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)
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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
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  • 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.