Strange Daze Indeed

Mid Century Mayhem by Bella Street

It seems that modern day Nashville and 1950s Detroit clash worse than an IKEA futon and a plaid Barcalounger when a free-spirited interior designer and a strait-laced automotive engineer find themselves in another time. TOMS-wearing Olivia Haugen and Madras-shirted Kyle Daniels have no clue why they’ve ended up in 1954 Michigan, but it is not because of all the swank mid-century furnishings. Discovering the reason might have something to do with a sneaky salvage warehouse owner and her not-so-little shop of secrets.

Amazon

Author Bella Street

#1 Amazon Bestselling author in Time Travel & Gothic Romance!
Living so close to Nashville has provoked Bella to take up fiddle lessons. Until her tunes no longer sound like amorous alley cats, she writes weird romance (which includes Gothic romance, science fiction romance, apocalypse, time travel, paranormal, fantasy romance, New Adult–and possibly sasquatch).

 

$50 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash

Ends 1/31/15

Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. 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, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.

 

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Thirty-Three Going on Girlfriend

For a while, Julia Dorning thought she would die a lonely spinster. Nine months ago, when her world was turned upside down that all changed. Right now she’s got a dream career as a bakery owner, and a relationship with handsome Jared Moody—a life that she never thought possible.

However, just as she’s starting to feel comfortable in her new life, Julia is invited to battle it out on national television making cupcakes. An amazing opportunity, if she can muster up the confidence to do it, that is. Then, out of the blue, Jared goes and throws a rather large wrench in their relationship causing Julia to have to make some big decisions. With her two trusted confidants off in wedding la la land, Julia is on her own to figure everything out.

Left to her own devices, will Julia be able to work things out for herself? Or will she make a disaster of it all? Find out in Becky Monson’s sequel to Thirty-Two Going on Spinster!

Amazon * Barnes & Noble * Kobo * iTunes

 

Author Becky Monson

By day, Becky Monson is a mother to three young children, and a wife. By night, she escapes with reading books and writing. In her debut novel, Becky uses humor and true-life experiences to bring her characters to life. She loves all things chick-lit (movies, books, etc.), and wishes she had a British accent. She has recently given up Diet Coke for the fiftieth time and is hopeful this time will last… but it probably won’t.

Website * Facebook * Twitter * Pinterest

Book Blast Giveaway

$100 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash

Ends 1/28/15

Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. 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, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.

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Welcome to the Get What You Really Wanted Giveaway Hop, hosted by the Blogging Mamas Network.

 

Christmas is over. The trees are taken down, the ornaments stored away. The joy of the holidays, for me, is in giving, but, I must admit, it’s nice to receive also! So, did you get what you wanted?

Fear not, dear readers! There are still more gifts to be had. A fantastic group of bloggers have come together to offer prizes of Gift Cards and cash, so that you can pick out what you really want!

Hop around to all of the blogs to see what they are offering and check out the grand prize, a $200 Gift Certificate to LushDecor.com – enter to win that here!

Here at Strange Daze Indeed, I am giving away a $50 Gift Card to Family Dollar. The nice thing about their stores, besides the low, low prices is the variety. You can buy groceries, clothes, pet supplies, beauty, household, candy, health items and more. I’m hoping that this gift card will help someone out this Winter!

Good luck to all!

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Dr Pepper Snapple Group for IZEA. All opinions are 100% mine.

When I was growing up, my Dad had one of the few remaining independent corner drugstores. I used to love helping him out at the soda fountain, and my favorite drink to make for myself and for customers was a Raspberry Lime Rickey. The beautiful color of the raspberry syrup as it blended with the soda water, the fun of using the lime squeezer and the tart smell of the fresh lime juice; these are memories that I cherish.

Recently I decided to update the Lime Rickey for the holidays. I used 7UP, which makes a great mixer for so many drinks because of its natural lemon-lime flavor. I found everything I needed at Safeway. I bought several bottles of 7UP, frozen raspberries, and some fresh limes. I also picked up some last minute brioche crackers and brie.

To make a 7UP Raspberry Lime Rickey, you’ll need:

8 ounces of 7UP

ice

1/2 ounce of lime juice (or the juice of one half of a fresh lime)

2 ounces of frozen raspberries (I bought them with no sugar added)

1/2 teaspoon sugar

Starting with the raspberries, add two ounces to a bowl with the juice of one-half lime and one-half teaspoon of sugar.

Muddle them all together. You can use a muddler or a wooden spoon to do this.

Strain the raspberry-lime mixture through a sieve to get out the seeds.

Next, fill a tall glass with ice and add the syrup mixture and the 7UP.  Then stir and garnish with a fresh lime wedge.

This is tasty and incredibly refreshing!

To make this drink alcoholic, simply add one ounce of either gin or vodka. Both taste delicious with the raspberry-lime and the 7UP.

I also like to add a touch of Angostura bitters to mine!

Enjoy!

Find more fun holiday drink recipes and entertaining tips!

I love Summer Music Festivals, but what I don’t love is the heat! I can remember going to a festival in Birmingham, Alabama. I was with a group of friends and we were all melting! We tried frozen lemonade and those little motorized fans. We wore huge sunhats. They even had stations where you could run in and get showered with water for a few moments. Still, there we were with amazing seats up close and no real relief from the unrelenting sun.

Now, I am usually not a horrible sweater, and I do wear antiperspirant, but, that day, nothing worked. I was wearing my favorite concert t-shirt and it had pit stains. I was so embarrassed that I was clapping with my arms pressed to my sides. Decidedly not fun! How embarrassing.

Recently I got a chance to try out something new,  the Dry Spray Antiperspirant from Dove! You can find these sprays at Walmart in Degree Men, Degree Women, Dove, Dove Men+Care and Axe. Super cool, no pun intended!

These new antiperspirant sprays feel cool and comfortable. You simply shake the can to activate the spray. They go on instantly dry and feel clean with no residue left on your clothes. The freshness lasts up to 48 hours. I’m a big fan.

Check out the new dry sprays at Walmart! You can watch a quick video and reserve your own sample to try it out for yourself.

Stay fresh and dry while feeling super clean. Ditch the Ick! 

This is a sponsored post and I have been compensated by Global Influence.

 

Lexi’s Pathetic Fictional Love Life

Lexi Middleton has been socially invisible to her classmates, but starting her junior year, that’s going to change. First, she’s determined to hook a boyfriend, ensuring dates with flowers and possible kisses on the doorstep. Second, she wants to be a writer for the school paper, even though it freaks her out to think of everyone judging her by her punctuation and metaphors.

High school is difficult enough—keeping up her grades, dealing with increasing sibling rivalry, and trying to stay out of the way of her personal nemesis, Amberlee—but when Lexi catches the eye of her long-time crush, she also becomes the focus of mean-girl tactics.

Caught between who she was and who she wants to be, Lexi must decide how to confront a bully, and choose who to let into her heart.

Purchase from

AMAZON * Barnes & Noble

 

Tour Schedule

 

Author Jo Noelle

Jo Noelle grew up in Colorado and Utah but also spent time in Idaho and California. She has two adult children and three small kids. She teaches teachers and students about reading and writing, grows freakishly large tomatoes, enjoys cooking especially for desserts, builds furniture, sews beautiful dresses, and likes to go hiking in the nearby mountains. Oh, and by the way, she’s two people—

Canda Mortensen and Deanna Henderson, a mother/daughter writing team.

They began writing separately several years ago but found the process much more fun when they started collaborating. They are debut authors, with Lexi’s Pathetic Fictional Love Life as their first completed work. Other titles include Newbie and Damnation.

Deanna attended college before marrying and starting her family.

Canda received a Bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education, a Reading Specialist endorsement, and a Master’s degree in Educational Leadership. Her day job focuses on teaching teachers and children about literacy.

Website * Twitter

 

 

Book Blast Giveaway

$50 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash

Ends 1/18/14

Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. 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, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.

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With this app, you can turn your iPad or iPhone into a learning center for your kids. This enjoyable app is based on the proven Montessori approach and opens the door to the exciting world of children’s stories and songs.

Kids Academy always has high quality apps that help make learning fun for your kids.  This app was recently updated and improved with beautiful graphics. There are a few books that are free and it’s really wonderful how the app reads to your child. This is a fantastic way for kids to learn on their own. You can upgrade to get more selections, but, this is a good introduction to see if your children enjoy it and if it will keep them entertained.

Get Preschool & Kindergarten Books, Songs & Early Reading Games App on iTunes

 

This app has vibrant colors and fun music that kids love. Easy to use and super convenient to take with you wherever you go, whether waiting in a doctor’s office or having fun in the car. Based on the proven Montessori learning method, Kids Academy develops spelling, writing and reading skills through fascinating games! In this app from Kids Academy, children practice their handwriting skills with fun games and learn their letters by tracing along the dotted lines on the screen of the iPad or iPhone. They also learn words that begin with that letter and learn both upper and lower case. Another fun activity is filling a jar with fireflies when they trace numbers correctly. There are left and right handed modes to accomodate your children and different levels of difficulty. This free version is upgradable with more games and features should you desire to unlock them.

Get Alphabet Tracing & Montessori App on iTunes

Android users can also find Kids Academy on Google Play!

Also be sure to visit Kids Academy on social media!

Facebook | Twitter | YouTube

 

This post was created in partnership with Mom Buzz Media and Kids Academy. All opinions expressed are my own.