TV Store Online Pinkie Pie Hoodie Review and Spring Giveaway! #ComplimentaryProductReceived

DISCLOSURE/DISCLAIMER: I received this complimentary product from TV Store Online in exchange for my honest review. I was not required to write a positive review nor was I compensated in any other way. The giveaway product is also provided complimenary to the winner.

TV Store Online is a great online store that has quality licensed merchandise from TV, movies, comic books, and 80's themes. There is stuff from Disney, Hasbro, Nintendo, Marvel, Harry Potter, Dr. Who, Star Wars, Star Trek, etc. You can find a number of accessories, clothing, footwear, pajamas, robes, costumes, shirts, leggings, etc.

MLP FIM Pinkie Pie Hoodie. Super Cute!

If you've been reading my blog for a while you know that I am a Brony, a fan of My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic that is outside the target demographic of little girls. Practically my whole family are into the animated TV series, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic or MLP FIM for short. We go to Seattle Washington every year to participate in Everfree Northwest, the MLP convention out there. Sometimes we even cosplay characters from the show. I have been wanting to get a Pinkie Pie Hoodie ever since the first convention because Pinkie Pie is my third favorite of the mane six ponies. I already have the Fluttershy hoodie and Twilight hoodie that is similar to this one.

MLP FIM Pinkie Pie Hoodie front.

For this review I picked out a Pinkie Pie Face Juniors Pink Costume Hoodie with Mane in Junior Women's XS to review. The XS fit me a bit snug. This hoodie usually comes in XS-2X in junior sizes, but all sizes are out of stock except for XS. I love that this hoodie is super soft inside and has pockets to keep my hands warm. It is pink which matches Pinkie Pie's actual color and has Pinkie Pie's cutie mark on one of the lower sides. The hooded sweatshirt is made from 80% Cotton and 20% Polyester. The draw string hood has adorable ears, and fuchsia mane that comes down the back. The zipper pull has the symbol from Pinkie Pie's cutie mark and her cute face on the chest. I cannot wait to wear this for Halloween and to Everfree NW this year if they don't cancel it because of the Coronavirus!

MLP FIM Pinkie Pie Hoodie back.

I recommend TV Store Online for all your fan apparel needs for the entire family. You can even all match or be unique...it is all up to you. They have so many different items to choose from there is bound to be something that would be perfect for gifting.

MLP FIM Pinkie Pie Hoodie has pockets and a cutie mark.

FOLLOW THEM

• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TvStoreOnline/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/TVStoreOnline
• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/tvstoreonline
• Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/TVStoreOnline/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tvstoreonline/

WIN IT

Prize: Choice of product from TV Store Online up to $50.
Who Can Enter: 18+, USA and Canada Only

a Rafflecopter giveaway

AtmosFX Digital Decorating Kit Review

The AtmosFX Digital Decorating Kit is a all-in-one digital decorating system. It has a high-quality standard-definition (SD) projector that creates stunning displays for Halloween, Christmas, Easter, Valentine's, birthdays, Independence Days, and much, much more! The projector has been preloaded with 14 AtmosFX Digital Decorations: two Christmas themed scenes, eight Halloween themed scenes, and four other seasonal scenes that turn every occasion into a celebration. It also has an SD card slot and USB slots to increase your digital capability, making it easy to add additional AtmosFX scenes.

Includes:

• Projector
• Professional mounting tripod
• Remote control (2 AAA batteries not included)
• UL power adapter
• Projection material (4' x 6')
• Digital Decorations SD Card with 14 pre-loaded scenes

How We Used This and Our Thoughts:
I set the AtmosFX Digital Decorating Kit up for Christmas this year and since it came with a manual of instructions it was fairly easy to do. I got it out of the box and plugged it in to the UL power adapter and then found a great spot to project from and to. We have two houses on our property and the front one has larger windows and the front window closest to the driveway can be seen great from the road as you come up onto the house. So I opted to use that one for the projection. I screwed the projector onto the tripod and pointed the projector towards the window plugging it into the closest outlet. The tripod was very stable and you could position the projector on it up or down and straighten it out easily on it to get the perfect level.

AtmosFX Digital Projector set up.

I placed the SD card into the slot, turned the projector on, and went through the menu of scenes that were preloaded onto the machine using the up and down arrows. I placed batteries in the remote control thinking that this would be easier to flip through the menu and play the scene that I wanted from a distance, but the remote didn't work at all from a far off range. You had to be super close to the projector and pointing it at it for it to work. The buttons on the projector were a lot less finicky.

I looked at both the Christmas scenes, but ultimately, I picked All Through the House, Part 1 & 2, from Night Before Christmas. It was my favorite of the preloaded Christmas scenes. There were also two different formats to pick from, vertical and horizontal depending upon the configuration of your window. Our window was more horizontal so I picked that one. I placed the projection material over the window on the inside. The window was slightly longer than the material was tall, so I had to mess with it multiple times to get it placed correctly. Unfortunately, this used up more of the 3M double sided sticky squares that came with it than I would have and I ended up having only two to work with when I finally got it placed right. After a while it fell down on one side, so I ended up stapling it down instead.

AtmosFX All Through The House movie clips in my window

The scenes had to be focused with the dial and zoom lens so they wouldn't be all blurry at first. They came with sounds as well and I opted to mute those because they became a bit annoying after a while over and over again of silly belly chuckles from Santa. You can't really hear the sounds from outside the house where you would be seeing the projection anyway. The Santa they picked for the scene was a believable one with a real beard though which was cool. I also loved that the projection made my home look very festive...complete with a Christmas tree with lights and a roaring fireplace. I liked the look of the scene from the outside of my home even though it didn't quite fit my window because the projection was a bit wider still. The image quality was great. It looks best when all the lights are out in the house and it is dark outside as well though.

The other Christmas scene was Deck the Halls, from Santa's Workshop and it was very cheesy with silly looking elves in my honest opinion. I am glad the All Through the House one included because I really liked it a lot. I also loaded a photo I had done two years ago of my horses in Christmas hats eating candy-canes onto a USB thumb drive and plugged it into the projector. When I projected the picture though the words were backwards so I had to flip it with the menu so that it would read correctly to passersby through the window. Thankfully I could do this easily with the projector menu and so I didn't have to re-edit the photo.

My horses Christmas photo projected in my window.

I love this kit! It is wonderful for the holidays. I can't wait to use this for Halloween too! There are so many spooky/scary looking scenes to choose from in this kit.

BUY IT
Purchase the Digital Decorating Kit on the AtmosFX website along with other scenes to add to your collection. 

DISCLOSURE/DISCLAIMER: I received this complimentary product to facilitate this 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.

TV Store Online Halloween Costume Review and Giveaway!

Halloween is coming soon and if you celebrate, you probably have started looking for the best costumes for your family to wear. TV Store Online is a great online store that has quality licensed merchandise from TV, movies, comic books, and 80's themes. There is stuff from Disney, Hasbro, Nintendo, Marvel, Harry Potter, Dr. Who, Star Wars, Star Trek, etc. You can find a number of accessories, clothing, footwear, pajamas, robes, costumes, shirts, leggings, etc. You can find so many great costumes at TV Store Online for this October 31st.

MLP FIM Twilight Sparkle Hoodie. Super Cute!

If you've been reading my blog for a while you know that I am a Brony, a fan of My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic that is outside the target demographic of little girls. Practically my whole family are into the animated TV series, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic or MLP FIM for short. We go to Seattle Washington every year to participate in Everfree Northwest, the MLP convention out there. Sometimes we even cosplay characters from the show. I have been wanting to get a Twilight Sparkle Hoodie ever since the first convention because Twilight Sparkle is my second favorite of the mane six ponies. I already have the Fluttershy hoodie that is similar to this one.

MLP FIM Twilight Sparkle Hoodie front.

For this review I picked out a Twilight Sparkle Face Lilac Costume Hoodie with Mane & Horn in Junior Women's S to review. The small fit me just fine. This hoodie comes in XS-2X in junior sizes. I love that this hoodie is super soft inside and has pockets to keep my hands warm. It is lilac which matches Twilight's actual color and has Twilight's cutie mark on one of the lower sides. The hooded sweatshirt is made from 80% Cotton and 20% Polyester. The draw string hood has adorable ears, a lilac horn, and a pink and dark purple mane that comes down the back. I was a little disappointed that this hoodie is of the old version of Twilight Sparkle, not the princess version... so it doesn't have wings. The zipper pull has the symbol from Twilight's cutie mark and her cute face on the chest. I cannot wait to wear this for Halloween and to Everfree NW next year!

MLP FIM Twilight Sparkle Hoodie back, no wings.

I recommend TV Store Online for all your fan apparel needs and costumes for Halloween for the entire family. You can even all match or be unique...it is all up to you. They have so many different items to choose from there is bound to be something that would be perfect for gifting.

MLP FIM Twilight Sparkle Hoodie has pockets and a cutie mark.

FOLLOW THEM

• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TvStoreOnline/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/TVStoreOnline
• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/tvstoreonline
• Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/TVStoreOnline/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tvstoreonline/

WIN IT

Prize: A costume of your choice from TV Store Online
Who Can Enter: 18+, USA and Canada Only

a Rafflecopter giveaway

DISCLOSURE/DISCLAIMER: I received this product for free to facilitate this 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. 

Colortime Crafts and Markers - Glow in the Dark! Offer

Since 1990, over 5 million children and adults have loved creating t-shirts, pillowcases, backpacks, tote bags, bandanas, and more for parties, slumber parties, and scout meetings with Colortime Crafts permanent fabric markers. Colortime has provided their customers the opportunity to entertain their guests with a clean, easy, affordable, and creative craft activity that becomes a permanent keepsake.
New special glow-in-the-dark ink items available!

For savings, join our "Birthday Club" and receive 20% off and a free backpack, with your order at http://www.colortime.com/

Click On the Link Below for the Latest Online Special offers and promo codes to Colortime Crafts and Markers http://usfamilycoupons.com/coupon.php?regionid=75&bid=10978&dealid=3413.@usfg

15% Off Any Order at Colortime Crafts and Markers Code: FGH15 http://www.colortime.com/ @colortimecrafts @usfg

DISCLOSURE/DISCLAIMER: Because I am posting about Colortime I am getting a FREE Glow in the Dark Halloween Tote and 3 Markers. Thanks to USFamilyGuide.com for providing me this promotion information and free product. 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.

Disney Villains Hairstyles & Looks 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!

Disney Villains Hairstyles & Looks is a great book to get for the aspiring Disney Villain wannabe for the Halloween howliday or a costume bash. This book takes the experience of dressing up one step further and helps you have the wicked hair too. It has 33 sinfully creative hairstyles to create. *insert evil cackle here*

Excerpted with permission of the publisher, Edda USA, from Disney Villains Hairstyles & Looks. Copyright (c) 2015 Disney Enterprises, Inc. All rights reserved. This book is available at bookstores and online booksellers.

You can get the look for famous Disney Villains like: Maleficent, Queen Grimhilde (Evil Queen), Ursula, Captain Hook, Cruella De Vil, Mother Gothel, Madam Mim, Lady Tremaine, and the Queen of Hearts with the book, Disney Villains Hairstyles & Looks. In the beginning of the book each villain they feature are summed up with a synopsis about their back story with suggested: color palate, what to wear, makeup, and accessories to help you with getting the look perfect. The book is then broken up by the villain with 3-4 hairstyles for each one. These Hairstyles show step by step in color photographs on a real girl what to do along with the printed instructions and end result photo. This is so helpful as I am very visual and love seeing what I am doing every step of the way.

Excerpted with permission of the publisher, Edda USA, from Disney Villains Hairstyles & Looks. Copyright (c) 2015 Disney Enterprises, Inc. All rights reserved. This book is available at bookstores and online booksellers.

My daughter Zari had the perfect dress for dressing up like Cruella De Vil. It has Cruella's favorite colors: black, white, and red. Her dress has a black velvet bodice, a red bow and a dalmatian looking polka-dotted skirt. We did her hair up with the "Glamorous Buns" hairstyle, took some flour and dusted one side of the hair-do. She looked just divine and so the part.

Zari with Cruella De Vil "Glamorous Buns".

These hairstyles are so much fun and very creative. My daughters love it when I do their hair in a new way. They also love to dress up as different characters, so this book is wonderful. This book is perfect for costume parties, cosplay, Halloween, themed birthdays, or when you just want to change up your everyday look to something different and unique.

Get this Disney Villains inspired hairstyle and look book now...

BUY IT


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!

Costume SuperCenter Renaissance Court Lady Costume Review

I received this costume for free to facilitate this review.

I have always loved dressing up. Even as I get older I love cosplay (costume play). It is still fun to role-play. I always loved acting and was in a number of school plays (some musicals) as a child. I love the theater and used to go see plays all the time when I was in college. I miss it, but with small kids It is difficult to go see them. The next best thing to going to the theater and seeing others acting is dressing up and going to fairs or conventions where others are also dressed up too.

I love Renaissance fairs and it is so much fun to partake in the festivities while dressing up. Through Costume SuperCenter I got to pick out a costume for free to facilitate this review. I decided upon the Blue Velvet Court Lady / Renaissance Maiden Costume they had. I chose the size small/medium 2-8 (the smallest they had in women's sizes) because I am very petite.

This costume comes with a dress and headpiece. The gown is long and velvety. The bodice part of the gown has gold metallic printed swirls on blue velvet with a scalloped edged gold metallic cord trim. This same gold metallic printed swirl pattern accents the long bell sleeves at the wrist and just below the elbow. The sleeves are also puffed above the elbow. The waistline is embellished with the same scalloped edged gold metallic cord trim that you can tie around the back. The circlet headpiece is made of the same blue velvet fabric and gold trim as the gown with a sheer black veil on the back of it.

This costume is modeled after clothing ladies of the Royal Court wore. A person of the Royal Court was a personal assistant who tended to the needs of kings, princes, queens, princesses or high ranking noble-person. The Ladies of the Court would attend to the needs of a queen, princess, or high ranking noblewoman.

This costume is very comfortable to wear and easy to get on. I love the soft velvety material. The bodice is not scratchy like most costumes I have tried. The sleeves do hang down and sometimes get in the way of things. Since I am short in stature the skirt of the dress is very long and for me it hits the ground with a little fabric to spare, so while walking I will have to hike my skirt up so it won't drag on the ground. I don't want to trip over it or get it dirty, so maybe I will hem it instead. For washing this costume has to be hand washed separately in cold water. It also says to use only non-chlorine bleach when needed, line dry, and do not iron. Some if the seams of this weren't properly sewn so there are places where this costume has the fabric poking through the seam where it shouldn't be. I had to also clip strings that were hanging so they wouldn't snag. If you look closely at the third picture of me on this post you can see this under my arm on the bodice seam. I am not sure how comfortable this will be to wear in heat as it is 100% polyester and the fabric might not breathe well, but I am willing to try it out during summer months as well. I love that the bodice is very modest and isn't too showy. I love the embellishments and gold swirls. The circlet is cute and fits nicely on the top of my head.

All in all this Renaissance Costume is great if you need something for Renaissance fairs, Halloween, or a theatrical performance.

Follow them on Twitter.

DISCLOSURE/DISCLAIMER: I received product 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.

Celebrate HalloWellness with Orange + Black Indian Spices!

I received these products for free to facilitate this review.

This season is known for awful colds and flu bugs going around. We do not always eat healthy during the holidays, especially when Halloween is just around the corner and all that candy is looming over us beckoning us to eat it. Just the other day I went to Walmart and saw two whole aisles dedicated to the stuff. We should not be compromising our health during the holidays! We can't afford to get sick in the midst of everything going on.

There are other healthier ways to bring in the orange and black for Halloween. Organic India has some awesome products that I have added to my cupboard. There are 3 products they sent me to try out for free and review: Turmeric Formula capsules, Chyawanprash, and Tulsi Original herbal tea. These are all great for supporting and boosting the immune system and reducing stress. This is something we all need during the hectic holiday season.

Turmeric Formula capsules - Turmeric is very orange in color. The plant is in the ginger family. The turmeric powder spice comes from the dried rhizome (often called a root) of the turmeric plant. I have used turmeric powder in the past for many recipes in my home including Fire Cider. It is also one of the ingredients that makes up the spice curry, which I also love. With the capsules you have the option of breaking open the capsule and adding it to your food or taking just the capsule. I love cooking with turmeric and it has many health bonuses that are associated with ingesting it. It is great for a number of things including stomach problems, digestion, cough, bronchitis, and colds. It is an anti-inflammatory, anti-infection, anti-bacterial, anti-viral, anti-oxidant, and adaptogen - lessens stress and helps boost immunity. It nourishes & cleanses the blood and lymph system, and promotes healthy inflammation and immune response. It also supports cellular health in the liver, skin, lungs, sinuses, joints, and digestive system. This product is: gluten free, vegan and vegetarian, GMO free, Kosher and Halal certified. 90 capsules per bottle. Suggested use: 1 capsule 2 times a day with food and water.

Chyawanprash - Chyawanprash is a dark colored herbal jam that looks black when spread thickly on bread, toast, or a cracker. This Chyawanprash is 100% organic. It has a thick consistency much like raw honey. It is sweet and sour at the same time. I can definitely taste some kind of berries and cinnamon in it. It is made from wild forest antioxidant rich fruits including Amalaki. This Chyawanprash is packed with 36 traditional Indian herbs + vitamin C. It aids in digestion, metabolism, memory and even skin complexion. It also is rejuvenation, energizing, boosts immunity & known as the "Elixir of Life" for its many nutritional properties. This product is GMO free, Halal certified and USDA certified organic. This comes in a 8.8 oz (250 g) jar. Suggested use: 1 teaspoon per day. Enjoy on bread or crackers, mixed into milk, juice, or tea; or just straight.

Tulsi Original Herbal Tea -Tulsi also known as Holy Basil is an herb prized in India for its healing power. Organic India's Tulsi Teas include three varieties of Tulsi leaves: Rama, Vana, and Krishna. Each variety has a slightly different look, taste and smell and when combined, create a perfectly balanced herbal infusion with an array of health benefits. This tea is caffeine, GMO, and gluten free. This tea is very good hot or cold. I like the original a lot. Tulsi is an adaptogen, which means it lessens stress and helps boost immunity. It energizes, soothes, relaxes, builds stamina, aids digestion, balances metabolism, balance energy levels, and uplifts mood. It is also abundant in antioxidants and is anti aging. This tea is USDA certified organic and Kosher and Halal certified. It is also individually wrapped 18 tea bags per box for freshness that can be easily taken with you to enjoy. Can also be purchased in other flavors and loose leaf variety.

Organic India has other teas, herbal supplements, herbs, herbal coffee, gifts, and other wellness products. You can check out the company for yourself: Facebook, Twitter, YouTube.

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. The medical information provided on this blog is, at best, of a general nature and cannot substitute for the advice of a medical professional (for instance, a qualified doctor/physician, nurse, pharmacist/chemist, and so on). I am not a medical professional, just a mom with a opinion. Even if a statement made about the natural remedy is accurate, it may not apply to you or your symptoms. I am only suggesting that you should try it for yourself and see if helps you. People are all different and outcomes could vary drastically.

LivingPlug Energy Efficient INLET with Faceplate Review

This review is sponsored by LivingPlug. 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!

INLET is San Francisco-based LivingPlug's multi-use, energy efficient and child-proof outlet and USB source. The INLET comes with a screw to attach it to the outlet and has tamper-resistant outlets so it is safer. It turns a standard outlet into three receptacles plus a 2.1 USB charger and features the “UNplug button” which shuts off power and eliminates the need to physically UNplug devices from the outlet, thus reducing “Vampire Charges” caused when electronics suck power even when turned off. LivingPlug estimates consumers can reduce their electrical bill 15-25% by using the “UNplug” button. What a great way to take a bite out of utility bills!

Besides being very functional and practical their INLET is also decorative. Outlets are in every room and they don't have to be boring. You can make them fabulous looking with INLET faceplates and enhance the aesthetics of your home. Faceplates cover the outside of the INLET to match your home decor. LivingPlug has hundreds of designs that you can pick from ranging from nature scenes, graphic prints, noted artists, inspirational quotes, holiday and seasonal, as well as a line of children's inspired looks. You can choose from several Halloween-inspired designs like: a Happy Pumpkin, Silly Ghost, Haunted House, Black Cat, and variety of fall scenes to decorate before the first Trick-or-Treaters arrive. Additionally, the company offers a line of Thanksgiving, Christmas, and other holiday season designs. LivingPlug also offers an option to create a customized faceplate for you as well: upload a personal photo, school mascot, favorite quote, or child's artwork, etc. for them to make you a unique design. These faceplates are a duplex electric outlet cover, printed domestically on an ABS faceplate. The Faceplate is super easy to place onto the INLET, just slide the ABS formed brackets that are on the back of the frame onto the INLET front chrome pins. You can interchange these faceplates with one another so you can change the decor of your home with the seasons, holidays, or your mood.

From left to right: The front of the INLET and back of the faceplate, The back of the INLET and front of the Pin Oak faceplate.

I received an INLET with a Pin Oak faceplate. This design is by Seymour Leichman and Riverside Park illustrations and is of a lovely tree. I love this design because it fits with my love of nature and goes with the fall and autumn season well.

LivingPlug INLET with Pin Oak Faceplate. Coffee maker and reader plugged into it.

There are a few problems some outlets and plugs have using the INLET. The INLET only plugs into a three prong outlet. Unfortunately, if you have an older home with two prong outlets you will not be able to use the INLET. Also, if your three prong outlets are installed in an incorrect orientation (upside down or sideways) you will have issues using the INLET with the faceplate unless you choose a faceplate that can be oriented upside down or sideways also and still look the normal (there are actually quite a few to choose from like this). The faceplate can be put on the INLET "wrong" so that it plugs into an upside down outlet and be right side up, but then the faceplate covers the INLET outlets so you cannot plug anything in. There is a lip on the faceplate that even when put on correctly still won't let larger plugs plug into the INLET outlets. You could plug these bulkier plugs into the bottom without the faceplate on, but then the INLET is very plain and you still might not be able to use all three outlets at once because of the close proximity of the three plugs.

Problems some outlets and plugs have using the INLET.

I believe LivingPlug INLET is a revolutionary product when used with the proper outlets and plugs. It is ideal for people that want to upgrade their 3 prong outlets into something more: functional, practical, beautiful, and safe. The LivingPlug INLET, by itself or with the faceplate, would make a great gift for someone as well.

The LivingPlug INLET is super affordable. It retails for $25 and each faceplate is sold separately from the INLET and other LivingPlug base products for an additional $25. To learn more about the INLET and faceplate designs or to purchase, please visit LivingPlug.

BUY IT!


DISCLOSURE/DISCLAIMER: I received this product for free to facilitate this 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!

My Little Pony Friendship is Magic: Spooktacular Pony Tales DVD Review

I received this DVD for 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!

Halloween is just around the corner. I know that my family will be enjoying the night trick-or-treating in costume. My girls both have picked one of the My Little Pony Mane Six to dress up as this year. My daughter Teela is going to be Pinkie Pie and my daughter Zari is going to be Princess Twilight Sparkle. My mom put both costumes together with various found items. They are going to be adorable! I cannot wait!

To continue with the pony theme for the night, My Little Pony Friendship is Magic: Spooktacular Pony Tales DVD has 6 spooky episodes and a sing-along of Bats! for enjoying on Halloween Nightmare Night. This collection is definitely 20% spookier! The DVD also comes with a boo-tiful full color collector poster perfect for holiday decorating and fun pumpkin carving stencils!

DVD Description:
Join your favorite residents of Ponyville — Twilight Sparkle, Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy, Rarity, Applejack, Pinkie Pie and, of course, Spike — as they take on some of the spookiest adventures Equestria’s ever seen! Time to gather around and hold on tight, because these six exciting tales are a chillingly good romp.

Episodes Include:

• Boast Busters: The Great and Powerful Trixie comes to Ponyville boasting she is best magical pony and eventually challenging the modest Twilight Sparkle to a magic duel. Will the arrogant Trixie ever be humbled?
• Stare Master: While ponysitting the fillies, Fluttershy notices that they have snuck out and ventured into the creepy Everfree Forest. Can Fluttershy save them when danger comes?
• Luna Eclipsed: Princess Luna comes to visit Ponyville for Nightmare Night and is having trouble fitting in. Will everypony accept her present form and forget about her evil past?
• Sleepless In Ponyville: While camping with the other ponies and listening to ghost stories, Scootaloo must learn to face her fears.
• Castle Mane-ia: Applejack and Rainbow Dash compete in a scary castle to see which pony is bravest. Who will become the champion?
• Bats!: Sweet Apple Acres' apple trees are being attacked by vampire fruit bats. Applejack and Fluttershy can't agree on how to handle the situation. Twilight steps in to help, but her spell backfires on Fluttershy changing her into a vampire bat pony. Will they ever come to an understanding and help their friend in time?

If you haven't seen My Little Pony Friendship is Magic with your kids, I urge you to. My whole family enjoys the episodes...even my husband and my teenage boys! The show has wonderful morals and a great storyline. Since we are huge fans of My Little Pony (MLP) Friendship is Magic (FIM), my family had seen all of the episodes from Spooktacular Pony Tales before, but We enjoyed watching these episodes again. Also, this compilation is great because you have the spookiest episodes right at your fingertips for watching on Halloween Nightmare Night.

The bonuses were really cool. My kids loved the poster and hung it up in the boys room. It features Princess Luna reading from a book of scary tales to the costumed Cutie Mark Crusaders. I love the play on words that the writers use for the episode titles as well as the title and authors name on the book Luna is reading on the poster, Tales From the Hayloft by Edgar Allan Pony. The words at the top of the poster are in lyrical rhyme like how Zecora speaks. The pumpkin carving stencils feature Nightmare Moon on one side and Trixie on the other.

Here is the trailer:


Here are some fun activities and recipes for Halloween Nightmare Night:


BUY IT:


DISCLOSURE/DISCLAIMER: I received this product 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!

Just Pretend Kids Tutu and Fairy Wings Review and Giveaway

Just Pretend Kids Monarch Butterfly Tutu and Fairy Wings in Wrap

I received this costume for free to facilitate this review. I was also given an opportunity to do a giveaway for my readers for free as well.

Halloween is around the corner and the hunt for great costumes is on. Just Pretend Kids has an adorable collection of tutus, fairy wings, bodysuits, wands, headdresses, headbands, hairpieces, tights, legwarmers, and other accessories to complete the look that are a must have for any little girl. They also come in a range of different designs: from fruit to insects to flowers to mermaids to fairies, you have a great selection to pick from. They not only have those items, but they also have many other costumes like: furry animals, princesses, queens, mermaids, brides, witches, etc. Just Pretend Kids has infant romper costume sizes in 0-6 months to 6-12 months, toddler sizes in animal costumes for 1T-2T and 3T-4T, toddler sizes in fairy costumes for 2T-3T and 4T-5T; and kids sizes from size 2, 4, 6 and 8 in some costumes. They also have whole themed party boxes with a costume to match that come with everything you need to host a wonderful party - from invitations to tableware and decorations too.

My daughters love to dress up regardless of whether it is Halloween or not. They love to pretend that they are someone or something else. I think their imagination is wonderful. I love watching them play.

3 year old Zari wearing the tutu and wings.

We received the Monarch Butterfly Collection tutu and wings to try out and the packaging was well thought out. Inside the box the wings were separately wrapped inside their own bag so that they would not snag on anything. Then they were placed in a larger bag with the tutu. As soon as I opened the package and showed my daughters they wanted to try on the lovely costume.

The tutu and wings are perfect from the back.

The Monarch Butterfly Collection Tutu is a lovely bright orange tulle skirt with a black bow, orange butterfly, black pom pom, and orange polka dotted black ribbon embellishments. The skirt has an elastic waist so it fits both my daughters well. My daughters both had fun twirling in it.

6 year old Teela wearing the tutu and wings.

The Monarch Butterfly Collection Wings are the black and orange color of the Monarchs' and bejeweled with orange jewels and glitter. On closer inspection the black sparkly paint on the wings was a bit smudged on the left wing and some was where it wasn't supposed to be when you see them from the front. We had to adjust the bands that go around the girls' arms so that the wings would stay in place and fit better. My daughters were happy enough with these new wings though. With them their imagination took flight.

From the front you can see the black paint on the left wing.

You can get the whole Monarch Butterfly look with Just Pretend Kids. They have Monarch Butterfly Collection Boppy, Monarch Butterfly Collection Wand, Monarch Butterfly Wand, Monarch Butterfly Collection Tights, Monarch Butterfly Legwarmers, Monarch Butterfly Headpiece, Monarch Butterfly Collection Bodysuit, Monarch Butterfly Alex Bodysuit, Monarch Butterfly Ruffled Tutu, Monarch Butterfly Collection Tutu, and Monarch Butterfly Collection Wings.

Like them on Facebook! Follow them on Twitter!

WIN IT
Prize: Win Just Pretend Kids Tutu and Fairy Wings (winners choice).

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 product for free to facilitate my review and an opportunity to giveaway some free too. 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.

Costume Discounters Snow White and the Huntsman Armor Costume Review

Snow White and the Huntsman Armor Costume

I received this costume for free to facilitate this review.

I admit that I still haven't seen the movie Snow White and the Huntsman. It is on my list of ones I want to see eventually. However, when I saw the Snow White and the Huntsman Armor Costume at Costume Discounters I had to have it. For one thing the costume is modest, great for autumn weather, and very fierce looking. I love that it comes with everything minus the sword and shield. The costume is fairly complete and comes with: tunic, chest piece, shoulder piece, gauntlets, shin guards, and pants w/ attached skirt and boot tops.

Snow White and the Huntsman Armor Costume with homemade sword and shield.

My son, Jaedan, made this shield and sword in Boyscouts. It looked the part so I had to borrow it for the photo shoot. When I suited up I felt like I was prepared to overthrow the evil queen and go to battle :)

Snow White and the Huntsman Armor Costume: closeup of the tunic top.

I love that the tunic top looks like protective chainmaille from afar. The gauntlets and chest and shoulder pieces are made of a soft foam material that has a shiny silver covering. I loved how the costume looked on me, but I probably should have picked the tween size because of my petite build instead of the adult woman size because it was a bit baggy in places around the pants. It is not that flattering from the back, either. Also, the Velcro likes to attach to the fabric and pull it. Still it is a great costume for a Renaissance fair or Halloween!

DISCLOSURE/DISCLAIMER: I received product 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.

Warner Bros. Spook-Tacular Movie Giveaway and Blog App

I have the opportunity to give away a Spook-Tacular Movie below free for posting this information. All information and giveaway prizes are provided by PartnersHub and Warner Bros.

What is the best part about Halloween?

The pumpkin carving? The costumes? The free candy? All are amazing, but whether you are the bunch that loves dressing up and scaring the neighbors or you plan to stay-in, Warner Bros. has a line-up of Spook-Tacular Movies to get you in the holiday spirit. From classics like It's The Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown & Scooby-Doo The Goblin King to Adventure Time – Jake the Dad, you can count on a spook-tacular selection that the entire family can enjoy!

Before you and the kids take the neighborhood by storm, get in the mood by sharing some spooky stories! Download copies of the Spook-Tacular Story Time PDF, fire up the flashlights, and gather in a circle..... this Halloween it's STORY TIME! Perfect for kids ages 7 to 73!

Announcing the Halloween Spook-Tacular Blog App!

Blog App:

• Which Spooky Family Are You? QUIZ - Is your family all about the candy and costumes? Or are you pumpkin-carving crazy? Take the quiz to find out which spooky family YOU are! 
• Spook-Tacular Story Time PDF - It's simple... Halloween is not Halloween without spooky story time! Print out a copy for everyone, sit in a circle, and have everyone craft their own spooky story!
• Get Social With It! - Tweet using the #WBhalloween hashtag and get excited about these movies for Halloween!

WIN IT
Prize: a copy of ONE of the following Spook-Tacular DVDs to award a lucky reader! (Prize will be chosen randomly from the titles below!)

• Scooby-Doo! 13 Spooky Tales: Run for your Rife!
• Regular Show – Fright Pack (V4)
• It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown Deluxe Edition
• Tom and Jerry: Tricks and Treats
• Bugs Bunny’s Howl-oween
• Scooby-Doo and the Goblin King
• Tom and Jerry: Halloween Hijinks
• Sesame Street: Elmo Says Boo!
• Adventure Time – Jake the Dad (V5)

Giveaway open to the U.S. & Canada. Each household is only eligible to win 1 WB Spook-Tacular Family Movie [CHOSEN AT RANDOM] via blog reviews and giveaways. Only one entrant per mailing address per giveaway. If you have won the same prize on another blog, you will not be eligible to win it again. Winner is subject to eligibility verification.

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: Because I am posting about the Spook-Tacular Movie Blog App I am getting a Spook-Tacular Movie free for my readers as a giveaway. Thanks to PartnersHub and Warner Bros. for providing me this promotion information and free product. 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 blog app and giveaway. 

Spooky Science Experiments for Kids - Halloween Activity and a Fun Infographic

All information is provided by Kiddie Academy and published with their permission.

Spooky Science: 5 Easy Educational Halloween Experiments

Glowing lights, eerie sounds and ghostly images....Halloween is the perfect opportunity to introduce science concepts to your children and explore changes in matter and chemical reactions.  By using ordinary household items, parents can easily create these Spooky Science experiments compiled by the education team at Kiddie Academy®.  Set them up one at a time as boredom-busters, or incorporate all of them into a mad scientist-themed party! Your kids will have so much fun, they won't realize that they're learning.

"Conducting fun holiday-themed experiments allows children to use their senses to see, touch, hear and smell science concepts.  In fact, by conducting these Spooky Science activities, children are making predictions, observations and testing hypotheses, just like real scientists," according to Richard Peterson, Kiddie Academy's vice president of education.

To download a set of free Spooky Science activity cards with full directions for five easy Halloween projects from Kiddie Academy, along with an explanation of the science behind the magic, visit the Kiddie Academy blog.

All are designed to be done with everyday materials and parental supervision (mostly to deal with any messes). Here's what you'll find: Bubbling Potion, Creepy Slime, Ghost Writing, Glow-in-the-Dark Mad Scientist Jars and the Ghostly Glove.

Infographic:

DISCLOSURE/DISCLAIMER: Thanks to Kiddie Academy for providing me this information. All information is theirs and published with their permission.

Anytime Costumes Renaissance Lady In Waiting Costume Review

I received this costume for free to facilitate this review.

I have always loved dressing up. Even as I get older I love cosplay (costume play). It is still fun to role-play. I always loved acting and was in a number of school plays (some musicals) as a child. I love the theater and used to go see plays all the time when I was in college. I miss it, but with small kids It is difficult to go see them. The next best thing to going to the theater and seeing others acting is dressing up and going to fairs or conventions where others are also dressed up too.

I love Renaissance fairs and although I never had a costume up until now, it was still fun to partake in the festivities. Through Anytime Costumes I got to pick out a costume for free to facilitate this review. I decided upon the Lady In Waiting Costume they had. I chose the size small (the smallest size they had) because I am very petite.

This costume comes with a dress and crown. The dress is long and layered. The moss green fabric of the bodice and sleeves feature a gold inlay of diamond shapes that is embellished with an ivory, green and gold decorated ribbon trimming the square sweetheart neckline and the waistline. The outer sleeves are royal purple and puffy at the shoulders and drop into hanging sleeves. They open up to inner long sleeves that are in the same moss green and gold patterned fabric as the bodice. The outer skirt is of the royal purple fabric and is cinched up with two gold colored ribbons on either side. There is a faux underskirt that is moss green and reaches down to your feet. The costume is topped off by a faux gold crown bejeweled with faux yellow gems. This costume is modeled after clothing ladies in waiting wore. A lady in waiting is a female personal assistant who tends to the needs of queens, princesses or noblewomen. They did things like secretarial tasks, embroidering, painting, horse riding, making music, and taking care of clothing.

When this costume came in the mail and I opened it up I was surprised at the crown that came with it. It is absolutely my favorite part of the costume. It looks very authentic from the front, but is held on by a black stretchy band in the back. The crown is made from some sort of rubber painted gold and molded with the shape. The faux yellow jewels really set it off. I love the radiance it gives. It reminds me of the sun's rays.

The dress was well built and I love the decorated ribbon and attention to detail in the front. However; it, like the crown, was not especially flattering from the back. When I tried it on at first I had to adjust it slightly so I wouldn't have a huge wardrobe malfunction. Even the small size I was swimming in. The skirt falls well past my feet and the bodice is not well suited for small chested women like me. I filled it out everywhere but there. I will probably take it in and up later. Even though I had to adjust the costume the pictures turned out great while I was wearing it.

All in all this costume is wonderful if you need something for Renaissance fairs, Halloween, or a theatrical performance.

Follow them on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/wholesalecostumeclub

DISCLOSURE/DISCLAIMER: I received product 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.

Foodie Friday Dinner in a Pumpkin

Dinner In A Pumpkin
This recipe has been a tradition around the time of Halloween or Thanksgiving for my family since I was a very little girl. I love squash in the fall and autumn. Pumpkin is a autumn/winter gourd-like squash and is perfect for this recipe.

Ingredients:

• 1 large pumpkin (however, needs to be small enough to fit in your oven)
• 1 lb. hamburger (ground beef)
• 1 medium onion chopped
• 3-4 stalks celery chopped
• 1 green pepper chopped (you can also do a mix of equal value green, red and yellow peppers if you have them for extra color)
• 1 container chopped mushrooms
• spoonful minced garlic
• spoonful mined ginger
• 1 can cream of mushroom soup
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 3 cups cooked rice (can use white, brown or mixed)
• basil for garnish (optional)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cut off the top of the pumpkin and scoop out seeds. Save the seeds for yummy roasted pumpkin seed recipes. In a large skillet brown hamburger and add onions, celery, peppers, mushrooms, garlic and ginger. Mix and sauté. Add cream of mushroom soup, soy sauce, brown sugar and rice to other ingredients. Mix well. Add all ingredients to the inside of the prepared pumpkin. Place stem top back on the pumpkin. Put a piece of parchment paper on a cookie sheet and and put the whole pumpkin on it. Bake for about an hour or until the pumpkin is soft on the inside.

*if you want to make it a Jack O' Lantern as we did for a festive table you can by carving only the top layer of pumpkin skin off in your design and then pealing it off to show the face.