Aug 292016
 

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I am not sure who started this new hobby – or decided it was OK for adults to color – but I am glad they did.  I love to use gel pens when I write or doodle or even color.  My newest set is AmazaPens Gel Coloring Pen Set – they have 40% more ink than other pens. The set I have has 24 assorted pens – glitter, neon & pastel colors with a medium tip.

The Amaza Pens are great for using in adult coloring books.  You can spend hours creating beautiful art work.  I also like to use these pens for making cards.  They are good for scrap-booking too.  You will be amazed at how many thinks you will use the Amaza Pens for.

The Amaza Pens make a great gift for young or old.  You can find your own Amaza Pens on the link below from Amazon.com.

Kaisy1

“Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this sponsored post in hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Aug 292016
 

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Are you traveling any place for the long weekend? I personally think packing toiletries is one of the most confusing parts about traveling; how much make – up will you need? Will you have enough face wash? What about shampoo? Well lucky for you, AHAVA is giving away a DEAD SEA MASK SAMPLER PACK just in time for Labor Day Weekend!

From a lifting mask, to a facial renewal peel, these portable individual mud mask packs will allow you to freshen up anytime-anywhere. All you need to do is add this item to your cart to receive your free Dead Sea mask sampler pack (shipping fees may apply)! I have to tell you I love facial mask! I try to do at least one or two a week. They are so good for skin. I am ordering mine today!

Kaisy1

“Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this sponsored post in hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

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Aug 262016
 

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When I bought my iPhone I didn’t get a very good case for my phone.  That is why I was happy to try this Waterproof shock Case for iPhone 6s/6 4.7 inch #aowotowaterproofcaseforiphone from AOWOTO.  I was afraid that this waterproof case might really bulk up the size of my phone – but it didn’t.  One of the things I like about this cover is that it is a one piece cover. That means there is the actually case and then there is a builtin screen protector. It seals my phone so no dirt can get in.

It also has rubber on the corners so if I drop my phone it won’t be damaged. I have not tried to see if the phone is water/snow proof because I hope I don’t drop or lose my phone – but it seems like it is pretty durable.  The blue color makes it easy to find where ever I leave it.

The Waterproof shock Case came with  the case, instructions on how to use, headphone adapter, cleaning cloth and lanyard. It had everything I needed.  If you would like purchase your own AOWOTO Waterproof shock Case  you can do soon the link below from Amazon.com.

Kaisy1
“Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this sponsored post in hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Aug 262016
 

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When I take a shower or bath I love using mesh sponges. I found these extra large ones from Shower Bouquet. They are so nice and big and you really get a lot of lather when you use them. The mesh is well sewn together so they don’t fall apart.  The mesh bath sponge has two textures – one is to help exfoliate your skin the other soft and smooth to help soothe your skin. There is a long ribbon so you can hang your Shower Bouquet XL Lace Mesh Bath Sponge to dry in the shower.

They come in a pack of 4 and the colors are yellow, blue, pink and purple.  I think these would be great for a gift for the girl in your life or add to a box you are sending to your daughter at college.  If you would like to purchase your own Shower Bouquet XL Lace Mesh Bath Sponge you can do so on the link below from Amazon.com.


Kaisy1
“Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this sponsored post in hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Aug 262016
 
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The desire for full lips is not anything new. From classic bombshells like Brigette Bardot and Sophia Loren to today’s starlets such as Margot Robbie, Angelina Jolie and Rihanna luscious, kissable lips is a trend that never goes out of style. Kylie Jenner has made lip augmentation a hot topic with countless selfie pouts and millions of Instagram followers. Social media is always buzzing with debates over models with fuller lips. How full is too full? When does it start looking fake?

Why such an obsession with a perfect pout? We spoke to Dr. John Zannis board certified plastic surgeon in New Bern North Carolina, to get to the bottom of why now, more than ever the lips are a facial focal point and what women can do to achieve the look.

People see Kylie Jenner’s Instagram and think they’ll just get lip injections too. “The more that celebrities admit to having lip injections and the more attention this particular procedure gets in the media, the more accessible it becomes. The danger is that the procedure is complicated. Not just anyone can do a lip augmentation,” explains Dr. Zannis.

There are ways to work with what you got. Dr. Zannis explains that the key is to strive for facial symmetry. “If you use lip liners, glosses and other cosmetics to create a fuller look consider your other features and natural lip shape.”

4 Tips for Luscious Lips

1.   Use matte liquid lipstick.

Liquid lipstick is popular because it’s easy! It goes on like a lip-gloss but dries matte on your lips like a lipstick and is nearly impossible to smear or take off without makeup remover. Liquid lipstick ideal for creating a bombshell look for night out or special occasion where you want lipstick to stay put for a long time.

You can use it to make your lips appear fuller, shapely and defined, depending on what your “perfect look” entails. Try one of the best-reviewed brands like LA Splash Cosmetics or Kat Von D.

2.   Go for lip fillers.

Dr. John Zannis who works with fillers explains that lip fillers are a great option if you want to alter the shape and volume of your lips semi-permanently. “They mostly contain hyaluronic acid, which can be injected safely in multiple sessions. The amount is easy to control by a skilled cosmetic surgeon or licensed professional, which allows you to achieve your goal gradually. The effects last around six months, at which point you may do another round of injections.” He goes on to say that achieving a natural look is the goal and that over-filled cartoon mouths look distorted.

3.   Try some cool contouring techniques.

Contouring is another awesome makeup trick to achieve a fuller look. It involves using lighter and darker shades of makeup to play up your features and give you a more defined, chiseled look. The great part is you probably have all you need in your makeup bag already. There are plenty lip-contouring tutorials on YouTube for free.

4. Use a lip plumper.

Lip plumpers are great in that they are easy to use, are non-invasive, work fast and are affordable. They’re typically infused with lip tingling ingredients like cinnamon, pepper and peppermint which leads to an instant yet slight swelling.

Too Faced Lip Injection Extreme is a popular choice amongst make-up artists and beauty industry pros. When used both morning and night the difference is noticeable fast!

Clearly there are many options to achieve your “perfect” pout. Experiment!

About The Doctor:

Dr. John Zannis is a New Bern, North Carolina board-certified plastic surgeon and best selling author. A graduate of Stanford University and The University of Cincinnati Medical College, he received his formal training in General Surgery and Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery at Wake Forest University in Winston-Salem, North Carolina under the guidance of world-renowned plastic surgeon Dr. Louis Argenta. During this time, he performed over 5,000 surgical procedures and covered all aspects of plastic surgery including cosmetic surgery of the face and body, complex reconstructive procedures of face and body, cleft lip and palate surgery, hand surgery, facial and jaw fracture repair, and reconstruction following massive weight loss. He blends his interests and studies of classical art and symmetry to his surgery practices. Connect with him via twitter @JohnZannisMD or his website www.zannisplasticsurge ry.com  

These are some great tips –  I love the tip to use matte liquid lipstick.  I always hated the way liquid lipstick  looked too glossy for me.  I know have tried the matte liquid lipstick and like it much better and it is easy to use!

Kaisy1

Aug 252016
 

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Have you ever walked into a room and forgot what you went in there for? Perhaps you lost your train of thought mid conversation after being distracted by a noise. Maybe you forgot a name or a number or to buy milk. We’re human! We forget things. However, the more we multitask, the less we focus and the verdict is out on how this affects our brains long term.

So how do we strengthen our brains? Dr. Sanam Hafeez PsyD a New York City based licensed neuropsychologist and teaching faculty member at the prestigious Columbia University Teacher’s College, shares how we can exercise our minds and master our memory.

How do brain activities play a role in strengthening the brain?

Dr. Hafeez explains that just like physical exercise, brain exercises strengthen and keep the mind agile and active. “You have a cognitive reserve, a finite amount of memory, problem solving and visual motor even verbal reasoning skills that declines over time. The more you engage your brain, the longer you can hold on to your cognitive reserve,” explains Dr. Hafeez.

What are some brain-boosting activities someone could do before work?

There are a lot of activities one can do to boost your brain. Research shows that any stimulating activity will “boost” circulation and activate areas of the brain. According to Dr. Hafeez things like writing with your left hand, trying to remember phone numbers, doing mental math calculations, the daily crossword, or looking up a new word in the dictionary on a daily basis, helps your mind stretch in ways you can’t see but certainly feel. “The frustration that you feel when doing something that’s mentally taxing is when you know your brain is getting a workout. It’s good for you,” she says.

How do brain-boosting exercises help when it comes to work life? 

There are a lot of websites and computer generated programs that offer memory training and visual spatial exercises. Dr. Hafeez suggests looking for puzzles, numerical sequences, and recall activities that can help boost processing speed, attention and memory. Just like your body, the more you do, the more your brain can stretch and accommodate.

How does doing these exercises before work enhance our performance? 

“Doing something stimulating and challenging, before work, gets your brain geared up for the day. If you run two miles in the morning, walking seems like a stroll. Similarly, if you perform math calculations as you’re driving or insist on spelling words backwards for the fun of it will make the stuff you do at work every day seem like a breeze. It’ll make you more aware and vigilant not to mention focused and almost raring to keep moving from one task to the next,” Dr. Hafeez explains.

Can it enhance our performance in other areas of our lives? If so, which areas and why/how? 

Mental health practitioners agree that over time, brain boosters such as learning a new language, a sport, a musical instrument, or painting, sewing, arts and crafts, boost the brain in bigger, more long-term ways. “It may even reduce or delay the onset on Alzheimer’s and other mental decline, again by strengthening the cognitive reserve. Brain exercises are good for one’s overall daily health and may actually protect one from more serious ailments. Daily smaller brain boosters can help with mental agility, daily memory, an active work and even social life, by helping increase attention, focus and creative, problem solving skills,” adds Dr. Hafeez.

About Dr. Sanam Hafeez:

Dr. Sanam Hafeez PsyD is an NYC based licensed neuropsychologist. She is a teaching faculty member at the prestigious Columbia University Teacher’s College and the founder and clinical director of the Comprehend the Mind Institutes in Manhattan and Queens. She was a long time child school psychologist. She specializes in providing neuropsychological, educational and developmental evaluations to both adults and children in her practice.  She works with individuals who suffer from post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), learning disabilities, autism, attention and memory problems, trauma and brain injury, abuse, childhood development and psychopathology (bipolar, schizophrenia, depression, anxiety, etc…) In addition, Dr. Hafeez serves as a medical expert for various news outlets and programs, and as an expert witness providing full evaluations and witness testimony to law firms and courts. Connect with her via twitter @comprehendMind or at www.comprehendthemind.com

I sure need to do some of the brain boosting tips.  I am always forgetting things.  I hope this helps you too!

Kaisy1

Aug 222016
 

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CRACKED TO DEATHCracked to Death (A Webb’s Glass Shop Mystery)
Cozy Mystery
3rd in Series
Mass Market Paperback: 320 pages
Publisher: Kensington (June 28, 2016)
ISBN-13: 978-1617737640
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When a treasure hunt leads to deadly plunder, it’s up to glass shop owner Savannah Webb and her trusty investigative posse to map out the true motives of a killer . . .

It’s the dog days of summer in St. Petersburg, Florida, and Webb’s Glass Shop proprietor Savannah Webb has an eco-friendly plan to help locals escape the heat–a recyclable bottle-crafting workshop taught by reticent store manager Amanda Blake. Turns out, the class is a bigger smash than expected, thanks in part to a pair of staggeringly old bottles brought in by snorkeler Martin Lane . . .

Linked to a storied pirate shipwreck, the relics definitely pique Savannah’s interest. But intrigue turns to shock when Martin’s lifeless body washes ashore the next morning, another glass artifact tucked in his dive bag. With cell phone records connecting Amanda to the drowning, Savannah must voyage through unchartered territory to exonerate her colleague and capture the twisted criminal behind Martin’s death . . .

CHERYL-HOLLENABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Cheryl Hollon now writes full-time after she left an engineering career of designing and building military flight simulators in amazing countries such as England, Wales, Australia, Singapore, Taiwan, and India. Fulfilling the dream of a lifetime, she combines her love of writing with a passion for creating glass art. In the small glass studio behind her house in St. Petersburg, Florida, Cheryl and her husband design, create, and produce fused glass, stained glass, and painted glass artworks. Visit her online at http://cherylhollon.com, on Facebook or on Twitter @CherylHollon.

Purchase Links:

Amazon  B&N

IndieBound

My Review:

This is the third book in the series and I didn’t read the first two.  This can stand by itself – but I do want to read the first two books as this was a great read. It was a book once I started I didn’t want it to end.

I loved the details.  I love DIY crafty projects so recyclable bottles are something I love to read about.  I also have always been interested in shipwrecks ~ so if they sound good to you – you will love this book.

Giveaway

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Kaisy1

I was given a copy of this book for my honest review.

Aug 162016
 

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I do a lot of weighing and measuring when I am in the kitchen.  I try to make sure the portions I eat are not to big – since I am IMG_0730always trying to lose weight.  I found a great kitchen scale to help me with my journey.  It is the Ozeri Touch II Professional Digital Kitchen Scale with Microban Antimicrobial Product Protection is the industry’s first kitchen scale to include antimicrobial protection that disrupts the growth of bacteria that can cause stains, odors and product deterioration. Infused at the point of manufacturing, Microban antimicrobial protection works for the lifetime of the scale and helps maintain surface cleanliness.

The Microban antimicrobial protection is a new feature and really helpful.  Did you know that bacteria can double in number every 20 minutes?  It is one less thing I need to worry about now with this Ozeri Touch II Professional Digital Kitchen Scale with Microban Antimicrobial Product Protection.

The scale is very thin but has a large surface space. It is perfect for weighing all my ingredients.  The scale is so easy to use and the unit button instantly coverts from pound to grams or what ever unit of measurement you need.

I have been using this kitchen scale often and really like how it works and how nice it looks. You have your choice of colors ~ white, red or blue.  It has 2 lithium batteries and will shut off if inactive for 2 minutes.

I have tried a number of products from Ozeri and have always been happy with them. If you would like to purchase your own Ozeri Touch II Professional Digital Kitchen Scale with Microban Antimicrobial Product Protection  you can do so on the link below from Amazon.com.


Kaisy1
“Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this sponsored post in hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Aug 152016
 

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Rex likes his coffee and has a number of cups each day.  He loves to try new ways to make his coffee so was excited to see this Pour Over Coffee Maker Dripper + Spoon by Bar Brat #BarBratLove. It is easy to use you simply place your coffee grinds inside the coffee maker, place over top of your favorite cup, pour hot water and you’re done. You will like the simplicity and ease of use with the pour over coffee maker.  You don’t need a filter.

I think that Rex will use this mostly when he is camping or on the road.  That way he can have coffee any time.  The filter is made of premium 304 stainless steel, this drip coffee maker can be reused over and over again. Simply rinse by hand after each use so you get your perfect brew and coffee flavor each time. This has been designed to fit on most cups, mugs, thermoses, small pots, and even carafes.

This is a great way to get just one cup of coffee at a time without having the expense of buying one of those single cup coffee makers. It is also smaller and easy to store.  The Pour Over Coffee Maker Dripper makes a perfect and tasty cup of coffee.  You can purchase your own on the link below from Amazon.com.


Kaisy1
“Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Aug 152016
 

IMG_0740I love candles!  I burn them all the time.  I found a candle company that makes all of their own candles. They are a small company based out of Little Rock, AR.  The company is called MailACandle.com #candle.  They hand pour all of their candles.

I received a number of great smelling candles which are great for aromatherapy.  I think one of the nice things is that the scents IMG_0741used are very nice.  One of my favorite for this time of year is the Tangy Orange and the Grapefruit. They smell just like you would expect the fruit to smell.

There are scents for all seasons and for all taste.  I was lucky enough to try 10 different scents and liked them all.  They come in scents like Italian Fig, Black Amber, Blue Water, White Christmas and one of my favorites Tangy Orange.

The candles burn nice and clean and last a long time.  I like that you can order the candles online and have them delivered right to your home!  If you would like to order your own  MailACandle.com  you can use this code BLOGMYCANDLE when you check out to receive $5.00 off your order.

Kaisy1

“Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this sponsored post in hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”