I'm a Delinquent...Firmoo Eye Glasses Review

Let me first start by saying that I am a raging delinquent. I should have told you about this weeks ago!

In September, I received a brand new pair of purple glasses. I ordered said fabulous glasses from the super cool and crazy easy to navigate Firmoo.com.

Firmoo has hundreds of frames for men and women at crazy affordable prices! The site allows you to upload a photo of yourself so you can virtually "try on" frames that tickle your fancy. Then, when you find a pair you like, you can enter in your prescription, and voila! You're on your way to ordering a great looking pair of specs for a fraction of the cost!

In a short week, my glasses arrived at my door with a case, cleaning cloth, and a small repair kit. The only down fall I have experienced is the glasses weren't fit to my face/ears. I would imagine any optical store would be able to adjust them for me; I'm just to lazy to find out.

Firmoo offers a free first pair to new customers, and right now they're offering free shipping on orders over $39! (Did I just use the word free twice in one sentence? Sweet!)

***I received a free pair of glasses from Firmoo in exchange for this post...but you can get your own free glasses - no strings attached - by visiting Firmoo for yourself!***

Changed

Life is full of events.

For each moment and for each event in my life, I always seem to have a soundtrack in my head.

I can think of countless moments that cue the perfect Rascal Flatts song. Dating all the way back to their second release, they have been recording songs that happen to meet me where I'm at. Their newest and 8th album, Changed, is no exception.

Like preceeding albums, this is a CD I am confident putting in with the kids listening along. Their three-part harmonies and catchy tunes make it easy to sing along, and the universal themes within the music make it easy to relate to each song!

Hurry Baby, the 8th track on the album tears especially on my heart strings. Having spent six years living in a different state from my fiance, I can relate to the plea for someone to be back home and by my side. It reminds me that every day since he has been home is a gift, and that I should be grateful he is finally here.

Currently on tour, the guys won't be in the Twin Cities until the end of August, but you can see when they'll be near you at www.RascalFlatts.com!

**I was provided a copy of this album by One2One Network in exchange for my review. All opinions about Rascal Flatts, their music, and how it stirs me are 100% mine!

Walgreens for Picture Day!

Thanks to Walgreens for underwriting this post. I was paid as a member of the Clever Girls Collective, but the content is all mine. Visit http://www.discoverbeautywithin.com/.

Wedding planning is a heck of a lot more work than I ever imagined! It seems like October is forever away, but I still feel like there is so much to do and so little time.

Engagement photos are just around the corner, and I am beginning to panic. I have no idea what to wear, what the weather will be like, or how to wear my hair.

Fortunately, I know Walgreens has me covered when it comes to make-up!

Not only am I able to find a wide selection of eye shadows by Maybelline, Rimmel, and L'Oreal, I can also find all of the make-up tools I need to get the job done!

Some of my favorites include:



Source


This Soho Kabuki Brush. The bristles are goat hair, wash easily wild a mild soap, dry well, and hold their shape. I find kabuki brushes give a much more even look when applying liquid foundation and I love them waaaaay more than the standard foam triangles most of us have been trained to apply foundation with.





Source

I am also a huge fan of the ModLash fake eye lashes. They are crazy easy to put on, and they come in a variety of lengths. This way you can decide just how glam you want to go. The 21's I have here are my favorite length for more regular use! And don'f forget your Revlon eye lash curler and a fantastic volumizing mascara!

Best of all, my neighborhood Walgreens has a great assortment of Burt's Bees Lip Balms to pick from! Burt's Bees is my go-to, lip balm for all occasions, whether I'm getting all gussied up for my engagement photos, or moisturinzing before bed! I love that Walgreens has a dozen different flavors for me to pick from!

Taking Care of Our Pearly Whites

On President's Day, the kids and I were discussing the old wives tale that George Washington had wooden teeth. The conversation took an interesting turn as we began to discuss their recent focus on their own personal hygiene.

When they were smaller, it was often a battle to get the kids to brush their teeth. As a mom, I was overwhelmed and frustrated with the best way to get them on board.

Tooth decay is the most common chronic disease affecting children in the U.S. today. Statistics show that 50% of kids will have at least 1 cavity or filling between the ages 5 - 9!

The statistics get even more frightening when you realize that brushing your teeth alone misses germs in 75% of our mouths. EWWW!

As part of an Oral Care Challenge in my own home, I have received LISTERINE and Reach products from Johnson & Johnson to work on developing some oral care best practices for myself and my children.

In addition to committing to brushing twice a day - at a minimum - we will be rinsing twice a day with LISTERINE products to kill as many of the cavity and decay causing germs in our mouths a we can!

Each of the kids has stashed some LISTERINE in their locker to rinse after lunch. And as a challenge to herself in the mornings, my daughter is rinsing after she brushes to make sure she got all of the "sugar bugs".

We have hung a brushing chart on the towel rack, and each of the kids will me marking it with their initials each time they brush throughout the day. The winner of the challenge will get dibs on the Phineas and Ferb SmartRinse that came in our complementary oral care package! (Yes, even at 11 & 13, they can be won over by Phineas and Ferb!)

I encourage you to start your own Oral Challenge with your family! Get more information at http://www.walmart.com/AHA/Listerine/Reach or follow along with the Twitter hashtag #healthyhabits!

Also, I would love to hear some of your family's best oral care practices! How do you encourage your kids to brush? Do you rinse? How many times a day do you brush, rinse, or floss?

I received products and compensation from Johnson & Johnson and The Motherhood as part of my participation in the Oral Care Challenge. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this post are mine.

Dog Food on My Doorstep

You may or may not know that I am an animal nut.

I recently learned about a company called Mr. Chewy. Mr. Chewy is an online pet supply store that delivers directly to your door step.

For many years I worked for a specialty pet supply retailer. Working for this company allowed me the opportunity to become deeply involved in animal rescue. Over the last 10 years, my family has served as a foster home to over 100 dogs of various breeds, we have conducted home visits for placing pets, trained deaf dogs, and have dealt with a variety of dog special needs.

That job also allowed me the opportunity to become very well versed on the importance of animal nutrition. I wrote employee training programs that educated staff members on reading pet food labels, the dangers of clay cat litters, and proper pet care.

Our animal family consists of a beautiful and amazing rescued Great Dane, 3 old, fat, hand-me-down cats, and a 3.5 foot long Ball Python.

That being said, I'm sure you can understand when I say pet supplies are pretty necessary in my home. And with that many mouths to feed, affordable pet supplies are a must. I was thrilled that Mr. Chewy carried many of the brands I could usually only find at the local pet specialty store.

Mr. Chewy actually carries 70+ brands, including Nature's Variety, Avoderm, and Wellness! We were also able to buy our giant, Nat, her favorite treat - Greenies!

We were able to get a 30 pound bag of dog food, Bags on Board refills, and Greenies with no shipping fees, because Mr. Chewy has free shipping on orders over $49.

**This review was made possible by Mom Spark Media. Mr. Chewy provided me with credit to be able to provide a fair review of their site. All thoughts and opinions are 100% mine.

Pretty Flowers That I Can't Kill

I have a black thumb. Not. Even. Kidding.

I have never been gifted at growing things. I have, in fact, killed a cactus. I wasn't trying to...

Needless to say, artificial plants and I get along.

I don't have to water them. I don't have to make sure they're getting adequate sunlight. And I certainly don't have to protect them from the curious jaws of my cats.

That's where Silk Plants Direct comes in. With a large selection of artificial plants ranging in size, Silk Plants Direct offers a wide variety of options at various price points.

Recently, I received a tulip and twig arrangement from Silk Plants Direct. The attractive arrangement stands just under 2 feet in height and makes a great centerpiece on my dining room table.

Silk Plants Direct also has some neat artificial spiral topiary that make for decorative floor pieces, as well as artificial boxwood topiary for statement table pieces.

**I was not compensated for this post, but I did recieve this lovely tulip arrangement in exchange for an honest review.

Movie Night? Game Night? REDBOX!

It's always a challenge keeping the kids busy over winter break.

As they get bigger, the standard trip to the museum gets mundane, and going to the movies costs about as much as the mortgage payment. This is where REDBOX comes in!

Photo Credit

In addition to all of the latest movies, REDBOX offers an assortment of video games for Wii, XBox 360, and the PS3. Having two different gaming systems in the house, this feature comes in handy!

While my son hunkered down in his room to get his COD:MW3 on, Ahna, her best friend, and I got our groove on with Just Dance 3! While the girls got a kick out of learning fun dance moves to California Girls and Party Rock Anthem, I enjoyed a little Boogie Wonderland by Earth, Wind, and Fire. Yeah...I'm getting old.

As the night wound down, the girls pulled out the sleeper bed on the new couch my fiance and I bought ourselves for Christmas, and we laughed and cried to The Help, which we also rented out of the REDBOX.

The fact that there are 6 REDBOXes withing 5 minutes of my house make them crazy convenient. Video game rentals are only $2 a night, and movies are usually just $1 (unless you get BluRay, I'm not that fancy).


***I received free REDBOX rentals and an XBOX game in exchange for this review/movie & game night. All thoughts and opinions are mine.

After School is Easy with Tyson!

After school time can be crazy at my home.

The kids bust through the door, a whirlwind of energy, homework to do, and bellies grumbling.

It is a challenge to find something quick and easy that the kids can make for themselves. The usual suspects are PB&J and mac n' cheese. I often wish they could have something more substantial, but not something to make them too full for dinner.

Enter Tyson Mini Chicken Sandwiches... Quick and easy to make, they come packaged two minis per pack. Pop the bag in the microwave for 50 seconds, flip and heat for another 40 seconds, and voila! Snack is served!

My kids are intent on doing everything on their own, so after seeing how easy it was for my son to make his, my daughter jumped right in and made her own. They come 8 sandwiches to a box, and my kids made two each for snack; then they heated up two more each and packed them to take for lunch the next day!


Tyson is offering Only Parent Chronicles readers a special offer - buy 2 Tyson Mini Chicken Sandwiches at participating a participating Walmart, and receive a $5 Walmart gift card! These convenient sandwiches are available at select Walmart locations. Visit TysonGoodness.com to find a location near you!

#TysonGoodness will definitely be a part of the after school routine around here.

This shop has been compensated as part of a social shopper insights study for Mom Spark Media. All opinions shared are my own. 

You Can Dance!!!

This past weekend was full of festivities for me and my family.

The most fun had to be on Friday night, when I had a gaggle of giggling girls in my home for an ABBA You Can Dance party on the Wii!

This crazy, fun, four-player game had the tweens dancing and laughing for hours. All the girls joined in on the fun as they danced to all of the ABBA hits they knew from the musical "Mamma Mia".

Photo Credit

The girls were cracking me up as they all did their best disco impressions by the light of the disco ball. I swear that on every. single. song. they asked, "Is this how they danced when you were a kid?"

How old do they think I am, anyway!?!?!?

Depending on the number of players, you can select your character designed to resemble each of the four awesome members  of ABBA. The costumes change for each song. There is also a karaoke version (which requires a microphone sold separately) and a musical performance option.

The girls got a kick out of the sweet 70's get-ups and hair-dos on the characters, and loved the fun 50's clothes in the musical.

It was a lot of fun listening to the girls all singing ABBA at the top of their lungs during the game, and again later when they were tucked in to Mamma Mia at bed time.

I look forward to having a girls' night with my girlfriends to see if they enjoy the ABBA dance party as much as my daughter, her friends, and I do.

The game retails for $39.99, but can be found on Amazon for $29.99 currently.

Thank you to Ubisoft for sponsoring this blog post. Please click here to learn more about Ubisoft. I was selected for this sponsorship by the Clever Girls Collective. All opinions are my own.

Digital Memories

I have never been a scrapbooker.

I have friends that create these amazing scrapbooking masterpieces, and as a result leave me feeling completely inadequate.

I take pictures. Lots of pictures. I even have fun editing them and making them look great.

But I never do anything with them, aside from posting them here or on Facebook, occasionally.

Recently I learned about a scrapbooking software called "My Memories Suite", and it hit me. I am always on the computer. I am a blogger, a social media marketer, and an online student. The reason I never scrapbook is quite frankly, it would require me to set my laptop down.

This digital scrapbooking software lets me create scrapbooking albums without going through the hassle of printing photos, cutting, gluing, and then changing my mind and starting over. The software gives me options for background colors, paper, templates, and textures I can use to create my album pages. Then I just search my extensive photo library on my computer and insert them where ever I like!

The scrapbook software allows me the ability to trim my photos into neat shapes and add neat embellishments. There are also word art features, video and multimedia functions, and the option to add music and narration.

Looking through all of the features, I realized this would be a really great way to put all of the Big Fat Family Road Trips into album form, as well as a great way to capture some of the really great moments coming up, as I plan my wedding.

When I received my copy of the My Memories Suite software, I got version 2. Version 3 is currently available and retails for only $37.97! You can purchase your copy here. My Memories is offering a $10 coupon code to Only Parent Chronicles readers, as well as a $10 discount at the My Memory store using the following code - STMMMS77023. 

My Memories would also like to offer a free copy of this neat software to one lucky Only Parent Chronicles Reader!

To win: This giveaway is open to residents of the continental United States and Canada 18 years of age and older. If your email address is not visible in your profile, you must leave it in your comments. Winner will be selected randomly using Random.org and must reply within 48 hours of notification or a new winner will be selected. If potential winner forfeits or does not claim the prize, prize will be re-awarded, at Only Parent Chronicles sole discretion. Giveaway will be open from 9:00 am December 7, 2011 through 5:00pm December 14, 2011. Void where prohibited by law.

Mandatory entry: Leave a comment Telling us which of the My Memories Suite digital packs or templates is your favorite. No purchase necessary. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning.

Be sure to check My Memories on Facebook and Twitter to see what others are saying about this neat, digital scrapbooking software! You can also check out their blog for tips and tricks!

Disclosure: We received a free copy of My Memories Suite scrapbooking software for review purposes. A free copy will also be provided to one winner at no cost to Only Parent Chronicles. Only Parent Chronicles will be compensated for each individual who uses the discount code mentioned above.

HEXBUG Fun!

 Recently we received in the mail some great new products from the people at HEXBUG.  Last Christmas was the first time I had ever heard of these neat, robotic creatures.

Not sure if my kids would even like them, I started small by buying them the HEXBUG Nano glow in the dark set. They loved them, and they quickly became a hot item in our house.

When the people at HEXBUG announced they were introducing some new items this fall, we were excited. Although I had never seen anything other than the Nano at work, my son had tons of great stories of things he and his best friend could do with HEXBUGS. He was thrilled when a HEXBUG Crab and the brand new HEXBUG Larva showed up at our door.

The HEXBUG Crab - one of the first HEXBUGS available on the market - reacts to sound and light. It is funny watching this little creature scuttle to one side and quickly change directions when one of the kids claps near it. We have tile and wood floors in our house, as well as carpet in the bedrooms, and I found that this creature does best on the wood. Its thin little legs seem to get stuck in the carpeting, and the grout lines on the tile seem to throw it for a directional loop.
The Larva, HEXBUG's latest creation, has a sensor on the front that prevents it from running in to things. Needless to say, the quick movig creature is quite an attaction for my cats. It is constantly redirecting itself as it comes neat to feet, hands, tables, rugs, or wahtever happens to be blocking its path. It was definitely the favorite of the two creatures we received. I'm fairly confident that constant bickering will continue until another one finds its way into our home.

If you're not familiar with HEXBUG, I recommend checking out their website. In addition to these critters, they have Inchworms, Ants, and Spiders. HEXBUG also makes a bunch of cool tracks and accessories to use with your critters!

Nature's Hand Granola Review

In the last couple of years, I have become increasingly aware of what goes into the food I feed my family. It always comes as a surprise to me when I discover that something I thought was good for us is actually filled with added sugar or something artificial - even the most popular granolas!

Needless to say, I was excited when I received some granola from Nature's Hand and saw that the ingredients were simple and natural. It was equally exciting to discover the granola was as good as it looked.

I received a bag of Cranberry Delight and Wild Blueberry granola from Nature's Hand to try, and I wasn't disappointed! Both varieties were loaded with dried fruit. Being a yogurt junkie, the first thing I tried was each of the flavors added to my Greek yogurt.

Nature's Hand has 6 varieties of granola,  and it is available in grocery stores around the U.S. as well as online. I recommend picking some up and trying it out for yourself!

Fall Into Coffee? Sounds Messy... ~ Review & Giveaway

As part of the Friends You Love event, which wound down last week, I was given the opportunity to try some awesom coffee from Godiva... Yes. You read correctly - COFFEE from GODIVA! Yum!


If you're anything like me (I just assume that most of you are...), then you know that Godiva makes chocolate to die for. Needless to say, as a coffee snob, knowing how great Godiva Chocolate is, I had very high expectations for their coffee.

 Initially, I was a bit disappointed that the coffee was flavored, but when I opened my box from Godiva and found they had sent me Caramel Pecan Bark and Pumpkin Spice, I immediately got excited! Not only do these flavors scream fall - which happens to be my favorite season - they are two of my favorite flavor profiles.

For really.

Feel free to send my any caramel pecan bark or pumpkin spice bread you make for the season, I'm not to proud.

Anybeggar, not only was the aroma during the brewing process enough to make me want to bake, but it was so good, I was happy to be the only coffee drinker in the house!

In cooperation with Friends You Love, Godiva Coffee is giving 2 free bags of their seasonal coffee one lucky Only Parent Chronicles reader!

To win: This giveaway is open to residents of the continental United States 18 years of age and older. If your email address is not visible in your profile, you must leave it in your comments. Winner will be selected randomly using Random.org and must reply within 48 hours of notification or a new winner will be selected. Giveaway will be open from 9:00 am October 30, 2011 through 5:00pm Novemeber 6, 2011.


Mandatory entry: Visit the Godiva Coffee website and leave us a comment telling us which one of their amazing products is your fave!

Optional entries:

• Leave a comment on another OPC post and come back here to tell me which one.
• Leave a comment telling me your favorite season and why! 

**Godiva provided me with two bags of coffee to conduct this review as well as two bags for the winner. Thanks, Godiva!

Charmed ~ Simply Charmed Review & Giveaway

There's really nothing more confusing than being at a gathering and trying to keep track of your glass. If you're trashy classy like my friends, you reserve the plastic Dixie cups and the uber fancy Sharpie marker to stake your claim.

Simply Charmed magnetic wine charms, however, can help you step the class up a bit!

These hand-crafted charms come in a variety of styles that are sure to appeal to anyone. The super strong magnets hold the charm to the glass, so they can be used with any type of glass - not just a wine glass!

And if your drawers look anything like mine, you'll be relieved to know you can store them right on your refrigerator when they're not in use.

As a sponsor of Friends You Love, the gals at Simply Charmed supplied a pair of charms for me to try out. They are also providing a lucky Only Parent Chronicles reader to the set you see below...

To win: This giveaway is open to residents of the continental United States 18 years of age and older. If your email address is not visible in your profile, you must leave it in your comments. Winner will be selected randomly using Random.org and must reply within 48 hours of notification or a new winner will be selected. Giveaway will be open from 9:00 am October 20, 2011 through 5:00pm October 24, 2011.


Mandatory entry: Visit Simply Charmed website and leave us a comment telling us which one of their amazing product is your fave!

Also, be sure to visit Simply Charmed on Facebook to keep up with their latest styles and promotions!


* I received a pair of magnetic wines charms for myself and for one reader in exchange for this review.

Lovable Labels Back to School Pack - Giveaway

My daughter loses everything. Not some things, not most things, everything.

When she was in elementary school, everyone knew this. The school's faculty was constantly following after her to give her something she had left behind, and the lost and found was frequently filled with her things.

Lunch boxes, sweatshirts, shoes, boots, snow pants, gloves... More gloves... Last year alone, I bought her 7 pairs of gloves.

So, when Lovable Labels approached me about reviewing their Back to School Pack, I was excited!

Lovable Labels offers a complete line of fully customizeable labels. They have slimline labels, shoe labels, clothing labels, even iron on labels!

The Back to School Pack offers you 10 designs to choose from! We selected Polka Dot Me.

Our Back to School Pack arrived in a neat booklet that can be easily stored. The labels were all in the book in tabbed, easy to identify sections, and the unused labels can be easily stored without the risk of peeling off.

As soon as it arrived, she rushed around labeling things! She labeled both pairs of her new shoes, her favorite hoodie, her lunch box, clarinet case, school planner, and book bag!

Lovable Labels Back to School Pack

15 Regular Sticker Labels

80 Slimline Labels

48 Press N’ Stick Clothing DOTS
12 Shoe Labels
12 Multi-Purpose Square Labels
2 Tags

We still have plenty of labels left to use! My daughter thinks they're so cool; she even brought them to school to show her friends!
Lovable Labels has generously supplied us with a pack of "Back To School Pack" for one lucky Only Parent Chronicles reader! Thanks, Lovable Labels!

To win: This giveaway is open to residents of the continental United States and Canada 18 years of age and older. If your email address is not visible in your profile, you must leave it in your comments. Winner will be selected randomly using Random.org and must reply within 48 hours of notification or a new winner will be selected. Giveaway will be open from 9:00 am September 16, 2011 through 5:00pm September 23, 2011.
Mandatory entry: Visit Lovable Labels website and leave us a comment telling us which one of their amazing product is your fave!

Additional entries - optional: Please leave a separate comment for each entry

-Follow @mylovablelabels and @Kristin_OPC on Twitter and tweet "WIN Back to School Pack" from @mylovablelabels @Kristin_OPC; leave us the link for extra daily entries.
-Mention this giveaway on your blog and leave us the link for one extra entry.

Campus Book Rentals Partners With Operation Smile

Summer is coming to an end and the school year is just beginning. It's so fun listening to my friends and family as they get ready for back-to-school.

This year I have a nephew starting kindegarten, as well as Fave Cousin's oldest! Both of my kids are will be in middle school this fall, and come October, I will be beginning my second year of college...

I remember when I attempted college the first time around, at the ripe old age of 18. It floored me how much books cost for all of my classes. Fortunately, this time around, I am able to download my textbooks as PDF files. I even have an PDF reader application on my iPad that allows me to highlight and take notes, as if I had the actual text books.

Something else I learned this year is there is now a service that allows you to rent textbooks! At up to 90% saving of purchasing textbooks for a semester, college students can visit CampusBookRentals.com, order their text books, and have them shipped for free. The service even allows you to highlight the books and still return them!

The site is easy to use, has a large assortment of college text books, and even has live customer support.

Another cool thing about Campus Book Rentals is their affiliation with Operation Smile.

Since 1982, Operation Smile has been repairing the smiles of kids born with cleft lips, cleft palates, and facial deformities. In the year 2011, Campus Book Rentals partnered with Operation Smile in donating over 1,000 surgeries to children in need. For every book rented, they donate a portion of the proceeds to help a child have their smile fixed!

If you or anyone you know finds themselves in need of college text books, give Campus Book Rentals a shot! Not onlydo you have the opportunity to save money on books, but you get to help a kid have their smile fixed!

*This is a featured post for CampusBookRentals.com. I did not receive payment for this post, but CampusBookRentals has kindly offered me a chocolate fruit basket for my honest opinions of their site and their cause.

Elmer's Kids in Need Foundation

Help Elmer’s Help Kids in Need!

Millions of kids go without school supplies every year. Elmer’s is partnering with the Kids In Need Foundation to provide essential school supplies to students who need them the most. For every “like” on the Elmer’s Facebook page through Sept. 1, the company will donate one Elmer’s product. Plus, they will make an additional donation for every unique view the video receives on the Elmer’s Kids In Need tab. Please like the Elmer’s Facebook page, watch the video, and share it with your friends and family. With just one click, you will help a child in need!

In addition to helping kids in need, three lucky Only Parent Chronicles readers will win a back-to-school prize pack!

The kit and prize packs will include:
· The all-new Elmer’s X-TREME School Glue Stick
· Small foam tri-fold
· Project Popperz
· Mini bi-fold foam
· Disappearing purple glue sticks
· Gel school glue sticks
· School glue
· School glue dual tip pen

To win: This giveaway is open to residents of the continental United States only. If your email address is not visible in your profile, you must leave it in your comments. To be eligible, you must publicly follow Only Parent Chronicles via Google Friend Connect. Winner must reply within 48 hours of notification or a new winner will be selected. Giveaway will be open from 9:00 am August 10, 2011 through 5:00pm August 17, 2011.


Mandatory entry: Like the Elmer's Facebook Page.
Additional entries: Please leave a separate comment for each entry.
-Like Only Parent Chronicles on Facebook
-Follow @Kristin_OPC on Twitter
-Tweet "Help Elmer’s Help Kids in Need with @Kristin_OPC! Like Elmer's on Facebook! http://on.fb.me/eAmHKR"

**I did not receive compensation to promote Elmer's Kids in Need Foundation. Elmer's was generous and provided a back-to-school kit for me, as well.

Paper, Scissors, Rock

I'm a big fan of things unique and hand made. So when I came across the Paper Scissors Rock site, I knew I had to have something!

Paper Scissors Rock offers unique, hand drawn lines of clocks, night lights, and magnets. The designer, Pam Corwin, works in acrylics and water colors. Her work has been featured in magazines such as House Beautiful, Seventeen, and Pacific Northwest. In 1996, she was commissioned by the White House to paint an egg for the White House Easter Tree! 

My daughter is going to be learning to get up to an alarm clock as we approach the school year. In an effort to grow her enthusiasm, I let her pick an alarm clock from Paper Scissors Rock. 

She selected this cute little UFO clock.

The clocks are 2" squares with an image on a small Lucite disk as the second hand. I love how the little Martian Man makes his way around the face of the clocks as time passes.

In addition to the alarm clocks, she has cute magnets, wall clocks,  and night lights!

Paper Scissors Rock is offering an alarm clock of choice to one lucky Only Parent Chronicles reader!

To win: This giveaway is open to residents of the continental United States only. If your email address is not visible in your profile, you must leave it in your comments. To be eligible, you must publicly follow Only Parent Chronicles via Google Friend Connect. Winner must reply within 48 hours of notification or a new winner will be selected. Giveaway will be open from 9:00 am July 22, 2011 through 5:00pm July 29, 2011.

Mandatory entry: Visit the Paper Scissor Rock website and leave a comment telling me what your favorite piece is.

Additional entries: Please leave a separate comment for each entry.
~ Like Paper Scissors, Rock on Facebook. Leave your Facebook name in the comments.
~ Follow @psrock on Twitter. Leave your user name in the comments.
~ Follow @Kristin_OPC on Twitter. Leave your user name in comments.
~ Like Only Parent Chronicles on Facebook. Leave your Facebook name in comments.
~ Join the Only Parent Chronicles community on Blog Frog. Leave your Blog Frog user name in comments.
~ Start a disscussion in the Only Parent Chronicles Blog Frog Community.
~ Contribute to an existing disscussion in the Only Parent Chronicles Blog Frog Community.




I received one alarm clock free of charge for review purposes. I was not otherwise compensated for this post, and all opinions are mine.

Stella and Dot

I am a big fan of jewelry. Especially affordable jewelery. Unfortunately, it seems that the stuff I can afford appears to be poorly made and tarnishes or falls apart after a few wears.

I have been to plenty of in-home jewelery shows, and it seems as though much of what I find there is so much alike. So naturally, when I discovered Stella & Dot, I was thrilled with the unique and versatile selection!

Stella & Dot has been featured in Gossip Girl, In Style, and Lucky Magazine as well as on the wrists and necklines of today's hottest celebrities. I recently connected with Stella & Dot stylist Jennifer Giobres, and received this beautiful Olivia Pearl and Ribbon Necklace (ARV $44).



When I saw it on the website, I immediately fell in love with it. I have always loved pearls, but I feel kind of matronly wearing them. These pearls, twisted in ribbon, look and feel fresh and youthful.

I was also surprised by the size of the pearls! These are not tiny, delicate pearls. This necklace surpassed my expectations; the unique styling allows it to be worn with casual or dressy apparel.

But you want to know the best part? One lucky Only Parent Chronicles reader will win their choice of one of these three Stella & Dot pieces!





Stella & Dot Small Fringe Earrings (ARV $29)



Stella & Dot Revival Bracelet (ARV $34)


OR



Stella & Dot Ava Cupchain Necklace (ARV $44)



To win: This giveaway is open to residents of the continental United States only. If your email address is not visible in your profile, you must leave it in your comments. To be eligible, you must publicly follow Only Parent Chronicles via Google Friend Connect. Winner must reply within 48 hours of notification or a new winner will be selected. Giveaway will be open from 9:00 am July 20, 2011 through 5:00pm July 27, 2011.

Mandatory entry: "Like" Jennifer Giobres, Stella & Dot Stylist on Facebook.

Additional entries: Please leave a separate comment for each entry.

~ Follow @Kristin_OPC on Twitter. Leave your user name in comments.

~ Like Only Parent Chronicles on Facebook. Leave your Facebook name in comments.

~ Join the Only Parent Chronicles community on Blog Frog. Leave your Blog Frog user name in comments.

~ Start a disscussion in the Only Parent Chronicles Blog Frog Community.

~ Contribute to an existing disscussion in the Only Parent Chronicles Blog Frog Community.

I received one necklace free of charge for review purposes. I was not otherwise compensated for this post, and all opinions are mine.

Easy Canvas Prints

Recently I discovered a really cool website called Easy Canvas Prints. This site allows you to upload any picture of your liking and have it made into a decorative canvas print to hang in your home!

It was seriously one of the easy photo buying experiences in my lifetime!

First, I selected this photo of my children, taken in 2007...

It is one of my favorites! Besides the fact that they look incredibly cute, they also don't look as though they are in misery being that close to one another. Photos like that are hard to come by these days. Hahaha.

Then, using the tools on Easy Canvas Prints, I selected a canvas size, the type of wrap, uploaded my photo, and followed the step-by-step instructions for personalizing my order.

Less than two weeks later, this amazing masterpiece showed up at my door...

My favorite photo of my children is now decoratively hanging on a once empty wall in my bedroom. In addition to putting a smile on my face every time I see it, it has me wondering which of my other favorite photographs I should have done next!!

Do you have a favorite photo you'd like to see made into a canvas print? Courtesy of the amazing people at Easy Canvas Prints, one lucky Only Parent Chronicles ready will win an 8x10 canvas print with a .75" standard wrap!

To win: This giveaway is open to residents of the continental Unites States only. If your email address is not visible in your profile, you must leave it in your comments. To be eligible, you must publicly follow Only Parent Chronicles via Google Friend Connect. Winner must reply within 48 hours of notification or a new winner will be selected. Giveaway will be open from 9:00 am July 18, 2011 through 5:00 pm July 25, 2011.

Mandatory entry: "Like" EasyCanvasPrints on Facebook.

Additional entries: Please leave a separate comment for each entry.

~ Follow @Kristin_OPC on Twitter. Leave your user name in comments.

~ Like Only Parent Chronicles on Facebook. Leave your Facebook name in comments.

~ Join the Only Parent Chronicles community on Blog Frog. Leave your Blog Frog user name in comments.

~ Start a discussion in the Only Parent Chronicles Blog Frog Community.

~ Contribute to an existing discussion in the Only Parent Chronicles Blog Frog Community.

I received one canvas print free of charge for review purposes. I was not otherwise compensated for this post, and all opinions are mine.