Mia Mariu Makeup Review and Giveaway

Mia is Vibrant Beauty and Health Inside and Out

Mia Mariu’s high performance products are formulated with the most natural ingredients available helping you achieve vibrant beauty and health inside and out.  Each unique product fuses nature and technology by combining the highest quality botanicals, antioxidants, vitamins, minerals and peptides.  The result is healthy products that provide a perfect balance that reflects itself through youthful, healthy, beautiful, glowing skin and renewed energy and vitality, at an exceptional value.  Mia offers natural skin care, professional makeup artist quality mineral cosmetics and brushes to Reveal Your Unique Shade of Beauty!

I really enjoy playing with makeup. I am not the type to wear a lot of it, but I do like to have the basics on to make my skin look even and brighten my eyes. So when I had the opportunity to check out Mia Mariu's line of mineral makeup I jumped at it!

My skin is a little sensitive. So I often have red spots or areas that are dry. I do my best to take care of my skin and to put as little on my skin as possible. I use a very simple powder to even my skin tone and then have fun with my eyes by using some eye shadow, eye liner, and mascara. And of course a touch of blush to brighten up my cheeks and some lip gloss to add shimmer and shine. While I was browsing their fabulous selection of items I found just what I was looking for.

I chose to review a mineral eye shadow duo in Rosa Marquesa, a mineral blush in Maria Azucena, a luminous lip gloss in Romance, and an intense eye liner in black. My items shipped quickly and I was anxious to give them a try.

The first thing I noticed was how lightly the eye shadow and blush went on. You didn't need to use a ton to get the beautiful tones. I used to duo to do a highlight and then a darker shade on the crease of my eye lid. It looked fabulous and the color lasted through most of the day, which my makeup usually doesn't. The eye liner also went on nicely... neat and smooth. And my favorite product is probably the lip gloss. It left a wonderful shimmer that didn't wear off in a matter of minutes. I only had to reapply a couple of time throughout the day. And I just loved the light tint of color it added. 

I was incredibly pleased with the items I received from Mia Mariu. I think they are high quality products that save you time and money by being long lasting. I would definitely recommend you check out their website to see all their products and learn more about the company. You can even learn about how you can become an adviser. 

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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.

Holiday Gift Guide: GUND

                                           

If you are looking for great holiday gifts this year, GUND has got your covered! 

For more than a century, GUND has been creating unique teddy bears and other soft toys recognized the world over for their quality and innovation.
The leading soft toy manufacturer in the U.S., and also the oldest, GUND was founded by German immigrant Adolph Gund in Norwalk, Conneticut in 1898. GUND was one of the first companies to design and produce teddy bears in the early 1900's.
Today, the company manufactures an extensive collection of unique characters licensed plush under the GUND and babyGUND brands.

I have been a fan of GUND products for many years. My husband gave me a GUND teddy bear when we started dating. He has unique features and is the cuddliest teddy bear I've ever owned. He has been my number one bear for 9 years now, and is still very much loved.

This holiday season I had the amazing opportunity to check out some of the hottest toys, perfect for any kid on your list. GUND sent me some samples for my three year old daughter and my infant son, so I have some nice variety to share with you!

My First Drum (ages newborn and up)
When your kid grows up they just might want to be a rock star. Get them started GUND My First Drum! Children will delight in the fun as they tap the yellow star of this playful plush drum to hear enjoyable sounds.

I adore this toy. You can turn the sound on and off on the battery pack. The toy is a good size and the entire thing is soft, making it a safe toy for even the youngest musician to explore. You don't have to hit the star too hard to hear the music, so kids are sure to discover it's musical potential in moments!

Boo (ages 1 year old and up)
Boo, the internet sensation, with 4 million Facebook fans and the star of his own book, calendar and YouTube videos, is finally available, just in time for the holidays, in plush for fans to love at home! The GUND version of Boo is the spitting image of the famous Pomeranian.... right down to his loveable smile!

Boo is so incredibly soft! When I took him out of the box I couldn't help but hug him. I have seen his adorable face all over the internet this holidays season (has anyone caught him as the star of the holiday toys page on Amazon?). He is the perfect companion for any lucky little girl or boy this year.

GUND Girls (ages 3 years old and up)

Ideal for fashion-obsessed youngsters in your list, GUND Girls are huggably soft 17-inch fashionistas with unique personalities and signature styles. The BFFS - "best friends in fashion" - come with one removable outfit for dress-up play. GUND Girls Brooklyn, Sloan, DeeDee and Emma all sport colorful hair highlights that show off their funky fashions, while unique, chunky shoes keep their style young and playful.

This doll is perfect for my daughter. She is quite the little fashionista and loves Brooklyn's pink outfit, bow and shoes. They are perfect little pals and I am looking to add more girls to her little collection!

HuggyBuddy Bumble Bee (ages newborn and up)

This Huggybuddy bumble bee has a yellow satin underside, to compliment an extra-soft fabric top of fluffy yellow stripes with contrasting dark gray stripes and white polka dots. Makes a great security blankie for baby, and a perfect newborn gift!

This bumble bee is too cute. The picture does not do him justice.. you have to see and feel him in person. He is a the perfect size for little ones to cuddle. His is so soft and cuddly. I can see him easily becoming a favorite of many little babies!

GUND clearly takes pride in their products. They are unique and cute, but more importantly, they are built to last. Their quality makes them stand out from the rest. I am thrilled with all four of the toys I received and am always on the lookout to see what GUND is coming up with next. 

You can visit their website to learn more about these products and others. 

Holiday Gift Guide: Granite Gold

I waited years for the opportunity to re-do my kitchen. And when my husband said those magical words.... let's re-do the kitchen.... the first thing I wanted to look into was granite counter tops. We had an ugly corian veneer with a giant crack down the middle. So granite was a top priority!

Once we had it installed it became my baby. I wanted to take such good care of it to keep it shiny and beautiful. I wasn't sure of what I should use to keep it in tip top shape, so I am thrilled to learn about Granite Gold.

Granite Gold offers a great selection of everything I need to keep my counter tops looking their best while being clean. They have everything from daily cleaner to polish to disinfecting wipes and more. And with the holidays coming up I definitely want my kitchen looking it's best.

I received this fabulous selection of products to put to the test on my granite. I have had the pleasure of being able to test out all of the above products multiple times. The daily cleaner has come in handy as I do like to wipe my counters down each night. But with a little one in the house I find myself often turning to the disinfecting wipes, as well. They are easy and convenient to whip out and give the counters a good cleaning.

Every weekend I polish the counter tops. I just LOVE the shine that they have when I'm done. I feel like my counters are brand new again. And I feel so great knowing that these products are designed to not only clean, but also maintain my granite counters. So they can be in tip top shape for years to come. Because I highly doubt my husband will be up to re-doing the kitchen again any time soon!

I have already recommended Granite Gold to my mom and my mother-in-law. I am very happy with these items and will continue to use them to care for my counters. I would recommend you check them out and give them a try!

Holiday Gift Guide: Goblin Kids Review and Giveaway

Goblin Kids strives to provide toys that are as natural and educational as possible. We believe in wooden toys over plastic toys and naturally stimulating toys over battery operated toys. Rather than offering a store that provides a little of both or one that provides mainly plastic toys with some wooden toys mixed in, we wanted to offer a store that would stay true to the belief that toys close to nature are longer lasting, more stimulating, better for nature and most importantly better for your kids. 

This is exactly the kind of store I love to know about. Encouraging my daughter's imagination is so important to me. She has so much creativity and I hate to see it wasted when she has all of these plastic toys that play music or talk for her. I think there is a time and place in a child's life for toys like that, and we definitely have them in our house, but we prefer for her to use her own imagination to make her toys talk, dance, sing, etc.

I was very excited when I was offered the opportunity to check out one of their new products from a company that is very environmentally friendly, Begin Again. The Artist on the Go Kit:

A complete art kit for families on the go. This natural cotton carry case with built in crayon holster, pencil holder and pockets is fully equipped with a 6"x9" recycled paper notepad, 12 smaller colored wood pencils, 2 large wood pencils, 5 drawing stencils including a 6" ruler (metric and inches), 1 pencil sharpener and plenty of storage! Perfect for restaurants, airports, and road trips. the 8"x10" carry case fits in a baby bag and has built in handles for the little ones to carry proudly. 

I knew that this would be the perfect item for my daughter to review. She has been very interested in art lately. She takes any chance she can get to sit down and color. So having an item like this is very convenient for me. I can easily toss this entire kit in my bag and take it on the go. Then we have something we can do together or she can do independently. It's compact enough that it travels well. It has a lot of pieces in it and she's still young, so we have to limit which pieces she is going to take out to avoid a lengthy clean up. When we are home she spreads all the pieces out in the kitchen table and plays to her hearts content!

I love watching my daughter use this kit. She is experimenting with stencils and switching between pencils and crayons. She loves exploring all of the things the kit has to offer. She has stored some stickers in the kit as well, so she has been incorporating those into her master pieces as well.

Goblin Kids has so many great products! I had a great time browsing the site to get a feel for what they offer. I love the way the site is set up. You can browse by age or category. I really like to browse by age so I can save myself some time by only looking at age appropriate items. They have a nice range of products for infants to 7+ years of age.

I would highly recommend you check out this great site for educational toys during your holiday shopping!


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Holiday Gift Guide: World Vision Gift Catalog

Share the true spirit of Christmas!

Sometimes buying holiday gifts can feel like an obligation. Another sweater Grandma won’t wear, another tie to add to Dad’s collection – what if the gifts bought out of social necessity went to supply real necessities around the world? This upcoming holiday season, shoppers can reinvent gift lists with items from the World Vision Gift Catalog. These alternative gift ideas, from goats and chickens to life-saving medicine, honor the recipient and create a lasting impact for people in need. The catalog offers nearly 250 gifts online and in the print version ranging in price from $16 to $39,000. These gifts can be purchased in the name of a family member, teacher, co-worker or child, including many affordable items under $50.

I just love this idea! It is so true.... we buy gifts because we have to. Don't get me wrong, I genuinely enjoy giving gifts during the holiday season. And I like to put a lot of thought into finding something that the person will love. But in reality, I'm not buying anything that anyone NEEDS. My family and I are in very fortunate positions. We don't have needs like so many other less fortunate people around the world. World Vision gives you the perfect alternative to your typical gift giving. Give a gift that also helps others in need.

I was fortunate enough to have the opportunity to work with World Vision this holiday season. They sent me a gorgeous ornament set.

This set of handmade Zakale wire & bead ornaments are from Nairobi. Meaning "reuse" Zakale crafts are made from recycled materials by a group of Kenyan artisans reclaiming their own lives from poverty.

While we all enjoy shopping for our friends and family, we should keep those in need in our minds. World Vision has created the perfect opportunity to give to those who need it most. Through their World Vision Catalog you can give the gift of life by feeding a family in the US for a day for only $16. You can help fund a child's education for only $32. Or you can purchase a goat for $75. With the purchase of a goat you are providing children with protein from the milk and allowing families to sell the surplus.

I would highly recommend you check out this great site and consider making a donation or giving a gift that helps others. 

Holiday Gift Guide: Stompeez Review and Giveaway

Stompeez Begins Christmas Stampede Early: 

Now under new management, maker of soft, animated character slippers steps 

up production efforts to meet this year’s holiday demand – news story: http://www.prweb.com/releases/2012/10/prweb9997586.htm 

Every time my daughter sees the adorable Stompeez commercials she asks if she can have a pair! Each pair is colorful and adorable in it's design, with a selection that includes dragons, unicorns, puppies, kitties, and monsters. There are great colors for boys and girls ages approximately 5-9 (though the smallest size fits my three year old pretty well and looks like it will last a couple of years). 

With every step your child takes your Stompeez ears perk up revealing their cute little faces. A really fun way of keeping your little ones feet warm. They are fun and functional, making a great holiday gift for any boy or girl on your list. 

As a mom, I am very happy with the Stompeez that we were lucky enough to check out. We chose Be-Bop Bunny because they are pink and purple (my daughter's two favorite colors). She started having a blast with them right away... stomping her way around the house. I was impressed with the quality. There is plenty of padding to keep her feet comfy. We ordered a small (the smallest size) and there is room for her to grow. But even with some extra room she is able to activate the stomp feature in the heel. 

I think these are slippers that she will enjoy all winter long! Right now you can save $5.00 off your order by using the code SLIPPER.

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Holiday Gift Guide: A Pirate's Twelve Days of Christmas

A Pirate's Twelve Days of Christmas

Philip Yates, illustrated by Sebastia Serra

Ahoy mateys - Christmas is coming and even pirates celebrate the holiday! This follow-up to the hugely popular A Pirate's Night Before Christmas offers a witty re-imagining of "The Twelve Days of Christmas" - with a sly buccaneer twist. With impeccable rhythm and a lively sense of fun, Philip Yates and Sebastia Serra create a delightful world all their own.

My Thoughts:

I just adore this book! I think it is so unique and unlike any other Christmas story I have read. It was so much fun to sit and read this book with my daughter. She really likes pirates. I think it has to do with her favorite ride in Disney World, now she's stuck on them. So she was really excited to learn that even pirates celebrate Christmas. But she did inform me that they wouldn't be getting any presents because they were naughty. Those poor pirates get such a bad rep. 

The book is filled with fun illustrations and clever saying as the pirates count down the 12 days of Christmas. It is a fun book to add to your Christmas collection!

Holiday Gift Guide: The Great Christmas Crisis

The Great Christmas Crisis

Kim Norman, illustrated by Jannie Ho

First the reindeer rebelled - now it's the elves' turn! This fun follow-up to The Great Reindeer Rebellion is as over-the-top entertaining as its forerunner. Told in fun rhyme, this holiday-bright book takes kids on an undercover mission with Santa himself - and gives them an inside peek at what REALLY goes on in the elves' workshop.

My Thoughts:

What an appropriate book for this time of year! This story is full of chaos and stress as the elves try and deal with the quickly approaching big day. It is funny and engaging for kids to get a peek at what goes on with Santa and his elves in order to prepare for such a monumentous night. And what an important lesson the elves learned about taking some time to stop and enjoy the season and all the wonderful things that go along with it.

Families can easily get caught up in the hustle and bustle of the holiday season. And this leads us to often miss out on some of the most magical parts. Simply stopping to enjoy some holiday music and drink some hot cocoa could make such a huge difference in how your family celebrates. I love that the elves are the ones to remind us of this! My daughter was fully engaged throughout with the fun illustrations and silly things going on at the North Pole! 

Holiday Gift Guide: Stable in Bethlehem

Stable in Bethlehem

Joy N. Hulme, pictures by Dan Andreasen

From 12 drowsy doves to 7 soft sheep to 4 shaggy camels, this lovely board-book celebrates the wonders of Christmas - with a counting concept built right in. Joy N. Hulme and Dan Andreasen perfectly capture the spirit of the season with gentle rhymes and softly hued, charming pictures. The ideal addition to any Christmas stocking!

My Thoughts:

This book is absolutely precious! It's the perfect little board book to cuddle up with your child before bed with. The pictures are beautiful and calming. The animals are sweet and fun to count with your little one. My daughter and I enjoyed cuddling up with this book and taking a moment to slow down and talk about Baby Jesus and what Christmas is all about. This is a wonderful book to remind children that Santa and presents are fun, but Jesus is the reason for the season.