Showing posts with label Amazon. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Amazon. Show all posts

Monday, July 17, 2023

From Tiny House to Building a Mansion!

My kids are away in Florida, enjoying cool breezes and plenty of pool time. I'd love to say I'm getting caught up on important projects. But... I'm not really. I work on things little by little, but I have also been getting more of something else done. Sleeping. Not the best sleep, but I'll take what I can get! 

Despite my extra sleep, I haven't been totally lazy all this time. On the contrary. I'm working on a miniature coffee set, trying to get my little free library built, and I built a mansion! 

Hahaha! Seriously though, I did build the Kidcraft Majestic Mansion. My mother ordered it for the girls' Christmas present. And I figured that there was no time like the present to get it put together. Hiding it would be hard regardless and my husband won't have much time off of work for the holidays. So chances were good that I was going to have to do it myself anyhow. 

Plus, I had to open the damaged box to make sure that nothing inside was also damaged. There was a really large hold in one side that concerned me. But as it turns out, they are really good at packaging these pieces inside! There was enough Styrofoam to keep everything in place. Smaller pieces were also inside little boxes. Each board piece was wrapped in a foam cushion. The only piece that I found broken was the last thing I had to put together - the bed. Yes, this comes with furniture too. And even then, all I had to do was glue it or just screw it back together.

This was a massive undertaking. From start to completion, it took me about 4 hours. There were times that I required my husbands assistance. Whether because I needed extra hands, or because I didn't have enough strength in my own hands to get something fastened well enough. I was really happy that some of the screws had colored tops. This makes them blend in more with the building. Adds to that realistic look, you know? 

At one point, my husband came up with this idea to hold these pieces together while we grabbed the last piece to slide in place. Every time we tried attaching them, they kept spreading too far apart. Again, not a one person job!
This is where I had the main frame of the house done. So many cute rooms. The elevator was the first thing you build. That was another one of those moments of needing extra hands. 
I think they don't include a photo of the finished product in the instruction manual on purpose. For the sole reason that you would feel overwhelmed. I had finished that main portion above and looked over to see how many pieces were left, thinking that I was almost done! Nope... Maybe only halfway finished. I still had the roof, I had the side addition, and then I had furniture. Some of the furniture requires assembly.
The little garage doors open up. The elevator goes up and down. My husband made a joke about the elevator not reaching the nursery. No stairs, no elevator, no entrance? My thing to him was, why is the nursery in the attic to begin with?! Cute as it is... 

Some helpful hints: I had to look it up online to get photos of a completed one so that I knew how some of the pieces were supposed to work. In the diagram, it didn't look right. I also needed my technical brained husband to interpret some of it. And yes, I even put some pieces on incorrectly and had to re-do them. Like the roofing. Curved edges have to face down and out. And the middle section required me holding it tightly in place while my husband installed as the wood was slightly warping? We had a struggle with that one. You will also need to have a Phillips head screwdriver. They do provide the Allen wrenches. The wood is solid, or of good quality for a toy. 

Some of the furniture included is made of plastic. Most of it was wood. Pre-built and even had some material attached to make it more realistic. 
My mini-me is giving you size comparisons from here on out. She is your average Barbie size. Much of the furniture included is too small these kinds of dolls.
Some work just fine, though. And I think the ones that didn't will be great for smaller dolls. Like Skipper, Miraculous, Chelsea - you get the picture, right? My daughters have lots of those kind of dolls too. So I'm sure they will make it all work.
And I'm quite certain they will have some modifications in mind to make it more personal. Be it in new wallpaper, flooring or even in painting the wood! I know one thing is sure. They are going to love having another house to play with! Their other one has too many tenants currently occupying it.
Yes, my husband has asked me about serving an eviction notice soon. I am putting it through the legal system - aka my head - for further consideration. Though the new thought has been that when the Tiny House becomes vacant again, it might serve as a playroom for all of us.

Tuesday, May 30, 2023

Diamond Earrings for a Special Lady

I was recently asked to do a review for a pair of beautiful diamond earrings. While I wasn't asked to write about them, I thought they were just too nice not to share with you guys!

*Disclaimer: I received these earrings for free in exchange for writing a review. I was not otherwise paid or endorsed. All opinions are my own.*

When I was first approached, I didn't hesitate to say yes. While I am not big on bling for myself, I know these would make a perfect gift for other ladies in my life. 

What are they?

First off, these are moissanite diamond earrings. I had no idea that such a thing existed, but they do. I looked it up! 

These are beautiful. Delicately set into white gold plated sterling silver, they are small in size. This makes them ideal for children or those who prefer subtle jewelry. Each diamond is a carat in size.

What was so great about them?

First off, they came with more than I expected. There is the nice box that had the bow, making it a great gifting option. 

Once you open that, there is the certificate of authenticity, another box containing the earrings, a card on the company, and a cleaning cloth.

Each earring is inside a separate plastic sleeve. This keeps them from rubbing against each other in transit. The box you see behind them has an insert that you can attach each earring to when you are ready to give it as a gift or if you want to store them in between uses. 

Where can you get them?

Can you believe it was on Amazon that I bought these? Well, of course you can. Amazon has almost anything these days! These were $49.99 and at the time of writing this post, there is also a 10% coupon. This would make a great gift for birthday or even if you are planning ahead and stocking Christmas gifts! Here is the link for you to check them out.

I just loved how well they shone, how classic they looked, and how nice a presentation they came with. What do you think? Know anyone who loves diamonds? Who would you give these to? Let me know in the comments below!

Tuesday, October 25, 2022

From Flats to Road Trip!

I make no bones about trying to always be prepared. I'm not well off, but I find ways to make do. After receiving the following product, I gotta tell you about it and how it should be added to your prepping list immediately! 

*Disclaimer: I was sent this product to test out and share my feedback with the company. I was not paid, endorsed or even asked to write this review. All opinions are strictly my own.*

Amazon has a lot of cool things at affordable prices. A person can truly get lost looking on there. Even better when they have coupons! 

I was asked to test out this Zosudull Electric Tire Inflator. It is a portable device that is powered by your vehicle. You simply plug it into your car port to get started. 

What we loved about it.

It has so many uses. From blowing up a bike tire to refilling your car tires, you can count on this device to do a great job. I even like that you could blow up pool or beach inflatables when you get to the water! 

It works quickly. We had a tire that was low, 25 PSI. My husband plugged in the inflator and within 2.5 minutes, it was where we needed it at 32 PSI. If we had an air leak on a long drive, we can do a quick refill in between towns. 

As of the time I'm writing this post, they have a $6 coupon through Amazon. So I highly suggest that you watch for that option. The price for this is $31.99, which is decent from what I saw of other similar devices. 

My favorite feature is the screen. I can see the PSI amount on the screen and watch it climb. No need to switch back and forth with a pressure gauge. This one is built in! 

Only 1 downside I found...

The noise! This thing can be pretty loud. The video below can show you what I mean while also showing you how well it works. 

What do you think? Can you see potential in such a device? Camping trips, road trips, a day at the beach! Leave me a comment below on what you think. And remember - Christmas is almost here! I highly suggest you think of the people in your life and who might benefit from such a thing.

Tuesday, July 19, 2022

Bath Time Fun!

Have you ever heard that throwing some glow sticks in the bath and letting the kids bathe in the dark could be fun? Well, I have. And we have tried it! My 5 year old thought it was awesome. But glow sticks are a one-time deal. Short-lived fun. I wanted to make it a little longer-lasting. And thanks to a company that had something fun to try out - we have a solution! 

*Disclaimer: I was sent this product in exchange for a review. I was not otherwise paid or endorsed. All opinions are strictly my own.*

I was contacted about doing a review on some LED underwater lights! Of course I said yes. I mean, I knew we were moving, but let's face it - I can always make some time for fun! 

They are on Amazon. You can get free shipping on them if you have Prime or even if you buy other qualifying items that give the free shipping option. So that is my first bonus. I don't have Prime, but I like to wait and order multiple things at once for the free shipping. Only when I know there are things I need to get! 

Bonus number two - this thing works underwater! You can light up a pool, the tub, a sink! Whatever you want to add a small light to. It would work as a nightlight in the bathroom sink. My daughters like taking baths in the dark with it hanging in the tub. If we do ever get a pool, I'm setting up these lights for fun night swimming! 

Next good thing that I like about it is the remote option. With a click of the remote, I can easily switch between the options of how it lights up. 

Then there are the suction cups. They hold pretty well. Easily slide them into place. There was also a spare one in case I needed it. 

Lastly, is the charging function. I can plug it in for charging using the USB cord that came with it. So if I'm working, I can plug it in the laptop and have it ready when I'm taking my evening bath. Just don't forget to put the waterproof plug back in to keep the water out of the inner workings. 

And that is it! Awesome? Or not so much? Let me know in the comments below!

Sunday, January 5, 2014

Exterminators: Shadows book review

I wrote about a book I had helped edit for a friend of mine a while back. He's a great author who has some new adventures to read as he continues his series, Exterminators. Book two, Shadows, is now available on Amazon for Kindle download or you can order the paperback edition
This up-and-coming writer is named James DeSantis. He has a truly wonderful sequel that continues to shed light on the characters and story from book one, Infected. A battle has been brewing, but now there are more groups getting involved. The Shadows have taken an active roll with the Summoners towards bringing the Exterminators down. 
Riven is battling the memories from his past, especially the most recent one taken from the body of previous Exterminator, Fred, as well as Cole from the Summoners. They differ in opinions. He also doesn't believe that David is leading him in the right direction or trusting him. 
Jin and Emily go to battle where tragedy strikes. Jin falls into a depression that leads to a passionate quest for revenge against the man responsible. He also has to deal with the loss of his father. 
Carl has to get himself back together. With the loss of Fred so soon, he takes a more active role in leading his team of new Exterminators. 
Nick pushes himself daily to be the absolute best he can as he leads his team against the Unknowns. He wants to be strong. He's still keeping his secret from Kelly who becomes more and more convinced that he has a big secret. She pushes him to tell but still loves him enough not to push too hard. He also has to keep his secret from his dad.
Peter and Rachel get closer and soon become a couple of the cutest sort. Even though he still has trouble relating to others, he finds a love that he's willing to die to protect. Even if its not reasonable to someone who isn't sentimental or even romantic. He also learns to stand up against his father who is trying to come back.
Marshall and Lucy are going strong. A bun in the oven has Marshall going on a serious job hunt that lands him work with someone dangerous. His new friend and coworker puts Marshall in a deadly situation that leads to the death of someone he loved very much.
The battle begins to wage and losses are high. Shadows and Summoners are gathering forces that join together to create a world in which Unknowns are allowed to be "known" to humans. The Exterminators are working double time to keep them out and protect themselves against attacks. Secrets are revealed, deaths take their toll, and desire for revenge courses through more than one involved. This book will keep you on the edge. Its amazing follow-up has you begging for book three. 
You can get the Kindle download here. Or order a paperback copy here. Also check out my review of  book one, Exterminators: Infected. He also has a short story, Those Devils that is climbing the ladder in popularity! All of them are available for purchase on Amazon. 
Those Devils  Available for download only. 
Exterminators: Infected is still on sale here.  Follow James and see all his upcoming works on his Fan Page on Facebook
Be sure and leave a comment on what you think. Both here and your own review when you buy it on Amazon. He loves to hear feedback from his readers!  He has another review on his Facebook page. So if you need reinforcement in encouraging you...