Sunday, August 7, 2016

No Electrical Experience? No Problem! But there might be a jellyfish issue

I received an LED Light Bulbs Dimmable CRI90 1000lm UL-listed from #oakleaf for a #ProductReview. This is one of the most simple ways to change the type of bulb that you have to use in a certain socket. The ingenious lighting fixture replaces Halogen 100 W bulbs without even needing to know how to rewire anything. So besides getting the new LED bulb, you don't have to worry about anything electrical. This is an unskilled DIY-er's fixture.

If you look at the picture on the right you'll see the back of the fixture at the bottom of the photo. At the top is the screw in that goes where a halogen lamp used to go. Not only is this simple to do, but it looks clean and professional when done, and it is EASY! Once you screw in the cord, all you do is press the fixture into the ceiling and secure it using the metal tabs on the back. Then you have less energy use (aka cost) and it will take a loooooong time until that light needs to be changed.

I recommend this to anyone who has halogen lamps in their home!

I was also sent a #Jellyfis tank decoration for a #ProductReview. Honestly I was not blown away by this little decoration. It is supposed to be something you place in a fishtank. It has an "invisible" fishing line attached to it from underneath, which seems like it is in the wrong place. Attached to the line is a suction cup so you can anchor it to the glass.

When I first received this I was not happy. The package was mangled and one of the tentacles was even flopping out of the box. The listing for this product comes with 5, but for some reason I only received 1. It is also supposed to be fluorescent (and even glows in the listing images) but as you can see, it is not. Jasmine had to come over and check out what I was doing and even she didn't really like it.

I just can't recommend this product. It is made with cheap materials and poorly packaged. The instructions on the box are in English but have not been edited by a native English speaker.

I received these products at a discount or free in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.




Friday, August 5, 2016

Your Wish Is Granted

I love fantasy stories. Anything paranormal will usually attract my attention. However just because a book is paranormal or fantasy or SciFi does not mean that it will keep my attention.

I also love the young adult genre because it can transport me to a different world for minutes, hours or even days at a time. Reading is what keeps me going sometimes. And I quite frequently use it as a non-food reward for myself. For example, get these three errands done and I get 30 minutes to read my current obsession. I'm not joking about the obsession thing. If I find a good book I really don't want to put it down. I finished a 700 page novel in one day. I did not move off the couch at all that day, but I had fun.

Now that I have spilled one of my secret obsessions with whomever is reading this (HI MOM!) I get to share my newest candidate for said obsession. The fantasy book Granted by Michelle Merrill. A huge thanks to #futurehousepub for providing me with a FREE Advanced Reader copy. (Side note, if you want to get free copies of books, look for an ARC group to join. You might even want to check out Future House Publishing and join their group. Be forewarned that ARC books are not ready to be published and you may find typos and other errors. Sometimes I even send in the goofs I find to make the editing job easier...or more difficult depending on who you ask.)

I was hooked by the first page! I'll be completely honest here and let you know I have yet to finish reading the book. I have been using it, quite successfully in fact, to fuel my chores. So I don't want to give too much away because that is never fun. What I do want to say is this book looks at a side of being a fantasy character that I have never seen before. I can't wait to get my chores done today so I can read my next installment.

This is a book that I would recommend for anyone who likes to be swept away into another life that just might be possible.

I do want to give props to the author and publisher on a book well done. Because I totally suck at writing a synopsis without giving it all away, here is a teaser you can also find on the publisher's website:

About Granted   The existence of genies may be the best-kept secret in the history of the world. After being trapped in the Sahara Desert for her whole life, sixteen-year-old genie Brielle finally gets her first assignment in Tri-Cities, Washington. She eagerly heads out into the human world to grant her first wish so that she can gain her magic. Unfortunately, her assigned human, Addie, stopped believing in wishes years ago and would much rather that everyone just leave her alone. 

I received this ARC ebook for free in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.

Wednesday, August 3, 2016

The Light Light uses Sunlight


This light from #BrightOutdoors is quite thin, less than a cm thick, and very lightweight. This is the perfect emergency light to keep in you car emergency kit because it will not take up very much room and can be quite useful in many situations that might crop up. It is very bright and could easily be used in first aid situations. Thread a paracord (from your emergency paracord bracelet) through the plastic loop at the top of the light and tie it around your neck or waist and you have a simple hands-free work light or hiking light. You can find this LED disc here.


What did not work for me was the placement of the power button. It is on the back of the light which, when hanging using the included plastic strap, works just fine. However when this light is placed on something magnetic, using the two magnets on the back of the light, you need to remove the light in order to turn it on or off. It would have been a better design choice to put the power button on the front in the center of the LEDs, or even on the thin side.

I received this product at a discount or free in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.




Tuesday, August 2, 2016

Underwear, Odors and Goggles, oh my!

Today I have a collection of items up for #ProductReview. I'm the first to say I have a warped sense of humor. Putting these three products together in one post made me smile. And today I really needed to smile. The lineup includes a pair of incontinence panties, an odor eliminator and a swimming set. Go ahead and giggle, I'll wait.


The Smooth & Silky Seamless Incontinence Panties from #WeareverUS are interesting. As a women's undergarment they are quite well made. The material is smooth and silky as well as quite stretchy. It's kind of difficult to tell by the photos, but the waistband is about 1 inch wide and ribbed. It stretches about 50% again. The extra padding in the groin area is enough to deal with small incontinence issues while on the way to changing the underwear. I'm not sure why the name of the garment has "seamless" in it because you can clearly see seams in the photos I took. I guess it could be referring to no side seams, which underwear usually has.

So, if you are a female looking for a bit of extra protection when sneezing, laughing or coughing, this underwear can help. I like it and would recommend it.




The Natural Home Odor Eliminator Bag from #saganofresh is quite an interesting little product. When I first opened the packaging that the bag came in it had a bit of a flowery scent. I laid it aside in our laundry room to see if the floral scent would stay or go - this is usually where I air out items that come with weird smells. A day later and there was no floral scent coming from it. I wonder if it was stored in the warehouse near something floral? Once it had no scent I placed it near the litter boxes and was quite pleased with the results. We have one cat (used to have two until recently) and she can make some amazing smells. Amazing in not a good way. This odor eliminator has reduced the kitty litter box smells, but not removed them. Of course I did not place this IN the litter box, just near them.

Again, another product I would recommend if you have smells you want to easily reduce.

The Swimming Set (which includes the fancy goggles, ear plugs and a swimming cap) from #glise is fabulous! I was so excited when I opened the package that all I wanted to do was try them out! As you can see in the photo on the left, the goggles come with a protective film on them. I didn't realize it when I first put them on, but then saw the words in the photo and thought I might as well keep the picture and make fun of myself. I had a pool in my backyard when I was growing up in Houston. My parents affectionately called my brother and me "summer fish" because it was so much more fun to be in the pool than in the 98 degree with 95% humidity heat in the summer! I went through so many swimming goggles because my eyes would get red from all the time in the chlorine. And because they were cool. These are the goggles I wish I had as a kit because they look spiffy and they are probably the best fitting goggles I have ever worn. They easily create a tight seal with no discomfort and have a beautiful coloring on them. The rest of the set is neato, too.

And we are three for three in recommendations tonight! I would highly recommend this swimming set for anyone who swims in chlorinated waters. Might even work well for those swimming in natural waters because you'll look fabulous and have a fabulous view underwater.

All these products were received at a discount or free in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.







Monday, August 1, 2016

Light Up My Lantern

A big thank you to #oakleaf for sending me the String Lights, 2 Sets of 30 Micro LEDs, Warm White for a #ProductReview that I am now working on getting set up inside a cherry blossom tree paper lantern I made a while ago. I wanted to put a light of some sort in it and these strands are perfect!


You can see in the first photo the aforementioned lantern and below it are the two micro LED strands. You can see the LEDs are on copper wire and each has a battery pack connected. The battery is a 3v disc type (I believe they are called cell or watch batteries) and come already installed in each pack. You just have to pull the clear plastic tab on the battery pack to allow the battery to come into contact and be able to power the LEDs. When turned on, as you can see on the right, the LEDs are quite bright. I even had my flash on for these photos. They are definitely the warm white light that is listed. And they don't heat up at all when on for an extended time. The switch to turn on the strand is just a simple toggle on off switch. I'm sure someone with knowledge (or me if I pester my electrically inclined friends) could figure out how to hard wire the LED strands to a switch which would make turning the lantern on and off easier.


To truly see how bright these LEDs are, on the left is a photo taken with flash. On the right is the same set up but with the flash off

 My plan is to place the LEDs in a way that makes the branches look like they have party lights strung in them. And, of course, it would make the artwork easier to see.

I received this product at a discount or free in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.