Rave & Review

Loving the Digital Life with AT&T {Home Depot gift card giveaway}

I lead a very digital life.  With smartphones, internet connectivity everywhere I go, and even cameras that can email me and automatically backup pictures, I thought I had fully embraced new technology in just about everything I do. 

Or, at least I did until I took a visit to the AT&T Digital Life House last month when they showed me what the house of the future really looks like.  No, there’s no talking robots or time travel pods, but what it lacks in sci-fi, it makes up for in super cool cutting edge technology.

Let me tell you, one afternoon in the Digital Life House and all of a sudden my house seemed so... vintage.  And, not the good kind of vintage.  My house doesn’t know when I’m up for the day, it can’t tell me if there’s a water leak, and I certainly can’t control my table lamps, fans, or thermostat from my cell phone.

If you’ve been following along with my AT&T posts, you now know that they do far more than cellphones these days.  From fitness gadgets to phablets to smarter ways to get into the digital age, they truly are a one stop shop for all your tech needs.  And, now that I’ve seen the Digital Life House, my tech needs are becoming quite the wishlist.

First up on my wishlist is AT&T’s video package that can show you what’s going on indoors and outdoors at all times.  While I do have a few cameras situated throughout my house for emergencies, I never really realized the potential for digitally monitoring until I saw how the Digital Life House was set up.  Aside from the obvious protection against intruders, the right camera can do amazing things these days including monitoring for packages, seeing when the cleaning lady {hahaha} is coming and going, and most practical for me, catching the neighbor kid BEFORE he rings the bell during nap time… again… 

But, there’s even more cool ways you can go digital with the addition of AT&T’s door package so you can see what doors open throughout the day, check to make sure your house is secure, and even let someone in when you’re not there.  Once I have teenagers, the door package is going to be a must so I can see when they get home… and make sure they are not sneaking out like all of my friends were famous for {shhhh, don’t tell my daughter that part}.

Add in the energy package that lets you control outlets, appliances, and more using just your smartphone, tablet, or PC and the water package that alerts you to water leaks before it becomes a problem and you’ve got a fully digital house.

One of the coolest features of all though, is the ability to program sequences of events.  What fun would all these controls be if they were simply manually activated?  With AT&T Digital Life you can program one event to automatically trigger a bunch of responses.  So you can set the system so that whenever you open the front door with your code it can set the thermostat to your preference, turn on any lights you choose or any other appliances you may have plugged into the system.

I, for one, was very impressed by how seamless the technology was in the Digital Life House.  It didn’t feel clunky or feel prototype-y like other new home technology I’ve seen where the people showcasing the product do more troubleshooting than actual explaining how the system works, and it was all integrated in a very natural way that didn’t feel cold or uninviting to a guest.

Want to know how to get your own Digital Life plan from AT&T to make your house as cool as the one I visited?  Each of these options I listed above are part of AT&T’s Smart Security monthly plans that start at $39.99 and go up from there depending on what kinds of options you decide on {i.e. door, energy, camera, water protection add-ons}. 

But, in addition to the plan that lets you add all the bells and whistles, they also have a basic plan for $29.99 a month.  It’s very similar to a typical security system that alerts you to doors and windows opening but the basic plan even includes a little keychain remote for on-the-go remote control.  It may not go thru your smartphone, but it’s still a pretty cool option for those who want basic security.     

Want to know more about how these programs work... aaaaand make your pet talk?  Check out this interactive Facebook app that can make your pet talk.  No joke.

And, then when you finish making Fido say all sorts of funny things, you can read more about AT&T Digital Life and see all the ways you can integrate it into your routine. 

How would you like to win a $25 Home Depot gift card to get you started on a project around the house this summer?

To Enter: comment below with what in your life you would like to automate

And, as always, there are extra entries available! {Please leave a separate comment for each completed}

2 Extra Entries - Post on your Facebook wall about this awesome Home Depot gift card giveaway {http://www.raveandreview.com/2013/06/loving-the-digital-life-with-att-home-depot-gift-card-giveaway.html} with extra credit if you tag Rave & Review

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On June 30th at 11:59pm PST a winner will be drawn, announced here and notified via email. Winner will have 24 hours to contact me or a new winner will be chosen. Open to US only, 18+ 

A big thank you to AT&T for providing a giveaway to our fabulous readers.  As always, all opinions are 100% ours.

Secure your TV with SANUS {tilting TV wall mount giveaway}

I’m sure everyone out there has read the horrifying stories about little kids climbing furniture and pulling it down on themselves, but I’ve got one more for you.  About ten years ago, my little niece climbed the drawers on a dresser in her older brother’s room to change the channel on his TV.  Since the TV perched on top already made it top-heavy, the addition of a 35+ pound child was too much and the entire dresser tipped forward onto her, along with the heavy TV.

Unlike all the stories you read online, her injuries weren’t too serious and she just had a gash above one eye.  She was rushed to the ER to treat the gash and to evaluate her bumps and bruises, but ultimately, she got to come home with us that night.  We were incredibly lucky, and I’m happy to say that my niece is a beautiful, talented, and articulate teenager who I am absolutely positive will go on to do wonderful things.  Anyone who knows her well is nodding in agreement, because she really is that amazing.   

Other families aren’t so lucky and one tipped TV causes a lifetime of pain and “what ifs” for many.  Please don’t let that happen to you.  Secure your big {and little} pieces of furniture, make furniture un-climbable by removing shelves and drawers that might be tempting for young kids, and by all means, SECURE YOUR TVs, people! 

Notice how flat screens are increasing in size these days while getting thinner and thinner?  These two factors make it easier than ever to topple off furniture and cause injury or even death.

Your flat screen may look harmless enough, but even a smaller screen could do some horrible damage if dropped on a little one.  This definitely falls under the category of times it’s better to be safe than sorry, and I’m urging everyone to go home and look at their TVs {no, really look at them… imagine a ball bouncing at them, a child trying to change the channel, or a simple bump of the entertainment center} to see if there’s any way possible your TV could fall.  If the answer is yes, please do everything you can to keep your family safe and secure it today.   

So, how can you secure your TV?  You can get a SANUS mount and secure your TV right to the wall – either above the entertainment center or above the fireplace in a TV nook.  And, even better than just offering a safe and secure solution to the tip-able and dangerous stand-alone TV, the SANUS mounts actually make your TV viewing even more enjoyable.  By allowing you to take that TV that used to just sit there and tilt it and/or turn it just how you’d like to avoid glare, aim it at the couch, or make it easier to watch throughout the room whenever you would like. 

And, now SANUS, the leading designer and manufacturer of flat panel TV wall mounts, has partnered with Safe Kids Worldwide to educate consumers of the risk of unsecured flat panel TVs.  The statistics are really frightening.  A 2011 US Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) report on flat panel TV safety revealed that TV tip overs are responsible for a child's death every 3 week, an ER visit every 45 minutes, and over the last 10 years injuries have increasde by 31%.

If that's not enough to scare you, check out this video by Safe Kids Worldwide and find out more at SafeKids.org and TVsafety.org.  Frightening, right?  You might want to check out these tips from SafeKids.org on more ways to keep kids safe from furniture and TV tip-overs.

How would you like to win a complimentary flat panel SANUS TV tilting mount that fits your TV?

To Enter: watch the embedded video above and comment about something you learned

And, as always, there are extra entries available! {Please leave a separate comment for each completed}

2 Extra Entries - Post on your Facebook wall about this awesome Sanus tilting TV mount giveaway {http://www.raveandreview.com/2013/06/secure-your-tv-with-sanus-tilting-tv-wall-mount-giveaway.html} with extra credit if you tag Rave & Review

1 Extra Entry {per method} - Follow Rave & Review! Subscribe by RSS feed, Subscribe by email, follow on Pinterest, become a fan of R&R on Facebook or add R&R to your blogroll or sidebar.

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1 Extra Entry - Comment love on any post, just leave a comment here as well.

On July 5th at 11:59pm PST a winner will be drawn, announced here and notified via email. Winner will have 24 hours to contact me or a new winner will be chosen. Open to US only, 18+ 

A big thank you to SANUS for providing a giveaway to our fabulous readers as well as a complimentary mount for a member of our team.  As always, all opinions are 100% ours.  Installation is not included, winner will be responsible for installing your mount. 

Ready, Set, GLOW! with our Glidden Disney paint makeover

When we finally moved my son to his own room, it was a big blank beige box and I wasn’t quite sure what I wanted to do to really make it his.  Ideally, it would be something fun that really reflects who he is, but also something more mature that he can grow into so we won’t have to redecorate every few years. 

We ended up deciding on a “vintage world traveler” room and it really couldn’t fit our train/car/bus enthusiast any better.  With maps, compasses, airplanes, trains, cars, and vintage suitcases to complete the look, I thought we were done decorating… but then I was introduced to Disney paint from Glidden. 

When I heard that I was getting a chance to review these special paints {they come in glitter, metallic, and more} that are available at Walmart, I was thrilled.  And, then I heard that Glidden makes a glow in the dark paint, and I was beyond excited.  All of a sudden, I had a whole new vision for the room.

I called in Kerri, AKA The Maven of Social Media, and we went on a mission to find the Glidden Disney Ready Set GLOW paint together at a local Walmart.  At first, we thought the paint was gone and we were ready to try another store, but we searched all the rows of paint cans one by one and found one way in the back that was just hidden on the shelf.  SCORE! 

Then, because I had a brilliant idea of some décor I wanted to add to his room, we went into the toy section and found some Toy Story figures and goodies that would make his room amazing.  And, how could these not look amazing in a little boy's room? 
Once we were through shopping, I couldn’t wait to get started.  I called in my niece for the afternoon and we made a plan of how we could make the room transformation.  Really, there was no question what we were planning to do as soon as she saw the supplies: we were making a Buzz Lightyear themed room.   

You see, I have always wanted a glow in the dark galaxy on my ceiling and I knew this was the perfect chance to make it a reality.  Add in a Disney twist that my son would love, and I knew this was the perfect theme for our little guy that would also grow with him. 

When you think glow in the dark stars, what do you think?  Stickers?  When I was young, I had the awful stick-on glow in the dark stars I’m sure you’re familiar with, but they never really satisfied my desire for a pseudo night sky that I could watch while I drifted off to sleep.  I knew that with a little bit of work I would be able to create that beautiful night sky I always dreamed of and make my son’s room arguably the coolest in the house. 

But, being that his room is full of real maps, nautical charts, and vintage treasures, I wasn’t content to just splash some glow in the dark paint up on the ceiling and call it good.  Nope, I wanted it to be as astronomically correct as possible.  In fact, I wanted it to be something that the kiddos could learn from and have his room be the way I will teach them all the constellations we can see outside at night. 

As daunting of a task as I thought it might be to create a night sky as accurately as possible with paint, I was bound and determined to make it happen.  We started by using an iPhone app that shows your position in relation to the stars so that when you turn the phone you can see precisely where the constellations are in the night sky. 

By using the app and a night sky field guide, we were able to mark the major constellations we wanted to feature using tiny bits of tape so that we could see them as we painted around them.  Once the star groupings were as we wanted, we started filling in the major stars around them pretty liberally.  Using dabs of paint that ranged between that of a pencil eraser all the way to ones the size of the tip of a ball point pen, we designated the brightest stars in the sky and fainter ones. 

Tip: It helps to periodically turn the lights off while you’re painting with glow in the dark paint so you can really get a feel for the room, but since we were painting in the early afternoon, we still had way too much light coming through the window to see the tiny stars we were painting.  To compensate, we threw some darkening shades up for the time being and then we could see a little bit better.  If we had been able to, it might have been better to do the painting at night instead when you can really see what you’re doing. 

After we finished with the fainter stars in the sky, we were ready to peel the tape and make much larger dabs to designate the constellations properly {we used an asterisk design to designate these stars and make them more prominent than the other non-constellation formations}.  Tip: We found the process of peeling tape and painting was easiest if you only peel half of the tape off and make your paint mark, otherwise your eyes kind of go cross-eyed trying to find the exact spot the tape used to be.  

Once the constellations were finished, the room was complete.  Since the paint was only on the ceiling and out of reach and since the paint has no fumes, we were able to put our son down to bed as soon as the room was finished.  And, his reaction when he saw his galaxy was priceless. 

Almost as good was his reaction when he saw his new friends who had come to stay in his room as part of his “Buzz and Woody Movie” room makeover.  I even painted him a little surprise in a constellation-esque message.  The message is a little hard to capture on film as it’s really meant to be viewed with the naked eye, but hopefully it translates well.

Can you read what it says? 

Points if you guessed “to infinity and beyond”, which is Buzz’s catch phrase in the movie.  I thought this would be a good message to my son that literally says the sky is the limit in the goals in which he sets for himself.  And, if the message from mom isn’t “cool” in a decade or two, it’s tiny enough that a small poster {or map} would hide it nicely and it won’t be too embarrassing at sleepovers. 

But, for the next few years, I think it ties in nicely with his new Toy Story decorations.  We're really just missing a Buzz Lightyear figure {all of our local stores were out of Buzz} and our Toy Story room will be complete.  Oh, and, amazing, if I do say so myself.   

Since we were so proud of the Ready Set GLOW makeover, we decided to have some friends over to see the room reveal.  It really is amazing how we took a plain blue room and made it something truly special with a tiny bit of paint in just over an hour, and I was excited to show it off with some Buzz and Woody themed games, prizes and giveaways.

We set up a prize and favors station by the food.

A bounce station with the words "to infinity and beyond" written in chalk on the trampoline surface.

A bubble station.

And, most importantly, a glow station {we used a window-less closet I had painted with stars since it was still so light outside.  This way guests could get a real feel for what the room looks like in pitch black}. 

In the glow station the kids had glow sticks and glow masks we picked up during our Walmart trip that they played with under the cover of the starry sky.  Obviously, the glow station was the coolest.  The three younger girls didn't want to leave the closet all afternoon and they kept runnning in and out with the Toy Story characters.

We had such an overwhelming reaction to the room makeover that we’re now planning on painting even more ceilings with the Ready Set GLOW paint over the next few months.  Since my daughter is super jealous of her brother’s galaxy, we’re going to start in her room next and then move on to our niece’s and nephew’s rooms and then help our friends and neighbors do it in their son’s room as well.  And, one lucky guest at our party got to go home with a Walmart gift card so they could buy some Glidden Disney paint and try it out for themselves! 

Want to try out one of the many Disney Glidden Paints?  They have many themes available that are adorable if you are starting from scratch decorating as well as adding supplemental paints like we did to make a room really stand out!  Find out more at DisneyPaint.com

Compensation and products for review were provided by Glidden.  The opinions expressed herein are those of the author and are not indicative of the opinions of Glidden.

DIY Easter Terrarium with ProFlowers {Review & Coupon Code}

I got hooked on terrariums when I was given a small present from Twig at BlogHer in 2011.  Since then I have been dying to learn how to make one on my own but didn’t even know where to start.  It turns out I didn’t have to look far, because ProFlowers has their own DIY terrarium kit that comes with everything you need to get started.  Awesome, right?

As soon as I saw the Going for a Ride Moss Terrarium on the ProFlowers site, I knew I had to have it.  The picket fence, the bike, the reindeer moss – I loved it all!  But, as much as I simply adored the items included in the kit, I had even greater plans for the terrarium and began to collect fun spring-themed goodies to make myself a scene that would be perfect as an Easter centerpiece. 

Thank goodness the DIY terrarium kit shipped super fast and I only had to wait 1 day before it was delivered right to my door.  I was so excited to dig right in {literally}, that I had the whole kit together within 20 minutes of receiving the package – and that’s including the time it took to photograph each step!

Thankfully, the included step by step instructions made creating a little terrarium world seem as easy as cooking from a box.  Each step was clearly written out and easy to understand, and everything coordinated with the clearly labeled individual bags of supplies, making it simple to put together quickly and easily. 

For those of you worried about mess, you will be happy to note that the kit is actually really well packed and easy to dump directly into the glass container without much spilling or requiring a bunch of extra supplies {other than a small dish with water}.  This made it easy to whip out during naptime without worrying about little hands spreading charcoal and mossy layers throughout the house. 

But, because I knew they would adore putting the kit together as well, I saved the fun part for them to help with – the decorating.  Once they were awake, we placed the red bicycle on the grassy knoll I created using the different types of moss and added some special rocks they had collected, including a special one that said "LOVE" and then sat back and admired our creation. 

But, then we decided it wasn’t spring-y enough for our tastes, so we added some Easter ornaments we already had, complete with flowers in the bike baskets and hearts and glitter.   My plan is to add some mini Easter eggs on the day of, as well as a special little bunny right by the love rock for a real Easter feel. 

After having the terrarium displayed for the past few weeks, I love it more and more every time I see it.  I love the Easter accessories we added in the glass container, but I’m also really looking forward to decorating it for each season. 

I’m thinking of getting some mini train people and making my own small kites they can fly, maybe some fake balloons for my daughter’s birthday, and then adding some fake autumn leaves in the fall, white moss for winter, etc.  I will love looking at the lush green moss even when all my houseplants shrivel up, and it will be nice to have around during the freezing temps as a little bit of summer right on my tabletop.   

If you are looking at creating your own DIY terrarium you can decorate and enjoy, you should definitely check out ProFlowers and get started without going from garden store to garden store gathering supplies.  Making our little Easter world was incredibly easy, mostly mess free, and most of all, a fun activity to remind us spring is on the way. 

And, now you can get this awesome terrarium and many other Easter decorations at 20%-50% off, with free shipping, or as a BOGO50% using these ProFlowers coupon codes. 

A big thank you to ProFlowers for sending the DIY terrarium kit to facilitate this review. As always, all opinions are 100% ours.

My Wonderful Walls: Forest Friends Wall Mural Stencil Kit {Review, Discount & Giveaway}

When I was pregnant with my daughter, I was insistent that we finish the nursery before she arrived.  I spent hours moving around furniture, planning the décor, and finally, painting a mural in her room with my sister.  Unfortunately, my daughter arrived over 3 weeks early and we barely had time to get the mural started before my sister had to leave for Spain a few weeks later. 

When she returned from Spain 8 months later, I had a 9 month old and our creative time was very limited, so we never actually fully finished the forest mural we had intended and instead had more of a bare landscape with two large trees.  And, while it was beautiful, it always looked like it wasn’t quite finished. 

I had always pictured forest animals frolicking under the trees, birds soaring through the skies, and cattails swaying in the breeze, and was hoping to one day make that happen.  But, with two little ones under 4, I’m sure you can imagine how much time I have for painting murals, so I was thrilled to find out My Wonderful Walls was going to give me the push I needed to make my finished wall mural a reality. 

With their easy wall mural stencil kits, you can simply stick, paint, and then reuse their self-adhesive stencils over and over again to create beautiful murals quickly and easily.  Since all that’s left in our mural are the details, I knew the My Wonderful Walls was the perfect solution to finishing the room up before my daughter moves out for college in 15 years. 

After perusing all the many stencil kits, I finally decided on the Forest Friends Wall Mural Stencil Kit from My Wonderful Walls.  Not only did it have all the animals and details I had been hoping to add to our mural, it also had many more I hadn’t even thought of, but was excited to add to the room.  Just look at all these adorable animals and more that could make our mural amazing: 

After I chose the perfect stencil kit, I was really thrilled to see that they offered paint options as well so you can order literally everything you need right from the site.  As someone who has done numerous murals before, I always feel like we’re missing vital colors when it’s time to paint, so I love that you can order all the various shades and hues with one easy click and know you have everything you need ahead of time.  After taking a day to decide between the girl colors or the boy colors in my daughter’s room, we finally chose the girl paints and I placed my order.

Once the kit arrived, I couldn’t wait to get started.  The only hangup was that we are currently moving our daughter to her first “real” bed and getting her mattress off the floor, and I didn’t want all my hard work hidden behind the big four poster bed frame we are restoring, so I decided I would start on her opposite wall instead where her smaller tree is located.  Since this area is in between the door and the closet it’s a nice open spot that I know won’t get covered in furniture, so I decided this would be where many of the forest friends lived on her wall so they would be visible.  

I quickly looked over the kit instructions, selected a stencil I loved, and merely stuck it to the wall, paying close attention that all the edges were firmly pressed down so paint wouldn’t sneak underneath.  Since our walls are textured, I was worried the self-adhesive stencils wouldn’t stick that well, but was pleasantly surprised.  Once I was sure it was stuck down good, all that was left was the fun part – painting!

And, that’s where My Wonderful Walls truly thought of everything.  Everyone knows that the character of a painted animal lies almost entirely in the eyes, but in most stencils, you are left filling in all the details blindly, positioning the eyes where you think they look best and then just going for it, but with My Wonderful Walls, they even made this process as simple as possible with their special transfer paper that you merely trace onto your walls so you get the eyes exactly as they were intended.

Once you get all the details exactly as you want, you simply lift off the stencil and then you can reuse that again and again around the room, helping to make quick work of any mural.  And, again, as someone who paints murals for others, I really appreciate how much time and energy this saved me as I didn’t have to dream up each character in her forest and then research pictures online, draw it out on the wall, and then start painting – it was just as simple as sticking the adhesive and painting. 

In just a few short hours, we went from bland to magical and I had forest friends hiding around the base of our tree and playing in the meadows around the door.  Side note: this set actually comes with a tree so even if you have zero artistic ability, you can still create an amazing mural that you can be proud of.  Since I was using an existing tree and shelving system, I only needed a few animals and accessories to make it look complete, but I could have easily gone crazy and done the whole kit and it would have looked adorable.

Worried that you don’t even have enough artistic ability for stenciling or decorating a room that you can’t paint?  You will be happy to know that My Wonderful Walls has a whole line of self-adhesive vinyl wall decals you can merely peel and stick around your room.   

Whether you’re decorating a nursery or simply sprucing up a bedroom or playroom with a little color, My Wonderful Walls is the place to go for quality wall decals, stencils and wall art. You can shop by category or theme and there are great tips and videos on how to use the decals and stencil kits. When you're ready to buy, remember to use the code NGJ713 at check out for 15% off your order! 

And, a lucky Noise Girls fan will have a chance to win one of four room packages valued at up to $169.99 each during the My Wonderful Walls Giveaway Event! 



a Rafflecopter giveaway

A big thank you to the Noise Girls and to My Wonderful Walls for sending their Wall Mural Stencil Kit to facilitate this review.  As always, all opinions are 100% ours.

Holiday Gifts for the DIY'er from Dremel {Dremel Saw-Max Review}

It seems like everyone these days is a DIY’er.  With the advent of Pinterest with detailed and pictorial instructions, it has become incredibly easy to redo an entry way, create a one-of-a-kind art installation, or even to renovate an entire house.  Where we used to lament our lack of built-ins or architectural interest, now we merely add our own easier than ever before.

But, while I’m a big advocate of DIY’ing, I do have small children and can’t have my entry way, art installations or house renovations taking over our entire house.  This means I’m always looking for options that cut my project time, minimize cleanup, and don’t require a whole workshop full of power tools while the project is in process.  For all these reasons and more, I love Dremel tools.

Since the only time I have for DIY’ing is during the 2-3 hour nap window, I need quick and efficient ways to get projects done, and for me, that’s Dremel’s biggest plus.  Being able to quickly grab the tools I need, have tools that can handle multiple tasks, and offer the easiest cleanup possible is paramount, which means I never reach for anything other than our Dremel Multi-Max or Dremel Saw-Max. 

But, if I’m being honest, I’m incredibly scared of power tools and the Dremel tools are all I can handle in terms of size and power.  If I need anything more intense than these, I’m calling in backup as there’s no way I’m using a full-size circular saw or jigsaw.  Luckily, Dremel tools can handle almost anything and they can do just about any DIY project Pinterest or I can dream up.

But, Dremel tools aren’t just for casual crafters like myself, these are serious tools that can make short work of many projects and renovations, large or small.  Even hubby who is all decked out with traditional full size tools adores our Dremel tools and reaches for those first.

You may remember how we raved in our Dremel Multi-Max review about how great it is for doing plunge cuts as well as cutting precise shapes including square corners in all sorts of materials.  We’ve used it for all sorts of projects around the house in the past year and a half and it’s still the most grabbed tool we own.  Because we love it so much, we were hoping to expand our Dremel collection and try out either the Dremel Trio or the Saw-Max this year, especially now that we have a list of to-dos that require tools we were lacking.   

So, when the Dremel Saw-Max arrived last month, we were thrilled and couldn’t wait to get started on some of our pins on Pinterest.  And, just look at this beautiful tool – who wouldn’t want to do some DIY projects armed with this?    

The Dremel Saw-Max is a scaled-down circular saw that is much better for doing traditional long, straight cuts while allowing for greater control and precision.  Since it is about a third the size of a standard circular saw, it is much more portable and easy to use either indoors or out without immediately turning the room into a construction zone. 

I immediately felt comfortable using the Saw-Max, even one handed, and was able to tackle small cuts on my own during our last project.  Since I won’t touch our full size saw and have to ask for help to finish even a simple project, having the Saw-Max makes me feel unstoppable and it has greatly increased the projects I’m willing to take on.

Because the Saw-Max uses a 3” blade, it really excels at smaller jobs and trim work, which is perfect for most of the projects around our house and most of my craft projects.  While it’s compact enough for small art projects that require greater attention to detail, I also love that it can still tackle big jobs like cutting flooring or building furniture.  And, with the adjustable base plate that allows you to set the depth of the cut in seconds and without tools, it allows you to create different size cuts in various materials quickly and easily which makes it a great all-purpose power tool for bigger renovations. 

I bet you’re wondering how a 3” blade can tackle large jobs?  Well that is where the smart accessories come in.  The 2x4 cutting guide is a simple plastic guide that you clamp over the board you want to cut and then simply run the saw along the top and bottom of the board for a nice straight cut.  The straight edge guide is another great tool that attaches to the side of the Saw-Max and lets you cut a precise straight line.  But the one accessory that is on top of our list to get is the miter guide, which allows you to do precise angle and bevel cuts for really detailed trim work. 

If that’s not enough for you, there is also a multi-purpose flush cut blade that puts the blade right up to the edge of the saw, and my personal favorite, the dust port adapter so I can hook a vacuum right to the saw to clean up the mess as we go along. Pretty awesome, right? 

With the confidence I have gained using my Dremel tools there are sure to be a lot of formerly intimidating projects finished up at our house soon, and maybe in the future we will add the Dremel Trio and tackle even more. Come back next year to see us tackle our biggest DIY to date, the front entryway that we'd like to function more like a mudroom. 

If you have a long to do list at your house as well, be sure to check out all the tools from Dremel and you might be surprised at what you can accomplish too.  And, if you've got a Pinterest pinner or a handyman on your list, you will definitely appreciate the following Dremel Gift Guide: 

Gifts from Dremel for the Pinterest Pinner-
•         Dremel 8220 12V Rotary Tool ($99-$139) – Take on nearly any project with this new rotary tool. From hobbies like jewelry-making or glass-engraving, to tackling household repairs, the Dremel 8220 cordless rotary tool provides versatility and precision for projects large and small.
•         Dremel Trio™ ($99) – Thanks to the resurgence of the Shabby Chic design trend, refinishing and distressing furniture pieces has become a popular hobby. For those on your list who have a knack for breathing new life into furniture and décor, the Dremel Trio will allow them to tackle multiple materials and planes without switching tools.

Gifts from Dremel for the Home Handyman-
•         Dremel Multi-Max™ MM20 ($99) – Repair. Remodel. Restore. The Dremel Multi-Max MM20 offers do-it-yourselfers and pros a versatile and effective multitasking tool. The Multi-Max can cut into a variety of materials including stone, sheet metal and cement with precision, power and ease, so users can tackle an array of applications quickly and comfortably.
•         Dremel Saw-Max™ ($129) – Making cuts with a saw can be a daunting task, but at one-third the size and weight of a traditional circular saw, the Dremel Saw-Max allows users to make smooth cuts on a variety of materials with easy, one-handed operation.

Stocking Stuffers from Dremel-
•         Dremel EZ Twist Nose Cap ($6.99) – A must-have for anyone with a Dremel rotary tool, the EZ Twist Nose Cap makes changing accessories on a Dremel rotary tool faster and easier.
•         Dremel Multi-Max Drywall Jab Saw Accessory ($9.99) – Designed to be the fastest-cutting drywall blade available, the Drywall Jab Saw is the only oscillating blade that makes both straight and curved cuts in drywall, ideal for cutting out electrical boxes and recessed lighting.
•         Dremel Multi-Max Multi-Knife Accessory ($14.99) – Quickly and easily cut carpet, vinyl, boxes, shingles, foam, insulation and plastic with the Dremel Multi-Knife. Two cutting edges allow users to cut in either direction; the inside-facing edge is designed for cuts requiring a pulling motion and the outside-facing edge is designed for cuts requiring a pushing motion.
•         Dremel Saw-Max Cutting Kit ($39.99) – Includes seven Saw-Max wheels, including diamond and carbide wheels,  to cut tile, drywall, wood, plastic, metal, cement, brick and more.

A big thank you to Dremel for sending the Saw-Max to facilitate this review.  All opinions are 100% ours and no form of monetary compensation was received in exchange for this Rave Review.

BumbleJax Acrylic Frame {Review}

I’m extremely picky about what I put up on my walls.  If I find a frame I love, I will buy enough to do an entire picture wall, and I rarely change things up once I’ve got pictures framed, matted, and hung.  Basically, I’m boring. 

But, recently my walls got quite the shakeup when a local company called BumbleJax offered to print up a picture that our favorite Seattle photographer, Jerrah, snapped this summer of the kiddos.  I’m not talking about just any ordinary photo print; BumbleJax was offering to create an acrylic mounted print that doesn’t require a frame. 

Even as I submitted the order, I was a little nervous about what it would look like.  I’ve tried untraditional mounting before and haven’t been that impressed.  In fact, I’ve got a stash of large frames, canvases, and specialty prints that just didn’t make the cut and never made it up on a wall. 

But, all of that was forgotten when the huge box containing my BumbleJax print arrived and I opened the lid to reveal my new frame.  Even with the protective film coating over the entire frame, I was already in love.  To call the BumbleJax acrylic frame gorgeous would be an understatement; this was an exquisite piece of art.  Of course, I’m biased because the print was of my adorable kiddos, but I think even an unbiased party would agree that this was something special. 

The print is truly stunning and when mounted under the acrylic frame the colors really pop and the depth of the photo really shows.  The detail of the print and frame is far superior to other prints and frames I’ve tried in the past and I was immediately a huge fan. 

Not only is the print adorable, it’s also incredibly well made and eye catching.  Everything on the print from the backing, mounting blocks, and even the thick wire hanger and included hook are incredibly high quality.  A quick glance at the directions and I was ready to place it on the wall.


The only problem was what wall.  I had originally pictured the print hanging in our upstairs in the only real wall space we have left – the hallway.  But, once I saw how gorgeous the frame was, I couldn’t hide it upstairs and knew I would have to shuffle things around on the main floor to make room for it where it could be appreciated every day.   

I love that it really did look great everywhere in the house we tried it because I didn't have to worry about matching woods or colors, and I also love that the mounted image is the true star, not the matting and framing.  After much debate, we finally decided on the perfect spot and the BumbleJax had found its home permanently in our entry way.  Now I get to see it every time I go outside, every time I come home again and every visitor that arrives sees it first as they enter.

That means that everyone who has come over has immediately inspected it, asked how it was mounted and then proceeded to rave about it, too.  And, everyone seems to agree, this is by far the best "nontraditional" photo mounting anyone has ever seen as far as image quality, finish and detailing.


While I still like the low cost of frames and the flexibility of being able to change out pictures easily and probably wouldn’t switch to all acrylic mounted frames for the entire house, sometimes you just want something different.  This is definitely it, and would be the perfect investment for preserving that amazing shot you will never get sick of.  And, although frame styles may change with the decades, this is one "frame" you will never outgrow, so it really is an investment. 

No surprise to me, BumbleJax was recently named a PTPA award winner by their parent testers.  Head on over to see what all their independent testers had to say about this innovative new type of frame and see more about the company and how to order. 

Be sure to like Bumblejax on Facebook and follow them on Twitter.

A big thank you to Bumblejax who sent a frame to facilitate this review.  As always, all opinions are 100% ours and no form of monetary compensation was received in exchange for this Rave Review.

DIY Embroidery Hoop Hair Clip Holder (Tutorial}

I think I had 5 clips the entire time I was growing up.  My daughter has dozens.  While they are admittedly adorable, they also drive me crazy when I can’t find the one I’m looking for or when one lands on the floor and gets stepped on. 

So, a few years ago we got a single ribbon bow holder, which we love, and it holds many of the bigger bows nicely.  But pretty soon we grew out of that one and needed another, so we got a second, which we also love, and then we filled that one up in no time. 

In a cute little boutique near us they had a hair clip display done with ribbons crisscrossing a frame and it was then I decided I would simply make a bow holder myself that could hold more than a dozen clips at a time.  But, then I got to brainstorming and that’s when the DIY Embroidery Hoop Hair Clip Holder was born. 

Things you will need:
Embroidery hoop, any size
Fabric for backing that can cover your hoop and have a few inches of excess fabric around all the edges
Assorted ribbon
Fabric glue
Hot glue gun
Paint (optional)
Staple gun

I personally love embroidery hoops and have been dying to use one in a project ever since I saw Mandy from The Haps do Harper’s room reveal.  I did a little happy dance when I finally figured out how I could use one and where I would put it once it was finished, and then I did another one when our local fabric store had hoops on sale that same week.  Fate, I tell you. 

I picked the largest one they had, mostly because I’m hoping that I won’t have to make another one in just a few weeks, but you could really do this in any size.  It would actually be cute to do a few smaller hoops with different fabrics and ribbons as sort of an art fixture, but I will leave that for when we outgrow this one. 

After you have your hoop and supplies, the next step is assembling.  But, if you would like to paint your hoop, you should do so now.  I obviously skipped this step, but will definitely paint my next one.  Instead, I was so excited to get the project going that I just started assembling and then it was too late.  Don’t do what I did, kids.

Once your hoop is ready, you simply put your fabric in the embroidery hoop, pulling as taut as possible.  I worked at this step for a long time until it was perfectly stretched from every angle, but I’m not convinced it was entirely necessary and in retrospect, ironing would have been faster.  But, I would basically do anything to avoid ironing.  Clearly.

Once your fabric is taut, you simply trim your fabric around the hoop leaving approximately an inch of fabric.  Then you flip your hoop over and line the inside of the hoop with fabric glue or hot glue.  This is best to do a few inches at a time as the glue dries fast and it needs to hold tight. 

I used fabric glue and found that it worked quite well, but traditionally hot glue would have been used.  Whichever method you go with, know that you will get glue on your fingers.  In fact, I still have glue on my fingers.

Once the glue dries fully, you can carefully take the outer hoop off and add ribbon.  When you are cutting your ribbon, be sure and leave quite a bit overhanging as it will need to wrap around the hoop as well.  I decided to place my ribbons randomly over the hoop at different increments so I could accommodate clips of all sizes, but you could always measure if random bothers you.  As for me?  Random is how I live life.

Once you’re happy with placement, you can simply replace the outer hoop and then pull the ribbons taut. I started with my hoop loose for this step and then tightened the screw on the outer hoop to make sure they were as tight as possible and then repulled all of my ribbons again.  Once you’re sure they can’t get any tighter, you simply glue the ends of the ribbon to the inside of the hoop as you did the fabric earlier. 

Once my glue was dry I was still nervous it would pull out with even a tiny bit of force, so I convinced hubby to staple the ribbon ends to the hoop from the inside.  After that, my project was pretty much done, I just tied a ribbon to the top for color and then I tied a longer string to the inner screw of the hoop for hanging. 

The bow clip holder is going on the back of my daughter’s room {yay for unused wall space!} and I didn’t want to put a nail hole in the door, so I used a simple Command Hook and called it good.  Since I was putting it on a door, my biggest concern was that the hoop would hit the door each time it was opened or closed, but I’m happy to report that it doesn’t hit at all.

Because it’s hanging pretty loose off the ribbon and because the whole hoop, even full of ribbons, is so incredibly light, it almost catches air as the door is closed and lands without a sound.  I was really happy about that because it meant I didn’t have to felt the edges like I thought I would. 

I still am working on a few things with my design and figuring out a way to add loops to store headbands underneath the hoop, but overall I'm happy with the hair clip holder and think it adds a bit of fun to an otherwise overlooked area of her room.  So, there you have it, a hair bow solution that cost me less than $4 to complete because I already had the fabric, the ribbon, the staples and the glue.  Can’t beat that, right?

Fire Prevention 101: Clean Out Your Dryer Vent with Dryer Vent Pros {$100 Cash Giveaway}

In terms of things that scare me, a fire in my home is in the top 5.  When the fire department visited my daughter’s preschool last year I made sure I was at the school that day and then I read the paperwork they gave us from cover to cover, following all of their tips for fire safety. 

But, the one thing I thought I could ignore was the part about cleaning out the dryer vent.  Yes, I clean the dryer’s lint filter with each load, but I just didn’t think much about the actual dryer vent.  Partially, the newness of my house is to blame because I was under the mistaken impression that a house that’s less than 5 years old wouldn’t need cleaning for a few more years at least. 

Apparently I was wrong, because just look at what came out of them this past week when Dryer Vent Pros cleaned them out for us. 

Yes, I know.  At roughly the size of a watermelon and dense with lint, hair, and fibers, it was a fire hazard if I ever saw one, and mine was one of the best the technician has ever seen.  But, not only was this a huge hazard, all of this lint was keeping our dryer from functioning properly, and goodness knows our old dryer doesn’t need any help at all not functioning efficiently. 

Now that I’ve read up more about dryer vents, I feel silly for never having them cleaned before now.  My dad even warned me a few years back about all the gunk that was removed from his dryer vent {we’re talking garbage bags, people} and I thought “oh, I’ll do that after 10 years or so”, which apparently is far too long in between cleanings.  Especially now that we have two young kiddos who create laundry like it’s their job, we do a ton of laundry around here and we should really be doing a cleaning once a year.  Yes, a year… not every decade.  

And really, cleaning your dryer vent with Dryer Vent Pros is a small price for peace of mind and for keeping your dryer running as efficiently as possible.  All prices are agreed upon before the job even starts, which are established by how hard the dryer vent is to reach, not how long of a vent run you have or how much buildup.  Even better is that they have all the latest tech gadgets to make the process as easy as possible, including a camera line that they run into your vent that they can show you on their tablet computer before starting so you can make sure yours need cleaning before the cleaning begins.

The whole process took 30 minutes or so, and most of that was locating the vent.  In our case, the dryer vent is on the roof and it’s really high up there, so the technician spent most of the time getting a good access point and then going up and down the ladder.  Once he was up there with his gadgets, he started up the high powered air vac and ran his rotary brush through the line a few times to clean the length of it and then he cleaned the dryer transition tube and the dryer vent screen and finally checked the airflow reading.

Oh, but I haven’t even told you my favorite part: they never even set foot inside your house.  That’s right, no having to unhook the dryer and clean up the laundry room for them to work, it’s all done through the exterior dryer vent and all the mess never makes it indoors.  And once they are done and you see the pile of lint, hair, and debris they have sucked out, they cart all the junk from the vents away with them. 

See all the lint and dust in the air and on the ground as they clean?  None of that was left for me to pick up, and nothing made it in the house at all.  Pretty awesome, right?

While I would love to tell you that my old dryer now dries like a pro, after the cleaning it is substantially better than it had gotten over the past few months.  I had originally attributed the lack of performance entirely to its old age, not even considering the dryer vent as the issue, but I’m happy that our dryer is not declining at the rate I thought it was and I don’t have to restart the dryer 3+ times for one load of clothes anymore. 

In addition to the savings of not running the dryer over and over, I feel so much better knowing all of that is gone from our vents and they are clean as they were when we turned the key in the lock.  Laundry may never be my favorite chore, but at least I’m no longer worried about it reducing our house to rubble.  Want to know more?  Check out their website that shows you all the ways to reduce your fire risk as well as videos and links about the importance of cleaning your vents yearly.

Dryer Vent Pros is located in Everett, WA and serves all of Western Washington.  If you aren’t already, I would highly recommend you follow Dryer Vent Pros on Facebook.  That’s where they post their monthly specials and deals that you can refer to when calling or making an appointment online.  In support of our troops, this month they are offering a free first floor basic cleaning for any veteran that refers a paying client!

On October 25th at 11:59pm PST a winner will be drawn at random and notified via email. Winner will have 48 hours to contact me or a new winner will be chosen.  US only.

This giveaway is now closed. Thank you to all who entered and congrats to Amy P who won the prize!

A big thank you to Dryer Vent Pros for coming out and cleaning our vent as well as providing the giveaway for one lucky winner.  As always, all opinions are 100% ours and no form of monetary compensation was received in exchange for this Rave Review.

Creating an Outdoor Oasis with World Market {DIY Outdoor Curtains and Rod}

Part of the reason that we fell in love with our house was because it included a large covered porch with high ceilings and a place to sit and talk.  While the beauty of the porch was always there, we really had never fully utilized the space and it always just felt unfinished and unwelcoming.  With harsh light and a fabulous view of the neighbor's house, was there a lot left to be desired about our outdoor space and I never knew what to do about it. 


But, recently our porch got a much needed makeover thanks to World Market, and I couldn’t be happier with the results.  We go to World Market pretty frequently now that we’re addicted to HGTV and Pinterest and it seems we always have a room we’re redoing that could use the charm of World Market.  While this time around I didn’t have any specific ideas of what I was looking for before going into the store, once I was there and I saw all their new offerings for the season, I got some serious inspiration for our outdoor space and started designing on one of their couches. 


We ended up designing some DIY outdoor curtains for our space using some of their tablecloths {full instructions below} as well as adding all the details to make it come together as an outdoor oasis.  Since all the World Market outdoor furniture and accents were on sale, it made it easy to really go all-out and do it up the way we always hoped, without having to sacrifice style for savings.   

My first must-have was some much-needed color for the space, which was easy to bring in thanks to all their amazingly colorful themes for summer.  Whether you choose to go with their Carnaval, Rio, Nautical, Bali or Indonesian collections, you will get tons of color choices to help add some pop to any outdoor space.


We ended up mixing and matching from the collections and getting their last Red Lotus Blossom lumbar pillow, two sets of Carnaval Stripe Battery Operated Lanterns {8 total}, a Cadiz mosaic bistro table, a outdoor laptop table {for working outside!}, two white tablecloths to use as curtains {they didn’t have curtains long enough for our massive porch height and we got crafty}… and a toy accordion and some candy.  Because, the kids needed an accordion and candy.  Obviously. 

While our cart did look a little eclectic at checkout, I was confident that the furniture we already owned and a few repurposed accessories from our home would tie it all together nicely and the end result wouldn’t seem thrown together or hodge-podge-y in the slightest.  When I got my total bill, I was honestly shocked at how inexpensive everything in my overflowing cart was.  Every item we got {except the candy} was on sale and most of it was 30% off or more, so it made it easy to splurge a little and get a lot of good, versatile pieces for our design.   


Once we had finished our World Market shopping, we took some measurements of the porch and hubby headed off to the hardware store to make my dreams of a secluded porch a reality.  While he was gone, I did some laundry, some rearranging, some replanting, some cleaning, and some putting together, and when he was home we were ready to transform the space. 

Here’s what we needed for our custom DIY outdoor curtains and copper rod:
•    Two World Market 120”x60” white tablecloths.  They have many different curtain sizes available to choose from, but these tablecloths were ideal for our space with such a high roof and relatively inexpensive at $29.99 apiece.  Considering I had gotten a quote for outdoor curtains previously and it ended up being more than $600, this was more than a bargain and something I can always change for the seasons. 
•    Two sets of drapery clips to hang the tablecloths.  Yes, we could have added rivets to the curtain tops and done something fancy with our drapes, but I hate sewing, so this was my solution.  I highly recommend it as I could always change my mind down the road and redo the curtains in another configuration.
•    Two 10’ copper ¾” pipes, quick-connect copper end caps and copper coupler to attach the two pipes.  Again, we could have bought a really long curtain rod, but with our porch length, we needed something custom and this was a great, inexpensive option that ended up being quite pretty once installed.
•    Three screw-mount hooks to hold the copper rod in place.  Unfortunately, they didn’t have the option of copper hooks, so we will eventually paint ours white to blend a bit better with the overall design. 
•    Ribbons for tie-backs.

I started off by washing, drying and ironing the tablecloths so I could get an idea of how much they would shrink and we could install them properly.  I also did a little research to see if there was a way to waterproof them to resist mold and mildew, should we end up needing to do that down the road.  I came up with a few solutions we might try out, but I’m still uncertain if we will actually need to do something like this since our porch has a large overhang and we don’t really get rain up there, especially during the summer.  Since the “curtains” are completely washable, we might just launder them every few weeks to keep them bright white and then take them down once the summer ends and we find we no longer use the space on a daily basis.

After the fabric was ready we started on the actual rod construction, which ended up being incredibly simple.  Since our space was over 12’ long and we needed to get two pieces of pipe to cover the whole length, hubby got a quick-connect coupler to attach the two pieces in the center and then copper end caps to finish off both ends and make sure the rod doesn’t slip.  Then, we measured for the three screw-mount hooks, drilled them into our porch beam, and slid the copper pipe in, creating a copper curtain rod that perfectly fit the space.     


Once the copper curtain rod was up, we simply attached the drapery clips to the top of the tablecloths, slid them on the rod, and voila, outdoor curtains!  While I worked on getting the spacing just right, tying them back just so and rearranging the furniture on the deck, hubby made some wire hooks for the battery operated lanterns and hung them on the rod at various heights to fill the gaps left by the tied-back curtains and we sat back to admire how nicely it all came together.    


The DIY curtains and World Market porch re-do ended up being the perfect length project for naptime and by the time the kiddos were awake, we had completely assembled our new outdoor living area and were ready to unveil the results.  Immediately upon seeing it through the window, my daughter started jumping up and down and said “someone fancied up our porch!”  followed by “I want to have a picnic out there!”  I would say that's a success.


Since the day project was completed, we have found ourselves spending a whole lot more time outdoors.  It has been a great way to get the kids some fresh air mid-day without having to worry about scorching sun or rain ruining our fun, a perfect place to do arts and crafts, have a picnic lunch, play with noisy toys, get a little work done while enjoying being outdoors, or take some relaxed and fun pictures with natural light.


If I had known the amazing oasis I could create with a little over $200, I would have done it long before this summer.  Since most of that money was spent getting a good quality DIY curtain rod, it makes the design so much more flexible and easy to change throughout the year with a quick trip to World Market.  While we went bright and bold for summer, it would be easy to tone it down or play it up with new accessories without having to redo the whole design, which means I can constantly update it to my heart’s content. 


There really is nothing better than making good use of every inch of space in your home so I was thrilled that this project gave us an extra 120 square feet of living space without sacrificing a thing.  Even with two DIY projects rolled into one, it really was easy to do, inexpensive, and it ended up giving me an outdoor photo studio with nice, diffused light, an outdoor work station so I could take my laptop outside, and a great protected place for the kids to play all summer long - no matter what kind of weather we’re having. 

As if shopping at World Market didn't already have enough perks, they are also running two awesome promotions this summer to reward all their loyal customers.  The Summer Getaway Sweepstakes is awarding a trip for 4 to anywhere Southwest flies including hotel accommodations and a $500 World Market gift card every week during the promotion.  Enter today by clicking the logo below and you could be one of the lucky ones to take a vacation on them. 
      
Also, from with their Buy & Fly promotion, all in-store World Market receipts over $20 from June 16 - July 13 will have a special code that can get you 15% off roundtrip Wanna Get Away fares!  Where will you go?



Connect with World Market via worldmarket.com, on Twitter, and on Facebook

This shop and DIY has been compensated by Cost Plus World Market, but as always, all opinions are 100% ours.