For Immediate Release Reviews

We've Moved!!

2007-04-08T22:58:00.000-05:00

It's official...
For Immediate Release Reviews has moved!
Click HERE to visit our new home.
We'll be adding a lot of new reviews in April!

Thanks for visiting!

Shaley Melchior, Editor
For Immediate Release Reviews

Avayon MP-85 MP4 Player

2007-03-31T09:40:00.000-05:00

MP-85 MP4 Player
Avayon
$129.99
Click Here to Order!

I recently had the opportunity to try this brand new MP4 player from Avayon. I was impressed from the very moment I opened the package. The MP-85 comes in a sleek black case, lined with black velvet-type material. The player has the following specifications:

Features and Functions:

2.0 inch 260K color super clear TFT LCD
2GB Internal Memory
USB 2.0 full speed, connect by USB extension cable
Built in SD Mini card slot
Stainless metal case, super slim appearance
Plug and play
Supports MP1, MP2, MP3, MPEG4, WMA, AVI, JPEG, and more
JPEG compatible
Upgradeable firmware
Multi-language support
Song title and lyric are simultaneously displayed
FM Radio
High Quality Voice/FM record
20 pre-set channels
A-B Repeat, repeat one, repeat all
Audio 7 EQ Modes: Normal , Jazz, Classic, Pop, Rock, Soft , DBB
Time shutdown function
E-book (Text Viewer function)
Digital album
Built-in high quality MIC
Built-in stereo speaker
Built-in rechargeable battery
Game (Tetris)
No need of driver installation for Windows 98 or above

Connections:

Earphone Output
USB Port
Memory Card Slot

Accessories included:

Earphones
Wall charger and USB cable
AVI Converter CD
Manual

General:

Power supply: Built-in rechargeable battery
Unit Dimensions: W 75mm x H 47mm x D 12mm (W 2.9 in x H 1.8 in x D 0.5 in)
Unit Weight: 56 g (2.0 oz)

The player has a great feel to it. The front is a glossy black plastic, with silver buttons. The reverse is a brushed stainless steel type. There's a pin-hole sized mic on the top, as well as a on-off switch. There's a small speaker on the reverse, and the bottom has a slot for an optional mini SD card, a headphone jack, and a USB connection.

I put my player through some rigorous testing. For about three weeks, I carried my player with me basically everywhere. I went on some cleaning jobs, one of which is in an extremely noisy environment. I took it on long drives, I used it while walking, and running, and I basically gave the player a good workout. Here's what I found:
1. Sound quality is great.
The included earbuds fit pretty well, for one-size-fits-all earbuds. They are a little smaller than most earbuds, so they fit in most anyone's ears, even small children. One note, though- the earbuds seem to be incompatible with most other devices. I tried them with my RCA MP3 player, as well as my Acer Aspire laptop, and the earbuds actually made the music sound like it had been sped up, except for the deep bass notes. Honestly, though, most people won't find it necessary to use these earbuds on other devices, so I don't anticipate that being an issue for most people. There's a really nice variety of equalizers, so you can change the sound of your music as you wish. There's 7 different presets, and also, happily, an option for user presets. I choose this option, because I like to turn the bass all the way up, and I can set each setting to my preferences. One of the most surprising features to me was the small speaker on the reverse of the player. Disconnect the earbuds, flip over the player, and you have a remarkably loud mini stereo.

2. The player is extremely sturdy.
I'll admit it, I dropped my player a few times. Not on purpose, of course, but by accident. Once, it fell from a height of 4 feet onto a solid concrete floor. I was a little nervous about how the player would hold up, but there's was NO visible signs of damage, and when turned on, the device still worked perfectly! The only sign of use to the exterior, after using the device for several weeks, is a small scratch on the reverse side.

3. Operation is simple.
The player comes with a USB cable and a small CD-ROM. The CD-ROM contains a software program to convert many different video files to .avi files. While this player has no problem playing .mp4 files, converting them to .avi files can significantly reduce file size, hence you'll have a good deal more room on the device. Simply connect the USB cable to your PC, then to the player. In most cases, the device will automatically be recognized and installed. You can then open up the files in Windows Explorer, and drag 'n drop your MP3 or WMA music files, MP4 or AVI video files, TXT or DOC text files, or JPEG pictures files onto the player. A 1GB file took about 20 minutes to transfer, while a 1 song MP3 file took about 10 seconds.

4. Charging is quick and easy.

Charging is also simple and quick. The USB cable is used as the power cord, and charges the play when plugged into a PC. There's also an included wall plug, and the USB cord is connected to the player and the wall plug, then the player can be charged by a power outlet. My player takes about an hour to go from fully drained battery, to fully charged battery. There's a handy color indicator right on the screen. It's green when the battery is well charged, then as the battery discharges, it turns yellow, orange, then red. My player actually charges faster when plugged into the PC, 1 hour, than when plugged into the wall outlet, about 1 1/2 hours.

My final opinion on the MP-85 player? In all honesty, the only thing it needs is a camera to be the perfect personal entertainment system! The video quality is extremely good. The screen is small enough that you can choose a high compression rate without loss of quality, yet is large enough that there won't be any difficulty seeing any of the action on the screen. I am extremely happy that there is a hard protective cover over the screen. There's no risk of hitting or touching the screen too hard and causing damage. The music quality is really, really good. Even MP3 files sound as good, if not better, than a CD played on a 2.1 stereo system. For a small device, the quality is impressive- I usually don't expect much from a portable MP3 player, but this one sounds great! JPEG pictures look great, and the fact that I can take the e-books I download from Project Gutenberg on the player to read anywhere is a huge plus in my eyes. This player is great with small kids, too. Just load an episode of SpongeBob or Dora, and they'll be set for hours! There's numerous freeware programs available online, such as DVD Decrypter, to place DVD files on the player. Just remember... use this responsibly! I'm not liable for any illegal usage of any programs you use or download from the Internet, as well as any trouble you get into! But it's very cool to take home videos with you, as well as YouTube content. I highly recommend the Avayon MP-85 player. The price ($129.99) is very,very reasonable for a 2 GB player, especially one capable of so much. This player will easily outshine any iPod, any day!

You Stink Soap

2007-03-24T09:41:00.000-05:00

You Stink
Handcrafted Soaps and More
Click Here to Browse and Order!

I've found a great source for handcrafted soap. You Stink soap not only smells great, but the varied colors and patterns make the soap as beautiful as it is useful. The lather is quite impressive for handmade soap. It's sort of a light, fluffy, airy lather. When I first received my sample soaps from You Stink, the soap was still a little soft. The scent was pretty powerful, which made it awesome for a bubble bath. Just hold it under running water for a great rich bubble bath. Now that I've had my samples for a few weeks, the soap has really hardened up, and now it makes an excellent hand and body soap. The scent is lighter, but still really yummy. My favorite soap from You Stink is the Garden Mint.

You Stink sells sample sizes for testing, 5 one ounce bars for $5. If you discover what scent(s) you like the best, you can stock up with 6 extra-large bars for $25. These bars are great for scenting your linens gently. Once the bars are fully hardened (pushing on them leaves no mark), they don't seem to leak color on anything they are set on. Try You Stink out... you won't "stink" anymore!

Diner Dash 2 - Restaurant Rescue

2007-03-24T01:59:00.000-05:00

Diner Dash 2 - Restaurant Rescue
Brighter Minds Media
Rated "E" for Everyone
Click Here to Order!
$19.95

Diner Dash 2 must be one of the best "time wasting" games around. While that may not sound like a compliment, it really is. After a while, I get tired of games that have a reason and purpose. Don't get me wrong, this game does have a storyline, but the fun isn't really so much in the storyline, as in the game play itself. The story centers on Flo, a waitress that is trying to help save the restaurants belonging to friends from the evil Mr. Big. Mr. Big wants to convert all the small, family owned diners into a huge, unfeeling chain. Flo is determined to save her friends restaurants from an untimely demise.

When playing Diner Dash 2, you first complete an excellent tutorial on how to serve your customers. You start with just a couple of tables, but by the time you make it to the higher levels, you have quite a few tables to serve and keep happy. There's many power ups, perhaps not fitting the typical meaning of the word. There's several different types of customers, and they each have different traits, likes, and dislikes. Families must have high chairs delivered to them, or the babies scream and disturb everyone. Cell phone talkers jabber, jabber, jabber all the time while they eat, and distract everyone except families and joggers. Joggers wear headphones, so loud noises don't bother them. Bookworms get annoyed with noise very easily, but are pretty patient while waiting for seating and food. Seniors are very slow eaters, and are also very patient. Teenage girls are pretty easy-going, and eat fast. Businesswomen eat extremely fast, and don't tolerate slowness or distractions very well. You can feed your customers snacks, beverages, and desserts to keep them happy. You can also hire singers, busboys, and hostesses to satisfy guests.

This game will keep players of all ages happy for quite a while. I'm stuck at level 40 right now, out of 50 levels. I had a 10 year old and a 7 year old play this game, and they've mastered it pretty quickly, and really enjoy it. I appreciate that, after installing the game, you no longer need to insert the CD-ROM to play the game. Very handy! I highly recommend this game.

PurrFect Opener and DogGone Opener

2007-03-24T01:40:00.000-05:00

PurrFect Opener and DogGone Opener
$9.95 each
Click Here to Order!

I recently ran across these really cool multitaskers. They do sooo much... just take a look at this chart:

Pretty cool, huh? I actually use this gadget quite a bit. It has a magnet on the reverse, so it hangs easily on the fridge or stove, microwave, dishwasher, etc. I think this is primarily marketed to seniors, but it's really useful to people of all ages. My brother has been on antibiotics for several weeks now, due to some tooth problems, and he was given what we call horse pills. Huge, huge pills, much too big for a 10 year old to swallow easily. The pill splitter on openers splits pills perfectly. No crumbly pills or uneven splits. The gripping surface makes opening child-safe (really adult safe!) lids super simple. I always have short fingernails, so using the soda can holder is great for me. I highly recommend this nifty invention!

Handcrafted Handbags

2007-03-24T01:04:00.000-05:00

"Villette" Bag
$18
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Bronte" Bag
$18-$21
~~~~~~~~~~~

BeckyKay Designs
Handcrafted Bags
Click Here to Browse and Order!

I have a new philosophy for my life. A woman can never have too many handbags. Am I right, or am I right? These gorgeous bags from BeckyKay Designs are perfect for any woman's collection. They come in many shades and designs of fabric, perfect for any outfit. The designs have whimsical names, such as "Bronte", "Villette", "Adele", "Jane", and "Thornfield". Every bag is very, very well crafted. The bags have interior and exterior pockets, roomy enough for all your important supplies. My personal favorite has to be the "Villette" bag. I love the simple, classy design. The "Bronte" bag has a really pretty handle tied in a bow, and with 2 interior and 2 exterior pockets, has plenty of room for books, crafts, and more. The bag prices are very reasonable, for such high quality purses, and shipping is great and fast. PayPal and money orders are accepted. For those unfamiliar with PayPal, you can use any major credit card or debit card to pay for your purchases. I've fallen in love with the bags BeckyKay Designs makes and sells, and I'm sure you will too!

Handcrafted Bookmarks

2007-03-24T00:19:00.000-05:00

Handcrafted Bookmarks
Click Here to Browse and Order!

I love to read, and on the rare occasions that I don't finish a book in one setting, I need a bookmark. I've lost so many pictures, library cards, and important papers that I can't count them all! I've recently ran across these gorgeous Italian bookmarks. They're very well made, and feel great in your hand. They are just heavy enough to keep a page marked without slipping, yet not so heavy that they leave a permanent mark on the page. I've belonged to a number of book swapping groups in the past, and was always annoyed when a bookmark left obvious, ugly marks. No chance with these bookmarks! The shoppe that sells these, HappyBee, also sells sweet totes, credit card and lip balm holders, quilts, bibs, and more. Check them out!

Handcrafted Cat Toys

2007-03-23T23:56:00.000-05:00

Handcrafted Catnip "Love Sock"
Click Here to Order!
$9 or $12

After searching high and low for the perfect cat toy, I have found it. This Catnip Love Sock is specially made for optimum kitty enjoyment.

With 1/2 rabbit fur, 1/2 faux fur, ribbons, feathers, and a hefty dose of catnip, I was interested to see how my cat, Tia, would react. She's had limited exposure to catnip, and has never seemed interested in cat toys before, but I thought I'd give it a try. I waited until she came meowing into the kitchen, begging for her umpteenth can of food for the day. Instead of popping open the kitty chow, I tossed the Catnip Love Sock on the floor in front of her, and stood back. Tia went absolutely crazy! She began purring and batting the sock around in every direction. She tackled it, she tossed it, she actually shook it side to side with her mouth, like a dog would do to an unlucky squirrel.

I was so impressed! Even after the initial catnip high went down, Tia returned to the toy over and over again to play with the feathers and strings. Tia hasn't played with this toy much for the last couple of weeks, but then, she's a new mommy! 5 kittens seems to have taken her play time away. I'm looking forward to seeing the kittens try out the Catnip Love Sock, when they are a bit older. I highly recommend this super cat toy!

Custom Made Belts

2007-03-23T23:38:00.000-05:00

Custom Made Belts
Belt Shown Above Available Here
Many Other Styles Available Here
Happy Face Belt, Shown Above, $14
Other Belts - Prices Vary

Isn't this sooo awesome! Now you can have a great, affordable, custom-fit belt in amazing colors and styles. TraceyBelt is the shoppe that sells these, and they are so well made. I had so many compliments on my Happy Face belt. Everywhere I went, everyone wanted to know where I found this adorable belt! I live in the Ozarks, albeit the "backwoods" part of the Ozarks. "Everyone and his twin brother" wears belts here. Many are pretty much your run of the mill faux leather belt, or a handy piece of rope, or even suspenders. Once in a while, you'll see a hand-tooled belt, but, for the most part, nothing too imaginative. A belt like this will shake up a small town! The craftmanship is excellent, and the shop owner, Tracey, is very friendly. Customer service can't be beat, and shipping to the USA is a mere $1.5o, to Canada and Mexico, $1.80. All other countries are only $2.5o to ship to. Tracey accepts PayPal, which means you can use all major credit cards, as well as your debit card. Check them out!

New Critters from Build-A-Bear Workshop!

2007-03-23T22:53:00.000-05:00

Learn-to-Dress Bearemy
$17
~~~~~~~~~~~~

PJ Bearemy
$15
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Peek-a-Boo Monkey
$12
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Bearemy Security Blankie/Puppet
$10
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Build-A-Bear Workshop
Click Here to Find Your Nearest Store!

Wow. That was all I could think and say after I saw these adorable critters. They are so incredibly soft and huggable! They have the quality and charm that Build-A-Bear Workshop has become famous for, at prices that anyone can afford.

I'm first going to tell you about my favorite of these critters. My favorite is the Peek-A-Boo Monkey. Not only is he super, super soft, but he also has magnets in his hands and feet, so he can be posed in multiple positions. You can also hang him on a metal surface. The magnets are surprisingly strong for a stuffed toy. Monkey has a cute little banana in his pocket that slips in and out. He also has a plastic ring on his tail to hang from a rocking chair, crib post, etc. At only $12, this is an absolutely perfect gift for any small child (or even a collectible for us adults!). Recommended for ages 2 and up.

Next, we have the Bearemy Security Blankie/Puppet. This one is priced at $10, and recommended for all ages from birth up. I can see a little person quickly becoming attached to this teddy. It sports a soft security blankie which also can be a puppet, as well as a teething ring for fussy babies. This little guy is just as soft and sweet as can be!

Learn-to-Dress Bearemy is a great twist on the old favorite - dress-up dolls. I love the bunch of hair that sticks up so adorably on Bearemy's head. He has zippers, buttons, toggles, ties, Velcro, and buckles for an all-around learning experience. The recommended ages are 2 and up. I tried this with a 3 year-old, and she had so much fun trying out all the activities on Bearemy. There's no fear of anything come undone...Bearemy is made extremely well, and all buttons, etc., are well secured. At $17, this is a gift that will last for years and years.

Finally, we have PJ Bearemy. This teddy comes in several different colors, from blue to yellow to pink. The best feature of this toy, in my opinion, is the voice recording chip. It's very simple to use, just press and hold one hand to record a message from Mommy or Daddy, then the child can press the other hand to play. I've found that this is perfect for the evenings that the parents will be away from the child at bedtime. A recorded message from PJ can mean the difference between an easy bedtime, and a screaming, unhappy child. At $15, why not have a couple for different messages? PJ Bearemy is really soft and comfy to sleep with. He (or she!) has nothing on him that will scratch tender skin while sleeping.

I think all these critters are the most adorable toys I've seen yet this year!

Etsy Shoppe - SereneDreams

2007-03-23T21:40:00.000-05:00

SereneDreams
Click Here to Browse and Order!

Mmmm.... I love fragrance. Not the heavy, deep, musky sort of fragrances, but lighter scents. I've found THE perfect source for candles, perfumes, and more. SereneDreams sells oodles of amazing scented goodies. The perfumes last for hours upon hours, and a 5 pack of samples is only $7.95. Perfect for finding that scent that fits your perfectly! There's also candles in all shapes, sizes, and scents. The Banana Blast candle is sooo great, it perfumed the whole kitchen when lit. I could smell the yummy scents before I even opened the mailbox! Even the woman that delivers my mail commented the next day on how the package made her truck smell really, really good. I highly suggest you order a sample pack of fragrances... they really scent the area around you with a light, delicate scent that lasts for hours. Here's what Serina, the owner of SereneDreams, says about her products:

"My perfume oils are hand blended and mixed fresh to order! Made with certified 100% essential oils, natural bouquets and some fragrance oils (just ask if unsure) and contain no alcohol or animal by-products. Luxurious as perfumes, or for massage, suitable for aromatherapy in an oil diffuser. Use as room scents, put a drop on a facecloth and throw in the dryer, or use in the tub for a silky aromatic bath!"

Shipping to the USA and Canada is very reasonable, and International shipping to other countries is available upon request. Everything comes packaged very carefully, and there was no breakage or leaking from my package. SereneDreams' 100% positive feedback will make even the most reticent buyer comfortable, and you can use PayPal to pay with all major credit cards. Serina also accepts money orders.

Be sure to check out all the great fragrances SereneDreams has to offer!

The Memory Board

2007-03-23T21:15:00.000-05:00

Computer Monitor Before:

Computer Monitor After:

The Memory Board
Click Here to Order
$12.95 to $13.95
15",17", 19" Models Available Now, More Sizes Coming Soon!

I am the Queen of Clutter. Very much so. So when I saw this new invention, I knew it was something I had to try! I wasn't disappointed either. The Memory Board is, basically, a dry-erase board, custom made to fit your monitor. It attaches quickly and easily with the included Velcro, and stays securely attached to the monitor. The board works with any dry-erase markers or dry-erase crayons. This works so much better than using sticky notes that lose their stick! The board is a lot more pleasing to the eye, too. At $12.95 for most sizes, this is a great pick for decluttering your office.

Canguards

2007-03-23T18:44:00.000-05:00

Canguards

Click Here to Order!

$0.50 each

Summer is fast approaching! Many of us are planning fun trips for summertime, such as camping, amusement park hopping, float trips, and more. One unfortunate fact of summer is the myriads of bugs, insects, and general critters that come swarming whenever a sugary drink is popped open. Who hasn't had a sweat bee topple to an untimely death in a soda can?

Now, there's a really great, inexpensive solution. Canguards are perfect for that can of soda, juice, or beer. No critters can sneak into your drink and surprise you when you slurp! At only 50 cents each, I suggest stocking up with these special lids.

Canguards are pretty simple to use. They're basically a snap on lid for aluminum cans. The first time you use one, they are a bit snug, so stretch them a little with your fingers, or simply put them on the unopened can a couple of times, and they will fit the opened can perfectly, with no chance of slipping.

These actually work very well, and do everything they are designed to do. No more bugs!

Heart-Shaped Bird Nest Builder

2007-03-16T13:15:00.000-05:00

Birds Nest Helper

Click Here to Order!

$8.00 each/ 2 for $15.00 US

Humans decorate their homes with all sorts of beautiful items, and now the birds living in your yard can have lovely nests! Many people, when cutting hair, toss the hair out in the yard for the birds to pick up. It's pretty common to see the hair sticking out of nests later in the year. Now, you can give your birds a bit of fashion advice. This nifty wire cage is easy to fill and refill with:

- straw, dried grasses and small twigs
- dog or cat hair
- moss, bull rush fluff or other natural fluff produced by plants
- short lengths of thread, string and wool
- thin strips of cotton fabric (like the kind quilters make when trimming up)
- dryer lint (yes, finally you can do something useful with dryer lint!).

This is a really, really cool "novelty" item, and is great to hang from trees and let birds "feather" their nests with!

.Com coming soon!

2007-03-12T19:32:00.000-05:00

Big news!

We are currently building a new website for For Immediate Release Reviews. It will be (what else?) www.forimmediatereleasereviews.com . Stay tuned for updates!

Review of "Selina Mae Steele"

2007-03-07T23:53:00.000-06:00

Selina Mae Steele
Sylvia Marri Stone
CafePress
$17.95
Available Here

Short Summary:
In this book, Sylvia Stone draws on her own experiences as a champion bodybuilder to bring her character to life. Throughout the book, it is truly difficult to tell whether we are reading a work of fiction or an autobiography. Stone expertly weaves a tale of a woman trapped in the world of professional athletes, attempting to find love, happiness, success, and meaning in life. Does she ever find it? The book is left open-ended, so the reader can decide for themselves.

What Makes This Book Good?

The story is quite interesting, and there's a lot of points that an outsider to bodybuilding wouldn't be aware of, so an insider's look is valuable.

What Did I Not Like About This Book?

Needs some editing and cleaning up.
A bit overpriced for a self-published book.

Shaley's Verdict:

Worth a try!
B+

Review of "Grass IS Green... But Beyond Reach"

2007-03-07T23:35:00.000-06:00

Grass IS Green... But Beyond Reach
Sylvia Marri Stone
CafePress
$12.95
Available Here

Short Summary:
Gianna Fagan is a typical teenager in many ways, yet, in others, she's very unique. She enjoys many ordinary activities, is awesome in sports, and tries to heal the strife in her family. She has a big problem, though. At times, her body will literally lock up and paralyze her. She falls to the ground and her only means of communication is via blinking. Eventually, Gianna's illness brings the family together.

What Makes This Book Good?

It's an interesting story, and at 96 pages, a quick beach read.

What Did I Not Like About This Book?

It needs a hefty dose of editing.
The story seems a bit implausible, the heroine is a bit too, well, perfect.

Shaley's Verdict:

This book has potential, but needs some assistance to truly shine.
B-

Review of "Being Teddy Roosevelt"

2007-03-07T23:03:00.000-06:00

Being Teddy Roosevelt
Claudia Mills and R.W. Alley
Farrar, Straus and Giroux
$16
Available Here

Short Summary:
Riley has to write a biography, and then come to school dressed as his subject for a fancy tea. Five whole pages! The worst part? He can't pick the subject. He picks Teddy Roosevelt out of the teacher's hat. While Riley could care less about this long-dead president, there is a subject in school that he loves - music. Riley wants to rent a sax for band, but it costs $25 per month. His single mom never has any extra money, and his dad rarely sends them money. Riley begins reading his 127-page book about Roosevelt, and starts thinking of ways that he can maybe, just maybe, find a way to get that saxophone after all. The result? Hilarious fun, with Helen Keller tripping over imaginary snakes in the library, a young Gandhi parading around school in a white loincloth and head shaved in the boys bathroom, a kindly school bus driver, a dented van, and much more.

What Makes This Book Good?
The plot is adorable!
The kids are true-to-life.
There is a positive lesson, without being terribly obvious - be resourceful, inventive, and always try your best.
The illustrations are lively and fit in with the style of the book, and the black and white pictures don't detract from the story.
Good quality hardback binding.

What Did I Not Like About This Book?
Could be a bit longer, at only 90 pages, makes $16 a bit pricey.

Shaley's Verdict:

A great addition for school libraries, and teaches kids a good bit of history while being great fun.
A+!

New Book Review Format,Etc.

2007-03-04T15:57:00.000-06:00

Hi! As returning visitors may know, I was sick with scarlet fever for a couple of months towards the end of last year. During that time, books kept pouring in... and went on my bookshelf, where many of them have been sitting since. Why? Well, when I was sick, I honestly didn't want to write. So, I have many books, and I want to review them ALL for you to read and enjoy! Hence, I'm launching a new format for book reviews, effective immediately. Here's what you will see:
~~~~~
Title
Author
Publisher
Price
Available Here

Short Summary:

What Makes This Book Good?

What Did I Not Like About This Book?

Shaley's Verdict:

~~~~~

What's so great about this? Well, it's easier for me... I can bring you 3 or 4 reviews in the same amount of time that 1 would typically take. This means many more reviews for you, and more shelf space for me! So, what happens to the books I receive, after they've been read? Some are donated to one of my local libraries, and other stay on my shelf to be read and re-read.

I'm still deciding if this format will be used for other reviews. Another thing- I get asked this a lot, and NO, I don't receive a single dollar from the companies whose products I review. So, I can give you my honest review, without needing to "gush" over products.

I have some reviews coming up that I'm pretty excited about... Avayon's new personal media player, awesome hats from Wallaroo, a Blooming Candle, great Indie music CDs, lots of games and toys, and so much more.

My office in in my home, and this website isn't my whole life, obviously. Right now, I have some remodeling going on, my cat had 5 kittens yesterday, and spring (hence gardening and planting!) is well on the way. The remodeling that I'm doing is for a new bedroom-slash-office for me, with lots of shelf space, a tv/vcr/dvd player and pc in there, and still have access to a kitchen nearby, as well as my test panel of kids and adults. Yes, life is crazy, but isn't it always? These changes will make everything simpler and enable me to give you a lot more reviews. Falling behind was no fun, but I am slowly catching up. Please bookmark this website, and keep checking for more updates and reviews!

Thanks!

Shaley

Review of "The Invisibles"

2007-03-02T22:15:00.000-06:00

The Invisibles
A Collection of Poetry & Artwork
Written and Illustrated by Donia Gobar
iUniverse Books
$12.95
Click Here to Order

Poetry and I don't usually get along. However, when I see poetry AND artwork together in one book, I want to give the book a try. I was not disappointed by The Invisibles. The illustrations are lovely, often haunting, and unforgettable. The poetry, while it looks simple, is, upon further reflection, deeply complex and thoughtful. The poetry is so wide and varied that the reader will never be bored or become tired of the book before it is finished, indeed, many will want to read the book over and over again.

While the book isn't terribly long, 116 pages, the author and artist, Donia Gobar, easily covers many of life's moments. The first poem is a very sweet one, of a little boy playing alongside a creek while his mother snoozes in the sun. A few pages later, the book leans toward the serious and heartbreaking, with a poem that speaks of a six year old child living in a war-torn land, walking through broken homes and bodies, the loss of his mother, the gloating of generals, the bottles of vodka, and, in the end, the poem says:

"And you ask yourself,
Why?
What for?"

It' s so easy to imagine yourself as the small, frightened child, wise and old beyond his years.

Many pages later, Gobar takes us into room 223 of Pittsburg's hospital, where we find a woman of indeterminate age gazing at the familiar, unvarying walls, signs, and flowers around her. The conclusion at the end is that the woman is laying in the bed, where she has lost a day of her life.

My favorite poem in the book is on page 89. It's called The Mute Shore In Me.

Look at those rushing, young emotions,
racing with children of the sea,
scattering diamonds of illusion.

Tipsy, with the wine of crimson dusk,
rising, falling,
and with half-breed twilights,
crying,
and with the mystic blue moon
singing, dancing...

Again and again and again

The old shore in me watches
silently,
stretching out it's world-weary being,
its vulnerable soft edges,
slowly
breaking,
sinking,
where the young waves play
night after night,
day after day...

I found this book to be wonderful, all around. The illustrations that accompany the poems are perfect, and the poetry is well written and thought out. A great book for any library!

Handcrafted Greeting Cards

2007-02-27T22:44:00.000-06:00

Handcrafted Greeting Cards
Lucid Dreams Designs
$2.50 - $3.50
Click Here to Browse and Order

Lucid Dreams Designs makes gorgeous cards. It's as simple as that! Not only does this shoppe sell traditional greeting cards, but they also sell "bend-n-sends", which are really great, easy to use cards. More private than a postcard, less time than a traditional card and envelope.

Desirai, the owner and master artist behind Lucid Dreams Designs, uses her talents to make exceptionally lovely cards. Each card is unique, and suitable for many occasions. The Hearts with Bow card, shown above, features gold glitter accents, all applied carefully by hand. This card would be absolutely perfect for an anniversary, wedding wishes, or, how about a "get out of the doghouse" card? This card, among others Desirai sells, are so pretty.

Desirai's bend-n-sends are awesome, too. These would be great for kids and teenagers, you know, get them to send those thank you notes before a whole year has gone by! Also, how about for trips? They are more private than a postcard, so would be great to tell all the delicious details that the postman really doesn't need to know!

All the cards in Lucid Dreams Designs' shop are attractively priced, and easily personalized for that special someone. Check out their shop, they are adding new items all the time! I personally have my eye on these adorable magnets:

VintagEdge T-shirts

2007-02-27T17:20:00.000-06:00

VintagEdge T-shirts
$9.99 - $18.95
Click Here to Browse and Order!

I've found one of the greatest sites for funny t-shirts on the Internet- VintagEdge. They have an incredible selection of tees, 20 colors, 100s of designs, and fast, inexpensive shipping. 1 or 2 t-shirts ship for $6, and three or more tees ship free. Check out the bargain bin for a great selection of tees for only $9.99 each!

All of VintagEdge's designs are silkscreened on high quality t-shirts made with a 50/50 cotton/polyester blend. They also sell a line of "girly tees", these are made with 100% cotton jersey. The t-shirts are extremely durable, and I've put mine to the test very thoroughly. I've worn my tees at work, play, even on heavy-duty cleaning jobs, and in every condition, they have held up well and there is no early wear or ripped seams.

I've gotten a lot of compliments and laughs on my shirts. The Vermont - Spooning with New Hampshire Since 1791 seems to be very well received, and a lot of people glance at the tee, then come back, take a second look, and have a hearty laugh. My personal favorite is the Oceanside Boxing Club tee. It's very comfy, and I love the grumpy-looking character on the shirt.

VintagEdge stocks a wide line of sizes, too. The tees are available in sizes from S all the way to 3XL. Sizes 2X and 3X cost $2 extra. The girly tees are available in sizes S- XL, and do run small, so order accordingly.

With well over 100 different designs and 20 colors, there is an almost unlimited number of t-shirts available. VintagEdge has a lot of tees that are funny, sarcastic, edgy, and some that will require a bit of "guts" to wear. With free shipping for orders over 3 tees, how can you go wrong? Check out VintagEdge... they have some awesome shirts!

2 Red Hens Bags and Accesories

2007-02-26T21:04:00.000-06:00

Bags and Accessories
2 Red Hens
$13- $108
Click Here to Browse and Order!

I happened to stumble across this line of bags recently, and simply must tell you about them! 2 Red Hens makes an extraordinary line of bags and accessories. The names of all the products are adorable, from the Egg, a coin purse, up to The Whole Roost, a full-size diaper/tote bag, complete with changing pad.

One of the absolute best products that 2 Red Hens sells is the Nest. While this looks like a smallish pillow, covered in clear vinyl, unzip it, and it turns into something really great. It's basically a soft, fluffy shopping cart liner. Simply unzip, and it fits perfectly in a shopping cart. No more cold, uncomfortable shopping carts for your baby. This soft, fleecy nest unfolds to cover the handlebar, and also has the important 2 holes for baby's legs to fit in. The Nest folds back up easily, and is simple to zip. The clear cover is easily cleaned, simply wipe it with a damp cloth. Is it worth $48? Definitely. It's so well made, and will surely last for years. It's a great gift idea for a new mom!

I also tried one of 2 Red Hen's Whole Roost bags. This bag is sooo roomy! It's intended to be a diaper bag, and can be bought with a changing pad, which is really nice- soft fabric on one side, washable vinyl on the other. The changing pad folds and buttons, and fits securely in a front pocket on the bag. The Whole Roost is not only great for a diaper bag, but there are so many other uses for it. I've used mine as a laptop tote, to carry books to the library, to carry coloring books and crayons for the kids, to hold clothes for an overnight stay, and more. At $108, this is the priciest tote that 2 Red Hens sells, and I feel that it is worth it's price. It's really, really well made, and the seams are very strong, so no worried about the bag ripping or falling apart prematurely.

I think 2 Red Hens has some great bags, and with such a complete line, and many, many gorgeous colors and styles, even the pickiest person can find the perfect bag for any reason. Also, you can feel great about your purchase, as with every bag sold, 2 Red Hens makes a donation to help fight cervical cancer.

Unnatural Things – a Brief Guide to Natural Products on Etsy and Beyond

2007-02-26T16:44:00.000-06:00

Unnatural Things – a Brief Guide to Natural Products on Etsy and Beyond

by Diana Rajchel, owner of Magickal Realism

This natural, green, and environmentally friendly buzz can get pretty controversial among bath and body artisans – and pretty darned confusing to their customers. Even the best-intentioned of artisans themselves are sometimes fooled in their quest for natural, safe products for their customers and for themselves.

In order to fully understand all these labels, let's set aside some initial expectations:

Natural does NOT guarantee safety. A lot of people used ma huang because it's natural, and used too much of it, assuming it was safe, until they gave themselves heart attacks.

Chemical does NOT mean unsafe or unnatural nor does it mean safe and natural. Absolutely everything you see and touch has a chemical composition. YOU have a chemical composition. The discussion of what is natural and unnatural stems from where those chemicals originate.

Chemicals come in two categories: organic, and synthetic. Organic chemistry is not to be confused with organic products discussed later.

Organic chemicals are produced through extraction and isolation processes from an organic material, such as a plant or flower (or animal, in some cases). Synthetic chemicals are produced by creating reactions from materials that have been isolated to the point where their organic origin is unrecognizable – the organic materials that the components were obtained from are separated into a veritable alphabet of periodic table elements to be combined and recombined at the will – and sometimes risk - of the chemist. Absolutely everything, no matter how synthetic, has an organic origin. However, the materials of the synthetic process are substantially different from their organic chemical cousins, and new synthetics are being created all the time, and often released before complete data is gathered regarding their full effect on living creatures.

Even with this basic understanding, a customer purchasing bath and body products is engaging an act of faith; that buyer is trusting the seller to understand the chemicals that they work with well enough to only give their customers skin safe products that will not affect their personal chemistry and health long-term.

Each bath and body seller must make choices based on what population he or she wants to serve. The natural products market is just as segmented as the worldwide cosmetics market, and this smaller market consists of customers that are looking for very specific presences and absences of materials in what they buy. Most customers guide themselves by looking for labels, and an explanation of what those labels mean.

Here is an overview to common tags and labels used on Etsy and elsewhere, and what that label means:

Vegan – vegans abstain from use or consumption of anything with animal origin. You can read more about veganism to fully understand the movement. While it's natural to associate the vegan lifestyle with the environment, the greater environment is of concern to vegans primarily as it applies to the safety and preservation of animals (which in truth, is pretty far-reaching). This means that vegans do not use honey, milk, leather, gelatin, glycerin, or absolutely anything that comes from an animal. Vegans in western culture are particularly challenged by the prevalence of animal products throughout our culture, both in commonly available and affordable food and in our clothing, cars, and pharmaceuticals. Because of the needs of the vegan lifestyle, synthetics are often a welcome alternative to natural, animal-based options. To a vegan, synthetic ambergris, civet, and musk is preferable to the authentic version, and these among other synthetics significantly increase the repertoire of what they can use in vegan-directed bath and body products.

Organic – for the purposes of bath and body labeling, organic means that animals and plants consumed within the products were raised without the use of chemical fertilizers, pesticides, or hormones. The only chemicals that have reached the final product are composed of organic compounds, without any additional chemicals finding their way in.

Certified Organic/USDA certified organic
– This is the only regulated organic labeling in the United States. Some other countries have their own organic certifications, and in some cases, such as in the USSR, it's simply more likely you'll get an organic product quite simply because farmers in those countries can't afford the pesticides and other chemicals used to produce larger crops and animals. The USDA certified organic program certifies that "Organic food is produced by farmers who emphasize the use of renewable resources and the conservation of soil and water to enhance environmental quality for future generations. Organic meat, poultry, eggs, and dairy products come from animals that are given no antibiotics or growth hormones. Organic food is produced without using most conventional pesticides; fertilizers made with synthetic ingredients or sewage sludge; bioengineering; or ionizing radiation." The USDA, however, can NOT guarantee that certified organic products are in any way superior to the mainstream food alternatives.

Green – Green labeling has become quite trendy since the resurgence of Earth Day celebrations in the mid 1990s; along with its trendiness comes a certain level of producer abuse that can fool the unwary consumer. Green is meant to imply that something about the product supports, preserves, or improves the environment. However, there is not standard of enforcement for using "green" labels in packaging.

Labels and tags are as much marketing tools as they are guides. Large and small, bath and body sellers know that how they label and package their products will draw a certain type of buyer, whether it's one concerned with the welfare of animals or concerned with how the choices in their daily lives affect their environment. Since as a whole private bath and body sellers are unregulated, there's a lot of responsibility left to the buyer to recognize whether the claims and labels about what is purchased are true.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Part II: Ingredients: the Rub of that Rub by Diana Rajchel of Magickal Realism

Ingredient labeling among bath and body sellers is a tricky business. The longstanding tradition of secrecy among cosmetic sellers is coming into conflict with both FDA requirements and with those genuinely committed to the natural product movement, who espouse openness in labeling laws. At the same time, some who have made an honest go of open labeling all too often run into those who counterfeit their items; it's unfortunate, but plagiarism is a second tradition in all art forms. It could take years to give a complete run down of all products used in natural bath and body creation; instead, this list should help build a basic vocabulary of ingredients used, and help recognize – and avoid – deceitfully labeled products.

Soaps:

Lye – lye is a caustic chemical condensed from wood ashes (that leftover stuff after a camp fire). Its technical name is sodium hydroxide. Lye is an organic chemical produced by reaction with another organic substance – so yes, it's natural as natural chemistry goes – but used without caution, it's nasty and dangerous stuff that can leave disfiguring burns. This dangerous stuff combined with animal or vegetable fat (also natural) when cured properly, is turned into nice, skin-safe soap.

Essential oils – essential oils are the distilled oils of fragrant plants. It can take a massive amount of the plant to make one drop of oil. Soap makers need a lot of oil to scent a single batch of soap, and often find that the essential oils lack the potency needed to have a distinct odor. Because of that, most soap sellers must resort to synthetic alternatives to fragrance their soaps. If a soap seller claims that there are essential oils used in the soap, expect a high price – $7 or more per bar of soap.

Candles:

Candles, while not necessarily a bath and body product, are often paired with them because it's an easy transition between making soap and making candles, and because it's just plain nice to take a nice bath with some fresh handmade soap with a few candles lit around the tub.

Candles consist of two parts: wicking, and wax. They also can contain essential or synthetic oils for fragrance, but candle makers face the same fragrancing issues that soap makers do. The bulk of candle labeling concerns revolve around the long-term environmental impact of their materials.

Wicking:

A few years ago, a big panic spread about the long-term damage lead wicks in candles can do. These wicks were wires strung inside of the burnable wick, that made it easier to set the wick in the center. Most of these candles have been pulled from the marketplace, and are not a serious concern among current candle sellers.

Most wicks nowadays are made from cotton or hemp. While standard fare cotton farming certainly has a long-term environmental concern, organic cotton wicks are not readily and easily available to most candle sellers these days. However, most hemp is organically farmed due to lack of other farming options, and burns for a longer time period than cotton.

Waxes are the big controversy for candle makers. The type of wax can tell a buyer a lot about that creator's environmental and animal rights stance.

Paraffin – paraffin is the most commonly used wax in candle making. It's readily available in nearly any crafting store, and is what comes to mind first and foremost when someone thinks of making candles. Paraffin is derived from crude oil (jokingly called by some "dinosaur fat.") While paraffin only seriously affects air quality if made poorly (so it "soots" leaving black marks behind, which is a carcinogenic byproduct), paraffin does use crude oil. This makes paraffin a poor environmental choice, given that crude oil is a nonrenewable energy source
.

Beeswax – the wax is taken from the hard work of bees, which excludes these products from vegan use. This is considered an environmentally superior choice of wax because the resource is renewable – bees make new bees to make new hives – but it is a slow process, and runs the risk of overharvesting/overburdening the bees. Beeswax is also very expensive, often prohibitively so to candle sellers who do not run their own hive.

Soy wax – soy wax is hyped as the new, environmentally friendly and affordable alternative to paraffin and beeswax. The wax is produced by using a petroleum-based solvent called hexane to extract the wax from the plant, or in other cases, it is expeller pressed (meaning it's squished until it gives). The wax is then separated and sold for commercial use, and the byproduct is fed to livestock.

While soy candles are heralded as an environmentally positive alternative to paraffin, the method by which the wax is obtained has the potential to completely negate their actual impact. If petroleum products like hexane are used, then the damage to the environment continues. However, the end product does not contain petroleum – soy wax is still a natural product, it just may not be a genuinely environmentally positive (green) product.

This article on candle making is
particularly illuminating.

Essential Oils

Essential oils are a highly complicated, fraught with consumer misunderstanding along with political and environmental factors that alter their affordability and availability from year to year.

Consumers are often directed to synthetic imitations of essentials and then sold these synthetics as the "real thing." There are even cases where a consumer is sold a more cheaply available essential oil as entirely different, more expensive oil, or is sold adulterations of an oil. To make matters more complicated, less ethical sellers will play up to people's fear and misunderstanding of adulteration, claiming that materials are "undiluted" when in fact, dilution is a necessary safety feature in any essential oil composition. Between these misdirects and the minefield legitimate artisans navigate as plants are over harvested and rendered nearly extinct, and as suppliers make compromises of their own (such as adding synthetics or inferior plant oils to stretch an oil's availability), it take real skill to really pin down the "real thing" when purchasing products made with essential oils.

Rather than engage in a thesis on the essential oils industry, use these basic points to navigate essential-oil based bath and body purchases:

Essential oil is more expensive than its synthetic alternatives. Often, you can determine whether an item really contains essential oils by checking its ingredients against a source like Mountain Rose herbs.

Unless it says the words "essential" and "oil" together as "essential oil" its not essential oil. Common verbal manipulations include "pure oil" "pure essence" "essence oil" "oils of ….". These are NOT essential oils. Pure is a word often used to mislead you.

Also, do not be confused by "food grade" or "therapeutic" oils. According to the FDA, food grade essential oils are still diluted, and used only for flavoring just enough to impart a certain taste. Therapeutic grade is another way of saying that the essential oil is "undiluted." If a seller uses "therapeutic grade" it's up to that person to make sure that the oil is diluted before it reaches you.

As has been noted in the International Fragrance Association Guidelines, undiluted essential oils can lead to photosensitivity, skin lesions, and other side effects depending on the chemical construction of the oil. Not all undiluted essential oils are unsafe for short term use – lavender oil, for instance, is highly useful in treating burns – but even lavender, when undiluted and used over an extended period of time, can create increased light sensitivity in the user.

This guide to green, vegan, and natural products is very US-centric and may differ from country to country. The FDA and the sellers themselves are organizing, sharing information, and gradually coming to their own standards and labels. The labels that are mere marketing today will have meaning tomorrow, and the FDA is advancing ever more stringent laws about cosmetics labeling that will affect anyone who sells from the United States. Be informed before you buy, and never be afraid to ask hard questions of your sellers – those that are committed to quality and safety will joyfully rise to the challenge of improving their art!

~~~~~~~~~~
Disclaimer from Shaley:

I recently met Diana, and she was very nice to write this all up for me. The world of Bath N Body gets a bit complicated for me at times, so it was great to have an "insider" help me out with this. I have not verified or researched any of this information, but to the best of Diana's knowledge, and extensive research, is all correct. The best safeguard, as with anything, is always to do research on what you are buying, and know the possible good results, side effects, and even possible negative results that can occur from any products. I take no responsibility for any products that I recommend that worked for me, but may not work for you. In conclusion, be careful, know the facts, and, above all, have fun!!

Wee Gallery Baby Flash Cards

2007-02-23T22:06:00.000-06:00

Wee Gallery Baby Flash Cards
Smart Art for Little Minds
$12.95 per set
Click Here to Order

Aren't these just sooo adorable? These are sets of flash cards for babies. Each has a high-contrast black and white picture of an animal, along with the name of the critter. They are reversible, one side is primarily black with white accents, and the other side is primarily white with black accents. They are quite sturdy, and resist "sucking" damage, and the corners don't rip off easily. Of course, they aren't meant to be chewed on, but if they are, damage doesn't occur too easily.

There are many uses for these cards, and they are well worth their $12.95 price. They are nice for when a toddler gets to where he or she can start recognizing animals, so use them like a flash card and let the toddler identify the animals. Place them in baby's crib, out of reach of course, and let baby have something to gaze at. Studies have found that babies are drawn to high-contrast black and white images, and these are cute enough for the pickiest mom to love. They also make great nursery decorations when baby is small, or bedroom decorations when baby get bigger. They are instant attention grabbers, and I get many "aww, sooo cute!" when visitors come into my office. My favorite set is the "Garden Set"...so sweet! I love these, and I think you (and baby!) will love these too!

I Spy Eagle Eye Game

2007-02-23T21:48:00.000-06:00

I Spy Eagle Eye Game
Ages 5 and Up
Briarpatch Games with ScholasticEntertainment
Online Prices - $13.96- $17.95
Purchase at Barnes & Noble or Amazon

What would happen if someone made a game that combined the delicious fun of the I Spy books with a deck of cards, and something kids can make a LOT of noise with? The result would be this fun game!

I Spy Eagle Eye: The Game combines fun with everything the I Spy books have meant to millions of kids over the years. The game is simple and easy to learn. There are 4 double-sided sturdy game boards, and these have illustrations of different scenes and collections of small objects. There's a deck of cards with each card having a few selected items, one from each side of each game board. The first person to spy the item on the card that matches the one on the board rings the (noisy) enclosed bell.

Kids really love this game! I'm not sure if it's the thrill of the hunt, looking for small hidden items, or the fun of being the first to hit the (noisy) bell, but whatever it is, it works! Even adults will have fun playing this game with kids, although after you finish the game, you may want to hide the (noisy) bell!

I highly recommend this game, and it's one of the best games I've played for the age group. It's great as a rainy day game, and it will keep kids occupied for literally hours while they try to find all the hidden objects.

Nerdy Wordy Crossword Game

2007-02-23T21:26:00.000-06:00

Nerdy Wordy Crossword Game
Ages 8+
Briarpatch Games
Average Online Price - $12.99-$16.99
Purchase at Barnes and Noble or Amazon

This is a really fun game. Each player has a game board, see above ↑. Each board is roughly 5" x 5", and holds 25 small letter cubes. The lid of the board stands up and prevents the other player from seeing the board. Basically, each player calls out a letter, and both players place the cube wherever they wish. The goal of the game, much like the ever-popular Boggle™, is to find the most words in the letters you have in your board, and gain the most points. This is a great game for kids (and adults!) to practice their spelling abilities, while having fun. The letter cubes are quite small, so be sure to keep this game put up away from smaller children. I tried this with a 9 year old, and we had a lot of fun together. I can see this game being used by parents and teachers to help reinforce positive spelling skills. It's also great for homeschoolers, which we are. Try using it during recess, it keeps the brain working, but it feels like fun. Nerdy Wordy is a very well made game, and it's very much work it's reasonable price.

The Discovery Channel Presents "American Road Trip - The DVD Game"

2007-02-23T18:39:00.000-06:00

American Road Trip DVD Game
1-4 Players
Ages 6-106
$12.99
Click Here to Order

DVD games, while a relatively recent new product, have really hit it off with American families. What better way, then, for families to learn about the many natural and man-made wonders in the US, than by a DVD game?

American Road Trip is quite simple to use. With a TV and DVD player, use the DVD player remote control to answer questions, move between menus, and more. It says that it's meant for 1-4 players, but I can see more people playing this game, by playing in teams.

The premise is simple. Basically, you are playing a board game in 3D. Answer questions correctly, or solve puzzles, etc., and advance. Get it wrong, and you are stuck.

The game is flexible, and has 3 different age categories, so everyone in the family can play. Also, you can pick a game for one, two, three, or four players. Each one player game is relatively short, I finished in around 10 minutes.

The graphics are really nice. There are full color photos of many locations across the US, and the 3D computer-made graphic are really nice.

My test panel had a great time playing this game, and I think we all learned some neat trivia facts. This game will keep anyone occupied for quite some time, and I recommend you add it to your game collection.

DVD- "My Bedbugs, Volume 1"

2007-02-22T20:32:00.000-06:00

My Bedbugs, Volume 1
GreeneStuff Inc.
$14.98
Click Here to Purchase

Finally! An alternative to that big purple dinosaur with green spots! Parents will approve of this DVD, and kids will adore it. Big, colorful bedbugs with cute antennae, dressed in bright, fuzzy jammies, that go on fun-to-watch adventures. Maybe,then, it's no surprise that My Bedbugs has won many awards, including 13 Emmys, 12 Tellys, and winning the National Parenting Seal of Approval. This series is on TV in many markets, but in my area, it isn't, so this was my first experience with the bedbugs.

The episodes included on the DVD are quite varied, and they include one about searching for a lost sock, one about games to play inside while it's raining, and one in which the bugs go on a hunt for pirate treasure.

While this DVD in no way can compare with Sesame Street or like shows, this is a good, educational, cute alternative to shows that get a bit, well, annoying over time. The price is reasonable, and the special features are nice. There's a clip slide show, three songs to sing along with, and episode selector or play all selection.

This is a really sweet DVD, and the kids I watched it with, from ages 3 to 7, all enjoyed it also.

CD- "say i am you" By The Weepies

2007-02-22T20:13:00.000-06:00

say i am you
The Weepies
$14
Click Here to Order

This CD must be the best CD I have listened to all year. It's folk music, and it is, for folk music, very delicate and lovely. I love music that I can hear and understand the lyrics! (gotta love the name!) are Deb Talan and Steve Tannen. Their music is so beautiful, especially when the two of them join in singing together. My favorite track on the CD? Vegas Baby! It's got a very rock-y feeling, for a folk song. I have no problem listening to the whole CD over and over again. Work, play, sleep, it makes no difference... say i am you is, like I said, probably the best CD I've listened to all year. I highly recommend this CD. If you go to The Weepies' website
you can listen to a number of tracks from this album. Check it out!

Brideshead Revisited - 25th Anniversary Collector's Edition DVD

2007-02-22T19:00:00.000-06:00

Brideshead Revisited
25th Anniversary Collector's Edition
Closed Captioned for the Hearing Impaired
(or those of us who have trouble with thick accents!)
$59.99
Acorn Media
Click Here to Order

Brideshead Revisited has been called an epic drama, the Washington Post called it "the best series ever seen on American television", and was nominated for a huge number of awards. The miniseries won 7 BAFTAs, nominated for 6 more, won 1 Broadcasting Press Guild Award, won 1 Emmy, was nominated for 10 more, and won 2 Golden Globes, nominated for 1 more. With this lengthy list of awards, Brideshead Revisited can truly be called one of the most influential, and, arguably, best loved television miniseries.

Acorn Media has released a special 25th anniversary commemorative edition. The boxed DVD set includes a guidebook to the series, a 50 minute retrospective documentary, commentaries by many of the cast and crew, including Jeremy Irons, Diana Quick, Nickolas Grace, Anthony Andrews, Derek Granger, outtakes, a photo gallery, production notes, and cast filmographies. The miniseries itself is around 11 hours, so I suggest you be sure that you have plenty of time to devote to watching this DVD set, as it's quite interesting, so you won't want to stop after only an hour or two.

What can I say about Brideshead Revisited? I rate it five stars. I first saw this miniseries when I borrowed it from the library about 7 years ago. It grabbed my attention then, right from the very beginning, and still does so. For a complete synopsis, written so much better than I ever could, check out these two sites - Wikipedia and IMDB. All I have to say is, this is a most incredible miniseries, and, for a 25 year old production, the video and audio is superb on these DVDs, and I recommend these DVDs to anyone that has ever seen and loved Brideshead Revisited, has never seen it, or loves a good period drama.

Brain Games by Radica Games

2007-02-21T22:06:00.000-06:00

Brain Games
Radica
Ages 8 and Up
Online Prices vary from $24.99 to $39.99
Click Here to Find Where to Purchase

Games to help improve brain power are everywhere! Radica Games, manufacturer of electronic games of all sizes, shapes, and for all ages, is the latest company to make a game to help increase brain power. The game is fun, with 5 different games, including sequence, flash cards, mind games, word hunt, and recall. While I can't say I feel drastically smarter after playing this game every day, I can feel a small, yet noticeable, difference in how I can remember things. At the price, this is a great way to increase your memory and brain power. The format is pretty simple, and most games are easy to learn. The game itself fits easily in most size hands, and is a great carry-along game to use in any and all downtimes. All in all, this is a very cool game, and a great time-waster, with great benefits. I recommend this to anyone whose memory could use a bit of an exercise, and really, how many of us does that exclude? A great game, and a great price.

Sheer Miracle Mineral Makeup

2007-02-21T21:31:00.000-06:00

Sheer Miracle
Mineral Makeup
Prices Vary

Click Here to Browse and Order

I love mineral makeup. The colors are so much lovelier than your typical discount stores, and the results are great. For me, mineral makeup reduces the chances of my having breakouts, and with the many, many colors available, I can mix and match easily. I've found a great supplier of mineral makeup, and their prices are reasonable.

Sheer Miracle carries:

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Review of "Author Day for Room 3T"

2007-02-21T19:37:00.000-06:00

Author Day for Room 3T
Robin Pulver
Illustrated by Chuck Richards
$16.00
Click Here for Ordering Information

Robin Pulver, author of the hilarious "Axel Annie and the Speed Grump",
presents kids with yet another book that will make kids of all ages roll around on the floor, literally laughing their pants off!

Author Day for Room 3T brings us to a class that is very, very excited... they are going to have a chance to meet their favorite author, Harry Bookman! Naturally, since Mr. Bookman writes amazing books, he must be an amazing person. The class really gets into planning for the visit, re-reading all his books, drawing pictures, making up songs, even dressing up as his characters and acting out his stories for the kindergarten class. Even though the librarian, the aptly named Mrs. Storey, tells the class that Mr. Bookman is an "ordinary (person), like you and me", the class doesn't believe it. If all authors are ordinary people, why fuss and bother over them?

When a surprise visitor hops through the window into the library, the kids are certain it's Mr. Bookman. Never mind that he throws his ice cubes everywhere, jumps up and down on furniture, and even swings from the ceiling. The kids are certain that this chimp-like critter is the one, the only, Henry Bookman!

Robin Pulver's fantastic story couples marvelously with Chuck Richards' hilarious illustrations. Every picture is so in-depth, with even the posters on the wall being incredibly detailed. This book will appeal not only to kids, but also those of us that have always viewed authors as being people of near-mythical status. I highly recommend this book as a must for every well-equipped bookshelf.

Frubi Shades

2007-02-14T22:08:00.000-06:00

Frubi Shades
Protective Sunglasses for Kids
$14.95/pair or 3 pack for $29.95
Available Here

Many adults wouldn't dream of stepping in the sun without protective sunglasses, so why let a baby go into the harsh sun unprotected? Most sun damage occurs long before the age of 20. These really cute glasses protect babies from ages 6 months to 6 years against 100% of UV rays. I tested these on a 14 month old. At first he wasn't too keen on the idea of these "things" on his face, but once we told him they were a hat (one of his favorite words!) he was all for leaving them on, and would not let me remove them for a long time. Each child is different, of course, which is why the makers of Frubi Shades have a "how to" section on their website. These shades are really soft and comfy. The frame is constructed entirely of foam, with Velcro closures in the back. The lenses are constructed of shatter-proof polycarbonate. Also, the glasses float, which makes them great for pool play. They seem to be very strong. Repeated tugging did not break the stitches or tear the foamy material. You take care of your eyes, why not take care of your baby's eyes? This may be the best $15 you ever spend on your baby's future.

Review of "The Story of Cherry the Pig"

2007-02-14T21:15:00.000-06:00

The Story of Cherry the Pig
Written and Illustrated by Utako Yamada
Kane/Miller Books
$15.95
Available Here

Does anyone else remember The Little House by Virginia Lee Burton? That book was , and is, one of my favorite children's books. The illustrations are warm, cheery, and there are small hidden treats to discover in every picture. When I first opened Cherry the Pig, I was struck by the illustrations, so similar to Burton's in, not subject matter, but the love that went into them, and the bright colors, warmth, and the hidden mice on nearly every page.

The Story of Cherry the Pig tells the tale of a dessert-loving pig. She creates a delicious apple cake, and decides to enter the cake in the Fall Festival Bake-Off. While baking her cake during the competition, Cherry hears the mice that reside in her kitchen say how incredibly awful the cake is. Cherry is heartbroken, but finishes her cake. The end results, and Cherry's actions with the mice, will delight and amuse children and adults alike. This is a very sweet, fun book, and the illustrations and story will brighten up the most dreary of days.

Review of "The Zoo"

2007-02-14T20:48:00.000-06:00

The Zoo
Written and Illustrated by Suzy Lee
Kane/Miller Books
$15.95
Available Here

What child does not love going to the zoo? For me, when I was growing up, the St. Louis Zoo, the closest zoo, was about 2 hours away from home. We only had a chance to visit it once or twice per year. I love the zoo, and this book really illustrates how magical the zoo can be to a child. Children rarely notice the heat, the smell of the monkey house, the crowded parking lot, or the pricey concessions. To a child, a zoo is pure paradise.

In this book by Suzy Lee, a small girl visits a zoo with her parents. The illustrations are so striking. When the girl and her parents visit an exhibit, every things seems dark. The pencil drawings use little color, mainly blues, greys, and other muted tones. However, the girl quickly wanders off to explore, and wherever the girl goes, a plethora of gorgeous colors follow. The colors seem other-worldly, with blue monkeys, purple elephants, green giraffes, and birds of all colors. The panic on the faces of the parents is clearly marked, as is the glee of the small explorer. Happily, everyone is reunited at the end, and the little girl comes away with a strong love for the zoo, and the animals contained within.

This book is so beautiful, and it is it's simplicity that makes it so. There is no need for eloquent words or high-tech collages. Simple, yet incredibly well defined, Lee's pencil and crayon illustrations are perfectly combined with the sparse prose. This is a wonderful book for parents and children to enjoy together.

DVD - "Monarchy"

2007-02-14T15:49:00.000-06:00

Monarchy
Acorn Media
$39.99
Click Here to Order

As perhaps most Americans, I had a lot of misconceptions about the English royalty. This incredible docu-series clears up a lot of false ideas, and provides an amazing amount of information about the English Crown, dating all the way back to the Dark Ages, when King Alfred the Great stood up to the Vikings, up until the Restoration in the 1600s.

This is a superb series, expertly narrated by historian David Starkey. It's truly amazing what men (and women!) will do for glory, faith, and country. For example, many think of Henry VIII as being a mere womanizer who destroyed the lives of 6 women and their families, but he was much more. He was ruthless against his detractors, forceful against Catholicism, and literally plowed over anyone that stood in the path of his desires and passions.

I highly recommend this DVD set, not only to history buffs, but to anyone that has ever been fascinated by royalty. The costuming is excellent, the audio is pure and rich, and Dr. Starkey is a powerful storyteller. The soundtrack is powerful at times, haunting at others. A very high point of this docu-series is the fact that it is taped on location in Great Britain, and at many times, Dr. Starkey points to visible signs and structures of monarchs long deceased, as well as the books they wrote and wrote in. This DVD, at 317 minutes plus, is well worth the $40 retail price.

Keychain Lip Balm Holders

2007-02-13T22:07:00.000-06:00

William's Giftshop

Keychain Lip Balm Holders
$5.95 each
Available Here

Aren't these so cute? These lip balm holders are all crocheted by hand, and are very well made. Not a stitch is out of place, and the button is held on very securely. There's plenty of room for a lip balm, and even a dollar or two. William's Giftshop sells many, many different color combos, so you can find a different holder for every outfit! Plus, if you attach your keys to it, how will you ever lose them in that big, deep purse? My holder is lime green on top, black on bottom, with a black button. I adore mine, and have gotten many compliments on it! I think these are great, especially in winter, when lips get chapped so easily, and it can be hard to find lip balm... it hides in nooks and crannies so well! Please visit the website, as they have many other gorgeous items, including card holders, purses, jewelry, scarves, and more.

Country Heart Gifts

2007-02-13T18:06:00.000-06:00

Country Heart Gifts
Click Here to Browse and Order!

You must check out this shoppe! The owner, Pam, makes soaps, lotions, bath salts, lip balms, and more, by hand. Everything smells so incredibly good! My absolute favorite item? Cherry Almond Soap, shown below. It sells for $3.50 for a good-sized bar. The soap smells so true-to-life, and the scent lingers on skin for a long, long time. The almond gently exfoliates, and the soap is a great gentle cleanser.
This lip balm is super great... I tried Pina Colada, and I really like it. It's made with shea butter and olive oil, and is gently flavored and sweetened for the perfect lip experience. Pam makes several other flavors, and she sells them for $2.50 each.

And here's a great soap that will make kids giggle... the scent is called "monkey farts". It's a fruity, fun blend of bananas, kiwi, strawberries, pineapple, bubblegum and vanilla. My test panel of kids loved the soap... not only does it smell very tasty, but they had enjoyed saying the name over and over (and over and over and over and....) again!

This shoppe sells many other great bath and body products to soothe your skin. If you'd like to try some great products with no commitment to large bars, there are sample packs, containing 20 1/2 oz. bars of scents that are being discontinued, available for only $6. There's also a large soap sample pack with all 33 scents currently being made, for $20. Check out this shoppe... I know you'll find something you'll love!

Back to Basics - Egg and Muffin Toaster

2007-02-13T17:17:00.000-06:00

Egg and Muffin Toaster
Back to Basics
$49.99
Click Here to Purchase

Toast is good. Eggs are good. Sausage is good. Pricey fast-food breakfast sandwiches are,well... not so good. For the price of around 15 breakfast sandwiches, why not try this really nifty toaster? The combinations of sandwiches that can be made are endless, and making a sausage, egg, and cheese muffin sandwich takes about 4-5 minutes, which is quite a bit faster than hitting the drive-thru during rush hour!

I was pretty surprised at how well this worked. It's quite easy to use. Using the included measuring cup, add between 2-4 tablespoons of water, depending on the desired consistency of the egg, into the steaming tray. Spritz the mini-skillet with non-stick spray, and crack your egg into it. Poke the yolk a few times with a fork, and spread the yolk around a bit. Then, if you want sausage, bacon, ham, etc., add the precooked meat to the little tray above the egg. Place the steam lid on, place whatever sort of bread you want in the toasting slots, and start the toaster. About 4 to 5 minutes later, the egg, meat, and bread are all perfectly warmed/toasted. Assemble the sandwich, add some salt,pepper, and cheese, and you have the perfect breakfast sandwich. It really beats any pricey sandwich from a fast-food restaurant. The price of the machine itself is reasonable - suggested price is $49.99. It's available online, shipping to the US is around $8.

I highly recommend this toaster. I find it rare that a small appliance lives up the hype the manufacturer puts out, but the Egg and Muffin Toaster does do everything it is supposed to. It also comes with a recipe booklet, and there are also directions on how to make up to four hard-boiled eggs at a time in the toaster. This is a great small appliance, and the color (black and white are available), size (just over 8" high), and capabilities make it the new star of any kitchen.

More about my Shoppe of the Week!

2007-02-12T18:15:00.000-06:00

I just wanted to show you some more pictures of the cards my Shoppe of the Week has to offer... they're so adorable!! The shoppe is having a Mix and Match sale: 3 little cards for $10, 2 big cards for $12, or 2 little cards and 1 big card for $13. Check them out today!
Available Here

Handcrafted Cards

2007-02-12T17:46:00.000-06:00

Handcrafted Cards
Click Here!
2/$8.50

Pretty cards! These cards are unique and completely crafted by hand. Every little cut-out is carefully cut by hand, and attached to a contrasting color of paper. They come all the way from Israel... how many of you in the US can say you sent someone a card from Israel? Shipping is free, which is nothing to complain about! They're well made, with everything secured firmly, and no uneven edges. The cards are blank inside, so you can write a message for any occasion. Shipping, in my experience, is very fast, even though it came from such a distance. This will vary from week to week, of course. At such a reasonable price, 2 cards for $8.50, why not stock up on these cards?

Silk Hair Jewelry

2007-02-12T17:16:00.000-06:00

Silk Hair Jewels
Click Here to Order!
$6 - $10

Gorgeous! That's all I can say after seeing these hair jewels. They are made of authentic Japanese silk fabric that is used to make kimonos. The technique used is to make exquisite hair "jewelry" for the apprentice geisha. The resulting flowers are utterly amazing. I tried the following lavender flower:Isn't she pretty? These would look great as accessories for a flower girl, or even for a night out on the town. The flowers come on stick pins, hair snaps, barrettes, and as a brooch. I love mine, and my sisters think that it is a special treat to have a chance to wear it. There are sooo many colors available, that you could reasonably have a different flower to match every outfit. The shipping is very reasonable, around $2 for first item, and a bit less for each additional item. The shoppe also sells handmade silk purses , beautiful jewelry, and the most adorable tiny origami stars, which are great as packing material, gifts, etc. Look at these:
They are small, and ever so lovely. They are folded by a German engineer, which likely explains how they are made so precisely.

All of the items sold in this shoppe are incredibly well-made and lovely. Enjoy!

Pleasanton Candle Co.

2007-02-10T23:00:00.000-06:00

Pleasanton Candle Co.
Shop Here!
$4.95 - $15.95

Pleasanton Candle Co. offers all-soy candles in 70 different scents! These candles, as with all good soy candles, are free of black soot, and burn quite evenly. The scent throw is good. The scent of these candles is more subtle than many, yet reaches quite far. Hence, the candles made by Pleasanton have a delicate, far-reaching scent. The colors are vibrant, and there are so many great scents available that there must be a scent for every household. The prices are quite reasonable, and each candle is extremely long burning. I love their Cucumber Melon scented candle... it has a really fresh scent, but not overpoweringly sweetish. Shipping is reasonable, around $5.75 for a large candle. The 16 oz. keepsake jar will last an extremely long time, even with daily burning. Check Pleasanton Candle Co. out... I think you'll like them!

Juice Beauty

2007-02-10T13:14:00.000-06:00

Juice Beauty
Organics to Go Kit
$29.00
Click Here to Order!

I've always had a hard time finding products that will cleanse and smooth my facial skin, without over-drying my skin. I had a disastrous incident once with a deep-cleansing lotion, and ever since had tried to steer clear of intense cleansing formulas. When this kit arrived, I admit, I was a bit apprehensive to try it out. After trying this great set, though, I'm hooked... these are great products!

While this set is meant to be a starter kit, with my skin, this kit will last a long time. A little bit of Juice Beauty goes a long way! This kit includes:
• Cleansing Milk 2 oz
• Antioxidant Serum 5 ml
• Green Apple Peel Sensitive Try Me size
• Oil Free Moisturizer 1 oz
• Hydrating Mist 1 oz
Also, there is a bonus organic bamboo face cloth enclosed, which is very soft and smooth.

Even the peel is very gentle, and I adore the hydrating mist. The scents are light, refreshing, and faintly fruity, a result of the natural juices added. The sizes, while not terribly large, are pretty generous for a starter kit. Juice Beauty's website is very helpful, with a guide to the ingredients used,and also a product solution wizard, which assists you to find the perfect solution for your skin type.

I really like these products. They smell good, they make my skin look bright, healthy, and clean, and are non-greasy.

Coming soon...

2007-02-06T22:51:00.000-06:00

Hi! I just wanted to let you know some stuff we have coming soon...
1. Fun travel tips, ideas, and places to visit this year.
2. Quite a few more reviews of handcrafted items from Etsy.com sellers.
3. Reviews of books, books, and more books!

Many thanks to all 34,683 visitors in January! I now have over 1600 other websites linking to me, according to wholinkstome.com! This is rather exciting to me, and this month appears that it will break January's record as well!

I'd like to hear what you would like featured on this site. Please let me know what you think this site needs! :)

DVD - Aristocrats (BBC Edition)

2007-02-02T19:17:00.000-06:00

Aristocrats
Acorn Media
Available Here
$49.99

I love a good period drama. Aristocrats is, unequivocally, one of the best period dramas ever produced by the BBC. First seen on Masterpiece Theater, Acorn Media has now brought this nearly 5-hour miniseries to DVD. What makes this such a good miniseries? Not only the highly qualified cast, or the beautiful locations seen, but also the fact that this drama is based on a true story, that of 5 sisters, great-granddaughters of Charles II of England.

The cast, with very few exceptions, are all natives of the United Kingdom and Ireland. Hence, there are no phony-sounding accents. The costuming is excellent, and, remarkably enough, much of this drama was filmed at the actual location where the sisters lived in real life, in the 18th century. The cast includes several well-known faces, including Ben Daniels, Siân Phillips, Serena Gordon, and Anne-Marie Duff, among others. The included bonus features are very interesting, including a behind-the-scenes look at how Aristocrats was filmed. Author Stella Tillyard, writer of the book by the same title, speaks about the research involved as well.

So, what exactly makes this DVD worth the $50 price? So many things! Even if you never watch the great bonus features, the miniseries itself is amazing. A gorgeous cast, beautiful scenic locations in England and Ireland, a great true-to-life drama, and the typical high-quality production the BBC is famous for. Who would love this DVD? Pride and Prejudice fans, lovers of England and Ireland, fans of period dramas, and, really, anyone who is a fan of great drama, especially one based on true events.

Candles from Soy Sensations

2007-01-31T18:13:00.000-06:00

Hand-poured Soy Candles
Soy Sensations
Click Here to Order

I've officially decided... soy candles rock!!! I tried a Soy Sensations candle in Strawberry Jam... wow! I lit it in our dining room. In under an hour, the delicious smell of fresh strawberry jam was wafting throughout our entire house. Usually, when I light a candle, it'll make the dining room and living room smell good, and that's as far as it goes. These candles actually made the entire house, even the second story, smell wonderful. This isn't a sickeningly sweet smell either, it's a really yummy scent. The candles are all made without dyes to maintain the natural beauty of the soy candle. When lit, then cooled, the pool of wax hardens into a very pretty, almost primitive look. Soy Sensations offers a wide variety of scents, from Baby Powder, to Creme Brulee, to MacIntosh Apple, to Ylang Ylang. The prices are quite reasonable, a very large 18 oz. size jar is $21.95, and a 12-pack of votives is $15. The 18 oz. candle will last for many, many hours, as the soy burns rather slowly. It's very clean burning as well, no black soot or crumbly wicks. There is an included lid, but I leave mine off, as the candle keeps throwing scent even when not lit. This is a much better alternative to buying those cans of air freshener, and much less expensive. Also, soy is widely considered to be better for the environment than paraffin candles, and burn 30% longer. Paraffin wax is a by-product of kerosene, which come from petroleum. Soy wax is all natural and plant-based. Soy wax is biodegradable and water-soluble, either of which is paraffin wax. Paraffin wax emits 11 known toxins while burning, soy emits none! Also, paraffin wax contributes to our dependence on oil, while soy is grown right here in the Mid-West. I highly recommend Soy Sensation's candles... they're great for bringing delicious scents into your home.

Z Becky Brown Handbags

2007-01-31T17:54:00.000-06:00

Z Becky Brown Handbags
$89.95
Available Here

No more plain, boring, ordinary handbags! With a Z Becky Brown bag, you can change the look and feel of your purse as often as you wish... why not every day? No more having a closet full of bags, only one is enough to match every single outfit! Simply pull out the inserts, and stick in a new insert. The possibilities are endless! You can use that gorgeous scrapbook layout freshly made, photos of family and friends, embroidered cloths, and more. Use scrapbook paper, such as leather-look,and you have a gorgeous faux leather purse, simple as that. Design your bag to match your outfit, or make it a unique reflection of your personality. The bag itself has a clear acrylic outside, which provides great protection for your designs. The latch holds the bag closed securely, and there is a mirror on the inside of the lid... a great touch! Inside the bag is a soft foamy liner, great for keeping everything from rattling around. At about $90, this bag may seem a bit pricey, but hey, imagine how much more you would spend to have a bag to match every outfit! I love my "Z" bag, and I think you'd love one too!

CD - "Pearl Diving" by Joi Veer

2007-01-29T23:22:00.000-06:00

Joi Veer
Pearl Diving
$15
Click Here to Order

I've thoroughly enjoyed listening to this CD. On Joi Veer's homepage, it mentions that Veer has taken inspiration from many classic singers and songwriters, such as Peter Gabriel, Graham Parker, U2, David Bowie, Elvis Costello, John Lennon, Petula Clark, James Taylor, Alanis Morissette, Goo Goo Dolls, Pearl Jam, Live, Soundgarden, Jeff Buckley, Dave Matthews and Coldplay. Listening to this CD, I can sense many undertones from these various artists. My favorite song on this CD? It'd have to be the first one, "We Are One". It's a highly addictive song, that repeats the above sentiment multiple times, with near-hypnotic results. Veer has teamed up with Armand John Petri, perhaps best known as the producer behind the Goo Goo Dolls, Six Pence None the Richer, and more, and Chuck Burgi, drummer for Hall & Oates, among others, also produces two songs. Veer's songs have also appeared on America's Most Wanted, the 2006 Winter Olympics, and more. His music has a great "beat" and the lyrics are really easy on the ears and easy to listen to. I suggest you head on over to Veer's webpage and listen to some of the tracks on "Pearl Diving", and perhaps even add it to your collection!

Handmade Greeting Cards

2007-01-29T22:49:00.000-06:00

Handmade Greeting Cards
Prices vary, from single cards for $2 to 6 cards for $12
Click Here to Order!

Look at this card! So much more personal than something you could pick up at H***m**k or W**-M***! I love this card... right now it's sitting perched in the antennae of my ladybug jar(reviewed below). Looking at it, although I know that it's handcrafted, I can't believe that it is... it could be something you picked up in a fancy gift shop, it's so well-made. The paper is all folded evenly, and all the layers fit together perfectly. It arrived so professionally packaged, in a clear slipbag, with a nice label on the top. My digital camera is on the blink right now, or I'd show you. This card, or any on the same website, would be great for so many purposes... inviting friends out for a night on the town, to accompany a gift, or so many other things. The included envelope is the perfect size for the card, too. Please check out this site, there are so many other, equally lovely cards for any purpose you could ever want!

Beadalon ColourCraft Wire

2007-01-29T19:14:00.000-06:00

ColourCraft
Permanently Colored Copper Craft Wire
Multiple Colors and Gauges available.
Click Here to Purchase

I love good wire. It feels so pliable, cool, and soft in my hands. When I look at it, I dream of all the pretty things that can be made with it. After trying Beadalon wire, I have decided that this is the best of the best. What's so great about Beadalon? Lets see here. It's extremely pliable. It can be bent, straightened, and bent again multiple times, without kinking or becoming disfigured. The color is truly permanent, and no color scratches of, unless you literally take a knife and scratch away at it. However, even then, (and I did try this!), it takes a lot of scratching to pull any color off. ColourCraft comes in many shades, red and sapphire being my favorite. Also, several gauges (size of wire) are available. Chances are, your favorite color and gauge is available. The various gauges available are 28, 26, 24, and 22. If you are new to wire, the smaller a size, the larger the wire. For example, 22 gauge is quite thick, while 28 is rather thin. Gauges 28 and 26 are available in 10 different colors, and 24 and 22 in 9 colors each. Plus, Beadalon has some great features on their website. There is a design and inspiration workshop, and even a "Dr. Beadalon" you can email for help with bead stringing. This has to be the best colored wire I've ever used, and if you love crafting with color, I suggest you use it!

Polymer Clay Ladybug Jar

2007-01-29T18:22:00.000-06:00

Polymer Clay Ladybug Jar
Click Here to Order

$4.00 each or 5/$15.00

Look at this adorable ladybug I found recently! She's made out of polymer clay, and sits on a small jar. Her antennae are made to hold photos, business cards, or any other small paper item. She has a delightful smile, almost a cynical smile, as if she knows something you don't! She's very well made, and her jar has just enough space to store all those little trinkets, such as rings, candy, or even spare change. She is most definitely not one of those little play-doh creations you made long ago. The polymer clay she is handcrafted from means that she is very soft to the touch, her spots will not fall off, and her colors are very bright. Her antennae will not pull out or bend, and hold some quite thick items. She is brightening up my desk, and everyone that I show her to comments on how adorable she is. Her creator, Peggy, also makes other handmade crafts. Take a look at this sweet fridge magnet!
So cute! Peggy also makes an eclectic mix of other items with polymer clay, such as keychains, clocks, candle holders, incense burners, and more. She has a shop on Etsy,
and she also sells on eBay. She has 100% positive feedback on both sites, so you can rest assured buying some of her items for gifts. Peggy packs the items very well, and also accepts custom orders. And, if you should happen to be a Bears fan, until Super Bowl Sunday, Peggy is offering 40% off everything in her shoppe! At such low prices already, there is no way you can go wrong trying some of her gifts! I leave you now with one more picture, of a polymer clay froggy jar, also on sale in Peggy's Etsy shoppe.

Review of "Castles in the Sand"

2007-01-26T20:14:00.000-06:00

Castles in the Sand

Check out my review!

Glade Trio Scented Oil Candles

2007-01-25T21:22:00.000-06:00

Glade Trio
Scented Oil Candles

Read More Here

Glade brings us a lovely new set of candles, complete with glass stands of various heights. These candles are the first candles I've seen that eliminate the mess and fuss of "normal" candles. You light these candles, and they slowly melt into a pool of liquid wax. The special cotton/metal wick keeps burning, even after the wax is all melted into a pool. This means that the wax keeps burning and releasing scent into the air. The wick literally burns every last drop of oil. I admit, before I tried these candles, I was skeptical. I'd heard that they burned until the oil wax was gone, then they went out, but, of course, I didn't believe that. But, they do, and they don't smoke at all before they go out. The fragrance throw is pretty good for relatively small candles, when all three were lit, our living room and dining room both smelled very good. I should add, when the package is first opened, if you leave them unburned, like on your coffee table, they release an incredible scent, with a very far-reaching throw, for around two weeks. The decorative glass stands are really nice, and have an embossed metal plate inside, which helps melt the oil, and keep the candle from burning out before every last drop has been used. I was very impressed by the throw, decorative value, and the way these candles perform. They come highly recommended!

Available at major discount stores.

Plush - Lingerie and Jewelry Luxury Travel Bags

2007-01-24T09:50:00.000-06:00

Click here to Visit Plush
True Love Jewelry Bag
Price starts at $40
Gift Boxes and Monogramming Available
Matching Lingerie Bag Available

I don't know about you, but every time I travel, I lose jewelry. Most of what I wear is inexpensive, so it's not really a huge problem, but it is very annoying. Now, though, I have a solution that is as beautiful as it is functional. Plush travel bags. So gorgeous! Mine has a red satin underlay with black lace on top. The inside is pure black satin. The bag is padded, and has 3 zipper compartments. It has one long compartment that runs down behind the other pockets, and has four ribbon loops, to hold larger items. It rolls up and ties with an attached black ribbon. The bugle beads that run down the sides and top of the bag add shine. All of Plush's bags are handcrafted in the US, and the stitching is very high quality. There is no chance that any of your jewelry will fall out of the zippered pockets, or poke through the bottom of the bag. There are many different styles and colors of jewelry bags available, as well as matching lingerie bags (starting at $60), and also a full line of other products, such as shoe bags, fragrance sets, the most adorable slumber sacks and pillows, and more. Plush's items are extremely packable, and hold a great deal of your precious items. These make great gifts for bridal showers, anniversaries, and much, much more. I think it's safe to say that any woman would love to have some of Plush's creations!

Round Top Handmade Soaps

2007-01-24T08:18:00.000-06:00

Round Top
Natural Handmade Soap

There's almost nothing better than a good, handmade bar of soap. Round Top soaps smell amazing, lather well, include various natural exfoliators in the bars, and are gentle for sensitive skin. I'd like to tell you about some of my personal favorites. All bars are a healthy 5.25 ounces for $6.95.
Lemon Luster Soap

First, my favorite of all the Round Top soaps I tried.
This soap has a very clean lemon scent, with a hint of verbena. It has coarse-ground coffee beans for added exfoliation. This soap lathers the best out of all that I tried, and the clean scent can't be beat.

Rosemary Mint Bouquet Soap

This is my second favorite, it's a truly delicious scent that will have you feeling as if you just went out to the garden and picked armfuls of rosemary, mint, and fresh flowers. It has bits of the herbs to exfoliate and deep cleanse your skin, and it leaves a rich scent that lasts for a long time. Don't worry... you won't smell like spaghetti sauce! This scent is more of a fresh, clean, just-came-in-from-the-garden scent.

Oatmeal, Milk and Honey soap

This soap is great for children with sensitive skin. The youngest member of our family, Jack, is one, and recently he had an inner ear infection. He was put on some strong antibiotics, and, as usual when he has antibiotics, developed diaper rash. We typically give him a bath to help soothe this, but we usually have to use either clear water or sprinkle just a bit of oatmeal in the bath to soothe the rash, but this soap was gentle and soothing. This really soothed the rash, and by using it everyday until the rash went away, this soap made the rash last only 2/3 as long as usual. The scent is wonderful, with the oatmeal, milk and honey scents, and vanilla and brown sugar wafting through also.

These soaps are great for all ages, and have delicious scents. I find that each bar will perfume a small room. Try using either a whole bar or a piece of a bar in a drawer for clothing that smells good enough to eat!

CD- Love Me Like the Roses by divineMAGgees

2007-01-20T12:06:00.000-06:00

Love Me Like the Roses
divineMAGgees

Website
$15

Critically acclaimed folk duo Cregan Montague and Danielle Tibedo present this wonderful CD, Love Me Like the Roses. Their music is at times light and childlike, at others, deep, rich, and sultry. The music has all the classic folk elements, guitar, fiddle, and lyrics that are deep and meaningful, without becoming entrenched in other genres, such as country and pop, as so many folk artists are apt to do. The beauty of the duo's music shines most clearly in track #1, Little Black Crow. Many of the songs have an almost melancholy, haunting fragility to them, yet, in some tunes, the strength of the bond between Cregan and Danielle is unmistakable. This CD is certainly in my top 10 favorite recent CDs.

Alima Cosmetics

2007-01-20T11:43:00.000-06:00

Click here to order!

Alima Cosmetics makes all natural mineral makeup. What does this mean? First of all, the makeup won't clog your pores, even the cloggiest ones. The makeup goes on smooth and is super simple to apply with your fingers or a makeup sponge. A little goes a long way! I suggest you try some samples to decide which colors you like best. Enough foundation to last a week is only $2.75, a small jar of blusher with enough for multiple applications is $1, and the utterly gorgeous eyeshadows are available in a bag with enough for several tries, also for $1. I tried the Black Orchid shimmer shadow, and it accented my hazel eyes really well. What I love so much about Alima's is that the cosmetics stay on for a long time. I used the makeup in the morning, wore it all day, only put a little finishing powder on in the evening, went to work, and even then the makeup was still fresh and pretty. It's sheer, yet covers up imperfections really well. After using discount-store cosmetics for years, I really think Alima has some amazing makeup. All products are cruelty-free, and the shipping is a flat rate of only $4 per order. Free samples are included with your order, and they even have a jar exchange program. Send in your empty jars, and they'll send you free eyeshadow! These are great products for any age and any skin type.

Review of "My Cat Loves Me Naked"

2007-01-20T11:22:00.000-06:00

My Cat Loves Me Naked
Stephanie Piro
Sourcebooks
Available Here
ISBN# 9781402207365
$9.95 US / $12.95 CAN

Syndicated cartoonist Stephanie Piro gives her readers a healthy dose of hilarious comics to brighten any cat lovers' day. They cover all topics, from love to hate, beauty, and the ever-present can't live with them, can't live without them typical cat-ish-ness. This gift-sized book will enthrall any cat lover of any age, and makes a great gift.

LearningCents Bank for Kids

2007-01-16T23:34:00.000-06:00

LearningCents Bank
Click here for more info and to purchase.

Every parent has had one of those days. You know what I mean. You take your sweet little angel shopping. Were you crazy? No, you thought maybe a little maturity had been acquired since the last shopping trip. But, instead, it was the same Mommy, I NEED it! Maybe you tried piggy banks, but even a whole sty full of piggy banks couldn't hide from the hammer (how DID that sweet little one find the hidden hammer, anyways??) used to crack them open and retrieve the precious pennies inside. No longer!

LearningCents presents this new product. It's a bank, but not just any bank. It encourages saving and giving, and even lets the kids spend a bit as well. The bank has three roomy compartments. One is for spending, another is for giving, and the middle compartment is for saving. The compartments have dry-erase labels on top, so you can label the different spaces with a goal amount or what to use the money for. Happily, the compartments are all transparent, so kids can watch as their savings add up.

This is really a great product to assist in teaching kids about money. I appreciate the inclusion of a "share" compartment, to help you encourage your children to share the wealth with those less fortunate. The compartments are easily accessed, with a entry door on the bottom for the middle space, and the lid peels up on the top for the other two compartments. (Think Tupperware here.) I suggest that all families should seriously consider using the LearningCents bank for their families.

KONE Hand Vac from Dirt Devil

2007-01-16T16:35:00.000-06:00

KONE by Karim Rashad
Rechargeable Hand Vac
Dirt Devil
$39.99
Available Here

Every once in a while,you meet a product that is just, well, very cool. That'd be the KONE. It has, for one thing, great aesthetic appeal. It's not your grandma's old red Dirt Devil hand vac that gets hidden in the closet. This is something that you won't mind if it sits out on your counter. I had the privilege of trying a pink Kone. It's a pretty shell pink color. It's 18 inches tall, roughly the size of an average lava lamp. It's pretty lightweight,at only 2 pounds, and the fact that it has a hidden light that, when the unit is plugged in, lights up, makes it that much nicer. The KONE comes in multiple colors, black, white, blue, pink, plum, and champagne, so there should be a color to match any decor and room.

The KONE is simple to use, lift it out of the base, and turn it on by means of a button right on the top of the vac. It holds a charge for quite a long while, for a hand vac, I vacuumed with it for over an hour, and it still was going strong. The great thing about the KONE is that you will most likely always return it to it's base, so you will never need to worry about it being "out of juice" when you may need it. As far as the vacuuming abilities, I tried to vacuum popcorn, staples, shredded paper, and even glass splinters, and it had no problem with any of them. The tapered tip makes it simple to pick up any mess, no matter the size. With a standard three years parts and motor warranty, you can have some peace of mind using the vac.

Can you afford this vac? At $40, how can you not? This vac has as much power as a much more expensive vac, and the look and feel is unbeatable.

Review of "Underground Buildings- More Than Meets the Eye"

2007-01-16T12:27:00.000-06:00

Underground Buildings- More Than Meets The Eye
Loretta Hall
Quill Driver Books
ISBN 1884956270
Available Here

Underground architecture has come a long way since the 1800s. Perhaps you read Laura Ingalls Wilder's account of living in an underground home built into a bank. Remember when the cow stepped into the chimney hole, and sent great clods of dirt falling into the house? Well, to say that underground buildings have improved since then would be a gross understatement.

Loretta Hall takes her readers on a tour of North America, searching for underground buildings in all their glory. No longer the 1970s era earth home, susceptible to mold, water, and darkness, today's earth buildings are model marvels, long-lasting testaments to the architects who designed them.

More than 100 buildings are toured in this book. Follow Hall as she dives deep underground to view where heads of state are sent in an emergency, an entire office park carved into a former mine deep underground, and many homes underground.

This book provides an incredible look at buildings that are hidden from plain site, yet, are some of the most beautiful and technologically advanced buildings on the planet.

Anne of Avonlea - 1975 BBC Production - Now on DVD

2007-01-15T21:03:00.000-06:00

Anne of Avonlea
1975 Miniseries
BBC/Koch Vision
$27.95
Click Here to Purchase

Up until I watched this DVD, I had only seen the Sullivan productions of the irrepressible Anne Shirley's life. While I love these as much as most other "Anne fans", I'd always bewailed the fact that the films didn't hold true to the story, and didn't follow the letter of the law, so to speak. Where were Davy and Dora? And Mr. Harrison? And the unshutupable Ginger?? And what was with Mr. Harrison's jersey cow being converted into Mrs. Lynde's jersey cow?

This miniseries will please all Anne Shirley purists. It does follow the book very closely. It's based on both Anne of Avonlea and Anne of the Island. Kim Braden makes a charming, fiery Anne. Christopher Blake is passable as Gilbert, although not nearly as much of a heartbreaker as Jonathan Crombie proved to be. Blake seems a bit shallow, and it seems that perhaps "Anne of Avonlea" was, to him, just another script to read. Like many older BBC productions, the filming and lighting is very different from other period pieces. It all seems dark, and the interior lighting is a little odd, all candle-lit in the background with, oddly enough, spotlights on the speaking character. All this seems to pale under the prospect of being so "right on".

I really enjoyed this DVD. The quality was surprisingly good, as many films from the 70s are not such high quality. Kim Braden, again, sparkles as Anne, and for her performance alone, one should, no, must, purchase this DVD. Truly, thank goodness for small miracles, namely, that this movie sticks to the books so well, and for Braden, demonstrating that Megan Follows is not the only Anne in the world.

Fashion Angels: Fashion Design Studio Set

2007-01-15T19:55:00.000-06:00

Fashion Design Studio Set
From Fashion Angels by The Bead Shop Online
Website
Average online price: $24.99

Wow. I'm still speechless from seeing this kit. When I was younger, I had one of those Barbie sets that most likely 9 out of 10 girls had. You know, it had plates that you arranged into outfits, then rubbed a crayon over it. Remove the paper, and you have a nice, if primitive, fashion design. That was then... this set is now.

This set looks somewhat unassuming from the outside, yet when you open it up, you are instantly transported into a land of fashion. Perhaps Anne Hathaway's character in The Devil Wears Prada would have gotten along a lot better right from the beginning if she had a set like this as a child. With 24 markers and 24 colored pencils,
every little girl can make every conceivable (and most likely some inconceivable!) patterns and designs possible. There are multiple forms of paper, including newsprint, tracing paper, and even some pictures ready for dressing up, including several different doll shapes, several types of purses and clutches, and ankles and legs for shoe designs.

This is an absolute must-buy gift for that special little girl in your life. I predict hours and hours of enjoyment will come from this set, and the fact that there is also an available refill kit makes the reasonable $25 price that much sweeter!

Review of "The Sims - Mega Deluxe" PC Game

2007-01-13T21:30:00.000-06:00

The Sims - Mega Deluxe Edition
PC Game
Maxis/EA Games
Available Here

Check out my review!

Bonita and Rally - Infant Toys

2007-01-13T21:13:00.000-06:00

"Bonita" Infant Clutch Toy"Rally" Infant Clutching Toy

Ages 6 months and up
HABA: Inventive Playthings for Inquisitive Minds
Available Here

Such sweet toys! They are made of beechwood, and have little bells and mirrors. They are child approved... my 1 year old brother likes them both! They seem to be very high quality, not stinky plastic like so many toys are today. The wood is sanded to be super silky and soft, and hence there is no chance of an infant getting splinters. At first, I was a bit concerned about the bells coming off, but after much yanking, pulling, and tugging, I am no longer concerned about this happening. The toys are so very adorable, I, quite honestly, didn't want to share them... they have a great feel to them and have such a sweet, child-like look to them. If you are tired of the typical mass-produced plastic and rubber toys that are so prolific today, try some of the toys from Haba. I highly recommend them!

Giggles - Computer Funtime for Baby - My Animal Friends

2007-01-13T15:42:00.000-06:00

Giggles Computer Funtime for Baby
My Animal Friends
Ages 6-24 months
Compatible with Windows 98-XP and Mac OS X and beyond
Available Here
MSRP $24.95

Ok, so I have to admit it. While I love playing computer games, it goes against my every grain to perch an infant or toddler in front of a computer. I'm not sure why, as I have few objections to little kids watching TV, within reason, but something within me just can't come to terms with a piece of software promoting infant use of a computer. Although, I'm sure it does have it's uses, such as a work at home parent trying to entertain a fussy child, or promoting technological awareness, I suppose I think that parents may perhaps, well, plop their kids in front of the PC.

However, if you have no such objections, then you will certainly enjoy sharing this program with your baby or toddler. This is a really cute program. The graphics are really adorably sweet. There are multiple games to be played. The program is designed so that as your child presses keyboard keys, it does different actions. For example, penguins slide down a hill into the sea on their tummies, groundhogs peek out of their holes, and more. You can wander around the zoo, the farm, or on safari. You can even print out pictures of the animals met.

In the end, my opinion is that, if you have no ethical objections to your infant using the PC, then, by all means, this is most likely the best choice for your money. The graphics and audio are very cute, and after installation, the CD no longer needs to be inserted to use the program. A nice program!

Let it ice, let it ice, let it ice!

2007-01-12T15:14:00.000-06:00

It's raining here in the middle of Missouri right now, but a major ice storm is only about 40 miles away from here. This will be our second storm of the season. Last time, we were fortunate to not lose any power, but my DSL was off and on for days. This storm is going to start, well, shortly, and last until Sunday evening. We are supposed to get a pile of ice, followed by snow. If you don't hear anything from me for a time, I'm still here... just iced in, most likely. Hopefully, nothing will go off, but the local electric companies are saying expect widespread outages. I suppose this is one good part of living in the boonies... we have a wood stove and a supply of firewood. Thanks for reading!

:)

Shaley

Review of "Mom, What If I Swallowed an Ice Cube?"

2007-01-11T10:32:00.000-06:00

Mom, What If I Swallowed An Ice Cube?
Michelle Lautanen
Illustrated by Neil Shapiro
Cedar Hill Publishing
ISBN 1933324384

Available Here

Children of all ages will absolutely adore this hilarious look at what happens when a simple question gets misunderstood. An inquisitive young girl asks her, well, bumbling mom what would happen if she swallowed an ice cube. Her mom thinks she actually swallowed one, and what ensues is absolutely hilarious! Her mom tries everything under the sun to melt the nonexistent icecube, from an electric blanket wrapped around the neck, to the bathroom plunger! All ages will enjoy this book, and it makes a great addition to any bookshelf.

Review of "The Jane Austen Miscellany"

2007-01-09T18:33:00.000-06:00

The Jane Austen Miscellany
Lesley Bolton
Sourcebooks
ISBN 9781402206856
Available Here

Jane Austen's books are widely regarded as classics, and millions of copies of her works have been sold. Her books have also been made into numerous feature films, and attract a large "cult" following. Perform a Google search for Jane Austen, and millions upon millions of results are returned. In this gift-sized book from Lesley Bolton, some key points of Austen's life, quotes from her works, interesting tidbits from the era Austen lived in, and much more are presented in a visually appealing format.

This 128-page book is an important addition to any lover of Austen's work, and provides a priceless look back through time, into Austen's world.

Review of "Bittersweet"

2007-01-09T18:21:00.000-06:00

Bittersweet

Cathy Marie Hake

To Be Released
Spring 2007

When this book arrived in the mail, I was very excited. Cathy Marie Hake's freshman book in this series, "Letter Perfect", was one of my favorite books of 2006. It was fresh, humourous, entertaining, and an all-around great read. I expected no less from "Bittersweet". When an author can write so well, you just expect further attempts to be good. Unfortunately, I was vastly disappointed by this book.

I feel that Hake tried to make "Bittersweet" as much of a hit as "Letter Perfect" was. Perhaps her downfall came there, as her characters are, perhaps, less interesting than in the first book. "Bittersweet" is very disappointing. The plot is predictable, even formulaic. Boy notices girl next door, they begin to fall in love, boy gets in trouble, they are separated, and, in the end, all the strings are tied up in one neat little package.

"Bittersweet" had the right mix for a great book for much of the story. Unfortunately, it feels artificially contrived for the last 3 chapters. Everything just works out too well for the main characters in the end. All of the charm and unusual characters in "Letter Perfect" is missing in "Bittersweet".

The storyline, while in no means unique, is a sweet tale of love and heartache. Galen, a young farmer, views Lacey, a neighbor girl, as his little sister for years. Lacey, however, finds herself herself strongly attracted to Galen, who, over time finds himself recognizing that Lacey has grown up into a beautiful young woman. At nearly the same time, a rough and tumble family squats on Galen's land. The father, a alcoholic lazy bum, plans on setting up a still on the land. Ishmael and Ivy, the twin teenagers, work for Galen's family for food. Galen feels pity for the family, and supplies them with food and blankets. This backfires disatrously, as on the very day Galen plans to propose to Lacey, Ishmael steals Galen's gun, confronts Galen, saying that Galen has taken Ivy's honor and caused her pregnancy, and forces Galen and Ivy to wed. The well-read reader can guess nearly everything that follows.

I had high hopes for this book, and while it had lofty aspirations, it failed to truly be a classic piece of fiction, or perhaps even one that most readers will remember more than a few days or weeks. My advice? Read this book, but wait until it comes to your local library or bargain table.

Review of "Consolation"

2007-01-07T10:47:00.000-06:00

Consolation: A Novel
Michael Redhill

Check out my review!
Click Here!

Glade Scented Candles - French Vanilla and Clean Linen

2007-01-07T10:27:00.000-06:00

Glade Scented Candles

French Vanilla
Clean Linen

These new candles from Glade come in a number of scents. I tried 2, French Vanilla and Clean Linen. The vanilla is a "true" vanilla, without any other undertones that often vanilla candles have. It burns cleanly, and has an excellent "throw". I lit one in our kitchen, and it scented the entire room with rich, warm vanilla fragrance. The wick doesn't need to be trimmed, as many glass-contained candles often do, perhaps because it is a braided linen wick. Many candles have wicks that are just weaved together, or have small strands of cotton, just covered in wax. The Clean Linen smells just as it's name implies, like fresh, clean laundry dried in the sun. It has undertones in a lemony sort of scent. I found it to have a throw even better than the vanilla candle, even when not lit, it scents a room quite well. One thing I especially appreciated about these candles is the easy to remove label. Both back and front labels peel off without leaving any sort of residue. These candles are available at most discount stores, including K-Mart, Target, Wal-Mart, and more.

Petals From Heaven - Handcrafted Soap Petals

2007-01-07T09:49:00.000-06:00

Petals From Heaven - Handcrafted Soap Petals

Heidi Olson, a stay-at-home mother of 2, makes these incredible soap petals in all shapes, colors, and scents. She takes silk petals and leaves, and foam shapes, dips them by hand into incredibly moisturizing glycerin soap, scented with oil. The result is a product that will make the room that you store them in smell delicious, and your hands feel soft and moisturized. Place them in a glass dish by your bathtub, and toss a handful into a hot bath. They will perfume your bath, and the delicate bubbles are wonderful to soak in. They are very reasonably priced, a pack of 25 in the scent and color you pick, is only $4.95. My favorite scent is Loganberry, a sweet berry scent, sweet but not sickeningly so. It's a rich, "grown-up" scent that lasts for hours. Each soap petal is single-use, however, if you keep a dish nearby to drop them after you use them, they keep perfuming the room long after they have been used. The website is www.petalsfromheaven.biz
Heidi accepts Paypal, which allows you to purchase her products with all major credit cards. Shipping is reasonable, and international shipping is available. You may choose from 23 different colors, and 65 scents. There are many shapes available, from, of course, rose petals, to fall leaves, to butterflies and hearts. These make great gifts, too! I enjoyed these very much, and I'm sure you will too.

Exciting Changes Coming Soon!

2006-12-24T21:57:00.000-06:00

Hello there, all you bookworms and literature lovers! We have some exciting changes coming soon that I'd like to let you know about. So, if you visit a few times, and the site looks different each time... yes you are still in the right place! I'm working on finding a design I like. ;)

First of all, we are going to be expanding the items that we review! We are going to be adding reviews of DVDs, VHSs,CDs, CD-ROMs, and many other products. We will, of course, be primarily focusing on books, as always, but soon, you just may find reviews of other exciting products as well.

Secondly, we are removing the Google Ads, as well as the other "annoying" ads that I allowed on this site. I have found that these ads are impersonal, irrelevant, and, basically, a pain in the neck! Instead, I'm "custom picking" a few companies that I feel are worthy. For example, the Sullivan Entertainment banner on the side. I went on this site today, and found that they have ALL their VHSs for 50 cents! Even the wildy popular "Anne of Green Gables" trilogy box sets. So, the only "ads" you will see here are ones that I feel everyone needs to know about!

Thirdly, I'm going to be changing some of the features around, and am going to attempt to make everything easier for you, my dear reader, to navigate and enjoy.

Fourth, you will be seeing a LOT more reviews on this site. I've had a wild 2 months, with battling Scarlet Fever, some family commitments, etc. This week, I'm working on reducing the number of commitments I have to other websites. While I will still be freelancing to other sites, my heart is in this website most, so 95% of my energy will be directed here. You will start noticing a pickup, hopefully drastic, in the number of reviews posted here.

Fifth, I'd like to inject some more "warmth" into my site. Up until now, the only posts I have made are book reviews... I'm going to try to communicate with you, my readers, more.

Well, that's all for now! Please bookmark this site, and happy reading!

Shaley Melchior

Review of "Ultimate Backyard - Inspired Ideas for Outdoor Living"

2006-12-19T16:36:00.000-06:00

5 stars

Ultimate Backyard - Inspired Ideas for Outdoor Living
Michelle Kodis
Gibbs Smith Pub.
ISBN: 1586857932
Available Here

While not all of us have unlimited funds or unlimited time to spend creating the perfect backyard, nearly all of us enjoy poring over countless books full of inspiration for our yards. This March '06 book from Michelle Kodis gives many ideas for transforming that plain backyard into a lovely oasis. The book is organized into sections.

Section one describes "Outdoor Rooms". This section takes us into homes all over the country, including an Oregon Coast cottage, an urban paradise, an outdoor room for a family, and even an outdoor room "just for kids".

Section two describes "Indoor/Outdoor Connections". This section deals with how to make the indoor of you home that leads into the backyard flow seamlessly. We are taken to visit homes in this section as well, including a home in bustling Santa Monica, California, a desert home in Sedona, Arizona, a private retreat in rural New Hampshire, and other homes.

Section three deals with "Water". How can you incorporate this liquid that is so necessary to life in your outdoor space? Kodis shows how homeowners in Arizona, Aspen, the San Fernando Valley, Vail, L.A., and other areas have successfully used water aspects in their back yards, to create a bit of "heaven on Earth".

Section four, the final section, is titles "Creative Landscapes". This section takes the reader from California, to Vermont, to New York, and beyond, demonstrating how to creatively use the space you are given, whether small or large. It also shows how to blend your backyard into your native surroundings.

"Ultimate Backyard" is just that... the ultimate guide to creating your dream yard. Whether you are ready to begin the transformation, or merely a dreamer like me, this book is one that should be sitting on your coffee table, ready to peruse.

Review of "Dora the Explorer - The Essential Guide"

2006-11-24T10:20:00.000-06:00

Nick Jr's Dora the Explorer: The Essential Guide
Brian J. Bromberg
DK Publishing
ISBN 0756620279
$8.99

Dora the Explorer has quickly became one of TV's hottest tots, and for good reason. What's not to love about a bilingual, musical, fun-loving preschooler? Add in exciting adventures, friends of all ages, colors, sizes, and languages, and you have a TV show guaranteed to please both children and their parents.

DK Publishing, publishers of many how-to guides on nearly every conceivable subject under the sun, have now brought a guidebook designed for children to love, parents to learn more about the show with, and for parents and children to enjoy together.

This book covers all of the characters frequently seen on Dora's TV show, including Diego, her pal that now has his own show, the musical trio that trumpets whenever Dora completes a task successfully, and many other characters children (and parents!) may be curious about. The guide contains Spanish all throughout it, so many children whose parents may not have the required time to help their children learn a second language, or those parents that haven't the funds to hire a tutor for the children, will be immersed in this beautiful language as well.

This book is recommended for, of course, lovers of Dora, as well as classrooms and libraries nationwide.

Review of "In the Land of Moab"

2006-11-15T16:20:00.000-06:00

In the Land of Moab
Tom Till
Fable Valley Pubs.
ISBN 0971255504
Available Here

In "In the Land of Moab", Tom Till presents us with yet more incredible photojournalism of the landscapes that he has said inspired his career. Colors abound, from the snow capping bright red peaks, to the muddy brown Green River flowing amongst black lava rock shores and the mottled brown shades of the canyon the river has cut, to the delicate wildflowers bravely pushing their way through the hostile dry, cracked soils. Excellent work, a highly collectible collection of artwork suitable for the most choosy of coffeetables.

Review of "Plateau Province - A High Desert Portfolio"

2006-11-15T15:25:00.000-06:00

Plateau Province - A High Desert Portfolio
Tom Till
Fable Valley Pubs.
ISBN 0971255512
Available Here

Tom Till presents another unforgettable compilation of photography in this work, "Plateau Province". Till takes us to the American Southwest region, and we are taken on a tour of the high deserts of that area. The reader marvels at the photography presented here. In some cases, desert seems to be the wrong name for this incredible area... wildflowers and waterfalls are abundant in some areas. Yet, in other areas, the starkness of the landscape astounds the reader. The colors are rich, the photography is flawless, and Till's work reminds us how small we truly are... there are rock formations that have stood for generations before us, and will continue for generations after we are gone and forgotten. This reader concludes that this book is very well rounded, and a must-read.

Review of "Utah - A Celebration of the Landscape"

2006-11-15T15:07:00.000-06:00

5 stars

Utah -A Celebration of the Landscape
Photography by Tom Till
Text by Brooke Williams
Foreword by Terry Tempest Williams
Fable Valley Pub.
ISBN 0971255539
Available Here

Utah may arguably be called one of the most misunderstood states. When people think of Utah, oftentimes they think of such things as the Great Salt Lake and it's seemingly never-ending desert, or perhaps they think of the great exodus of the Mormons into Utah, or perhaps the scandal of polygamy that continues to plague Utah. Tom Till, however, presents another side of Utah. This side is one of unparralled beauty, richness, and incredible colors.

With 144 oversized pages, "Utah" not only captures the beauty of Utah through Till's photography, but with Brooke Williams' text, the rich cultural history of Utah comes to life. The way the artwork is presented leads the imagination through a wild adventurous tour of Utah. On one page, the stark beauty of the desert is presented, on the next, a waterfall springs to life, alongside rich flowers and plant life.

"Utah" is a must-have not only for residents of Utah, but those who long for Utah, or anyone who loves nature photography. Till's artwork and Williams' text shine in this inspiring celebration of Utah's landscapes.

Review of "Tasty Temptations"

2006-11-06T13:40:00.000-06:00

Check it out!

Review of "The Truth About Dad" "The Truth About Mom"

2006-11-03T13:48:00.000-06:00

3 Stars

The Truth About Dad
Suburban Confessions series
Ben Mason
ISBN# 1933112115
Click Here to Order

The Truth About Mom
Suburban Confessions series
Ben Mason
ISBN# 1933112107
Click Here to Order

Ben Mason brings us a delightful,irreverant look at our dear parents...their passions, daydreams,desires, and,erm... distractions! With vintage illustrations and a charming gift-book style, these books will be the perfect gift for that lovely father or mother in your life... so long as they have a good sense of humor! With a total lack of political correctness, these small books are a great conversation starter. I laughed all the way through them!

Review of "Postcards From Last Summer"

2006-11-02T09:40:00.000-06:00

Check it out!

Review of "Revealed"

2006-11-02T08:38:00.000-06:00

Revealed
Tamera Alexander
ISBN 0764201093
Release Date: November 6,2006
Click here to purchase

Tamera Alexander has followed her haunting first novel, "Rekindled", with a book of even greater magnitude, and it is, unbelievably, even more touching and heartwarming than her debut novel.

In "Revealed", we revisit some familiar characters. We meet up again with Kathryn and Larson, albeit briefly, and discover that their love, tried by fire, is not diminishing, but rather, they have a greater love than they may have, before their tribulations, thought possible. We are reaquainted with Matthew Taylor. The reader may recall that he was the man that fell in love with, and helped care for, Kathryn after Larson was presumed dead. We also remeet Annabelle Grayson. She became one of Kathryn's friends while they both were living as prostitutes, however unwillingly it was.

Annabelle has married Matthew's brother in an effort to escape from her life of servitude to men. While he knows that Annabelle has no real love for him, her husband understands her feelings, and loves her wholeheartedly, without any request for a return of his love. This,of course, grieves Annabelle, as she recognizes the self-sacrificing actions of this man, and is unable to love him with her whole heart.

Matthew is not pleased about the marriage, however. He recognizes the reasons Annabelle married his brother, and feels she is using him only for her own purposes. In fact, he feels she used the wiles she learned in her previous occupation to seduce his brother, and will tire of him quickly. After all, if she was willingly a prostitute, why would she now wish to be confined to one man? The brothers quickly become astranged.

Suddenly, Annabelle's husband dies. She now realizes that she did love, perhaps more than seh could say, but it is,of course, too late to tell him so. Her husband has left her land in Idaho, and she decides to begin life afresh there. She decides that as a single woman traveling alone, it would be best for her to find a trustworthy guide to lead her to Idaho.

Matthew, not realizing who has placed the ad, applies. To his chagrin, Annabelle is the person needing his guidance. After much arguing, debate, and second thoughts, he agrees to accompany her. There is a strong undercurrent of attraction between them, which they both mistake for dislike.

Will they discover their growing attraction to each other? And will Matthew ever understand that Annabelle didn't wish to be a prostitute, and forgive her for marrying his brother?

Alexander crafts yet another timeless, inspiring novel that will haunt the reader for a long time to come. It is so very well written that this reader feels that Alexander will quickly become a classic in inspirational fiction, the next Lori Wick, Janette Oke, or Tracie Peterson. One of my absolute favorite books, this ranks as one of my top picks of 2006.

Review of "Kimmie's Closet - A Fun Fashions Coloring Book"

2006-10-21T22:52:00.000-05:00

Kimmie's Closet
Yvonne Green-Evans
ISBN # 1425914225
Available Here

Nearly every little girl, at some point in their lives, longs to be THE next big fashion designer. My friends and I doodled for hours upon hours, crafting countless numbers of wedding dresses, ball gowns and even a swim suit now and then. Of course, our dreams were only realized on paper, but more many this for of self-expression is a rite of passage for young girls on their way to womanhood.

Something always drove me crazy, though. I could never get the body shape under the dress looking right! Something was always off - an arm, a leg, etc. Now, there is a coloring book that is ideal for all young girls who have the aspiration to design fine clothing.

"Kimmie's Closet" contains over 90 pages of black and white line drawings, ready for a girl's touch. The line format makes it possible for a child to fill in the dresses and shoes any way they wish, using crayons, pencils,markers, or any other drawing tool. The reverse sides of the drawings are blank, and there are ample spaces for the child's name, the date, and even the name of their creation.

All around, I found that "Kimmie's Closet" is a very charming book that may inspire countless young girls and young women to follow their fashion dreams, or at least have a very fun time creating all sorts of beautiful pictures. I recommend that this book will be a great gift for the little girls in your life.

Review of "Cha-Cha & ZEE Explore Our Nation's Capital"

2006-10-18T10:43:00.000-05:00

Cha-Cha & ZEE Explore Our Nation's Capital
Indigo Tyler
Available Here

Next time you go on vacation, watch where you leave your guidebook...you never know who will pick it up! In this adventurous new book from Indigo Tyler, a family visiting the National Zoo in Washington, D.C. accidentally left their guidebook behind in the penguin house. What ensues is a rollicking good time, had by two of the penguins, Cha-Cha and ZEE. They enjoy all the sights, sounds, and even smells of our nations capital. They hop on the Metro, visit the Capitol building, and explore the Smithsonian Institue. Then, they explore the White House and the Lincoln and Jefferson Memorials. They are even planning their next adventure, 1600 miles away in San Antonio, Texas!

The artwork is well made, with many pictures consisting of photos with the two penguins digitally imposed seamlessly over the top. There is also a well-illustrated mep of the city, for help in locating any of the mentioned landmarks. This book belongs in all classrooms that are studying our nation's capital. Well done!

Retro... now delicious!

2006-10-17T19:32:00.000-05:00

Retro Breakfast
Linda Everett & Richard Perry
Available here
ISBN # 1888054875

A few nights ago, I was trying to find something,anything!, for dinner besides pasta. Hmm, something baked sounds good, so I pulled out my stack of trusty cookbooks. Nothing sounded appealing, however, so I thought I would browse through "Retro Breakfast" for something to bake. And, boy, did I ever find it! Page 94, Mother's Cinnamon Flop. I adore cinnamon rolls, and this recipe is, basically, one huge cinnamon roll. It's soooo good, it's already become a classic in our home! I altered it a tiny bit, I mixed up some powdered sugar and milk frosting and poured it over the top, and suddenly, I had a cinnamon delight that will rival, and beat ANY cinnamon roll in a can, any old day!

I also love the style of "Retro Breakfast". As the title suggests, the whole book has a retro, 1940s-1950s feel to it. It has vintage illustrations, and even a few vintage advertisements sprinkled throughout. The names of the recipes have a retro, homestyle flair to them, and many are very simple to make. The instructions are clear, and the background illustrations add depth and warmth, rather than detract from the recipes. This is a very fun cookbook, and is certainly one that every lover of vintage art, recipes, or even just of good food should add to their cookbook shelf, or even your coffee table!

Author Interview with Marissa Moss

2006-10-17T18:11:00.000-05:00

We were recently able to speak with Marissa Moss, author of the best-selling, ground-breaking "Amelia" series.

What inspired you to pen the "Amelia" series?

I got the idea for Amelia when I was buying school supplies for my son (he
was starting kindergarten) and saw one of those black-and-white notebooks.
It reminded me of the notebook I kept when I was a kid, so I bought it and
started to write and draw what I remembered from when I was 9 years old.

Is the series based on anyone in real life?

Amelia is a lot like me and the things that happen to her really happened to
me (mostly). I change some details to make better stories.

Amelia has become such an important fixture in the lives of many young
girls. Are you ever surprised at how popular the books have become?

I'm always surprised. Girls will write to me and say that they're just like
Amelia and I'll think, "Where were you when I was growing up? I felt like
there was no one like me!"

Will Amelia ever 'grow up'? Or do you plan to keep her young?

She graduated to middle school in "Amelia's 6th Grade Notebook" and I just
finished "Amelia's 7th Grade Notebook" (due out next summer), so she's
getting older, though I'm not sure how much older she'll get. I like the
notebook format where I can have words and pictures, and I'm afraid if
Amelia gets too much older, I won't be allowed to continue drawing. That
would take a lot of the fun out of it for me.

What projects do you have coming up next for you?

I'm working on the boy's version of Amelia. It's called "Alien Erasers and
Other Cool Stuff," and is a boy's notebook with his drawings (including
comics!), inventions, and experiments. I'm also working on a young adult
novel, something really different for me (though I hope to still sneak a few
drawings into the book).

Review of "Amelia's Guide to Gossip"

2006-10-17T18:01:00.000-05:00

Amelia's Guide to Gossip
Marissa Moss
ISBN # 9781416914754

Hip, Hip, Hooray! Amelia's back! The star of multiple journals brings us her latest guide to life, this time a journal about gossip in all forms.

With guidelines for avoiding gossip, using it to your advantage, limiting the spread of gossip, and much,much more, "Amelia's Guide to Gossip" is yet another must-have book from bestselling writer Marissa Moss.

The book has all the charm and charisma that have endeared thousands of girls (and even some boys!) to the ageless heroine, Amelia. Amelia seems to be a bit more long-winded in this book, but, even so, it held my attention from beginning to end. And, I"m not even in the recommended age demographic! I, along with many other girls, have grown up reading about Amelia's escapades, and this book doesn't disappoint. A very highly recommended read!

Author Interview with Alex Flinn, author of "Diva"

2006-10-09T11:46:00.000-05:00

We were priviledged to recently speak with Alex Flinn, author of the hot new book for young adults, "Diva". Here's the answers to some things you may have been wondering.

What inspired you to write "Diva"?

My first novel, Breathing Underwater, has been really popular with teens. Many of them have asked for a sequel, but I really didn't feel like I could write anything more about the main character, Nick. I always told readers that Nick was going to have an uneventful life after the events of that book. A few of them came back to ask, "What about a book about Caitlin?" Caitlin was Nick's ex-girlfriend in the book.

At the end of Breathing Underwater, the reader learns that Caitlin is transferring to a performing arts school to study her singing. I went to a similar program in high school and always thought it would be great to write a book about it, but I didn't want to write anything autobiographical. I decided that if I wrote about Caitlin going to an arts school, I could use some of the memories and experiences, while still having the story be about someone other than me.

For a lengthier explanation of what went into my decision to write Diva, please visit my site,

http://www.alexflinn.com/index.2ts?page=whyiwrotediva

What do you want readers to take away from reading "Diva"?

I hope they will relate to Caitlin, who is like so many girls I meet, uncertain and struggling to find out who she is. But I also hope that, by following her dreams in spite of what others think, she'll be a good role model for them.

Additionally, I hope some of them may discover opera through the book, since Caitlin is studying voice and opera. Most people think opera is weird, but it's usually because they've never experienced it. When you look at the plots of most operas, they are as racy as Desperate Housewives, only set to music.

What would you tell young readers, who wish, like Caitlin, to pursue their inner talents?

Go for it! But realize it involves choices. You can't do school and have a huge social life and be on the soccer team and still have enough time to be a great ballerina or whatever. Sometimes, you have to give up something to get something bigger.

What projects are you working on now?

My next book is Beastly, a modern, urban version of Beauty and the Beast, set in New York City. The main character is Kyle Kingsbury, who is handsome, popular, king of his fancy Manhattan prep school . . . until he angers the wrong girl and realizes she's a for-real witch. She turns him into a beast, and he has to find a girl to help him break the spell (Hint: MySpace doesn't work). It will be published in Fall, 2007.

Review of "Diva"

2006-10-08T19:28:00.000-05:00

Diva
Alex Flinn
ISBN 9780060568436
Available Here

Caitlin wants to be a diva. Make that a Diva with a capital D. Sure, you're thinking. A diva. Every girl wants to be one. Caitlin, however, isn't interested in being your normal, everday Paris Hilton. She wants to be the next Christine from Phantom of the Opera. Yep, Caitlin loves opera.

Unusual? Sure. But Caitlin isn't happy waiting in the wings. She wants to soar, to embrace her music, to truly live. And now that she's been accepted into the prestigious Miami High School of the Arts, success is within her reach. Or so she hopes. Unfortunately, she doesn't seem to fit in at Miami H.S.A.. She just isn't "weird" enough. She doesn't dance in the subways, for heaven's sake.

Then she meets Sean. Together, they make amazing music. And the sparks flying between them, well, to Caitlin, are pretty amazing too. Sean has a few secrets though... how will they affect the two of them?

Alex Flinn's fifth novel is everything that the reader could want in a young adult book. I feel it will also appeal to the chick-lit audience as well. I found "Diva" to be well-rounded, and I enjoyed it very much.

Review of "9.11BOX"

2006-09-26T16:41:00.000-05:00

4 stars

9.11BOX
ISBN 0974283665

Where were you on September 11th, 2001? What were you doing when you first heard that the United States was under a terrorist attack? Perhaps, like my family, you didn't hear about the attacks for a couple of hours after they started. Perhaps you were in New York City, and were an eyewitness to the attacks. I remember where I was, and what I was doing. I was only 14 at the time, and my mom and siblings and I were grocery shopping in our local Wal-Mart. All the store associates where called into a little huddle in the middle of the store. I recall wondering why so many associates were walking away crying. A few minutes later, we found out. In the check-out lane, the checker said airplanes had crashed into the World Trade Center towers, and the Pentagon, and she mentioned the White House was on fire, the Supreme Court had been bombed, and the President and Vice President were dead. While, we later learned, the early reports were not the way she had told us, it soon became clear that something major was happening. We sat at a doctor's office for a long while, watching live news on a tiny, grainy television. Where were you?

In "9.11BOX", the events leading up to, on the day of, and after September 11th are clearly recounted. It can be painful to read and relive our memories of that day, no matter how old or young we may be, but in many ways, it will be healing for the survivors.

"9.11BOX" combines two publications, "NEWYORKSEPTEMBERELEVENTWOTHOUSANDONE" and "Rethink: Cause and Consequences of September 11". "NY09112001" presents an intimate, minute-by-minute, historical account of the events, including transcriptions of phone calls to 911 and journal entries by Salman Rushdie and Robert F. Kennedy Jr, among others. In "Rethink", fifty contributors, including the world's most dedicated writers and photojournalists, tell a story of crushing emotional weight and ask us to look beyond the immediate events of 9/11 to realize the causes and consequences of this global tragedy. There are also many other essays written by public figures, including Richard Dreyfuss, Michael Kors, Bill Moyers, Liam Neeson, Joan Rivers, George W. Bush, Gen. Wesley K. Clark, and the Dalai Lama,among others.

This work of art, although possibly pricey for most Americans at $120, is THE essential guide to all that transpired on that, tragic unforgettable day in 2001. The day awoke full of beauty,hope, and promise, yet, at the end of the day, no one was the same, and, truly, will never be the same. We are all victims, and will forever carry the scars.

Author Interview... Ken Barnett, author of "Neck Deep"

2006-09-26T08:59:00.000-05:00

I was able to speak with Ken Barnett , author of "Neck Deep", recently. The review of "Neck Deep" can be seen here...

Where are you from?

I was born in Oklahoma City OK. We moved to Little Rock when I was 11 and then to Paris at 13.

Tell us your latest news?

I have a new grandson Isaac.

When and why did you begin writing?

I have wanted to write since age 14, but didn't have much to write about then. I finally started Neck Deep in 2002.

When did you first consider yourself a writer?

After Neck Deep was published and I had positive feedback from readers.

What inspired you to pen "Neck Deep"?

The experiences I had with patients and doing the job. It was also a form of coping,and it turned out to be fun.

Who or what has influenced your writing, and in what way?

Joe Connelly, author of Bringing Out the Dead, he was a paramedic and wrote about his experiences. That inspired me and gave me the courage to write my first book. My parents were hard working. They taught me values and gave me the guidance I needed to survive through poverty and make a living for my family.

How has your environment/upbringing colored your writing?

My grandfather was a coal miner for years and then got into construction.My father was in construction until he passed away.My mother worked as a grocery checker and a factory worker before she passed away. We were never wealthy in possessions, but we had a close family. We were not the perfect or model family, but we managed. We traveled for a few years following the construction.

Do you have a specific writing style?

I try to present a strong voice in my writing. My goal is for the reader to feel a palpable pulse through the words.

What genre are you most comfortable writing?

I really like fiction because you can build composite charecters and events to tell the story. Some true stories are unbelievable, so the writter may as well have fun with it.

How did you come up with the title for your book(s)?

The title Neck Deep was from the nature of the business. You are always Neck Deep in kimchi.

Is there a message in your book that you want readers to grasp?

Yes,Don't bet the farm on the system. If you can help make changes for the better, do it know before you become a sad story in the masses. Did we learn anything from Katrina?

What books have most influenced your life?

A Time to Kill,Bringing Out the Dead,Confessions of an Economic Hit Man.

If you had to choose, which writer would you consider a mentor?

John Grisham

What are you reading now?

The five people you meet in Heaven

What are your current projects?

Working,painting the house,cutting firewood for winter,attending required classes to maintain my flight status and I want to start on a new book.

How does your family and/or friends feel about your book or writing venture in general?

My family has been very supportive and helpful, the kids think it's awsome. My friends have also been very supportive and sometimes comment. " I can't believe you actually wrote a book"

Do you see writing as a long- or short-term career?

I don't know, but we'll see what happens.

If you had to do it all over again, would you change anything?

No, but it would have been much easier to get published if I were famous.

Is there anything additional you would like to share with your readers?

Yes, If you want to write, jump in and do it. I wish I would have started sooner.

Review of "Stone Bear"

2006-09-25T14:53:00.000-05:00

Click here to read my review!

Review of "Providence Pond"

2006-09-25T14:48:00.000-05:00

Check it out!

Review of "Rekindled"

2006-09-25T14:37:00.000-05:00

Check it out!

Also, check this out, down by the bottom of the page.

Review of "The Englisher"

2006-09-25T14:35:00.000-05:00

Check it out!

Review of "The Preacher's Daughter"

2006-09-25T14:33:00.000-05:00

Check it out!