2015 Holiday Gift Giving Guide - Pinhole Press Product Review

Photo gifts are a great way to give personalized presents to the ones that you love each holiday season. Whether you are creating a photo book for family members that showcase your big moments of the year, or you want to get a bit more creative, Pinhole Press has many different, unique holiday options for you to choose from.

I received a sample from Pinhole Press. I got to create a custom set of memory cards. You know the game where you flip over a bunch of cards that have pictures on them and try to remember where the match is. This is a great game for kids, so they can work on developing their memory and problem solving techniques. I got to walk through the process of creating the cards. I decided to create the set for my son, as a stocking stuffer. I choose twelve photos, including photos of all his favorite people and places. I included photos of our family and places we have gone this past year.



I was very impressed with the product that arrived at my door step. The memory cards are printed on really thick, high quality card stock. The pictures are very clear and the whole product is very well made. The cards come in their own little box as well. The memory game set starts at about $19.99 depending on the type of card you choose.



In addition to this super cute memory game, you can also choose from a variety of other photo gifts. You can make custom puzzles, decals, magnets and more. The prices at Pinhole Press are really affordable and really well made. This site makes great products that would be perfect for your entire family this holiday season.

You can find out more about Pinhole Press by visiting their website which is located at www.pinholepress.com.

Lice Guard - Product Review

We got the dreaded letter from school a couple of weeks ago that informed us there had been a few cases of lice in the school in recent days. Of course, I was horrified being the clean freak that I am. My son informed me his entire class was checked for lice and he was luckily in the clear. After I got over my initial freak out regarding the potential risk of bugs in my child's hair, I quickly started asking around and googling ways to prevent lice. I knew of some products and treatment options if the little bugs did happen to make their way into the house but I didn't know much about preventing them ahead of time, knowing they were in the school already. I came across some products from Lice Guard that not only treat lice but they also help prevent them.

I received three products to try out from Lice Guard. This includes:

Robi Comb
This is a comb designed to detect lice and destroy them using non toxic means. This comb also prevents lice and eggs. When you turn the comb on it will hum slightly. When it comes into contact with something, the humming will stop, alerting you.



Elimination Kit
The elimination kit comes with a comb as well as a special shampoo you can use on your child if they are infected with lice. Thankfully we haven't needed this product but I plan to keep it on hand in case we're ever unfortunate enough to have an issue.

Repellent Spray
This spray can be sprayed onto your child's hair before they head to school if you know there are cases of lice in the classroom. No pesticides are included in the product, like with other lice treatments. One application in the morning hours before school will last all day long and can be reapplied the next day.



Keep in mind that many products designed to treat and prevent lice are very toxic. They contain a lot of harmful and dangerous chemicals. Seeing as how we are a pretty organic and natural household, I wanted to make sure we had products on hand that were safe and non-toxic. All of these items from Lice Guard are just that.

You can find out more information by visiting www.liceguard.com. Many of these products can also be found at your local drug store or retail store. A couple of weeks have gone by and thankfully we never suspected lice on our son or in our home. For certain, I will keep these products from Lice Guard on hand for future use.

2015 Holiday Gift Giving Guide - Choose Your Own Adventure Books Product Review

My seven year old son is quite the reader and I love that about him. We are constantly looking for new books to spark his interest. I remembered the Choose Your Own Adventure Books from when I was a kid and I wanted to look into these books for the upcoming holiday season. I like to get my son toys and games and whatever else he likes for Christmas, but he always gets some books as well. I received a box set of books from Chooseco LLC, the maker of the Choose Your Own Adventure series. This box set includes the first four books of the series including:

The Abominable Snowman
Journey Under The Sea
Space and Beyond
The Lost Jewels of Nabooti

All are authored by R.A. Montgomery.

In the Choose Your Own Adventure books your child can read through the story, and as they go they get to pick the direction the book will take. This is done by flipping ahead to a certain page, based on the outcome the child chooses. This is a great way to encourage reading and it also helps spark creativity. Your child is, in essence, creating their own story.



I was amazed to see all of the titles that are now part of the Choose Your Own Adventure series. There are new releases as well. The best part is, these stories are great for both boys and girls. I see a lot of book series for the second grade and up age ranges. A lot of them are geared towards girls with stories of puppies, princesses and fairies. My son loves action and adventure so these books are going to be perfect for him.

You can find out more about the Choose Your Own Adventure series by visiting www.cyoa.com. These titles can be purchased online as well as in a variety of retail book stores. They are affordable and make perfect gifts this holiday season.

2015 Holiday Gift Giving Guide - MagnoGrip Product Review

My husband is a wonderfully handy man. By day he's a computer engineer but anytime there is something around the house that is broken or in need of sprucing up, he's right there in the thick of it. Over the years I have known him and we have owned homes together, my husband has taught himself to do plumbing work, electrical work and much more. It has saved us a lot of money over the years and I secretly think he enjoys making the repairs himself.

Something else about my husband is that he loves to continuously build up his tool chest. He's got a tool for every job and plenty of gadgets that make the job easier. I recently received some samples from MagnoGrip and they were perfect for a handy guy like my hubby. MagnoGrip items are magnetic accessories that can be used on the job. There are gloves and other products that can keep nails, screws and more attached and ready to go when needed.

Gloves
We received a pair of the magnetic gloves to try out. These gloves from MagnoGrip are designed to serve as work gloves, but they have magnetic points in them so you can easily pick up metal fasteners of some sort or have them ready to go when you are completing a job. My husband reported back to me that the gloves are very high quality and serve as a good pair of gloves, while adding a really convenient feature to them.



Wristband
The magnetic wristbands from MagnoGrip are designed to be worn comfortably around the wrist. If you are constructing something or finishing a job, you can put the hardware of your choice on the wristband rather than having it in your pocket or even worse, in your mouth.



Magnetic Pouch
For those more involved jobs, you can hook a MagnoGrip magnetic pouch to your belt and have everything you need right at your convenience. You can also attach hardware to the outside of the pouch right where you need it.



All of the MagnoGrip products are very affordable. They make the perfect gift for the handy man in your life. You can find out more by visiting www.magnogrip.com.

2015 Holiday Gift Giving Guide - Multi Flask Product Review

I'm a bit proponent of drinking enough water throughout the day. In our home, water is our main beverage of choice. We only keep soda in the house for people who come over and want it. None of us like it. My husband and I are not coffee drinkers though I will drink tea on occasion. It can get boring to constantly be drinking plain old water, though we know its what's best for us. I came across the Multi Flask hydration system and thought it was a really great way to hydrate throughout the day without drinking sugary beverages or consuming dangerous artificial sweeteners. I received a sample of the Multi Flask and it really is the perfect item for yourself or as a gift this holiday season, for someone you know that is health conscious.

The Multi Flask system comes with a variety of parts. When you purchase the starter kit you receive the pieces that all go together. If anything wears or becomes damaged, you can replace the pieces as needed.

The Tritan outer shell is the main shell of the Multi Flask. You can put other interior containers inside but this is what protects everything and holds your beverage. This is a safe polymer that is tough enough to make it through your work day and workouts. With a 22 ounce capacity, this is the perfect bottle for on the go use.

The Tritan inner shell can be placed inside of the outer shell and you can fill it with hot or cold drinks. A 13 ounce capacity comes with this piece.
The glass inner portion of the Multi Flask is my favorite because its non toxic and it is kept safe when you insert it into the Tritan outer shell thanks to a silicone bumper. You can use this piece for both hot or cold beverages. The glass insert has a capacity of 11 ounces.

The tea strainer is a nice addition to the Multi Flask. You can use whole tea leafs to create a hot or cold beverage that does not require a separate mug or product.

The fruit infuser allows you to throw fruits and vegetables into your water for a delicious and unique beverage option. You can add lemon slices, cucumber slices, berries, watermelon and so much more. The combinations are endless. This product keeps your fruit and veggies contained so you don't have to worry about coming into contact with them every time you take a sip. 

Other items include a sipper lid that is perfect for your hot beverages. The other option is a sports lid which I prefer for cold beverages. Colored bands can help you identify your bottle or remind you what you are drinking. 

The Multi Flask system is dishwasher safe and everything fits together nicely for a compact product. If you are someone who wants to incorporate more water into your day but gets tired of plain water, the Multi Flask might be the perfect product for you. This is also a great gift this holiday season if you know someone who is trying to lose weight, someone who works out or someone who is very nutrition-conscious.

For more information on the Multi Flask you can visit their website which is located at www.multiflasking.com.

2015 Holiday Gift Giving Guide - CanvasPop - Review and Giveaway!

In my last blog post I was talking about our basement hallway and how I wanted to spruce things up a bit. My husband and I worked quite hard to create such usable space in our basement and I wanted to make sure we were showcasing it like an extension of our upstairs and the rest of our home. I recently received a sample photo canvas print from CanvasPop and I used this as an addition to our walls downstairs in our hallway. For this print I decided to stick with the professional beach photos we have showcased in the hallway so they would all tie in together. I picked a really cute shot of my son running down the beach with his back to the camera. I love the colors in the photo and I love how he's basically suspended in the air as he runs along. I remember the moment fondly and I wanted a print of this image.

The Canvas

The product itself is really great. The photo is very clear on the canvas and the colors are beautiful. The final image turned out exactly how I would have hoped. The canvas is on a wood frame and there was a hanging wire on the back which was great. I noticed other brands don't always include something on the back where you can hang the canvas from. Also included were two different hooks and nails. I was able to hang up our new canvas in under a minute thanks to everything being right there and ready. Actually, it took me longer to find a hammer in my husband's workshop than it did to hang up the canvas. Sorry hunny!

The Website

CanvasPop has a website that is easy to navigate and easy to use. I submitted my image through email during the process of receiving my sample but I did move through the website and you'll find the ordering process very simple. Also, I received a proof of my print by email before it was made so this gave me a final opportunity to change the image and whatnot. 

Packaging

The canvas arrived packaged in bubble wrap and in a sturdy box. There was no damage to the product and it was very well protected. You would expect this from an expensive product but you would be surprised that many companies often slack on their packaging. This is not the case with CanvasPop photo canvas prints.

Placement

This canvas got added to the hallway on its own wall. In the photos you can see the difference between a thick canvas and thin canvas. They both have their pros and cons depending on how you are using the product and you can choose your thickness on CanvasPop.com. 

Pricing

I like CanvasPop because they are extremely affordable. If I was going to order a canvas print like this I could find decent prices on a site like Walmart.com but honestly, I wouldn't trust their process. CanvasPop has a number of products, at a variety of price points. You even get a 100% love it for life guarantee. You can pay as much or as little as you want. You can also choose the depth of the canvas depending on how much you want to spend.

CanvasPop has one of the best customer service departments I have ever dealt with and they are gracious enough to offer one of my lucky readers a free 16'x24" canvas print with a 0.75" wrap. The product will be shipped for free to the winner as well. You can simply click on the link below and you will be taken to the contest page. This contest is being run directly from CanvasPop and they will contact the winner in seven days when the contest is over. I can't wait to see who wins! 

http://www.canvaspop.com/contest/win/Zd6PR/

Also, if you would like to purchase a print of your own, you can enjoy a 35% off discount by using the coupon code: AROZANSKI35 . 

Happy shopping and happy gift giving this holiday season! 

2015 Holiday Gift Giving Guide - Canvas On Demand - Product Review

I love when I go to a friend's house and they have those adorable canvas photo prints hanging up. It's such a beautiful way to display family photos without having to have a frame hung up. These canvas prints work really well as part of a wall of canvas photos or they look great alone as one single print. I recently had the opportunity to receive two canvas prints from Canvas On Demand and I was so excited to try this service out!

Choosing Photos
I knew I was going to receive two canvas prints approximately 16 x 20 in size. I sat down at my computer one morning in the anticipation of choosing two photos that I would wanted printed on canvas. Forty-five minutes later I was stumped! We have so many beautiful family photos! I decided to settle on two of the images we had taken a couple of years ago by our professional photographer friend. We love the images and already have many of them throughout the home. I knew that the image quality was going to make for some wonderful prints. You can choose your everyday photos from your phone or camera though. My only recommendation would be is that you order a size that works well with the photo resolution you have. Canvas On Demand chose our sizes for us and they worked out perfectly.

The Order Process
After sending over our two images the process began. The website is really easy to use, though I worked directly by email with the company. You will be able to view your product and change your images as you see fit. You can order from a variety of sizes and you can choose the sides of your canvas. We have photo wrap but you can also get white or black on the sides if you would prefer not the extend the photo. I received an email when the product was in the process of being made and I received tracking information very quickly.

Shipment
The product arrived to my home in a very short amount of time after the initial process began. I was impressed with the shipment. Each canvas was wrapped and then framed in cardboard in a larger box. The products were very protected.

Cost
The total price for our order retails at about $235. This may sound expensive, but I can understand the price. You can order cheaper prints at chain retail stores but the quality isn't going to be anywhere near what I received as samples. These canvases are extremely thick and so clear. The photos actually look like they are painted on by hand. They're gorgeous. You can choose from a variety of quality canvases and sizes if you want to keep things more affordable.

Placement
We have a completely finished basement that has this long hallway in the middle of it that leads to various rooms like a gym area and a bonus family room / play room. The hallway, for the most part, is pretty simple and empty. We have a couple of cabinets down there and the floors are this gorgeous laminate but something was needed on the walls. I had a couple of frames hung up on the walls but I wanted to try these canvases out on the walls in the hallway and let them be the focal point. I absolutely love how they turned out. These products are exactly what we needed down there.

For more information on how you can purchase your own Canvas On Demand products you can visit their website at www.canvasondemand.com. The website often runs discount codes. For example, today there is a thirty-percent off code running for all purchases. These are great additions to your home and they would be wonderful Christmas gifts for family members as well.

Stay tuned for another canvas print review next week for CanvasPop prints!

Bellabeat Leaf- Product Review

I admit, it took me some time to jump on the bandwagon with all of the new technology that was out there. I prefer the simpler times so I resist things like tablets, smartphones, etc. A few months ago I decided to take the plunge though, and I now have a smartphone. Way behind everyone else, I know, but I have one. The apps are convenient and I have started using a few tools to make my life a little simpler. There are a number of products being created that can be used with your smartphone and computer, that allows you to track certain things like your activity levels, calories burned during workouts, heart rate, etc. Bellabeat recently released a product called Leaf and it can be used to monitor breathing, quality of sleep, menstrual cycles and much more. I received a Leaf from Bellabeat to try out and here is my experience with it thus far.

About Leaf
This is basically smart jewelry that can be worn and it will sync up with your phone to track a number of data items. A small, silver leaf is clipped onto your waistband, your shirt or it can be worn with the accessories provided as a necklace or bracelet. It's attractive which is nice, and very different from some of the other fitness accessories being sold right now.

The app is very easy to install and it is free. I installed the app and within about two minutes I had my Leaf synced to the app. All it took was two taps of the Leaf. From there you can enter in your birth date, weight, height, etc. and this will help tailor your experience with Leaf.

Breathing
Leaf will monitor your breathing for you and will alert you if you are breathing incorrectly. This is a great way to reduce your stress and ensure that your body is not reacting poorly to outside stresses. There are a number of breathing exercises on the Leaf app that you can use along with your smart jewelry.

Sleep
This is the only feature I wasn't thrilled with regarding the Leaf but if you have sleep concerns, I'm sure this isn't an issue for you. I didn't want to wear the product to bed at night, but that being said, you don't have to. I did enter my sleep hours into the app though.

Activity
You can use Leaf to monitor the amount of steps you take and the amount of physical activity that you are getting. If you want to stay active throughout the day, you can have Leaf set to vibrate when you have been inactive for a certain amount of time.

Menstrual Cycle
Log in your information regarding your period and you will be able to better understand your cycle. You will also receive a notification when you are approaching the date of your expected period. This can also help you with ovulation, etc.

You can also enjoy a wake up alarm, a medication reminder alarm and so much more. Basically, Bellabeat has designed the Leaf to provide you with as much or as little assistance as you want to feel better and become healthier. This is a great tool to embrace a healthier lifestyle and get to know your body better.

For more information on Bellabeat and their products, including the Leaf, you can visit www.bellabeat.com.

Moo Business Cards - Product Review

When you work from home and you are your own boss it is really important to market yourself well. Otherwise, you won't have any work. What I've learned as a freelance writer and editor is that more often than not, the work is not going to come find me. I have to look around and market myself to brands or companies that I feel are in need of my services. A great item to have on hand when you meet people in person is a business card that has your basic information on it. You don't need much more than your name, email address and website address on your business card, but it should be a high quality business card and it should be clear to read.

I recently received the opportunity to design some business cards for myself using the MOO.com website. MOO has high quality, luxury business card products that are much nicer than other brands I have seen before. The quality of the card is awesome; the paper is super thick and the text is nice and clear.

I also loved how easy the design tool is to use on the MOO.com website. You can easily click on the areas of the chosen card that you want to fill out, you can pick from text options, sizes and colors and you can switch between layouts to experiment with what you want. You can include photos, icons, etc. The background color is up to you and there is a front and back to each card. Once you are done designing your card you're all set. You simply confirm all the text is correct and your cards arrive in no time.

For anyone who is looking to spread their contact information to potential clients, MOO.com is a great place to start. You can obtain business cards at a very affordable price and reorder whenever needed. I love the little extra mile MOO goes to. The cards come in a nice little carrying case that is convenient to carry your cards around in.

For more information you can visit www.moo.com. Choose from a preset template or design your own card from scratch. 

Glutino - Product Review

In my opinion, Glutino has some of the best gluten free products around. Not only that, but they have one of the best blogger programs out there! I've been lucky enough to receive many free samples from the company and I've gotten to try out a lot of really tasty gluten free products over the past couple of years that I have been avoiding gluten. My recent package from Glutino had some really great products in it that I'd love to share with you!

Cinnamon Raisin Bread
If you have eaten gluten free for any length of time then you know how difficult it can be to find a good quality, tasty GF bread. Glutino truly has 'bread' products that are so much better than all other brands. For awhile now, theirs are the only ones I'll eat. The cinnamon raisin bread is super good. Its light, airy, and it makes a great french toast. Just sweet enough with tons of raisins.

Blueberry Toaster Pastry
So much better than that gluten-filled Poptarts brand! They have a super tasty filling and the pastry doesn't taste or feel gluten free at all. A much demanded treat in my house!

Fudge Pretzels
Gluten free pretzels covered in a fudge coating that is so much better than just a traditional chocolate. Decadent and delicious!

Salted Caramel Pretzels
Gluten free pretzels with a sweet caramel coating, but just a little hint of saltiness.

Yankee Cornbread Mix
A gluten free cornbread mix; I mixed it together, popped it into the waffle iron and made cornbread waffles. Warm up some chili and top the waffles with the chili and your favorite gluten free toppings. Thank you pinterest!

For more information on Glutino or any of their gluten free products, you can visit their website at www.glutino.com. Their products are available online as well as in many retail stores.

Glow Bug Cloth Diapers - Product Review

Cloth diapers are just so cute and not only that but they are environmentally friendly. Think of all the diapers that would stay out of landfills all over the world if more people made the switch to cloth! Glow Bug Cloth Diapers are made in their very own facility in China, by employees who are paid fair wages and work in optimal conditions. These highly skilled professionals churn out an awesome product that is soft, cute and functional. Made of polyester for maximum durability, softness and performance, Glow Bug Cloth Diapers are affordable. You won't be able to keep yourself from buying more!

There are a couple of different inserts that you can buy from Glow Bug for your cloth diapers. One is microfiber and is a blend of 70% polyester and 30% nylon. Bamboo inserts are also available and are made up of 2 layers of a bamboo, cotton, polyester blend with one layer of microfiber. You can research both of these options to decide which one would work best for your baby or you can get a few of each to try them out.

There are a number of different prints and color options available from Glow Bug Cloth Diapers. You are guaranteed to get your shipment in 2 to 5 business days after you place your order, otherwise a free diaper will be included in your shipment. Available both online and in retail stores, Glow Bug provides a wonderful, safe and eco-friendly diaper option for your baby. Glow Bug diapers are sold in large quantities, so you can purchase your stash all at once. There are options available online however, so you can trade or purchase smaller quantities.

For more information you can visit www.glowbugclothdiapers.com.

Bright Star Kids - Product Review

Every year at the beginning of the school year we have to label a whole ton of items and send them in to the classroom. Not to mention, throughout the year there are tons of other things to label like books from home that need to be taken into school but need to find their way back home, water bottles, mouth guards, and the list goes on and on. It can be plain and boring to whip out the old permanent marker and label things by hand, which is why I was so excited to receive our pack of personalized labels from Bright Star Kids!

At Bright Star Kids the process of ordering labels is really very simple. You type in the name and any other information you might want included (phone number, address). Then you can pick your colors, any additional icon you might want included and you can choose what sizes and shapes you want for your labels. We received a pack of Bright Star Kids' labels personalized with my son's names. I love them because the stickers are high quality, but they come in a ton of different sizes and types. Typically, labels we receive are one sheet with all of the same label. You can order this from Bright Star Kids or you can choose a pack with different sizes. This is perfect if you are going to be getting ready for back to school and have to label a variety of different products. You can even get labels that are skinny and small enough to fit on a pencil or marker!

The Bright Star Kids labels are durable and you can even get iron on labels to iron into uniforms, backpacks and much more! The prices are really affordable no matter how few or how many labels you want to purchase. For more information you can visit www.brightstarkids.com.au. Happy shopping!