Dixie Cash- Don't Make Me Choose Between You and My Shoes {Book Review}

Dixie Cash- 
Don't Make Me Choose Between You and My Shoes
  Big Hair in the Big Apple equals Big Trouble!
New York City is miles from Salt Lick, Texas in more ways than one, but Debbie Sue Overstreet and Edwina Perkins-Martin are rarin to go. The best friends/beauty shop owners/private-eye partners have been offered an all-expense paid trip to the National Association of Private Investigators convention in the Big Apple. Debbie Sue sees the invation as validation, but Edwina has one goal: to get her feet into a super-glam designer shoes, not easily had back home. Yee-haw!
As a sign of things to come, the two Texas tornadoes don't even get out of the state without causing pandemonium at the Dallas airport. And once they land in the Big City they meet Celina, a small-town librarian who's broke and bereft from getting robbed, and Cher, an amiable "working girl" with a heart of gold. Taking them under their wings, they head right for trouble as Edwina nearly starts a riot in the hotel bar.
But the Big Apple hasn't seen nothin' yet! While helping shy Celina hook up with a hunky young police detective, the Domestic Equalizers bumble their way into a murder investigation that could end up leaving Debbie Sue deceased and Edwina stone-cold in her new Jimmy Choos!
www.harpercollins.com

Jessi's Review-
I am a HUGE fan of this book! I had never actually read a book by Dixie Cash or even heard of the author (a pen-name for a two-sister writing team). I loved it. The characters were hilarious and the book was super funny! The characters are so life-like and I love that! As a country girl myself-- I would definitely like to author a book that could make the reader feel like I felt while reading the book! Amazing! I'll definitely be buying more Dixie Cash books! I'd also love to set up an interview with the two sisters soon! 
You can buy the book below


Debbie Sue Overstreet and Edwina Perkins-Martin, beauticians, private eyes, and best friends, solve a murder and recover stolen library funds with new friends when invited to speak at an investigator's convention in New York City.

More about the author

› Visit Amazon's Dixie Cash Page

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Biography

Dixie Cash is Pamela Cumbie and her sister Jeffery McClanahan. They grew up in West Texas during the great oil boom, an era filled with "real-life fictional" characters who cry to be written about. Pam has always had a zany sense of humor and Jeffery has always had a dry wit. Surrounded by cowboys and steeped in country-western music, when they can stop laughing long enough they work together creating hilarity on paper. Both live in Texas—Pam in the Fort Worth–Dallas Metroplex and Jeffery in a small town near Fort Worth.

Homemade Cleaners: Quick-and-Easy, Toxin-Free Recipes <Book Review>

                    

Disclosure: This was sent for review purposes only. All opinions are completely honest.

I received “Homemade Cleaners: Quick-and-Easy, Toxin-Free Recipes to Replace Your Kitchen Cleaner, Bathroom Disinfectant, Laundry Detergent, Bleach, Bug Killer, Air Freshener, and more……” by Mandy O’Brien and Dionna Ford and absolutely loved it.

As a WAHM, I don't have the time to make difficult, complicated cleaning recipes, and I don’t want to spend a ton of money (or time) on buying expensive ingredients. The easy-to-make recipes and no-fuss ingredients in this book definitely give us a chance to ban those chemicals from our homes. We don’t have to go on a wild goose chase trying to find certain ingredients.

My favorite part is that there’s an entire section for PARENTS. If you’ve ever thought “I wonder if there’s a recipe for that?” There is and it’s inside this book. This is definitely the bible for cleaning up after kids.

>>>Sticker Remover, Crayon Remover, Gum remover, Permanent Marker remover…

As a parent it does frighten me at the rate America is consuming + throwing out. It’s pretty ridiculous really. There are recipes, tips, and advice for using less chemicals and going greener.

There is even a detailed chapter on helpful ingredients (washing soda, essential oils, witch hazel, hydrogen peroxide, base oils, etc.) and where to find them. Those items are what sent me running with other natural-cleaning books.  This is seriously like a one-stop-shop for cleaning information + homemade recipes. There’s nothing that they don’t cover.

It’s an amazing book and a must-have on any shelf. There is a HUGE long list of recipes for anything and everything. This is the “cleaning bible” practically. But it’s much more than that- it EXPLAINS how we can be more eco-friendly and WHY we should. You’ll be loving it before the first chapter is up, I’m telling you! <Super Amazing Must-Have.

The very products that you’ve been buying to keep your home clean and healthy can harm you. How insane is that? The best way to avoid anything like that- is by making as many of the cleaning products handmade.

Homemade Cleaners features over 150 recipes that are:
• Toxin-Free
• Simple and Affordable
• Highly Effective
• Environmentally Sound
• Kid and Baby Friendly

Using ingredients like vinegar, baking soda, and even vodka, the authors tackle the nitty-gritty of everything from countertop cleaners to air-purifying plants.

Easy to make recipes that are all natural with no chemicals! YES!!

Get it:

Homemade Cleaners: Quick-and-Easy, Toxin-Free Recipes

150+ Screen-Free Activities for Kids by Asia Citro; Adams Media

                       

Disclosure: Items mentioned in this post were sent for review purposes only. All opinions are 100% honest and my own. :)

Bring back playtime, all the time! Dive into a bubbling swamp world. Drum on an Outdoor Sound Wall. Explore the gooeyness of Glowing Slime.

With the one-of=a-kind projects in 150+ Screen-Free Activities for Kids, your family will rediscover the spirit of imaginative play! These fun activities help develop your child’s creativity and skills- all without a screen in sight. Featuring step-by-step instructions and beautiful photographs, each budget-friendly project will keep your child entertained, engaged, and learning all day long. Best of all, no one will complain about turning off the TV or computer with such entertaining activities!

• Natural Dye Fingerpaints
• Taste-Safe, Gluten-Free Playdough
• Erupting Volcano Dinosaur World
• Fizzy Rainbow Slush
• Taste-Safe Glow Water

Complete with dozens of exercises for babies, toddlers, and school-aged children, 150+ Screen-Free Activities for Kids will help your family step away from your devices and step into endless afternoons of playtime fun!

 

My kids get to watch TV and play games at times, but I limit the time on it. There are tons of educational games and shows, but kids these days need to do MORE and watch LESS. The cold weather keeps us from playing outside as much, so this book is perfect for the colder months.

This is a definite must-have for any parent, teacher, or grandparent. This book is filled with ideas and projects to get the kids excited. It’s split into chapters about making Slime, dough, paint, small worlds, sensory activities, and DIY Toys.

The first chapter is dedicated to explaining how to use the book. Asia explains “I know activity books can seem overwhelming- there are so many choices and perhaps you don’t have all the materials yet. So my challenge to you is just try one thing. Everyone has water, so check out Chapter 6: Simple Sensory Activities, and look at my water play activities.”

That’s what I love about this book! There are so many activities to try, yet most don’t require a ton of supplies. She even has all the supplies you need listed at the very beginning so you could get it all in one or two trips to Walmart or Dollar Tree. Nothing on the list costs very much, containing items like cornstarch, flour, baking soda, vinegar…

The memories that come from crafting and creating with my kids is what I love best. I want them to be able to look back and remember the things we did and the things they learned. We have craft night every Saturday (or every other depending).. but my kids LOVE it.

Chapter 2-Slimes

Slimes stretch, ooze, and goop and can be made in a variety of ways. I love that I can play guessing games with my kids before they use the different slimes they made. I can ask them questions like how far can it stretch, can it be cut with scissors, or if it can be rolled into a ball and bounced.

The slimes will usually last a week or more if sealed in a plastic bag. There are 11 different types of slime to DIY from this book. There is the simple two-ingredient slime, the polka dot slime, and even a glowing slime. They are all non-toxic and dye free, so most are even safe for babies. It tells on the page which ages can use each slime recipe.

Chapter 3-Doughs

There are an assortment of dough recipes, all of them can be stored in airtight containers to keep them from drying out. Playdough isn’t only fun, it helps with fine motor skills as well. Depending on your kids age she gives amazing ideas for learning/playing with the dough. Making or building different things or if your child is small- they can squish, pull, and roll it.

The classic playdough recipe in this book is cheap and lasts 4-6 months when stored at room temperature. Instead of paying money for plastic kid tools, use items you already have laying around you house. Keys, marker tops, toys, or kitchen gadgets (rolling pin, etc)

There are recipes including foam dough,salt dough, moon sand, play clay and so many more. There’s absolutely no dyes or chemicals in these recipes, so they are perfect for kids allergic to gluten, eggs, soy, and nuts!

Chapter 4-Paints

My kids love to paint, so I was glad to see a chapter dedicated to making our own. There are plenty of different paints, which are even safe for babies to fingerpaint with. Gel paints, glitter paints, puffy paints, sidewalk paints and even glowing paints! Love it!

Chapter 5-Small Worlds

My kids love imagination play and this is a cool way to boost their imagination. This chapter focuses on helping your child build small worlds to interact with. This included instructions on frog world, dinosaur rescue world, dragon world, ocean world,swamp world, insect world, and so many more!

These different little worlds are absolutely amazing and so cute. There’s nothing better to a kid to have their own little world where they can play and discover. Some of these do require stuff like water, dirt, and rocks—so you need a plastic see-through bin to create the worlds.

Chapter 6- Simple Sensory Activities

Simple sensory activities will help develop your child, their senses, and fine/gross motor skills. Sensory play includes a lot of pouring and scooping, filling different sized containers, and moving/selecting large and small bits of materials.

These activities do include senses such as touch, smell, and sight. They get to play in a variety of items such as colored water, colored pasta, colored beans, soap foam, colored salt, coffee grounds, shaving cream, flour, or sugar. This lets them touch and play with materials that all have a different texture when touched.

Chapter 7-DIY Toys

These toys are amazing for smaller kids and toddlers as well as babies. Making DIY toys with your children will be so much fun for them. This chapter features awesome stuff like DIY Cardboard Butterfly Wings, Foam Reusable Bath Sets, and a Recycled Car City. For babies they have PomPom Straw Push Toy, discovery bottles, and sensory boards.

We are in love with this book. I love how Asia (the author) doesn’t just help give me fun ideas to share with my kids, the materials are cheap and easy to find as well. The items can be found at Dollar Tree or WalMart and don’t cost an arm and a leg like some craft books for kids.

What are some of your favorite kid craft books? 

 

About the Author>

                 

Asia Citro, MEd, creator of the popular blog, Fun at Home with Kids, has a strong science and education background, and is an experienced teacher and mother of two. Fun at Home with Kids launched in 2013 and has been featured on Babble, Red Tricycle, Disney Baby, Apartment Therapy, and MSN.com, among others.

She lives near Seattle with her wonderful husband, two awesome children, and two destructive cats. She started writing Fun at Home with Kids in February of 2013 and has since spent many late nights experimenting with new play recipes and sensory materials.

150+ Screen-Free Activities for Kids: the best and easiest playtime activities from FunAtHomeWithKids.com is her first book and is jokingly referred to by family members as her third child. To read about her most recent late night discoveries or to see more photos of her adorable kids at play, visit www.funathomewithkids.com.

 

 

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“With over 300 books in 25 categories, our benchmark Everything series offers all you need to tackle a difficult project, gain a new hobby, or comprehend a fascinating topic. The Streetwise series is a one-of-a-kind line dedicated specifically to the informational needs of the small business person”

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Picture Cook: See. Make. Eat. by Katie Shelly; Ulysses Press

Recipes Without Reading
With illustrations instead of text, Picture Cook will reinvent the way you make food. Over 50 homey recipes are distilled into their most basic components, each rendered step-by-step in enchanting line drawings like nothing ever before seen in a cookbook. Covering everything from omelets and lasagna to chocolate cake, this cheery bunch of recipes will cure your kitchenphobia, delight the design lover in you and satisfy every tummy in your path.

Perfect for visual learners, novice chefs, and design aficionados, these whimsical recipe blueprints provide quick and simple guidance for making classic dishes every cook should have in their repertoire. Cooking is a nonverbal activity that many people best understand visually. It is with this notion that artist Katie Shelly began rendering her recipes entirely in image form and created Picture Cook.

Including a visual tutorial on knife skills, illustrated metric conversion chart, and an index especially organized for various dietary needs, Picture Cook makes the perfect gift for budding chefs, college students, or any home cook in need of some visual inspiration.

 

My Review*

This is seriously the best recipe book in my extensive collection.I’ve never owned such a fun recipe book, actually I’ve never even seen one like this EVER. I am a visual learner and I have to say that this book is absolutely ingenious book for all of us. Whether you’re a beginner home cook or a novice chef, you will appreciate the thought that Katie puts into this book.

I don’t know how many times I was reading through a recipe book and wished for this same idea. It is so much easier for me to follow along when I can visually SEE what I need to be doing, instead of just reading about it. This book is SO easy to follow, not to mention how AWESOMELY fun it is.

As soon as I got this, I just had to sit down and look through it all. The super cute illustrations just make it so much fun and intriguing to even those who have never cooked or baked anything in their life. I would have to say that I am in the middle- I’m not a beginner, yet I’m not what you would call an intermediate cook either.

How many times have you sit down with a recipe book and wanted so bad to try something new? Yet, seemed to get stuck because you didn’t exactly know WHAT you were doing and got intimidated? Now that isn’t a problem. The Picture Cook contains a huge variety of recipes and makes every single one an absolute thrill to make. I wish I’d had this book when I was new to cooking, this is exactly what I needed at the time.

The steps in this book make following along SO much simpler. My brain doesn’t have to take the time to filter the words and put them into a visual cue, it’s already there for me! I don’t have to stress about getting hung-up on a complicated recipe or how to properly prepare the items. There’s no questions about what to do next, it’s clearly drawn out.

    

Everything that we need to cook great food is right here. The book starts with the legend and basic techniques. The legend (just like in a map) shows us what she means with each drawing that we will see later. That way there are no mistakes and just plain fun working!

One of my favorite things about this book is the techniques shown. There’s no hiding that I am a HORRIBLE vegetable chopper. I have a hard time chopping veggies like they should be chopped. This book clearly defines with the drawings how to mince garlic, chop onions, slice avocados, & dice round things (like cucumbers and tomatoes).

 

Each recipe features drawings of the ingredients and the steps of preparing the dish, with the instructions included in the drawings. The ingredients are drawn out at the bottoms of each recipe, which the included instructions. I no longer have to read long paragraphs of how to prepare the foods, I can just glance over!

The recipes are broken into chapters;

• Breakfast
• Soups & stews
• Hefty meals
• Sides & salads
• Fast snacks
• Sauces & dips
• Drinks
• Dessert

The recipes within are mixed. There are some that we all know or have made at some point in our lives such as Cinnamon Sugar Toast, Home Fries, Chili, and Mashed Potatoes. Most of these recipes are ones that I haven’t seen and have healthy twists to them such as Avocado & feta snack, Strawberry Honey & basil snack, and White Lasagna. There are over 50 amazing recipes for us to try!

I love it so much because it demystifies what beginning cooks usually question. It simplifies everything, making cooking and baking a breeze instead of a chore because it’s interactively visual. It really brings fun into the kitchen. This is definitely going to be something I can have my kids help me with, they love helping me cook. With the pictures my son and daughter can start to learn recipes and help me out with putting the recipes together! Total A+ book!

So cute, unique, & a definite must-have. Great recipes and illustrations. 5/5 would recommend to anyone! This would be amazing gift to give for the Holidays!

Get it for under $15!

Picture Cook: See.Make.Eat

Connect with Ulysses Press online:

Twitter & Facebook

About the Author: Katie Shelly

Katie Shelly is a media designer aiming to make your life simpler. easier and happier. She hopes that you get lots of mileage out of the recipes in this book and they make you and your loved ones very happy. Katie works at the Cooper Hewitt Museum in New York City as a graphics and video producer. She also freelances in graphic design, illustration, and animation.

 

The Good Dog Book by Todd Kessler

            


The Good Dog by Todd Kessler is an amazing book, written by Todd Kessler who is a co-creator of the popular show Blue Clues!

Ricky Lee was riding his bike down a hill when he spotted a box spilled over on the side of the road. He peeks inside and realizes to his amazement that there is a puppy inside. He brings the puppy home and claims him as his own, naming him Tako.

    
Ricky’s parents only had one condition if he keep Tako- that he must be a good dog. Tako was very thankful that he now had a forever home and tried his best to be a “good dog”. He loved the family for letting him have a chance, so tried to be on his best behavior. It’s hard to manage when you have other factors pulling you to be curious, but he continued to be a good dog.

The Lee Family owned a small bakery in the middle of town. They had competition though- Mr. Prichard. Mr. Prichard is a mean, nasty, greedy man who sells stale goods to make more money without being good to the customers. He gets mad when the Lee Family starts taking all his clients, because they were interested in their delicious home-baked goods.

Mr. Prichard starts being very rude- he breaks in the Lee’s bakery at night planting all kinds of nasty things. Bugs, rats, you name it- he plants it. Tako heard noises in the bakery and goes to check it out. He then has to make a very hard decision. Should he run Mr. Prichard off and then his family think Tako was being the trouble maker? He couldn’t just watch Mr. Prichard plant all those nasty things in the bakery, so he did what a real “good dog” would do and broke bad on Prichard.

We were rooting for Tako throughout the entire book. My kids knew that Tako was doing the right thing in the end, even if it meant standing up only for those he truly loved. We really enjoyed reading this book. The story is thoughtful, delightful to read, and delivers an amazing message. The illustrations are also top notch quality, we loved all the detail within the pictures!

About Todd Kessler:
Todd Kessler is the co-creator and show runner of the highly successful children’s television series “Blue’s Clues”. A signature of Todd’s work is that it has always been developed with the input of actual children (and sometimes dogs and cats too). His artistic and innovative creations have garnered him the prestigious Peabody Award, seven Emmy nominations, two Television Critics Association awards, five Parent’s Choice awards, first place in the children’s division of the Toronto International Film Festival, and a New York Film Festival Cine Golden Eagle. He lives in Los Angeles with his wife.

To learn more about Tako and his creator Todd, visit the website
and follow twitter, facebook, & pinterest


Jessica

Book Review: Jump Start HTML5; O’Reilly Media

                        
 

Jump Start HTML5 is a short book that provides a practical introduction to HTML5. HTML (HyperText Markup Language) is the predominant language of web pages. Originally developed as a way to describe and share scientific papers, HTML is now used to mark up all sorts of documents and create visual interfaces for browser-based software.
With HTML5, however, HTML has become as much an of API for developing browser-based software as it is a markup language. In this book, we'll talk about the history of HTML and HTML5 and explore its new features.
It covers:

• HTML5 basics
• Multimedia
• Canvas and SVG
• HTML5 applications
• HTML5 APIs

HTML5 is required knowledge for every professional web designer and developer. This book will quickly get you up to speed with the fundamentals of HTML5 and give you the confidence to start experimenting on your own.

My Review
I have been designing my own blog graphics, backgrounds, and buttons for a long time now. I taught myself with HTML books and reading websites based on website design. It’s not hard if you have the right books to teach you what you’re supposed to be learning. O’Reilly Media produces many of the books that have helped me along the way.

This book is no different. HTML changes up so fast, just like the internet that it’s best to stay on top of stuff. Something you design today could not be relevant in the next month. HTML is always updating, but the basics almost always stay the same.

If you want to learn how to design websites, graphics, or anything that will be places on the internet, you’ll need to learn HTML design. It’s the basic of all website design. I started out with Head First HTML from O’Reilly Media (GREAT read by the way). Same as this book, it is a great place to start for those wanting to learn HTML5 without all the complications.



=Jessica

Book Review: The New Braiding Handbook by Abby Smith; Ulysses Press

 

THE ULTIMATE GUIDE TO GORGEOUSLY BRAIDED HAIR, FROM ELEGANT WEDDING STYLES TO FUN WEEKEND ’DOS

Whether you’re running errands, going out on the town, or walking down the aisle, the fashionable braids in this book will give you the perfect look for every occasion. Just follow the simple instructions and step-by-step photos to quickly master gorgeous new looks, including:

•Fabulous Fishtails
•Elegant Updos
•Beautiful Buns
•Classy Crowns
•Knockout Knots
•Head-Turning ’Tails

Hair braiding is getting hotter by the day, and the evolution of styles has grown as radily. The New Braiding Handbook offers you an impressive array of easy-to-re-create, beautiful, and versatile looks that are as appropriate for elegant formal events as they are practical for casual, everyday wear.

 

My Review

 

Braids, knots, and buns, oh my! The New Braiding Handbook is a book filled with 60 modern twists on classic hair styles. The book is a full color guide that will help you master the trendiest twists, fishtails, and up-dos. With easy to follow instructions and step-by-step photos, you’ll learn how to get gorgeous new looks.

I have very long hair, yet I had only mastered 3 hairstyles; down, ponytail, and half-up! Not very exciting, huh? I was beginning to think I was horrible at being a woman. My first instinct is to just throw it in a ponytail. I figured if I even tried anything sophisticated, my hair would end up in a million and five knots.

The hair styles in this book are nothing short of breathtaking. Some simple, some elegant, and some just downright stunning. I first seen the waterfall braid on Facebook and immediately fell in love with it. I wanted to try it so bad, yet it looked so complicated (well to me at least). Then there were the fishtail braids and the amazing knots. I just kept thinking to myself “Even though you work from home, there’s no need for your hair to look exactly the same on a daily basis.”

I got this book and spent countless hours just testing them all on my daughter Adisyn. Practice makes perfect, right? Not only did we have tons of fun, but the hair styles weren’t as complicated as I thought they would be. Take this from someone who didn’t even know how to french braid.

“Styling hair isn’t a talent, it’s a skill” Abby Smith explains, and she is definitely right. The more you practice what is shown in the pictures, the easier it becomes. One of those Aha moments I guess. I love that I’ll now be able to add some flair to Adisyns hair with something other than bows and headbands this school year. She loves having that hair styled—that little diva of mine.

I even styled her hair in a very cute braided updo for our Forth of July BBQ and she adored it. Well, that is… until she jumped right into the pool. I love how this book doesn’t just contain tutorials on hair styles, Abby also gives healthy hair advice. She explains hair types and how to best style each type.

There aren’t many tools that you need to be able to achieve these looks either. Most of what you do need, you probably already have on hand. The only things you might have to buy are clear elastics, duck billed hair clips, and possibly bobby pins.

Connect with Ulysses Press on Twitter and Facebook

Keep a watch out for the giveaway!

 

-Jessica