Free Event at Michael’s Craft Stores

December 28, 2010 By

As a parent I am always looking for fun activities that I can do with my children, most especially in the Winter months. During the warm weather months I can easily take them to the park, playground or pool for a few hours. In the Winter time there is only so much you can do. Therefore I am especially interested in indoor activities.

Michaels, North America’s largest arts and crafts specialty retailer, will host a FREE The Knack Free Family Fun event on Saturday, January 8 to give everyone in the family a chance to get out of the house and put their creative skills to work. 

 

ALL 1,030+ Michaels stores will host a Pinewood Derby Finishing Workshop Event from 10 a.m. to Noon on Saturday, Jan. 8. Families can bring in their own Pinewood Derby cars or purchase one. Michaels will provide all the finishing touches to add some flair. Kids can also make a colorful pennant to cheer on a favorite team and decorate their room.

The Knack is Michaels’ kids program that encourages kids to explore their creativity through a wealth of great ideas, projects and crafts designed just for them. Every child has a knack for something.  

You can find additional information on The Knack, The Knack Free Family Fun events and get additional kids project ideas at www.Michaels.com/TheKnack.   

It sounds like it could be fun. I especially like that it would be of interest to boys, as well as girls. My son already has a Derby car from a Boy Scout event from many years ago. Of course it looks nothing like the awesome car pictured above. I also like that its a FREE event. With so many families struggling to get from paycheck to paycheck a FREE family event is great.

Kimberly

*I was not compensated in any way for this post. I posted this for the benefit and enjoyment of my site readers.

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Who ate all the Cream Puffs?

December 28, 2010 By

OK. Who ate all of the Delizza Belgium Cream Puffs? I have been trying to find them at both of the grocery stores that we frequent because I wanted to have them for the holiday but they are never on the shelves when I go. They are always sold out! I know it has to do with the holiday. Delizza Belgium Cream Puffs are perfect to serve to holiday guests.

Delizza Belgium Cream Puffs and Belgium Mini Eclairs have been around for a very long time. When I used to live with my parents, long before I was married (I’ve been married 14 years) my Mom used to buy Delizza products. My Mom was especially fond of the cream puffs. She used to hide them in the freezer like they were her own personal stash. LOL!

Delizza’s Belgium Cream Puffs and Mini Eclairs are found in the freezer section of the grocery store. They come in a hard plastic tub with a lid to keep the contents fresh until you are ready to eat and enjoy them. This allows you to use only the amount you want. Rather then defrost the entire tub you can remove just a few pieces and keep the rest fresh in your freezer until you are ready for more.

My Mom used to hide the tub in the back of the freezer as if the Delizza Belgium Cream Puffs (her personal favorite) or Mini Eclairs were her own personal stash. Ha Ha. She usually purchased them around the holiday season to serve to guests who would stop by. They are the perfect “finger food” to go with a cup of tea or coffee. Both the Cream Puffs and Eclairs are small in size. You can finish them off in a bite or two.

The pastries are frozen. When you are ready to eat them you simply remove as many as you want and place them on a plate and let them stand at room temperature for about 30 minutes (if you can wait that long!). You can eat them sooner then 3o minutes if you like the cream inside to be firmer and cold. Or if you wait the full 30 minutes the cream will be softer and more creamier. Its totally up to you and how you prefer them. I liked the Belgium Mini Eclairs to be fully defrosted, however I enjoy the Cream Puffs just a few minutes out of the freezer while they are still basically frozen. The cream inside is still frozen. Its like eating ice cream with a pastry around it. YUMMY!!!

I see that Delizza now makes Chocolate Covered Belgium Cream Puffs and a Belgium Double Chocolate Mini Eclair filled with Chocolate cream instead of Vanilla cream. Oh my goodness! I can’t wait to try those. They sound SO GOOD!

Delizza desserts are great to keep in your freezer for unexpected guests or for whenever you are craving a sweet treat. They last quite a while in the freezer and you get many in each tub.

I have a coupon for a free tub of Delizza (and product) but I cannot find them at the store! Ugh! I haven’t been to the store in well over a week due to the holiday and now the weather. I hope that now that the holiday season is pretty much over they will be able to restock the shelves with them. I really wanted to have them on hand for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day but that doesn’t meant I can’t enjoy them just the same on January and beyond.

An added “plus” with the Delizza products is that you can reuse the plastic tub they come in. My Mom used to use the tubs for storing craft supplies. I’m sure you could use them to house small toys, crayons and other knick knacks.

To see if Delizza products are available where you live there is a store finder on their website, www.Delizza.us(note that its not .com). There is also a .75 cent off coupon you can download from their site. If you have a store that doubles coupons that could equal $1.50 off a tub of Delizza’s delicious pastries.

You can also find Delizza on Facebook, www.Facebook.com/DelizzaDesserts and on Twitter, www.Twitter.com/DelizzaDesserts.

Kimberly

*I did receive a coupon to try Delizza fro free, however I have not been able to use it as of yet. There was no compensation. Any opinion expressed is my own.

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Jill Kirsh Color – The RIGHT Colors for You! ($110+ Giveaway!)

December 28, 2010 By

I have a “guilty pleasure”. I love to watch make over shows. I am always in awe when I see how dramatically people’s looks can change with something as simple as a hair cut, a change in make up or a new outfit. I secretly dream of being made over like that. I never know how to style my hair. And my wardrobe consists of mostly sweat pants and tee shirts.

When I first started to wear make up (around the age of 16) no one taught me how to apply it. I pretty much learned from watching my older sister and my friends. Back in the day wearing blue eye shadow was cool. I have one school photo of me wearing blue eye shadow. I cringe every time I see it. Thank goodness back then yearbook pictures were in black and white so I don’t have to worry about anyone else having the pictures of me in the blue eye shadow. How embarrassing!

I was always under the assumption that you should choose make up based on your skin tone and then add to it based upon what you are wearing. When it comes to skin tone I’m as pale as they come. I think Casper the Ghost has more color to his skin then I do. I’m VERY pale.

I tend to use make up, like face powder, for people with Ivory or light skin tones. I sometimes add a bit of color to my face by wearing a little bit of an eye shadow that matches what I’m wearing, do some degree. If I’m wearing something blue (which I rarely do) I might wear a greenish eye shadow (not blue). If I’m wearing something Burgundy then I might use a little Burgundy eye shadow.

I often wear the same colored cloths. If you look in my closet you’ll notice a lot of dark colors like Burgandy, Dark Green, Black and Dark Purple. I have always found that certain colors don’t look right on me. I will never wear something Yellow or Orange because they just don’t look right on me. I could never figure out why. It’s just my own personal opinion.

According to Jill Kirsh, named the “Best Color Consultant” by Los Angeles Magazine’s Best of LA Issue, says that your hair color actually dictates what colors work best for you. Whether your super pale like me or have perfect “sun kissed” skin, it doesn’t matter. Its the color of your hair that decides what color wardrobe and make up you should be using.

Jill Kirsh sent me a couple of her products as well as a color swatch book from her product line. The swatch book contains colored fabrics that are suppose to work best for my hair color. I’m a natural dirty blond/strawberry blond, however I always color my hair Auburn. I have been coloring my hair Auburn for over 20 years now. I feel that I should have been born with Auburn hair. I think I look a million times better with Auburn then I do my natural color. I have tried other colors before including a very dark Chocolate color but it didn’t look right. I’ve even gone the opposite end and tired being a bleach blond too. That color looked the worst on me!

When the products arrived I was anxious to see what color clothing I should be wearing based upon my hair color. I was very surprised to see that all the colors in the swatch book are the very same colors that I tend to gravitate towards. The swatch book contained deep, rich colors like various shades of browns and dark reds. There were also a few colors in the swatch book that I was rather surprised to find in there. Colors that I wouldn’t normally wear but now I’m curious to see how they look on me.

The swatch book is small and compact. Inside you’ll find “pages” of actual fabrics in various colors and shades that work best for your hair color. Keep this swatch book in your purse so that you always have it handy. Use it the next time you go clothes shopping so that you know what colors you should choosing to best compliment your hair color.

I wish I had a picture of mine. I WAS on my desk, but now I can’t find it. I suspect a two legged “mouse” might have it but she denies it. My daughter has natural reddish brown hair so the swatch colors would work well for her too. I suspect she has it and doesn’t remember where she put it and is afraid to tell me. No worries. I’m sure I’ll find it as we’re packing away the holiday decorations. We live in a one bedroom condo. It can’t go too far.

Not only is is important to choose clothing colors that best compliment your hair color but its also equally important to pick out make up that also goes well with your hair color.

I’m not one to wear lipstick except for a few times a year on special occasions. I usually use light pink. The same applies to my blush. I don’t use it on a daily basis, only when I’m getting dressed up. I always tend to use light pink or coral colors. According to Jill Kirsh I’m using the WRONG colors.

Jill sent me an On-the-Go Mini Kit which features two blushes, four eye shadows and two different applicators (one for the eye shadow, the other for the blush) in a portable lightweight compact with a built in mirror.

The colors that came with my On-the-Go Mini Kit included eye shadows and blushes that were much darker then the colors I would normally use. I was excited to give them a try.

WOW! I was impressed. Even though these were colors I wouldn’t normally consider they DID work out better for me then the lighter pinks and corals that I normally use. I’m sorry that I don’t have a before/after face photo to share with you. If you read my blog regularly you’ll know that I am not one to appear in any photos on my blog. I don’t “do” photos. I am self conscious about how I look.

When I first applied the colors in the On-the-Go Mini Kit I was thinking the darker shades would stand out more. Actually they blend much better. The lighter colors actually stand out more. I can see now that the lighter blush colors were way wrong for my face. It’s a noticeable difference. I also love the eye shadow colors. My favorite is the dark brown. It makes me look more “together”. When I wore the light pinks and corals I looked more like a circus clown. Ha Ha.

Jill also sent me her colored lip gloss made especially for people with Auburn hair. The color is really dark. MUCH darker then what I am used to. All my lip sticks and colored lip glosses are light colors. NEVER would I consider wearing such a dark lip gloss color.

The lip gloss is taking me a big longer to get used to. Like I mentioned earlier in the post I don’t usually wear lip stick (lip gloss) except on special occasions or when I get dressed up.

I can see that the darker lip gloss color does look better on me. Its clear to me that light pinks and corals are NOT the colors for me. The difference is like night and day.

I’m sorry I don’t have a before and after photos for you, but you can find some one Jill’s website, www.JillKirshColor.com/Testimonials.html.

Now that I know what colors work better with my hair color I’m going to make sure to stick with them and toss out all the wrong colors for me. I don’t want to look like a circus clown anymore. Sheesh! When I think about it now I want to cringe. All these years I have been using all the wrong colors. How embarrassing!

To learn more about Jill Kirsh you can visit her official website, www.JillKirshColor.com.

Jill would love to give a lucky reader a Color Swatch Book, On-the-Go Mini Kit and a Lip Gloss based upon the winner’s hair color. The retail value is over $110.00! Thanks Jill!

To enter please visit the Jill Kirsh products website, www.JillKirshColor.com/Cart. Find your hair color on the left side bar. Then click on your hair color. Look at the various colors available for the different products (lips, eyes, cheeks) and come back here and comment on a specific color that is great for your hair color.

For extra entries you can do any or all of the following. Please be sure to leave a separate comment for each that you have done. Extra entries are optional.

- Subscribe to She Scribes and/or Connect via Google Friend Connect. Both options are found on the right side bar.

- “Like” Jill Kirsh on Facebook, www.Facebook.com/JillKirshColor.

- “Like” She Scribes on Facebook, www.Facebook.com/SheScribes.

- Follow Jill Kirsh on Twitter, www.Twitter.com/JillKirshColor.

- Follow She Scribes on Twitter, www.Twitter.com/She_Scribes and tweet about this review/giveaway. Be sure to include @She_Scribes in the tweet so I can see it too. This is limited to three tweets per day.

- Use any or all of the social networking buttons found at the bottom of this post to share this review/giveaway with others on Facebook, Stumble Upon and/or Digg. Be sure to tell me what you did and please provide a name and/or URL so I can verify.

This giveaways is open to US residents only and will end on January 5, 2010 at 11:59 PM (EST). The winner will be chosen at random using a random number generator from all eligible entries. The winner will be contacted via e-mail and will have three days to reply with a name, mailing address (no PO Box) and hair color or a new winner will be chosen.

Other giveaways can be found on the right side bar under “Win It”.

Kimberly

* I received free product samples in order to do this review. There was no compensation. The opinions expressed are my own. Jill Kirsh will be providing the prize.

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New Kellogg’s FiberPlus Flavor – Caramel Coconut Fudge

December 28, 2010 By

A few months ago I wrote a post about about the importance of taking a break in the afternoon, both for your mental and physical health. It was called the 3 PM stretch. It was in that post that I introduced my readers to the Kellogg’s FiberPlus Bars. You can read the original post here, http://www.shescribes.com/2010/10/3-pm-stretch-do-you-need-a-break-giveaway-25-winners.html. The giveaway is over for that post. Please disregard that part.

Kellogg’s has added a new flavor to its FiberPlus bars called Caramel Coconut Fudge. If you are a fan of caramel and/or coconut then you will love this new flavor.

These new bars look similar to the other FiberPlus bars. They are about the same size and shape as a typical chew granola bar, but these bars put other granola bars to shame. Just ONE FiberPlus bar provides you with a whopping 35% of your daily recommended fiber intake. FiberPlus bars are also rich in antioxidants and Vitamin E and Zinc.

Fiber is an important part of our diets. Not only does fiber help to keep your body have regular bowel movements as well as help with bowel health. A huge “plus” with adding fiber to your daily diet is that it helps you to feel full. If you feel full you are less likely to indulge in “bad” foods like candy, chips and cookies. A FiberPlus bar and a glass of low fat milk would be the perfect snack option, especially for those who are looking to lose weight or maintain their weight.

Many people resolve to lose weight in the new year. Snacking on a FiberPlus bar is a great way to stick to a weight loss program. The FiberPlus bars DO NOT taste like a boring old granola bar. To me they taste more like a cookie or a candy bar. They are very rich and flavorful. Compared to a chocolate bar or a handful of cookie, FiberPlus bars are a healthier choice. Not only do you get to experience a delicious treat but you also get to add some much needed fiber in your diet.

As for the new flavor, I found it to be very tasty. You can taste the coconut, but its very subtle. To me the bar tastes more like caramel fudge, with a hint of coconut.

To learn more about Kellogg’s FiberPlus bars and other FiberPlus products please visit www.KelloggsFiberPlus.com.

Kellogg’s FiberPlus bars are found at retail stores across the county.

Kimberly

*I received a free product sampe in order to do this review. There was no compensation. The opinions expressed are my own.

 

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How many days until Spring?

December 28, 2010 By

If you live on the East Coast (or close to it) chances are you got hit with one heck of a snow storm. I heard if it was a hurricane it would have been a level 2 hurricane. Yikes!

The “eye” of the storm stayed over the area where I live (and down as far as New Jersey). I don’t have any official totals as of yet but we easily got hit with 24″ – 30″ of snow. The snow drifts are several feet deep too!

Thank goodness the kids are off from school this week and my husband’s job closed today. I couldn’t imagine trying to drive in this snow.

Many people were stranded all over the area. I heard on the news that a young couple and their 3 month old baby were stranded on the Long Island Expressway and were almost out of food and gas to keep warm. Someone who lives in Queens, New York, heard about the family on the television and went out to rescue them. Thankfully he found them inside a bus that was also stranded, but at least had enough gas to keep warm. 

WOW! That really touches my heart to hear that a total stranger would risk his life and well being to rescuse a family like that. You can read more about it on the ABC News website,   http://abcnews.go.com/US/navy-officer-stranded-hours-blizzard-car-wife-infant/story?id=12485190.

For those of you who missed out on this round of snow, or perhaps don’t get snow where you live, I thought I’d share some pictures with you. You are more then welcome to come here to New York and take back as much snow with you as you want. Ha Ha.

And to think we still have about 2 1/2 months left until Spring.

The wind was REALLY bad today. We had gusts from 30 – 50 MPH. Have you ever been in the middle of a “white out”? We had one when we were outside trying to dig out our cars. If you look carefully (you can click on the image to enlarge it) you can make out a car to the left.

The bottom picture is a picture of the wind blowing the snow around.

Of course my kids, even my “big kid” (hubby) had fun in the snow too. Right now the snow is powdery. I’m hoping its packing snow tomorrow so the kids can make a few snowmen.

As a nice finish to the blizzard we were treated to a beautiful sunset.

If you did get hit with a lot of snow, stay safe and keep warm! Have a cup of hot cocoa for me.

Kimberly

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Tassimo T-20 – Small Brewer – Many Beverage Options

December 28, 2010 By

I ♥ coffee. I wouldn’t say that I’m “addicted” to coffee because I can go days without drinking it. I just happen to enjoy the taste. I also find a nice hot cup of coffee to be relaxing and soothing.

I enjoy all kinds of coffee based beverages such as cappuccinos, lattes and espressos. I also enjoy hot tea as well as ice tea and coffee.

I currently own five brewers. Two of them are “out of commission” (I’m no longer using them). One I rarely use anymore, except to make coffee directly into my travel mug. My other two brewers I use every day.

I have a Tassimo T-45. I have had it for over a year now. I ♥ it! I use it often (several times a week) for my specialty drinks. I enjoy having a cappuccino at night with a sprinkle of Saigon Cinnamon on top. Mmm!

I cannot believe how easy it is to make specialty coffee drinks at home, not to mention how much cheaper it is to make these drinks at home compared to buying them at a coffee shop. I can easily pay $2-$3 for a cappuccino. At home, with my Tassimo, I can make the same exact drink for under $1.00 for the most part.  Plus I don’t have to hop in my car only to wait on long lines. I just have to pop in the Tassimo coffee discs and in minutes I’m enjoying a nice, hot cup of cappuccino, or a latte. If you purchase a cappuccino every day you’ll spend $60-$90 a month. Or you can make it at home with a Tassimo for around $30 a month. That is a huge savings!

I was asked if I’d like to review a new Tassimo brewer, the T-20 brewer. The T-20 is a smaller, more compact version of my current brewer. Since counter top space is VERY limited in our tiny condo I welcome anything that won’t take up a lot of counter space.

When the Tassimo T-20 arrived I didn’t think it was that much smaller. That is until I put it next to my Tassimo T-45. There really is a considerable difference in the size. The T-20 is much more compact. For example, the water reservoir is much smaller on the T-20, which takes up less room. It is more thin and narrow compared to the reservoir on the T-45.

The size from front to back on the T-20 is also a bit smaller then the T-45. I noticed that difference right away. I usually use one part of the counter to prepare my meals. This is where the Tassimo brewer is located. I noticed that I am able to move things around better on the counter without having to bump into the brewer all the time.

The T-20 brewer is also not as wide as the T-45, or so it would seem to me.

For me the T-20 is a much better option. Not only because it takes up less space but also because I have been using it 1-2 times per dayand the reservoir holds enough water for me to enjoy both a cup of coffee and cappuccino. I don’t need to have a huge water reservoir for that. I just make sure to fill it up each night before going to bed so its ready to go for coffee in the morning.

A fun feature with the T-20 is that you can change the color on the front part of the brewer as well as the “stand” that your cup/mug rests on. My brewer is white and I was sent a Strawberry (Red) set to change the front of my brewer to red and my cup/mug stand too. As of this moment in time I have yet to change the front of my brewer. Red doesn’t really go well with the color scheme of my kitchen. Its a nice color though. Perhaps some day I’ll change my mind. My husband said I should have changed it to red for Christmas and again for Valentines Day. I might just do that. It would add a little holiday flair to my brewer.

If you have never used a Tassimo brewer before they are very simple to use. You need to make sure your brewer is turned on and you have ample amout of water in the reservoir.

Insert the disc for the coffee drink you wish to prepare. They get inserted upside down so that the brewer can read the bar code on the disc. The information on the bar code tells the brewer how much water to release. For example, if the brewer reads the code for espresso its only going to deliver a small amount of water. On the other hand if you are using a standard coffee disc the brewer will distribute a full cup/mug of water. You also have the option to add more water to your drink as well. I usually add a wee bit more. I like a full mug of coffee.

I had accidently filled my mug a little bit too much in the above picture. I’m also sorry for not having pictures of my T-45 on the counter. I have that set aside to give to one of my relatives since I no longer need it and I know they will be thrilled with it.

When you are brewing coffee or a specialty drink all you need to do is press the button. After its done brewing if you feel you need more water you just press the button again and hold it for a couple of seconds and it will add more water to your drink. I only use this option for coffee. For all the other drinks I make (cappuccino, lattes, espresso…) I just the amount of water the brewer feels is best.

I love the new, smaller Tassimo brewer. I use it frequently during the week, especially during the cold weather months. As much as I love my T-45 I prefer the smaller T-20. It fits so much better on my small counter top.

Tassimo brewers can be purchased from many retail locations. You can also find decent deals on the T-discs for your brewer, both online and in local retail stores.

Tassimo is made by Bosch. 

The T-20 brewer sells for around $129.99 (I have seen it for as low as $99). If you wish to change the color you can purchase the color pieces for around $19.99.  The available colors are Strawberry (Red), Mint (Teal Blue) and Lime Green.  

To learn more about Tassimo brewers please visit their official website, www.Tassimo.com or www.Brewbot.com. You can also find Tassimo on Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/tassimo.us) and Twitter (http://Twitter.com/TassimoTaster).

Kimberly

*I received a free product sample in order to do this review. There was no compensation. The opinions expressed are my own.

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