Yesterday I got a wonderful surprise in the mail from Laughing Vixen. I’ve featured her many times on my blog because I love her artistry and her imagination.

 She sent me a piece I love, the Breakfast at Tiffany’s Inspired Charmed Necklace . I’ve been an Audrey Hepburn fan for as long as I can remember and I love that movie, so this necklace especially appeals to me. 

This necklace has 4 silver charms – a Cat, Engagement Ring, Hat and The Empire State Building. A tiffany blue heart and a pink mother of pearl circle bead with 3 small white glass pearls dangle from it. It’s really lovely and she knows I wear my necklaces long so adjusted it for me. That’s another great thing about Laughing Vixen. She will try to accomodate you as much  as possible. I love the personal touch.

My sister immediately had to identify every charm and loved it as well. I showed her Kris’ shop and now I have her wishlist as well. She has a birthday coming up.

This necklace is very versatile and dresses up jeans and a tank or looks great with a simple dress. I love it!

Laughing Vixen Lounge is a one woman show run by Kris, a former Hairstylist who decided to put her love of movies and vintage style to good use making fun and unique jewelry. I love to browse her Etsy shop because there is always something new to discover. You’ll find pop culture jewelry including retro, horror, seasonal and custom designs. All items are made when ordered and will take 3-5 days before they ship.

I’ve been browsing lately as I feel that her jewelry would make fantastic Mother’s Day gifts for the special women in your life or for yourself.

Also,  $1 from every item will be donated to www.donatejdm.org from December 1st – April 22nd to help The Brittany Foundation for rescue dogs.

 Here are some of my current faves!

Silver Pendants

Laughing Vixen also has some pretty cool compacts.

Check your lipstick in style with the Laughing Vixen Lounge Compact. Compacts are just under 2 1/2 inches (60mm) and about 3/16 inch deep (5mm). On one side there is a quality mirror for on-the-go makeup adjustments. On the other side is a plastic divided compartment for pills, mints, earrings, vitamins and other small treasures.

Some current faves:

 Check out the inside!                         

Laughing Vixen has generously offered my readers a Spring/pre-Mother’s Day giveaway. It will be for your choice of silver pendant and compact. You can pick a set or mix and match. What Needful Thing strikes your fancy?

Just follow the Rafflecopter!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

  Welcome to the Team Abnegation $100 Gift Code Giveaway.  During the month of April, HarperTeen is promoting the release of the book Insurgent by Veronica Roth.  This giveaway was organized to help promote the release of that book. To learn more about this book series please visit the Publisher’s Website: http://bit.ly/GQFqbF.

To enter to win a $100 Amazon Gift Code use the rafflecopter below. You have many chances to win and can enter daily from now until April 22nd.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Rules & Restrictions:
Open to anyone 18 or older who can legally receive and use an Amazon Gift Code. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded and Mandatory Entries must have been done or prize will be awarded to a different winner. No purchase necessary. You must be 18+ to enter. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.

Abnegation Faction News
HarperTeen Insurgent book page

When you’re a blogger, it’s incredible when you receive a product that is exactly what you need. I am on my computer so often or my iPhone, that it was a pleasure to review Scott’s Liquid Gold Clean Screen.

It’s great to find something so effective and that won’t harm my valuable electronics. It’s also economical because a little goes a long way and this bottle will last for a good while.

In the package is a 6.5. fl. oz. spray which is formulated with Reverse Osmosis (RO) Solution state-of-the art water treatment technology. RO removes molecules of mineral deposits and impurities smaller than the water molecules themselves. Nothing is left behind but a crystal clear clean.

You also get a very soft lint-free synthetic suede microfiber cloth that is used to apply the solution. Highly absorbent and quick drying, the cloth cleans without scratching delicate surfaces.

And, what’s really great is that there is no alcohol involved and no ammonia!

I know that when I would look for cleaners and cloths before, some did have alcohol or ammonia and some cloths would leave lint, making it ultimately worse than before. Others left streaks.

This was not the case here. I highly recommend this product to anyone wanting an alcohol, ammonia-free crystal clear clean with no scratching, no streaking and no lint whatsoever. You can see your reflection in the surface.

I started with my laptop. I am excited because it has that fresh new feeling and I know if it gets dirty, all I have to do is turn it off until it’s cool, spray the cloth, not the surface, and gently wipe the screen.

You only need 1 spray for small screens, 2-4 for larger screens. If the cloth should become dirty, you can simply rinse it with warm water and allow it to thoroughly dry. No waste.

Next stop for me, the desktop downstairs. That has a lot more fingerprints of all sizes as it gets used by everyone here. And yet, it was simple to clean, and the result was the same as my laptop, crystal clear.

Then, of course, it was on to the TV screen, dvds, cds and my sunglasses which were really smudged.

My iPhone has never looked like this since the day I first got it. It’s really enjoyable to restore your favorite things to when they were clean and clear.

You can use Clean Screen on MP3 players, on cameras, and on portable video players as well. Use it on your iPods, your iPads, your cell phones, your tablets. With all the touch screens lately, this is definitely a product we need here.

So yes, I love it. I’m sure I’ll find even more uses. Where is that portable dvd player?

You can find Clean Screen in the household-cleaning aisle in many grocery stores and Wal-Marts across the country. For easy shopping, find it online at the Scott’s Liquid Gold website.

Connect:

Facebook
Twitter
Scott’s Liquid Gold Blog

The folks at Scott’s would also like to offer one of my readers a Spring Cleaning Kit! This is pretty cool because it contains:

• Original SLG Aerosol
• Wood Wash
• Wood Wipes
• Clean Screen 

So, just follow the Rafflecopter, and soon you’ll be cleaning up too! Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

Stevia Plant

I was very pleased to receive Truvia  natural sweetener in my Influenster Love VoxBox. I’ve been using stevia as a sweetener for quite a while now and enjoy it sprinkled over grapefruit, in tea or coffee and in baking but I hadn’t tried Truvia yet. Truvia comes in packets I can take with me to use anytime and has 75% fewer calories per serving than sugar and has natural ingredients. In baking, it browns and bakes like sugar and you need half as much.

I really enjoyed the taste.

I also found this recipe by celebrity chef Marisa Churchill while browsing the delicious looking Truvia recipes:

Italian Style Buttermilk Custard (Panna Cotta)  


It’s classic, creamy and one of my favorites and really good with fresh berries. I used blueberries and raspberries. It has 66% less sugar and 25% fewer calories than the regular full sugar version.

Check out the details on how to make it here. It only took about 20 minutes to prepare, then just leave it to set for about three hours.

Truvía natural sweetener is available nationally at most major retailers and in package sizes of 40-count, 80-count, 140-count and a spoonable jar.  Find a store here. 

Verdict: I really like this as a sweetener and feel good about using it.

You can also check out Truvia on Facebook and Twitter.

Disclosure: I received this product to test through Influenster’s VoxBox program but the opinions herein are my own.

I’m really pleased with this razor. It’s the perfect combination of smoothness and moisturizing goodness. There are 5 razor blades to zoom in and get super close, interchangeable razor blade refill cartridges and a shower hook which is great for easy storage. It also has a Softgrip handle which makes for no slipperiness.

A refillable Venus & Olay with one  cartridge is approximately $8.99-$10.99. Packages of three replacement cartridges are about $14.99 – $19.49.  The main package also includes a shower hook. 

Disclosure:  I received this product to test through Influenster’s VoxBox program. The opinions herein are my own.

As you all know, I adore Wholly Guacamole and their salsas. Well… guess what?

Wholly Salsa is launching some great new flavors and re-launching their award winning Wholly Salsa Classic Flavors.

Right now, they are participating in a promotion sponsored by Walmart and it ends 4/4.  Here is their fun video where you can check it out:

You can vote via text or Facebook.  I can’t wait to try the new flavors!

About two weeks ago, I was driving with my Mom and it was unseasonably warm, so she put down her power window, and…. it wouldn’t come back up. Since it was all the way down, there was nothing we could do, nothing to try to grab or maneuver back up. Since it was a Sunday, we were out of luck, and rain was scheduled for the next day. What to do?

Well, often around here, the answer to everything is: Duct Tape. At least that’s what my brother-in-law always says. When in doubt, duct tape. So, I got a garbage bag, put it over the window, and used duct tape. Though it did rain, the car remained dry inside. So, I am a big fan and always try to keep duct tape on hand. It can solve so many problems.

And, then, coincidentally, not long after, I received a large package from Shoplet to review and in it was all kinds of Duck Tape, enough to satisfy even the geekiest office supply junkie.

Shoplet sent a swag bag of Duck Tape including Duck EZ Start Premium Packaging Tape, Duck EZ Start Premium Packaging Tape w// Dispenser and Zebra Printed Duck Tape.

I loved the Duck EZ Start Premium Packaging Tape w/ Dispenser.

 This tape is awesome since it was so convenient and easy to use. I could use it with one hand and it was simple to turn it to use the cutting edge. This is great for me when mailing packages as I do a lot of this. I love this tape and it’s great to keep on hand. It didn’t split or tear, just smoothly, quietly and efficiently got the job done.

Next, I checked out the Duck EZ Smart Premium Packaging Tape. This is sold in packs of three and is really quite economical. Again, very easy to use, just the right thickness. It wasn’t flimsy nor was it heavy. It was see-through and my packages looked professional. It did a great job keeping everything in place and was durable without being sticky, tacky or bunching up.

I wanted to give a friend some cookies I’d made, but I didn’t have anything interesting to put them in, so I took a regular box and “zebrified” it. You can see the inside of the box here. It was super easy to sculpt the tape along the curves and I loved the patterns it created.

You could use this tape to decorate, to add originality and flair, to instantly transform the dull into the unusual. It definitely appeals to my artistic side.

To sum it all up, I would say that the Duck Tape I was sent rocks! It really performed and looked great and I would definitely stock up on all of the above. I’ll also be scoping out the colored and patterned Duck Tapes because you never know when the creative urge will strike!

Shoplet has a great selection of office supplies and great deals, so check them out when you need something for your office or home or just want to browse.

Disclosure: Shoplet provided me with the above samples for review, however, all opinions expressed are my own.

I originally created Gems from the Goddess  as a  program for those  who have limited means.  As the year has progressed, I’ve realized that this offering is so much more than that. At its core it is about aligning stones with those who need it and giving them the opportunity to practice receiving and being taking care of. Gems from the Goddess  is also for those of you who wouldn’t ordinarily treat yourself, have a hard time asking for help & receiving it or simply feel called by the stone and would love an opportunity to win.

 Each month, l create a stunning gem to post on my website along with an overview of the stone’s properties. If you think this stone would enhance your life, send me an email and tell me why. After I receive all of the entries, I will meditate with the stone, select who the stone resonates with most, and mail it to you, free of charge. With your permission, I will also share your story on my website!

Be sure to include:

• Your preferred name (or a request to remain anonymous)

• Why you feel this stone would enhance your life, and

• The best way to contact you

Submit your stories to AmandaSelfJewelry@gmail.com .

MARCH’S OFFERING (please enter by 3/31)

Affirmation   “My masculine & feminine energies are grounded & balanced.”

Hematite is the most effective of all stones for grounding oneself in the body and in the physical world. It can counteract spaciness and confusion, helping one to see practical concerns and move forward with useful action. It is excellent manifestation stone.

Hematite lends one strength, courage and fortitude for moving through adversity. It is a powerful stone to use when one is seeking to integrate the shadow self. Hematite is excellent for energetic support of recovery from any ailment of the blood and of blood production within bone marrow.

Pendant is 2 and 1/2 inches long by 3/4 inch wide. Valued at $45.   

If this stone speaks to you, send me an email at AmandaSelfJewelry@gmail.com and share with me how you feel it can enhance your life. Deadline is March 31.

For more information about my Gems from the Goddess program
please click here

Thank you!

Amanda Self
www.AmandaSelfJewelry.com

—

I am very pleased to be working with Amanda Self, a wonderful artist who creates beautiful jewelry with crystals and gemstones. These creations are not only lovely, but also healing, and each carries its own powerful affirmation.

I was immediately drawn to her work and since then we’ve had some wonderful conversations, about life, the universe and well… everything. Life takes you down some interesting roads and it’s a blessing to have the chance to have good friends and healing along the way.

I asked Amanda how she got started.

In her own words:

I discovered the powers of crystals in 2002 while working at Half Price Books in Minneapolis, Minnesota. During my register shifts, I noticed a significant amount of energy being exchanged between myself and the customer when we handed each other money. It was incredibly draining and a bit uncomfortable. My dear friend Fran suggested I try using crystals and gemstones for protection and took me to a rock store later in the week. The results were immediate!