Thursday, December 23, 2010

EShakti: Best Thing to Happen to Women in a Really Long Time

Buying clothes is really not an enjoyable task for me.  It wasn't even all that enjoyable when I used to be super thin, which hasn't been the case for years, and has only gotten less enjoyable as I have gained weight over the years.

I think that the biggest issue is that I am shaped the way I am shaped.  Not how some designer thinks I should be shaped.  Not how the models on the runway are shaped.  I am shaped like me, for better or worse, and there's not a whole lot I can do about my general shape, no matter how many pounds I currently weigh.

Another big issue is the fact that I dress modestly.  I don't wear skirts that are too short (and I am pretty tall, so a skirt that would be long enough on someone a few inches shorter is scandalous on me), or tops that are sleeveless.  So many times a dress that would look amazing on me is ruined because of the length of the skirt or the lack of sleeves or a neckline that is too low.

Enter eShakti.com.  Shakti means power in Sanskrit, and coupled with the "e" it has therefore brought the power of the internet to women.

Love this dress?  Yes, but I'd like sleeves and a longer skirt.

No problem!  For a small fee, they will add them!

I wore this to church this past Sunday and got tons of compliments.  It fits me well, it's modest and I feel good in it, despite the weight I am trying to lose.

They will also do custom sizing for those of us whose dimensions have a harder time fitting into the standard sizing chart for a small fee.  The first custom order you do will be free, whether that be adding sleeves or changing a neckline, or getting custom sizing.  Or all of it.  Free for your first order.  And sign up on their website before you actually complete the first order and you will receive a coupon in your email for a percentage off your next order, which can be your first order. :)

They have such an amazing selection, that I had a really hard time choosing something to review. Not only do they have dresses, they have skirts, blouses, coats, pants and much, much more.

Unfortunately, the dress I originally chose looked awful on me.  Partly because you can't see what the back looks like on the website, and partly because I often forget that styles that once looked wonderful on me don't anymore as I have become a bit rounder.  However, the custom size fit perfectly, even though I probably will never wear that dress in public.

My best advice is that you need to know which styles look good on you before you order something online, which is probably advice that most of you are well aware of.

The next dress I got (see above) fits wonderfully, and looks right on my figure.  Even though they are doing custom work, the dress arrives very quickly and they have excellent customer service.

Like their page on Facebook to keep abreast of deals--there are many running all the time.

So run over to their website and enjoy shopping!  Because I promise you, you will love something.

***********

I was given a sample dress in exchange for this review.

Monday, December 20, 2010

'Twas the Night Before Christmas *contest closed*

This is a compensated review by BlogHer and Pop-Tarts®.


The Night Before Christmas from Lara Neves on Vimeo.

What do you  leave for Santa on Christmas Eve?  Share it here for a chance to win a $100.00 Gift Card from BlogHer!

Sweepstakes open from 12/13-12/25.  To enter, leave a comment.  (Please include your email within the comment.)

For a second entry, you can:
·         Tweet about this post with a link to it (and put your tweet URL in a separate comment below)
·         Blog about this post with a link to it (and put your blog post URL in a separate comment below)
·         Read the official rules for alternate form of entry.

For NINE more chances to win a $100.00 gift card, make sure to visit the BlogHer review/giveaway round up page.


Rules:
  • No duplicate comments
  • You may receive an additional entry by tweeting about this contest and leaving the link in the comments
  • You may receive an additional entry by blogging about this contest and leaving a link in the comments
  • This giveaway is open to US Residents, aged 18 and older
  • Winners will be selected at random, and will be notified by e-mail (please leave your email in your comment)
  • If you win, you will have 72 hours to get back to me, otherwise a new winner will be selected\
  • Visit the Official site for more information.

Monday, December 13, 2010

Tastes Like Christmas *contest closed*

This is a compensated review by BlogHer and Pop-Tarts®.
I don't cook.  My husband does all of that in our household.  I hate it, and am forever grateful to have found a man who loves it (and me!).

However, I do bake.  Not very well, mind you.  But I love to make pie and cake and cookies.  Especially around Christmas time.  It makes me very happy.

So when Pop-Tarts sent some of their new Gingerbread Pop-Tarts for the kids and me to bake with, we jumped at the chance to try out a new recipe.  Naturally, we chose something ginger-bready...

Gingerbread Sheet Cake

1/2 C Butter
1/3 C Sugar
1 C Molasses
3/4 C Water
1 Egg
2 1/3 C Flour
1 tsp Baking Soda
2 tsp Ground Ginger
2 tsp Ground Cinnamon

In a large mixing bowl, cream shortening and sugar. Add the molasses, water and egg. Combine the flour, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon and salt; add to creamed mixture and beat until combined. Pour into a greased 15-in. x 10-in. x 1-in. baking pan. Bake at 350 degrees F for 18-22 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. 

We then drizzled icing over the top in fun shapes and crumbled up a couple of the gingerbread Pop-Tarts on top. Yummy!

 Although, I must say, I was a little sad that I couldn't think of anything that would highlight how cute these particular Pop-Tarts are:
And it's no surprise that the kids loved the cake.  They each had about three slices before I made them stop! And the Pop-Tarts.  They taste like Christmas, and who doesn't love that?
 (Bria loved it too, but was feeling a little self-conscious about eating cake for the internet today.)

What tastes like Christmas to you?  Share it here for a chance to win a $100.00 Gift Card from BlogHer!

Sweepstakes open from 12/13-12/25.  To enter, leave a comment.  (Please include your email within the comment.)

For a second entry, you can:
·         Tweet about this post with a link to it (and put your tweet URL in a separate comment below)
·         Blog about this post with a link to it (and put your blog post URL in a separate comment below)
·         Read the official rules for alternate form of entry.

For NINE more chances to win a $100.00 gift card, make sure to visit the BlogHer review/giveaway round up page.


Rules:
  • No duplicate comments
  • You may receive an additional entry by tweeting about this contest and leaving the link in the comments
  • You may receive an additional entry by blogging about this contest and leaving a link in the comments
  • This giveaway is open to US Residents, aged 18 and older
  • Winners will be selected at random, and will be notified by e-mail (please leave your email in your comment)
  • If you win, you will have 72 hours to get back to me, otherwise a new winner will be selected\
  • Visit the Official site for more information.



Wednesday, November 24, 2010

The Perfect Touch

CSN Stores recently sent me a product for my review.  I chose this metal wall hanging (which I lovingly call the scrolly thing) for my dining room.


Metal Scrolly Thing


And I absolutely love it!  Isn't it the perfect touch for the new paint job we did this summer?

I was very pleased with CSN and their service.  I don't usually receive items from anywhere very quickly, since I live at practically the end of the earth, but to my surprise the package arrived only 3 days after I had ordered it.  Unfortunately, I couldn't be nearly as fast getting it on to the actual wall, and it sat leaning (but looking beautiful) against the wall for more than a week.

Thank you CSN for such great service, a wide array of products to choose from, and your high quality.  I will certainly order from them again.

Monday, November 22, 2010

Do You Have Your Christmas Card Yet?

Christmas cards are one of my favorite things about Christmas.  Seriously.  I'm like a little kid, running out to my mailbox every day, starting the day after Thanksgiving and hoping that I'll find a card or three in there.  And when I actually DO find such a card I giddily run into the house and open it, read all about my friends and family and immediately put it up on my card display.

Love Christmas Cards.

I haven't quite got my card ready yet, but I do have the picture taken.  Shutterfly has some pretty amazing Christmas cards, and I have to say I am very impressed by them!  Look at all of these beautiful folding cards, printed on high quality stationery and the designs are just absolutely gorgeous, to boot!

I personally love this one:



And this one:


And just about every other card on the website!  There is something for everyone, that's for sure.  And I usually design my own cards, but they even have an option to be able to upload your own design or plain picture.

Finally, if you're thinking about having a Christmas/Holiday party, Shutterfly does some pretty cool invitations, too.

I always want to have a Christmas party, but I never manage to get around to it.  If I happen to do it this year, I think I will use this invitation:


So pretty.

Christmas is coming and if you haven't gotten your card ordered up yet, be sure to check out Shutterfly!

***************

This is a compensated review from Shuttefly.com.  I will receive 50 free cards for writing it...and if you're a blogger, so can you!  Click here for more information.

Wednesday, November 17, 2010

A Very Special Interview
*Contest Closed*

This is a compensated review by BlogHer and Pop-Tarts®


I had a chance to interview Chloe the Pilgrim Girl--one of the menu-planners for the very first Thanksgiving!


BlogHer and PopTarts Thanksgiving video from Lara Neves on Vimeo.


And, since you're dying to know, the recipe to our favorite Green Jell-O Salad with marshmallows can be found here.  It really has been passed down from generation to generation and no Thanksgiving is complete without it.  Or Easter.  Or Christmas.  


What is your favorite family tradition at Thanksgiving?  Share it here for a chance to win a $100.00 Visa Gift Card from BlogHer!


(Comments from the previous post will be combined with the comments from this post, comment again to be sure you have a second chance!


To enter, leave a comment.  (Please include your email within the comment.)

For a second entry, you can:
·         Tweet about this post with a link to it (and put your tweet URL in a separate comment below)
·         Blog about this post with a link to it (and put your blog post URL in a separate comment below)
·         Read the official rules for alternate form of entry.


For NINE more chances to win a $100.00 gift card, make sure to visit the BlogHer review/giveaway round up page.


Rules:
  • No duplicate comments
  • You may receive an additional entry by tweeting about this contest and leaving the link in the comments
  • You may receive an additional entry by blogging about this contest and leaving a link in the comments
  • This giveaway is open to US Residents, aged 18 and older
  • Winners will be selected at random, and will be notified by e-mail (please leave your email in your comment)
  • If you win, you will have 48 hours to get back to me, otherwise a new winner will be selected
  • Please see Official Rules here.
For more information, visit the Official Pop-Tarts website.

    Tuesday, November 16, 2010

    Scentsy Winner
    *Closed*

    There were 67 total entries.  (50 total comments + extra entries)


    And the winner is Melissa!


    Congrats, Melissa!  I will get you in touch with Kristin, ASAP so you can get all those refills you need!

    As for the rest of you...Kristin still has some parties open here.  And you can always go enter to win the $100.00 gift card that I'm giving away here.

    Thursday, November 11, 2010

    Pumpkin Pie: Ain't Nothin' Better
    *Contest Closed*

    This is a compensated review by BlogHer and Pop-Tarts®

    I freely admit, the first thing I am grateful for at Thanksgiving is the pumpkin pie I know I will be having for dessert. And for breakfast the next day.  In fact, I might have to say that pumpkin pie for breakfast at 3:30 in the morning or whatever ungodly hour I decide to go shopping on Black Friday is my favorite moment of the entire year.  Anyway, it's pretty clear that I love pumpkin pie.

    You can imagine my excitement when I found out that Pop-Tarts has a limited edition Thanksgiving flavor this year: Pumpkin Pie.  My kids and I were given the assignment to use the Pop-Tarts to make something yummy, and not surprisingly, we chose to make an actual pumpkin pie using the Pop-Tarts as the crust.

    First, we ripped up 6 Pumpkin Pie Pop-Tarts and put them in a bowl.



    We then melted a stick of butter and mixed it all together.

    Second, we smooshed the crust down into the dish.

    Then we made our favorite pumpkin pie recipe, poured it over our fancy crust and baked as normal.


    Finally, we ate it, which is the best part!


    What do YOU most look forward to eating on Thanksgiving Day?  Share it here for a chance to win a $100.00 Visa Gift Card from BlogHer!


    (For another chance to win the gift card please comment on this post.)



    To enter, leave a comment.  (Please include your email within the comment.)

    For a second entry, you can:
    ·         Tweet about this post with a link to it (and put your tweet URL in a separate comment below)
    ·         Blog about this post with a link to it (and put your blog post URL in a separate comment below)
    ·         Read the official rules for alternate form of entry.


    For NINE more chances to win a $100.00 gift card, make sure to visit the BlogHer review/giveaway round up page.


    Rules:
    • No duplicate comments
    • You may receive an additional entry by tweeting about this contest and leaving the link in the comments
    • You may receive an additional entry by blogging about this contest and leaving a link in the comments
    • This giveaway is open to US Residents, aged 18 and older
    • Winners will be selected at random, and will be notified by e-mail (please leave your email in your comment)
    • If you win, you will have 48 hours to get back to me, otherwise a new winner will be selected
    • Please see Official Rules here.
    For more information, visit the Official Pop-Tarts website.

      Thursday, November 4, 2010

      Scent-sational Giveaway!

      I have always been somewhat obsessed with yummy smelling candles.  Especially in the fall.  I *need* to have a candle burning in my house and emitting some sort of bakery scent, so it seems like I've just been slaving away in the kitchen making all manner of cakes and pie.  Pumpkin is my favorite, but I love the spicy scents, too.

      The problem with candles, though, is that they require flame.  And smoke.  And smoke makes my walls turn blackish because I burn the candles too often.  And then there's always the worry about housefires.  You can never be too careful.

      That's why I love Scentsy.  I found Scentsy a couple years ago and I fell in love.  The warmers are pretty and fit right in with just about any decor because they have such a great selection.  I have three warmers currently (the rooster and the music warmers on this page and an orange plug-in warmer that matches my girls' bathroom), and will definitely buy a few more.  Every time I look in a catalog I see another warmer that I would love to have.  I've especially got my eye on a few of the holiday warmers.

      And I really love the scents.  My personal favorites pretty much all come from the Bakery collection (pumpkin roll is my all time fave and I have a big huge giant brick of it...yum!), but there seems to be something for everyone: Floral, fruity, exotic, perfume-y and more.

      Kristin Mabb, who is my Scentsy consultant, (who happens to live 2,000 miles away from me...proximity is definitely not required!) is giving one of my readers a $25.00 gift certificate to Scentsy.  To win, all you have to do is leave a comment on this post and tell me what your favorite candle scent is.  That's it!

      However, if you do want extra entries to up your chances of winning, do any of the following and leave a comment here letting me know:
      Also if you order from the Overstuffed party during the duration of the giveaway, you will receive a free "Circle Scent" (car freshener).  

      I will close comments on Monday, November 15 and draw for a winner the next day. Good luck, and may the force be with you!

      (comments now closed: Winner announced tomorrow!)

      Friday, October 22, 2010

      CSN Stores: A Place for Everything!

      There's nothing better than one-stop shopping, in my humble opinion, and as far as online stores goes, CSN is definitely that!  They have over 200 online stores where you can get anything from barstools, to cookware, to furniture, pet supplies and baby gear!

      I will be reviewing something from their store shortly....most likely something to help beautify my home, since that's the thing I'm always working on these days.

      I'm thinking of getting one (or maybe both!) of these pillows to help finish off Sophia's bedroom.  She loves Fancy Nancy, and they would work well with the theme of her room.




      Or this metal wall hanging to go in my dining room.



      I've been looking for a good mirror for Bria and Chloe's room, and I think this one might be just right.



      So, look for a review on one of these items soon....if I ever decide!

      (What do you think?)