Jewels By Jane FeelAble Wall Art: Review and Giveaway

There are times that I feel like the art of decorating a home should be an Olympic event. It can be a serious challenge to find things that represent your sense of style, but also adhere to your budget. In many cases, I turn to the website Etsy to find artisans who channel their creativity into amazing art that will liven up the rooms of my home.

Jewels By Jane "Feelable Wall Art" is an Etsy business started by a homeschooling stay-at-home mom of 4! Jane has a love of folk art and has channeled that passion into wall hangings that not only appeal to the visual sense, but also have depth from a tactile sense. Jane uses buttons as her medium of choice and every single button is hand-placed. You are guaranteed a unique piece of work each time! These are just a few of the amazing pieces that Jane has created.

"BIG Tree"

"Broken Glass"

"Spring-a-Ling"













Jane has generously offered a custom designed piece of art to the winner of this giveaway. The art will be in the style of "Spring-a-Ling", pictured above. The finished piece size is 7"x7". The winner will work with Jane to designate the color scheme that they prefer. This contest is open to residents of the U.S. only. If you do not have your email address in your blogger profile, please make sure you leave your email in your comment(s).

Mandatory Entry: Visit Jewels By Jane and let me know what your favorite piece is and why.

Bonus Entries (please leave a separate comment for each bonus entry):

1 Entry - Become a Follower of this blog or let me know if you already follow (widget is on the left sidebar)

1 Entry - Grab my button & put it in your sidebar (please leave your blog link in the comment so I can verify placement and come by to say hi)

1 Entry - Become a follower on Facebook or let me know if you already follow

1 Entry - Become a follower on Twitter or let me know if you already follow

1 Entry - Per day for tweeting this giveaway (please leave tweet url in the comment)

10 Entries - If you make a purchase from Jewels By Jane (please leave 10 separate comments to qualify and your purchase will be verified with the merchant)

This giveaway will close on Sunday, May 30th at 11:59pm ET. Winner will be chosen by random number draw. Winner will be contacted immediately and has 48 hours to respond with shipping information. If winner does not respond within 48 hours, an alternate winner will be chosen.

Good luck and thanks for stopping by!

Disclosure: I did not receive any compensation from this vendor, but I do own one of her pieces. All opinions are based on my personal experience with the art. Your experience might differ from mine.

A Three Dog Life: Book Review and Giveaway

Title: A Three Dog Life
Author: Abigail Thomas
Genre: Memoir
Paperback
182 pages

The author, Abigail Thomas, chronicles a life after tragedy when her husband is struck by a car and suffers a traumatic brain injury. We're taken on a journey with highs and lows and see the very real situations that families of TBI patients are confronted with every single day. The emotions are very raw. The pictures that the author paints are vivid.

I picked up this book based purely on the cover art and title. I am a dog lover and am always drawn to stories that center around them. However, this book didn't live up to that specific idea that I was looking for, which was ok. I am also drawn heavily to memoirs. This book is relatively short and a very quick read because the story is very captivating. The author grabs your attention and holds it as you take this roller coaster ride through life with her.

I really enjoyed this book because it gave me a fresh perspective on the emotions involved when this kind of accident happens to a family. True life stories are very interesting to me. And, while the dogs were not a central character to the story, in my opinion, they definitely played a part, which was nice to see.

One winner will receive a copy of the paperback version of this book. This contest is open to residents of the U.S. and Canada. If you do not have your email address in your blogger profile, please make sure you leave your email in your comment(s).

Mandatory Entry: Leave a comment telling me one of your favorite books.

Bonus Entries (please leave a separate comment for each bonus entry):

1 Entry - Become a Follower of this blog or let me know if you already follow (widget is on the left sidebar)

1 Entry - Grab my button & put it in your sidebar (please leave your blog link in the comment so I can verify placement and come by to say hi)

1 Entry - Become a follower on Facebook or let me know if you already follow

1 Entry - Become a follower on Twitter or let me know if you already follow

1 Entry - Per day for tweeting this giveaway (please leave tweet url in the comment)

This giveaway will close on Sunday, May 30th at 11:59pm ET. Winner will be chosen by random number draw. Winner will be contacted immediately and has 48 hours to respond with shipping information. If winner does not respond within 48 hours, an alternate winner will be chosen.

Good luck and thanks for stopping by!

Disclosure: This giveaway is sponsored by me. I purchased the giveaway book because it's a good book and I want to share it with the public.

Peter Rabbit Organics Review & Giveaway

Finding good quality snacks for young children these days can be a real challenge. Many parents are concerned about all of the extra stuff on ingredient labels that they can't even pronounce and how those preservatives and chemicals will affect the developing systems of their little ones.

Peter Rabbit Organics is a charming little company based in London, England. This group of 4 individuals is focused on the common goal of providing a top-quality organic fruit snack that the whole family can enjoy.

The fruit pouches are made with 100% organic fruit and have no preservatives, no artificial ingredients and no added sugar. The packaging is BPA free and shelf stable, which makes them a great item to toss into a diaper bag or lunch box. Each pouch contains over one serving of fruit and has an easy access cap that is appropriate for ages 6 months and up.

My family recently had the chance to taste test the 3 flavors that the snacks come in. Hubby & I really enjoyed the Apple & Grape flavor, but the kids didn't. Hubby & the kids voted the Mango, Banana & Orange as their favorite flavor. I thought it was ok, but I'm not a huge banana fan. The Strawberry & Banana was our least favorite, but I think it had more to do with the consistency.

Overall, we agreed that this is something that we will definitely keep on hand for a quick & nutritional snack option. And because there is a wide variety of flavor choices, there's something that each member of my family will enjoy! Currently, you can purchase Peter Rabbit Organics online through Amazon.com. You can also use the store locator found here to find a local vendor near you that might carry the product.

One winner will receive a mixed box of 10 pouches of these organic fruit snacks! The giveaway is open to U.S. residents only. If you do not have your email address linked in your blogger profile, please leave your email in your comment(s).

Mandatory Entry: Tell me which flavor of these fruit snacks you are most interested in trying.

Bonus Entries (please leave a separate comment for each bonus entry):

1 Entry - Become a Follower of this blog or let me know if you already follow (widget is on the left sidebar)

1 Entry - Grab my button & put it in your sidebar (please leave your blog link in the comment so I can verify placement and come by to say hi)

1 Entry - Become a follower on Facebook or let me know if you already follow

1 Entry - Become a follower of Peter Rabbit Organics on Facebook

1 Entry - Become a follower on Twitter or let me know if you already follow

1 Entry - Become a follower of Peter Rabbit Organics on Twitter

1 Entry - Per day for tweeting this giveaway (please leave tweet url in the comment)

This giveaway will close on Sunday, May 23rd at 11:59pm ET. Winner will be chosen by random number draw. Winner will be contacted immediately and has 48 hours to respond with shipping information. If winner does not respond within 48 hours, an alternate winner will be chosen.

Good luck and thanks for stopping by!

Disclosure: I was provided with a set of 3 fruit pouches to sample for my review. I did not receive any other compensation. All opinions are my own. Your experience with the product might result in a different opinion.

One eskimO CD Review and Giveaway

As a self-proclaimed musicphile, I am always interested in checking out new bands. Through my partnership with the One2One Network, I was given the opportunity to listen to a cd by a new English band called One eskimO.

Billboard magazine has referred to One eskimO's self-titled debut album as "...catchy, ambient pop." I agree that their sound is definitely one that I would classify as pop, but I can't really identify another band that I think they sound similar to; which, in my book, is a good thing. Their sound is mellow and has some wonderful acoustic tones to it with both piano and guitar.

One of my favorite songs from the cd is called "Astronauts" and you can get a free download of that song by clicking here!

One eskimO currently has the #1 adult alternative song called "Kandi" which you might have already heard since it's the most played song on all adult rock radio for 4 weeks and counting. Check out the video for "Kandi"!



If you enjoy live concerts as much as I do, you will definitely want to check this band out live. They begin their tour of the U.S. tomorrow, May 14th, in sunny Miami, FL! You can check out their entire tour schedule here.

One eskimO is definitely a band that will make it into regular rotation on my iPod. Their sound is great for hanging out around the house, background music for a dinner party or reading a good book while relaxing by the pool. I hope you'll check them out on iTunes or in a music store near you!

And now for the giveaway!

I am giving away 1 copy of the debut cd of One eskimO. The giveaway is open to U.S. & Canadian residents only. If you do not have your email address linked in your blogger profile, please leave your email in your comment(s).

Mandatory Entry: Tell me the name of your favorite musical artist or genre of music.

Bonus Entries (please leave a separate comment for each bonus entry):

1 Entry - Become a Follower of this blog or let me know if you already follow (widget is on the left sidebar)

1 Entry - Grab my button & put it in your sidebar (please leave your blog link in the comment so I can verify placement and come by to say hi)

1 Entry - Become a follower on Facebook or let me know if you already follow

1 Entry - Become a follower of One eskimO on Facebook

1 Entry - Become a follower on Twitter or let me know if you already follow

1 Entry - Per day for tweeting this giveaway (please leave tweet url in the comment)

This giveaway will close on Sunday, May 23rd at 11:59pm ET. Winner will be chosen by random number draw. Winner will be contacted immediately and has 48 hours to respond with shipping information. If winner does not respond within 48 hours, an alternate winner will be chosen.

Good luck and thanks for stopping by!

Disclosure: I was provided with a band cd through my partnership with the One2OneNetwork. I did not receive any other compensation. All opinions are my own. Your experience with the product might result in a different opinion.

Hallmark Edge Of Motherhood Cards Product Review and Giveaway {CLOSED}

**Reminder: To see a listing of my current giveaways, please check out my left sidebar for direct links.

I am a greeting card fanatic and my "go to" store for my card needs is Hallmark. No matter what the occasion, or no occasion at all, I always seem to find the perfect card at one of my local Hallmark stores!

Hallmark has come out with a line of cards that I identify with so well. It's called the "Edge of Motherhood" series. These cards address the highs and lows of parenting, with humor that is right up my alley. Here are just a few of my favorites from the line.


The inside says: There now...feel better?

















The inside says: Hope your birthday is free of bad-mommy moments.

















The inside says: Welcome to the "do as I say and not as I did" years.
















Mother's Day is this weekend and I'm sure you probably have some moms in your life that would appreciate these cards throughout the year. This Mother's Day will be mark my 5th as a mom to some wonderful children and so to celebrate that milestone, I am giving away a collection of 5 cards from the "Edge of Motherhood" collection!

This giveaway is open to U.S. & Canadian residents only. If you do not have your email linked to your blogger profile, please leave your email address in your comment(s).

Mandatory Entry - Leave a comment on this post telling me your funniest mom moment. It can one that happened to you or someone you know.

Bonus Entries (please leave a separate comment for each bonus entry):

1 Entry - Become a Follower of this blog or let me know if you already follow (widget is on the left sidebar)

1 Entry - Grab my button & put it in your sidebar (please leave your blog link in the comment so I can verify placement and come by to say hi)

1 Entry - Become a follower on Facebook or let me know if you already follow

1 Entry - Become a follower on Twitter or let me know if you already follow

1 Entry - Per day for tweeting this giveaway (please leave tweet url in the comment)

This giveaway will close on Sunday, May 16th at 11:59pm ET. Winner will be chosen by random number draw. Winner will be contacted immediately and has 48 hours to respond with shipping information. If winner does not respond within 48 hours, an alternate winner will be chosen.

Good luck and thanks for stopping by!

Disclosure: This giveaway is sponsored by me. Hallmark doesn't have a clue who I am, only that I purchase a large volume of cards from them each year!

Cascade Complete Product Review and $25 Walmart Giveaway {CLOSED}

Through my membership with My Blog Spark, I was given the chance to take the 24-Hour Challenge with Cascade Complete All-in-1 ActionPacs, thanks to P&G and My Blog Spark.


We have been loyal Cascade users in this house for many years. When I heard about a new product in the Cascade family that was supposed to be even tougher on food particles, I knew that I wanted to see this product in action.

According to the packaging, "Cascade Complete All-in-1 ActionPacs give you the confidence of a job done right. It breaks down, dissolves, and rinses away tough food particles without the need to pre-wash."

To put this product to the test, I filled my dishwasher with utensils covered in dried peanut butter, plates covered in macaroni & cheese sauce and a baking dish with dried au gratin potato residue. Most of these dishes had been sitting in the machine for 48 hours, so I knew this product was really going to have to live up to it's claims.

To my amazement, not only did every item come out clean as a whistle, but I didn't see any food particles anywhere. Normally, at least one of my peanut butter covered knives has something left on it. I'm definitely a believer in this product now!


I would definitely recommend that you check out this product in your local stores. As an incentive to do just that, I am offering a $25 Walmart giftcard to one of my readers! Here's the details on the giveaway.

This giveaway is open to U.S. & Canadian residents only. If you do not have your email linked to your blogger profile, please leave your email address in your comment(s).

Mandatory Entry - Leave a comment on this post telling me your worst "stuck on food" disaster.

Bonus Entries (please leave a separate comment for each bonus entry):

1 Entry - Become a Follower of this blog or let me know if you already follow (widget is on the left sidebar)

1 Entry - Grab my button & put it in your sidebar (please leave your blog link in the comment so I can verify placement and come by to say hi)

1 Entry - Become a follower on Facebook or let me know if you already follow

1 Entry - Become a follower on Twitter or let me know if you already follow

1 Entry - Per day for tweeting this giveaway (please leave tweet url in the comment)

This giveaway will close on Sunday, May 16th at 11:59pm ET. Winner will be chosen by random number draw. Winner will be contacted immediately and has 48 hours to respond with shipping information. If winner does not respond within 48 hours, an alternate winner will be chosen.

Legal Disclaimer: This product review was based on using complimentary Cascade product provided by P&G. Bloggers also received a Walmart gift card to share with their readers. P&G does not represent or warrant the accuracy of any statements or product claims made here, nor does it endorse any opinions expressed within this blogsite.

Disclosure: I received a package of Cascade Complete ActionPacs from P&G and My Blog Spark in order to facilitate my review. I also received, from the same companies, a $25 Walmart gift card that I am giving away in this review. All opinions expressed are 100% my own. I did not receive any other compensation for this review. Others might have a different experience with the product.

Welcome to Blogmania - 24 hour giveaway {CLOSED}

Welcome to Blogmania!

My blog is #108 of 123.

You've arrived at exactly the right time to explore lots of new blogs, all of which, ARE GIVING AWAY A VERY SPECIAL BLOGMANIA GIVEAWAY (For one day only - April 30th).

We've done all of the work for you. No hunting or surfing. Each blog will have a number and each new blog link will have a number. These numbers will allow you to keep track of which blogs you've visited and how many are left to visit. Go ahead and take a moment to make a list from 1 to 123 & check off the blogs as you go!

I know you'll want to visit as many blogs today as you can. There are so many wonderful blogs participating today! It's a wonderful chance to enter lots of great giveaways and maybe find some of your new favorite blogs to read. Be prepared to bookmark lots of new sites!

So, here is what I am giving away today and what you need to do to enter my giveaway.

I am a huge scrapbooker and have been for many years. I was introduced to scrapbooking by a friend who sold products for a company called Creative Memories and immediately became hooked! While I do not use that company's products exclusively, I only use their albums to house my projects because of the archival quality of the albums & pages. So, today, I am offering some of my favorite Spring products from the Creative Memories line.



This is the 12"x12" album coverset in the Plumberry color. I adore this color! And this is the album size that I use for almost every project.














I love easy ways to dress up pages and pictures and this Simply Beautiful Spring 12x12 Additions package performs the task easily! It includes papers & stickers that are so easy to use.










Another embellishment tool that I like is punches. This Butterfly Pocket Punch can be used for a variety of projects including scrapbooking, card making and other paper crafting ideas that you might have!












You'll need pages to adhere your pictures to and my favorite shade is the Natural pages. I'm including 1 set of pages to get you started. The package includes 15 sheets.












And finally, I'm including a set of Page Protectors which are specially designed plastic cover sheets that will protect your pictures for many years to come. This is a set of 15 page protectors.









The retail value of this package is $72 and the entire package will be awarded to a single winner. This giveaway is open to residents of the U.S. only. The giveaway closes at 11:59pm Pacific Time on April 30th, 2010. Winner will be chosen by random draw. Winner will be notified immediately and has 48 hours to confirm with shipping information. If you do not have an email address linked to your Blogger profile, you must leave an email address in your entry comment.

To enter this giveaway, please leave a comment on this post telling me if you're a scrapbooker or not. It's that simple!

Anyone interested in extra entries? Here's how you can receive extra entries! (please leave a separate comment for EACH extra entry)

1 extra entry for posting my button on your blog

1 extra entry for becoming a follower of my blog or letting me know you already follow

1 extra entry for becoming a follower of my Facebook Page or let me know you already follow

1 extra entry for becoming a follower on Twitter or let me know you already follow

Thanks for entering and now here's a list of other blogs participating who have great giveaways for you to check out!

Blog 1 - Between the Pages
Blog 2 - The Black Sheep Dances
Blog 43 - Books, Books Everywhere
Blog 6 - Ashleyladd (*Adult Content Warning)
Blog 27 - Blackberry Jam Cafe
Blog 34 - Reading AT the Beach
Blog 54 - Paper Cut Reviews
Blog 90 - SMS Book Reviews
Blog 111 - Deanna's Tidbits
Blog 120 - I Sew Cute and Draw Pretty Nifty Also

Disclosure: I am an independent consultant for Creative Memories and am supplying the items for this giveaway out of my own pocket.

TSRphotography: Review and Giveaway {Closed}

I am a great admirer of beautiful photography. The subject matter can be anything from children sitting on a bench while eating ice cream to a lone tree in a meadow. I just truly appreciate a lovely picture!

TSRphotography is a brand new Etsy vendor who specializes in nature photography, especially landscapes. The photographs are from areas surrounding the Tennessee Valley, which is a lush landscape full of variety. My favorite print is this one called "Savage Falls".


















I love a great shot of waterfalls and this one really captures the beauty of the water, while the foliage really frames the shot. Gorgeous!

TSRphotography offers several prints currently, in sizes varying from 5x7 to 11x14. Prices begin at $10 and go up from there. This is a great place to purchase some very affordable pieces that will bring the beauty of the outdoors to any room!

Giveaway:

TSRphotography has graciously offered the winner of this giveaway, the print of their choice from the website, in their choice of available sizes. (Giveaway is only open to residents of the U.S. & Canada)

To Enter the Giveaway:

Mandatory Entry - Please visit TSRphotography and leave me a comment letting me know which print is your favorite.

Additional Entries (please leave a separate comment for each additional entry):

1 Entry - Become a Follower of this blog or let me know if you already follow (widget is on the left sidebar)

1 Entry - Grab my button & put it in your sidebar (please leave your blog link in the comment so I can verify placement and come by to say hi)

1 Entry - Become a follower on Facebook or let me know if you already follow

1 Entry - Become a follower on Twitter or let me know if you already follow

1 Entry - Per day for tweeting this giveaway (please leave tweet url in the comment)

1 Entry - Making TSRphotography a favorite on your Etsy profile

This giveaway will close on Sunday, May 2nd at 11:59pm ET. Winner will be chosen by random number draw. Winner will be contacted immediately and has 48 hours to respond with shipping information. If winner does not respond within 48 hours, an alternate winner will be chosen.

Disclosure: This giveaway is sponsored by TSRphotography. I did not receive any compensation (monetary or products) for my review. All opinions are based on my personal experience.

The Inaugural Giveaway: $25 Amazon.com gift card {CLOSED}

Wow, I feel like I've just given birth to my 3rd child!

This review blog has been a glimmer in my eye for many months now. After one half-hearted attempt, I finally got my ducks in a row and hooked up with a great blog designer to bring you Queen of the Castle Reviews!

I like to get things started with a bang! I'm in the process of putting together some wonderful product & service reviews for my readers, but in the meantime, let's do a giveaway to get this party started!

I am a huge fan of online shopping and my absolutely favorite site is Amazon.com.



I can't tell you how many times I have used this site to shop for just about everything under the sun! I could seriously gush about Amazon for days, but let's get to the good stuff already.

I am giving away a $25 Gift Card to Amazon! This giveaway is 100% sponsored by me. Amazon has no idea who I am, only that they see orders from me way too often. To enter this giveaway, please leave a comment on this post. Any comment will do. Since I am still putting the finishing touches on my castle here, any ideas that you have about things you would like to see or not like to see would be great!

For additional entries, please leave a SEPARATE comment for each additional entry.

1 entry for becoming a follower of mine on Twitter

1 entry for becoming a Facebook Fan

1 entry for becoming a Follower of this blog (the widget is over there on the left side)

1 entry per day for tweeting this giveaway (please leave your tweet url in the comment)

The giveaway will end on Sunday, May 9th at 11:59pm ET. Winner will be chosen by random.org and the winner will be contacted immediately. Winner has 48 hours to respond with shipping information or an alternate winner will be chosen. If your email address is not linked to your blogger profile, PLEASE leave your email address in your comments. If I cannot contact you, you can't win.

Good luck everyone and welcome to my castle!