Just In Time For The Holidays - ZOYA Dream Boxes!

Making Nail Polish Wishes Come True...
ZOYA DREAM BOXES Just add a bow and you are ready to go!

Nail Polish Dreaming reaches new heights this holiday season with the release of Zoya Dream Boxes, curated nail polish color combinations delivered in deluxe black gift boxes of three (3) and six (6) or simply order a box and fill ‘em up yourself, with over 300 gorgeous hues, the possibilities are almost endless. Pssssst.... they make a gorgeous gift when stacked tall too!

Supplies are VERY LIMITED - ORDER EARLY!

FRAAS Fall 2013 Collection

As the air turns crisp here in my corner of the Northeast I have been switching my wardrobe over to fall. Earlier this week I received a FRAAS scarf for review Lipton Publicity. Scarves are one of my absolute favorite accessories and in recent years they have really come into vogue. I thought I would give my readers a peek in to my scarf collection pictured below:

I actually have two drawers full of scarves and while I was taking this picture one thing struck me, I only have one fall/winter weight scarf in my collection. The majority of my scarves are a cotton blend or yarn. The reason? I don't care for the bulkiness of fall/winter scarves. When I received the FRAAS #060607 scarf for review I thought finally a fall/winter scarf that is not too bulky yet warm. It is a mixture of viscose and acrylic and really is super soft. This particular scarf is priced at $40. which is very reasonable for a high quality scarf. Adding to the value of this scarf even more is the fact that it is reversible. One side is solid red with small ornamentation and the reverse side has orange, red and cream stripes with subtle red polka dots.

    

FRAAS is a 130 year old company that is well noted for producing high quality and on trend men's and ladies scarves. Fraas is an international company with offices in New York, London, Tokyo, Paris, Berlin, Denmark, Italy, Hong Kong, Toronto, and Shanghai. FRAAS scarves are frequently featured in the media including the September 2013 edition of ELLE. FRAAS products are sold worldwide via specialty department stores and online retailers in addition to select products from their line available on fraas.com and Amazon.com. You can also order directly from the company by calling 212-575-0191.

The new fall 2013 FRAAS collection is priced at $26. - $100. and includes several designs with rich autumnal shades, pop colors and bold looks, and embellished and opulent looks. Whatever your fashion style is FRAAS is likely to have a scarf you will love!

I plan to style my FRAAS scarf a couple of different ways: wrapped inside my ivory wool JouJou coat:

I would also pair it with my Liz Claiborne skinny jeans and white cardigan sweater:

Photo Credit: JCPenney

Photo Credit: Maurice's

And for a night out I would style it with a cream sweater dress like this one from Rag & Bone:

Photo Credit: Rag & Bone

Disclosure: I received a complimentary sample to facilitate my review. I was not required to write a positive review and my opinions remain my own.

Zoya Zenith 2013 Winter/Holiday Collection Unveiled

Zoya ZENITH WINTER/HOLIDAY 2013

 

ZP689 - Seraphina: Polaris Silver Metallic. Full Coverage Formula (bottle shown above).

ZP687 - Cassedy: Celestial Pewter Metallic. Full Coverage F Formula (shown above).

ZP678 - Belinda: Cosmic Purple Metallic. Full Coverage Formula (bottle shown above).

ZP688 - Payton: Galactic Cranberry Halo. Full Coverage Formula (shown above).

ZP686 - Dream: Deep Space Blue Halo. Full Coverage Formula (shown below)

ZP643 - Mosheen: Astro Ice Blue Topper - great for layering over other hues (bottle shown above).

 

Ultra long-wearing, nail lacquers by Zoya are BIG5FREE - all formulas are completely free of harmful industrial chemicals such as toluene, camphor, formaldehyde, formaldehyde resin and dibutyl phthalate (DBP) that are known to cause cancer and birth defects.

 

Find over 300 stunning Zoya colors on www.zoya.com. Each and every color has a name as unique as the women who inspired it.

 

Zoya has just unveiled their 2013 Winter/Holiday Zenith Collection. I recently received the collection for review and will be posting in the near future. I can tell you that all of the shades are gorgeous and I am hard pressed to pick a favorite. Head over to Zoya.com to learn more and order from the Zenith collection before it's sold out.

Get Ready For School With Carson Dellosa - Sale & Giveaway

Carson Dellosa is hosting a  PEEK It to WIN It contest and it  is in full swing! Just check out the 16-page Back-to-School Essentials flyer which contains special prize-winning PEEKs. You can easily download it to participate in the contest: http://tinyurl.com/peek2win

GOOD LUCK! Contest ends August 23, 2013. 

And right now Carson Dellosa is hosting their annual Back To School Sale with 85% off 500 products!!! Even better they have $5.95 flat rate shipping so head over to the sale HERE and stock up for back to school and maybe even find some nice Christmas presents.

Zondervan Teams Up With Wendy's Bloggers To Promote Food Memoir

Photo Credit: Zondervan

Leading Christian publisher Zondervan has joined forces with the team at Wendy's Bloggers in a special outreach to promote the new mother/daughter food memoir We Laugh, We Cry, We Cook. For more details and purchase information go HERE

Super $400. Spielgaben Toy Giveaway

Photo Credit: Living Montessori Now

Hurry and don't miss out on this great giveaway which ends August 1st!! Spielgaben toys are high quality and a great learning resource. You can read the full review on the Living Montessori Now blog HERE. Right now you can enter to win the complete set of Spielgaben toys valued at $400. in this super easy entry Rafflecopter giveaway hosted by Living Montessori Now. Hurry and get your entries in by midnight August 1st and good luck!! TO ENTER THE GIVEAWAY GO HERE. Good luck and tell them Miss Jackie sent you!

Pick Your Plum $75 Giveaway!!

Hosted by: So Sew Mama

Pick Your Plum offers deals on fabulous items, such as craft supplies, clothing, accessories, baking supplies, home decor and so much more! And you have to order fast because supplies are limited. I love this site!

Dehner Cemetery

Josh and I were out the other day on another one of our "death hag" adventures and checked out Dehner Cemetery in Fryburg (Washington Township). This is a small cemetery that is well kept but doesn't seem to have frequent visitors probably because there are no recent interments.

I found the grave of little Nicholas Daum. His father Dave was a classmate of mine. I am unsure of what his health issues were but I recall that he was ill pretty much all of his short life. The little pictures of Barney on his tombstone caught my eye.

Bonjour Paris

Bonjour Paris by color-me-red featuring travel bags

Umi Children's Shoes Fall/Winter Collection And A Chance To Win $100.

Umi Shoes is offering a special sneak peak at their great line of fall/winter shoes for boys and girls. They are also doing a giveaway with seven winners!! If you are one of the lucky winners you will receive a $100. Umi Shoes gift card. Go HERE to check out the new styles and enter the giveaway.

 If you haven't heard of Umi Shoes before they are a line of boys and girls shoes that are stylish and super comfortable, my little guy Josh usually complains about the fit of new shoes but every pair of Umi Shoes we have reviewed have fit him well with no complaints. Umi Shoes ship for free (no charges) to the 48 contiguous United States AND they offer free returns.

Umi Shoes regularly offers great specials and promotions including their Birthday Club and right now they have a SUPER CLEARANCE with savings up to 40% off!!

You can follow Umi Shoes on FACEBOOK and TWITTER and PINTEREST for specials, promotions, contests, and giveaways.

Baked Ziti

Credit: Allrecipes

I found the perfect recipe for baked ziti from a great little blog, The Girl Who Ate Everything. My husband does not care for ricotta cheese or cottage cheese which are common ingredients used in most lasagne and ziti recipes, this particular recipe uses sour cream instead. What I like most about this recipe is it makes a TON so you will have leftovers for a day or two guaranteed and it is super yummy as my four year old says.

Heroin And Heartbreak In A Small Town

Devan Cathlene Knapp

I live in a rural area of northwestern PA where crime is a rarity. The  murder rate is extremely low (like one every 10 years), burglaries and rapes are fortunately few and far between and I cannot recall a kidnapping ever happening in this area. Driving Under The Influence and Criminal Mischief comprise the bulk of criminal cases in this area. Our small town life and sense of security was shattered on January 11, 2013. A 19 year old girl from nearby Brookville, Devan Knapp, was reported missing by her mother.

Music Bath For Kids

Josh enjoying his music bath

As a homeschooling parent I constantly do research and look for new and creative ways to teach and was delighted this past winter when I found some great ideas for learning while in the bathtub. I teach my youngest Josh with weekly thematic units and use crafts, snacks, small field trips, and special baths that match that week's theme.

Last week's theme was music so I created a special music bath for him and he loved it! Take six tall glasses (if you don't have real glasses you can buy some at any dollar store) and fill them with different levels of water. Add food color to each glass and set them on the ledge of the tub or shelf. Add a little food color to the water to brighten things up and put a few music notes and treble clefs on the tub walls (I draw mine with erasable crayon or you can purchase some). Give your child a drumstick (or a wooden spoon if you don't have a drumstick) and show them how to tap each glass and listen for the different sounds each glass makes. They will be surprised I guarantee it! Have them practice playing music on the glasses and make sure to join in the fun.

I also added the little music set Josh has which I purchased at Wal Mart for $10. One thing to note, if you have really young children they will need close supervision with this activity because the real glass could break and cause injury.

Proctor & Gamble Beauty Magic

Last week I received a box full of beauty products from one of my favorite companies, Proctor & Gamble. Included in the box were some great products including: Olay lash duo, Olay sculpting cream, Vidal Sassoon shampoo, conditioner, and hairspray, Cover Girl clump buster mascara, Olay body wash, Cover Girl dual lipstick, Cover Girl shine outlast nail polish, Puffs extra soft tissues, and Crest 3-D white toothpaste. Some of the products I have already tried in the past and some are new to me. I will be doing a short review of each product in addition to hosting a Vocalpoint RSVP Beauty Magic  party with nine of my friends.

Miss Jackie Is Almost Famous!

I am super excited to share with my readers that I have been featured in a story that went out to the PR Newswire. A blogging group that I contribute too, Wendy's Bloggers compiled a list of ten commandments for working with mommy bloggers. Out of the 200 members in the group my suggestion was one of ten chosen for publication. Some of my fellow bloggers have told me that I always "think outside the box" and am creative with my blogging so I guess this reinforces that for me.

The story has been featured in numerous publication including the Sacramento Bee and NBC!! You can read the feature by clicking on one of those two links in pink or you can go HERE to read the release on the Wendy's Bloggers site. I am hopeful this experience will lead to more exposure for Miss Jackie's Views and some opportunities to host some great reviews and giveaways for my readers, I appreciate each and every one of you!

The Perfect White Nail Polish From Zoya

Credit: Zoya

The nail polish experts at Zoya have just introduced the perfect white nail polish, Purity. I have tried various white nail polishes on the market and they are either streaky or too sheer. As usual Zoya got it right with this latest addition to the Zoya line, a clean white shade named Purity.

DIY: Lace Ballet Flats

DIY: Lace Ballet Flats by averyculp featuring ballet flat shoes

Beichner 4 Racing Wins Season Opener At Sportsman's Speedway

Beichner 4 Racing started their quest for a third pure stock championship at their home track Sportsman's Speedway with a first place finish in the feature race with driver Jason Beichner behind the wheel on May 19th. Jason also picked up the win in the qualifying heat and is currently the points leader in the pure stock division.

Beichner 4 Racing will be back in action this Sunday, May 26th at Sportsman's Speedway in Knox. For any of my new followers my son John is a third year pit crew member so I follow the team and post updates. Hope to see everyone at Sportsman's on Sunday!

Bisquick Easy Cheese and Bacon Quiche

Bisquick is one of my favorite "kitchen helpers", it makes cooking and baking super easy which is great when you have little ones to keep up with. For dinner tonight I made one of my favorite Bisquick recipes, Easy Cheese and Bacon Quiche. You can go HERE for the recipe and full instructions from Bisquick.

Lincoln Logs Horseshoe Hill Station

When I was growing up I loved going to my neighbor Drew's house to play. He was a great friend and had all the fun toys to play with including Lincoln Logs. I remember spending hours with him building all sorts of houses and barns etc. with Lincoln Logs. So I was thrilled when K'NEX asked me to review the new Lincoln Logs Horseshoe Hill Station  with my boys.

How To Help Oklahoma Tornado Victims

Video Credit:  CNN

I watched this powerful video of children and parents reuniting with their kids after the tornado that ripped through Moore, Oklahoma from CNN and it brought tears to my eyes. Seeing the children and parents cry as they found each other touched me. What I found particularly heartbreaking were the screams in the background of parents calling their children's names desperately looking for them.

The folks in Oklahoma need our help after this devastating tornado. Please pray for them and their families as they continue search and rescue efforts and start the process of rebuilding their town and lives. And pray for the people in Texas, Louisiana, and Arkansas as a powerful storm with tornadoes is predicted to make landfall in those areas today.

Here is a list of resources and ways you can help our "neighbors" in Oklahoma:

Photo Credit: Salvation Army

                        
The Salvation Army is in Moore,OK, serving all who seek assistance. To support the Army’s efforts, give online at www.SalvationArmyUSA.org. You can also text the word “STORM” to 80888 to make a $10 donation through your mobile phone; to confirm your gift, respond with the word “Yes.”

Habitat For Humanity  is raising funds to help with clean up, repairs and new construction in the areas affected in Oklahoma and Texas. Visit the Habitat For Humanity website at www.habitat.org to donate to the special Disaster Response Fund.

Donate to the Red Cross fund to help Oklahoma tornado victims. You can also text the word REDCROSS to 90999 to make a $10 donation.

 The Red Cross has  a Safe and Well website you can search if you are trying to locate someone that was affected by the storm. Those in the areas affected can log on and list themselves to make it easier to let loved ones and friends know they are safe.

The Regional Food Bank Of Oklahoma is accepting donations and is coordinating volunteers to help with relief efforts.

There is a Facebook group, May 19th 2013 OK Tornado Doc & Picture Recovery where people who have found pictures and documents found in outlying areas are posted. The group also has links for listings of lost and found pets in the Moore, OK and McClain County area.

Mia Mariu Skin Care Giveaway

Rejuvenate Your Skin Anti-Aging Pack Revew & Giveaway 
by Mia Mariu

Hosted by: So Sew Mama

I know my followers love beauty products so I am pleased to join with some other great bloggers to bring you this giveaway. Remember you only have to complete the first entry to be eligible to win, you can do as few or as many entries as you like and good luck!

Recently, I was given the wonderful opportunity to work with Mia. They sent me a few of there products to try out for 3 weeks. The Rejuvenate Your Skin Anti-Aging Pack contains a Refreshing Foaming Gel Cleanser, an Anti-Aging Brightening Serum and an Anti-Aging Eye Treatment.

Bounce Castle Giveaway

Air Walker Bounce Castle Giveaway

Hosted By: So Sew Mama

Co-Hosted by: Embracing Homemaking, I Heart Giveaways, Embracing Beauty, Embracing Frugality, Xtreme Qpon

Sponsored by: Blast Zone

We wanted something that was sturdy and would hold our three children. We purchased our Bounce House off Amazon. At a discount, mind you. As soon as it arrived the mail carrier stated how obnoxiously heavy the box was. HaHa. It weighs in at about 60 pounds. Which really isn't that bad. I was surprised at how sturdy it was. I was able to carry our Air Walker Bounce Castle around back to set it up with ease.

Floral Beauty Look

Pretty In Floral
with
Marc Jacobs, Butter London, NYX