Navigating Indieworld Spring Book Festival Begins Today

Are you looking for a way to be introduced to new or independent authors?

Are you wanting to try a new genre that you've never read before?

Would you like to find a new author that you can add to your favorites list?

All these things can happen if you check out the Navigating Indieworld's Spring Book Festival March 27-29. By visiting their website, HERE, you can click on specific genres where you are offered a wide variety of books.

This festival offers a great opportunity to be introduced to new-to-you authors and give them a little love by purchasing and/or reading their books. Every kind of book genre is available including children's books, historical fiction, Christian fiction and nonfiction, memoir, romance, mystery, and poetry just to name a few.

Navigating Indieworld is a non-profit site developed to help indies promote their books to the general public. Put together on a whim by a group of dedicated authors, the site was created for indies by indies motivated by the lack of options available for advertising on a limited budget.

To enter to win $150 worth of prizes as part of this Spring Book Festival, click HERE.

The Perfect Valentine for Your Child - I See Me Books

As a child, I had a few personalized books that had my name and the names of my family in the story. I remember one was a farm story and it was my favorite. Since my name isn't spelled the "usual" way, anytime I had anything personalized with my name spelled correctly was exciting.

Giving your child, grandchild, niece, nephew, or neighbor a book personalized with their name and the names of their loved ones is a special and unique way to mark a holiday or special occasion. If you are looking for that special gift,  i See Me! is the perfect place to check out all the great ideas for every occasion.

I chose the Valentine Book that i See Me! offers for my great-niece who is three for the purpose of this review. She loves books and since she has a name that isn't extremely popular, I'm thinking she will love having this book read to her and hearing her name.

This Valentine Book is just one of the MANY gifts offered on their website. They also offer personalized books for birthdays and every day reading as well as ones perfect for giving at baptisms. Other personalized products include lunchboxes, puzzles, coloring books, placemats, stickers, and growth charts. These would also make the perfect gifts to fill a child's Easter baskets with. A personalized book would also make an original new baby gift or a memorable first birthday gift.

I really love this Valentine book because like the other personalized books, I can choose the people I want to include in the story, I can list multiple people in one sentence so I can fit more loved ones into the story. It shares the message of love with the child. It's repetitive which children like hearing read to them and the repetition helps with their ability to start recognizing words and the rhythm of words in a sentence. I also love that you can include a photo of the child at the beginning of the book which will get them even more excited to read a book about them!

I had so much fun creating this book for my niece, Isla, and wish I could be there to see her read it for the first time. I hope it is a book she will keep forever and enjoy reading time and again.  What greater gift is there to tell a child over and over again how much they are loved? I don't think there is anything better than that!

Stickers are also included with the book. This is a nice touch and the stickers are very high quality. She can use them to decorate papers or make a collage to hang in her room.

I have reviewed these i See Me! books before and I am still extremely happy with these products. Their website is easy to use and offers the ability to really make these books as personalized as you would like. From the dedication page to the ending, you can really make it as specific as you want including a personal message to the child. I received this book pretty quickly and expect that would be the same for you. It arrived in less than the two weeks expected for delivery, but with specific holidays I would try to make sure you have plenty of time to receive the item. The process was extremely simple and the book arrived well packaged with no bumps or rips in the pages or stickers.

Celebrate Valentine's Day, Easter, or maybe just brighten up these dreary winter days with a fun, personalized gift from the i See Me! line of products. For more on all their products, be sure to follow them on the various social media accounts and see all the great ways customers are using and giving their products:

Facebook
Twitter
Instagram
Pinterest
Google+
YouTube

I will be linking up this review on Booking Mama's regular Saturday feature, Kid Konnection. This is a place for bloggers to share posts related to children's and YA books. You will find spotlights, reviews, and sometimes even giveaways by clicking HERE, every Saturday.



Thanks to i See Me! books for providing this book for free in exchange for an honest review. I was not compensated in any other way for this review. 

Product Review: FramedArt.com

With the recent remodeling of our home, I was in need of new artwork for our walls. Just at the right moment, I had the opportunity to review my experience with FramedArt.com. I had a really hard time narrowing down my choices. But, since I still wasn't sure what I was going to do with our new areas, I narrowed it down to a fun print that completed my wine corner.

We have a wine fridge and since it isn't really decorative, I wanted to dress up the area a bit. I have an old glass jug that I put wine corks in and found this neat sign at a local shop in town. I needed something to tie the whole look together.

When you visit FramedArt.com, there are a plethora of options for you to choose from. It would be extremely overwhelming if you didn't have some sort of sense of what you were looking for on the site. So for me, I knew I was looking for framed wine prints and entered that in my search.You can filter your searches by color, style, subject matter, size, and shape. So, once I chose wine prints, it then offered me red, white, champagne, or corkscrew. Since I wasn't sure exactly what I was looking for, I looked through all my options.

Once you find the print you like, then you can choose the mat and frame you want.

It can be overwhelming, but the picture actually changes once you select a color of mat or frame, so you can visualize what the print will look like in your frame and mat choices.

The process is really very simple and quite reasonable. The print, mat, and frame I purchased was just under $74.00 and arrived well packaged. I can't speak to delivery time since I was going through a different process than you would if you ordered directly off the website.

The other neat feature of this website is you can search by artist. Once I chose the "Good Wine" print, I also clicked on the artist, Marla Rae, which took me to a page with all of her artwork. If you find an artist you really like, you can see everything they have to offer on FramedArt.com. In fact, I found another print of hers, that I will definitely be getting soon!

I am so thrilled with this artwork and how it brings my wine corner together. I would highly recommend purchasing art through FramedArt.com the next time you are looking for some artwork for your walls.


A post from today, 2 years ago - The Last Two Days of the 10-Day Give
A post from today, 5 years ago - Children's Book Review: Lucy the Dinosaur: Nice to Meet You By Joey Ahlbum



Thanks to FramedArt.com for providing this product for the purpose of this review. This review is my honest opinion. I was not compensated in any way for this review. 

Product Review: Rug from Rug Expeditions

The timing was perfect. I received an email asking if I would be interested in looking at some rugs for a possible review. Since we have been remodeling our home, I am in need of several new rugs for our entryways, mudrooms, and bathrooms. I couldn't believe my luck.

When I looked through the available options, I was disappointed that none of them looked like they would match our decor and the size I was looking for. Then, late one evening, I looked through the options again and realized I had skipped over one that said Indoor/Outdoor rug. I hadn't looked at that one because I was so focused on looking for rugs for the inside of our home.

But, I clicked on it, since I actually had been wanting a rug for our screened in porch for a long time. When I clicked on the rug, I couldn't believe my luck. From the photo, it looked like the perfect color and size for our porch. So, I selected this rug in the 6x9 size and hoped it would be just the rug I wanted it to be.

Rug Expedition is a website based in San Antonio, Texas. They specialize in selling area rugs. They offer a selection of over 100,000 rugs, which makes them one of the largest online rug inventories in the United States. The process to choose and order a rug can be so overwhelming. Can you imagine scrolling through 100,000 rugs? Their website offers rugs in every single color in the rainbow and more, plus sizes and styles to fit every space and decor of your home. It can be intimidating to start the process of buying a rug, but by being allowed to narrow down your options with the available filters, it makes the process so much easier. If you start with choosing a color, say brown, then you can narrow down your choices by price range, shape, size, and decor style. Just making these choices alone, dropped my choices from 25 pages of options to only 4 pages. Then you can narrow it even more by choosing a material and if you are really knowledgeable about rugs, by a designer. If you are a Pinterest user, you can pin a rug you like right away and keep track of the ones you like. They even offer a FREE 30-Day in home trial. If you decide it doesn't work it your home, you can send it back for a full refund. The best part? All the rugs ship for FREE! 

My rug arrived very quickly and was well wrapped to protect it. If you are ordering this as a surprise, keep in mind these are delivered in clear plastic, so there is no question what you ordered when it arrives.

I quickly laid out the rug on our porch while saying a little prayer that it would work and then felt a sigh of relief when I realized it was just right. I may have jumped up and down with a little happiness clap when I looked over the whole room. It immediately gave the porch that homey feel. I have to admit, I was afraid my husband was going to hate it, but when he walked onto the porch for the first time, he stated that "it really warmed up the porch".

As you can see, our cat really likes it too. The rug has sage green, beige, tan, and yellow stripes throughout, with the yellow giving it that "pop" of color it needs. I am beyond thrilled with the rug. We have had our first several rainy days with the rug on the porch as well, and it drains through and dries quickly.

I have nothing but great things to say about my experience with Rug Expedition and this Indoor/Outdoor rug.  Check out their website HERE for your next rug purchase.


A post from today, 4 years ago - Review: Cutting for Stone By Abraham Verghese
A post from today, 2 years ago - Children's Book Review: The Treasure of Snake Island By Carole P Roman 



Thanks to Rug Expeditions for sending this rug for the purpose of a review. This review is my honest opinion. I was not compensated in any way for this review. 

Fulcrum Gallery Print Review

Have you ever heard of FULCRUM GALLERY?

This website has hundreds of prints in every category imaginable.

If you are looking for a print with flowers, word art, movies/entertainment, food, animals, sports, scenic, religious, and so much more, you can find exactly what you want on FULCRUM GALLERY. 

I had been wanting a print for a corner wall of our basement and wanted something in the book category.  I love how you can enter in search categories on their website and then narrow that down by color, shape and size.

I wanted a print that had reds or browns in it so I was able to narrow down my search using those colors.  You can also search by style category like modern, classic, contemporary, traditional as well as black and white, minimalist, realism and pop art just to name a few.

If you are looking for a print for a specific room, you can search that way as well. 

If you need new art for your office, click HERE for some great choices.  I almost changed my book idea to get the Dreaming Tree Red print:

If you have a specific artist you are looking for, like Van Gogh, Picasso, O'Keefe, Lichtenstein, or Adams, you can find their works on this site too. 

While searching for bookish prints, I found these prints in my search. 

I liked them all, but then I saw this one...

I loved it, but wasn't the look I was going for in our basement.

After spending a few hours going through various search queries and narrowing down my categories, I finally found the one that I wanted.

Life lessons on books = Perfect print for me.

I chose to have it framed in just a regular black frame, but there are lots of options I could have chosen for various prices. I felt this option with the print was very reasonable at about $75. You can choose from various frame styles and colors as well as having your print on canvas. 

I paired it with some shelves that we already had and some bookish items.

I love my new corner of the basement. 

I had a great experience with FULCRUM GALLERY. 

The print came quite quickly and was well-protected in the packaging.

If you are looking to change up your home decor, I highly recommend you check FULCRUM GALLERY.  There truly is art for every style, room, color, and decor that you are looking for. 

Thanks to Fulcrum Gallery for asking me to review their product. I was given a set amount and then could put that toward a print of my choosing. I wasn't compensated in any other way for this review and this review is my honest opinion. 

Cents of Style = Great Products and Service

Have you heard of the website, CENTS OF STYLE? It is a discount shopping website that specializes in accessories, shoes and boots.  I have been really pleased with their products and best of all, their prices.

Every Friday they offer one item in their FASHION FRIDAY section at a greatly reduced price. Last week, the above Chevron Scarves were reduced to $6.95 from $26.00 including FREE SHIPPING.

For Christmas gifts I ordered one of these cute State Necklaces for a gift as well as a knitted Ear Wrap.  Both of the gift recipients loved them.

I recently had a customer service issue and emailed them. I had a response AND a correction within MINUTES! That is unheard of and especially with discount retailers.  Unfortunately, sometimes when you get a great deal on prices you get a poor deal on customer service, but that WAS NOT the case with CENTS OF STYLE.  I was very impressed with their service as well as their products.

You need to sign up for their emails to get the discount code for each FASHION FRIDAY deal, but they only come into your inbox on Fridays so it isn't too overwhelming.  I highly recommend you check it out if you like accessories and great deals!

Check them out at http://www.mycentsofstyle.com/.

Review: Grammarly Website

Last month I had the opportunity to review the website, GRAMMARLY.  I had heard of it but never knew how it worked, so I was anxious to learn more about it and give it a try.

GRAMMARLY is a website that offers the service of an automated online proofreader.  It reads through your writing, looking for grammar, spelling and punctuation mistakes.  It is an additional set of eyes but not a replacement for a professional proofreader.

I used GRAMMARLY to proofread some of my recent blog posts/reviews.  It found things like words that were used too often, grammar and punctuation mistakes/suggestions.  I found though that since blog posts are sometimes written more like a conversation, the suggestions don't really benefit my writing and how I want to get the point across.  But, it did point out repeated words or better ways to phrase the sentence.  I think it offered me the most help when I was writing my book reviews.

I also used GRAMMARLY to check a paragraph our son wrote for school.  I wish I would have had GRAMMARLY when I was in high school and college to be that second set of eyes and offer suggestions.

Once you copy and paste your written material into the box, GRAMMARLY reads through it and identifies the number of issues and what they are.  It details the error, why it is wrong and offers possible corrections for each mistake.  It also allows you to check the text for plagiarism by cross-referencing your text with over 8 billion other web pages.

Once you log onto GRAMMARLY, you will see a box where you can submit your written text.  You will then be shown the details of your proofreading.  To see the specifics you either need to try GRAMMARLY for a trial period or subscribe through the various price options.  There is a seven day free trial period that allows you to try it out and see if this proofread service would really benefit you.  If you decide to subscribe, you can pay anywhere from about $11.66/month to $29.95/month depending on your payment plan.  

I think if I was someone who wrote a large number of papers or if writing was part of my job, the fee would be worth it.  But, for my small little piece of the blogging world, I didn't really feel like it was an expense that I needed right now.  If I was a teacher, a college student, or wrote book reviews and got paid for them, then I would sign up right away.  It really is a neat website and offers a great service to those of us who sometimes have to think twice about our writing skills. 

To try out GRAMMARLY, check out www.grammarly.com.

I was provided a two-week free trial period to try GRAMMARLY.  I was not compensated in any other way for this review. This review is my honest opinion. 

Product Review and GIVEAWAY - Motivated Moms 2014 Planner

UPDATE: THIS GIVEAWAY IS NO LONGER OPEN. 

THANKS TO ALL WHO ENTERED. 

THE WINNER IS MOLLY.

Are you looking to get more organized?  With the holiday season coming up, do you need to find a way to get your house and your life in order?

Click here to visit Motivated Moms. 
The best part is you don't have to wait until January!  You can get started right now.  When you purchase the 2014 MOTIVATED MOMS calendar, you get Oct-Dec 2013 FREE! Click here to visit Motivated Moms.

Last January, I reviewed MOTIVATED MOMS and her new app.  I loved having it right on my phone and could adapt it to my own needs.  See my review HERE.  Since then, I have found that I am more of a pen and paper gal.  I like having the planner in front of me and being able to add items to the list and then having the satisfaction of checking them off.

MOTIVATED MOMS is a chore planning system to help you get your house clean and your life organized including time for yourself!  You can download the calendar to your computer and print it out or purchase the app for your iPhone, iPad, iPod touch or your Android phone. The 2014 app for Apple products isn't quite ready yet, but will be soon.  Stay up to date on her website if you are wanting that one. Susan at MOTIVATED MOMS has also freshened up her look with a new logo and new colors.  Click here to visit Motivated Moms. 

You can choose several different printable layouts and with or without scheduled Bible readings.  There are half-page, full-page, black and white, or colored options as well. With the app version, you can add or delete jobs.  For example, if you don't have a pet, just remove that from the list. I like how she has even thought about those areas you forget about like cleaning the top of your refrigerator or deleting unused files in your computer hard drive.  

For $7.99 you can get the app for your Android devices.  For $8 you can get the eBook version of the 2014 planner with the rest of 2013 for Free.  It doesn't matter whether you choose the color or black and white version, half page-per-day, full-page version, or with scheduled Bible reading, each version is $8. For just about $.02/day and a little elbow grease, you can get your house and life back on track! Isn't that a great deal???? Click here to visit Motivated Moms.

Remember, if you purchase before the end of the year, you can get the rest of 2013 free so you can get started right away.  

You can also stay up-to-date on MOTIVATED MOMS by liking her Facebook page, HERE. You can also follow MOTIVATED MOMS on Twitter, HERE or Pinterest, Here. 

If you would like to WIN a FREE version of the MOTIVATED MOM eBook planner, all you have to do to win is fill in the information in the blocks below.  I will choose a winner on Friday, November 8, 2013.  I will email the winner and the winner will have 48 hours to respond or I will choose another winner.  You may only enter to win once.  

I received a free copy of the Motivated Moms planner for free in exchange for this review.  This review is my honest opinion.  I was not compensated in any other way for this review.  As an affiliate, I will receive a small fee if purchases are made through my link.  

Are You Prepared for an Emergency?

www.efoodsdirect.com

I have recently been introduced to a company whose mission is to make sure you and your family are prepared for the worst.  eFoodsDirect mission is to empower every family to have food security in case of storms, natural disasters, or even financial crises like shrinking income or the loss of a job.  Have you thought about what you would do if you were stranded in your home after a blizzard, or were without power for days, or many other what if situations you have seen in the movies?

Here in Iowa we don't have to worry about hurricanes or earthquakes, but we have had an ice storm here that knocked out power for a week to many communities.  We have had snow storms that have confined us to our homes for a day or two or even more.  If you live in a community without a grocery store like I do, you may not always have an opportunity to stock up before disaster hits.  We also live in an area with a nuclear power plant and have to be prepared to leave the area if something would happen there.

Over the past 30 years eFoodsDirect has helped people more secure and confident with their greatest dependency - food.  When a major emergency strikes, imagine your peace of mind having a convenient just-add-water-and-simmer food supply on hand.  And if a minor emergency pops up where you're simply trying to feed the kids, you'll appreciate the best-tasting, most versatile food in the world.  Their food has a shelf life of 15-20 years.  So, if you are making up your emergency tub with flashlights, batteries, water, radio, and blankets, you also should consider adding this food to your kit.

Soon, my own family will be trying out food from eFoodsDirect and letting you know what we think of them.  If you are interested in stocking up now, check out the coupons below.

Have You Checked out zulily?

I LOVE it when I get a good deal on something.  I am a coupon user and watch fliers for discounts and sales.  I also watch online sales when I get the chance.  So, trust me, when I tell you about this site.  They offer daily deals and you can really get a bargain.

Every once in awhile I click through the zulily website and find just what I am looking for....and when I do.....the best part is that it is so stinkin cheap.  By clicking this link HERE you can be connected to daily deals for moms, babies and kids.  I have gotten household items and clothing for dirt cheap.  You just might want to check it out.  Pocketbook....beware!

www.zulily.com

Product Review: Swanson Health Products and Energy Bites Recipe

During this, my 39th year, I have been trying to eat healthier and find new food items that will help me with that process.  I was contacted by SWANSON HEALTH PRODUCTS to try their products and was delighted since their products fit exactly what I am trying to do.

SWANSON HEALTH PRODUCTS has a HUGE variety of products and it took me several visits to their website figure out exactly what I wanted to try.  First of all, they offer nearly every vitamin I have ever heard of and many more that I haven't.  They offer an array of essential oils and aromatherapy items.  There are items for specific health related issues such as joints, stress, vision, and immunity.  Then there are also a variety of health food items to choose from.  This is the area I decided to focus on.

I have been drinking more tea lately and when I saw the Hibiscus Flower Tea, I knew that was something I wanted to try.  Hibiscus Flower Tea  is 100% Certified Organic.  It has a kind of berry-type flavor and is a deep burgundy color once brewed.  This tea can be enjoyed hot or cold, but I have only had it hot.  I really like this tea and it will definitely be something I will reorder.  The Hibiscus Flower Tea retails for $4.49 for a package of 20 bags.  

I like to keep snacks in the van for those days when I am out running errands, but don't want to stop for lunch or spend the money.  So, I chose Wild Berry Mix as my next item.  This organic snack mix of dry roasted almonds, pumpkin and sunflower seeds, raisins, cranberries, and wild blueberries hits the spot when you need a quick snack.  No salt has been added to any of the items and comes in a resealable package.  I appreciate that I know exactly what I am eating and it is a healthy filler.  Wild Berry Mix retails for $2.66 for a 4oz package.  

I chose the other three items so I could use them in a recipe I wanted to try.  

100% Pure White Chia Seeds  are loaded with fiber...5 grams/tablespoon!  I have added the seeds to my smoothies for that extra filling punch.  That same tablespoon also fills you with protein, calcium, and other essential fatty acids.  You can also add it to salads, soups, dips, and sauces.  100% Pure White Chia Seeds retail for $9.89 for 16 oz.  

Organic Raw Shelled Pumpkin Seeds can be enjoyed alone as a snack or in salads.  They are another great source of fiber and are grown without the use of herbicides or fertilizers.  Organic Raw Shelled Pumpkin Seeds retail for $6.49 for 12 oz resealable bag.  

Extra Virgin Coconut Oil has been getting a lot of buzz lately.  It is the health product I have been hearing the most about and decided it was time I checked it out.  Extra Virgin Coconut Oil is 100% Certified Organic and can be used in SO MANY WAYS.  It can replace oils and butters while cooking and baking, added to smoothies, used on toast, or even taken to the bathroom and used as a shaving cream, lotion, or facial wash.  Just googling Coconut Oil, you will find hundreds of uses for it.  Extra Virgin Coconut Oil retails for $6.89 for a 16 oz jar.  

My cousin Melanie shared her recipe for GOJI POWER SNACKS and now I am going to share that recipe with you using Swanson Health Products as well as items found in my grocery store.  

GOJI POWER SNACKS

10 Pitted Dates - I used Sunsweet Pitted Dates and chopped them up first
2 TBSP Swanson Organic Extra Virgin Coconut Oil
1/4 Cup Sesame Seeds - I used the entire .75 oz Tones container
1/4 Cup 100% Pure White Chia Seeds
1/4 Cup Dried Goji Berries - I used Dried Cherries
1/4 Cup Raw Shelled Pumpkin Seeds
1/2 Cup Shredded Coconut

Using your food processor, add the sesame seeds, chia seeds, and pumpkin seeds.  Process until chopped fine.  Then add coconut oil, dates, and berries.  Process until blended into a paste. 

Roll into 12 balls and then roll into the coconut.  Keep them in the fridge.

If needed, add more coconut oil to keep balls held together.  You can also add almond or peanut butter if you like.

Also, the dried cherries can be soaked in warm water to soften before processing.  

Each of the power snacks will give you a great start to your day....filling you with fiber, protein, and other amazing nutrients.  Pair these with a smoothie and you can't go wrong!  

I am completely satisfied with SWANSON HEALTH PRODUCTS and look forward to trying many more of their items as well as reordering the above items.  All the items arrived quickly and in excellent condition. 
If you LIKE SWANSON HEALTH PRODUCTS on Facebook HERE, you can get a $5 coupon towards your first order.  To follow SWANSON HEALTH PRODUCTS on Twitter, click HERE.

If you are looking to add more healthy or organic items to your diet, SWANSON HEALTH PRODUCTS is an excellent place to start!  To see all their products, check out www.SwansonVitamins.com.  


I received all the items from Swanson Health Products for free in order to facilitate my review.  This review is my honest opinion.  I was not compensated in any other way for this review.  I only review products that will benefit myself or my family.  Thanks to Swanson Health Products for this opportunity. 

Review: Chore Charts from Goalforit!

I have been checking out this new site and wanted to tell all you moms out there about it as well.

Goalforit is a great website that offers charts for goal setting, chores, and behaviors as well as a way to make lists.  You can set up a chart for each child as well as yourself.  The kids will like to click on their own personal chore chart and put a heart or a star next to their completed chore.  Each chart can be customized for each child's chores and decorated towards their own interests. 


Tween/Teen Chore Chart




Younger Child Chore Chart



 All of the charts are user-friendly and easy to set up or make changes as needed.  I also like the To Do List option for keeping track of things that I need to accomplish.  It is great for making a list of items needed to plan a trip, or big home projects, or even upcoming blogging topics!

The only downside is that you have to have the internet in order to access your personal charts.  For younger children this may take some parental help.  As always, it is important to supervise your children while they are on the internet.  It would be nice to have the option to print off the charts if you didn't want to have your children on the computer. 

To help make your kids excited about doing their chores check out goalforit and set up their very own chore chart today!  The best part is that it is FREE and SO EASY to use!  I highly recommend this website as a way to relieve some of the responsibility for handling the chores in your home.  It allows the kids to check their chart and see what needs to be done for that day!

This review is my honest opinion and I wouldn't review anything that wouldn't benefit my family.  But, you must know that I was compensated for this review.  Thanks to Goalforit for the opportunity to review their website!