Review: Pure Pearl Earrings

I love the classic look of Freshwater Pearls. They make being beautiful look so simple.  It’s even better when they don’t cost an arm and a leg. Pure Pearls is a company that makes pearl jewelry affordable to all.
They provide wholesale prices for individual pieces. YES- individual pieces. You don’t have to buy more than 50+ pieces to get the 80% discount they offer. They offer it to ALL of their customers- YAY!

I was very impressed with the selection of coloring they had in the Classic Pearl Studs. There are currently 4 beautifully designed colors; black, lavender, pink, and white.

I chose the white pearl stud earrings with the white gold backs.. They are absolutely stunning, brilliant, and simply gorgeous.  These earrings are appraised at  $210 yet are only $42. That’s a STEAL. These are the PERFECT stocking stuffer or gift for the holidays.
Everything about the earrings and the packaging is remarkable. There is just something about pearls that I find absolutely striking. It can’t be achieved with any other piece of jewelry. It’s like pearls seep out innocent, ravishing beauty.

The website is absolutely brilliant. They have so many different choices of pearls, and choices of necklaces, rings, earrings, and bracelets in each type of pearl. I love that you can also shop within your price range, it makes it so much easier.
I loved looking through the site at all the amazing pieces.

The pearl earrings are just so smooth to the touch that they feel like a silk pod. In my opinion they give a woman a freshly feminine, delicate, and elegant. I am LOVING the black pearls, and I definitely want to get something with the black pearls!
All purchases include:
- 90 Day Easy Returns
- Savings of up to 80% off Average Retail Pricing
- 100% Safe & Secure Shopping
- GIA Prepared Appraisal Certificate
- Signature Little Black Gift Box
- Pearl Care Card with instructions on how to keep your pearls beautiful for a lifetime!
Connect with Pure Pearls on Facebook & Twitter
Disclosure: This isn’t a sponsored post, products were sent for review purposes only. The opinions in this post are completely honest and not influenced in any way.

Jessica Renee

Book Review: “Head First HTML by Elisabeth & Eric Freeman”; O'Reilly Media;

Today, serious Web pages use HTML and XHTML to structure their content and CSS for style and presentation. You need a book that understands how to incorporate everything correctly. Head First HTML with CSS & XHTML explains the fundamentals of HTML, XHTML, topics like web color, and CSS properties. In this book, pictures and step-by-step instructions explain how to build great-looking, standards-compliant web sites.

I have been teaching myself the amazing art of HTML, CSS, & XHTML ever since I began writing a blog in 2009. I have come across plenty of articles and books that confused me more than it actually helped.

I am usually pretty good at following a textbook *because I’m a nerd like that*. But the HTML books were totally sending me in the wrong direction. I guess because I only knew very little and they seemed to jump around and do circles on me.

Kind of like teaching a kid the alphabet- how can they learn if you’re teaching them A one day and then Z the next? To learn something I need to actually get the concept of HOW something works. I can’t just read the HTML lingo and automatically know WHAT it does…

I am SUPER glad that I found this book. It is nothing like those other boring HTML books. This one even has a fun, modern font. This is amazing because it seems to capture the attention of my brain for a longer span..

The pages are absolutely brilliant. Laying it all out in an easy to learn style so that even the most earliest beginner can fully grasp what every single element, markup, or styling can do to something.

I also love how it has fun little animations, drawings, and pictures to further explain HOW and WHY everything does as it does. Such as when you see the picture above—and it’s pretend markup, you can see that the carpet has wool shag and the drapes are blue.

In real HTML this book shows you how the font is bold, underlined, or crossed through and how to do it yourself. I wasn’t a complete beginner when starting this book, but this has furthered me along to an even better understanding.

This book is SO much fun and it makes learning fun. You can compare this to watching sesame street when you were 5 compared to writing those copy and trace papers. Wasn’t it so much easier when Big Bird told YOU?

Having a book that is so nicely done up with all the colorful images, pages, text, and illustrations has really won me over. I don’t know how I could ever live without this book. It stays in my briefcase 24/7.

I had always had plans of designing and building my own blog, but because of this book- I think I just may take it a step further and start designing for other people as well. I am a creative by heart, and this book has just shown me the light of designing and integrating images, css, and HTML all into one!

This is an amazing book, and whether YOU, your spouse, sister, brother, or best friend want to learn the tricks and trades of HTML and XHTML as well as CSS- this is definitely the ONE stop shop for that! There are endless possibilities as to what you can do with what they teach in this book!

That’s what I thought of this book. It was completely understandable the way they said it. I will NEVER have to search online for an answer about HTML again, only to be led down the wrong *AND confusing* path. This book has it all. Before you know it, you’ll be designing websites, web pages, or prettying up your very own BLOG!

BUY IT: You can buy the Head First HTML & CSS for $39.99 print edition, $31.99 Ebook edition, or $43.99 for print AND ebook editions.

Disclosure: This isn’t a sponsored post, O’Reilly Media gave me an Ebook Review Copy only. The opinions in this post are completely honest and not influenced in any way,

Jessica Renee

Book Review: Biblical Beauty by Rachelle Weisberger

Biblical Beauty is an astounding book written by Rachelle Weisberger. Rachelle Weisberger is a talented painter and a licensed cosmetologist, makeup artist and skin care specialist. Her career in the beauty industry has spanned more than two decades and has included creating her own line of holistic cosmetics.

Biblical Beauty is an amazing book. Not only does it teach an approach to ancient beauty, but it shows how to take some very easy beauty tips to put into your daily beauty routine to keep your skin healthy and looking young.

I love this book because she truly shows us that beauty is timeless. It’s practically a dictionary for beauty. A little handbook that you should read and re-read to absorb all the well-researched information on beauty, skin, and aging.

Don’t worry- this isn’t some book that’s jam packed with history stuff that’s going to end up boring you before you turn the next page. NO- she revamped some of history and what relevance it has on the beauty issues that they had back then and how they went about solving them.

It was very interesting to see the differences of the time span and what had really changed. Now we have so many beauty aids we don’t know what to do with ourselves. Face wash, face scrubbers, exfoliators, toners, moisturizers, day creams, night creams, and that’s not mentioning the masks and makeup.

Maybe it wouldn’t be so bad to keep it simple. We don’t need to use a handful of beauty items EVERY single day, DO we? In Biblical Beauty, Rachelle talks about skin care, sun care, makeup, hair care, fragrance,  jewelry, healthy aging, choices in motherhood and feminine leadership.

Each chapter is split up so that everything is covered in detail. The skin care chapter talks about cleansing, exfoliation, body care, eye care, protecting the skin, hand and nail care, and skin types. It may seem confusing, but it really helped me—it really should be named the beauty bible because I am definitely referencing back to this when I have any issues.

This would make the perfect gift either for yourself or someone you know. This book was created to filter out all the noise of magazines, online publications, and tv shows that try and make normal people feel inferior.

Discover YOUR natural beauty!

You can find more information on Biblical

Beauty on amazon, facebook and twitter.

 

Disclosure: This isn’t a sponsored post, products were sent for review purposes only. The opinions in this post are completely honest and not influenced in any way.

 

Jessica Renee

It's the first week of November! What does this month make you think of?

It's the first week of November! What does this month make you think of?

November is when you can REALLY tell it’s fall around here. The night before November 1 was our first frost. I woke up that morning to take my son to school and had to scrape ice off the windows.

November makes me think of Thanksgiving- so all month long I try and think of stuff that I am thankful for. Whether it be waking up in the morning, my kids, spending time with my grandma when she was alive, or doing something I love everyday.

November makes me think of family and how much I miss the big Thanksgivings we used to have when I was younger. Everyone would gather at my grandma’s house and eat ham, turkey, the sides, and dessert. We’d have a grand ole time just sitting there chatting with each other.

As I grew up, less and less family members tended and it became just grandma and the random kids and grandkids that would show up. Grandma would want everybody there, yet some wouldn’t show up.

I just wish I could go back in the past to those days where my family was close and there wasn’t really anything to worry or stress about. Since my grandma passed away in February 2011- my family hasn’t gathered together at all..

What does November remind YOU of?

Jessica Renee

Holiday Gift Guide- KOR Vida Water Bottle

DId you know that the average person throws away 167 single-use water bottles per year and only 20 are recycled? That is A TON of plastic that is NEVER going to break down, so it remains trash.

Picture credit: planetgreen.discovery.com

Having a reusable water bottle promotes a healthier- greener lifestyle for not only US but our children as well. What are they going to think when they grow up to realize how much trash is actually on this planet? I want to do what I can, while I can.

Starting with something as small as not using plastic water bottles is simple enough. KOR makes it a TON easier by creating beautifully designed bottles that everyone would be happy to carry around.

I ended up getting the KOR Vida Hydration Vessel in white. This is truly a magnificent looking bottle. It has a beautiful yet simple design. It is just as functional as it is trendy. I love how modern and sophisticated it looks.

I usually dislike stainless steel water bottles and how they feel absolutely freezing on my hands. AND they tend to taste like metal when I’m drinking. The Vida does and has nothing of the sort. It tastes like water, and doesn’t feel cold when I hold it.

It has an awesome little handle at the top so you can buy a clip and clip it on a bag, belt loop, or purse. It’s also easy to stick your fingers in and pack it that way as well.

I love that it fits inside my cup holder in my expedition, so I can take it with me when I’m sitting there waiting for my son to get out of school. It’s small enough around that both of my kids *3 & 5* can both wrap their hands around it and drink without spilling.

It opens with ease, yet doesn’t come open on it’s own. It easily goes back on without a hitch. The best thing about it the top can be turned over and used as a small drinking cup. One that you don’t want to sit down, but for a quick drink it works amazingly well *Like for my small kids who tend to backwash* I just fill up a small amount in the cup and let them take a drink from it.

BUY IT: You can buy the KOR Vida Hydration Vessel for $21.95

Connect with KOR water on Facebook & Twitter

This would be the perfect gift to stick in someone’s stocking!

Disclosure: This isn’t a sponsored post, products were sent for review purposes only. The opinions in this post are completely honest and not influenced in any way.

Jessica Renee

Review: Famemaster Educational Animal Cell Anatomy Model

This is an amazing way to teach kids about Animal cells. This is a 3D model of a puzzle. It comes with very detailed materials that contain NO flaws. It is painted in detailed colors that are sure to keep any child interested in what you are trying to teach them.

My kids loved that the Famemaster Educational Animal Cell Model was shaped like a puzzle. They could take out the 26 detachable individual parts and then put them back in. This certainly does help with familiarizing themselves with the animal cells and then knowing where they go.

It is an excellent teaching tool, and so much easier to explain then a picture in a book. They actually get to see, feel, and know where everything goes. It’s very attractive because of the colors. They pieces easily snap back into the place they come out of, so they don’t get lost.

For those of you who homeschool, this is an amazing model to get a “hands-on” learning of cells. It lets the kids interact with the subject, therefore helping them learn easier and retain more information. When it’s just a book, kids may become bored.. but who could be bored of a 3D puzzle?

BUY IT: You can buy the Famemaster Educational Animal Cell Model  for 27.97 . While you’re there, you should check out their other Science Toys!

They have everything- Space, Chemistry, Plants, Human Body, and much more!

Connect with Educational Toys Planet on Facebook & Twitter

I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

Jessica Renee

Simple homemade costume ideas

You do not have to go to the store and buy an expensive ready-made Halloween costume for your young one this year. There are plenty of ways in which you can make such a costume from scratch and in fact that is really the best way to make your child value what he or she wears when trick or treating. If he is old enough you can even have him help make his own costume—that will make it even more precious to him!
 
I can remember trick or treating as a child over thirty years ago and I can tell you that almost all the costumes I wore were homemade. One of the first things that I remember playing was Max, King of the Wild Things. My mother made me my crown and scepter and for my robe I used her fur mantle. For succeeding Halloweens she would sew my red devil’s costume—and sewing is still one of her favorite pastimes—and my Darth Vader outfit. To play a ghost all I needed was a sheet with holes cut out of it!
Here are some simple homemade costume ideas that you can put to use, which I have taken from an assortment of websites.
Grape cluster
Who would not want to look like a delicious cluster of grapes while trick or treating for something that tastes even more delicious? You will need just four things in order to make this costume:

• a clear plastic drawstring trash bag

• a purple leotard or a pair of sweats and a sweatshirt (I personally think that a leotard is preferable)

• a package of purple balloons

• a green stocking cap—this will represent the stem

Cut two hole in the bottom and sides of the bag for the neck and arms to go through and put it on over the child’s sweats or leotard. The bag should be drawn, partly closed, around the waist. The next step is to blow up the balloons and stuff them into the bag, which is then drawn fully closed.
Pillow case bunny
Use only cheaper pillow cases to make this costume, the ones that you can afford to dispose of. Three in all will be required—one goes around the neck and arms, with holes cut out for them and bias tape optionally sewn around them to make the holes look “finished.” Cotton balls glued to the back make for a tail. The second case should have a T-shirt knot sewn in each corner to make the ears—no holes are necessary. The hem of the case is rolled inward and tacked into place with a needle and thread to make a casing. Then a piece of elastic should be run through the casing to fasten the ears to the head. As for the third case, that will serve as the child’s candy bag!

Priest
Many religious people object to the idea of Halloween as a holiday with essentially pagan elements that is completely out of place in a Christian setting. A priest costume is thus the perfect way for alleviating this dislike. Besides this is one of the simplest that you can make. You need white poster board, a pair of scissors, a hole puncher, string, a black button-down dress shirt, double-sided tape, a black suit jacket or floor-length robe, a pair of black socks and black dress shoes, a cross necklace… and of course a Bible. The poster board is used to cut out a rectangle that will serve as a collar, with the tape being used to hold it in place. The robe is the perfect alternative if you want to have a “classic priest” look.
 
. As an example, there is an angel costume (number two) that calls for a white dress from the closet, a $39 bird mask and a $9 pair of wings.

As you can see, you do not have to spend a “king’s ransom” in order to look like a king!

Author Bio

Ron Thompson writes for Del-Immune V®, a unique probiotic supplement made from the lactobacillus rhamnosus which is a natural immune system boosterand offers how to treat sinusitis.

Book Review: Driving the Saudis: A Chauffeur's Tale of the World's Richest Princesses by Jayne Amelia Larson

Book Jacket:

After more than a decade of working in Hollywood, actress Jayne Amelia Larson found herself out of luck, out of work, and out of prospects. Without telling her friends or family, she took a job as a limousine driver, thinking that the work might be a good way to dig out of debt while meeting A-list celebrities and important movie moguls.

When she got hired to drive for the Saudi royal family vacationing in Beverly Hills, Larson thought she’d been handed the golden ticket. She’d heard stories of the Saudis giving $20,000 tips and Rolex watches to their drivers. But when the family arrived at LAX with millions of dollars in cash—money that they planned to spend over the next couple of weeks—Larson realized that she might be in for the ride of her life. With awestruck humor and deep compassion, she describes her eye-opening adventures as the only female in a detail of over forty assigned to drive a beautiful Saudi princess, her family, and their extensive entourage.

To be a good chauffeur means to be a “fly on the wall,” to never speak unless spoken to, to never ask questions, to allow people to forget that you are there. The nature of the employment—Larson was on call 24 hours a day and 7 days a week—and the fact that she was the only female driver gave her an up close and personal view of one of the most closely guarded monarchies in the world, a culture of great intrigue and contradiction, and of unimaginable wealth.

The Saudis traveled large: they brought furniture, Persian rugs, Limoges china, lustrous silver serving trays, and extraordinary coffees and teas from around the world. The family and their entourage stayed at several luxury hotels, occupying whole floors of each (the women housed separately from the Saudi men, whom Larson barely saw). Each day the royal women spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on plastic surgery and mega-shopping sprees on Rodeo Drive. Even the tea setup had its very own hotel room, while the servants were crammed together on rollaway beds in just a few small rooms down the hall.

Larson witnessed plenty of drama: hundreds of hours of cosmetic surgery recovery, the purchasing of Hermès Birkin bags of every color, roiling battles among the upper-echelon entourage members all jockeying for a better position in the palace hierarchy, and the total disregard that most of the royal entourage had for their exhausted staff. But Driving the Saudis also reveals how Larson grew to understand the complicated nuances of a society whose strict customs remain intact even across continents. She saw the intimate bond that connected the royals with their servants and nannies; she befriended the young North African servant girls, who supported whole families back home by working night and day for the royals but were not permitted to hold their own passports lest they try to flee.

While experiencing a life-changing “behind the veil” glimpse into Saudi culture, Larson ultimately discovers that we’re all very much the same everywhere—the forces that corrupt us, make us desperate, and make us human are surprisingly universal.

My Thoughts:

When the author (an actress, producer, and voiceover artist) finds herself plummeted into a debt that reached close to 40,000 she needed a fast way to make some quick bucks! She wasn’t bringing in any doing what she did for a living- acting or producing, so another form of income had to be found.

Driving a limousine doesn’t require a specialized license to do- she went for it. She thought it was going to be OH so easy. Driving rich people to and from planes to their homes or work. Back and forth. No issues at all. She soon finds herself hired to drive the female members of Saudi Arabia’s royal family and their entourage.

In this book you will quickly find out how the Saudi’s end up being customers that NO sane driver would have fun driving. They are rich, they are spoiled, they drop thousands and thousands just on handbags each day. They are demanding, mean, and get tons of plastic surgery.

Each servant, nanny, or stylist that work for them have to be at attention 24/7. There is basically absolutely no resting period where they can let down their guards and feel comfortable. They are constantly reminded of their inadequate money means when they are surrounded by people who carry millions of dollar IN CASH with them for trips.

Because she was a FEMALE driver, she was to be “seen” and not “heard”. She wasn’t able to talk to or make eye contact with anybody unless she was spoken to. She was NEVER to ask or question any quest that she was given- no matter how weird it seemed.

She did everything asked of her, as eager as she could do it. She didn’t really meet the standards of staying perky while working 16+ hours a day, but she tried as best as she could. She managed to find more than 18+ $500 Chantilly bras for the princess who wanted to show off her new boob job, and was brushed off like a piece of cracker remaining after a meal.

She drove the male hairstylist to and from gambling places at all hours of the nights. She would sit in the car the entire time- while he whiled away his time having fun. She soon came up with an escape tactic that she KNEW would fit the bill. She invented a husband that was at home waiting for her, so that she wouldn’t have to stay out late driving this in-humane man who chain smoked and wouldn’t even let her crack her window.

further into the chauffeur detail, she ends up driving a younger princess. She becomes close to the princesses nanny and even the princess herself. When she gets a glimpse at how devalued the Saudi women are, how their opinions are NEVER taken, they are never to wear anything but full headdress outside of the home. She soon begins to find out WHY they go buck wild when they aren’t in their home countries.

I couldn’t put the book down. It is a must-read. It gives us “normals” a look into the life of very VERY rich princesses of a world that isn’t familiar to us. In most ways it’s like reading People magazine or something like it. It’s a sneak peak into a world we will never know, but yet find it fascinating at the same time.

This book is available on Amazon, and you don’t want to miss it!

 

Disclosure: This isn’t a sponsored post, products were sent for review purposes only. The opinions in this post are completely honest and not influenced in any way.

Jessica Renee

Review: Ediva Beauty Organizer

Are you THAT woman that has too much makeup, perfume, or nail polish? Do you have tons of different makeup bags, totes, or random boxes piled high with stuff that you can NEVER seem to find when you need it?

I have the solution for you! Ediva has launched a new and amazing organizer for all your beauty needs. I have been given the amazing opportunity to review one of the two different beauty organizers.

I was sent the Ediva Princess organizer, and I can’t explain how much I adore this! Before the organizer made it’s way into my life, I had SO many problems finding what I needed when I needed it. WHY? because I had everything in so many different bags, totes, and makeup rolls that it took me more than an hour just to do my makeup.

UN-organized no more! AS soon as this came in the mail, I dumped out all my makeup, perfume, and random jewelry onto my bed and went to town organizing it. Not only has it helped me get to what I need, it makes my life less complicated.

This one has 6 drawers.. so lots and lots of open space. I am able to store my larger items at the bottom without any problems. The drawers are VERY large, larger than I expected them to be. The bottom drawer is 4” deep.

As you can see from the picture, the Ediva organizer is clear acrylic with rounded corners. I love that this is clear. Not only does it add class and sophistication to my makeup/perfume collection, but it lets the different colors add design to a room.

The quality is top-notch. You can’t ask for a thicker piece of clear acrylic if you tried. It comes bundled up VERY tightly so that NOTHING comes lose, or is broken. I was very happy with the way it was shipped.

Getting to and putting on my makeup isn’t such a hassle now. Now I can open the easy sliding drawers and get whatever it is I need. Because it has such a beautiful clear design- there isn’t any looking at what drawer holds what. I automatically KNOW before I open the drawer. It makes getting up and getting ready actually fun and not seem like such a hassle.

When men say that it takes forever for a woman to get ready- what he doesn’t realize is that most of that time is spent trying to FIND most of it. Now that doesn’t have to happen anymore. Just think about the look that will be plastered on his face when you cut your “getting ready” time in half! No more makeup hiding in drawers, totes, and makeup bags that you have to dump out or dig in forever!

The best thing about it is that it’s easy to clean. If my nail polish or makeup happens to break or something- I know all that I have to do is wipe it out and be done with it. The same is NOT said for other organizers, especially cloth makeup bags and totes.

The top makes it easy to stack other stuff on top. That way you get the most out of the organizer. It doesn’t let stuff slide off or fall over. I LOVE this makeup organizer and YOU will too.

If you are looking for an AWESOME Christmas present for you’re the woman or girl in your life- whether it be your mom, best friend, sister, wife, or girlfriend- this will make her squeal with delight.!

This is most definitely going to stand the test of time. The grade of Acrylic that this is made with is basically indestructible.

BUY IT: You can buy the Ediva Princess for $297 or 3 easy payments of $99 and always free shipping!

Connect with Ediva online at Facebook and Twitter

Disclosure: This isn’t a sponsored post, products were sent for review purposes only. The opinions in this post are completely honest and not influenced in any way.

Jessica Renee

Review: Gola Kernal Fall/Winter Boots

Gola was created on May 22, 1905. Their first ad campaign was launched in the mid 30’s with the slogan “Gola means Goals.” They were trying to market a football boot. In 1939-44 they made boots for the war on behalf on Britain.

The “Harrier”shoe was developed so that squash, badminton, volleyball., and training could be done with lightweight shoes! This quickly became the “go to- must have” shoe of the late 60s and early 70s.

The company has a very long and very interesting history! TO read more about it click here. It’s made in a cool little slideshow.

 

The Gola Kernal Boot

The Gola Kernal is a fun and sophisticated boot. It has a Nubuck upper and a nice toe-stitch detailing, along with a full length inside zipper.

A true fall/winter wardrobe isn’t complete until you have some very cozy boots on hand. I would rather have a boot that is water/weather proof so my toes aren’t freezing.

I ended up receiving the Gola Kernal boots in black a couple of weeks ago, and I MUST tell you that I am in winter boot HEAVEN. Not only do these boots keep my toes toasty, but they LOOK amazing while doing so. I love when a boot is as functional as it is fashionable.

They are fun and sophisticated. They have a padded foot bed to make life a little easier. Full length zipper on the inside of the boot. They are just begging to be worn these cold fall and winter nights. They have taken the :bite: out of the nippy weather!

They are available in 4 amazing colors; black, Tobacco, Brown, & Beige.

These boots are lightweight, and they form so easily to my feet that it makes having to go into the harsh weather a little better. Even though it’s fall, I still despise the cold winds and even colder nights.

I love the length of these boots, they reach very high up on my leg. SO when Winter weather makes an appearance with all of it’s snow- there isn’t a chance that the snow could seep into these boots and soak my feet.

I couldn’t have been more delighted and happy with these boots if I tried. The quality is top notch and the stitching is VERY tight and well stitched together. They fit so comfortably, it’s like walking on a cloud. There isn’t any tightness, or ill fitting at all.

They look amazing no matter what I wear with them. Whether it’s skinny jeans, leggings, or short skirts. They are very unique and stylish.

These boots are Nubuck (which is identical to suede), and keeping them clean isn’t as hard as you might think it is. If you buy a protective spray or finish and spray suede or nubuck fabric shoes- it helps to prevent stains from soaking into the boot.

Buying a Suede Brush will help keep the fabric looking new and you aren’t risking ruining the fabric. The fabric remains fresh looking and you’ll never have to worry about dirt, hair, or grime sticking to the boots. A regular brushing is the easiest and cheapest way.

When they are worn with the jeans or pants overtop of the boots, they resemble moccasins, so you get 2 looks for the price of 1. They have a whip-stitched seam, which is stronger (I think) than a regular straight stitched seam.

The bottom of the boot makes it SO easy for me to get a sturdy grip on the ground. These are going to be FABULOUS for the winter months when the sidewalks are slick with ice and snow!

BUY IT: You can buy these Gola Kernal  boots for $150.

Disclosure: This isn’t a sponsored post, products were sent for review purposes only. The opinions in this post are completely honest and not influenced in any way.

Jessica Renee

How to blackout your favorite drapes for your bedroom

Blackout drapes are among the most popular type of curtains for the household. They are of course not always black but they are distinguished by a special lining that prevents the light from entering. This makes them especially desirable for windows on a side of a house where the light from the sun is especially intense. They are also perfect for the bedroom if you are the kind of person who prefers to sleep in pitch darkness (just like me, by the way). Blackout drapes are also valuable because they muffle sounds coming from outside the room. Various types of lining may be used—French blackout, which is usually make of flannelet or heavy cotton fabric, are sandwiched between the curtain linings and face fabrics.

If you are not fortunate enough to be able to get such curtains for your house, there is no need to despair. You can always make blackout drapes out of the ones that you already have. Here is how to do it.

1) Blacking out the drapes
For this project you will need just three items—a pair of sharp fabric scissors, a measuring tape and fabric glue.
The first thing to do is to take the curtain

s down from the window and spread them out over a flat surface so that you can take measurements of their dimensions. Then cut out sheets of black lining fabric matching those dimensions and squeeze out a thin line of the glue all around the sheets one inch from the edges. Press the blackout sheets onto your curtains, making sure you match the edges up perfectly. Wait ten to fifteen minutes for the glue to dry, adding more as needed. Do not hang the drapes back up until the glue has dried COMPLETELY.

Some types of blackout fabric have two sides—one made of fabric and the other made of vinyl that feels smoother. When ironing the sheet, be sure to do so on the fabric side only. The two sides may be of different colors—there is an “unspoken rule” that the white side should face outward because that is the side that passersby will see.

2) Hanging the drapes
The way in which you hang your blackout drapes determines the pattern of light coming in. You may wish to hang them in such a way that the light is blocked out completely. If so, the drapes should be hung a few inches above the top of the window frame and to either side. Alternately you can arrange them so that their will be a sliver of light coming in from the top or the bottom or between the drapes. The effect can be very interesting and pleasant!

3) Bamboo shades
Bamboo blinds can also be used to make blackout shades. Only roll-up blinds should be used in this way, never venetian ones. For this task you will need only two additional items—craft glue and black fabric. The blinds should stick out four inches from either side of the window.

Glue a layer of black fabric to each blind so that it just covers it, trimming off any excess fabric if this is the kind that is subject to flaying. Let it dry for an hour or two. Then hang the blinds from the window with the black side facing inwards.

4) Roman shades
Among the most popular blackout shades are the Roman type, which are designed to stack up evenly when opened. You can make these too. First measure the window and add eight to the width (four inches to each side). Then cut out dowel rods, outer fabric and blackout lining. The task is very complicated so we will not go into further detail here.

You can also create dim-out lining by spraying a light layer of acrylic foam to allow some light to get in. If the area in which the curtains are located is back-lit, then shadows will be blocked. Valance lining may be hung above blackout drapes. If so they should be given the same lining as the curtains themselves to prevent further “bleeding in” of the light and distortion of color.

Author Bio

George Dennis is president of King Shade and Window, a home improvement company that helps customers compare replacement window and roller shade prices for all windows. Find the perfect windows to allow for pot gardening inside your home, apartment, or condo. Check out our Harvey window reviews here.

Review: Sibu Beauty- Face & Body Care

Sibu Beauty offers a line of natural skin care products created to help you look your best. When you look your best, you tend to feel better about yourself. Whether you have oily skin, dry skin, aging skin.. they have something just for YOU!
I ended up getting 3 items from Sibu Beauty. I got the Balancing facial cleanser, facial moisturizer, and body cream. All of these products contain all natural sea buckthorn.
The sea buckthorn berry thrives in the harsh conditions and high altitude of the Himalayas in Tibet by fortifying itself with protective nutrients including Omegas 3, 6, 7, 9, carotenoids, flavonoids, antioxidants, minerals and vitamins.
Balancing facial cleanser

Directions For Use: In the morning and evening apply a generous amount of Balancing Facial Cleanser to moistened hands. Work facial cleanser into a lather, and gently massage onto face and neck. Rinse thoroughly with lukewarm water.

I love this cleanser. It is gentle, yet VERY effective in cleaning my face. It removes dirt and toxins with a vengeance, but doesn’t dry my skin out. I have been using this for more than a month now, and still have a lot left- because it doesn’t take very much at all to get the job done.
At only $17.95 this is an amazing deal! My skin feels refreshed, invigorated, and always smooth. It removes the excess oil from my face without stripping the natural oils from my face.
It has tiny micro-particles to gently exfoliate the skin without irritating it or making it red. No matter how much makeup I have on- whether it’s just foundation or I have everything on- this cleanser take it right off without any problems at all.
These particles aren’t the kind that SCRATCH your face. They just gently rub the extra oil and dead skin off for the most brilliantly beautiful and glowing skin that I’ve ever had.
The scent of this cleanser is amazing! I love the smell of it. It invigorates my senses in the morning- waking up my brain and telling my body it’s time to get a move on!

Repair & Protect daytime face moisturizer


After washing my face with the balancing facial cream and before putting my make up on- I use this. It keeps my skin soft, moisturized, and nourished without being over oily.
It is very lightweight, so it doesn’t feel like my makeup is caked on when used with this moisturizer. I can even apply it lightly over my makeup and pat it in for extra wear during the day!
It absorbs very quickly, so I don’t have to wait for 5-10 minutes before putting my makeup on. I can just swipe it on and put makeup on- and be done with it! The scent is very pleasant- a nice citrusy scent that isn’t overpowering or too strong!
I have oily skin- so the combination of this and the face wash has really kept the oil and clogged pores at bay. I really really like that there is NO chemicals in any of the products that they make. AND that the sea buckthorn berry has so many Omegas and antioxidants which help cure skin problems and keep the skin nourished.
This promotes tissue recovery and healing, so If you have any kind of damaged skin- it will be like slowly turning back the hands of time as you skin slowly repairs itself. It helps in maintaining a healthy skin tone and texture as well.
Sea Buckthorn is the NEW thing for treating irritation and acne. Because it’s so gentle- anybody can use it. EVEN for those with hyper sensitive skin. These two amazing products have calmed my rare but horrible acne breakouts and blackheads!
BUY IT: You can buy the Repair & Protect Daytime Facial Cream for $20.95
Body Cream

This is powered naturally by sea buckthorn oils and pulp, so it softens the skin like no other lotion out there! My skin starts getting extremely dry when the cold weather hits and it’s nothing but agitating because it starts itching.
Since I’ve been using the Sibu Body Cream my skin is less dry and more silky soft. It absorbs quickly. I put it on after the shower and can immediately put my clothes on without the risk of them sticking to me.
There is a nice citrusy scent to the body cream as well- so it isn’t overpowering or too strong. Just enough to smell nice. There isn’t any greasiness what-so-ever, I love using it.
I’ve even started carrying it in my purse to use as a hand lotion or a go-to lotion when I’m sitting in the traffic line waiting to pick my son up from school. My skin is definitely more hydrated and feels SO much better.
It has added botanicals like meadowfoam, shea butter, and aloe which what nourishes and moisturizes the skin without it being too oily. Aloe is also fabulous at treating skin problems- such as symptoms from eczema, rosacea, psoriasis, and burns and wounds.!
BUY IT: You can buy the Body Cream for $14.95
These products would be GREAT to put together a holiday basket for a friend or a co-worker.. even your child’s teacher. They are affordable and produce AMAZING results!

Connect with Sibu Beauty on their website, Facebook, and twitter pages.
Disclosure: This isn’t a sponsored post, products are sent for review purposes only. The opinions in this post are completely honest and not influenced in any way.

Jessica Renee