Joancee Jewelry Review!

 

The holidays are coming up which means it is time to start thinking about holiday shopping (that is if you haven't already). If you have a jewelry lover on your shopping list, or want to leave a engagement ring hint to your significant other, then you should check out Joancee. Joancee offers a wide range of stunning jewelry that comes in ready to gift boxes + they come with a small cleaning cloth. You'll find a wide range of gorgeous pieces at affordable prices. Looking for a Men's wedding or engagement ring? They have one hundred and twenty-one different Men's rings to choose from.  I was lucky enough to be offered a chance to select a ring from a number of pieces I was shown to do a review on. From the list I was shown I selected the Round cut Amethyst 925 sterling silver engagement ring. This beautiful ring can currently be purchased for $107.85. 

This ring features a stunning large round Amethyst setting accompanied by a smaller amethyst on the front & back of the ring. You will also found four small amethysts on either side of the large stone plus 50+ mini white sapphire stones adorning this ring. The band itself is silver & you can pay extra to have a custom engraving added to the ring. I did not choose an engraving, I kept the ring as is. The sizing guide they have on their website is very helpful for finding the right sized ring if you aren't sure what size ring you wear. 

The ring I selected fits beautifully & is quite comfortable to wear, it is light weight & you can hardly tell it is there. Since it is sterling silver you won't need to take if off when you wash your hands or get in the shower. This ring is gorgeous especially in the sunlight watching the colorful rays of light dance off of the jewels. The purple of the stone is quite vibrant & will draw the eye directly to it. I am quite pleased with the ring & feel like it is a stunning high quality ring at a fantastic price. 

Best of all? You can get 20% OFF of your purchase using code IFL20 

If Purple isn't your favorite color, what color would you love to see this ring in??

Disclaimer- The product mentioned above was provided by Joancee for the review free of charge no other compensation was provided. However, no product compensation will influence the outcome of any review. My honest opinions are used in all reviews, they are solely my own & they may vary from others. My reviews are posted for readers in order to provide an informed decision before purchase.

The Young Scientist Club - Top Secret Spy Science Review

 

Craft kits & hands on activities have always been a big hit in our house which is why we love the Horizon Group USA brand & all of the lines they offer. They have a wide variety of kits for boys & girls of all ages to enjoy, some adults may even enjoy the kits as well to learn a new craft. We recently received a top secret spy science kit from their Young Scientist Club line to check out for a review & It was packed full of fun spy themed activities to complete. 

This kit includes ten different secret missions to complete in order to figure out the answer to the mystery you are presented with at the start of the kit. Missions include code breaking, analyzing fingerprints, making a print of a key onto clay, using vinegar to test chemical levels & more. All of which are easy for kids to complete on their own depending on their age. This kit is so much cooler than some of the spy kits I remember wanting as a kid. This kit can be purchased on amazon for $24.99, you can also find their products at stores such as Walmart, Target & Michaels. 

My son had a lot of fun completing this kit, there were only one or two times when he asked questions just to verify his findings such as when he did the PH test with the vinegar as one or two of the results looked very similar to two of the numbers not just one. They included plenty of extra strips for testing just in case you needed them & even if you don't need them for this craft it would be fun to test out other fluids in the kitchen such as orange juice to see what their levels are as well. 

At the end of your spy adventure you get to break open a treasure chest to find some gem stones you are able to keep & collect. This along with all of their other kits make fabulous gifts or anytime kits to spend some one on one time with your kids. If you want to find reviews on some of their other kits feel free to type in "Horizon Group USA" into the search bar of my blog and it will bring up all of the reviews.

Disclaimer- Horizon Group USA provided the product above for the review free of charge no other compensation was provided. However, no product compensation will influence the outcome of any review. My honest opinions are used in all reviews, they are solely my own & they may vary from others. My reviews are posted for readers in order to provide an informed decision before purchase.

Grade school children Holiday books from Candlewick Press!

I recently shared some great holiday themed books that are perfect for toddlers and now I am going to share a few books aimed towards older children including a chapter book. I really enjoyed reading through all three of these with my kids and think they are the perfect books to add to any holiday collection.

Dasher by Matt Tavares (Retail $17.99)

We've all heard the story about Rudolph and how he came to be one of Santa's reindeer pulling his sleigh, but have you heard the stories of the other reindeer? This story is all about Dasher and her adventures. The story starts off a little sad because her family works at the Circus and the circus owner doesn't treat them very well, so Dasher always pictures a better life in a place filled with snow like her mother describes from when she was younger herself.

One night the gate to their pen was left open so Dasher took the chance to run, she follows the brightest star in the sky but starts to get lost until she comes upon a man talking with a horse in the woods. That horses name was Silverbell and the man? It was Santa himself, she offers to help pull the sleigh because she heard Santa ask Silverbell if he wants to rest because the sleigh was heavier than normal. Santa agrees and she helps pull the sleigh delivering all the gifts and Santa takes her back home to the North Pole. She tells Santa her Christmas wish is to be with her family so Santa goes and rescues the rest of her family and brings them to the North Pole as well. I really enjoyed this book, the story was heart warming and it helps put you in the holiday mood.

Little Robin's Christmas by Jan Fearnley (Retail $16.99)

This sweet book showcases the true meaning of Christmas and it was a lovely read. This book is about a little Robin and his warm Christmas sweaters. Little Robin pulls out his favorite seven sweatshirts the week before Christmas and he plans to wear one each day until Christmas. Each day Little Robin excitedly puts on his sweater and he goes out to explore and he unexpectedly runs into an animal in need on each of the seven days. Being the kind Robin that he is, he offers the cold animal he comes across his sweatshirt.

On Christmas Eve he gives away his last sweater but on this particular day he was further away from home than usual so on his way back he ends up becoming quite cold so he stops on a roof to rest and ends up falling asleep. He is awoken by a man's voice and is scooped up by the same man telling him that he is alright and is going to be taken someplace special. Little Robin then finds himself in Santa's home, Santa told him he has showed the true meaning of Christmas and he is very proud of him. Santa warms up the Little Robin and gives him a special gift that Mrs. Clause made for him! A little red sweater made from a red string from Santa's own sweater. He tells Robin that the sweater is magic, it will always keep him warm and will make those who seem him in the sweatshirt feel warm as well. Then Robin is dropped back off at home and he awakes to go out and wish all of his new friends a Merry Christmas.

I really enjoyed this book and it was sweet to see all the different animals the Little Robin helped. Even with some people don't have a whole lot they are the one's who give the most. This is not only a good holiday book but a great lesson to teach children during the holidays.

The First Christmas Sweater (& the sheep who changed everything) by Ryan Tubridy (Retail $14.99)

This book is about a little sheep named Hillary who isn't like the other sheep in her flock. She stands out from the others not only because of her unique personality but because her wool is rainbow in color. She loves everything about Christmas, and she especially loves Santa. She is very excited to learn that Santa is traveling around Ireland looking for a sheep with perfect wool to use for his very own sweatshirt.

She goes on a journey to trying to get Santa's attention and in the end she is successful. It was a great book and is perfect for Grades 2-5th. There were a lot of cute illustrations mixed into each chapter as well to help break things up and keep kids engaged in the book.

Disclaimer- The products mentioned above were provided by Candlewick Press for the review free of charge no other compensation was provided. However, no product compensation will influence the outcome of any review. My honest opinions are used in all reviews, they are solely my own & they may vary from others. My reviews are posted for readers in order to provide an informed decision before purchase.

Win a Jon Klassen's Hat Box Book Gift Set!

The holidays are coming up quickly, have you gotten all of your holiday shopping done? If not books are always a great option for a gift that is both fun and great for keeping a mind active. Candlewick Press has dozens of amazing books for all ages that are sure to be a big hit.

I have a great giveaway for a book set that will make a wonderful holiday gift. I am giving away TWO gift box sets of Jon Klassen's Hat Box which comes with three books and a collectable print, this gift set retails for $49.99

The books included in this set are "I want my hat back", "This is not my hat" and We found a hat" along with the print seen below in a hard shell case. All three books are hard covers and have beautiful illustrations.

This is open to US Residents! Please remember if you DO NOT leave a comment on this blog post as your mandatory entry into the giveaway then all of your entries will be void. Doing the Daily entries will increase your chance of winning. Winners have 72 hours to respond to the notification email! This giveaway is hosted by ME and is not associated with any of the brands mentioned above.

This giveaway ends on 12/13/2019

Giveaway entry question: Tell me another book that your child loves. 

a Rafflecopter giveaway



Disclaimer- The products mentioned above were provided by Candlewick Press for the giveaway free of charge no other compensation was provided. However, no product compensation will influence the outcome of any review. My honest opinions are used in all reviews, they are solely my own & they may vary from others. My reviews are posted for readers in order to provide an informed decision before purchase.

Children's Christmas Books from CandleWick Press!

During the holidays I love reading and watching holiday themed stories with my children, so I am always on the look out for great new books and movies to add to our list. I was recently sent some great Christmas themed books from Candlewick Press to check out with my kids. I am going to be sharing three of the books with you today that are better suited for younger children and later this week I will be sharing a few books for older kids including one that is a good middle school read.

Peppa Pig and the Christmas Play (Retail $12.99)

This hardcover book includes a coloring poster which is located under the book jacket. Peppa Pig and her class room are going to be putting on a holiday play where they all get to select who they would like to be. All of the children are very excited and each has said they ran into Santa at the store or at the mall and told him about the play and that he said he would come. The teacher let's the kids know that Santa is very busy and might not make it, they are slightly bummed when they start and he isn't there. But Santa does end up showing up which makes the children quite happy. After the show Santa takes all the children for a ride in his sleigh. 

I thought this was a cute book and it is perfect for young girls and boys who love Peppa Pig!

Maisy's ChristmasParty by Lucy Cousins (Retail $14.99)

Maisy is throwing a Christmas party so she sends invites to each of her friends. Through out the book you see her friends get excited about the party and write responses back to her, the page after each one sends a reply features the letter which is sent to Maisy. You get to reach into each envelope and pull out the letter with each reply, some of the envelopes also include extra goodies like a joke book or a gingerbread man with a gingerbread recipe written on it (and yes it is a real recipe with instructions so you can make them if you choose to do so). 

This book seems like it is mainly aimed at younger children, but both of my kids who are ages six and ten really enjoyed this book as well and thought the envelopes with things in them was a really neat idea. The very last envelope she gives out after the party and it is a letter/gift for the person reading the book and has a spot where you can write your child's name. Many of the "gifts" inside of the book can actually be hung up which I think is an excellent idea and is sure to brighten the day of your child. 

    We're going on abear hunt; Chirstmas Activity book by Walker Productions LTD (Retail $9.99)

This activity book is based off of the book "We're going on a bear hunt" which is a cute book about the adventure a family goes on. This activity book has a lot to do inside of it from cross words to actual crafts and baking. This is meant to be a count down to Christmas book, and is has a tree in the back with a Christmas count down that you add stickers too, along with the stickers for this activity there are over 100 stickers in total! The very back of the book holds all of the stickers along with the page number of the activity they go with. This book seems like a lot of fun for children of all ages! Children can often get a little impatient waiting for Christmas to arrive once December hits, and this activity book is a great way to help keep them entertained leading up to the holiday. I really like that it isn't just activities that you color in the book, instead they also include crafts to do at home with your parents you just need the materials to complete the projects.

Want to pick up one of these three amazing books, or want to look for other great Christmas books? Visit Candlewick Press to see all of the great books they have to offer. Which of these three books catches your interest the most?

Disclaimer- The products mentioned above were provided by Candlewick Press for the review free of charge no other compensation was provided. However, no product compensation will influence the outcome of any review. My honest opinions are used in all reviews, they are solely my own & they may vary from others. My reviews are posted for readers in order to provide an informed decision before purchase.

Father's Day Rock Star Handprint Tutorial!

Are you still looking for a gift for Father's Day? This adorable handmade gift is not only fun and easy to make but it is also quick and inexpensive. Gift shopping can sometimes be stressful if you are on a budget or unsure what to purchase, I like buying a gift but I also enjoy making something homemade for the kids to give to their dad and grandpa. I was looking for cute handmade gift ideas for father's day that would suit my father-in-law and I didn't really see any crafts I liked so I was thinking about the things he likes. He likes music and plays musical instruments so I thought why not a cute Rock Star hand print for his music room wall.

Supplies Needed:
1 Canvas - I bought mine at the Dollar Tree but Walmart and various craft stores carry them as well. 
Finger Paint/Washable Paint - Can be bought at the dollar store, Walmart or a craft store. 
Guitar Embellishment - Can be found at the craft store 
Paint Brush
Sharpie - Optional 

 Step 1:
In order to create a Rock Star or what we've been calling "Potato People", you will need to pick out a hair color and a shirt color for your Rock Star. We painted the upper half of the palm with a skin color and the lower half with the color we wanted to use as a shirt, then we only put paint on the index,middle and ring fingers to use as the hair.  The thumb and pinky will be painted later. 

Fill in any spots on the face and shirt where the palm might not have come into contact with the canvas all the way. Wait for paint to dry.

Step 2: 
Once the base paint has dried, you can paint on a headband, eyes and a mouth. I debated adding a nose but we all agreed it looks more adorable without a nose. 

Step 3:
Use the same skin color to paint the thumb and pinky finger, the thumb will be used as the arm that holds the guitar and the pinky will be used as the other arm. You can decide which direction you'd like your potato rock star to hold it's guitar and press it down in that direction. 

Step 4:
To give it a better illusion of the arm holding onto the guitar we used scissors to cut out the section where the arm goes over the guitar to hold it. Finally you can write your name, the year and anything else you'd like on the canvas using paint or a sharpie. 

The Canvas I picked up was only 6" x 8" so it is the perfect size to fit one to two hand prints, my kids are five and nine so their hands were just the right size and my step-sister is ten so it worked for her hand as well or you can fit one adult hand. If you have more than two kids I'd suggest a bigger size. Otherwise this is a great handmade gift that is fun and easy to make and it doesn't take up a lot of space.

💜 Thanks for stopping by and checking out my short tutorial for a Rock Star potato person hand print craft, I hope you enjoyed it!
 

Jord Wood Watches Giveaway & Review!

**This was not a paid post. My honest opinions were used, they are solely my own & they may vary from others.The products mentioned below have been provided by Jord Wood Watches for the review & $100 GC giveaway free of charge.**

Shopping for gifts for men can always be a little difficult, usually during the holidays the usual things come to mind like new pajamas, shoes, etc but what I've never really thought about getting before was a watch. When Jord contacted me recently and asked if I would be interested in working with them on a review and giveaway I said yes. Jord sent me a watch for review and wants to giveaway a $100 gift card to one lucky reader. All of Jords watches are hand-crafted wood time pieces that are sure to add a lot of Bang! to your wardrobe.



As soon as I opened the package from Jord I was highly impressed and I had not seen the watch at that point. So what was impressive about just opening the package? The watch arrived in a beautiful wooden box that smelled fantastic, it also came with bonus goodies like a brush on preserver for the watch wood. The wooden box it arrived in is the box you can store your watch it, it has a slotted middle and under it is a small baggie that helps control the humidity in the wood and it has a magnetic top. The watch itself is absolutely gorgeous, fits well and looks great with almost any outfit. Their Men's Watch selection is packed full of unique and beautiful watches.



The clasp is very easy to do one handed, it snaps together flawlessly and pops back open without any issues when you squeeze the release buttons. The watch requires no battery, it is self-winding which is pretty neat and crazy, it doesn't seem possible but you can see it moving all by itself. Size wise the watch isn't too bad bulk wise, and it is definitely and eye catching piece. The piece is doesn't move around a lot it likes to sit right on your wrist which means you won't have to fidget with it when you go to check the time.

PRIZE ALERT:
One lucky reader is going to win a $100 Jord giftcard.

Enter by clicking the link below: 
HERE

Ends 09/25/2017

The winner will be selected and contacted by Jord. Want $25 off your next purchase? Use code  y120242t to receive $25 off  & free watch engraving (some models excluded).