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A Charlie Brown Christmas

December 16, 2014 By 20 Comments

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A Charlie Brown Christmas by Vince Guaraldi Trio is one of the most popular and beloved holiday albums of all-time! A special 2012 re-mastered edition, this CD includes THREE BONUS TRACKS from the original soundtrack recording of the CBS Television special, which did not appear on the previous version of this recording. A robust CD booklet includes historic liner notes, images from the TV special, and even a few classic Peanuts comic strips to delight all ages this holiday season.

Charlie Brown Christmas

We received a copy of this CD and my son and I really like it! I love Charlie Brown especially Snoopy so I was quite excited to receive this CD!  It’s my new favorite Christmas time CD! You can even make a Collectible Snoopy Doghouse so this really makes a great gift for all ages!

We have teamed up with our friends at Music for Little People & Rounder  for a special Holiday Giveaway! We have a CD for one lucky winner! Leave a comment below telling us your favorite Charlie Brown character and why. Deadline to enter is December 22nd at noon PST. One winner will randomly be selected via Random.org.

Don’t forget to check out Music for Little People & Rounder on the following:

FACEBOOK – www.facebook.com/Music.For.Little.People.Records

TWITTER – https://twitter.com/mflp_rounder

PINTEREST  – http://www.pinterest.com/mflp_rounder

 

Self Disclosure: I received free CD’s to facilitate this review/giveaway.

Filed Under: Archived Content

Start Singing Again With The Perfect Gifts For The Holidays!

December 16, 2014 By 7 Comments

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“Voice Lessons To Go™,” the acclaimed vocal warm-up CD series that has sold over 100,000 CDs and downloads, has several CDs and downloads that make perfectly unique and memorable holiday gifts. Ariella Vaccarino, creator of Voice Lessons To Go™, guides listeners through a wide range of singing exercises, providing explanations and vocal examples to piano accompaniment.

The “Voice Lessons To Go” collection includes the recently-released “Vocal Repair,” a singing curriculum specifically designed for the tired, over-taxed, and recovering voice. Other CDs include “Voice Lessons To Go: v.1 Vocalize and Breath,” “Voice Lessons To Go: v.2 Do Re Mi Ear and Pitch Training,” “Voice Lessons To Go: v.3 Pure Vowels,” “Voice Lessons To Go: v.4 Stamina,” all of which are for teens and adults. “Sing Out Proud!”, meanwhile, is a popular singing CD for children. The CDs and downloads are available at voicelessonstogo.com, iTunes, Amazon, Target, Walmart, Barnes and Noble, Google Play, Best Buy and other popular e-tailers.

Everyone from karaoke fans to Broadway singers, from novices who don’t want to pay for voice lessons to parents who want a fun CD to entertain kids in the car, can enjoy and learn from Ariella. “Vocal Repair,” for example, is an inexpensive tool to help maintain and recover a healthy voice for singers, actors, teachers, speaker, dancers, and anyone who uses their voice for work or performance. The other CDs in the collection can help singers of all types improve their voice and technique.

“I am very excited to bring these CDs and downloads to singers during this holiday season,” notes Ariella Vaccarino. “It’s about giving unique gifts that are meaningful and special to recipients. Everyone knows somebody who loves to sing, and these lessons are the perfect gift!”

I received samples of Voice Lessons To Go Volume 1-Kids: Sing Out Proud! and also Voice lessons To Go Volume 1: Vocalize and Breath. I have to say I am quite impressed. I am finding that the Kids CD is very helpful with my son. He has some speech issues and our Pediatrician recently recommended Voice/Singing lessons would be helpful. I really am enjoying using this CD during homeschool. It actually helps with breathing and the vocal warm-ups are quite helpful. I really like Vocalize & Breath too but my favorite is the one for just kids.  I highly recommend! 

For more information, please visit voicelessonstogo.com.

We have teamed up for a Giveaway!  One winner will win a complete set of 4 CDS!  Check them out here: http://www.voicelessonstogo.com/the-box-set-all-4-cds. To enter, leave a comment below telling us why you would like to win! Deadline to enter is December 22, 2014 at noon PST. Winner will randomly be selected from all entries via Random.org,

 

 

About Voice Lessons To Go

Founded in 2004 by Ariella Vaccarino, “Voice Lessons To Go” offers quality vocal training products at an affordable price for both the professional and aspiring vocalist. Ms. Vaccarino is an accomplished Opera singer, has performed on numerous movie soundtracks, and has been teaching voice and piano for over 20 years in the Los Angeles area. For more information about “Voice Lessons To Go” or Ms. Vaccarino, please visit voicelessonstogo.com.

Self Disclosure: I received free samples to facilitate this review/giveaway.

Filed Under: Uncategorized

Christmas Mac Bundle from PearlMountain

December 16, 2014 By Leave a Comment

Pearl Mountain is having a great deal right now! It’s a 70% OFF Christmas bundle promo for Publisher Plus and  IObit’s MacBooster 2.

Publisher Plus (regularly purchased at $39.90) is a powerful page layout application for desktop publishing on Mac. It empowers you to create all kinds of stunning cards, invitations, brochures, catalogs, flyers, newsletters, posters, etc.

MacBooster 2 (regularly priced at $59.95) is an incredibly simple and easy-to-use application to help you free up more hard drive space, protect you from potential threats, and speed up your Mac.

The Christmas bundle including the two remarkable Mac apps will be sold at a huge discount of 70% off, only $29.90, saving you as much as $69.95. It will be active from Dec. 8 to Dec. 30, 2014 at http://www.pearlmountainsoft.com/promotion/specialoffer.html.

Credit: PearlMountain. I received a copy of one of these apps to post.

 

Filed Under: Featured Products of the Week

Bamboo Pro™ Self-Warming Knee Support

December 15, 2014 By 6 Comments

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Bamboo Pro™ supports contain Bamboo Charcoal Technology that offers self-warming properties. Unlike normal supports, it activates with your body heat to bring restorative warmth to your muscles, cartilage, and joints. Natural heat increases blood circulation, which in turn delivers proteins, nutrients, and oxygen to the affected area. This helps ease discomfort, relieve achy joints due to aging, enhance muscle performance, and recovery.

I was quite excited to have my husband try this product out. He had knee surgery awhile back and has knee pain.  He really likes this product and recommends it.  I like that it is safe and effective and easy to use. It does not remove all his pain. He currently has ongoing medical issues with his knee. But, I am thankful that this product does help relieve some of his pain and discomfort.

More important info:

Directions for Use:
For best results, wear the Bamboo Pro™ support directly on your skin. The support does not need to be tight or constricting for the bamboo charcoal to activate.

Care Instructions: 
Machine wash in cold water. Dry on gentle cycle, low heat. Bamboo charcoal is high in absorption so to release odors and pollutants it may have absorbed, place the product in sunlight or under a full spectrum light bulb once a month for an hour, or as desired.

Size Circumference: 

  • Small: 11.5″ – 13″
    Medium: 12″ – 14″
    Large: 14″ – 16″
    X-Large: 16″ – 20″

How to Measure: 
Measure the circumference of your thigh 4″ above your knee cap.

Materials:
43% Bamboo Charcoal Viscose, 32% Polyamide Fiber, 17% Latex Elastic, 8% Polyurethane Fiber.

We have teamed up for a Giveaway! One winner will win this product. To enter, leave a comment below letting us know that you are entering.  Deadline to enter is December 18th, 2014 at noon PST. One winner will randomly be selected from all entries. 

 

Self Disclosure: I received this product for free through a Tomoson opportunity but any opinions expressed are honest and truthful.

Filed Under: Uncategorized

Holiday programming on PBS KIDS

December 14, 2014 By Leave a Comment

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CURIOUS GEORGE
“CURIOUS GEORGE: A Very Monkey Christmas” – airs December 17 and 25
Join George and The Man with the Yellow Hat as they count down the days until Christmas. There’s only one puzzle: neither of them can figure out what to give the other for a present. The Man is having trouble reading George’s wish list and George doesn’t have a clue about what to get for the Man who has everything. Maybe you can help!

PEG + CAT
“PEG + CAT + HOLIDAYS” – one-hour special premieres December 17
“The Hanukkah Problem” – When Albert Einstein invites Peg and Cat over for Hanukkah, he shows them how to make a 2D piece of paper into a 3D dreidel. Later, they need to use this process to bring peace to Al’s home and save his Hanukkah.

“The Christmas Problem” – When Santa Claus is in trouble, Peg and Cat have to solve their biggest problem ever: how to make and wrap presents for all the children of the world, and then deliver them using 100 sleighs.

“The Penguin Problem” – Peg and Cat coach a team of skiing penguins, who would have a shot at the Olympic gold medal if only they knew “over,” “under,” and “in between.”

DANIEL TIGER’S NEIGHBORHOOD
“Daniel’s Winter Adventure/Neighborhood Nutcracker” – premieres December 17
“Daniel’s Winter Adventure” – Daniel, Dad, Prince Wednesday and Prince Tuesday are all going sledding! But once they get to the hill and see how tall it is, Daniel and Prince Wednesday get scared. Dad assures them that if they try it a little bit at a time, they might surprise themselves and have a great time. Later, Daniel ice-skates for the first time. When he tries it a little bit at a time, he realizes it is not so hard.

“Neighborhood Nutcracker” – Daniel is going to see a show called The Nutcracker Ballet! Once he arrives at the performance, he finds out that Prince Wednesday is sick and needs Daniel to fill in for him and dance on stage. Daniel is reluctant at first, but realizes that if he learns the steps a little bit at a time, he can dance the Nutcracker and the show will go on! Strategy: If something seems hard to do, try it a little bit at a time.

THOMAS & FRIENDS
“Christmas Cheer” – premieres December 17
“Duncan The Humbug” – Everyone is happy at Christmastime except Duncan, the Scottish narrow gauge engine, who seems to be grumbling even more than usual. Victor offers Duncan a new coat of paint if he can refrain from grumbling for one whole day. Duncan rises to the challenge, but it is not so easy for an engine who likes to grumble to give up a lifetime habit.

“The Perfect Gift” – The whole island is celebrating Christmas and there are decorations everywhere.  But it doesn’t look very Christmas-y at the scrap yard. Percy starts to worry that Reg is missing out and he tries to find something to give Reg to cheer him up. But Reg only seems happy about scrap. Percy discovers that Reg is celebrating Christmas in his own way and has been making decorations from the scrap.

“Coming Home for Christmas” – premieres December 18
“Last Train for Christmas” – It’s Christmas Eve and a lot of passengers are coming home to Sodor for the holiday. Connor can’t carry all the passengers who are trying to get on his train. He promises to come back and pick them up, but the snow keeps falling and the engines are struggling to keep the tracks clear. It becomes a race against time, and the engines have to work together to clear the tracks and get the passengers home in time for Christmas.

“Long Lost Friend” – Gator returns to the Island of Sodor after being away for a long time. He is looking forward to seeing his old friend Percy. When Percy hears that Gator is back, he is very excited and immediately heads off to see him. But the two engines keep missing each other. They both have doubts they’ll see each other, but finally they connect and have a wonderful reunion.

Credit: PBS KIDS. No compensation was received.

Filed Under: Media Reviews

Tune-in to a Brand-New Holiday Episode of Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood on 12/17 on PBS KIDS!

December 14, 2014 By Leave a Comment

On Wednesday, December 17, a special holiday episode of the hit animated TV series from The Fred Rogers Company, Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood, premieres on PBS KIDS (check local listings) with two brand-new episodes, “Daniel’s Winter Adventure” and “Neighborhood Nutcracker.”

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In “Daniel’s Winter Adventure,” Daniel, Dad, Prince Wednesday and Prince Tuesday are all going sledding! But once they get to the hill and see how tall it is, Daniel and Prince Wednesday get scared. Dad assures them that if they try it a little bit at a time, they might surprise themselves and have a great time. Later, Daniel goes ice skating for the first time. When he tries it a little bit at a time, he realizes it is not so hard.

In “Neighborhood Nutcracker,” Daniel is going to see a show called The Nutcracker Ballet! Once he arrives at the performance, he finds out that Prince Wednesday is sick and needs Daniel to fill in for him and dance on stage. Daniel is reluctant at first but realizes that if he learns the steps a little bit at a time, he can dance the Nutcracker and the show will go on!

And don’t forget to tune-in to Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood
each day on PBS KIDS (check local listings) and:
Visit: pbskids.org/daniel
Like: facebook.com/danieltigertv
Follow: twitter.com/danieltigertv and pinterest.com/danieltigertv/

Credit: PBS KIDS.

Filed Under: Media Reviews

ShopAdvisor App Helps with the Holidays!

December 14, 2014 By Leave a Comment

Imagine building your holiday gift list and then getting an alert on your smartphone every time the price drops on any item?  And then being able to click right through and buy away?

 

It’s already here, and it’s called ShopAdvisor: a website and app that track the latest pricing data from every major retailer and beyond – 16,000 in all – and captures both in-store and online prices.  It’s that simple.  Any item or category you want – electronics, appliances, toys, fashion – ShopAdvisor is on the job.

 

ShopAdvisor also has tons of data on when deals are likely to happen.  Based on last year’s pricing patterns, some tips for this season:

 

  • Waiting is worth it: December 18 offered the lowest across-the-board prices in-store and online last year

 

  • Black Friday is myth: average savings on 6,000 popular items tracked was 1-2%; 42% of items were less expensive in the 4 weeks leading to Black Friday than on the day itself

 

  • Weekdays are worth it: in-store and online discounts were 30% deeper weekdays than on weekends from after Black Friday through the holiday shopping period

 

In addition, ShopAdvisor also provides store hours and deals, curating the Black Friday circulars and other special offers, helping consumers save time and money and find unique gifts.

So, check out ShopAdvisor this Holiday season!

 

Self Disclosure: No compensation was received to post. Credit: ShopAdvisor.

Filed Under: Media Reviews

Emily Blunt & Anna Kendrick

December 13, 2014 By Leave a Comment

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Emily Blunt

World Premiere of “Into the Woods”

December 8, 2014, New York

Look by Jenn Streicher for Laura Mercier

Makeup artist Jenn Streicher created an “alluring and sophisticated” makeup look for actress Emily Blunt at the premiere of “Into the Woods” in New York.  She was inspired by Blunt’s Dolce & Gabbana statement dress, and paired it with a “bold, sexy lip and elegant eye flick.”

 

 

FACE: Flawless Complexion

·         Streicher “properly hydrated” Blunt’s skin using RéVive Intensité Moisture Serum Extrême Complete Hydration, $365. She then followed with Hourglass No. 28 Primer Serum.

·         Next, she applied Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturizer Broad Spectrum SPF 20 Sunscreen in Natural, $43 and blended in the shade with a damp BeautyBlender sponge to give the skin a soft hint of colour.

·         She then dabbed Laura Mercier Secret Concealer in #1.5, $24 just under the eye area and as need to even out Blunt’s skin tone.

·         Lastly, Streicher set the look with Laura Mercier Invisible Loose Setting Powder, $37 to ensure it looked flawless through the premiere.

 

 

EYES: An Elegant Eye Flick

·         Streicher first applied Laura Mercier Caviar Stick Eye Colour in Rosegold, $28 over the majority of the lids. She then used Laura Mercier Caviar Stick Eye Colour in Amethyst, $28 along the lash line.

·         To create the “elegant flick,” she applied Laura Mercier Crème Eye Liner in Noir, $24 along the lash line.

·         Streicher swept on multiple coats of black mascara to Emily’s lashes to add the final touch of glamour.

 

 

LIPS: Bold, Gorgeous Lips   

·         To create Blunt’s “gorgeous lip,” Streicher first applied Laura Mercier Crème Smooth Lip Colour in Plumberry, $27 as a base.

·         She then used Laura Mercier Lip Pencil in Ruby, $23 to deepen the ends.

·         Finally, Streicher applied Laura Mercier Crème Smooth Lip Colour in Hollywood, $27 to the center of the lips to create an ombré look and provide a “pop of color.”

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Anna Kendrick

World Premiere of “Into the Woods”

December 8, 2014, New York

Look by Sara Glick for Laura Mercier

Makeup artist Sara Glick created a makeup look evocative of a “modern day Cinderella” for actress Anna Kendrick at the premiere of “Into the Woods.”  The look was “clean and fresh, with a touch of youthful sophistication.”  She added a hint of colour to Kendrick’s final look by applying plum and eggplant hues to highlight her eyes.

 

 

FACE: Natural Complexion Paired with Rosy Pinks

 

 

EYES: Smokey Eye Using Pearlescent Taupe and Plum Hues

  • Glick created a glamourous smokey eye, without overpowering the full look by using three shades ofLaura Mercier Caviar Stick Eye Colour, $28. First, she applied Seashell on the inner corners, top and bottom. Next, she used Rosegold on the lids and bottom lash line, and finally Plum for the crease and outer lash line.
  • Adding additional fullness to Kendrick’s lashes, she drew a fine line across the top lash line by applyingLaura Mercier Crème Eye Liner in Noir, $24 with an angled brush, making sure to fill in the top waterline.
  • Next, Glick applied three to four coats of BareMinerals Flawless Definition Mascara in Black to the top lashes and one coat to the bottom.
  • She kept Kendrick’s brows natural, filling in with the Laura Mercier Eye Brow Pencil in Ash Blonde, $22.

 

 

LIPS: Pink and Peachy Lips

 

Self Disclosure: No compensation was received. Credit: Laura Mercier.

Filed Under: Beauty and Fashion, Beauty and Fashion Corner
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