Daily Review - Groovebook (plus a free one for you!)

 

I suspect that Shark Tank is one of those shows that a lot of people watch but don't usually talk about.  I love it, personally.  There's always that moment of "that's brilliant, why didn't I think of that", or the eye-rolling at Mr. Wonderful's royalty based deals.  Recently, the owners of the Groovebook app were featured.  I'd actually heard of Groovebook before they showed on Shark Tank, but their appearance inspired me (and I'm sure many others based on how slow their servers were the weekend after the show aired) to give it a try. 

For those of you that haven't seen it, Groovebook is an app for printing pictures off your phone.  If you're anything like me, you have hundreds that may or may not get uploaded to Facebook/Instagram but then just sit in your phone memory.  For $2.99/month (incl. S+H), as a subscription service, you can upload 100 photos a month to Groovebook, and they send you a printed book with those photos.  The photos are 4x6 and perforated so that you can pull some out to give to friends and family, pull out to put in a scrapbook, or frame.  I just got my first book and I love it!  I just uploaded the photos for my second book (which was quick seeing as I think their servers recovered from the post-Shark Tank rush) and I'm already excited to receive it.  On the show, they did make a deal with Mark Cuban and Kevin O'Leary, so I'm curious to see what happens next, but I really hope they hold on to this original model.

The photo paper feels a little thinner than prints you might order from other services, but at $0.03 a print, they're a great value (compared to the $0.10 or $0.12 you might pay elsewhere).  I also love that each photo has the time and date stamped right above the perforation.  The app itself is pretty easy to use.  I like the advanced photo option where you can pick how many of each image you want in the book.  There's a little "ticker" at the top of the screen to let you know how many photos you have left.  Once you've selected them all, you simply upload to the service and a couple weeks later your book arrives.  I also like that you can order additional copies for others, which is great if you're being harassed by family members for new photos of the little ones!

I did notice that there was a coupon code (JACOBS87) for a free Groovebook in the back of mine, so I wanted to share it with you all.  Overall, this is definitely one I'd recommend to anybody looking for an easy, and inexpensive, way to get those photos off your phone and into your hands.  With a free coupon code, there's no excuse not to try it!


DISCLAIMER:  I received no compensation for this review.  I just think it's a neat product and wanted to share because I like you guys!

Daily Review - Pong cell phone case

Since being on maternity leave, Husband has accused me of becoming a cell phone addict.  I'm not addicted, per se, and I still adhere to the no cell phones at the dinner table rule, but I definitely get wrapped up with my electronic leash more than I used to.  My friend at Pong just sent me a new "intelligent" cell phone case, for my Samsung Galaxy.  You may be wondering what makes this case special and worth the hefty price tag ($49.99-$99.99 depending on the device).  Pong's cases are designed to protect the user from the radiation that cell phones emit, redistributing the radiation away from the body without disrupting your signal strength.  We all know that constant levels of radiation probably aren't a good thing, even if the long terms effects haven't really been proven yet.  Children are even more susceptible to radiation than adults, and with kids using mobile and wireless devices more and more, it's nice to know there's something out there that can provide some kind of protection against it.

Courtesy of Pong Research

I got the rugged case, which is perfect seeing as my phone may need to withstand some tough treatment (between me being a klutz and having an infant who may get his hands on my phone).  I've got to say that it feels rugged - durable, fitted, and makes me feel confident that it would withstand being dropped.  The external buttons are covered in the design, but still function well, which means that the entire outer case is one piece with no weak spots.  In the end, this is a case that really appeals to the tech geeks among us but, as a mom, it also holds a lot of appeal.  I, for one, have spent time on my cell while nursing, or while Owen is sleeping curled up on my chest.  Plus, with the accessibility of games and books for children on phones, or the iPad, it's nice to know there's a product that can keep tiny heads and hands safe from harmful radiation.  It's not available for all devices, but this is a company that more people should know about and it's definitely worth checking out if they make a case that would work for you.

DISCLAIMER:  I received no money for this review, but did receive a Pong case .

Daily Review - Knitting Cast-on E-book

A while back, I was lucky enough to have the opportunity to review an e-book on Brioche Knitting.  The author of that e-book, Liat of KNITFreedom has a new video course - this time a guide to knitting cast-ons. 

When it comes to knitting cast-ons, I've always defaulted to the trusty long-tail cast-on.  It's the first cast-on I learned and works for most things.  There are definitely those times though when the long-tail cast-on just isn't as pretty and fitting as the piece calls for.  I do know that there are lots of other cast-ons out there, but I didn't know how many until taking a look at this e-book!   [Did you know multi-colored braided cast-ons even existed?  Mind blown!]

The course covers some basic info on cast-ons, even including some tips about the long-tail cast on that I didn't know.  No more pulling 100 stitches off the needle when the tail gets too short!  Turns out there's a pretty easy fix for that.  As with Liat's other video courses, the videos themselves are clear and very easy to follow along.  It's a lot easier than scouring YouTube for something when you're not entirely sure what it's called.  There is a very handy table of contents at the top of the guide which takes you to the exact spot you need - whether you're looking for a cast-on by name or category.    I really like the short description included with each cast-on video, explaining how it is best used, along with tips, and a clear swatch photo to show what the finished product is supposed to look like. The only thing I would have liked would be a video covering how to get a nice clean join when casting-on in the round (i.e. for a hat or top-down sock). 

In the end, I think this video course is a fantastic reference tool for knitters looking to take their craft to the next level.  For all the hours of care and love put into a project, starting with the perfect cast-on makes sense, making this a great resource to have at your fingertips.  I know it's going to make me think twice next time I pick up the needles to start a project and I'm excited to try some new techniques.

This cast-on video e-book is available for $24.99 through the KNITFreedom site.  Check out the other classes on offer too!

DISCLAIMER:  I received no money for this review, but received a preview copy of the e-book prior to release.

Daily Review - That Pinterest thing

Pinterest was a thing I'd heard of but had no idea what it was about.  I was feeling a little late to the game on that one.  However, my sister-in-law sent me an invite earlier this week and, now that I've had a couple of days to play around with it, well...let's just say I dig it.  :)

As you can see - I'm just starting out!

Over the years, I have amounted a huge number of browser bookmarks with things that I think were interesting or cool.  I've also let a lot of information slide, and now I wish I could remember where those things were - tutorials, recipes, tips, patterns.  Even worse was looking down the extensive list of bookmarks and trying to remember based on the name of the website, or the little title I gave it, why I bookmarked it in the first place. This is why Pinterest is my new love.

Now I can categorize, save a nice little description, but also include a picture - all using the little "pin it" button on my browser toolbar.  I can share the "pins" with my friends (and other random Pinterest members who happen across them).  I can see what other people are interested in, plus I feel like it's another venue to share my own recipes or tutorials that I may have created.  Seriously, it's not like I need another social networking venue to spend my time, but it's pretty fun, and may actually be useful (unless that's just my way of validating time spent on it!)

Daily Review - City Quilts

I was really excited to discover that the book "City Quilts" by Cherri House is now available in my local library.  When I first heard about the book, I had a suspicion that it would appeal to me and, WOW, was I right!  Prior to this, I've never opened a pattern book of any kind before and actually wanted to make every single one of the designs inside.  City Quilts for the win.

While I'm still very much a beginning quilter, I've already concluded that simple blocks with bold colors appeal the most to me right now.  Not that I don't admire more country-style quilting, but I'm an urban girl at heart.  City Quilts ties together traditional blocks with a modern twist, also adding a fabulous sense of color.  I particularly liked how she uses solid colors to highlight the designs - perfect for someone like me who gets easily confused about whether patterned fabrics look too busy together.  I very much enjoyed looking over the section within the book discussing color, including examples of various color schemes, shades and tones.  While I love the color schemes that she uses for the designs in this book, I can visualize how switching the color scheme would produce a completely different (but equally striking) effect.

The patterns themselves are very easy to follow, with clear directions and diagrams to help with block assembly and construction.  I'm sure that some of the information is probably unnecessary for more experienced quilters, but I know that I appreciate the reminders on how to do things, which way to press seams and so on.  There is actually a wealth of technique discussed in the book, which allows it to be a stand-alone guide for this particular quilting journey.  I appreciated Cherri's discussion on how she designs and gathers her inspiration.  It makes me feel like I can do the same (although I'm also sure I'm not there just yet myself!) 

 
So, in summary....

- I would make all of these quilts!
- This holds a lot of appeal for a beginner like me who has somewhat mastered the rotary cutter and can sew in straight lines
- Makes me think about traditional quilt blocks in a new light
- Really highlights how fancy patterned fabrics aren't necessary for a truly striking end result
- Easy to follow with nice discussion of various techniques along the way

Having gone through this book, I'm also happy to say that I've now decided how I want to quilt the top, which has been hibernating in a plastic bag since I finished piecing it together late last year.  I couldn't decide on which would be the best color thread to quilt with, or if the design I had in my head made any sense.  This book has given me the confidence to go with my instinct - let's hope it works out!

Daily Review - Brioche Knitting e-book

Hope you all had a good Thanksgiving.  Sorry I've been so quiet - we were pretty busy and had a nice time with family in town.  PLUS - I had the opportunity to meet my 5 week old nephew (so small, squishy and completely adorable!)

Given the extra day off work, this finally gave me a chance to review an e-book tutorial for Beginner and Intermediate Brioche Knitting.  I was excited to review this as it's something I've been meaning to try and I'm always happy to learn a new technique.  Thank you to Liat of KNITFreedom for providing a copy of this e-book for me to review.

[NOTE:  This e-book does require the latest version of Adobe Reader to view, although there is a handy link within the e-book that you can follow to download an update (which I needed anyway!)]

This e-book lesson is a wonderful collection of step-by-step Brioche knitting videos with written direction.  The videos are nice and clear, and I found I was able to knit along at the same pace as the video was going even though I was learning.  They compliment the written directions well as I think that trying to learn this stitch using written directions alone would have me completely lost.  The videos are also presented in both American and Continental knitting styles so you can follow on no matter which way you prefer to knit.  By a half-hour in, I was comfortable with the cast on, set up, had knit about 10 rows of my swatch, and even learned a new bind off technique.  

Although just starting out, I did try the section regarding brioche knitting in the round, which I know I'll want to be using for hats along the way.  This involving learning both the brioche purl stitch and joining in the round.  I also tried Brioche knitting with two colors - which makes for beautiful scarf designs that I've seen but never known how the patterns were achieved.  Following along with the video, it didn't take long before my little swatch started taking shape and I'm thrilled that I was able to produce this just by following along with the videos.  [I was using a bigger needle than necessary for my yarn, so my stitches are super wonky in the swatches that I did below, but you get the idea.]

Plain one color Brioche stitch.

Two color Brioche.

This is definitely going to take more practice and I'll probably stick with the one color Brioche working flat for a little while until I get the hang of it.  While I'm learning though, this e-book is a great reference guide and the table of contents is really nicely laid out so that I can jump to whichever section is needed as I want to learn new things.  There's also a variety of helpful links throughout, plus tips for blocking techniques and fixing mistakes (which I know will be coming in useful at some point!)  It's like taking a knitting class, except you can refer to it over and over!

The e-book is selling for $34.77 on Liat's website, or through Ravelry.

This is what it's supposed to look like....with a little practice!

Daily Review - Artbeads.com

I'm a tactile person and when it comes to buying craft supplies, I've found that I generally like to buy in store.  I like being able to touch things and get an idea of size or color without the concern of monitor color variances.  Having said that, I recently found out about Artbeads.com while looking for some findings in specific metal colors not as easily available to me in store and it has to be said, I was impressed.

I found the site pretty easy to navigate and had no trouble finding what I wanted with the search.  Their selection doesn't seem quite as huge as Fire Mountain Gems (the only other site I've ever really explored), but I actually found that it wasn't as overwhelming and I was able to explore the different sections without losing myself!  I think that one of my favorite things was having an option to buy almost everything individually - which is great if you don't want to get stuck buying an entire bag/strand when all you want are a couple of an item.  If you do want to buy in higher quantities, the prices drop the more you buy.  I also liked that you only have to spend $10 to get free shipping, which is a nice low minimum and not hard to meet! 

My order was shipped the day after I purchased and took about a week to arrive.  Let me tell you how pleasantly surprised I was to open the package.  It was neatly packaged, wrapped, and even had a little note to say who had fulfilled my order.  A very nice touch!  Everything was so nicely packaged and labeled that I really enjoyed going through everything.

Seeing as I always default to earrings first, I decided to dive right in and knock out a couple of pairs using fun Czech glass roundelles.  They have what is called a half Picasso effect, which is essentially a marbling on the top and bottom of each bead.  It gives them a really unique look and I think it allows the bead to really be the focus of the piece.  The red beads used for the copper pair were far more vibrant in person than on the website, and that pair found a new home within 24 hours of being made!  I already had the Celtic metal findings for the other pair, but they'd been waiting for the right bead.  I think it's a good pairing. 


I think that another great feature of the Art Beads site is the user reviews.  It even allows the reviewer to upload a picture of their finished products, which says more than words can when trying to describe how a product was used.

I think I'm always going to enjoy buying in person more, but I'm definitely sold on this site and I'm sure they'll be getting lots of my business in the future. 

Daily Review - Blog Tag! You in?

So, who's up for a game of tag?  This one isn't a bunch of random (and probably useless) information about me.  This is a game of Blog Tag, where I get to look back over my blog and posts that I've written.  Thanks to my blog buddy, Lucy, for suggesting the game.  If you decide to do this, come back and share the link - I'd love to give your posts some love!

 
Which is your most beautiful post?
The photographer in me is having a hard time choosing between my Vegas weekend, where we visited Red Rock Canyon, and my birthday weekend, which involved a trip to Griffith Park Observatory.  I think that Red Rock Canyon wins in the end, seeing as it's quite humbling to be surrounded by something so beautiful created by nature.  It reminds me that I should take my camera out for weekend field trips more often, seeing as sometimes pictures say more than I possibly could in words. 



Which is your most popular post?
My review of eknittingneedles.com definitely wins.  As a follow-up, I've been using these needles almost exclusively in the last 18 months and have only run into one problem (where the cable came off the needle).  Still can't beat them for the price (and that reminds me that I need to order a new set of double pointed needles!)

Which is your most controversial post?
I try to stay away from controversial most of the time, but when some asshats sprayed graffiti on the outside of my building, I couldn't hold back on the rant.  Still not particularly controversial I think, but that's about as close as you're gonna yet.  

 
Which is your most helpful post?
Based on the number of views?  My [dummies guide to quilting] tutorial for a disappearing 9-patch block.  You can see what the finished quilt looked like here.  

I actually very much enjoy creating tutorials and the few that I've done have a link on the sidebar.  I've been meaning to come up with concepts for more tutorials that you guys may find interesting so feel free to make suggestions if you have any. 



 


Which post's success surprised you most?
When I randomly took my camera on a walk one morning in my neighborhood, I figured I'd shoot some pictures on my route for fun (and to attempt to keep me motivated to get off my butt and walk in the morning).  I had no idea that other people would find the random photos so interesting.  This post is second to my knitting needle review in terms of views.  Perhaps I need to do it again.  :)





 
Which of your posts do you feel didn't get the attention it deserved?
To me, it's surprising that some of the recipes I have posted haven't received that many views.  You can see all of them if you click "daily dish" on my sidebar, but the Tagine that I made didn't get much love (although very much loved by my belly).   Now that we're in winter, I'm definitely going to be making this more often - it's excellent comfort food and super simple given that you can leave it in the crockpot all day, with the added benefit that it makes the house smell delicious. 

Which post are you proudest of?
Without question, it is my post - "I made it!"  That post was speaking to everything I've worked toward during my adult life.  The trials and tribulations of my immigration from England to the US could practically be a book.  [If I were ever to write a book, there would definitely be a chapter on things NOT to do, another on what to do when stranded in another country without your clothing...]  Regardless, the day I got my green card held a sense of accomplishment, relief, and pride in my own determination. 

It's interesting to look back at my posts, some of which I'd completely forgotten about, and see how my blog has progressed.  When I was writing my old blog, I spent too much time worrying about what I thought people might want to read and staying true to a theme.  As a result, it became a chore for me.  When I started over with this blog, I just wanted to have fun and share a piece of me, no matter how random.  I feel like I've made a few friends, and gathered a few followers along the way - and [as Tosh.O may say] for that, I thank you. 

Daily Review - My Memories Digital Scrapbooking

I'll admit that when it comes to scrapbooking, I always have the best intentions, but never quite get around to it.  When photo printing companies started offering the option to print books, I was thrilled because it is much faster than creating a paper scrapbook and means I'll actually get it done (rather than having the printed photos in a drawer for all eternity!)  As I mentioned in this review, however, my problem with the digital scrapbooking software with the bigger photo-book printers is that their templates and backgrounds can be somewhat limiting.   

Last week, I found out about My Memories, which offers digital scrapbooking software to completely customize your digital scrapbook page creation.  The folks there were nice enough to provide me with a copy of the My Memories Suite to test out and review.

The basics
When I first opened up the software, I liked how everything was easy to access and found it user friendly.  My biggest problem was being somewhat overwhelmed by all the various options available to me!  To start off, The software gives you a variety of choices for your page size so that you can create something that's easy to print or upload to create a book.  You can then choose to use one of the pre-loaded templates, or create your own design from scratch.  If you are looking to include all photos from a set, you can let the software auto-fill your album, or you can drag and drop each photo into place yourself.  Double clicking on the photo allows you to crop it as you want it to look.  Another feature that I like is that you can alter the photos from within the My Memories software - so if you've place the photo on the page but think you'd prefer it in B&W or sepia, a couple of clicks and you're done, without needing other software.

Everything is broken down by category - from backgrounds to word art, text to embellishments.  To access and edit each of the different areas, there are buttons available on the left, right and top of the screen.  Each item that you add is placed onto the page that you're building, which then allows you to resize, move, copy, and place in the perfect spot.


Add-ons
Additional kits are available on the website with a nice selection to fit a wide variety of occasions and themes.  Some add-on kits have backgrounds and themes, while others contain monograms and word art.  I think I'll be making use of the calendar grids so that I can make my own calendars with ease.  I like that there is a collection of kits available for free, or as low as $0.99, with more expensive kits priced up to $9.99.  A selection of kits are also available for a discounted price as weekly deals, or you can sign up for the design club, which offers 5 exclusive kit downloads each month for a $5.99 membership fee.  Considering a pack of regular scrapbooking paper can be $20, I think the kits are well priced (and of course reusable!)  The downloads are also able to be used with Photoshop, or other photo editing software.

Sharing
As well as allowing you print pages, I also enjoy that the pages can be exported as jpegs for easy sharing in digital format.  Personally, I like to send a holiday greeting via e-mail - especially to family members overseas.  This software allows the addition of music, video, or links into the scrapbook page which almost makes your page an interactive experience!  Alternatively, you could create an entire album that can be shared digitally with friends and family.


Best features
For me, the best feature of this software is that everything is customizable so that you're not restricted by layout (as is often the case with online photo book design).   Photo layouts can be moved and re-sized to your personal needs; so even if the template has fewer photo openings on a page than you want, it's easy to add more, then move or rotate them as much as you want.   Really, the options for what can be done with this are endless so there are no limits to your creativity.  

While the software may seem a little intimidating at first, once you have an idea of where everything is, it's really very easy to navigate.  I suspect I'll be spending more time exploring everything before I'm completely comfortable, but I know that I'll be putting this software to really good use and I'm excited to create my next photo book using it!

My Memories was kind enough to also provide a copy of the My Memories Suite for me to give away to one of you, so check back tomorrow for giveaway details!

Daily Review - Extreme Couponing?

Last night, while flipping aimlessly through the TV channels, I came across Extreme Couponing.  I've heard of the show, and out of curiosity decided to watch it.  An hour later, I was still watching it in disbelief - these people are insane!  Now, don't get me wrong.  I love a good deal and I'm very proud of some of the bargains I've snapped up over the years (can we say 6 new tops for $18 at a local clothing store?)  I subscribe to the Entertainment Book and we usually check it for deals before deciding to go out to eat.  I also keep a few coupons that we get in the mail.  Overall, I think I was doing pretty well - until I saw this show!

There have been times when I've looked at my grocery receipt and seen that I saved more than I spend.  It does lead to a certain sense of accomplishment.  That part I get.  By the same token, I cannot fathom why they need so much stuff!  The people on this show refer to their stockpile - entire basements, closets, rooms just filled with cans, boxes, laundry detergent, and enough toilet paper to supply a hotel.  One lady had 66 coupons for mustard and so bought 66 bottles of French's yellow mustard.  [Apart from anything, husband is a good deli mustard purist so our marriage might be rocky if I brought home yellow mustard at all.]  I'm just wondering how much mustard one family can eat?!  It was also pretty amazing to see their disappointment that they may have miscalculated and have to pay $40 for their $600 worth of groceries instead of the $4 they planned for.  I can understand why other people in the store were just standing there in utter amazement watching everything unfold.  I'm sure I would do the same.

I can't possibly imagine spending that much time or energy clipping and organizing coupons.  I would also have nowhere to put such excessive amounts of stuff.  I'm pretty sure I'm ok not having enough body wash to last me the next 250 years, or 40 boxes of cereal at my disposal (unless I decide to start a commune).  On the other hand, for the couponers who donate their haul to charity, you're ok in my book.

It got me thinking what my savings tips are when grocery shopping though, and here's a few that I came up with:
- Brands aren't really that important for the basics.  Canned tomatoes are canned tomatoes.
- Most major stores show you a breakdown of how much something costs per oz for easy comparison.  The biggest size isn't always the best value!
- Even if there are only 2 adults in the house, buying the multi-packs of meat and then freezing into portions can save $0.20/lb or more.
- Keep an eye out for special promotions, such as buy 10 items of one brand and save $5 instantly at check out.
- Always use your loyalty card for each store.

If you are feeling an urge to start printing out more coupons though, just google "online coupon database" and you'll have lots of results to get you going on your next grocery store trip!

What are you favorite tips for saving at the grocery store?

Daily Review - Plymouth Baby Alpaca Ampato yarn

One serious advantage of sample knitting for Plymouth Yarns is getting to sample a variety of the yarns that they have on offer.  I'm working with a yarn right now that I have used before and enjoyed every second of working with it!  So, if you're looking for something new to try, I'm suggesting Plymouth Yarn's Baby Alpaca Ampato.

Specifications:
Weight: Aran
Yardage: 128 yards (117 meters)
Weight: 100 grams (3.53 ounces)
Gauge: 16 stitches = 4 inches
Fiber: 100% Alpaca

Alpaca yarn in general is considered to be stronger, softer and warmer than wool.  It's also hypo-allergenic for those that have wool allergies but want a more luxurious fiber to work with.  The structure of alpaca fiber also means that it's not prone to pilling, staining, or tearing - which is important if you just spent hours upon hours knitting up a garment but don't want to worry about whether it will hold up with wear.  

What I loved about this yarn is...well pretty much everything.  If I could only use one word to describe it, it would be buttery.  In fact, I kind of want to curl up with it.  Some yarns can be a little tough on the hands after a while, but this just keeps sliding through the fingers making it an effortless knit.  It is a plied yarn but I didn't find it to be splitty or difficult to work with because it maintains a nice smooth feel as you are using it.  I also found that it has terrific stitch definition so is perfect for cables, and also maintains a wonderful drape.  All in all, a wonderful yarn to have up against the skin.  The only downside to this particular yarn is that it's not cheap - approximately $14 for the 128 yard hank, which I think places it firmly in the "luxury" yarn category - but well worth it even if it's just a small project.  Highly recommended!


FYI - The tunic pictured here is one that I knit up used this yarn so you can get an idea of how it looks as a garment, and it looked even better in person.  You can buy the pattern for this tunic at Webs for $4.00.  I like it as is, although it could be easily converted into a shorter sweater if that's more your thing.

Daily Review - Winkflash photobooks

I've been using Winkflash for a photo printing service for many years now.  They used to offer 6 cents for a 4x6 print, with flat rate shipping of $0.99.  Over the last couple of years, their pricing has increased to 8 cents a print (which is hardly a big deal), and the shipping costs are now based on how many prints you order.  I've always been happy with the quality of the prints though, and at $1.99 for an 8x10, it's hard to beat.  Recently, I got a coupon code for a flat rate on the photo books, up to 100 pages, so decided to order one to see how I like it.

Book creation:
To start putting photos into book format, you are given the option of uploading the photos straight from your computer, or opening an existing album in Winkflash to select pictures from.  Personally, I found it easier to just upload into existing albums and it was pretty easy to navigate between albums.

There are a lot of different patterned or themed backgrounds to choose from, plus you can choose from a selection of plain colored backgrounds. The layouts are based on how many photos you want to include on the page.  I did find this somewhat limiting as there were layouts that I'd be envisioning that don't exist.  It would be great to have some kind of custom layout creator, or at least the ability to resize the boxes within the layouts.  Outside of that, it's a simple drag and drop onto the page to place photos.  I also liked that there were framing options for the photos - from simple frames to vignettes and other effects.  There's only a few that I ended up using, but I enjoyed having the choice at all.  The only thing to be aware of while creating your book is that you need to make sure you have the correct page selected (i.e. left or right).  On occasion, I'd have the wrong page selected and make changes to the wrong side, which could be frustrating.  There's also the option to create your own pages in Photoshop (or other editing software) and upload the full page to Winkflash, which is definitely a method I would consider in the future.

Pricing:

I ordered the 8x11 custom cover book, which was $28.95 for the 100 pages plus $6.99 for shipping.  Regularly, that is the price for up to 20 pages, with each additional page costing $1.00.  I don't think I would pay the regular price for the book as what I ordered would have been over $100.  Without the coupon code, I would probably have tried Blurb which has more competitive pricing for the number of pages.

Shipping:
When I ordered the book, the estimated arrival date was March 14.  Guess they got that right, as it arrived just before lunch!  It was about 10 days from the date I ordered to the day it was in hand.

Cover and binding:
The cover is a glossy finish and overall looks very nice.  I would have loved an option for a matte cover though.  The binding appears to be very secure, and overall presentation is really nice.  The only thing I'm disappointed with is that they didn't print the title of the book on the spine, which means it could easily get lost in my rather extensive bookshelf!

Photo and paper quality:
I was actually very happy with the thickness of the paperstock used to print the book.  It has a nice feel to it, and isn't too thin, which would have been my primary concern.  The colors of the photos are nice and rich, and in general very true to the uploaded photo.  There were a few that appear to be slightly darker than I anticipated, but not enough of a difference to be a problem.





Overall, I'm very happy with the photo book and would definitely order another through Winkflash's service, although not without a coupon code for the flat rate.  I definitely have plans to put my photography portfolio in book format and, if the pricing offer is there, I'll be happy to use Winkflash to do it.

FYI, Winkflash is still running the flat rate on their photobooks until March 17, 2011.  The coupon code is ALLBOOKS in case you want to put one together in the next couple of days!

Also, if you sign up with them, you get 50 free prints for your first order.  Use code 50FREE.

Daily Review - Fabric District

As somebody who loves to craft, the Fabric District in Downtown L.A. is a resource that I probably don't use enough.  The streets in that area are filled with store after store of floor to ceiling fabric bolts with everything from apparel and upholstery fabrics, trims, lace and more.  If anything, it's somewhat overwhelming and if I were in fashion school, it would be a dream.

Given that it's a three day weekend and I had no particular plans for today, I decided to head down there and take a good look around.  I've been before, but usually with husband in tow.  While he's quite accommodating to my crafty whims, I didn't want to torture him with what I knew would be a lengthy stroll through that spot.  I wasn't searching for anything in particular and this was really more of a mission to see what was on offer.

Parking can be a real pain and even though it's a holiday, so the meters weren't an issue, finding one can be completely impossible.  I decided to pay the $4 for a parking lot and not have to deal with the painfully slow "looking for a space" traffic crawl.  Fortunately, the fabric stores seem to be concentrated in a relatively small area with a few blocks in either direction of Santee and 8th.  With comfortable walking shoes, it's a breeze.

I'm going to use Joann as a point of comparison for pricing, as that's a good standard, although I know there's lots of places online with more competitive prices.  If you're looking for apparel fabric, there are tons of places that have offerings starting as low as $0.99/yd.  I'm a big fan of brocades and while those usually run about $9.99/yd at Joann, they seem to average about $3/yd downtown, which is a nice savings.  There were lots of places to get a great discount on minky fabrics, with the cheapest I found being $6/yd (compared to $12.99), and I bought some polar fleece for $2/yd (compared to $9.99 and up).  I didn't look too closely at the upholstery fabric, but there was no shortage of choice.  The one thing that wasn't readily on offer was quilting type fabrics, which is a shame because that's probably what I would have the most use for.

Some shops have their prices very clearly marked, but other places you will need to ask.  Those seem to be the places where negotiating is almost expected.  For example, the shop where I purchased the fleece had quoted me $2/yd, but a different sales person told a lady that came in just after I did that it was $2.50.  You definitely want to bring cash as well because most places don't take credit.  The other problem can be that the fabric content isn't always clearly marked, so worth asking and making a note of as you buy.

A review of the Fabric District certainly wouldn't be complete without mentioning Michael Levine, which is probably the most well known store in that area.  I did pop in for a few minutes, and they have a terrific selection of whatever type of fabric you might want - from silks, denims, leathers, flannel, Kona cotton and so on.  One thing to note is that they are not the cheapest place and while I'm sure the quality is better than Joann, the prices are definitely higher.  Across the street is the Michael Levine Loft, which has tons of fabric bins filled with what appear to be end of bolt or scraps from the cutting room floor.  Everything in there is $2.50/lb and is great if you have the patience to rummage through everything to find suitable yardage for your project.

Overall, it's a fun place to spend a few hours, but I would definitely suggest having some idea of what you're looking for.  I think I'm going to go through my clothing patterns and figure out what types of fabric/yardage I need for next time I have some extra cash.  I'll probably be buying every color of minky available too!  :)

Daily Review - Not a girly girl

It occurred to me the other day that I'm a 30-something yet my make-up bag is seriously lacking.  I've never really worn a lot of make-up.  In fact, I probably wore it more consistently when I was 17 than I do now.  As a result, most of the make-up I own is pretty crappy (except the slightly nicer stuff I bought for my wedding day, which was nearly 3 years ago!)

Out of nowhere, I got an itch to update my collection a little - buy some stuff to even out the complexion, get over my fear of liquid eyeliner, try a new shade of eyeshadow.  I was looking for something that would be suitable but inexpensive, which is when I remembered E.L.F. (eyeslipsface.com).  After checking out a dozen beauty blogs and reviews, I figured I couldn't go too wrong with this stuff.  After all, most of their products are $1-$3 each and it seems like most people found it to be very decent (especially given the price!)  Even better, they sell it at Target, albeit a limited collection.  For under $15, I got 8 products to try and I figure that if I like it, I can always order from their extended selection on the website, and if I don't like it then I didn't break the bank.

For my face, I got the Under Eye Concealer & Highlighter, the Complexion Perfection, and the Translucent Matifying Powder.

For my eyes, I got the Brightening Eyeliner, Brightening Eyecolor (Luxe colorway) and Waterproof Eyeliner Pen.

I also picked up a couple of brushes to add to the minimal collection that I already have - the Eye Shadow Brush and Total Face Brush.

So, for the first time in a long time, I had a totally girly-girl moment and played with make-up!

The Complexion Perfection is a pretty cool little product.  It has 4 colored powders that you can use mixed together to even out tone, or individually to treat specific problems.  I used the total face brush to use the powder all over my face, then used a little of the yellow and green to neutralize under-eye redness.  I found the powder to be very light and definitely felt like my face was more even-toned after.  



The Under Eye Concealer & Highlighter is double-ended with little wands for application.  I found the concealer to be pretty good, especially with a little powder to seal it.  On the other hand, not sure if I'll ever really use the highlighter.  It has a little too much shimmer to it, and perhaps could be used in the corner of the eye to brighten.  It says it can also be used as an eyeshadow base, which I think I'll try sometime.

Did I mention I have a somewhat irrational fear of liquid eyeliner?  I decided to be brave and give this a try.  For a total novice like me, I found it very easy to apply using shorter strokes (i.e. I didn't end up with it all over my eyelid!)  The application was also very smooth and didn't pull on my skin.  It dried very quickly and lasted all night without any problems.  I was thrilled that my attempt went so well.  :)


I also tried the eyeshadow, using the eyeshadow brush to apply.  I found it to be pretty pigmented and blended nicely.  It was still wearing well at the end of the night, which was impressive to me seeing as I tend to forget I'm wearing make-up and rub my eyes.  I was keeping the look pretty subtle, but here's what the end result looked like.  Based on the number of compliments I received on Friday night, the make-up was looking good!  I'm no cosmetics expert, but overall I'm very happy and can't wait to try out other things from the line. 

Daily Review - Cold season strikes

Please excuse my absence for the past few days.  I've been sick and the majority of my time has been spent creating an ass-groove in the couch.  Go figure that husband got a "cold" sometime last week, which consisted of mild sniffling and a complete rebound 36 hours later.  So, when I started feeling it myself, he was happy to tell me that it was minor and would be gone shortly.  Wrong.  Somehow, for me it turned into a full blown cold involving double-digit cups of green tea and strong cravings for soup - despite not really being able to taste any of it. 

After the umpteenth hour of dozing on the couch, I did take a minute to google some at-home remedies and was bored enough to try a couple.  

Thyme tea - this involved steeping 2 teaspoons of thyme in boiling water for about 5 minutes with a little bit of lemon juice.  It's supposed to help with respiratory problems and removing mucus (yummy!)  In terms of taste, I rate this as pretty foul.  Then again, it might have helped if I'd strained the thyme leaves before drinking it so it didn't feel like I was drinking a mouthful of dry dirt with each sip.  At the same time, that was an extra step that this sickly being didn't have the energy to take.  In terms of feeling better?  Nothing noticeable, although perhaps doing it more than the once would help...but that would involve drinking that repulsive mixture again, which I wasn't willing to do.  I find that to be kind of amusing seeing as I'm only just starting to get my sense of taste and smell back!

Tumeric in milk - I found this one to be interesting as apparently tumeric has all kinds of fun healing properties, in particular anti-inflammatory (useful for arthritis) and has been proven to have promise for cancer treatment.  I always just figured it was tasty in Indian food, as if I need more excuse to eat/cook Indian!  Anyway, this involved making a mixture of tumeric with hot milk and a little honey.  It didn't taste too bad either - a little odd at first but I quickly got used to it.  I found the flavor of this mixture to be a lot more tolerable and once I drank it, I did in fact feel quite soothed.  

I think I'll probably keep sticking to green tea with honey for the main part, but the tumeric mixture wasn't bad and is one I'd do again.  In the meantime, husband is currently cooking me pasta sauce with a ton of cayenne pepper, onion and garlic in it; all of which have great healing properties and will hopefully get me up and going like a normal person soon!

So, as cold season is upon us, what are your favorite remedies?

Daily Review - Julie And Julia

I just finished watching Julie & Julia, which came hot on the heels of finishing the book last week.  If you enjoy cooking and blogging (and for those of you that have been following, I like both) it's an enjoyable story.  Back in 2002, Julie Powell decided to add something to her life by cooking her way through Julia Child's recipe book - Mastering the Art of French Cooking, Vol. 1.  She blogged her exploits over the year of the project and got both a book and movie deal out of it.  Not bad right?

It has to be said, it's a fascinating concept - dedicating yourself (and by association your spouse and friends) to a project of this nature.  I'm just trying to picture what my husband would say if I were to put forth such an insane suggestion.  It definitely drove home the point that anything is possible with the support of those around you though!  I found myself appreciating Julie Powell's plight, even though I didn't necessarily find her the most lovable character that I've ever read.

It's almost a rule of thumb that the book is better than the movie, but this may be the exception for me.  I don't know much about Julia Child.  Perhaps it's because I grew up in England and never really got the exposure to her culinary talents that American households did.  Whatever the reason though, what I loved about this movie was the exposure to her character that wasn't fully furnished by Julie Powell's book.  Meryl Streep, as always, provides a wonderfully lively portrayal of the character and I found myself giggling at her on-screen antics.  (I will admit that something about the voice of Julie Child made me think of Mrs. Doubtfire though).  Amy Adams, on the other hand, gave Julie Powell a certain charm that I think she lacked in the book.  Essentially the movie really tied Julie and Julia together very neatly and put it all in perspective for me.

As a blogger, the thing I identified with most though were Julie's musings about who was actually reading her blog.  When I write a post, such as this one, I always wonder who will end up reading it.  I write about things that I find interesting without knowing whether anybody else that reads it will share that interest....or even if anybody else will read it at all.  We have the advantages these days of stat counters that will tell me some person in Kansas, or New York, or Spain, read my blog for 3 minutes yesterday, although it still doesn't tell me anything about that person.  Just like Julie I guess, I publish my musings into cyberspace and it connects me to others, even if I never know anything else about that person.  That in itself is weird but kinda cool.

While I may not be boiling a calf's foot to make aspic, like Julie did, I'm still hoping somebody gets a kick out of something that I have to say and I appreciate all of you that are reading about it.  :)

Daily Review - Ped Egg

Over the course of the weekend, I thought of about 6 things that I wanted to blog about, but wasn't able to get to any of them.  I also have to either take pictures at home, or get pictures already taken off my camera at home.  For now, I'll write about the one thing that you probably don't need to see pictures of!

If any of you are like me, and I suspect you are, you wonder about those "as seen on TV" products and which of them actually work.  The one that has me the most curious is the Ped Egg, on account of the fact that my heels get ridiculously dry.  Pumice stones have never quite done enough and quite frankly, nobody wants to velcro themselves to the bed sheets with their rough heels!  In my attempt to find a suitable solution as we head into summer, I decided to read some online reviews as to whether the Ped Egg works.  I was truly quite surprised to find an overwhelming positive response, so off I went to CVS to buy one.  Saturday afternoon, I settled down to give my heels a much needed overhaul.  While my feet certainly aren't perfect, I can officially say that the Ped Egg does work and with a few more treatments, my heels should be sandal ready!

In review:

• Ease of use - This is a simple and comfortable design to use.  The egg is comfortable to hold and very lightweight.  I know some online reviewers had mentioned that the little cup doesn't catch everything as easily as the commercial says, so I tried to make sure that I didn't flip the Ped Egg sideways or upside down.  I think the hardest part may have been trying to keep my foot in a position where the Ped Egg stayed with the cup directly underneath to catch all the shavings, which it actually did.  It's quite fascinating to pop off the blade from the cup that catches the filings and see the little pile of shavings.  Husband happened to walk into the room as I was doing this and gave me the "ewwww, that's nasty" look, but I found it strangely entertaining.
• Effectiveness - I was able to remove most of the hard and calloused parts of my heel very quickly (perhaps 3 or 4 minutes on each foot).  The instructions warn to stop and check your progress constantly so that you don't get too over-zealous and end up causing foot pain, so I would stop and run my hand over my foot to check how things were looking.  I was happy with how effective the blade is and I found that I didn't need to use too much pressure for it to do the job.  I think the way the blade is designed means that the end result is smoother than other methods I have tried.
• Price - After using my CVS bucks, I paid $6 for mine.  I know I've seen them at Walgreens, Bed Bath & Beyond (where you could use a 20% off coupon), and various online merchants.  It seems that people warn not to buy directly from the infomercial on account of some shady business with random credit card charges.  The fact it's so easily available elsewhere means that I won't worry much about that.  A refill pack of 3 blades seems to range in price from $5-$10.  I don't consider this to be very expensive and it's certainly cheaper than having to go out for a pedicure.  

Overall, I'm happy with the results that I got from the Ped Egg.  After the single use, I've already got a lot more "feeling" back where the hardened/dead skin has been removed.  I anticipate that the initial uses will take care of getting my feet into a really nice state.  From there, it's more a question of making sure I moisturize, combined with using the Ped Egg for maintenance.

Have you used this product?  I'd love to know if it's worked for you!

Daily Review - Finding the perfect cat food!

Our baby cat Deuce is now a little over 7 months old. There are a million different opinions out there as to the best diet for cats and which foods are best. When we first got the little guy, I had looked around for some tips as to how to read a cat food label, whether dry or wet food was better (naturally finding arguments for both), how much to feed him etc. We opted for a mixed dry/wet food diet and he gets around a quarter can every morning and evening of Hill's Science Plan Kitten wet food, plus Purina O.N.E. Healthy Kitten Formula as his dry food during the day.  Our vet said he's incredibly healthy and he's obviously done well with what we've fed him so far.  Now it's time to look for the right adult food for him.

Our vet suggested we switch him to adult food around the 9-10 month range.  The question of course is which one?!  The choices are really pretty extensive and, while he's not a picky eater (the only thing he doesn't like are fish flavors), we do need to find something that he agrees is good as well as good for him.  One of the best things to look for in cat food is that there is a good amount of proper protein and not an over-abundance of unnecessary grains.  For example, if chicken is the first ingredient that is good.  Chicken meal is even better as it's already been baked to remove bacteria and excess water, therefore the actual chicken quantity that is in the food is increased.  I also found this interesting article from the FDA regarding pet food label requirements.

Premium cat foods, such as Innova and Wellness, can be very expensive.  I feel like we're looking for something in the middle, but I'll tell you that it's ridiculously overwhelming.  It's amazing how Hill's Science Diet is so popular because looking at the ingredient list, it doesn't seem to be the most appealing.  In fact, animal by-product is the number one ingredient when I'd much rather be feeding him the more wholesome bits.

There was a Nutro representative in-store at Petco today, so I took a closer look at their products, both Nutro Max and Nutro Natural (the more premium grade food).  They certainly have the benefit of using chicken meal.  The other product that I think is my first choice, although definitely on the pricier side, is Blue Buffalo Spa Select, which has both deboned chicken and chicken meal as the first two ingredients.

After all this, I still haven't truly made a decision and I haven't even started to look at wet food yet as those labels are even more confusing to read due to the "moisture content" equation!  I think it's worth looking at though.  How could I not give my furry little boy a good diet to keep him healthy and happy?

What do you use?  Do you have any suggestions?  I would love to hear them!

Daily Review - eknittingneedles.com

Knitting is the hobby that I spend the most time on these days. It's kind of funny to me because I spend a lot of time knitting, but don't wear a lot of knits because Southern California weather rarely permits bundling up in big woolly items.

About 8 months ago, I got myself a "part-time job" (so to speak) as a sample knitter for Plymouth Yarns. I am sent yarn and a pattern, I get to knit them up, send them back, and the items I make end up being worn by models to use as references for the patterns that the yarn company makes available. It's been a very rewarding experience and, if nothing else, I get to try all kinds of yarns. The fact I get paid isn't a bad thing either - especially with an unemployed husband in a down economy.

The one problem that I tend to have is keeping my knitting needles organized, or receiving a sample knitting pattern (where gauge is really important) and not having/being able to find the needles that I need. To solve this problem, I decided that I wanted to buy a set of needles that would encompass all the sizes most regularly needed. I looked into interchangeable needle sets, like the Boye, KnitPicks, Denise and so on - although funds have been a little tight given aforementioned unemployed husband. Then I remembered eknittingneedles.com where I could buy a set of bamboo circular needles in all the sizes necessary for the bargain price of $25 (incl. free shipping). I figured it was worth emptying a little out of my PayPal account to buy them and I finally had a chance to use them last night.
So, in review:
-The eknittingneedles.com website is very easy to navigate. They have single point, double point, and circular knitting needles. They also carry regular crochet hooks, tunisian hooks, crohooks (double-ended), and dangle hooks (crochet hook with attached tubing). The ordering is secure and does support PayPal. Registry with the site is optional, but I opted to do so purely for order tracking purposes.
- The bamboo on the needles is nice and smooth. Each needle has the metric size (mm) printed on them so they're easy to identify. I was getting a little squeaking from the needles as I was using them, although I suspect it's actually the yarn I was using (some nice Red Heart acrylic for a ferret hammock I'm making!)
- The cables are soft and flexible. They seem a little bit like thin medical tubing, but I found the cables to be very easy to bend and move around. Most importantly for me, I didn't find them stiff like some other circular needles that I've used in the past. I also found the joins between the needle and the cables to be seamless with no snagging issues.
- The price quite frankly can't be beat for this set. 15 pairs of needles for $25 puts them at $1.66/ea. There are other eBay sellers that have competitive pricing but I really liked the ease of ordering and the free shipping straight off the site. The shipping was quick (I received shipping confirmation 2 days after I placed the order) and they were kind enough to give me 4 extra needles by accident - that's 19 circular needles total!
- I don't know much about the customer service but I did hear from a member of Ravelry that they were missing a needle size when they had placed their order, and ended up with a full set to replace it. If that's true, then the customer service totally rocks.

So, if you're looking for an inexpensive way to get a decent set of needles, I definitely suggest checking out the site.