Rave and Review

Help Make Your Home Cozy with Blinds.com

A couple months ago I read a piece of home buying advice that I wished I had heard back before we bought our house in 2006.  The author of the article was talking about the hidden costs of buying a home and at the top of her list was “count the damn windows”.  Her point  being that lots of light may be awesome during the day, and may even be the reason you fell in love with the house, but at night and during early morning, window coverings are going to be essential. 

Obviously, I did not follow her advice before we bought, and it wasn’t two days into home ownership that I was kicking myself.  Thousands were spent on window treatments right when we were already strapped for cash after moving.  Once we had all the blinds, shades, and drapes we needed for the necessary rooms, we decided to wait on the rest.  But, then when the guest room became a nursery in 2007, and we realized we would eventually need a solution in there, too.  By 2011 I was still scarred from the window treatments shopping that I still hadn’t gotten around to getting a permanent solution for controlling the amount of light that was now waking my toddler far too early each day.

A few weeks ago Blinds.com came to my rescue, offering me a chance to finally complete my baby nursery – for my now 3 year old!  After spending some time on the site I thought I knew what I was going to order and was ready to buy some white faux wood blinds when I started debating about whether I wanted to go with a contrast cotton tape, cordless, or traditional corded blinds.  Because my daughter’s room has a very specific color scheme and already has white furniture in it, I decided to take the advice from Blinds.com and order a few free samples of the wood colors and cloth tape colors we were considering. 

I was so excited when the samples arrived promptly, and even more so that they came in a plastic portfolio case {great for taking shopping or when decorating} and with a coupon to use for your order.  Can I just say how awesome that is?  I’ve ordered blinds samples before from other window treatment companies in order to match the wood grain in our upstairs TV room and never have I been so impressed with a company’s delivery.

After seeing the wood samples and cloth samples, I was incredibly happy I ordered them.  It’s hard to get the nuances of wood grain and color schemes when shopping online, especially since computer monitors can vary so greatly, hence why they recommend ordering samples before committing to purchasing. 

Once I had the samples in my daughter’s room, we realized that the color we had originally decided on was not the best match for the rest of her wood furniture and that going for a matching cloth tape instead of a contrasting color would probably be the best for her to “grow” with considering she might eventually grow out of her garden mural {sniff, sniff} and want a different color scheme entirely.  Having a more neutral palette would definitely be preferable to having to replace a perfectly good window treatment on color alone.

After we figured out the perfect color and measured {twice}, it was just a few minutes on the Blinds.com site to choose all the features we wanted on our new window treatments.  Once ordered, we got the blinds promptly and couldn’t wait to get them up to stop the early morning wake ups.  The blinds were easy to hang and it was minutes of prep before they were secured in place, the cord child-proofed, and valance installed. 

As soon as we got the blinds up in her room, I know we made the right choice in terms of color and type of treatment as the blinds blend seamlessly into her room décor – not distracting at all, but still very elegant and clean.  As beautiful as they looked once installed, I really wasn’t expecting my daughter to love them as much as she does.  She has a pretty adorable room, complete with custom mural and HearthSong Pink Wooden Kitchen, but once those blinds went up she was over the moon excited and was raving about her “special room”… had I known that new blinds would make her adore her room this much, we would have ordered from Blinds.com years earlier!

Thinking about getting some new window treatments for the New Year but not sure what to buy?  Check out their handy Blind-Finder, which can walk you through all of your choices and help you find the best fit for your house.  Bonus: you can get some great deals on Bali blinds and shades through the rest of this year.  Wouldn't 15% off look wonderful in your bedroom/bathroom/kitchen/livingroom?

A big thank you to Blinds.com for sending a blind to review as part of the Blinds MOB group.  All opinions remain 100% ours and no form of monetary compensation was received in exchange for this Rave Review.

Personal Creations Holiday Decor {Review & Giveaway}

Ultimate Holiday Gift Guide - Day 20

If you haven’t noticed, Christmas is a big deal here at Rave Central. Whether it’s decorating the tree, baking Christmas cookies, or holiday crafts, if it has to do with Christmas, we love it. This means that we’re always on the lookout for Christmas decorations to add to our collection and make the holidays extra merry and bright.

In my never-ending search for holiday décor, I ran across Personal Creations a few months ago and was in holiday heaven. Whether you are shopping for personalized Christmas ornaments, stockings, or holiday gifts, Personal Creations really does have it all. Immediately, I found something I wanted, something I needed, and something I would love to wrap up for someone special.

Every December when I was growing up our fireplace was the center of our decorating. I vividly remember our long line of 7 stocking holders down the mantle, each holding our stockings and I knew that’s what I wanted to eventually do for my kids as well. But, since our fireplace does not have a mantle, I was debating what I wanted to with our new handmade personalized Christmas stockings so we could still display them in a festive and fun way.

Thank goodness Personal Creations had the perfect solution that was quickly added to my list of holiday must-haves.  The answer for my dilemma was simple but actually quite ingenious and still very festive-looking. The Metal Stocking Holder with 3 holders from Personal Creations is a stand-alone stocking holder that allows you to display your stockings beautifully, even without a mantle.

When the Metal Stocking Holder arrived, I took one look in the box at the beautiful, yet heavy-duty, construction and was so excited that I just had to put it together immediately. Luckily, putting it together was quick and easy, just a matter of screwing down four inch tubes to the base and then slipping the personalized picture frame stocking holders in and it was ready for display. Once it was together, I was simply in love. At 35” wide and 40” high and with beautiful design throughout, it is a nice and impressive once put together and has made our mantle-less house a positive instead of a negative.

Some really cool things about the screw in design that I hadn’t realized while looking at the website: the base is entirely flat and able to be stored easily, there is a little bit of give to the design and the holders themselves aren’t prone to bending if bumped into accidentally or if the stockings are overfilled, as well as the design makes it easy to place the picture frame holders in correctly since they aren’t directly screwed into the base itself. Some of the reviews on the Personalized Creations site made it seem as if the holders were “wobbly” and I was a bit worried about quality, but one look at how it is constructed and I was incredibly relieved. While the removable frame holders are able to move in the base slightly for function’s sake and to prevent injury to the core if bumped, the design is really quite brilliant and I would describe it as anything but “wobbly”.

Another bonus of the design that I hadn’t realized was that the Metal Stocking Holder is expandable. The base itself comes with 3 holders, but then you can just buy more holders as you need them. To get the look pictured here, we got 2 more frame holders and added them to the base. Now that we’ve added our stockings and displayed it in front of the tree we’ve gotten so many compliments on the piece both from visitors as well as online when I posted a picture of it to my social media page, and the general consensus is that it is a beautiful piece that really makes our space come together. If you think it’s cute now, just think of how gorgeous it will look when we get our Christmas pictures back and I am able to fill the frames on the stocking holders to personalize them!

Even though I would eventually like to move the Metal Stocking Holder to the fireplace at some point to really make my dream of stockings hanging by the fire a reality, this spot in front of the tree was chosen in part as a third line of defense in preventing a 13 month old from having access to the tree, the ornaments, and everything below… and it has worked beautifully. To me, it was a better option that not being able to decorate at all with a curious toddler, and makes the fact that half of our tree is a little bare feel more put together.

From how much we absolutely love the Metal Stocking Holder, I know I will be returning to Personal Creations again and again as we finish collecting all the holiday decorations I would eventually like for our home. For instance, the buy one get one free stocking and ornament set for $19.99 that I just saw advertised on TV from Personal Creations. I went to the website and clicked on the “Hear about us on TV?” star and then went to the special link to see the deal. Based on what I have heard about their gorgeous stockings and ornaments, I wasn’t really surprised that I saw 471 positive reviews listed!

 

 
One lucky Rave and Review reader will win a $50 Gift Code to Personal Creations!

To Enter: Visit the Personal Creations site and tell me what you would spend your gift card on

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

1 Extra Entry - Like Personal Creations on Facebook {BONUS: you can get a 20% off coupon simply by liking them!}

1 Extra Entry - Post on your Facebook wall about the giveaway {http://t.co/ps3agMqU} and tag Personal Creations and R&R on Facebook

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

1 Extra Entry {daily} - Twitter.  Simply tweet the following after following us both:

Don't you love Personalized Creations? I am entering to #win the awesome #giveaway from @RaveAndReview and @PCGifts! http://t.co/ps3agMqU

2 Extra Entries - Blogger Bonus.  Blog about this giveaway linking back to this post and leave an address where I can find your writeup

1 Extra Entry - Comment love.  Enter any of my other Giveaways and/or comment on any non-giveaway post!

On December 16th at 11:59pm PST a winner will be drawn, announced here and notified via email.  Winner will have 48 hours to contact me or a new winner will be chosen. 

This giveaway is closed.  Thank you to all who entered and congrats to: #116 Denise S said...I like the Star Stepping Stones.

A big thank you to Personalized Creations for providing the Metal Stocking Holder as well as the giveaway to our fabulous readers.  All opinions are 100% ours and no form of monetary compensation was received in exchange for this very Rave Review.

Vizardz Personalized Lighted Gifts {Review & Giveaway + Discount Code}

Ultimate Holiday Gift Guide - Day 15

Every single holiday I am stuck thinking of the perfect personalized photo gift.  There’s only so many calendars and picture frames you can gift each year, which means I’m always searching for something new that can really wow.  Well, I can finally stop looking, because I have found the #1 coolest thing to do with a photograph.  Ever.

Vizardz are the makers of a full line of personalized lighted gifts for everyone on your list and they are unlike anything I have ever seen before.  Instead of printing an opaque image and then placing a light behind it as with other lighted photo gifts, Vizardz does something truly revolutionary.  It turns them into 2.5D sculptures that then appear to be 3D when you add light. 

By using a process that could only be magic, Vizardz is able to take the very same pictures I have stored in folders on my computer and turn them into something completely stunning.  The etched 2.5D designs are quite neat just on their own with the contours of the picture taking on a whole new dimension, but when you add light they are so beautiful that I was rendered speechless.  The result is not just another print – it is a beautiful and heirloom quality work of art that makes it feel like you’ve somehow frozen time in one single image for all eternity.

With how gorgeous the final result is, you would think that it took a lifetime to craft, but the process is actually quite simple.  You merely choose what you would like to create – be it a nightlight, a lightbox, an ornament – in the size, color and quantity you would like, and then you find your favorite digital photograph {this step took me the longest by far}, upload it to their site, and order.  In what seemed like no time at all, our creations were in our hands and we couldn’t wait to check them out. 

Yes, creations plural.  Because we have a zillion pictures and had such a hard time narrowing down which ones we wanted to use, we actually got to sample one of each of Vizardz amazing 2.5D products to see their entire product range and the difference between monochromatic and color. 

The Vizardz Christmas ornament was easy to decide on because we had the perfect shot taken of our family last year that has become so special to us.  Picturing it on an ornament already had me smiling, and I couldn’t wait to see it on the tree.  When it arrived we still didn’t have a tree up, so we ended up hanging it in the dining room so we could display it before we decorated.  I love showing people the ornament before it’s plugged in and they all exclaim “is that you guys?” and then seeing their shocked expression as the ornament seems to come to life when the light switch is flipped.  We love it so much that we have no plans to retire it after the holidays, we’re just going to use it as a beautiful light orb in our bedroom so we can enjoy it year-round.

The next project we created was the nightlight and I finally narrowed it down to a picture I took in San Diego for BlogHer when the family and I took a trip out to Coronado Island and happened upon Frank L. Baum’s house he was living in when he wrote “The Wizard of Oz”.  The house itself wasn’t anything special, but what was truly amazing was the swarms of butterflies that live in the bushes right outside the front door.  We spent so long in the yard of the house taking pictures of the little ones and I captured this perfect sun bleached image that to me shows the magic of the location.  Putting it on a colored night light right in our kitchen was the perfect display spot, a constant reminder of that one day spent rolling in the grass, musing about writing a novel as powerful as Oz, and playing with the butterflies.

For our third project, we chose a picture taken this past summer at a family event of my grandma {affectionately known as “Ellen the Great”} holding my youngest.  Even though the picture is amazing and I love seeing how my little blue-eyed beauty takes after my beloved grandmother, I debated a while about whether I should choose a picture without my daughter in such an obvious heirloom piece.  I ultimately decided the picture was too special not to use and made a deal with myself that if I ever regretted choosing a picture of one child and not the other, that I could simply order an extra Vizardz light box insert easily.  But, for now I can’t imagine choosing another image since the finished lightbox is so amazing.  Since I can’t see my grandma every day and miss her terribly throughout the year, I love that I can feel the bumpiness of her face in the insert and it makes her feel closer.

Instead of yet another calendar or collage frame, I’m so happy that I have a truly amazing way to display our photos just in time for the holidays.  By turning these photos into decorations we can enjoy around the house, it highlights them and makes them that much more special.  If you’re like me and have been struggling with what to do with all those favorite pictures, you should definitely check out Vizardz to see how they can make them even more amazing.

Want to design your own 2.5D photo gift?  Use coupon code "happy20" at checkout to get 20% off until the end of December!

Want to win a 4x6 Personalized Light Box valued at up to $68.95?  Of course you do!

To enter, simply visit the Vizardz site and comment on this post telling me something you learned about the company, the process, or their amazing products.

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

2 Extra Entries - Like Vizardz on Facebook and leave a comment letting them know what your favorite photo gift is that they make {BONUS: they announce all their sales on their page so you will always be the first to know!}

2 Extra Entries - Post on your Facebook wall about the giveaway {http://t.co/15zZuR5y } and tag Vizardz on Facebook and R&R on Facebook

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

1 Extra Entry {daily} - Twitter.  Simply tweet the following after following us both:

I want to #WIN the @Vizardz3D Personalized Photo Light Box (ARV $69) #giveaway from @RaveAndReview! http://t.co/15zZuR5y

3 Extra Entries - Blogger Bonus.  Blog about this giveaway linking back to this post and leave an address where I can find your writeup

1 Extra Entry - Comment love.  Enter any of my other Giveaways and/or comment on any non-giveaway post!

On January 4th at 11:59pm PST a winner will be drawn, announced here and notified via email.  Winner will have 48 hours to contact me or a new winner will be chosen. 

This giveaway is now closed.  Thank you to all who entered and congrats to: #53 tina reynolds said... i subscribe 2/2

A big thank you to Vizardz for sending their awesome photo gifts for review.  All opinions are 100% ours and no monetary compensation was received in exchange for this Rave Review.

Get Cozy with Mohawk Rugs {Review & Giveaway}

When we were putting the finishing touches on our house back in 2006, we specified to the builder that we wanted to extend the wood floors across the entire main living spaces.  Not only did we both love the looks of wood, we wanted something that would be practical once we had children.  While wood was definitely the right choice for us in terms of practicality, the only problem is that it makes a space a little cold and stark. 

Not wanting to miss out on what we both think is a vital part of being a family – the rolling on the floor, snuggling, and the floor-time play, we knew we needed something to soften the space and make it more inviting.  The solution to having the versatility of wood but the coziness of carpet is, of course, area and accent rugs that help warm up a space and make it feel homey and welcoming.  Knowing this, we began our search at Mohawk Rugs and were blown away by the selection that was available at numerous local stores. 

We visited a few stores and decided pretty quickly that we wanted an abstract design and a darker color to cozy up our very neutral living area so we headed online to search out Mohawk’s extensive line.  When we were finished adding our favorites we had it narrowed down to a dozen or so and that’s when we really started debating.  The rug we liked the best for our space ended up not being in stock near us, but we decided to take a leap of faith and order sight unseen.

While sometimes it can be a bit scary to order online without seeing in person, I’m happy to report that it worked out really well.  The Wilkshire Mink/Lichen rug is just the right amount of color and “pop” for our room and it’s the perfect amount of cozy.  With its thicker pile and shag-like design, it makes it a soft and fun place to relax and play with the kiddos.  When paired with a nice carpet pad, it offers a nice little cushion that I appreciate, especially after laying on the floor to play the 5th game of Memory in a row.

Even though I knew that the room would really soften up with the addition of a nice rug, what I didn’t realize was how it would totally transform my living room.  Even just thinking about getting cozy with the kids in the living room makes me smile.  A renewed love of our living room means we’ve all been spending a whole lot more time in there as a family, which is the best bonus I could ask for!  

If you are looking to cozy up your living spaces this winter and add some personality, color, and comfort, you should definitely check out Mohawk’s vast selection of rugs for whatever your room size or budget.  While you can shop locally at numerous stores nationwide, you can also use Mohawk’s handy rug selection tool to help you make your choice from the comfort of your home like we did.  I think you will be surprised at how much a Mohawk rug can transform your space, and take your room from blah to wow in minutes.

Check out the newly launched www.mohawkhome.com to see some great ideas to inspire, their newest designs, and products for every room in your house.

Want to win a Mohawk rug up to size 5x8 valued at up to $150?  Of course you do!

To enter, simply visit the Mohawk Retailer site and comment on this post telling me what style rug you would choose.

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

3 Extra Entries - Like Mohawk Home on Facebook and leave a comment letting them know that Rave & Review sent you {@tag us if possible} and what rug you would like {BONUS: They are running a $1,000 sweepstakes on their Facebook page so be sure and enter that, too!}

2 Extra Entries - Post on your Facebook wall about the giveaway {http://t.co/Jxo8ElAJ} and tag Mohawk Home on Facebook and  R&R on Facebook

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

1 Extra Entry {daily} - Twitter.  Simply tweet the following after following us both:

Cozy up with a new Mohawk Rug from @RaveAndReview! Enter to #win a 5x8 rug from @mohawk_home valued at up to $150! http://t.co/Jxo8ElAJ

3 Extra Entries - Blogger Bonus.  Blog about this giveaway linking back to this post and leave an address where I can find your writeup

1 Extra Entry - Comment love.  Enter any of my other Giveaways and/or comment on any non-giveaway post!

On January 2nd at 11:59pm PST a winner will be drawn, announced here and notified via email.  Winner will have 48 hours to contact me or a new winner will be chosen. 

This giveaway is now closed.  Thank you to all who entered and congratulations to: #581

Nicole Larsen said... #1 I subscribe via email

A big thank you to Mohawk Home for sending the Mohawk Rug for review.  All opinions are 100% ours and no monetary compensation was received in exchange for this Rave Review.

Our ActiFry Holiday Party {Giveaway}

Ultimate Holiday Gift Guide - Day 8

Have you seen the ActiFry multicooker before?  We were introduced to this PTPA winner a few months back and have been simply amazed at all the entrees, appetizers and desserts you can create with little or no effort.  This amazing appliance is launching this week at Costco, so to celebrate we hosted an ActiFry Holiday Party at our house this past weekend to show friends, family, and neighbors what all you can cook in it. 

In the past few weeks that we’ve been busy planning, hosting, and recovering from our ActiFry Holiday Party, we have been more and more impressed with the ActiFry every day.  When people see the ActiFry box the first time, everyone thinks the same thing: French fries.  And, yes, the French fries and JoJo potatoes you can make in the ActiFry are simply delicious – the perfect amount of crispness, fluffiness, and just a tiny amount of oil – but that’s nowhere near the end of what you can make. 

While we, too, originally fell for the ActiFry just for the fact that it could take our homemade French fries and make them mouth-wateringly good and good for you, we continually are finding that the ActiFry can improve upon other recipes that we have loved for years, too.  From Asian inspired broccoli beef to hot wings to perfectly done veggies, every single recipe we have tried has become a new family favorite.  One look through the included ActiFry cookbook and I guarantee you that your mouth will be watering; they really do have everything from comfort food to gourmet entrees and even dessert. 

It actually took a long time to decide on the final menu for the party because everything looked so good and we wanted to try it all, but we finally made our choice of 7 recipes and gathered all the ingredients so we could try them out with our party guests.  By the time guests started arriving, we had most of the dishes for the night prepped, had roasted the pumpkin seeds and had the French fries cooking so we could start snacking right away.  And, as guests arrived at the party they were immediately hungry after smelling all the great smells coming from the kitchen.  The first response was always the same: what is that that smells so delicious?  The answer: everything! 

Since we wanted everyone to help cook in the ActiFry over the evening, we had recipes set out at each station and bowls full of the ingredients to make them all.  Our first recipe was an appetizer to start things off, the Sweet and Saucy Meatballs.  http://tfalactifry.com/recipes/view/sweet-and-saucy-meatballs-2  We improvised a little with the recipe by adding different fruit juices and varying the amount of pineapple and peppers in our three batches we made, but each finished dish was gone in minutes after coming out of the cooker and everyone was raving about how delicious they were. 

The next recipe we started was the Tuscan White Bean with Sausage, which was one of the more gourmet recipes we tried out.  With ingredients such as escarole, which is something I had never heard about before the party, I was a bit worried that it was going to be a little fancy for our cooking party, but my worries were unfounded.  We made two batches of this recipe because everyone loved it so much, and many guests said it was their favorite recipe for the night.  

Next we did an all-vegetarian recipe, the Rainbow Vegetable Medley, and even though it was competing with French fries, meatballs, and sausage and beans, everyone was still raving about the medley.  I especially liked the lemon juice in the recipe as it added a light and healthy flavor to the veggies and made them amazingly flavorful.  I expect that this will be one of our regular week night dinner recipes as it was so great and so easy to make as well.

Even though we probably had enough food at this point, I really wanted to try out the “fried” chicken wings in the ActiFry, so I had the guys make up the Asian Style Chicken Wings for all of us.  The recipe really couldn’t be easier – you just put them in the ActiFry for 20 minutes and then add sauce and cook for 2 minutes.  While it’s simple {and ambiguous, since you could pretty much add any sauce you would like}, it really was the rave food of the party.  I can’t even tell you how many of the guys came up and said they had never had better wings before, and this is from a group who knows their wings.  I would call that a ringing endorsement

The last dinner recipe we tried was the Green Beans with Almonds and Parsley, which was one of my very favorite dishes.  The green beans were just perfect in their doneness and their flavor was simply amazing.  As with the vegetable medley, the recipe also called for lemon and zest, and it really added that extra kick to the dish, as was the addition of the almonds.  This is the perfect side dish for the upcoming holidays and I plan on making this recipe for a few gatherings. 

Yes, at this point we had plenty of food and really could have stopped cooking, but that would have left our party without dessert, and we can’t have that, right?  And, this dessert was simply amazing, we really wouldn’t have wanted to miss it.  If you like apple pie or apple crisp, you will adore the Chef Ming Tsai’s 5 Spice Crumble.   

While it is nearly impossible to describe just what this machine can do using only text and pictures, once you see it in action you will be simply amazed.  I know our friends were once they saw all that we were cooking for our party.  Even though we had been using the ActiFry for a few weeks before the party, even we were impressed after we tried all the amazing recipes.  In fact, we loved using it so much that we have made a spot for the ActiFry on the counter so we can use it for quick week night dinners and desserts, which is a very big thing for us!

Price: $250 ARV.  Find out more about the ActiFry, its many features and recipes, and where to buy at tfalactifry.com.

Want to win an awesome ActiFry for yourself?  Of course you do!

To enter, simply visit the ActiFry recipe site and comment on this post telling me what you would make in yours if you win!

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

2 Extra Entries - Like ActiFry's Facebook page and comment with what you would make in the ActiFry if you win and @ tag PTPA and Rave & Review

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

1 Extra Entry {daily} - Twitter.  Simply tweet the following after following us all:

Make healthy "fried" foods easily with the super cool @ActiFry #giveaway from @RaveAndReview & @PTPA! http://tinyurl.com/7xqb8a2 ARV $250!

3 Extra Entries - Blogger Bonus.  Blog about this giveaway linking back to this post and leave an address where I can find your writeup

1 Extra Entry - Comment love.  Enter any of my other Giveaways and/or comment on any non-giveaway post!

For more entries, please visit my PTPA ActiFry Party blog post for more ways to enter to win this awesome prize!

On December 6th at 11:59pm PST a winner will be drawn, announced here and notified via email.  Winner will have 48 hours to contact me or a new winner will be chosen.  Giveaway open to US and Canadian Addresses.

This giveaway is now closed. Thank you to all who entered and congrats to: Teressa Bignell, you are the lucky winner!

A big thank you to ActiFry for providing the information and giveaway for one lucky winner.  All opinions are 100% ours and no monetary compensation was received in exchange for this Rave Review.

ezShade Portable Sun Protection Curtain {Review & Giveaway}

Get Out and PLAY Event - Day 23

I am extremely fair skinned, so much so that I can get a sunburn walking to the mailbox.  For this reason, I am always diligently wearing sunscreen and I require shade on the brightest sunny days.  This means that I often bring shade with me so I don’t have to be constantly seeking it out, or worse, have to spend the entire summer indoors.  As great as it is to bring your own shade, the problem is that the sun is always moving and I feel like I can never relax outside for fear that I will quickly be sunbathing if I’m not careful.

The solution is ezShade by Solar Eclipz, a brilliant mom inspired product that is essentially a sun curtain that attaches to beach umbrellas, gazebos, and more.  This lightweight curtain gives you UPF 50+ sun protection by blocking over 99% of UVA and UVB rays and makes it so you don’t have to keep rearranging your shade throughout the day.  Anyone that has ever used a pop up gazebo or beach umbrella knows that the shade they provide is actually quite limiting unless the sun is directly overhead, which means that for most of the day you are stuck rearranging and moving spots in order to keep everyone out of the sun for any length of time. 

The ezShade solves this in a small and lightweight solution that is easy to throw into your bag in its included stuff sack and attach once you claim your shade.  Available in 3 different colors and sizes from large beach umbrellas {weighing 9oz} to 10x10 portable canopies {straight leg or angled leg models available, weighing in at 16-20oz}, the ezShade is my new beach must-have.  Because I use a variety of canopies and shades, I opted to review the 10x10 straight leg version so I could easily attach it to our pop-up canopy, our covered front porch play area, our staked gazebo in our backyard, and even at the local pool shelters and enjoy the awesome UPF 50+ benefits wherever we go.

As excited as I was about the ezShade, I did have some concerns about how functional it would be when set up and how easy it would be to use.  The first of which was the fact that I was hoping to attach it to numerous shades and gazebos and would need to customize the fit each time.  Luckily, the design is smart enough that it can easily be modified for different styles and types of structures by simply using Velcro {we bought extra pieces so we could leave it in place on our gazebos without worry and then we made our own Velcro loops to attach to odd sized shades} and find it more than sufficient for our needs.  For most people that will only be attaching it to one canopy or gazebo, you will only need the included Velcro pieces to get a perfect fit each time.
The next design element we really appreciate is the bottom hook and loop pocket that helps you adjust the height of your shade as well as weight the bottom of it so it doesn’t blow in the wind or allow sun underneath.  If you don’t have bean bag weights, you can easily use water bottles, sand, and more that gives you versatility on the go and means you have to carry less with you when you go. 

We really love the ezShade and know it’s going to get a whole lot of use throughout the years at the beach, park, sporting events, and even just for backyard playtime.  Because we love it so much, I was thrilled when I read that a 12x12 canopy version of the ezShade is in the works.  I know we will pick one up for our 12x12 heavy-duty backyard gazebo once they are released as that would be a wonderful way to enjoy outdoor time without worrying about sun exposure.  Here’s hoping that a tan or brown color ezShade is also in the works, and if so, we might just snag two – one for the front of the house and one for the back!      

To Buy: The ezShade costs $24.95 for the umbrella version, $36.95 for the 8' canopy version, and $39.95 for the 10'x10' versions.  Find out how you can make the most of your umbrella, canopy, and gazebo shade at myezshade.com or visit the ezShade YouTube site

The ezShade is available at Babies R Us, Toys R Us superstores, Sport Chalet,
Cabela’s, BuyBuyBaby.com, BedBathandBeyond.com and Amazon.com {with 20% off coupon code available on their Facebook page}

 
Thanks to their generosity, one lucky Rave and Review reader will win their own portable 10x10 straight leg ezShade to bring their own UPF 50+ protection with them this summer!

To Enter: Simply comment on the ezShade Facebook Fan Page with your favorite feature or how you would use your ezShade!  {Bonus: liking them gets you 20% off your Amazon.com order!}

And, as always, there are extra entries available!

1) Subscribe to Rave and Review, top of right sidebar {2 extra entries, must be verified to count}

2) Tweet about this Giveaway after following us both {daily Tweet, just post link here}

Make your own shade with @raveandreview and @ezShade just in time for the hot summer enter to #win this #giveaway http://bit.ly/pBFEfz  

3) Blog about this Giveaway with links back to this post as well as the www.raveandreview.com homepage {3 extra entries - just post the URL where I can find your writeup}

4) Place my button or logo in your sidebar on your blog or website {2 extra entries, must have an active link to R&R}

5) Comment love.  Enter any of my other Giveaways and/or comment on any non-giveaway post!

6) NEW!  "Like" Rave and Review on Facebook! {3 extra entries}

On August 10th at 11:59pm PST a winner will be drawn via Random.org, announced here, and notified via email.  Winner will have 48 hours to contact me or a new winner will be chosen.  

This giveaway is now closed.  Thank you to all who entered and congratulations to

#66 Doris C said... Tweeted http://twitter.com/#!/dewinner/status/99652448423124992

A big thank you to Solar Eclipz for providing the sample for review as well as offering a giveaway to our fabulous readers.  All opinions are 100% ours and no form of monetary compensation was received in exchange for this very Rave Review. 

Introducing the LUNE by Cielux

Most people don’t focus much on the colors around us, but that’s not to say that they don’t affect us.  In fact, many experts have suggested that color has a lot to do with our emotions.  Just ask anyone who has to spend any length of time in my very misguidedly painted yellow bedroom each day and they will tell you how negatively it affects their mood.  While I would still like to repaint the lemon-colored atrocity sometime soon, I have recently found the perfect way to disguise the color beautifully. 

The solution is the LUNE by Cielux, which is a new lighting solution that can completely transform your space by using color.  With the LUNE boasting seven primary colors, adjustable light intensity and two automatic color-fading modes {one fast, one slow}, I can now redecorate with color just by a simple touch.  Whether I am chasing away the rainy and gloomy days of spring with a soft yellow light or I am creating a relaxing retreat with a green cast, the LUNE is perfect for all my many moods. 

Adding to the coolness that is the LUNE is the fact that it just looks classy, like a piece of modern art that just happens to add ambiance, atmosphere, and interest to even the most plain area of your home.  The LUNE light has the power of several LEDs in a small, singular beam of light, which gives you brilliant and long-lasting colors.   Even when it’s not turned on {which is a rarity}, the LUNE looks great in any room and could be placed in a movie room, family room, or even an office to add some color and life.

Not only is it sophisticated, sleek, and eye-catching, the LUNE LED light is also so easy to operate that my two year old can do it.  With an integrated touch sensor that allows you to change colors, intensity, and program with merely a tap, something that is surprisingly fun to do.  Simply tap the touch pad to turn the unit on, tap again to change colors, press the touch pad to dim each color, and hold it longer to turn the unit off.

Of course, this would all be cool on its own, but what makes it really rave-worthy is that the top crescent of the LUNE can rotate in a variety of angles to position the lens in the exact spot you prefer.  This is ideal if you are planning on using it in a theatre room or living room and want to position the light just so on the wall to maximize the impact.  This might be my favorite feature because I love that you can create shapes with the light on the wall and fine tune the color depending on where it's placed.

I really love the LUNE light and the fact that it can literally go in any room of my house and allow me to design with light.  The best part is I can redecorate with a single touch throughout the day!  You’d be surprised at how much it can change the mood of a room and make you want to linger there longer. 

Find out more at Cielux.com

LUNE color-changing LED mood lamp by Cielux from DiCon Lighting on Vimeo.

A big thank you to Cielux and DiCon Lighting for this review opportunity.  All opinions are 100% ours and no form of monetary compensation was received in exchange for this Rave Review.

Safety Shield Mattress and Pillow Protectors {Review & Giveway}

Mattresses are a big investment, so it makes sense to spend a little money protecting them in order to extend their life.  If you know even a little bit about what your mattress goes through in its lifetime or how an unprotected mattress can harbor allergens, dust mites, and fluids, you will be racing to find a mattress protector that can ensure you get the maximum number of years out of your bed set. 

Having a really nice mattress protector really does make a huge difference in the life of a mattress.  The humidity and dampness caused by perspiration breaks down the foam and components of a traditional mattress, which causes it to sag and become uncomfortable before it should.  These fluids may also cause stains that void your mattress warranty, or worse, provide a breeding ground for bacteria and allergens.  Since an unprotected mattress will hold literally billions of dead skin cells and allergens as well as the bacteria from all these fluids, you could potentially be sleeping in all sorts of filth that can cause skin problems and more.

I recently was introduced to Safety Shield Mattress Protectors through Diamond Mattress, and really appreciated the quality of their protectors as well as the peace of mind that I have while using the Safety Shield brand.  Considering the cost of replacing your mattress more often than you need to, a Safety Shield Mattress Protector is really a wise investment.  Instead of replacing your mattress in order to ensure you are sleeping in a dry and allergy free-environment, you can simply toss your Safety Shield Mattress Protector into the washer and dryer with your sheets at each bed change!  

Mattress Protectors from Safety Shield offer an almost imperceptible barrier over your mattress but still provide heavy duty protection against just about anything you can spill, sweat or stain.  Once covered in sheets, the protectors don’t affect the feel of your mattress and it’s easy to forget they are in place.  Since they are so hard to detect, it seems almost impossible that the Safety Shield protectors are waterproof and breathable, but amazingly they are.

What most people don’t realize is that mattress protectors have come a long way since we were young and now they are able to offer total protection that doesn’t compromise a good night’s sleep.  Even with this high level of protection, these are not the old crinkly and crunchy mattress covers from our youth; these are the highest in quality bedding and are actually quite soft to the touch.  This makes it ideal for both the very young and the very old, as well as everyone in between that wants to prolong their mattress life. 

What makes them really cool is the new SafetyShield™ Membrane that allows the waterproof and absorbent protector to be breathable and prevent allergens at the same time.  The company believes in their product so much that they even offer a 10 Year Warranty that is guaranteed to provide you with the best quality mattress protection available.

Total protection for your entire bed and a 10 year warranty to back it up is only part of why I love Diamond Mattress and their line of mattress protectors.  Find out more at http://www.diamondmattress.com/ or at http://www.safetyshieldmattressprotector.com/

 
One lucky Rave and Review reader will win a full bedding protection kit from Safety Shield that includes a mattress protector and two pillow protectors in your choice of size!

To Enter: Simply visit the Diamond Mattress site and tell me something you learned about their line of mattresses or the Safety Shield product line

And, as always, there are extra entries available!

1) Subscribe to Rave and Review, top of right sidebar (2 extra entries, must be verified to count)

2) Tweet about this Giveaway after following (daily Tweet, just post link here)

Total bed protection with Saftey Shield - enter to win your choice of size from @raveandreview... enter to win at http://bit.ly/gOjirO!

3) Blog about this Giveaway with links back to this post as well as the www.raveandreview.com homepage (just post the URL where I can find your writeup)

4) Place my button or logo in your sidebar on your blog or website (2 extra entries, must have an active link to R&R)

5) Comment love.  Enter any of my other Giveaways and/or comment on any non-giveaway post!

6) Email love.  Share this Giveaway with friends and family via email and cc Leanne (at)raveandreview (dot) com (I will never, ever contact your email recipients)

7) Vote for Rave and Review on Top Baby Blogs, logo in right sidebar (daily entry, just tell me what rank R&R has)

On April 19th at 11:59pm PST a winner will be drawn, announced here and notified via email.  Winner will have 48 hours to contact me or a new winner will be chosen.  Giveaway open to US and Canadian Addresses.

Winner, winner!  This giveaway is now closed.  Thank you to all who entered and congratulations to: 52 CherylS22 said... Entered the Green Giant giveaway

A big thank you to Diamond Mattress for providing us with a sample to facilitate this review as well as a giveaway to our fabulous readers.  All opinions are 100% ours and no form of monetary compensation was received in exchange for this very Rave Review.

The Butterfly Orb: Interactive Art from Childhood and Beyond {Review & Giveaway}

When decorating a nursery there are a lot of things to keep in mind.  Not only do you want something that is truly special for your baby in the color scheme you have chosen, what is great is if you can find items that can grow with your child and become a fixture in the room during childhood.  As someone who sees a lot of baby products, many with incredibly short time lines, I can attest to the fact that that not many items meet these specifications.

So, when I find something really special that can be customized and personalized for my child and that can grow with them, I want to tell everyone about it.  Top of that list is the Butterfly Orb which is a truly unique take on a baby mobile and definitely not just for babies.  Instead of the plush crib mobile that needs to be taken down when baby is just a few months old, the Butterfly Orb could {and should} become a centerpiece for your child’s room through childhood and beyond.      

In the Butterfly Mobile, delicate butterflies are attached to strands of wire and then twisted into a lightweight orb that you hang from the ceiling so that it gently moves with even the slightest movement.  This makes them fun to just sit and watch, soothing for babies and kids, and incredibly beautiful in many different spaces in your home. 

It is simple to customize your special mobile by choosing the size of the orb, the colors, and whether or not you want to add feathered butterflies.  While not necessary, I would highly recommend adding the feathered butterflies to add dimension and that extra special touch to your mobile.  For my daughter’s special orb, I ended up choosing three different colors for the small butterflies and then added a fourth color with the feathered option and it all went together really nicely once constructed.     

Once designed, I couldn’t wait to see my custom butterfly mobile and was really excited when the box holding it arrived in mere days.  While at first I thought someone had mistakenly shipped an empty box because of how light it was, when I opened it up I was incredibly excited to see the beautiful Butterfly Orb inside.  At first your orb will be compressed slightly for shipping, so all you need to do is gently shape it however you would like and then hang it up to enjoy.  My daughter and I had fun doing this together as she was so excited to get it hanging in her bedroom to watch the butterflies dance around her bed.

After it was hanging in the room, I tied in some special notes from the grandparents and hubby and I as well as a tiny hanging crystal to make it even more personal.  I have plans to update it regularly so I can have the special people in her life write her little messages to leave in the Butterfly Orb.  For now I can read them to her, but eventually she will read herself and be able to collect them for her scrapbook.  As cool as we all thought the Butterfly Mobile was before it was hanging, it quickly became even more beloved once we really made it ours.

Now my daughter enjoys making slight breezes so the orb will spin and swing above her bed each night and having me read the notes that were written just for her.  She loves how the butterflies all move gracefully while she drifts off and I love that it’s an age-appropriate piece of interactive art that I can give my daughter.
 
As someone who is incredibly sentimental about my daughter’s room and doesn’t want to part with anything, I love when I can find products that I don’t have to pack up in mere weeks.  The Butterfly Mobile is absolutely perfect for me because I can see so many opportunities to enjoy the orb in the years to come without worrying that it will become “too babyish”.  I love the idea that my daughter can have something to watch now as she’s soothing herself to sleep and still enjoy that same piece of art as she’s daydreaming of where she wants to go to college 17 years from now.  There certainly aren’t a lot of things you can say that about! 

www.Etsy.com/shop/ButterflyOrb

http://www.ButterflyMobiles.blogspot.com

 

 
One lucky Rave and Review reader will win a custom Butterfly Mobile of their very own! 

To Enter: Simply check out the Butterfly Mobiles site and tell me how you would customize your special creation.

And, as always, there are extra entries available!

1) Subscribe to Rave and Review, top of right sidebar (2 extra entries, must be verified to count)

2) Subscribe to Butterfly Mobiles by ButterflyOrb Blogspot feed

3) Tweet about this Giveaway after following (daily Tweet, just post link here)

Hoping to win a custom butterfly mobile from @raveandreview Enter to win at http://bit.ly/e5XztU!

4) Blog about this Giveaway with links back to this post as well as the www.raveandreview.com homepage (just post the URL where I can find your writeup)

5) Place my button or logo in your sidebar on your blog or website (2 extra entries, must have an active link to R&R)

6) Comment love.  Enter any of my other Giveaways and/or comment on any non-giveaway post!

7) Email love.  Share this Giveaway with friends and family via email and cc Leanne (at)raveandreview (dot) com (I will never, ever contact your email recipients)

8) Vote for Rave and Review on Top Baby Blogs, logo in right sidebar (daily entry, just tell me what rank R&R has)

On April 1st at 11:59pm PST a winner will be drawn, announced here and notified via email.  Winner will have 48 hours to contact me or a new winner will be chosen.  Giveaway open to US and Canadian Addresses.

This giveaway is now closed.  Thank you to all who entered and congratulations to:

#116 Jessica said... I voted today and you were in 17th place

A big thank you to ButterflyOrb for providing us with a sample to facilitate my review {and adore} and one to giveaway to our fabulous readers.  All opinions are 100% ours and no form of monetary compensation was received in exchange for this very Rave Review.

Dirt Devils are Red, Violets are Blue…

...if you're still looking for something for hubby, I think this will do!

What comes in a shiny red package that is all ready for the day of love?  Why Dirt Devil, naturally.  Since most of us are thinking practical this year, it makes sense to get your honey something that can be used all year long.  That something is the full line of cleaning tools from Dirt Devil that all have their signature red color, sleek design, and affordable price points. 

One thing that is top of my honey’s wishlist is the Dirt Devil Heavy-Duty Pressure Washer.  Since winter left Seattle damp and cold, there has been a huge amount of sludge that has accumulated since we rented a pressure washer last spring.  Determined to save money this year and keep up our home, we decided that instead of paying to rent, we would invest in the tools that allow us to better maintain our yard, patios and outdoor areas. 

Investing in a good power washer would allow us to keep up on cleaning on a regular basis and give us more freedom to get projects done on our schedule.  Now instead of having to pay a bunch of money to rent a pressure washer and spend a whole weekend cleaning hoping we don’t forget something, we can now quickly and easily pressure wash whenever we feel like it without it becoming a day-long project that can easily be ruined by rain.   This was something I was really excited about because our house and outdoor areas only need a deep clean once or twice a year, but it’s always nice to do maintenance cleans throughout the year to keep things looking tidy. 

But, like most homeowners, we don’t need a huge gas pressure washer taking up half of our garage, so we set our sights on a smaller and more economical electric pressure washer that was powerful but not industrial.  When I found out that Dirt Devil made a whole line of PressureFlex power washers that are perfect for residential use and backed by the Dirt Devil name, I knew it was the perfect solution for us. 

Featuring varying sprays, easy-to-use attachments, and an on-board detergent applicator, the 1600 PSI Pressure Washer from Dirt Devil lets you conquer even the toughest cleaning projects while still remaining completely portable.  Even though the Dirt Devil PressureFlex 1600 Pressure Washer is only slightly bigger than a hiking pack, it was more than powerful enough to clean the green buildup off our driveway and front porch.  And, since it is electric, it was much quieter than other units we have rented, but had all sorts of features that made it perfect for our applications.

With an adjustable nozzle to vary the flow and size of the spray, you can go from dried on gunk removal to light furniture cleaning easily.  From the siding and decorative rockery on our house to outdoor furniture and play things, the adjustable flow allowed us to tackle each job easily and left it looking brand new without peeling off paint or damaging softer woods and structures. 

Not only is a Dirt Devil Heavy-Duty Pressure Washer ideal for patios, porches and decks, it is also perfect for portable jobs where weight and size are issues.  Another thing I love is that the Dirt Devil Pressure Flex 1600 comes with a detergent tank that you can fill with your favorite cleanser and actually clean outdoor spaces and rugs thoroughly each season.  Why pay money for rentals or call the professionals when you can get a deep clean on your own and keep your house looking great year-round?  

Dirt Devil 1600 PSI Heavy-Duty Pressure Washer Product Features:
• 12-AMP motor
• 19' high pressure hose
• Adjustable stream-to-fan spray nozzle
• Aluminum pump with auto stop system
• Turbo spray nozzle
• Gun with safety catch
• Quick connect spray wand with trigger lock
• On-board accessory storage
• 30' power chord with GFCI protection

Even if power washers aren’t on your honey’s list, Dirt Devil has a full line of signature red appliances to make cleaning more enjoyable that are perfect for gifting this Valentine’s Day.  From uprights, hand vacs and stick vacuums to canister vacs and carpet shampooers, Dirt Devil offers professional level cleaning with great price points for any household.

You can now keep up with Dirt Devil on Facebook, follow them and interact with them today!

 

A huge thank you to Dirt Devil for sending a sample to review.  All opinions are 100% ours and no form of monetary compensation was received in exchange for this very Rave Review.