: Porous Point.

And speaking of Sharpie's rapport, let's talk about these Gel highlighters they just came out with. Talk about awesome! Even though the package clearly shows what the highlighters look like, I totally missed it and was entirely thrown off when I opened one up.

What I was expecting to see was a super bright felt angular tip. What I saw instead was a rounded GEL tip. Yeah, it was kind of a face palm moment. I put the highlighters to work immediately because these were just too cool to not use.

The Sharpie Gel highlighters claim that there will be no smearing, it doesn't bleed, and it won't dry out for days without a cap. Cool beans? Yep!

Their new ink-free technology truly does provide total smear protection. Believe me, I tested it... several times. And smearing is the biggest peeve of highlighter users. Sharpie's got it down - no smearing here.
The highlighters write extremely smooth - as odd as it sounds, it's almost like clear deodorant in a pen form. The results look much like a crayon would, which is optimal for no bleeding. It's a flawless design for a highlighter.

Smear test: A++++++++

The only downside I saw, and I really found it on accident - was that if you touch the highlighted area too soon after it has been used, it will slightly smudge. However, I do mean slightly. The highlighter also doesn't stain, so if you do happen to smudge it with your hand, it won't show up.

Sharpie Gel highlighters features:

- Features gel stick technology which provides the strongest smear protection across pen and marker inks and ink jet printouts

- Won't dry out if left uncapped or bleed through paper.
- Works great on all paper surfaces, including glossy or thin papers.
- Conforms to your handwriting style and writes as long as a traditional pen-style highlighter.

So what do you look for in a pen? Do you like them heavy or light? Thick or thin? Are you a pen thief like me? (I won't tell, promise!)

Clearly, I have an obsession.

I received the above mentioned products to facilitate this review for Shoplet.com's Sanford Writing Pens. Any opinions expressed are my own and were not influenced in any way. Please click here to check out my disclosure notice.

The Perfect Father's Day card - direct from Treat (plus a giveaway!) @treatcards

2012-05-25T12:24:00.000-04:00

Enter below for your chance to win 10 free cards from Treat!

If you're looking for the perfect Father's Day card this year, look no further than Treat. Treat is the newest addition to the Tiny Prints family, and they've already earned a spot on my Favorite Places list.

For kiddo's birthday, I ordered my very first card from Treat for her. It was extremely personalized and thoughtful, and recieved a lot of compliments! It was one of those, "Where in the world did you get that!" moments, which are always fantastic.

I enjoyed my experience with Treat so much, that I ordered my husband's Father's Day card from them as well. He is just going to love it! (And here's hoping... he doesn't get the sudden urge to read this!)

I used their Memorable Mosiac design and used images that only had daddy and daughter. Since I'm always behind the camera, it wasn't that difficult ;)

Isn't it just fantastic? It was extremely easy to personalize and it turned out beautiful. It is definitely the most heartfelt card I've ever purchased before.

Check out the super cool features of Treat:

- Your first card is FREE! No joke - use FREETREAT at checkout.
- You can add gift cards to your greeting cards from top retailers like Amazon, iTunes, Target, and more!
- They have an awesome reminder feature that let's you import birthdays from Facebook. You'l never forget a birthday again!
- You can also schedule cards one year in advance for delivery

I highly reccomend Treat. They are inexpensive, and have amazing quality cards. The personalization is just a perk. The amount of designs they have for any occasion is amazing. Check out some of my favorite Father's Day designs:

These cards don't even scratch the surface of what Treat has. Check out their Father's Day Cards category to see them all. While I'm usually a sentimental card giver, I've also given humorous cards as well. What do you prefer to give? From the heart or from the funny bone? :)

To connect with Treat and stay in the loop on new features and designs, you can follow them here:

Facebook
Twitter
Pinterest
Google+

The awesome folks at Treat want to give away 10 tokens for 10 free cards to one of you! Just use the Rafflecopter form below to enter.

Giveaway ends 06/08/2012. Must be 18 years or older to enter. US residents only.
a Rafflecopter giveaway

The above mentioned product was purchased by me, and was not compensation for this post. I will however recieve 10 card tokens as well in return for this post and hosting the giveaway. Any opinions expressed are my own and were not influenced in any way. Please click here to check out my disclosure notice.

Win! Natural House introduces Moppy @naturalhousepro

2012-05-24T16:05:00.000-04:00

Natural House is back at it again with yet another amazing product. You've seen my love for them in my Flushy, Sinky, and Trashy review, and even more recently, my love for Surfy.

Now they've got another addition to their natural household cleaning products and the probiotic revolution with Moppy!

Natural House exceeds my expectations again with Moppy, just as all of their other products have. If you haven't joined the probiotic revolution yet, enter below for your chance at owning Moppy!

When I first used Moppy, my expectations were low. And that's not because Natural House's other products have let me down, but because any other floor cleaner I have ever used has.

I own an actual mop. Now there are essentially two issues I always come across while mopping. One, you can't scrub with a mop. It's just impossible. Two, my hardwood floors absolutely despise me, and never ever want to come out clean. They are always smudgy or filmy after I'm through.

So with Moppy, I expected the same results. But I was thoroughly wrong. When I started in the kitchen, I was thrown off by the ease of mopping. While there were sticky spots (kiddo strikes again!), and coffee drips that usually cause me a headache, my mop cleared them with no struggle. To be honest, it felt like cheating with how easily my floor cleaned up.

When I read the packaging, the claim was that it is safe to use on multiple surfaces including, "high-gloss surfaces, terrazzo, marble, slate, vinyl, tile, and finished hardwood." Just like I tested my glass with Surfy, I had to try Moppy on my hardwood.

Moppy Probiotic Cleaning packet is a concentrated, professional-strength, all-natural floor cleaner. Powerful, plant derived scrubbing agents cut through dirt and lift grime from the floor. Moppy’s probiotics remain on the surface to help maintain a germ-free and odor-free household. Moppy is safe to use on multiple surfaces including high-gloss surfaces, terrazzo, marble, slate, vinyl, tile, and finished hardwood surfaces. Use weekly to promote a healthy and safe home!

Benefits of using Moppy:
Industry-First, Cutting-Edge Probiotic Cleaning Products
Convenient foaming water soluble pouch application
Cuts through dirt and lifts grime from the floor
Active ingredients keep working to maintain germ and odor free surface
1 bag lasts 30 DAYS
Safe to use on multiple surfaces including high-gloss surfaces, terrazzo, marble, slate, vinyl, tile, and finished hardwood surfaces
Use weekly to promote a healthy and safe home
Leaves no Dulling Residue
Scrubbing action scours dirt and lifts germs and grime, while driving out odors at their source
Eco-Friendly, non-toxic, biodegradable

The results were, to say the least, amazing. There was no film, no streaking, and oddly enough... shine! Which is something that I have never been able to accomplish, even with vinegar.

Moppy worked amazingly on my hardwood floor!

Of course, Moppy also has the benefits of being a phosphate free, eco-friendly, non-toxic, and biodegradable product. But isn't is just fantastic how something that is safe and healthy also works more effectively than chemical products?

Natural House truly has the best products on the market, and now you have a chance to win Moppy, right here! (And be sure to head over to the Surfy giveaway before 5/29/12 too!) Use the Rafflecopter form below to enter!

To learn more about Surfy and their other products, you can connect with them on Facebook and Twitter!

Want it now? You can get Moppy directly on the Natural House website. Or you can purchase Natural House on Amazon!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Giveaway ends 06/07/2012. Open to residents of the US only.

I received the above mentioned product for the purpose of this review. Any opinions expressed are my own. Please click here to check out my disclosure notice.

Beautiful and Easy gifts at EasyCanvasPrints.com

2012-05-24T10:48:00.000-04:00

When it comes to buying gifts for my husband, I always try to make them as personalized as possible. Whether I make it, have it made, or (on a rare occasion) find something perfect in the store, my gifts are always from the heart.

But let's be honest here, men are usually hard to buy for. Opting in for tools and ties for Father's Day isn't my bag, but keeping fresh ideas for personal items certainly isn't an easy task either.

A few weeks ago, I was introduced to EasyCanvasPrints.com - and my search for a personalized item was resolved.

I already have a pretty awesome Father's Day card all set. It's a black and white collage of all of the photos taken with daddy and daughter, so I didn't want to repeat one of those pictures on the canvas. Instead, I made a canvas using a photo of a lighthouse that is in our neighborhood.

The lighthouse is in a park nearby, and serves no real purpose. It's located next to a man-made waterfall and a creek. But, it's not the photo of the lighthouse that is significant, but more of the significance of the lighthouse in comparison to our relationship as a couple. After we had been married for a few years he said to me, "Where do you want to meet when we die?". And not really putting much thought into it, I said the lighthouse. It just kind of stuck, and now it's kind of a nonchalant symbol of our marriage.

I cropped the photo of the lighthouse into a square, made it black and white, added a gritty border on it, and uploaded it onto the site. When the final product arrived, I could not have been happier. It turned out great!

The original image I created of the lighthouse to have printed.

The print is nice and smooth, no smudging or blurring. And because it's actually on canvas, it really looks like art. I opted for a small print, on an 8"x8" canvas, but they run sizes as large as 40"x40", so you really can make your own art on canvas! I used to be an art student, so I dealt with canvas a lot. Frame making, stretching, stapling, the whole nine. The quality of the product itself is impeccable, and will certainly last a very long time.

As super easy and simple as it was to have my canvas printed, I did come across one issue. And that was picking the photo! I didn't have the idea of the lighthouse right off the bat. In fact, I had 4 different ideas before that. But because of the special uniqueness of the printed canvas, I knew I had to choose wisely.

Needless to say, I'm extremely pleased with my canvas print and couldn't have chosen a better place. For extra special, extra personalized items, EasyCanvasPrints has my vote. For photos on canvas prints, you couldn't ask for better quality.

So what about you? Are you are tool and tie giver, or do you like to add that extra love too?

I received the above mentioned product for the purpose of this review. Any opinions expressed are my own. Please click here to check out my disclosure notice.

The secret to amazing photos using a point and shoot camera

2012-05-22T12:10:00.000-04:00

A few flowers from my Mother's Day bouquet.

In the review blogging world, having a camera is a must. You have to take pictures of the products... show details, because as the saying goes, "a picture is worth a thousand words".

No one can deny this point. Take for example, if I was doing a review on something, and my favorite part was the "vibrant" color. Without a picture, the word "vibrant" can't really do the color justice, can it?

All too often, I see product images that can be a million times better with just one simple trick. Use your macro function. It doesn't make a difference if you have a point and shoot camera, chances are, it's enabled with a macro function.

So what is the macro function? On your camera, whether it's a button or in your digital menu options, you'll see a flower. This is essentially your super zoom. This is your weapon against terrible photos.

All of the pictures taken in this post were taken with a Nikon Coolpix S202. There is nothing spectacular about this camera, and nothing that makes it stand out better than any other point and shoot digital camera that I've used. The difference is your ability to use the macro function.

Background is everything. The coolest part about the macro function is it's ability to zoom in on your 'subject' and blur out it's background. I love taking photos in my sunroom, using the general room as the background. It blurs out wonderfully and the natural sunlight enhances the images.

In this photo, I used the macro function and a Christmas tree as the background.

Lighting is kinda a big deal. The more natural light you have, the less effect your flash will have. I'm not a huge fan of turning the flash off, because my images usually turn out blurry. But if there is too much flash, there is too much white. Taking photos in a well lit area will make it a million times better. Take this image, for example - that I took specifically for my "Painting? 5 Steps to Help Save You Time and Money" post.

Here are just a few other examples of how I've incorporated the macro function into photography.

From Create easy gift tags from old Christmas Cards

From Greener paper notebook choices with Roaring Spring

From 6 tips for staying true to your New Year's resolutions

And of course, I can't really prove my point without before and after photos. The before pictures are on the left, the after on the right.

Using a simple area to photograph this clothespin, and the basic camera function, the flash completely blurred out this image. After switching to macro mode, the camera focused and I was able to take a much better picture. As you can see, the front of the clothespin has blurred where the end becomes sharper. This is another awesome feature of macro.

This photograph was taken of a random collection of items from my desk. As you can see, the macro function is far superior in close up shots.

Do you use the macro function on your camera? If you haven't yet, have some fun! You'll be super surprised by the amazing photos you can take too!

Weekly Updated Blog Hop Directory 05/22/2012

2012-05-22T10:23:00.004-04:00

If you're looking to boost your Facebook, Twitter, or G+ fans, want to link-up on Pinterest or you're just looking for new blogs to read bloggy friends to find, check out any of the hops below to get started! We've got a new addition this week for a Thursday hop. Enjoy :)

If you host a hop that is not listed below, and want to be added to the list, feel free to email me or drop me a comment below!

I will personally try to enter all of the hops, when time allows ♥

I always follow back on all platforms. So if you'd like, follow me anywhere, drop me a line, and I'll follow you back :) Leave a link to your blog and I'll leave you a comment letting you know too.

Thank you for stopping by!

Happy hopping!

Sundays

Mondays

Tuesdays

Wednesdays

Thursdays

Fridays

Saturdays

Sexy eyes in 30 seconds

2012-05-17T13:55:00.000-04:00

I once was told that I had bedroom eyes... whatever that means! I certainly took it as a compliment, my eyes are my favorite part of myself.

When I did a few reviews for BH Cosmetics, (the Tropical Matte and the Cool Matte) the compliments you all gave me were overwhelming! I've had several people ask me how I do it, and although it's been on my to-do list for quite a while, I finally decided to show you how!

All it takes it 4 things, and 30 seconds. It's not difficult in the least bit, and I'll walk you through step by step.

What you need:
- Black eyeliner (I use L.A. Colors auto eyeliner in black)
- 3 eye shadows. You'll want a color accent (to match your eyes), a darker hue, and a light hue. (I use the Autumn Earth 4-color palette from Milani)
- A normal eye shadow applicator, and a brush eye shadow applicator)

This brush that comes in the Milani palette is perfect.

- Mascara (I use CoverGirl lashblast fusion)

1. Apply eyeliner under your eye.
Starting in the corner of your eye, work your way out. Instead of drawing exactly on the eye, I draw over the eyelashes as well. This makes my eyes look wider, and make the color pop even better.

2. Apply eyeliner on your eyelid.

Starting in the corner of your eye, work your way out. Trace against the eyelash line.

3. Apply your accent color.
Your eyeshadow should always match your eyes. Not only will this bring out the color in your eyes, but it's flattering as well. Because my eyes often switch between greens and browns, I keep my accent as green.

Again, starting at the corner of your eye, work the eyeshadow to the middle of your eyelid. Don't worry about being precise, the next steps will cover any mistakes. However, try to keep the color on the lid and not above it.

4. Apply your darker color.
Start your dark color where you left off with the accent color, slightly overlapping. Apply it from the middle to the edge of your eyelid. To achieve the super sexy look, apply the darker color a little higher than the lid at the edge. You should feel a bone directly above the edge of your eyelid (marked with a blue arrow). Apply your darker color to the underside of that bone. The two colors should have no problem blending, but if you do come across an obvious difference, just go over the two colors a bit with your brush.

The darker color will bring more shadows to your eye features, and at the same time, bring more light to the corner of your eyes. This will make them appear wider, and bring out the color.

5. Apply your light color.
Now using your brush and your light color, starting from the corner of your eye, just brush above your eyelid all the way across. This blends your other eyeshadows easily and flawlessly.

6. Finish it up with mascara.
The mascara will bring it all together, darkening under your eyelid, making your lashes longer, and making your eyes really stand out. Use it only on your upper lashes, not the lower. Start at the base of your lashes and make your way up, paying more attention to the edge of your eye.

For green eyes, use a green, dark brown, and gold.

For blue eyes, use blue, dark charcoal, and silver.

For brown eyes, use a light brown, a chocolate, and gold.

Of course, you can always experiment as well! Sometimes I can pull off purple, and blue eyed gals could too.

Using Purple in my BH Cosmetics review.

I use this routine every day, and it never takes more than 30 seconds! How long does your makeup routine take?

None of the above brands mentioned are endorsed in this post. These are my personal opinions and my preferred brands.

Win! Natural House introduces Surfy - an All Surface Probiotic Cleaner

2012-05-15T22:19:00.001-04:00

A while back, you might remember me reviewing a few awesome products from Natural House.
Their line of probiotic cleaners immediately caught my attention, and Flushy even made it onto my Spring Cleaning must-haves list. So, when they said they were releasing Surfy, I jumped on the chance to share it with you.

Surfy has the same benefits of Natural House's other natural household cleaning products, but this time it's packed into an awesome spray. Surfy is an all surface, non-toxic probiotic cleaner with a refreshing lavender scent. I love that it smells clean, but doesn't smell like you've been cleaning. As crazy as it sounds, it's true!

Surfy All Surface Probiotic Cleaner is a revolutionary new all purpose cleaner. Our professional strength formula powers through grease, grime, and germs while leaving a streak free sheen. Our probiotics continue to consume germs on the surface after you are done cleaning. Surfy is safe to use on multiple surfaces in the kitchen and bathroom, including counter tops, appliances, sinks, glass, stainless steel, toilets and tubs.

I used Surfy all over the house, and was pleased with the results. It did great on the bathroom and kitchen tests - but I was a little nervous about glass. An all purpose cleaner on glass?

I was SHOCKED to find that not only did it work great on my mirrors, but it worked better than my glass cleaner. I'm not sure how that is even possible! It was so effortless - I didn't even have to wash in straight lines, or "wax on, wax off".

I sprayed, I wiped, I was done.

Benefits of using Surfy:
Industry-First, Cutting-Edge Probiotic Cleaning Product.
Convenient spray top nozzle for quick and dispersed application
Naturally digests odors at their source leaving a fresh botanical scent
Probiotics create a beneficial, odor eating ecosystem on any and all surfaces
Active ingredients keep working to maintain germ and odor free surface
Contains no VOC’s or other harmful chemicals Keeps dangerous pathogens off any surface
Leaves no Dulling Residue
Scrubbing action scours dirt and lifts germs and grime, while driving out odors at their source
Eco-Friendly, non-toxic, biodegradable

Natural House wins again!
To learn more about Surfy and their other products, you can connect with them on Facebook and Twitter!

Would you like to win your own bottle of Surfy? Use the Rafflecopter form below to enter!

Want it now? You can get Surfy directly on the Natural House website. Or you can purchase Natural House on Amazon!

And hey, while you're here - I'm giving away Natural House's newest addition - Moppy. Read the review and enter the giveaway (ends 6/7/12) here!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Giveaway ends 5/29/2012. Open to residents of the US only. (sorry!)

I received the above mentioned product for the sole purpose of this review. Any opinions expressed are my own and were not influenced in any way. Please click here to check out my disclosure notice.

Weekly Updated Blog Hop Directory 05/15/2012

2012-05-15T12:06:00.002-04:00

If you're looking to boost your Facebook, Twitter, or G+ fans, want to link-up on Pinterest or you're just looking for new blogs to read bloggy friends to find, check out any of the hops below to get started! We've got a new addition this week for a Thursday hop. Enjoy :)

If you host a hop that is not listed below, and want to be added to the list, feel free to email me or drop me a comment below!

I will personally try to enter all of the hops, when time allows ♥

I always follow back on all platforms. So if you'd like, follow me anywhere, drop me a line, and I'll follow you back :) Leave a link to your blog and I'll leave you a comment letting you know too.

Thank you for stopping by!

Happy hopping!

Sundays

Mondays

Tuesdays

Wednesdays

Thursdays

Fridays

Saturdays

Tropical Traditions Virgin Coconut Oil Review & Giveaway

2012-05-14T22:04:00.000-04:00

Anyone who knows me well knows I dislike coconut very much. It's really a texture thing. However, I am obsessed with coconut smells.

Lotions, conditioners, sunscreen, candles. You name it.

I used to feel that way about coffee once upon a time - hated the taste, but loved the smell. I just had to add a few things and my coffee addiction began.

That's how I'm feeling about Tropical Traditions Virgin Coconut Oil right now! Since it's actually the coconut oil, and not the gritty coconut itself, I was bound to expirimentation.

Coconut oil has, what seems like, a million and one uses. Before I jump into some of my coconut oil tests, here's a little info about the product itself:

Tropical Traditions Gold Label Virgin Coconut Oil is made from organic, fresh coconuts in rural areas of the Philippines. Only the highest quality organic coconuts are hand selected for use in our Gold Label brand, and the pure coconut water from inside the coconut is used to extract the coconut milk using traditional methods. Small-scale family businesses produce this oil in small batches, taking great care and pride in their work. All aspects of the production, including packaging, are certified organic according to the strictest standards. This product has been tested repeatedly in laboratories to show that it contains the highest amounts of antioxidants available in Virgin Coconut Oil, earning our designation as Gold Label Standard. Tropical Traditions was the first company to export Virgin Coconut Oil out of the Philippines, an continues to set the standard today for the finest quality Virgin Coconut Oil available.

Using Coconut oil in cooking.
In my Oat Muffin recipe, I swapped the conola oil with the coconut oil, and the difference was awesome. It made a sweet coconut flavor that wasn't intense, but very subtle and sweet!

Using coconut in lotions and conditioners
Coconut oil has been known to soften skin and hair. Just by adding the tiniest amount to a bottle, it is said to have great results. I didn't get to experiment with the conditioner, but I did add some to my lotion, and loved it! Besides the addition of the wonderful coconut scent, my skin felt super silky.

Coconut oil in candles!
I haven't had the time to do this yet, but I can't wait to try! As I said, I'm obsessed with coconut smells, so creating candles with coconut oil is on my to-try list for sure! The coconut oil naturally hardens when at room temperature, it would be the perfect addition to unscented wax.

Tropical Traditions has a bunch of tips too! Check it out: How to Use Coconut Oil: There are hundreds of uses!

To learn more about Tropical Traditions and other products they feature, visit their website!
Thanks to the folks at Tropical Traditions, they want to share their Virgin Coconut Oil with you! One lucky reader will win their own 32oz (1 quart) jar of oil!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Giveaway ends 5/28/2012. Open to US residents 18+ years old.

Disclaimer: Tropical Traditions provided me with a free sample of this product to review, and I was under no obligation to review it if I so chose. Nor was I under any obligation to write a positive review or sponsor a product giveaway in return for the free product. Please click here to check out my disclosure notice.

Giveaway! Win 250 Custom Stickers from @PrintRunner

2012-05-12T02:47:00.000-04:00

On any given day, I see hundreds of stickers. From kiddo's art supplies, to my skate shop, and on nearly every product I see, there are stickers!

My shop carries about 40 different styles of stickers, with new ones coming in every month from different brands. And of course, we have our own promo stickers. Thankfully, with the ability to print online, it's super convenient to get them so easily.

But regardless of what you do with them, or who you give them to, stickers are a pretty useful product. If you sell things, make things, ship things, label things... or if you just want to give a special gift to your kids (because, let's face it, kids are sticker obsessed!), stickers are the obvious go-to option.

The awesome team at PrintRunner asked me to host a giveaway for them - to share their stickers with you! PrintRunner offers custom sticker printing, so you can design them any way you want.
One lucky winner will receive 250 Premium Sticker Stock Stickers that are 2"x3.5". Your design can be full color (4 color process) or in black and white, and your order will be ready to ship in 3 business days!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

*Giveaway is open to US Residents only, ages 18 years old and above. Ends 5/24/2012 at 11:59PM EST.
If you've won a giveaway from PrintRunner within the past 2 months, you are not eligible to win this prize.

I will receive the above mentioned product for hosting this giveaway. Any opinions expressed are my own, and were not influenced in any way. Please click here to check out my disclosure notice.

Moms love flowers! Order now and enter the Teleflora Mother's Day Sweeps

2012-05-09T13:45:00.000-04:00

Moms DO love flowers! While I can't speak for the overall population of mothers in the world, the factual data is there ;)

Christmas is the leading holiday in floral purchases, with Mother's Day not too far behind.

In the many beuties that nature gives us, flowers are the most versatile. Apaprt from their natural beauty and potent aromas, they are something that you can bring into your own home.

My Mother's Day "list" consists of three things:

A day off. And I mean A DAY OFF. Let me stay in bed all day, while the house is cleaned and food is made. I don't mean, let me stay in bed all day and make the house a mess and order pizza.
(And here's wishful thinking that my husband reads this!)

Flowers. I love fresh flowers. I think my affection for them grew when my brother bought me the most beautiful bouquet I ever saw a few years ago. I love them so much, I have been watching the Tulip buds in the backyard grow until I could snip them. And, I've been contemplating paying my mother to grow a garden for me. Let's face it, I don't have the time or patience to start gardening. Although I'm a "Jack of all trades", as some would say, gardening just isn't in the stars right now. But I CRAVE fresh flowers!

Chocolate. Every woman's weakness. I needn't go any further.

So this brings me to my next point. Are you ordering flowers for Mother's Day?

Mother's Day is on May 13th, 2012 - so if you haven't yet, here is your initiative.

Teleflora is hosting an early-bird sweepstakes. Order Early: Visit Teleflora.com during the Entry Period and have your Mother's Day bouquet delivered by May 11, 2012 to be automatically entered for a daily chance to win. You must select the "Mother's Day" occasion at checkout to be automatically entered for a daily chance to win. All order early entries must be received by May 9, 2012 (that's today!!) at 11:59 p.m. PT to be eligible.

So if you haven't ordered your flowers yet - head over to Teleflora for their Mother's Day sweepstakes!

Check out some of the beautiful flowers for Mother's Day that Teleflora offers:

Teleflora's Charm & Grace Bouquet

Teleflora's Lavender Love Bouquet

Imagination Blooms With Orchids

These are just a few of the amazing Mother's Day flowers. I could go on and on, honestly. They are gorgeous! To see more - head to Teleflora's Mother's Day Flowers and order today to participate in the sweepstakes!

This sponsored post was made possible by Mom Spark Media. I was compensated for my time investment and work on this campaign. Thoughts are my own.Please click here to check out my disclosure notice.

Weekly Updated Blog Hop Directory 05/08/2012

2012-05-08T16:00:00.000-04:00

If you're looking to boost your Facebook, Twitter, or G+ fans, want to link-up on Pinterest or you're just looking for new blogs to read bloggy friends to find, check out any of the hops below to get started! We've got a new addition this week for a Thursday hop. Enjoy :)

If you host a hop that is not listed below, and want to be added to the list, feel free to email me or drop me a comment below!

I will personally try to enter all of the hops, when time allows ♥

I always follow back on all platforms. So if you'd like, follow me anywhere, drop me a line, and I'll follow you back :) Leave a link to your blog and I'll leave you a comment letting you know too.

Thank you for stopping by!

Happy hopping!

Sundays

Mondays

Tuesdays

Wednesdays

Thursdays

Fridays

Saturdays

Beyond Coastal Sun Care - Natural skin care at it's best!

2012-05-08T15:16:00.000-04:00

If you've ever had sunburn, then you also know that regrettable feeling of forgetting to put on sunscreen. Or, you may have put on sunscreen, but it either doesn't last, you forgot some spots, or it just doesn't work.

When we took a road trip down to Florida and South Carolina last year, we made sure to pack sunscreen, and lots of it. Unfortunately, all of us got burned anyway. I couldn't tell you where we went wrong. I do not frequently burn, but usually tan. But my thighs and shoulders were red and painful! Poor kiddo seemed to get off pretty easy, accept in tender areas. Apparently, we missed a spot on her cheek, and didn't get under her shirt.

Needless to say, we made an emergency trip to the store and bought a bottle of Aloe to soothe our pain away.

Look at that sunburned cheek on my poor wittle baby

Now, I'll admit. Unless I know we're going to be out in the sun all day - such as the beach, a theme park, the zoo... I usually skip the sunscreen on myself. I find it to be extremely messy and it doesn't absorb right - although I will admit, I am infatuated by the smell.

But, those days are long gone since I was introduced to Beyond Coastal.
Beyond Coastal's sun care line is amazing, in more ways than I imagined. Besides the standard lotion, they have area specific products that get the job done flawlessly.

Thank you Beyond Coastal - for being awesome!

My two favorite products from them definitely have to be the lip balm and face stick. I never ever heard of a sunscreen face stick before, and I'm not ever going back to slabbing sunscreen on my face after using it. At just 0.5 oz, and packed in a mini deodorant style container, it's benefits are tremendous. With an SPF 30, water resistance, and oxybenzone, paraben, and petroleum free, I feel safe putting the Beyond Coastal face stick on my skin. It smells absolutely heavenly, with a sweet citrus scent. Smell-o-vision still hasn't been invented, but check out the ingredients and take it in. Coconut oil, Beeswax, Shea butter, Orange, and Aloe. MMMmmmmm. The best part is, it goes on clear, and absorbs right into the skin to leave it feeling soft and smooth. No white smeary mess. Just clean and clear.

But the face stick, isn't the only product that absorbs into your skin, and leaves it soft... they all do! I also tested their SPF water resistant sunscreen, their SPF 30 Clean and Clear sunscreen, and the SPF 30 Kids sunscreen. They all had an amazing effect that I've never seen a sunscreen do, and that is the easy absorption.

They each have a flowery scent to them, which kiddo really seemed to enjoy - she exclaimed, "It's a miracle! Amazzzzing...", after I applied the SPF 30 Kids to her arms. I don't know where she gets this stuff from - she said the same thing after I made her Spongebob cake... regardless of how kooky my kid is, she loved the sunscreen!

The only thing I have to ask myself at this point is, when is Beyond Coastal going to go beyond sunscreen? I am not kidding when I say that I love their products, and I need more excuses to wear it! It makes my skin feel fantastic, and because everything is natural, I know it's good for it!

For more info about Beyond Coastal and their awesome line of products - be sure to head to their website - beyondcoastal.com

Now, use the rafflecopter form below to win your very own Beyond Coastal prize pack! This giveaway is a quickie, only lasting a week - so enter now! The first entry is mandatory - 'What is your family’s favorite fun in the sun activity?' You'll be leaving it in the comments, but make sure you use the rafflecopter so your entry counts!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Giveaway ends 05/16/2012. Open to residents of the US.

Please click here to check out my disclosure notice.

Shout® it out with triple-acting Shout® Trigger

2012-05-05T00:43:00.001-04:00

This post brought to you by Triad Retail Media. All opinions are 100% mine.

As a mom, I'm constantly struggling with stains. Whether it's dirt, grass, food, or markers and paints, my kid knows how to get dirty!

When we became new parents, we were struggling financially, and tried to penny pinch on everything. So when it came to doing laundry, we always opted for a generic brand. After a few bottles, we knew it just wasn't getting the job done, and had to buck up and get the good stuff.

I suppose it would have also helped if we pretreated those stains. But new parents have to discover these things, and we quickly did.

So here I am introducing you to Shout® Trigger. While I've never had the chance to try it, I'm constantly on the look out for better products. And to be honest, the stain treatment we use just doesn't cut it. Apparently, Shout® Trigger is packed with stain-fighting ingredients and enzymes to quickly penetrate, break up and remove tough stains! I could only wish for such an awesome product! It is on my to-try list in the future, I can guarantee that.

Any parent could benefit from such a product. Kids get dirty, it's natural. And If your kid doesn't, can you tell me the secret? Do you keep them in a bubble? ;)

So what are the benefits? The Triple-Acting Formula clings, penetrates, and lifts away stains. With a convenient trigger dispenser, it's safe for all colorfast washables and works in all water temperatures. That goes for you money-savers that only use cold water!

I can't help but love the convenience of it as well. I know there are a million home-remedies for treating stains, but the labor behind it is so time consuming! Soak the clothes, use peroxide, rub with toothpaste. And yep, toothpaste is a real home treatment. I think I would prefer a quick spray of Shout® myself!

You can find Shout® Trigger at Walmart!

Make a SpongeBob Birthday Cake in 9 easy steps!

2012-05-04T13:54:00.001-04:00

My most creative ideas come on a whim, I swear. While kiddo asked me to make her "A chocolate cake with brown frosting, and blue words", it hit me while the cake was baking.....

I could totally make a SpongeBob cake!

Since the cake I was baking was in a 9"x13" pan, I knew I could make it work. And with these steps, you can too! Limited artistic talent is required, regardless of what it might seem with these easy-to-follow directions.

Are you going to make one? Let me know in the comments, or share a picture on my facebook page!

What you need:
Of course, you can improvise using actual cake decorating tools and gel draw decorators, but this is what I used :)

- One baked rectangle cake. Need a cake recipe? Try this one.
- Spatulas in varying sizes. Spreading spatulas I should say, not the kind Spongebob uses ;)
- 1 can of chocolate frosting
- 1 can of vanialla frosting
(need frosting? Check out the recipe here for delicious home-made frosting!)
- 3 quart-size freezer bags
- Scissors
- Red sprinkles
- Blue sprinkles
- Red food dye
- Yellow food dye
- A large enough space to work in!

How to do it:
1. Separate your frosting.
Take about 1 1/2 tablespoon of your vanilla frosting and put it into a freezer bag. This will be used for the eyes, teeth, and shirt later, and then mixed with red food coloring for the accents.
Next, add the yellow food dye to the rest of your vanilla frosting, and mix it until you reach the right color.

2. Make his pants.
Using a medium spatula, scoop the chocolate frosting onto the bottom of the cake. Starting on the sides first, spread as even as possible.

3. Make his body.
Using the same technique above, use your yellow frosting to make his body. Leave a gap large enough between the two colors. That's where you will be making his shirt.

4. Make his shirt.
Take your freezer bag with the vanilla frosting and close it up, making sure all of the air is out. Using a pair of scissor, cut a very tiny part off one of the corners. You will use this bag to 'dispense' your frosting. Push the frosting to that corner, and either tie off, or hold the bag tightly. (see photo below) I only recommend using the bag because of how precise the area is. Cover the area entirely, then use a small spatula to spread it out evenly. After that, create solid lines above and below your white area to outline it.

If you've never used frosting like this before, I recommend practicing with the chocolate (see step 5) a few times to get a feel for the amount of pressure you will need to apply.

5. Create the tie and shirt.

Place all of the remaining chocolate frosting into another freezer bag, and follow the directions in step 4. Draw an outline of the tie using the photograph. First, create a slight oval for the top of the tie. Next, draw two lines diagonally downward, and close them together with a curve. Next, almost like a wide W, create his shirt collar. Then, fill in the tie area with your red sprinkles.

6. Start the face.

The next step is easier than it looks for the non-artistic. Just think of it as creating a series of curves. First, make a smile. Be sure to center it and keep anough space for his teeth. Next, create two curves on either side of the mouth, and then two curves above those. Finally, make a curve for the nose.

7. The eyes and teeth.

SpongeBob's eyes are as basic as it gets. You'll be creating two circles, starting at the nose. First create your outline using the picture with vanilla frosting. Then, do the same with the teeth which are two rectangles. Fill in each area (teeth and eyes), and flatten with your small spatula. Now, using your chocolate frosting, outline the eyes and teeth, and also add the eyelashes. 3 quick lines off of each eye.

8. Finishing up the eyes

Now that you've got your white base, it's time to finish up those eyes. Make two small circles in each eye with your brown frosting.

Fill each small area with blue sprinkles.

Finally add two small dots on top of that for the pupils.

9. Almost done!

Next you'll be adding the teeny tine red accents that really pull the whole thing together. Take as much of the white frosting as you can out of the freezer bag and put it into a small bowl. Using red food coloring, mix one drop at a time until you achieve the desired color. Put this into a new freezer bag using the directions in step 4.
Now, using the red, create new outlines above the smile, tracing over the brown ones, and create 3 dots under each one. Next, there is a small accent underneath his teeth, in a wide, curvy W shape.

Optional: I put the number 6 in Spongebob's tie, and wrote Happy Birthday! Plus, he has 6 eyelashes, so I put the six candles at the ends of each eyelash.
Also, if you want to get super in-detail you can make his spots too. I opted out of this because I though it looked great just the way it was. I think I lucked out though - the cake turned out kind of bumpy on the top, and the yellow over brown gave a green effect. Luck!

So, if you make one - let me know! I would love to know how it turned out!

Mom Talk - Birthing Stories

2012-05-02T12:30:00.000-04:00

There is something unique with each Mother in the world, and that is their personal story of giving birth. We, as moms, go down this road at least once in our lifetimes, and no two stories are ever alike. Some are scary, some are heartwarming. But we all have one.

Pregnancy can be scary in itself, but when that moment finally comes, that moment when you get to meet your child and bring it into the world, is something truly magical.

One of my fellow bloggers, CJ at Give oh Giveaway shares hers:

With my 1st daughter pregnancy was really rough and delivery was not any easier! Contractions started on Thursday at 5:00 pm. Over the next 3 days I went in to the hospital 4 times, the contractions were real, but they weren’t doing their job. I left again, quite embarrassed at 2 am on Tuesday morning still only dilated to 1. The nurse said, try to get some sleep. We went home and my husband was conked out in a second. I however could not sleep through the contractions and moved my legs in circles and tried to breathe through the contractions. An hour later (felt like an eternity) at 3 am I shaking uncontrollably, so I flipped on the light and said TIME TO GO, NOW! Once we arrived at the hospital for the 5th time. I could see the nurses, shaking their heads at my return. One I was checked, the nurse yelled, “Get Dr. W here now, she is a dilated to a 10, why didn’t her water break?”

Dr. W broke my water and said, oh this will be easy as pie she is right here, just a few pushes and she will be out. I was relieved the end was in sight, but an hour later I was still pushing. She was stuck and after 4 days of labor I had NO energy left. My body was still shaking and they offered me an epidural to help with the convulsions. RELIEF…for the first time in 4 days! Finally after 2 ½ hours of pushing (my doc went a took a nap!), they decided to do an episiotomy and suction her out. They called in the NICU team, got to work, and within 2 minutes I heard my sweet, little, totally worth all this trouble, baby girl take her first breath! They swept her away instantly but told me she was going to be fine. Now Ariel is 5 years old, constantly cracks jokes and is big sister to 2 littler sisters (I am happy to report that their births were MUCH easier!) The joy she brings me now has been worth all the grief it was to carry and deliver her! Love my little girls! All 3 of them!

Thanks so much for sharing CJ!

Clarinda from ajewelinthemaking.com shares all three of her stories - check them out!:

My 5 year old's birth story: http://ajewelinthemaking.com/2011/11/boogers-birth-story.html
Excerpt: So we called the nurse. She got everything all ready for the birth. By then I was just had a little lip left to move and I would be totally ready to give birth. She then let the doctor know that I was ready. After a little while I felt like I had to push but they told me to try and breath to slow the urge to push cause the lady in the next room was in labor with her fourth one and they thought she would go first. We had been neck and neck on changes and the dr was taking care of both of us. But I was going faster and had to push more so the doc came in and I was pushing and pushing and it felt like she would come out a little bit but then go in a little. I kept trying to just push her out but it wasn’t like my son’s birth where he just came out after 5 mins of pushing. This was different,

My now 3 year old's birth story: http://ajewelinthemaking.com/2011/09/jer-bears-birth-story.html
Contractions started on 12/23 every eight mins for a hour. Then slowed and stopped after I had breakfast. They started up at 5pm again every 8 mins, by the time 6:30 came around they were 5-6 mins apart and getting stronger, that’s when I informed hubby that we needed to call mom so she could bring my sister over here to watch the kids with FIL and then come to the hospital to be one of my labor support persons. Hubby decided that because of all the snow and ice-which we had alot for this area- he didn’t want to risk driving so we called up mom to see where she was at. My father wasn’t home yet and didn’t want to help my mom get chains on her car so she had to call up my cousin to get a ride here. So we had to decide either to call a taxi or an ambulance. The taxi would have taken too long but I didn’t want to call 911 cause I didn’t think it was a true emergency but hubby took the phone and called them anyway-knowing it would be fast as my labors usually are-especially if my water broke. That was about 7:30.

My almost 2 year old's birth story: http://ajewelinthemaking.com/2011/09/booboos-birth-story.html
We arrived at the hospital at 8:25. Contractions were still between 3-5 mins apart. They sent us to triage to be observed. The contractions were getting stronger but not closer. Spent 20 mins on the monitors, then the nurse came in to check on me. She immediately went and told them to get me a room NOW. I had bulging bag of waters and was 7-8cm already. The contractions were about 2-3 mins apart and at 8:50 they moved me into a room. By then the contractions were really strong and painful but not unbearable.
Thanks Clarinda!

Kathy from www.KangarooMama.com Had a unique birthing experience, med free! Read on:

I had a great birthing experience when I had my daughter 18 months ago and that's saying a lot because after we found out I was pregnant, I was freaked out about the birth, the pain, the labor, and the pain relieving options! I couldn't even stand thinking about having a needle stuck in me for pain relief, even that was too much! Then when people told me to watch videos to educate myself and I'd feel better, that made me cry for weeks because it freaked me out even more...my advice, don't watch traditional birthing videos if you're afraid of birthing! I ended up inheriting a Hypnobirthing book from a friend that did not want it any longer and after the first chapter, decided that this was what I needed, a way to have self-relaxation, feel confident about my body, and have my Honey (husband) as my support! We found a local instructor and that started our journey in preparing for the birth. Honey and I practiced relaxation methods, which really just consisted of us laying on the couch or bed and him massaging my head, playing with my hair, or just holding me while saying things like, "Our baby will be the perfect size for your body, your body was made for this, God will protect you and our baby, you will be amazing..." It helped us bond so much better as a couple to learn these things and spend the time together, besides also learning about how to birth.

So come the day Kiggster (our daughter) was born, which was 10 days earlier than the estimated due date, I was not ready for her to come yet because I wanted more time to prepare for her arrival, which I realize I'll never be prepared! My water broke at 1:30am, but no contractions so we headed for the hospital with my newly packed hospital bag (I had just finished packing it and printing out my birth plan that evening). Honey grabbed snacks from the fridge for me, our iPod and speaker with all birthing soundtrack he made for me all loaded on there and we drove off to the hospital. About an hour after arriving and settling into the hospital, I had my first contractions. It was Honey that I felt made my labor and delivery so amazing and enjoyable. He brought me wet towels to wipe my face, fed me figs (which were so yummy), gave me water, and held my hand throughout the whole experience. His gentle and calming voice was right next to me telling me all the wonderful things a nervous and soon-to-be birthing mom wants to hear. He turned on the music he so carefully selected for me and we even slow danced during my contractions. One of the songs I remember dancing to was "And She Danced" by Josh Groban! When it came time to birth, 5 hours later, I knew I didn't want to lay on my back, no meds (because of the needle issue), no military-style birthing so instead I laid on my side and guided my daughter out through breathing and light pushing (yup, no screaming necessary). It was not painless but it was not miserable, torturous, and the worst pain ever like others told me about! Honey remembered this but I didn't, he told me Kiggster was born to the song, "Don't Give Up" also by Josh Groban! For someone so afraid of birthing to begin with, I couldn't have asked for a better birthing experience, both leading up to, during, and after! Honey, Kiggster, and I, after her birth, got to lay on the hospital bed together as a family and take our first family nap together!
Thanks for sharing Kathy!

Today, May 2nd, my daughter is turning six... SIX!! And I can't help but reminisce about what happened six years ago, today. It was emotionally difficult... I was scared... I was angry... very angry. But also elated, nervous, and just about every other feeling I could possibly work into that day. Here is my story:

My daughter was due May 4th, 2006 - and while I was not having any pain whatsoever, on my previous doctor's appointment, they declared that I was starting to dilate. My gynecologist stated she was going to scrape the membranes to induce labor. I was huge, and at that point, I was taking lavender baths and every other scheme I could think of to induce labor. It wouldn't happen until three days later.

I was working full time at that point, and my busiest days of all were Mondays and the first day of the month. In 2006, these just happened to fall on the same day. Because I did a lot of statistical reporting, these were very important dates, and I felt like I had about a zillion spreadsheets to do. While my boss seemed to be against the idea of me coming to work that day, I scheduled my maternity leave to start on Tuesday, the 2nd, so I could get the important stuff out of the way and leave less stress on my temporary replacement. I was dedicated! And I'm a do-it-yourself-or-someone-will-mess-it-up kind of person. What I didn't expect is that I would be in labor when I woke up in the morning!

I scheduled myself from 12-8 on Mondays. The office was pretty much dead at night, so I knew I could get a lot of work done. The contractions started at around 10:00am. They felt like nothing though. It's really difficult to put the feeling into words, but it was like a tiny vibration that would start at my naval, and then extend on both sides, like a wave, to my back. Like I said, I was stubborn and obligated, so I headed to work regardless.

After I got most of my work done, it was around 7:00PM. The vibrations were definitely more heavy, so I called my husband and told him to come grab me. I still wasn't really in pain, but I wanted to take a shower and get something to eat, since I knew it would be a long time before I was able to again.

After I had finished eating, almost 12 hours after my first contraction, I knew it was time to go. The pain starting getting pretty bad. Bearable, but at the same time, awful. I don't remember much at that point except my mind being clouded by pain. I remember waiting on hold for over an hour for my doctor's confirmation to head to the hospital. Turned out, she was delivering another baby at the same time. I remember cringing in pain, and bracing myself on my hallway wall. At times, it was difficult to walk.

I don't remember the drive to the hospital. I only remember arriving and declining a wheelchair. I was trying to be strong, I think. When I got to the birthing room, I also declined the epidural shot. Like I said, I was trying to be strong, brave. However, the pain came so quickly and so hard, I wussed out and did end up getting two after all.

I never had the dramatic, "My water broke!" experience. They had to break it for me. It felt like they were popping balloons full of water.

Time lost itself. I remember falling asleep a lot, but no clue what time it really was. The first epidural started my anger. I was pretty upset through the rest of my labor, and declared I never wanted to do it again. When you are given an epidural shot, they shoot it right into your spine. You are asked to sit up, and slouch forward. They hit a nerve and my right arm and right leg involuntarily shot into the air. The doctor, pissed, told me to stay still. Your fault, jerk!

The epidural came and went, and still no baby, so I had to get another. The rest of my anger came directly from my mother-in-law. While I can't pinpoint if she was intentionally being a jerk, or if it was just me, everything she did made me angry. We all have bad mother-in-law stories, but mixed in with the birth of her grand-child, it's just frustrating! She is no longer with us, and kiddo doesn't really remember her, but I can't help but still remember how angry I was.

I was allowed to have two people with me during the birth. My obvious choices were my husband and my mother. My husband directed his mother to go get my mother when it was time. She left the room and came back less than a minute later and said she couldn't find her. It turned out she was in the waiting room. But I guess my mother-in-law didn't want to share the fun. My mother did end up making her way to the room, but I only remember being furious.

During the critical time, the time I had to get this baby out of me, my mother-in-law was in her own world. She chatted with the midwife about her other son, how he was doing in college. Completely unrelated topics during the point where I was supposed to be pushing. Count, and push. I couldn't feel the contractions, I needed help and it wasn't there.

I was asked if I wanted a mirror to watch the little monster come out of me. Despite my objections, my mother-in-law practically shoved the giant thing at me, and I pretty much snapped.

Things started getting scary. Kiddo's heartbeat was dropping every time I had a contraction, and I don't remember why. I just remember them giving me an oxygen mask that I kept trying to pull off because I couldn't breathe with it on. I was so out of it, I felt like I was drunk.

When all was said and done, at around 1:00PM in the afternoon, they placed my child onto my chest, and I burst into tears. It was such an overwhelming feeling. So many emotions all at once. She was alive, she was my child, she was here. And then they took her away. She was exposed to meconium, which is basically where the baby poops in the womb, and it was dangerous to her. I remember being sad, I wasn't able to see her for what seemed like days. But I was only in the hospital for three days. Well... I suppose three days is a long time. I ripped and tore, and they had to put me back together again.

I opted for a shared room a the hospital, which I would happily take back in a heartbeat. As I had just gotten into my room, I started to journal my adventure. Exhausted, I decided to get some sleep. I was interrupted by the mother next to me. She came in about an hour later - I don't know what time it was, only that it was dark outside. She turned her TV to full blast (or so it seemed), talked loudly into her phone, and had about 7 kids around her.

Then there are just things you don't talk about. But when you're on a table with your vagina spread for the world, and in a crazy emotional experience, you lose your inhibitions. And by the world, I mean my mother-in-law and the midwife I didn't know - at that point you just have to say 'fuck it'.
I was told I pooped. Twice. Embarrassing?? Oh my good god, yes. Very much so. But I was told that 95% of women poop during labor. In fact, the motion you use to push out a baby is the same for pooping. So, six years later, I'm OK with that fact :)

So that's my adventure! Six years ago. Six whole years.... Happy Birthday kiddo!

So let's hear it! What's your birth story? Was it traumatic, funny, amazing?

Unjunk Your Junk Food Review

2012-05-01T12:06:00.000-04:00

Junk food is everywhere. It's convenient, and seemingly tastes better than healthy food. We love it, our kids love it, and it's easy to get carried away eating it! Of course, it is always important to teach our kids about good nutrition and healthy eating, but sometimes junk food is a quick hunger solution, and it's at times difficult to fight that unhealthy craving.

Well lucky enough for all of us, NaturallySavvy.com has an extremely helpful book out titled Unjunk Your Junk Food. Authors Andrea Donsky, Randy Boyer and Lisa Tsakos have put together an awesome guide to help you decide 'healthy alternatives to conventional snacks'.

The book measures at just 6"x6", as is super convenient for on-the-go. At just under 250 pages, it's filled with information to guide you with the best decisions for healthier choices. The purpose of the book is to provide us with better alternatives, options that don't contain the "Scary Seven".

The Scary Seven:
HFCS: High-fructose corn syrup (AKA glucose-fructose in Canada)

Trans-Fats: Anything listed as "partially hydrogenated" or "hydrogenated" (includes vegetable shortening)

MSG: Monosodium glutamate

Artificicial Flavors: Any artificial flavoring

Artificial Colors: Any type of artificial dyes

Artificial Sweeteners: Chemical sweeteners including Aspartame, Splenda (sucralose), Ace-K (Acesulfame Potassium), Saccharine, etc.)

Preservatives: Polysorbate 60,65 & 80, THBQ, Sodium Benzoate, BHA, BHT, Sulfur dioxide (sulfites).

After reading the guide, and going through what I actually have in my own cupboards, I can honestly say things almost look good on my end. My family tends to avoid any sugar, so we do have quite a few products with artificial sweetener (since we lean toward sugar-free alternatives), so I was very curious. Everything else, we were pretty much in the clear. We don't tend to buy fatty, high-carb foods. After reading their explanation on artificial sweeteners, I found it to be pretty scary. We are avid diet cola drinkers, and in our case the ingredient is aspartame. According to Unjunk Your Junk Food, aspartame "has been implicated in producing a wide variety of symptoms related mostly to the nervous system such as headaches, dizziness, mood changes, convulsions, and memory loss. Before your body can eliminate aspartame, it converts to formaldehyde (which is a carcinogen and used for embalming dead bodies). Found in more than five thousand products, this artificial ingredient has been the source of more complaints to the FDA that any other food additive."

Unjunk Your Junk Food is divided by chapters based on food type. For example, Chapter 4: Chips, Dips, & Party Foods, or Chapter 11: Soda & Other Drinks. Throughout each chapter the authors name a brand of tell you exactly why you should avoid it. On the opposing page, you are given an alternative that is a healthier product.

As if that wasn't enough, the book is also full of interesting facts with info and tips on all kinds of things. They explain nutritional labels and they even teach you how to recognize the truth in labels (such as fat-free or enriched). They explain why our bodies crave these junk foods, which can really give you a great understanding of what you're putting into your body.

So the cola I drink is on their bad list, after all. And they recommend Blue Sky Free Cola. While I've never heard of it before, I will certainly keep my eye out for it the next time I'm out shopping.

If you're looking for a healthier way of life, even a slight improvement, I suggest picking up this super colorful, easy-to-read guide before your next shopping trip!

You can find Unjunk Your Junk Food on Amazon!

I received the above mentioned product for the purpose of facilitating this review. Any opinions expressed are my own. Please click here to check out my disclosure notice.

KitchenAid 5-Quart Mixer giveaway!

2012-05-01T10:39:00.000-04:00

WELCOME TO THE KITCHEN AID MANIA GIVEAWAY!Looking for the perfect Mother's Day gift? Enter to win a white KitchenAid KSM150PSWH Artisan Series 5-Quart Mixer! This is a perfect Mother's Day gift to every mom who loves baking or simply just being in the kitchen! This was made possible by Bay Area Mommy, American Family and a bunch of other awesome bloggers!

KitchenAid KSM150PSWH Artisan Series 5-Quart Mixer
- Retail Value: $349.99
- Color: White
- 325-watt mixer with 10 speeds; 5-quart stainless steel bowl
- Tilt-back head for easy access to mixture
- 1 piece pouring shield with large chute for adding ingredients
- Includes flat beater, dough hook, and wire whip
- Measures 14 by 8-2/3 inches by 14 inches; 1-year warranty

Giveaway will run from April 29 at 12AM EST to May 9 at 11:59PM EST. Open to the US only. Must be at least 18 years old to be eligible.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

30 quotes from the heart - Mother's Day!

2012-04-25T11:31:00.000-04:00

Mother's Day is on May 13, 2012. Whether you're making something, or just looking for a heartfelt sign off to a card, these quotes will inspire you. Enjoy!

1. A mother is the truest friend we have, when trials heavy and sudden, fall upon us; when adversity takes the place of prosperity; when friends who rejoice with us in our sunshine desert us; when trouble thickens around us, still will she cling to us, and endeavor by her kind precepts and counsels to dissipate the clouds of darkness, and cause peace to return to our hearts. ~Washington Irving

2. Being a full-time mother is one of the highest salaried jobs in my field, since the payment is pure love. ~Mildred B. Vermont

3. All women become like their mothers. That is their tragedy. No man does. That's his. ~Oscar Wilde, The Importance of Being Earnest, 1895

4. She never quite leaves her children at home, even when she doesn't take them along. ~Margaret Culkin Banning

5. When you are a mother, you are never really alone in your thoughts. A mother always has to think twice, once for herself and once for her child. ~Sophia Loren, Women and Beauty

6. If evolution really works, how come mothers only have two hands? ~Milton Berle

7. Women are aristocrats, and it is always the mother who makes us feel that we belong to the better sort. ~John Lancaster Spalding

8. Mother love is the fuel that enables a normal human being to do the impossible. ~Marion C. Garretty, quoted in A Little Spoonful of Chicken Soup for the Mother's Soul

9. I love my mother as the trees love water and sunshine - she helps me grow, prosper, and reach great heights. ~Terri Guillemets

10. [A] mother is one to whom you hurry when you are troubled. ~Emily Dickinson

11. Now, as always, the most automated appliance in a household is the mother. ~Beverly Jones

12. A mother's arms are made of tenderness and children sleep soundly in them. ~Victor Hugo

13. A mom's hug lasts long after she lets go. ~Author Unknown

14. My mother was the most beautiful woman I ever saw. All I am I owe to my mother. I attribute all my success in life to the moral, intellectual and physical education I received from her.
~George Washington

15. Hundreds of dewdrops to greet the dawn,
Hundreds of bees in the purple clover,
Hundreds of butterflies on the lawn,
But only one mother the wide world over.
~George Cooper

16. My mother said to me, 'If you are a soldier, you will become a general. If you are a monk, you will become the Pope.' Instead, I was a painter, and became Picasso.
~Pablo Picasso

17. A father may turn his back on his child, brothers and sisters may become inveterate enemies, husbands may desert their wives, wives their husbands. But a mother's love endures through all. ~Washington Irving

18. Being a mother is learning about strengths you didn't know you had, and dealing with fears you didn't know existed. ~Linda Wooten

19. A daughter is a mother's gender partner, her closest ally in the family confederacy, an extension of her self. And mothers are their daughters' role model, their biological and emotional road map, the arbiter of all their relationships. ~Victoria Secunda

20. How beautifully everything is arranged by Nature; as soon as a child enters the world, it finds a mother ready to take care of it. ~Jules Michelet

21. The desolation and terror of, for the first time, realizing that the mother can lose you, or you her, and your own abysmal loneliness and helplessness without her. ~Francis Thompson

22. My mom is literally a part of me. You can't say that about many people except relatives, and organ donors. ~Carrie Latet

23. Because I feel that in the heavens above
The angels, whispering one to another,
Can find among their burning tears of love,
None so devotional as that of "Mother,"
Therefore, by that dear name I have long called you,
You who are more than mother unto me.
~Edgar Allan Poe

24. My mother's love has always been a sustaining force for our family, and one of my greatest joys is seeing her integrity, her compassion, her intelligence reflected in my daughters.
~ Michelle Obama

25. Mother's love is peace. It need not be acquired, it need not be deserved.
~ Erich Fromm

26. When you are a mother, you are never really alone in your thoughts. A mother always has to think twice, once for herself and once for her child.
~ Sophia Loren

27. A mother who is really a mother is never free.
~ Honore de Balzac

28. When I was a kid, my mother told me that if you could not be a good loser, then there's no way you could be a good winner.
~ Halle Berry

29. I want to be more successful as a mother than I am in show business.
~ Celine Dion

30. You are a person of the greatest importance when you are a mother of a family. Just do your job right and your kids will love you.
~ Ethel Waters

Which quote is your favorite?

Weekly Updated Blog Hop Directory 4/24/2012

2012-04-24T14:54:00.001-04:00

If you're looking to boost your Facebook, Twitter, or G+ fans, want to link-up on Pinterest or you're just looking for new blogs to read bloggy friends to find, check out any of the hops below to get started! We've got a new addition this week for a Thursday hop. Enjoy :)

If you host a hop that is not listed below, and want to be added to the list, feel free to email me or drop me a comment below!

I will personally try to enter all of the hops, when time allows ♥

I always follow back on all platforms. So if you'd like, follow me anywhere, drop me a line, and I'll follow you back :) Leave a link to your blog and I'll leave you a comment letting you know too.

Thank you for stopping by!

Happy hopping!

Sundays

Mondays

Tuesdays

Wednesdays

Thursdays

Fridays

Saturdays

10 stylish decorating ideas for under $50

2012-04-24T14:18:00.000-04:00

Now that spring has sprung, you're probably itching for new ideas to spruce up your home. Here's a list to get you going, and everything is under $50!

1. In the backyard, patio lights or lanterns are a classic addition for increased ambiance. On the porch, patio, deck, or under an umbrella, they add the perfect touch. Harbor Patio Umbrella Lighting, $47.80, Sears.com

2. Placing a mirror over your mantle will increase sunlight, fill a space, and make your room appear larger! Chatham Wall Mirror - Dark Espresso, $44.99, Target.com

3. Do-it-yourself knick-knacks are a conversation starter and eye catchers. We created these from sand, shells, and stones from beaches we've been to. Mason Jars, $6, Save-a-lot. Twine, $1 Dollar Tree.

4. Woven baskets are the perfect classic touch for an organized room. Use one by the hallway to hold winter accessories like scarves and gloves, or summer items like bubbles, chalk, and sunscreen. Use them in the bathroom to hold bulk buys of toilet paper, or small ones to organize lotions, hair accessories, or ointments! Or even use small baskets in the kitchen to hold recipes. The possibilities are endless.
Small Wicker Basket-mocha, $8.87, Sears.com

5. For a ritzy bathroom look, opt for monogrammed towels.
Monogram Bath Towel, $5.99, Kmart

6. Wall art on a budget? Dollar Tree sells sets of art from framed, to wood to canvas for $1 each. Here are a few photos from around my house of art I've gotten from there.

The wall in my sun room was
put together using 4 pictures
and a wind chime from Dollar Tree. Total - $5

A series of 4 of these decorate my dining room wall. (Dollar Tree, $4)

7. Add a pop of color to your dining room table with a simple place mat. This place mat is from Dollar Tree, $1. I swap them seasonally for a slight dramatic change. Candle centerpiece, $25, Pier 1. Added stones, $1, Dollar Tree.

8. The importance of plants and fresh flowers is an underestimated room booster.
Braided Money Tree, $29.99, ProFlowers

9. Add some pop to your kitchen an organize in a breeze. I added these hooks to the side of my oven to display my red accessories. Hooks, $1, Dollar Tree. Cooking Tools, $1 each, Dollar Tree.

10. For another DIY home tip, put together a craft to decorate a simple candle. Bowl, $1 Dollar Tree. Stones, $1, Dollar Tree.

For your best decorating lifts, head to Dollar Tree. On a quick walk through my home, I can find over 50 items from Dollar Tree (it's obviously my favorite store!) And, as you can tell by a few of the above photos, it's worth your first trip. You'll be amazed at what you find, just as I am every time I go!

This post is in no way, shape, or form, affiliated with any of the above mentioned stores. I am simply sharing info :)

National Mobility Awareness Month - Win a Custom Wheelchair Accessible Vehicles (WAV) from NMEDA

2012-04-22T20:00:00.001-04:00

This post brought to you by NMEDA. All opinions are 100% mine.

Did you know that May is National Mobility Awareness Month? Well, thanks to the folks at NMEDA, you can enter to win one of three custom Wheelchair Accessible Vehicles (WAV), to mark this special event.

The purpose of recognizing this is to show the world that people with disabilities can live an active and mobile lifestyles. NMEDA is asking people to submit their stories. Through online communities, NMEDA’s Facebook page, blog and website, they will share stories from Local Heroes, people who are dealing with or overcoming their mobility challenges. Local Heroes, friends, and family members should encourage people to vote for their story for a chance to win one of 3 custom Wheelchair Accessible Vehicles. The favorite stories will be chosen and the winners will be awarded on national TV.

Did you know?

Over 18 million people in the U.S. and Canada have mobility issues.
6 Million of them are veterans
People with disabilities constitute the 2nd largest minority in the United States.

NMEDA (The National Mobility Equipment Dealers Association) has joined orces with Mike Savicki, who is a 44-year old, C6, 7 quadriplegic, veteran, athlete, advocate and entrepreneur. Together, they are working to bring recognition to the strong and curageous disabled people of the world.

If you or someone you know deserves to have their story told, be sure to head over and enter at National Mobility Awareness Month!

Bribing your kids - it works

2012-04-20T12:32:00.000-04:00

One thing I despise is parenting advice. Not so much general advice, but I mean the, "If you're doing this, then you're a bad parent" advice.

When you become a parent, you will have questions, you will have doubts, and you will seek advice until they move out.

My daughter will be turning 6 in May, and each day still, I wonder if I'm doing the right thing.

And that's what makes each parent different. Each parent will be a parent in their own way. So what if I let my daughter watch TV in bed. Does that make me a bad parent? No, it doesn't. Because I'm not a crackhead, or a child abuser.

I'm trying to be as blunt as possible here, because when I read a magazine article that says something I'm doing is bad parenting, it annoys me. There are a million worse things I could be doing that would make me a bad parent.

And, on that note, I'm going to share with you the new project I made to help kiddo with eating new foods. I talked about it last week in my review of the Smash Your Food app, and now I am proud to say that I bribe my kid. Yes I do! And you know what? It works!

Before we get into the chart creation and the bribe, here is a little background. Sometimes kiddo can be a spoiled rotten little brat. You can read here on what she eats and what she won't. I'd hate to double-write something if you already read it! She has, on a few occasions, thrown tantrums or crying fits over trying to eat something different. Frankly, chips and "Krabby Patties" aren't going to cut it, so I came up with the bribe chart.

Kiddo is easily influenced by money. She knows she can get what she wants (which, she usually buys herself crayons everytime), and knows how to save up.

Of course, each kid is different. So if your child responds more to TV time, or what-have-you, use it to your advantage.

I started the chart out with basic foods she refuses to eat. Basically anything vegetable or fruit. Near the end, when you look at the picture, you'll see different types of chips. I bought her the huge variety pack of chips for her lunches, but she refused to try anything but the Lays.

I then created the bribe. She earns $0.10 for every food she tries. And if she eats all of the food, for example the peas on her plate, or all of her eggs for breakfast, she gets $0.25. Trying and Eating All are each marked by stickers. We had a bunch of Lisa Frank stickers in heart and star shapes, so they were perfect. Hearts are for Eating All, and stars are for Trying.
Now, I added a second bribe for added motivation. If she has 7 stars in one column, she gets $1.00 extra. If she has 7 hearts, she gets $3.00. She's been working her butt off for that money, and trying new foods in the process. I know, you can tell me, I'm genius. :)

Instructions for creating your own chart are below, or a printable version for the non-crafters.

Bribes can work in any way you want too, it doesn't just have to be with new foods. Based on the progress of the new food chart, I looked for other outlets to bribe. Kiddo's room has never, ever been cleaned by her. I always did the dirty work, and I finally came to the conclusion that the tornado room had to be taken care of by the culprit. And so, commence another bribe. Every night before she goes to bed she gets $0.25 if her room is clean. It's been 2 weeks, and kiddo's room has never been cleaner. Honestly, I'm shocked, still, that the bribe worked as well as it did! Because now, if her room has a sock on the floor, she picks it up. Shocked!

Food Chart Instructions:

What you need:

Paper
Ruler
Markers
Stickers (optional)
Tape (optional)

Make It:

1. Measure an inch down to create your header column (I like to try new foods!) Using the ruler, draw out this line. (use the ruler for steps 2-4 as well)
2. Create a row directly underneath to advertise your bribe.
3. On the left hand side, create a 2" column to draw your foods
4. In the remaining spaces, create a graph.
5. Going back to your header column, decide what you are going to mark your Tried and Eating All, and add those. You can use stickers like I did, or draw shapes instead.
6. The fun part! Draw, or write your foods!
7. Optional - if you run out of space, create another chart on a separate piece of paper and tape them together.

Easy peasy!! Here is the printable version, if you prefer: Enjoy!

Complete-o!

So, I'm DYING to know. Do you think bribing your kids makes you a bad parent?

Socialpunk review, a giveaway, and interview with author Monica Leonelle

2012-04-19T12:41:00.000-04:00

Socialpunk by Monica Leonelle

Description: Ima would give anything to escape The Dome and learn what’s beyond its barriers, but the Chicago government has kept all its citizens on lockdown ever since the Scorched Years left most of the world a desert wasteland. When a mysterious group of hooded figures enters the city unexpectedly, Ima uncovers a plot to destroy The Dome and is given the choice between escaping to a new, dangerous city or staying behind and fighting a battle she can never win.

Excerpt: Twelve cups of water sat on the table, four for each of them. Next to each cup sat a pill—yellow for fat, red for carbs, blue for protein, and green for vitamins.

Vaughn took the red pill, ripped it in half like a pack of sugar, and poured it into his cup. He set his cup into a contraption on the table and it whirled and hissed. When the machine finished, the cup had a pink, swirly liquid inside.

Nahum looked at the four cups in distaste.

“Not up to your standards?” Vaughn asked, shooting his drink. He swallowed the mixture in one large gulp. “I would get you something else, but we’re rebuilding our hash. We can’t afford real food, plus it’s bad for you anyway. Extremely difficult to maintain a balanced diet.”

“Synthetic food can’t cost that much,” Nahum countered. He grinned. “We had it in our little fake world, at least.”

Vaughn chuckled. “Synthetic food is even worse for you than real food. Shortens your life. We stopped eating that stuff at the turn of the century. It gave people long-term hyperactivity, which can kill you. LTH took out a lot of the population, kind of like cancer in your day, except a bigger deal because the population had dwindled so low already. Plus, people live indefinitely now.”

Nahum’s nose twitched as he laughed. “People don’t live indefinitely.”

But Vaughn looked genuinely surprised. “Of course we do. Have you seen anyone who looks over the age of twenty-five to you?”

“What does that mean, though?” Ima asked out of curiosity. “How could you live indefinitely? You may not look older, but you still age.”

Vaughn grinned. “Like I said before—there’s a lot you don’t understand about this world.”

It's not often I take on a book review, since it's not often that I read books anymore.
Sadly, it's more of a time issue than anything.

Thinking back to when I first started reading, I fell in love with it immediately. I became a book nerd and had read Stephen King's It in 4 days at 12 years old.

Many books have come and gone since It, and before a few months ago, the past decade or so has been only a handful.

Welcome to the digital age where I can read books on my iPad. It's seriously one of the best things ever.

But that's enough about me. I'm doing a review on Socialpunk, right? And I'm proud to say that this book has had a hand in getting me back into reading again.

Socialpunk is a futuristic, non-stop depiction of a post-apocalyptic Chicago. When I read the first page, I did not anticipate that I would be finishing the book that night, but I did. I had to. I didn't care that I was up until 3:00AM. The prologue had me hooked instantly, and each chapter then on left question after question in my head.
And that is the premise of a great book isn't it? The excitement of turning the page to see what's going to happen next.

Monica Leonelle takes you into a world that is vivid and full of imagination. I'm a huge fan of futuristic concepts, and what others think our future may be like, so I really clicked with Socialpunk. It's so descriptive and captivating, I felt like I was watching it happen in my head. Which I suppose, if I was a character in Socialpunk, I could be ;)

Needless to say, I'm really anticipating the sequel to Socialpunk: Socialmob which is set to come out in July.

I also had the chance to interview Monica - check it out!
The detailed imagery of Socialpunk is fantastic. How did you come up with, or what was your inspiration behind the future in 2198?

Socialpunk is very reflective of today’s social media-driven world in terms of artists, curators, and influencers. It's definitely a physical reincarnation of the digital media world. I love the social media concepts embedded in the book and was inspired to write a cyberpunk.

If Socialpunk became a movie, what two actresses would you choose to play Ima and Ember?

Brenda Song and Kristen Bell. Though both girls are way too physically small to play these characters.

The ending of Socialpunk was very abrupt and opened up a few questions in the reader's mind. What prompted you to choose that ending?

Hah! The ending is probably one of the most controversial points of the book, with resolution to the prologue being a close second.
So **** spoiler alert **** as people who've finished the book know, Ima is really driven by one thing throughout the entire book. And the end is basically that she goes through all that and doesn't get the one thing she wanted, the one thing that was driving her. So in the second book she's going to have to pick up the pieces and find some internal motivation for her actions. The ending is resolution if you are paying attention to Ima's motives, but of course people read books for all sorts of reasons, and maybe the thing they wanted resolved isn't the end. **** end spoiler alert ****
To be honest, I can't think of any questions the ending opens... it's very resolved for me. I've had people say the ending was irrelevant and people who say the ending was perfect. It's all dependent on how you interpret the book as you read.
As far as things being abrupt, the entire book is abrupt, IMO. Things move quickly in the future, so I felt the writing should demonstrate that. If you are looking for a long, drawn out book, you might enjoy the first book in my other series, Silver Smoke. It's nearly twice as long as Socialpunk.

Why did you decide to create a trilogy instead of one long book?

I just enjoy torturing people, I think, as they wait for the next book!

Are any of your characters based on real-life people that you know?

Yes! Nahum is based on a guy I had a huge crush on in 4th grade. Well, it's based on the 4th grade version of the guy, and actually I don't remember a thing about that guy, so it's based on the memory my feelings towards a guy I had a crush on in 4th grade. In other words, not really based on him in any form that would be recognizable. Nasser is based a little on my own personality—he's ambitious and a little reckless with his finances, and he wreaks havoc on everyone around him for it. Well, I don't wreak havoc on people, I hope; what I mean is that Nasser is extreme, but based on the idea of a "big picture" person. We all know the type—they hop from project to project and they always have a new "get rich quick" scheme up their sleeves. I can be a bit like that, but I mean well and so does Nasser.

Monica Leonelle is a well-known digital media strategist and the author of three novels. She blogs at Prose on Fire and shares her writing and social media knowledge with other bloggers and authors through her Free Writer Toolkit.

If you want to grab a copy of Socialpunk, you can find it on
Amazon and Barnes and Noble!

Giveaway!!!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

I received a digital copy of the above mentioned book for the purpose of this review. Any opinions expressed are my own. Please click here to check out my disclosure notice.