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The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge Out of Water – Sure to Entertain Your Younger Kids

February 7, 2015 By Leave a Comment

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Nickelodeon’s lead character, SpongeBob stars in this new feature film which offers up a diabolical pirate who steals the secret Krabby Patty formula and SpongeBob and his friends must travel to the surface in order to get it back. Starring the voice talent of Tom Kenny and Antonio Banderas, this is a great film to share with your younger viewers. KIDS FIRST! Film Critic Samantha A. comments, “This movie has everything you would want to see in a film. It is funny, family-friendly, unpredictable and down-right entertaining.” Her full review is below.

The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge Out of Water

Samantha Alexander, KIDS FIRST! Film Critic, age 11

In the movie Sponge Out of Water, SpongeBob and his gang are back! And this time, they are bigger and better in their all-new movie. They go beyond the ocean floor and onto land and look for the secret krabby patty formula that they have been keeping a secret forever but suddenly has vanished into thin air, right in front of SpongeBobs eyes.

In this film, you see more of your favorite characters for example, Patrick Star voiced by Bill Fagerblake, Mr.Krabs voiced by Clancy Brown, Squidward voiced by Rodger Bumpass, Sandy Cheeks voiced by Carolyn Lawrence and last, but not least, SpongeBob SquarePants, voiced by Tom Kenny. All of these people nail it in this movie and fit these roles perfectly, just like they do in the TV show.

This movie has everything you would want to see in a film. It is funny, family-friendly, unpredictable and down-right entertaining. I also really enjoyed this movie because it is two stories that meet when SpongeBob goes out of the water. One story shows a pirate (Antonio Banderas) telling the story of SpongeBob, and the other shows SpongeBob and his crew coming to the surface on their quest to find the formula.

Something special about this movie is that it is based on the very popular original kid’s television show created by Stephen Hillenburg.  It includes the TV show’s animation but becomes only half animation for the parts where they are out of water. I really like this element because it is different from other movies that are only animation. Also it is interesting to see SpongeBob in a different form that’s not animated.

I’m giving this movie 5 out 5 stars because it is hilarious and unpredictable and that I would definitely see it again.  I recommend this movie for ages 6 to 60 because it is classic SpongeBob SquarePants.

Credit: KIDS FIRST! www.kidsfirst.org

Filed Under: Media Reviews

Say “I Do” to Energy-Saving, Functional Faceplates for the Home and Office Valentine’s Collection gives you a new Love Connection to Plug Into

February 7, 2015 By 1 Comment

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It’s almost Valentine’s Day! – San Francisco based LivingPlug delivers something sweeter than a box of hearts and longer lasting than a bouquet of flowers with its energy-efficient, functional faceplates collection celebrating Cupid’s favorite day. The INLET is a three-prong adapter plus USB port that plugs into any standard outlet in the home or office. The Company’s Valentine’s Day Collection brings a burst of color and the opportunity to personalize a “Will You Marry Me” for a more creative proposal this year.

Founded by college friends and business partners, LivingPlug is set to innovate the overlooked outlet by bringing a solution to market that reduces energy bills while increasing design opportunities in the home.  “Vampire Charges” are the hidden costs incurred when electronics stay plugged in when not in use yet still tap into energy at the source.

“The average home has 75 outlets which account for up to 25% of the energy bill and detract from home design,” says co-founder and architect Charley Curran. “We put a new face on the outlet and improved it by including a kill switch to help homeowners reduce electrical bills while adding decorative accents around the home,” adds Mr. Curran.

With hundreds of images to choose from, the Company’s Valentine’s collection features original designs from artists it partners with plus customers can DIY their love connection this year with a more personalized design.

The INLET and Faceplates are sold separately but work together, each is priced at $25 with bundle sets available through the website www.livingplug.com. Additionally, LivingPlug is available on Amazon and the company will launch a line via Walmart before spring. To learn more and preview the collection, please visit livingplug.

Self Disclosure: No compensation was received. Credit: Living Plug.

 

Filed Under: Featured Products of the Week

Contour and Paint with Laura Mercier – NEW at Sephora!

February 6, 2015 By Leave a Comment

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This month, Laura Mercier is bringing two truly flawless products exclusively to Sephora counters.

 

Laura Mercier Flawless Contouring Palette, $50

Sculpt the face naturally under the instruction of the founder of the “flawless face,” renowned makeup artist, Laura Mercier.

·       Designed to define and highlight your features with five delicate, but buildable crèmes

·       Extraordinary cream formula is more blendable than typical contouring powders

·       Allows for a natural, flawless, fool-proof application every time

·       Contains 3 neutral brown matte crème for shade and 2 crème highlighters for light reflection

 

 

Laura Mercier Paint Wash Liquid Lip Colour, $28

Wash lips in rich, pure and intense colour. This is already a professional makeup artist favorite, with celebrity makeup artist Molly R. Stern using it to create a dramatic lip for award show darling, Reese Witherspoon.

 

·       Creamy formula envelops lips in richness with a demi-matte finish

·       Lightweight, comfortable, all day wear

·       Multi-functional paddle brush for one stroke colour application

·       Available in nine rich, intense and creamy colours.

I received a sample of the Laura Mercier Paint Wash Liquid Lip Colour in the Golden Peach Shade and I love the color, shine and how lightweight it is! A real beauty Must-Have!

Self Disclosure: I received a free sample to facilitate this feature. Photo Credit: Laura Mercier.

Filed Under: Beauty and Fashion, Beauty and Fashion Corner

iCoffee® Introduces SafetyLock™ Consumer Safety System

February 6, 2015 By Leave a Comment

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iCoffee®, maker of the Opus™ single serve brewer, has announced the use of its patent-pending SafetyLock™ two-step safety system on the company’s entire line of single serve brewers.

 

iCoffee’s SafetyLock consumer protection system uses a two-step system to protect consumers. During the first step, a mechanical lock secures the single-serve brew head during the brewing process to ensure that the brew head will not open at any time during the brewing cycle. If the brew head is tampered with during brewing, a secondary electronic safety device instantly shuts off the flow of water, helping prevent burn-related injuries due to hot liquid escaping from the brew head. SafetyLock is a standard feature on the iCoffee Opus™ and is also standard on the Express™ and DaVinci™ models to be launched nationwide in February.

 

“We didn’t just want to create a single serve brewing technology that delivers exceptional-tasting coffee,” said Bruce Burrows, inventor and CEO of iCoffee. “We also wanted to be responsible by delivering a brewer that was as safe as possible. We are first and foremost committed to the safety of our coffee lovers, regardless of the extra costs and measures it takes.”

 

“We have taken every precaution to keep consumers out of harm’s way,” added Burrows. “With SafetyLock’s two-step safety system, consumers can feel extra secure using iCoffee brewers around their children and families and do not have to ever worry about how close they stand to their brewer. This consumer safety protection system has never been done before.”

 

The iCoffee Opus SpinBrew single serve brewer by Remington  was released nationwide at Bed Bath & Beyond®in November, 2014, with a manufacturer’s suggested retail price of $139.99. The company will be introducing the Express and DaVinci to its single serve lineup early in 2015. All brewers include the SafetyLock feature. For more information about the company, please visit www.icoffee.com.

 I received the iCoffee Opus SpinBrew Single serve brewer to try out for myself and I am truly impressed! I have to admit that I had jumped on the Keurig bandwagon years ago but since the Keurig 2.0…I have been looking for a different brand. I was quite excited to be able to check this one out!  Goodbye Keurig! Hello iCoffee! The Opus is the world’s first to use SpinBrew technology that features a spinning needle with jets that spins, steams and stirs the coffee inside ALL K-Cups and All K-compatible cups during brewing. You can even use an iCup Reusable (which is included) to use with your own favorite brand of coffee. No need to hack this machine because it works with all K-cups.  I also love that I can make the perfect cup every time by using the Dial-a-Brew control which lets your “dial in” the exact preferred strength between 4-12 ounces in .5 ounce increments. It is also simple to use!  I also love that this brewer has a SafetyLock. My favorite thing is that it really does make a great tasting coffee quickly and easily to start my day off with a smile! 

The iCoffee Opus is available in all 1,000+ Bed Bath & Beyond Stores. Eight other major retailers will also begin carrying this brewer early this year.  It really is a Must-Buy! iCoffee Opus is my new favorite K-compatible single serve brewer! 

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Self Disclosure: I received a free sample of the iCoffee Opus by Remington in exchange for an unbiased review. All opinions expressed are my own.

Filed Under: Featured Products of the Week

Serenading Your Valentine in 6 Easy Tips!!

February 6, 2015 By Leave a Comment

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Want to take a risk and go all out romantic for your Valentine? Why not Serenade them?  While some may feel it’s a very risky move, it’s also hugely romantic when done right. Ariella Vaccarino, creator of Voice Lessons To Go™, has put together tips for seranading your Valentine…the old fashioned way.

Here are 6 tips for pulling off a great serenade:

 

1. Be sincere- Don’t make a joke out of your serenade. Give it 110%. That way your Valentine doesn’t have to feel insecure about getting all googly and melty in response to it. If you think it’s a joke, it won’t be romantic and come off insincere. Sing from your heart and be honest with your emotions.

 

2. Pick a great song– Whether you write the song or sing someone elses tune, make sure your song choice fits with your voice and is appropriate with the Valentine’s Day theme. Feel free to personalize a song that is all ready written by adding your Valentine’s name or any other bits of info he/she will like.

 

3. Pick a great location– If your Valentine is the shy type, don’t bring out the ukulele in front of all her/his friends- keep the performance private so that he/she can relish the moment without feeling self conscience.  On the other hand, if she/he is really comfortable in public, see if you can get hold of a microphone at a big event you are taking him/her to…and sing away!

 

4. Organize your accompaniment– Whether it is to be sung acapella (without music accompaniment), with a banjo, or a chamber orchestra, figure it out. Maybe you know someone who can play for you while you sing if you can’t pick up a guitar yourself. If not, you can always sing to a karaoke cd.

 

5. Memorize the piece– You should spend your time looking into your Valentine’s eyes, not glued to notes or lyrics on a piece of paper. You don’t want to miss their reaction.

 

… And finally as always...

 

6. Make sure you warm-up your voice beforehand so that you can give the best possible performance. You’ll only get one shot to melt his/her heart with your song. Make sure you are singing with a clear tone and not warming up and clearing your voice throughout your performance, be ready!

 

Want to find out how your serenading is sounding before you sing to your Valentine? Sign up for Your Vocal Assessment  on voicelessonstogo.com. Just upload a link to or mp3 of your voice with your questions, and Ariella will get right back to you with her feedback.

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.

Credit: Ariella Vaccarino, creator of Voice Lessons To Go™.

Filed Under: Announcements, Shout outs!

Hallmark wants to help you #PutYourHeartToPaper this Valentine’s Day!

February 5, 2015 By 12 Comments

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It’s almost Valentine’s Day and what is my favorite thing about Valentine’s Day? CARDS! Although not just any cards. My favorite cards have always been Hallmark! So, I was quite excited when Hallmark asked bloggers if they would like to receive Valentine’s Day cards to review and feature. I didn’t hesitate and quickly replied. I love the cards that I received and was quickly able to decide which card would be perfect for each friend or loved one on my list. That is the greatest thing about Hallmark! There is always a card for everyone. There is no need to go from store to store to find the perfect card. One of my favorite collections is the Hallmark Sarah Jessica Parker collection. I was overly thrilled to see that there were three beautiful Valentine’s Day Cards from that collection.   I also found the perfect one for my best friend and for my husband.  (I’m not posting photos of them individually since they may see this post!)

Hallmark also has a great new website to check out for this upcoming holiday of love and friendship! it’s the #PutYourHeartToPaper website. As the name and theme suggests, the idea is to capture what you want to say to those you love in written form so they’ll have a tangible and long-lasting reminder of how you feel. Now, how cool is that?! Right now, the site has a series of videos that Hallmark shot with six couples (I loved watching these!)  and some tips for writing a love-letter. This website will make you smile!  Here’s one of the videos below:

We have teamed up with our friends at Hallmark for a Valentine’s Day Giveaway! You can win your own card collection of Valentine’s Cards from Hallmark! But, hurry! This is a quick giveaway! Deadline to enter is February 8th, 2015 at 10 am PST. To enter, leave a comment below telling us your favorite type of Valentine’s Day card! Is it funny? Is it serious? You tell us! One winner will randomly be selected via Random.org.

Self Disclosure: I received a Hallmark complimentary card pack to facilitate this feature. Any opinions expressed are my own.

Happy Valentine’s Day!

 

Filed Under: Uncategorized

New Chuggington DVD from Anchor Bay Entertainment

February 5, 2015 By 2 Comments

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HIGH-SPEED CHUGGINGTON™ FUN IS
COMING DOWN THE TRACKS WITH
‘TURBO CHARGED CHUGGER’

http://youtu.be/sNVkN85oUS4

Fans and their families nationwide will honk their horns for high-speed adventure when “Turbo Charged Chugger,” an action-packed new “Chuggington™” DVD from Anchor Bay Entertainment, pulls into retail nationwide on February 10, 2015. Featuring six turbo-charged episodes, plus a special free custom activity book with colorful stickers from Bendon Publishing, the latest traintastic “Chuggington” DVD is just the ticket for Valentine’s Day fun for preschoolers from coast to coast!

 

In “Turbo Charged Chugger,” (SRP $14.98), the trainees take their responsibilities to a whole new exciting level. Wilson and the Chug Patrollers attempt a daring bridge rescue, Brewster helps the Chuggineers build a new station, Koko tries to smash her Chug-A-Sonic record, the Speed Fleet competes in the Track Dash, and everyone learns how to use the Piggy-Back Wagon. With old friends and new, including Hanzo – Head of Speed Fleet, Fire Chugger Asher and Tunnel Runner Payce – riding along, young trainees at home will learn to work together, play fair and use good judgment as they take on new responsibilities of their own!

I received a sample DVD and my little nephew loved it! He loves all the action and the fun characters! This one is a Must-Have for young children!

 

Episodes:

  • “Special Rescue Team”
  • “Team Trainee”
  • “Record Breaker Koko”
  • “The Old Silver Mine Line”
  • “A Pat on the Paintwork”
  • “Top Secret Koko”

 

DVD Bonus Features:

  • Badge Quest Episode: “No Time to Waste”
  • Character Montages: Asher and Payce
  • Coloring and Activity Pages

 

Now in its fourth season on Disney Junior, “Chuggington” is a colorful and contemporary CGI-animated TV show from Ludorum that reinforces early social readiness skills. The series has become a global sensation since its debut in September 2008 in the U.K. The show has been licensed to more than 175 territories worldwide and has established ratings records in several key international markets, including the U.K., Germany, France and Australia. The series made its U.S. debut in January 2010.

In more exciting news, fans can catch their favorite trainees at Chuggington Live!, a live-action, musical children’s show, based on the popular TV series. CHUGGINGTON LIVE! The Great Rescue Adventure gives young fans and their families the opportunity to experience the train-tastic adventures of the Chuggington trainees, Wilson, Brewster and Koko. The tour is currently scheduled to play more than 50 cities throughout North America. The tour schedule and ticket information can be found at www.chuggingtonlive.com.

Also, click below for a  fun Valentine’s Day Chuggington-themed coloring sheet! 

Chuggington Valentine’s Day Coloring Page 2

We have teamed up for a special Valentine’s Day Giveaway! To enter, leave a comment below telling us what your child’s favorite thing is about Valentine’s Day! One winner will win this action packed DVD! Deadline to enter is February 10th, 2015 at noon PST. One winner will randomly be selected via Random.org.

Self Disclosure: I received a free DVD to facilitate this feature. Info and photo provided by Anchor Bay Entertainment.

 

 

Filed Under: Uncategorized

Ozeri Deluxe Milk Frother and 12 oz Frothing Pitcher in Stainless Steel, with Extra Whisk Attachment

February 5, 2015 By Leave a Comment

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I am really impressed with this product! I have never used a Milk Frother before so wasn’t sure what to quite expect. But, I simply really like making Lattes with this one! I find it impressive that it whips up in less than a minute. Actually, within less than 20 seconds! I also like that it froths soy milk, coconut milk and almond milk as well as whole milk. It also comes with a 12 oz Frothing Pitcher and an extra Whisk attachment.  It is also stylish but the best things are that it is sturdy and so easy to use! I also tried it for beating eggs and it works really well! I love that it is made of stainless steel and this really is my new favorite kitchen gadget! It’s a Kitchen Must-Have!

You can find this on Amazon.com. Ships from and sold by Moderna Housewares LLC.

Self Disclosure: I received this product for free in exchange for an unbiased review.

Filed Under: Featured Products of the Week
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