The WiC Project - Faith. Free Giveaways. Product Reviews. Recipes.

Google+ Gala Weekly Google+ Hop #7

Miriam — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 05:00:35 +0000

Welcome to the Google+ Gala!

Google+ Gala is a weekly Google+ blog hop! The Google+ Gala is hosted by ShePromotes and The WiC Project. It will be featured at The WiC Project every Wednesday so be sure to come back and discover some great new blogs through their Google+ pages! The linky will be open from 12:01 am EST on Wednesday to 11:59 pm EST on Thursday giving you plenty of time to link up and join the gala!

Bloggers!

Link up your Google+ page to join the gala! The rules are simple!

You may link up 1 Google+ page each week.
Add at least 1 other Google+ page to your circles, preferably the person above you on the linky. (If you already follow them, then choose someone else!)
Share about the Google+ Gala! Grab the button at the top of the post and link back to http://shepromotes.com/category/weekly-blog-hops to spread the word. (This is optional but a great way to support each other!)
You can also grab the linky code and include it in your own post!

Please note that this is only a Google+ Blog Hop. Links to other pages such as Twitter, Facebook, and Blogs will be deleted without warning.

Link up and join the Google+ Gala this week!

The article "Google+ Gala Weekly Google+ Hop #7" is written by Miriam, The WiC Project - Faith. Free Giveaways. Product Reviews. Recipes.. Visit The WiC Project - Faith. Free Giveaways. Product Reviews. Recipes. for more product reviews, great blog giveaways, delicious recipes, and more!

Take Indoor Photos with Lightscoop – Review & Giveaway

Miriam — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 15:06:19 +0000

As a blogger, I have occasion to take photos – lots of them. Whether it’s food I’ve cooked or a product to share, my camera is pretty much in use on a daily basis. Unfortunately, my photo ops don’t always have the best light in the room – I don’t have those big light stands to illuminate the room with light, which means I either have to try to get all my photos in during the day, when I can use natural light, or I use a flash. The tricky thing with built-in flashes is that they shine a lot of light directly on to what you’re taking a photo of causing an overexposure effect on photos. One affordable solution to help take great photos with your built-in flash but without turning everything ghostly white is the Lightscoop.

About Lightscoop

Lightscoop® is a smart low-tech device that creates soft, flattering light by redirecting your camera’s pop-up flash to a ceiling or wall. Slip a Lightscoop® on your camera and never miss out on another fabulous picture! Lightscoop creates soft, natural light and lets you capture the scene the way you see it.

The Review

The Lightscoop is an easy install device that allows you to diffuse the light from your built-in flash to create a more natural lighting environment for your photos. To use it with my Canon Digital Rebel, I just needed to slip it in to the flash holder, with the mirror facing towards me. When the flash flashes, the light hits the mirror and then reflects up towards the ceiling. From there, it reflects off your ceiling down towards your photo subject and surrounding areas. This creates a more even and natural lighting situation to help your photos look their best.

I put the Lightscoop to the test with my new panda.

First, here is a comparison between no flash and Lightscoop. With no flash, the white of the panda looks a little more yellow and everything overall looks dingier. With the Lightscoop, everything is brighter and I think the image is crisper.

Next, I compared between the built-in flash as is and with the Lightscoop. Here, you can see that with the flash, the white is too, too, too bright. The whole picture has the distinct “taken with a flash” effect. With the Lightscoop, the photo is still clear while looking like a “natural” photo.

I was impressed with how well the Lightscoop was able to enhance my flash photos. In addition to creating a better lighting environment for your photos, the Lightscoop will eliminate red-eye, shadows, and other issues that come from using a flash, or from not using a flash (because flash photos sometimes LOOK like flash photos.)

If you’re looking for an affordable way to help make your indoor photos look better consider the Lightscoop. It is available for $29.95 and comes in standard and warming options. You can also purchase Lightscoop online at Amazon.com for just $29.00.

Lightscoop Online

The WiC Project Lightscoop Giveaway

The Prize:

One winner will receive a Lightscoop! (Visit their website to see if Lightscoop fits your camera.)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Please note this giveaway is only open to residents of the continental US.

Disclaimer: This post consists of my (and/or fellow tester) opinions only. Your experiences may be different. No compensation was given for this review/giveaway. I did receive a free product from the manufacturer or their representing PR agency to use and test for the purposes of this review. This did not affect the outcome of this review.

The article "Take Indoor Photos with Lightscoop – Review & Giveaway" is written by Miriam, The WiC Project - Faith. Free Giveaways. Product Reviews. Recipes.. Visit The WiC Project - Faith. Free Giveaways. Product Reviews. Recipes. for more product reviews, great blog giveaways, delicious recipes, and more!

Have Breakfast with Pillsbury – Review & Giveaway

Miriam — Mon, 20 Feb 2012 15:06:55 +0000

As much as I try to get up early in the mornings, there are days where the alarm clock “must’ve accidentally been turned off.” By the time I do wake-up, tummies are growling and I need a breakfast solution that is both tasty and fast. Pillsbury has just introduced two new products that fit that description with their new frozen Pillsbury Egg Scrambles and Grands! Biscuit Sandwiches.

The Review

When it comes to cooking breakfast quickly, I don’t really want to have to do a lot of prep and clean-up. With Pillsbury Egg Scrambles and Grands! Biscuit Sandwiches, “cooking” breakfast is as easy as pressing a few buttons on the microwave. Both of these products can be cooked in the microwave in a matter of minutes.

For the Pillsbury Egg Scrambles, you actually heat them in the package on high for 3 1/2 minutes to 5 1/2 minutes (depending on the power of your microwave. Once they’re done, you’ve got a piping hot blend of egg, cheese, and other breakfast goodies. I chose the Sausage Egg Scrambles, so my breakfast plate had eggs, potatoes, cheese sauce and sausage. Other varieties available include Bacon & Veggies and Sausage & Veggies.

The Grand! Biscuit Sandwiches also come in three varieties – Bacon & Cheese, Sausage & Cheese, and Ham & Veggies. For microwave heating, these just take even less time to cook (just over a minute to about 2 1/2 minutes.) I decided to experiment a little with one sandwich since I had a little extra time. Instead of microwaving, I wrapped it in foil and then baked it in the oven for ~10 minutes at 350F. With both heating methods you get the familiar Grands! Biscuit which sandwiches egg and the variety you choose.

My biscuits were Sausage & Cheese and had egg, cheese sauce, and sausage in them. I found that the crust of the biscuit was a little crisper when oven baked (which is kind of expected) but however it was cooked, it was a tasty and filling breakfast sandwich. (If you’re a little hasty when putting the two halves together your sandwich looks like this. What can I say – I was hungry!)

For easy breakfast options to help satisfy that morning hunger, check out Pillsbury Egg Scrambles and Grands! Biscuit Sandwiches. These are both frozen items and can be found in your grocer’s freezer section. Suggested retail price is $2.89.

Pillsbury Online Online

The WiC Project Pillsbury Breakfast Giveaway

The Prize:
One winner will receive two coupons for FREE Frozen Pillsbury Egg Scrambles or Grands! Biscuit Sandwiches.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

The article "Have Breakfast with Pillsbury – Review & Giveaway" is written by Miriam, The WiC Project - Faith. Free Giveaways. Product Reviews. Recipes.. Visit The WiC Project - Faith. Free Giveaways. Product Reviews. Recipes. for more product reviews, great blog giveaways, delicious recipes, and more!

Giveaway Reminders: 2/19/2012

Miriam — Sun, 19 Feb 2012 19:59:54 +0000

I know these reminders usually come on Saturdays, but things have been pretty busy over here with a few exciting projects in the pipeline. (Bloggers stay tuned for a big announcement in next month!)

We’re still accepting bloggers into the Save and Make Moola, March Moola Madness Giveaway Hop. We’ve got quite a few bloggers already participating and would love to have you join! This is a great opportunity to expand your followers and to introduce yourself to some new readers, plus, the cost is FREE! Visit our event page for more information.

And now, on to the giveaways!

Giveaways ending this coming week:

New Giveaways:

“Brewster’s Little Helper” Chuggington DVD (3/1)

Upcoming giveaways:

Farm Rich
Pillsbury
Emeraldn Nuts
Toilet Tree

The article "Giveaway Reminders: 2/19/2012" is written by Miriam, The WiC Project - Faith. Free Giveaways. Product Reviews. Recipes.. Visit The WiC Project - Faith. Free Giveaways. Product Reviews. Recipes. for more product reviews, great blog giveaways, delicious recipes, and more!

Healthy Eyes While Wearing Contacts

Miriam — Sun, 19 Feb 2012 19:38:24 +0000

I’ve worn contact lenses for many years and during that time, I’ve learned how important it is to do my best to keep my eyes healthy, especially while wearing contact lenses.

I still remember when contact lenses were the “new” thing. Back then, they pretty much only had “hard” contacts – ones that almost felt like your eyes were getting stabbed with knives. Supposedly you had to “get used to it”, but I was never able to. Now, they have a variety of soft contact lenses available that are much more comfortable and can be suited to your eye and how often you’ll wear them.

From daily wear to extended wear to contacts for astigmatism, there are many options for you and your eye care doctor to discuss.

Once you find the right contact lens for your eye, here are a few eye care steps to help ensure that your eyes and contacts stay in pristine condition.

Make sure you wash and dry your hands before handling your contacts.
Use your contact lenses as directed – both in terms of when to replace lenses and any instructions from your eye care specialist.
While extended contacts can be worn overnight, you reduce the risk of infections by removing your contacts before sleeping.
Use contact lens solution as directed and always use fresh solution in your lens case. Do not use tap water or “rinse” your lenses in your mouth.
Clean your contact lens case after each use and replace it every 3-6 months.

For more tips on how to keep your eyes healthy while wearing contacts, check with your eye care specialist.

Disclaimer: This is a sponsored post. All opinions are my own.

The article "Healthy Eyes While Wearing Contacts" is written by Miriam, The WiC Project - Faith. Free Giveaways. Product Reviews. Recipes.. Visit The WiC Project - Faith. Free Giveaways. Product Reviews. Recipes. for more product reviews, great blog giveaways, delicious recipes, and more!

Stay Healthy and Combat Colds with #FloridaOJ

Miriam — Fri, 17 Feb 2012 22:29:37 +0000

For the past few years, I’ve been fortunate enough to have avoided pesky colds and coughs. I’m a big fan of keeping my immune system nice and strong to help me stay as healthy as possible. You don’t need to overload on tons of drugs or anti-whatevers to stay healthy – with a few simple tricks, you can help support your immune system to help fight off cold-carrying germs.

We headed out to our local Safeway to create a “cold, cough, flu kit” to ensure that we had everything we needed to stay healthy this season. The biggest part of our kit is orange juice. 100% Florida orange juice is jam-packed with Vitamin C to give your immune system a healthy boost. Fortunately, our local Safeway has lots of options for 100% Florida OJ.

The other essential part to our kit are vitamins. I take a multi-vitamin each day to make sure I’m getting all of the vitamins and minerals my body needs.

For tips to stay healthy this season, make sure you pick up the Be Well. Save Well. pamphlet from your local Safeway pharmacy. The pamphlet has some useful information as well as money-saving coupons for Kleenex, Centrum, and Clorox Disinfecting Wipes.

If you don’t have a Safeway nearby, you can keep help support a healthy immune system by following these simple steps:

Be active. Fresh air and exercise can get you out of “indoor” air and contribute to your overall good health
Stay clean. Wash your hands and disinfect when you can to avoid picking up or spreading germs.
Take a multivitamin. Sometimes your diet needs a little boost. A multivitamin can help supplement the vitamins and minerals you need to stay healthy.
Take a probiotic. 70% of your immune system is in your digestive tract. Probiotics deliver good bacteria while maintaining digestive balance.
Sleep well. It’s recommended to get 8 hours of sleep each night.
Manage stress. Stress may impact the health of your immune system, so try to keep stress to a minimum.

By keeping a few basic items in your home, you can help keep your immune system strong and your family healthy during cold, cough, and flu season.

To view more photos of our shopping trip, make sure you check out our shopping photo album.

Stay healthy, my friends.

Safeway Online

Florida Orange Juice Council Online

Disclaimer: This shop has been compensated as part of a social shopper insights study for Collective Bias. All opinions are my own. #CBias

The article "Stay Healthy and Combat Colds with #FloridaOJ" is written by Miriam, The WiC Project - Faith. Free Giveaways. Product Reviews. Recipes.. Visit The WiC Project - Faith. Free Giveaways. Product Reviews. Recipes. for more product reviews, great blog giveaways, delicious recipes, and more!

“Brewster’s Little Helper” Chuggington DVD Giveaway

Miriam — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 15:06:28 +0000

We’ve heard great things about the Chuggington TV series and DVDs. We love that they find fun, engaging, and entertaining ways to help teach our kids important life lessons, in ways that the kids actually understand. On February 14, 2012 Brewster’s Little Helper, the latest Chuggington DVD was released.

“Brewster’s Little Helper” will have preschoolers honking their horns alongside their favorite trainees, Wilson, Brewster and Koko, through six energetic episodes. In the title episode, Zephie is determined to prove that she can pull her weight. After overhearing Brewster’s tasks for the day, she tries to take care of them all, but winds up chugging headlong into trouble. When Zephie is unable to complete the chores correctly, she realizes she still has some growing up to do. And, with a little help from Brewster, everything gets back on track. Each of the additional episodes – Koko Takes Charge, Brewster Knows Best, Zephie’s Zoomaround, Nurse Wilson and Wilson And The Paint Wagon – are filled with loads of fun and coupled with positive lessons for preschoolers such as patience, teamwork, responsibility, friendship, creative thinking and more.

If you’d like to pick-up a copy of Brewster’s Little Helper, you can find it in stores now! It is also available online through Amazon for just $10.49.

The WiC Project Chuggington Brewster’s Little Helper DVD Giveaway

The Prize:
One winner will receive a copy of the new Chuggington DVD, Brewster’s Little Helper

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Disclaimer: This post consists of my (and/or fellow tester) opinions only. Your experiences may be different. No compensation was given for this review/giveaway.

The article "“Brewster’s Little Helper” Chuggington DVD Giveaway" is written by Miriam, The WiC Project - Faith. Free Giveaways. Product Reviews. Recipes.. Visit The WiC Project - Faith. Free Giveaways. Product Reviews. Recipes. for more product reviews, great blog giveaways, delicious recipes, and more!

Ginger Spice Apple Tart Recipe

Miriam — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 22:23:14 +0000

I love recipes that are easy to make but look like I spent hours at work hard in the kitchen. This Ginger Spice Apple Tart is not only really easy to make, but looks, and tastes, like it comes from a bakery.

I did make a couple of minor tweaks to the recipe. First, I didn’t have any of the appropriate pans, so I ended up using a cheesecake pan (don’t laugh! It actually worked, although I didn’t get the pretty tart edges.) I also skipped the grated fresh ginger and threw in some of the crystallized ginger into the mix instead. I was excited to discover that I already had a star-shaped cookie cutter so I could make the stars, but if you don’t have one hand hand, feel free to use another shape or a glass to make different shaped cut-outs.

I’ve sampled this tart both with and without the additional whipped cream and it is absolutely delicious! I hope you enjoy it as much as we did!

Ginger Spice Apple Tart Recipe

Ginger Spice Apple Tart
Serves 8
Ingredients:
1 15-ounce package rolled refrigerated unbaked pie crust (2 crusts)
2 21-ounce cansLUCKY LEAF ® Apple Pie Filling
1/2 cup butter
1 tablespoon finely chopped crystallized ginger
1 tablespoon vanilla
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
Butter-flavor nonstick cooking spray (I just used butter for this)
1 teaspoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Frozen whipped dessert topping, thawed, or vanilla ice cream (optional)
Chopped crystallized ginger (optional)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375°F.
Let pie crusts stand at room temperature according to package directions.
Unroll one of the pie crusts. On a lightly floured surface, roll crust to a 13- to 14-inch circle.
Transfer pie crust to a 10×2-inch round tart pan with removable bottom or a 10-inch deep-dish pie plate. Trim crust to the edge of the pan. Set aside.
Unroll remaining pie crust. Using a 2- to 3-inch star cutter or other desired cutter, make 5 to 6 cutouts in the pastry. Set pastry and cutouts aside.
In a large saucepan heat pie filling, butter, 1 tablespoon crystallized ginger, vanilla, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, nutmeg, and fresh ginger over medium heat until butter is melted, gently stirring frequently.
Pour apple filling into pastry lined tart pan.
Place the pastry with the cutouts atop the filling. Trim pastry to edge of tart pan and gently press the top pastry to the bottom pastry to seal. If using a pie plate, fold top pastry under bottom pastry and pinch to seal; crimp edge as desired.
Place star cutouts atop the pastry, leaving most of the openings in the crust exposed.
Lightly coat pastry with nonstick cooking spray.
In a small bowl combine sugar and 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon; sprinkle over pastry. Place tart on a foil-lined baking sheet.
To prevent overbrowning, cover the edge of the tart or pie with foil. Bake for 40 minutes.
Remove foil. Bake about 10 minutes more or until pastry is golden brown and filling is bubbly.
Cool on a wire rack about 1 hour. Remove sides of the tart pan.
Serve warm.
If desired, top with whipped topping and additional crystallized ginger.

Photo and recipe courtesy and copyright of Lucky Leaf (www.luckyleaf.com.)

The article "Ginger Spice Apple Tart Recipe" is written by Miriam, The WiC Project - Faith. Free Giveaways. Product Reviews. Recipes.. Visit The WiC Project - Faith. Free Giveaways. Product Reviews. Recipes. for more product reviews, great blog giveaways, delicious recipes, and more!

Having an Afternoon Iced Coffee Party with International Delight Iced Coffee #IcedCoffee

Miriam — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 15:06:43 +0000

Since I left my day job, and thereby my morning Starbuck’s stop, I’ve been looking forward ways to brew up the same great coffee shop flavors in the comfort of my own home. I’ve successfully duplicated my favorite Salted Caramel Hot Chocolate and picked up a Keurig that perfectly brews up cups of coffee. One area that I hadn’t explored yet was iced coffee.

During a recent Walmart trip, I was excited to see that they carried the new International Delight Iced Coffee. I purchased some and brought it home for an iced coffee tasting party.

I’ll admit that I sampled the product before the official party. And while I’m at it, I’ll admit that I sampled the product more than once before the tasting party. After the first glass, I knew that this would be a bit hit.

So finally, after much patience on my part, it was time to have the party.

Cups? Check.

Ice? Check. (Because iced coffee without ice just doesn’t make sense.)

International Delight Iced Coffee? Check – one of each flavor, Original, Vanilla, and Mocha.

Thirsty friends? Check, check, and check.

So there we were, with three flavors of chilled International Delights Iced Coffee and some thirsty mouths to feed.

I arranged some glasses filled with ice and let people choose which flavor they wanted to taste. Out of the three flavors, the Mocha flavor seemed to be the biggest hit (as determined by the mostly empty carton.) It had a great coffee flavor with a subtle hint of chocolate. I enjoyed Vanilla, with it’s complex vanilla coffee flavor. Purists will enjoy the original flavor.

People were pleasantly surprised by how much they enjoyed International Delight Iced Coffee. “I am really impressed,” stated on guest. “It’s like having your own coffee house at home.” I loved that I could get the great iced coffee flavor but was able to get a whole half gallon of iced coffee for the price of one iced coffee from a coffee house.

I’m someone who is pretty sensitive to caffeine meaning I can noticeably “feel” a caffeine buzz. I noticed that the International Delights Iced Coffee still gives you a little pep in your step, but not so much that you feel wired out.

In the end, the tasting party was a big success! People really liked International Delights Iced Coffee – it’s definitely an affordable and convenient option versus going to the coffee shop every day.

To follow my shopping trip for International Delight Iced Coffee at Walmart, visit my shopping album.

International Delights Online

Disclaimer: This shop has been compensated as part of a social shopper insights study for Collective Bias. All opinions are my own. #CBias

The article "Having an Afternoon Iced Coffee Party with International Delight Iced Coffee #IcedCoffee" is written by Miriam, The WiC Project - Faith. Free Giveaways. Product Reviews. Recipes.. Visit The WiC Project - Faith. Free Giveaways. Product Reviews. Recipes. for more product reviews, great blog giveaways, delicious recipes, and more!

Watch What You Say with Taboo from Hasbro – Review & Giveaway

Miriam — Sat, 11 Feb 2012 16:06:38 +0000

I love games that really engage everyone who is playing. Sometimes you just want a really fast-paced game where something is happening almost at all times, which keeps the excitement level up. Sound effects and buzzers are a bonus. Taboo, from Hasbro Games, is one of those games that keeps everyone active and having fun during the entire game.

About Taboo

TABOO, everyone’s favorite game of forbidden words, has gotten a makeover in 2011! Now with a new, sleek look, game changing die and hysterical “Uh-Oh!” buzzer sound, players will frantically try to get their teammates to guess the winning word without using the Taboo words and phrases on their card. How do you get your team to say the word “heart throb” without saying “teenage,” “idol,” “star” or “movies”? With more than 1,000 words for players to try to guess, the “unspeakable” fun can continue for hours.

The Review

Taboo is by far one of my favorite games for playing at house parties or events with friends. If you haven’t played before, here’s a quick breakdown on how Taboo works.

First, you’ll want to break up into two teams. The first team up chooses someone to be the “clue-giver”. The clue-giver draws the card and places it in the stand so he/she and the opposing team can see the card. Their team cannot see the card. The challenge is that the clue-giver has to provide clues for what word is at the top of the card without saying any of the five words below it. If they make a mistake and say one of those words, the opposing team gets to hit the buzzer. The goal is to guess as many correct words as possible before the timer runs out. You get a point for each word guessed and lose a point for every buzzer.

You can imagine that with so much activity going on, it can be crazy fun in the best sense of the phrase. Whether it’s people shouting out guesses or teams getting buzzed, there’s something happening all the time, very quickly. I don’t even know which part of the game is the most fun – hitting the buzzer, giving the clues, or shouting out guesses.

The latest version of Taboo takes it up a notch by introducing a “Game-changer Die.” If you choose to use the Game-changer Die, it introduced a whole new set of rules you need to follow, such as only choosing one teammate to be the guesser or having to sit completely still while giving clues.

One of the reasons that Taboo is perfect for parties is because everyone is playing at the same time. Whether guessing or buzzing, both teams are playing, but it’s not so rigid that the game has to stop if someone needs to grab some food or take a bio break.

If you’re looking for a new way to add some fun to your get-togethers, make sure you check out the latest version of Taboo. It is available in-stores now for ~$26.99 and can be purchased online from Amazon for $33.78 or from Target for $28.49 (clearly this product is in demand.) The original version of Taboo is also available for $24.99

Taboo Online

The WiC Project Taboo Giveaway

The Prize:
One winner will receive a copy of Hasbro Games’s Taboo!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

The article "Watch What You Say with Taboo from Hasbro – Review & Giveaway" is written by Miriam, The WiC Project - Faith. Free Giveaways. Product Reviews. Recipes.. Visit The WiC Project - Faith. Free Giveaways. Product Reviews. Recipes. for more product reviews, great blog giveaways, delicious recipes, and more!