Dec 4, 2012 |
Is one of your New Year’s Resolutions to eat better? Really… who’s isn’t.
How about adding some more fruits and citrus to your diet? Those vitamins are calling you! They want to party down with you in the kitchen!
Fresh!
Remember this lovely moment? It makes the whole Kitchen Party thing a bit… difficult.
Yeah. It’s always fun to work in the kitchen with a finger splint taped to your hand… not!
It’s even more fun when you’re trying to squeeze citrus juice good to the last drop. Unfortunately, my recurring early-onset arthritis is currently recurring.
Fortunately, Aroma Housewares sent me this great Electric Juicer to test drive for them.
Aroma Housewares Juicer
Can I just say, this will probably change my life? I mean that in a good way.
This wonderfully small kitchen appliance is, well, wonderful. The electric cord wraps around the base and secures on the bottom for easy storage.
Safe and Secure
There are two reamers, for all sizes of citrus. Just slice your citrus in half, and lightly push it down. The juicer is pressure-activated, and spins immediately. When you release the pressure, it stops!
Push Activated
As a compare-and-contrast, I tried squeezing juice myself. With my hand. With my currently-recurring-early-onset-arthritis hand.
Compare and Contrast
Guess who won.
No Contest
It took less than 30 seconds for the Juicer to juice half a lime, lemon and orange. It took me three times as long to get half that amount of juice with my own hands.
The Better Juicer
And their strainer caught the pulp! I wasn’t so lucky doing it the manual way.
What about the clean up? Just take the pitcher off the base and wash. It comes apart easily. No difficult corners or dangerous cords. The base shouldn’t need cleaning but if it does, a simple wipe with a lightly damp rag will do it.
I’m so excited. No more will my citrus turn bad because I’m unable to juice it in time. And because it’s self-contained, it stores neatly in the kitchen cabinet. Ready to be used quite frequently. Which, as you can tell, is the plan.
A Tablespoon of lemon juice for a recipe? No problem. A few ounces of Vitamin C to boost your immune system? Never tasted better. No preservatives here. Just a whole lotta pure, fresh, wonderful juice.
Just Juice
And now that you’re salivating, it’d be quite unfair of me to not give you the chance to get your own juicer, wouldn’t it? You’re lucky I’m not that kind of person. So just follow the links in the Rafflecopter widget below to earn entries for this wonderfully necessary Juicer.
You can thank me later.
BE SURE TO FOLLOW THE MANDATORY ENTRY OR ALL OTHER ENTRIES WON’T COUNT.
And Frankly, My Dear… that’s all she wrote!
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Nov 27, 2012 |
KLUTZ Review
“Mom. We haven’t watched TV at all tonight.”
How great a statement is that?
Dot and I spent the evening crafting with our Klutz books. Earlier, she and her friend Megan reviewed MINI CAPSTERS JEWELRY for me.
Mini Capsters Jewelry
We’re a crafty bunch.
KLUTZ donated four of their craft books for our review; and they’re just waiting for one lucky reader to win a set all their own!
KLUTZ Assortment
MINI CAPSTERS JEWELRY, FASHION FORMS, WICKED COOL FRIENDSHIP BRACELETS, and BEADED BANDS.
Here’s what we loved about the KLUTZ books:
- They’re fun. Not in an oh-what-a-nice-way-to-spend-a-few-minutes way. But in an oh-my-gosh-this-is-so-much-interactive-fun-look-how-creative-we-are way.
- The guidebooks are just that: Guides. You can totally change up the colors and mix designs. Whichever book you’re working with, your project is Your Own.
- They’re all inclusive. Nearly everything you need (except scissors and maybe a little extra glue) is included. The products store neatly within the covers.
- The variety of projects is astonishing. We’ve had KLUTZ books for making Fairy Dolls, Nail Art, and an assortment of jewelry making.
- The directions for each project and book are detailed, illustrated, and very easy to follow. There’s no confusion as to what this means or how that reads. It’s very easy, which makes for a much more enjoyable crafting experience.
- If you run out of supplies, you can either visit your local craft store or order extra supplies from Klutz online.
Here’s what we didn’t like:
- The included products don’t always come in our favorite colors. The Beaded Bands that I worked with was limited to blues, browns, and oranges. I’ve never been a big fan of blue but I have to admit, I’m quite happy with the finished product.
- With Fashion Forms, the paper was double-sided. Which means you have to decide which pattern or color you’d like to use. Unfortunately, sometimes it’s both and there’s not enough to make two complete outfits with one sheet of paper.
- Some of the books and projects are more suited to smaller, pre-teen fingers. My adult fingers didn’t always cooperate when threading tiny beads.
- With some projects, the work seemed a bit tedious. Dot wasn’t thrilled with all the tracing and cutting she needed to do in order to complete one Fashion Form. But once she got the hang of it and saw her first finished project, it was worth the effort.
Having said all that, the Fun definitely wins out, no matter which KLUTZ book you’re crafting with. And since a picture’s worth a thousand words, here’s our Statement for KLUTZ:
MINI CAPSTERS: Choosing a Size
MINI CAPSTERS: Pages of Designs
MINI CAPSTERS: Finished Projects
WICKED COOL FRIENDSHIP BRACELETS: Unique Techniques
WICKED COOL FRIENDSHIP BRACELETS: Baubles and Beads and Charms; Oh My!
FASHION FORMS: Templates
FASHION FORMS: First Project
FASHION FORMS: Pretty Papers
FASHION FORMS: Final Runway
BEADED BANDS: Small Beads. Big Effect.
BEADED BANDS: Finished Project
We each had our own favorite KLUTZ book. Mine was the Beaded Bands. I’m already thinking of different color combinations and bracelet styles to keep making these for Dot and myself. Dot’s always been interested in fashion, so the FASHION FORMS is her pick. With a little bit of scrapbook paper and craft-store embellishments, she’ll have plenty of runway-ready projects.
Want to share the fun with some girls on your Christmas list? Or maybe you need a little creative vacation of your own. Puh-leese. Would I even post this if there wasn’t a way for you to win it? You can always count on me!
Just follow the links in the Rafflecopter entry form below. Just like KLUTZ, it’s just that easy!
And Frankly, My Dear… that’s all she wrote!
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Nov 25, 2012 |
Take a look at these creative hand-made greeting cards and gift tags.
Winnie’s Inky Fingers
My camera doesn’t do justice to these beautiful originals from Winnie’s Inky Fingers.
When I first imagined my inaugural Holiday Gift Basket Giveaway, I immediately contacted Winnie. She eagerly created these one-of-a-kind sets to give to one lucky reader.
Look at this sample of her wonderful work:
Merry Christmas
Christmas Charm
Merry Little Christmas
Each card and tag is stamped, inked, colored, and embellished by Winnie. She’s been making them for family and friends and posting her work on her Blog, which is how I found her. She’s inspired me to try my own hand at card making. But hers are much, much nicer.
Let It Snow!
Snow Tag
Peace on Earth
Peace Tree
Joy
Joy Tag
Peas on Earth
Peas
I love the stories she has behind each card she makes with someone special in mind. Her cards are not only skillfully crafted, but done so with a backstory, with character and plot and memories and hopes.
One lucky reader will win all five sets: Merry Christmas, Let It Snow, Peace on Earth, Joy, and her humorous Peas on Earth. Each card and tag are individually sealed in a protective sleeve. Not only is she creative, she’s cautious!
This quality collection is perfect for mailing or hand carrying. You can use the matching tag on a gift or as an ornament. Winnie’s Inky Fingers Cards and Tags will be a delightful delivery to whomever you choose!
If you’d like to win this set of five matching greeting cards and gift tags, just follow the directions below.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
And Frankly, My Dear… that’s all she wrote!
Nov 15, 2012 |
Y’all know how I love my chocolate, right? I know. You love it, too. But I didn’t really love chocolate until I won this great Holiday Gift Assortment from Scharffen Berger last year.
And thus began my greatest Love Affair with chocolate. [I’m very pleased to announce we’re still on our honeymoon!].
This summer, Scharffen Berger sponsored a giveaway for these delectable Artisan chocolate bars. Who can forget Wendy’s excitement when she won?
- “Maybe one of my favorite days ever! Look what came in the mail !”
I’ve spent the better part of the last year finding ways to enjoy my Scharffen Berger. Well, we’re taking our romance out in public once more! Scharffen Berger has again agreed to sponsor one of Frankly, My Dear…’s Holiday Gift Basket Giveaways, and what they’re giving away this time will last far longer than their chocolate bars (trust me!).
THE ESSENCE OF CHOCOLATE book is gorgeous. Beautiful. Pretty much, you’ll want to eat the pages. With just under 400 pages, THE ESSENCE OF CHOCOLATE is simply necessary to any chocolate lover’s library.
THE ESSENCE OF CHOCOLATE
Filled ~ and I mean filled ~ with full-color photos, detailed chapters, and too many wonderful recipes [wait! I take that back! You can never have too many chocolate recipes!]… it’s everything you never know you needed to know about chocolate.
Since they’re giving you the book, I’ll give you the recipe that started it all.
Mocha Flavored Coffee Mix
Mocha Flavored Coffee Mix
Ingredients
- 1/2 Cup instant coffee
- 1/2 Cup granulated sugar
- 1 Cup powdered creamer
- 2 TBSP Scharffen Berger Unsweetened Cocoa powder
- 2 TBSP instant hot cocoa mix
Instructions
- Mix all ingredients together.
- Add 2 rounded teaspoons (or more) to 8 oz. hot water or coffee.
- Stir thoroughly.
Notes
Embellish with whipped cream, cinnamon, nutmeg, chocolate shavings, sprinkles or candy canes. Store in air-tight container for months (if it lasts that long!). Use decaffeinated coffee grounds and a sugar substitute if desired.
3.1
http://franklymydearmojo.com/2012/11/15/holiday-gift-basket-giveaway-the-essence-of-chocolate/ (c) 2012 Frankly, My Dear... New Inklings Press
Thanks to Scharffen Berger, my chocolate love knows no bounds. When you’re finished with the day’s busyness or just like a tasteful dessert drink, turn to Page 103 and make your own indulgent Chocolate Martini.
Treats Under the Tree
Are you salivating yet? No? Don’t want to wait to order your own? Well how about this: a chance to win your own copy of THE ESSENCE OF CHOCOLATE right here from Frankly, My Dear… and Scharffen Berger! Just use the Rafflecopter entries below, and you’ll be entered to win!
Good luck! EAT, DRINK, AND BE MERRY!
a Rafflecopter giveaway
And Frankly, My Dear… that’s all she wrote!
Nov 6, 2012 |
Whatever your plans are for the next few months, I can guarantee one thing: You need cleaning supplies. That’s why I asked C*L*R to sponsor one of this year’s giveaways.
C*L*R Product
Whether you’re preparing to host the family from out of town, or needing to clean up after the rugrats open their gifts, you need cleaning supplies. Maybe you live alone in a small apartment. You need cleaning supplies.
When I knew this great assortment of product was on the way, I stopped wiping my stove after every use. For several weeks, I let the grease and spills build up. Gross, right?
Gross Grease
I fell in love with their Bath and Kitchen Daily Cleaner spray. It’s so easy! Just spray, soak, swipe.
Spray and Soak
The spray instantly foams up as it activates. It not only cleans off the layers of gunk, it leaves a bright shine.
Spray and Soak
That easy! Ok, a little scrubwork is involved too, but very little. Some hot water, a little sponge. And very little time.
Slight Scrubbing
That’s important, too, right? Cuz while you want a clean house for the holidays, or any day, you don’t want to take all day to get it that way. This stuff does the hard work for you.
I don’t know about you, but there’s nothing better than cooking holiday treats on a beautifully clean stove.
Shine On!
To help get your house clean and shiny, C*L*R wants to give you this great assortment! Five of their best products for all your indoor and outdoor cleaning needs:
C*L*R Assortment
All you need to do is leave a comment below telling me what your toughest cleaning job is. And there’s a few bonus entries, too.
So how ’bout it? Let Frankly, My Dear… and C*L*R help you get your house in order!
a Rafflecopter giveaway
And Frankly, My Dear… that’s all she wrote!
Yeah. It’s always fun to work in the kitchen with a finger splint taped to your hand… not!
