Karina Dresses Black Friday Sale

Karina Dresses provided this information to me to share with you. This is a sponsored affiliate post. This post contains affiliate links which means I may receive a commission if you click a link and make a purchase.

Black Friday is upon us once again! Avoid the crowds this year, and shop online with Karina Dresses instead! Their website is fully stocked with countless styles and prints to choose from. Grab a timeless solid or polka dot dress from the Karina Classics Collection or a limited-edition print from their Fall 2014 Collection. Don't see anything you like there? Then, head over to the Clearance Section where you will you will find some fabulous dresses for even more fabulous prices! From 11/28 to 12/1, you can take 40% off of the the entire Karina Dresses web store with the code BLACKFRIDAY at checkout. Happy shopping, ladies!
Karina Dresses was founded in 2007, based upon fashion industry veteran, Karina Cousineau's, vision of creating dresses for every woman. She knew there was a real need for a fashion line that makes every body (and everybody) feel and look great no matter what shape or size. A line that made every woman feel like a Frockstar™. Handmade in New York from limited edition fabrics, Karina Dresses creates a custom collection that is both classic and fashion-forward. Through a deep dialogue with retailers and direct clients, Karina takes a “slow fashion” approach, patiently nurturing dresses with artisanal attention to fit, fabric and construction.


DISCLOSURE/DISCLAIMER: Karina Dresses provided this information to me to share with you. The links in this post are affiliate links. Thank you for supporting my blog!

Wordless Wednesday Lemons!

Lemons ripening on one of our lemon trees.

Melissa & Doug’s Terrific 25 Giveaway

This is a promotion for Melissa & Doug. I might win a prize for posting.

Melissa & Doug will be doing another round of DAILY GIVEAWAYS on the Melissa & Doug Facebook page and on Twitter, featuring some of the best new toys for the upcoming holiday season. Every day for 25 days, they’ll be giving away one item from their Terrific 25 Gifts list! That’s another Terrific Twenty toy to a new fan EVERY DAY! Enter here!

DISCLOSURE/DISCLAIMER: For my participation in this Melissa & Doug Promotion I will be entered to win one of THREE BIG prizes from Melissa & Doug! One winner will receive $200 in their choice of Melissa & Doug toys. One winner will win $100 in their choice of Melissa & Doug toys. One winner will win $75 in their choice of Melissa & Doug toys. Thanks to Melissa & Doug for providing me this promotion information and entering me to win. My thoughts are mine and my family's own opinion and have not been altered by anyone else. I did not receive any other compensation for posting this promo.

Wordless Wednesday Taking the Bunny for a Walk...er Hop

What's In The Bible Series: Why Do We Call It Christmas? DVD Review & Giveaway

What's In The Bible Series: Buck Denver asks...Why Do We Call It Christmas? DVD

This review and giveaway is sponsored by Propeller Consulting, LLC. This post contains affiliate links which means I may receive a commission if you click a link and make a purchase. Thank you for supporting my blog!

Phil Vischer, the creator of Veggie Tales has come out with yet another awesome DVD as part of his great series "What's In the Bible?"! This series is a little bit different than the Veggie Tales series in that instead of animated anthropomorphic vegetables telling about the gospel we have Muppet like puppets and animated cartoons to illustrate and tell about the Bible. This series makes it fun and easy to learn facts about the Bible that we might have not already known. All of the What's In the Bible? episodes use humor, creative storytelling, and fun songs to create an entertaining and informative learning experience. These episodes would be a great homeschooling tool to use with Bible study. We love these and always learn something new from them.

Zari with the What's In The Bible Series: Why Do We Call It Christmas? DVD

We received a free copy of the DVD Buck Denver asks... Why Do We Call It Christmas to watch and review. This DVD answers some of the most perplexing Christmas questions: Why do we call it Christmas?, Why do we chop down trees and drag them into our homes on Christmas?, Why do we hang stockings?, Who is Santa Claus and why is this large jolly man celebrated during Christmas?, What is Hanukkah/Chanukah?, and What does Emmanuel mean and who is he?. It also answers the biggest question of all, What does all this have to do with Jesus' birthday?!

I thought the presentation was super cute in this DVD. Buck Denver, the intrepid newsman, starts out with asking some of these questions to two of his friends and then they tell him he needs to host a Christmas party so they can answer his questions. He sends off invitations and the educational adventure begins.



My children know the story of Jesus' birth very well. We love to read and act out the story in Luke 2 of his birth for Christmas. Before we watched this DVD my kids had no idea how any of the other Christmas traditions had to do with Christ's birth.

We enjoyed this DVD very much. It was very cute and very informative. We loved learning some of the history behind Christmas and why some of the holiday traditions are what the are today. We also loved learning how and why these traditions actually have a tremendous amount to do with Jesus' birth. My kids were somewhat surprised that what they thought were secular traditions actually had a lot of spiritual and religious basis. It is great to know that all these traditions point back to Christ somehow.

Besides the 60 minute main feature on the DVD there are bonuses to partake in as well. On the DVD it has funny outtakes, sing-a-longs, and a poem that Buck recites. Inside of the DVD it comes with a note from Phil, Focus on the Family "What did you learn?": parent to child question and answer sheet, & a coloring page. It also tells you where to go online to download more coloring pages and printables, get a free advent calendar in December, and subscribe to a free Christian magazine. Some of the fun printables and downloadables on the website go perfectly with what was covered on the DVD.

Get Connected with What’s in The Bible: Official Website, Facebook, Twitter, Google +, Pintrest

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Prize: What's In The Bible Series: Why Do We Call It Christmas? DVD

I am trying out Rafflecopter on my blog. Please click on this post link if you do not see the script for it below. Also, if there is anything that is wrong with it let me know by emailing me: finamoon AT gmail DOT com I will try my best at fixing it. Thanks for being awesome readers!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

DISCLOSURE/DISCLAIMER: (in accordance with the FTC’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising”): Many thanks to Propeller Consulting, LLC for providing this prize for the giveaway. Choice of winners and opinions are 100% my own and NOT influenced by monetary compensation. I did receive a sample of the product in exchange for this review and post.

Only one entrant per mailing address, per giveaway. If you have won the same prize on another blog, you are not eligible to win it again. Winner is subject to eligibility verification.

This post contains affiliate links which means I may receive a commission if you click a link and make a purchase. Thank you for supporting my blog!

Noah A Wordless Picture Book by Mark Ludy Review & Giveaway

This review and giveaway is sponsored by Propeller Consulting, LLC. This post contains affiliate links which means I may receive a commission if you click a link and make a purchase. Thank you for supporting my blog!

Noah A Wordless Picture Book by Mark Ludy is an impressive illustrative retelling of the biblical story of Noah's Arc without words. Well technically it has the words, "Methuselah welcomes his grandson, Noah...", on the first page, but then there is pretty much silence. You can see so much expression in the peoples' faces on each page. The artist literally paints epic pictures of how he thinks Noah and the people around him acted, felt, and lived. It really does make Noah and his ark seem more tangible. Although this work is Mark Ludy's own interpretation of the biblical story, he goes about the retelling in pictures fairly accurately.

This amazing illustrated work was funded a while back by Kickstarter. Mark Ludy is a fabulous artist and illustrator! I commend him in getting this project successfully funded.

I have some mixed feelings about Noah A Wordless Picture Book by Mark Ludy. The pictures are absolutely gorgeous. They remind me of a hardcover graphic novel/comic book with no words.  Some of them; however, are for the more mature audience. Ludy, himself, said that if he left the bad stuff out of the story it would be a disservice to all...I am not sure I agree, but everyone has their own opinions. There are pictures in this book that are of the darker more grim scenes of the flood (like people drowning, being swept away by the waters). This is certainly not a "Sunday school version" that smooths out all the bad stuff or completely ignores it in the retelling. Although the age range is 2-18 on Amazon for this book, I really feel that the younger set might not be ready for the graphic and intense nature of some of these pictures. Depending on your own standards, you might want to screen some of these. Also, I am not sure what to make of the dinosaurs on some pages. My church doesn't really take a stance on creationism or intelligent design verses evolution in relationship to dinosaurs and how old the Earth really is. All I do know is that we don't have all the answers...there really is no way of knowing everything, unless you are THE omnipotent God.

So, I would say it is probably best to use your own best judgement and wisdom with this book. If you do narrate the pictures for your children do not stray from the actual Bible version of the story, especially if you are rusty on the story, and be ready to answer questions that might come up. The new 2014 Noah movie is far from an accurate biblical account, so please don't base your narration off of it.

Also, as a fun little bonus, you can try to find Squeakers the mouse on every page of this book. It is harder than it looks and I am still looking for that illusive little rodent on some of the pages! My older kids were trying to help me to no avail.

This book would be great for the Creationist or possibly someone who loves biblical illustration or art. I recommend it for older kids. I think that it would also be great in some church circles.

About the author:

Mark Ludy has written or illustrated eight children’s books including The Farmer, The Flower Man, The Grump,When I Was a Boy I Dreamed, When I Was a Girl I Dreamed, and Jujo the Youngest Tribesman. When he’s not immersed in his sketchbooks, you’ll find him in schools promoting art and literacy. He lives in Colorado with his wife, daughter, and two sons.

Mark’s website: http://www.markludy.com  
Official NOAH website: http://www.plough.com/en/ebooks/n/noah
 
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Prize:  Noah A Wordless Picture Book by Mark Ludy

I am trying out Rafflecopter on my blog. Please click on this post link if you do not see the script for it below. Also, if there is anything that is wrong with it let me know by emailing me: finamoon AT gmail DOT com I will try my best at fixing it. Thanks for being awesome readers!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

DISCLOSURE/DISCLAIMER: (in accordance with the FTC’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising”): Many thanks to Propeller Consulting, LLC for providing this prize for the giveaway. Choice of winners and opinions are 100% my own and NOT influenced by monetary compensation. I did receive a sample of the product in exchange for this review and post.

Only one entrant per mailing address, per giveaway. If you have won the same prize on another blog, you are not eligible to win it again. Winner is subject to eligibility verification.

This post contains affiliate links which means I may receive a commission if you click a link and make a purchase. Thank you for supporting my blog!

Sam's Christmas Wish by George D. Durrant, Illustrated by Dan Burr Book Review

We received this product free from Shadow Mountain to facilitate this review and participate in the blog tour. This post contains affiliate links which means I may receive a commission if you click a link and make a purchase. Thank you for supporting my blog!

Since loosing his job a few week before Christmas, Sam Edwards isn't looking forward to Christmas. He also isn't looking for charity from anyone for him or his family. Christmas brings a mysterious surprise left anonymously at his home, without any tracks to follow. Sam's heart changes when seeing his family's reaction to the gifts and kindness of this unknown someone. With the spirit of Christmas renewed in him, he makes the wish to have the opportunity himself to do something good anonymously for another. Only when he is old and sickly does he get the chance to have his wish fulfilled and granted. Read this book to find out how.

Sam's Christmas Wish is a wonderful book with gorgeous illustrations that helps get the Christmas spirit of love, gratitude, service and sacrifice flowing through us. I love this beautiful book. This book is a tearjerker. I couldn't help but tear up while reading it. Such a great miracle and blessing Sam became because of the remembrance of one act of service that opened up his heart to others. I love the heartwarming story and message it tells of the reality of the: joy of service, true giving, and the miracle of love. I would recommend this book to anyone needing some more Christmas spirit in your home. This book is so inspiring and begs the question to ask ourselves, “What gift will I give in secret this Christmas?”.
 
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DISCLOSURE/DISCLAIMER: I received products for free to facilitate my review. My thoughts are mine and my family's own opinion and have not been altered by anyone else. I did not receive any other compensation for doing this review. This post contains affiliate links which means I may receive a commission if you click a link and make a purchase. Thank you for supporting my blog! 

Disney Frozen Hairstyles Inspired by Anna and Elsa Book Review

We received this product free to facilitate this review. This post contains affiliate links which means I may receive a commission if you click a link and make a purchase. Thank you for supporting my blog!

The Disney Frozen Hairstyles Inspired by Anna and Elsa book is great for anyone who loves the movie Frozen and wants to take the experience one step further. This book has 28 fabulous hairstyles to create.

Disney Frozen Hairstyles is split into four sections: Braidschool, Twists & Braids, Updos & Buns, and Waves & Ponytails. The Braidschool section goes through the basic braids that one needs to be familiar with first before moving onto the more advanced hairstyles. There are a variety of hairstyles in this book that are wonderful for active girls as well as for special occasions such as parties, proms, and weddings.

Excerpted with permission of the publisher, Edda USA, from Disney Frozen Hairstyles: Inspired by Anna and Elsa. Copyright (c) 2014 Disney Enterprises, Inc. Rights reserved. This book is available at all bookstores and online booksellers.

It has full color photos and step-by-step instructions to help you along the way. I love the gorgeous photographs of the young girls with the beautiful hairstyles. These real life photos show you exactly what it should look like on a real girl. Every hairstyle is accompanied with a full color photo for every step and one for the end result. This makes the book very easy to follow along.

Excerpted with permission of the publisher, Edda USA, from Disney Frozen Hairstyles: Inspired by Anna and Elsa. Copyright (c) 2014 Disney Enterprises, Inc. Rights reserved. This book is available at all bookstores and online booksellers.

My girls, Zari and Teela were excited when they saw the book. They love it when I take the time to make them look fancy. My mother had made them each a Frozen cape to go with their new hairdo as well. I did Zari's hair with the "Anna's Braids" instructions and for Teela's I did a more advanced "Elsa's Icy Braid". I am not the best braider in the world, because I don't have much practice really, but I think the DIY instructions and photos helped me tremendously. The hairstyles made Zari and Teela both look enchanting and very princess-like. They had a blast getting all pretty and dressed up for my photos. It will be a lot of fun to try the other hairstyles and experiment to also make our own with this inspired book.

Teela with "Elsa's Icy Braid".

The Disney Frozen Hairstyles Inspired by Anna and Elsa book would be a great holiday gift for anyone that loves the Frozen movie. Fans of the royal sisters will delight in this book while learning to create these fantastic Frozen looks.

Zari with "Anna's Braids".

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DISCLOSURE/DISCLAIMER: I received products for free to facilitate my review. My thoughts are mine and my family's own opinion and have not been altered by anyone else. I did not receive any other compensation for doing this review. This post contains affiliate links which means I may receive a commission if you click a link and make a purchase. Thank you for supporting my blog!

LifeStraw Go Filtered Water Bottle Review and Giveaway

This review and giveaway is sponsored by Vestergaard through Coyne PR. This post contains affiliate links which means I may receive a commission if you click a link and make a purchase. Thank you for supporting my blog!

LifeStraw Go in Packaging

Water, we all need it to survive. It is said we can live without food for about 3 weeks, but water is a different story. Water makes up about 60% of the adult human body. It is essential to keep our bodies functioning. The estimate of how long a person could live without water seems to be a week (less in hotter conditions), but this is a generous estimate...three to four days is more likely. The dangers of dehydration are very real and could cause death in severe cases. Whether you are exploring the nearby nature trail or camping in the mountains, having access to clean drinking water is always a priority.

The LifeStraw Go by Vestergaard is a filtered water bottle that uses an advanced hollow fiber membrane technology to convert micro-biologically contaminated water into safe drinking water. The Lifestraw filters and removes 99.9999% of bacteria (E. coli, Salmonella, etc.) and 99.9% of protozoa (Giardia, Cryptosporidium, etc.), and some viruses. It will filter a total of 1,000 liters / 264 gallons to 0.2 microns over the filter's lifetime capacity. When the filter has reached its lifetime capacity it will stop taking in water. Since the water filter is detachable, you can simply purchase a replacement filter when the filter has reached capacity. The bottle can be reused indefinitely, saving waste from disposable plastic water bottles.

LifeStraw Go is durable, convenient, lightweight, safe and portable. It requires no: electricity, pumping, batteries, iodine, or chemicals to use. This filtered water bottle meets US EPA drinking water standards and is made of BPA free Tritan plastic. It has a handy carabiner to hook it to a backpack or belt loop so you always have it ready and accessible. LifeStraw Go holds 23 ounces of water and doesn't leak.

The LifeStraw Go is great to take with you different places where you might not have access to clean drinking water. Take the LifeStraw Go with you and rest assured that you will have clean drinking water on-the-go. It is ideal for:

• hiking
• biking
• camping
• travel
• boating
• fishing
• running
• trekking
• survival
• gift giving

The LifeStraw Go filtered water bottle is so easy-to-use. Just fill container with dirty or unfiltered water. Stop at any lake, river, pond, stream, or even a puddle to fill up the bottle. You can even drink directly from the LifeStraw by placing the end directly in the water. After filling screw on the lid and sip filtered water through the mouthpiece and straw. After each drinking session, unscrew the lid and blow through the LifeStraw to expel dirty water. The food-grade silicone mouthpiece is flexible which prevents it from chipping or cracking, and is also removable for easy cleaning.

I will be taking the LifeStraw Go filtered water bottle with me hiking, backpacking, horseback riding, camping, canoeing, kayaking, etc. Everywhere I go the water will taste amazing with LifeStraw Go and I don't have to worry about the water making me sick. It will be so wonderful to have a water bottle I can always rely on to have clean good tasting water any where I go.

LifeStraw Go is wonderful for trips overseas and cross country. This water bottle is also great for storing in a bug out bag or emergency preparedness kit. It makes a great stocking stuffer for anyone young, old, or in between.

LifeStraw Go and I.

Not only does LifeStraw Go provide clean drinking water to the user, but LifeStraw's 'Follow the Liters' campaign provides one school child in Africa with safe drinking water for an entire school year with the purchase of any LifeStraw water filter!

BUY IT:


Follow them: Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram.

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Prize:  LifeStraw Go

I am trying out Rafflecopter on my blog. Please click on this post link if you do not see the script for it below. Also, if there is anything that is wrong with it let me know by emailing me: finamoon AT gmail DOT com I will try my best at fixing it. Thanks for being awesome readers!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

DISCLOSURE/DISCLAIMER: I received this product for free to facilitate this review and the opportunity to give away one for free. My thoughts are mine and my family's own opinion and have not been altered by anyone else. I did not receive any other compensation for doing this review. This post contains affiliate links which means I may receive a commission if you click a link and make a purchase. Thank you for supporting my blog!

Mrs. Cavanaugh's Chocolates Offer

US Family Guide provided me with this promotional information and giveaway to share with my readers. I am getting something for free in return for posting this information.

Time was when Marie Cavanaugh spent hours in her South Dakota farmhouse each Christmas season making pecan rolls and homemade chocolates for holiday gifting.

"It started when my aunt sent her pecan-rolls recipe," Mrs. Cavanaugh recalled. "I gave the recipe my own touch and started making the yummy specialties. Then I began dipping chocolates. Our friends and neighbors loved these treats, encouraging me to start a candy business. Finally, I decided it might be a good idea.'"

Her husband George and children Carla, Lorraine, Calvin, Colene and Genise rallied, helping Mrs. Cavanaugh fill demands for her homemade sweets.

...In 1972, the family moved to Utah, leaving good friends and their beloved cattle ranch.

"It was a difficult decision, especially for George," Mrs. Cavanaugh said. "He was excited about making our new venture, which we chose to call Mrs. Cavanaugh's Candies, a great success. We felt Utah was blessed with good chocolates and that we would enjoy - and could compete with - those who pride themselves on making excellent chocolates."

Millions of pounds of chocolates later, Mrs. Cavanaugh's candies have earned a reputation for unquestionable excellence....

Ask chocolate aficionados. They will direct those seeking the best chocolates to the popular Mrs. Cavanaugh's Candies.

My readers receive Buy 1 lb Get 1 lb FREE of Mrs. Cavanaugh's Chocolates use promo code: usfamily2014 http://www.mrscavanaughs.com/

DISCLOSURE/DISCLAIMER: Because I am posting about the Mrs. Cavanaugh's Chocolates Offer I am getting 1 LB of Mrs.Cavanaugh's Famous Chocolates FREE with FREE shipping. Thanks to USFamilyGuide.com for providing me this promotion information and free chocolate. My thoughts are mine and my family's own opinion and have not been altered by anyone else. I did not receive any other compensation for posting this promo.

Wordless Wednesday New Bunny

Space Scouts Monthly Subscription Club Offer

US Family Guide provided me with this promotional information to share with my readers. I am getting something for free in return for posting this information.

Space Scouts monthly subscription club for kids is a delightful learning adventure aimed at discovering the wonders of the universe! Each month your child will explore a new place in space -- stepping into the worlds of space exploration, space science, and astronomy. Join Roxy and Jett as they scout about the galaxy engaging your child in fun learning activities, hands-on discovery, and exciting challenges. Packages arrive each month filled with fun additions to your collection -- magnets, stickers, toys, and more!

Space Scouts is a stellar vehicle for launching your child's interest in science & technology! This is not your typical grab-bag subscription box. Space Scouts is a fun, educational experience where each month builds upon the previous. It's a great way to learn! Price is affordable at $11.95 per month + $3.00 shipping. Discounts for multi-month purchase. Space Scouts is designed for kids age 6+. Visit our website to learn more!

20% discount - Use promo code USFAMILY20 at checkout to receive 20% discount on initial purchase of any Space Scouts subscription plan.
http://usfamilycoupons.com/coupon.php?regionid=75&bid=11843&dealid=1813 @usfg

DISCLOSURE/DISCLAIMER: Because I am posting about the Space Scouts Monthly Subscription Club Offer I am getting Two Month subscription to Space Scouts FREE. Thanks to USFamilyGuide.com for providing me this promotion information and free subscription. My thoughts are mine and my family's own opinion and have not been altered by anyone else. I did not receive any other compensation for posting this promo.

World Vision Gift Catalog and Prosperity Cinnamon Review and Giveaway

This review and giveaway is sponsored by World Vision.

World Vision is a Christian humanitarian organization dedicated to working with children, families, and their communities worldwide to reach their full potential by tackling the causes of poverty and injustice regardless of religion, race, ethnicity or gender.

Online and in their print catalog you can choose from more than 250 meaningful, life-changing gifts, ranging in price from $10 to $39,000, to meet the essential immediate needs of women, children and their families around the world. These alternative gift ideas such as: animals (goats, sheep, cows, chickens, pigs, oxen, ducks, donkeys, rabbits, alpacas), sewing machines, bicycles, education and training, homes, clothes and shoes, clean water, fruit trees, honey bees, supplies and tools, medicine, etc. - honor the recipient and make a lasting impact for people in need. The catalog also offers a wide variety of 30+ gifts to match the interests and hobbies of the gift recipient to make the gift giving more meaningful. The recipient of the gift you give, whether a friend or family member, will get a special card describing the gift and its impact. Also with a contribution to the Maximum Impact Fund donors can also receive free handmade items from around the world: such as ornaments, jewelry, scarves, totes, etc. These donations help the areas of greatest need.



The World Vision website has a online tool allowing individuals the option to make a personal My Gift Catalog page at www.mygiftcatalog.org for personalized fundraising. The individual can then encourage family and friends to visit their page and purchase a gift from the catalog instead of or in addition to traditional holiday presents. You can use this during all year round too, such as: the holiday season, birthdays, weddings, graduations or other celebrations.

From the Handcrafted Gifts category I received the Prosperity Cinnamon for free to facilitate this review. This is perfect for baking and cooking with. I love cinnamon! It is one of my favorite smells and spices. This cinnamon comes in a gorgeous hand carved cinnamon bark box that smells just as good as its contents. The box and lid has the common Asian character for prosperity carved onto it. There is 3oz. of cinnamon inside the box. It also has a cinnamon stick tied around it with a natural raffia ribbon. Vietnam's renowned sweet cinnamon is a renewable resource collected from the Cassia tree, sold to benefit generations of hard-working families. It is a sweet smelling box with a nice sentiment for anyone who loves cinnamon.

$85

Approximate size: 3" x 3"

BUY IT
To order from the World Vision Gift Catalog, visit www.worldvisiongifts.org. To order by phone or to request a print catalog, call toll-free at (888) 511-6511.

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Prize:  Prosperity Cinnamon (US Only!)

I am trying out Rafflecopter on my blog. Please click on this post link if you do not see the script for it below. Also, if there is anything that is wrong with it let me know by emailing me: finamoon AT gmail DOT com I will try my best at fixing it. Thanks for being awesome readers!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

DISCLOSURE/DISCLAIMER: I received this product for free to facilitate this review and the opportunity to give away one for free. My thoughts are mine and my family's own opinion and have not been altered by anyone else. I did not receive any other compensation for doing this review.

Creekside Farms Apple Quince Wreath with Hanger Review

Apple Quince Wreath

I received these products for free to facilitate this review.

Creekside Farms hand makes artisanal wreaths with freshly hand picked and naturally air dried herbs and flowers. They are located in California's Monterey County where the climate is warm and dry which is ideal growing and drying conditions for their herbs and flowers. They are also grown naturally without harmful pesticides and dried in small bunches upside-down on wire racks in their warehouse. Once they are ready, the ornamental and culinary herbs and flowers are used in their lovely wreath designs. Creekside Farms has wreaths for all sorts of occasions like weddings, baby showers, fall, and Christmas. They also have some wonderful smelling culinary and ornamental herb wreaths to brighten up anyone's kitchen or home.

Apple Quince Wreath fresh from the box.

The wreath arrived zip tied to the inside of the box it came in. The hanger was wrapped in a bag zip tied to one side on the inside of the box nestled beside the wreath. The zip ties were a bit annoying to get off of them, but I realize it probably was the best way to attach them so that they wouldn't move around much inside the box while being shipped. It also comes with a card that has information about Creekside Farms on one side and care instructions on the other. When I opened the box the wonderful fragrance of the wreath emanated into the room.

I am very glad they sent me a metal wreath hanger with my wreath. It is very handy to have so that I could hang the wreath from my doors. Once I freed the wreath and hanger from the box I selected one of my hallway doors to hang it from. Some of my doors won't hold it, however; because they have a tight seal and won't close while the hanger is over the top. So when purchasing a wreath with a wreath hanger make sure the door you will be hanging it from will take a wreath hanger. If you don't want to hang it from a door it can also be hung by other ways on a wall or over a mantel.

I received the Apple Quince Wreath with hanger to review for free. I got to pick it from an assortment of gorgeous looking wreaths from the Creekside Farms website. I wanted a harvest wreath that would go well with my farm home style. It was hard to choose just one wreath as I thought they all were very pretty. Since their Fall Wreaths are in season now I thought that the Apple Quince Wreath would be a festive decoration to deck my halls for autumn harvest and Thanksgiving. This particular wreath is made with fresh Eucalyptus, Salal, and Juniper and decorated with Quince slices, pine cones, Tallow berries, faux apples, Curly Willow, Artemisia, Sweet Annie, and cinnamon sticks. The one I recieved didn't quite look as neatly made as the pictured one from their website, but it was still very beautiful. I love the circle of green with the browns, oranges and reds peaking through. The bright orange quince slices and cheery red faux apples really stands out among the other foliage. The wreath looks very nice where I placed it and every time I go past I love taking in a big whiff of the lovely aromatic smell.

You can purchase this and other lovely wreaths from the Creekside Farms website. Get a 15% discount when you use the code ABEL.

You can also follow Creekside Farms on Facebook and Twitter.

DISCLOSURE/DISCLAIMER: I received these products for free to facilitate my review. My thoughts are mine and my family's own opinion and have not been altered by anyone else. I did not receive any other compensation for doing this review.

Wordless Wednesday Halloween 2014

My Little Pony Friendship Is Magic: Princess Twilight Sparkle and Pinkie Pie

Without wigs at the party

Ranger Jaedan with captured bag of candy.

Delbin was manning one of the activities at the party.

God Bless Us, Every One!: The Story Behind A Christmas Carol - Book and DVD Review

We received this product free from Shadow Mountain to facilitate this review and participate in the blog tour. This post contains affiliate links which means I may receive a commission if you click a link and make a purchase. Thank you for supporting my blog!

Have you ever wondered what inspired Dickens to write the most famous Christmas story of all time? God Bless Us, Every One! tells the story of the creation of A Christmas Carol, a tale that has instilled the spirit of Christmas into millions of hearts, and the experience of the man behind it.

This volume is beautifully illustrated by New York Times bestselling illustrator, Brandon Dorman (The Wizard, Fablehaven series, The Candy Shop War series). It tells the true story as well as some fanciful imagination behind the writing of Dickens's most famous work and reveals how the desperate and downtrodden Dickens discovered the spirit of Christmas for himself with a little help from his own literary characters.

As Charles Dickens dipped his pen and began to write the classic tale A Christmas Carol in the autumn of 1843, the spirit of the story captured his heart and mind in an extraordinary way. Dwindling sales of his previous books had resulted in a desperate financial situation for Dickens, who had used much of his income to support worthy causes and needy family members. But the book which he had intended as a quick solution to his problems turned out to be much, much more.

In addition to magical illustrations and wonderful story, there is a DVD accompanying this book. The characters we've fallen in love with are brought to life as John Rhys-Davies (ax-wielding dwarf Gimli in the Lord of the Rings trilogy) reenacts his book in a production with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir and other thespians.

This book and DVD is heartwarming and the illustrations are gorgeous. I love the moral Charles Dickens learned for himself and feel we need to also apply this lesson to our own lives. My family loved the special effects in the program on the DVD. It was also fun seeing John Rhys-Davies in something else besides Lord of the Rings and I didn't know he was also an author. This book and DVD shows that he is very multi-talented. I enjoyed both very much! This set would make a great addition to anyone's home, especially during the holidays.

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DISCLOSURE/DISCLAIMER: I received products for free to facilitate my review. My thoughts are mine and my family's own opinion and have not been altered by anyone else. I did not receive any other compensation for doing this review. This post contains affiliate links which means I may receive a commission if you click a link and make a purchase. Thank you for supporting my blog!