Rave & Review

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

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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. 

Spring clean your air with 20% off Air Purifiers at Best Buy

It’s finally springtime and with it comes sunshine, warmer weather, and… allergies.  Like most everyone else, I have plans to sneak in some deep cleaning over the next few days, open up some windows, and get my house and yard ready for summer. 

Is anyone else worried about me and my allergies?  Really, you should be.  While outdoor air pollution gets talked about a lot, what most people don’t realize that indoor air can be just as bad, if not worse, than what we breathe outdoors.  And, to make matter worse, the act of cleaning actually increases the amount of dust and dander in the air. 

From what we and our pets track in to what could be living in our air ducts and crawl spaces, houses are far from the haven we think they are.  In fact, I’m pretty sure I’m allergic to the master bedroom closet {or, alternatively, I am allergic to putting away my clothes}.  And, don’t even get me started on our garage *cough*cough*.

So, this year I’m thinking about finally getting an air purification system, just in time for spring cleaning.  Thank goodness now is the perfect time to buy with this awesome Friends and Family 20% off coupon for any air purification products at your local Best Buy. 

Whether you are looking for a portable unit or a big floor standing unit, their air purification products range from $45 and up and make it possible to clean the air throughout your home no matter what your price range or space limitations are. 

You can check out Best Buy's entire line of air purification products here.  I’m thinking of going with this bad boy, what do you think?

The reviewer has been compensated in the form of a Best Buy Gift Card and/or received the product/service at a reduced price or for free.  As always, all opinions remain 100% ours.

Step2 Corvette Room Organizer {Review}

I adore my kids, and I love *most* of their toys.  I just hate when their toys are all over my house.  While toy boxes are one solution, I find that their favorite toys tend to get buried in a big box and then they dump out the entire contents to get that one beloved toy on the bottom, thus making an even bigger mess than if they had just left them out in the first place. 

Of course, toy boxes will be wonderful when they are older and for bigger toys that are easier to spot in a large bin, but for right now we desperately needed a solution that they could easily help organize.  Ideally it would be something kid-friendly that could handle the huge influx of Hot Wheels and Schleich figurines, but still able to grow with them and look good in both the living room and the bedroom.

If you haven’t yet figured it out, that’s a very tall order.  But, when I saw the announcement of the new Step2 Corvette Room Organizer, I knew it was the perfect solution for our toy storage dilemma. 

For one, the Corvette Room Organizer isn’t primary colors.  While I love classics, I still don’t want a primary color scheme in my living room, so I love the subtle Corvette theme and its black, grey, and red coloring.  It really couldn’t be more perfect for our little guy who is obsessed with cars {or rather, “vrooms”}, and, without adding the Corvette decals, it could easily be made into just about any theme your child would like.

We put it together as soon as it arrived {which took mere minutes and only basic tools} and tried it out for a few days successfully in the main living room/dining room.  Surprisingly, it blended in well in the living room without making me feel like I live in a daycare center, and it really did solve the toy box dilemma I was hoping to overcome.

But, while the room organizer blends in well in our main areas, it really shines in our little guy’s room that has red and grey accents.  It works nicely with his room’s color scheme and also adds some youthful fun to an otherwise “big boy” room, all without seeming too childish or overwhelming the space.

After seeing it upstairs, we knew that’s where it belonged.  Not only does it work perfectly for organizing his trains, cars, and accessories, it also has enough room for his shoes {which previously resided under his bed, where they easily were overlooked before he grew out of them}, some small stuffed animals, and all the other “little stuff” that I hate on my floors.

As great as it was to house all the miscellaneous stuff that drives me nuts when I find lying about, what I like most about the Corvette-themed Room Organizer is that it helps my little guy get in on the organizing.  Because he can see all the contents of each bin, he doesn’t panic as toys are put away, because he knows they aren’t being taken away for good, they are simply being put in their place so we can find them again.  To make things even better, he actually loves putting his toys away now that he has the room organizer and insists that all of his cars, trucks, trains, books, toys and more all have their own specific bin.

As much as I love that he puts away toys without me even asking, I also love that he can remove most of the bins of the organizer on his own.  This means he can pull a bin out and take it to his train table on his own and then when he is done, he can pile all the trains back in and carry it back where it belongs.  With how much my little guy loves things where they belong, this is pretty much a dream come true for him, and for me. 

The Corvette themed storage center is a nice, compact size at 35.25” x 26.50” x 14.25” and comes with 11 bins in two different sizes.  It is made in the USA, and coordinates with the Step2® Corvette® Toddler to Twin Bed with Lights, Corvette® Storage Chest™, and Corvette® Dresser™, which means we now have a Step2 “big boy” room wishlist for him. 

Have you signed up for the Step2 Birthday Club yet?  They don't overwhelm your inbox with "junk" but they do send coupons, promos and even a little birthday surprise for your little one!

A big thank you to Step2 for sending their Corvette Room Organizer for review.  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.

Danze 3-Function Water Sense Showerhead {Review & Giveaway}

When was the last time you thought about your showerhead?  For me, it was back in 2007 when I made the decision to let our builder choose our fixtures because I didn’t think they made a difference.  Since then, I have regretted my choice numerous times, especially when all the new water saving fixtures came out on the market and I wondered how much we were wasting each month.

When I got a chance to check out the Danze catalog this past month, I was immediately drawn to the water saving models and knew that was the way we would go.  Their Water Sense showerheads use 20% less water than traditional showerheads, which can really add up after years of use.  I was even more excited when I realized they had water-saving models that also had different functions since I’ve never had a showerhead that had more than one setting. 

While I didn’t think it would change my life or anything to have multiple settings, I always kind of wondered what I was missing.  What if one setting transformed my shower into a luxurious spa, or what if it was easier to get the shampoo out of my hair with another?  Yes, I decided, dual settings for sure.

After the Danze 3-Function Water Sense Showerhead arrived, I was really excited to get it installed but I kind of psyched myself out and was worried I would get halfway through it and get stuck.  Thank goodness my husband saw it sitting there and decided he would just go ahead and install it for me, otherwise it might have taken me days and days before I worked up the nerve to try to install it on my own.

After watching my husband install it, I realize that this was really silly.  I could have installed it no problem at all, especially since it came with almost everything needed right out of the box, including plumbers tape. The whole process of removing the old showerhead, replacing the plumbers tape and then tightening on the new showerhead took less than 5 minutes, and it only required a wrench to tighten it down properly.  Easy peasy!

After the showerhead was tightened on, it was just moments and we were running the water the first time, excited to see what a water-saving flow felt like.  Of course, we had to try all the different settings and test the shower head out fully.  We also did the water-saving flow “test” to make sure the showerhead wouldn’t scald, and are happy to report that it passed, so all that was left was for me to shower.   

First I tried the aerated spray, which is great for those times when you are extra sensitive {say, with a sunburn or breastfeeding} because it’s not too light of a spray.  It still rinses out your hair effectively and gets the soap off, but it’s just a bit more gentle and the water doesn’t spread as far.  I know we will be using it a lot when my daughter is showering in our bathroom because of the smaller spray area so it doesn’t spray in her eyes as much as our other shower head did. 

The concentrated center jet is also a smaller area spray but it’s a little harsher than I would like on a daily basis.  While I can definitely see using it for getting deep conditioners out of my hair, it wouldn’t be something that I personally would use very often.  I may be alone on this, because it kind of feels like every hotel shower I’ve ever tried so there must be people out there looking for a concentrated jet spray… right?

As much as I like all three settings for different reasons, my favorite is definitely the rounder, fuller spray {pictured above} that’s kind of a cross between the aerated and concentrated sprays.  Even though the shape is similar to our old showerhead, the size is actually bigger and fuller.  In addition to covering more of me while I shower, I honestly feel like it’s a better spray overall as well.  Even better is that it’s the perfect mix for both hubby and I, so we don’t even have to change the settings in between showers.

After using the Danze shower head for the past week, I’m really impressed with it.  If it had already been installed when we moved in, I would have never guessed it was a water-saving fixture since it really doesn’t feel like it’s using less water, and in some settings feels more powerful than our old head.  Hubby and I both agree we should have upgraded a long time ago as the new shower head feels a whole lot more luxurious and spa-like than the builder grade model we’re used to.

Danze 3-Function Water Sense Showerhead Specs:
•    3 functions: wide, centerjet and aeration
•    Features D-Force™ Technology
•    Brass ball joint with polymer shell
•    Easy-Glide™ selector ring
•    Optimizes water intensity even at low pressures
•    Maximum flow rate 2.0 gpm @ 20 - 80 psi.
•    Uses 20% less water than a standard showerhead flowing at 2.5 gpm.
•    56 easy clean jets

One lucky Rave and Review reader will win a Danze Water Sense Showerhead! 

To Enter: Tell me why you would love this faucet in the comments below

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

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On July 9th 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. Open to US addresses only.

Winner, winner!  This giveaway is now closed.  Thank you to all who entered and congrats to: #9 Cindi said... Danze Pin #4. http://pinterest.com/pin/240450067575553794/. Merci bien!

A big thank you to Danze for sending a showerhead for the purposes of this 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 Rave Review.

$5.29 No-Sew Sitting Room Re-do

When we first saw the house plans to our home, hubby and I just knew it was perfect.  It had some really cool features that were on our list of “musts” and even some things we didn’t even know we wanted but then fell in love with once we saw them on paper.  One of those things was the addition of a sitting room on our master bedroom.  At one point I would have said a sitting room was silly or superfluous, but in our house plan it just makes sense.

For one, our master bedroom is the first room at the top of the stairs.  If there wasn’t a sitting room, those big double doors would have led directly into the bedroom, which I think would be a bit awkward.  Instead, the sitting room is a nice, relaxing place that transitions from the bedroom to the bathroom and then to the hallway. 

Or, at least I hope that one day it will be.  It also tends to collect stuff, be used as storage, and get overlooked as a room that could use some decorating. 

We finally got some cheap chairs at Target a few months back and the sitting room was starting to take shape, but I still hated how functional the space needs to be with a bookcase, some storage for special things, and as a landing spot.  So, I decided to do something about it.  Instead of getting all new furniture, I decided I would instead update the pieces to hide the unsightly and make it a little more regal and put-together. 

First in line in my redecorating was a cheap bookcase fix that repurposed some café curtains that didn’t fit our windows and were just taking up space in the linen closet.  By adding a springloaded tension rod purchased for $.50 on clearance at Big Lots, I was able to hang the curtain to hide all of the non-pretty soft cover books.  While it could be hemmed up for an even better fit, I kind of like the flowy look and think I’ll wait a bit to see if I change my mind. 

Next on the list was hiding the boxes I use to store special items I want to scrapbook for the kids.  I have one box under each chair and it has been working pretty well as a storage for the keepsakes before I get to putting them in books, but even with buying fancy boxes that matched our décor, it still looked messy to me and I’ve been searching for a better solution.  While I was buying curtains for my nephew’s nursery I realized that a valance would be the perfect fit and came up with my easiest DIY ever – the valance chair skirt. 

Items needed:

• Pre-made valance in coordinating fabric {these can be found at Target, K-Mart, Fred Meyer, home improvement stores and discount stores like TJ Maxx and Marshalls.  I found mine at Big Lots for $2 apiece}
• ¾” Thick Elastic {I used a yard and a half for each chair}
• Or, alternatively, you could use ribbon, just get enough to wrap around chair with enough left to make a bow
• Scissors to cut the elastic or ribbon

The valances I got were kind of stiff and wrinkled, so the first thing I did was wash them up so they would soften and the wrinkles would release a bit.  Once they were washed, I simply inserted the already cut elastic into the middle sewn-in pocket of the valance and tied it into a knot to create a large “skirt” and it was ready to be put on the chair.

Because the valance was longer than my chair is tall, I simply folded it under so the overhang was hidden.  You could also fold it the other way to add some dimension to the skirt, but I liked it better with the extra fabric hidden on the inside. 


Note: the valances I got were rather short in width {probably why they were on clearance} and they don’t circle the chair entirely, but this isn’t a problem since we have them positioned against the wall and you can’t see the backside anyway.  If they hadn’t been positioned this way, I would have simply gotten two valances for each chair instead of one apiece.  If I had done that, I might have created some pleats in the fabric to help gather it nicely instead of just having it cinched, but it’s all about preference.

So, what do you think?  Worth $5.29?

This post is part of an ongoing series of DIY Home Improvements we are doing around Rave Central.  It is not a sponsored post, a paid post, or compensated in any way.

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.