Hard Candy Makeup Review and Giveaway

Have you ever heard of Hard Candy? I had not, they are a makeup line sold exclusively at Walmart. And when I heard that they were affordable and I could get them at my local Walmart I knew I had to try their products.

I have to admit I am a makeup kind of gal. I really don't feel awake and ready to tackle the day until I have some sort of makeup on. I look like a pale ghost until I have at least a little something on my face and eyes. Of coarse when I am doing the Mommy gig during the day it is lighter than if I am going out on a date with my hubby or a girls night out. I like to try different makeup and different brands, you never know what is out there and what may make you look even better :)

One of my favorite products was the Mini Must Haves, it is a mini set and there are 4 of them. I tried the First Flush. In the box there is blush crush, sheer envy primer, plumping serum and glow all the way. Cute and small necessities for a night out. And only $8 for this little must have!







I also liked their Hard Candy nail polish, it dried super quick which is nice for a busy Mom. I did need to apply a top coat for sure, it started to peel when I didn't the first time. But not bad at $4 a bottle.





I have to admit when it comes to lip gloss I am picky. I do not want it too shiny or too sticky or too gooey. So when I tried the Plexi Gloss - Glossy Lip Shine I was pleasantly surprised. Not too sticky and it seemed to last quiet a while. Again great for the price of $3.86 how can you go wrong?




Hard Candy has a ton of great products for your Face, Nails, Eyes, Lips and Body at a great price. You can purchase them at your local Walmart or with one click on their web site you are linked to the Walmart website buying the item, so easy. Check them out!


GIVEAWAY

Win a set of Hard Candy Makeup 

To Enter This Giveaway: (mandatory entry before extra entries)

Which product would you love to have from Hard Candy?



*Leave a comment answering the question and be sure to leave your email address if its not public in your Google account*

Extra Entries: Can be done after leaving a comment for mandatory entry. If the extra entry says 1 extra entry leave 1 comment and 2 extra entries leave me 2 comments and so on.

-Like Hard Candy on Facebook +1
-Follow Hard Candy on Twitter +1

-Follow Frugal Family Tree on GFC ( right hand side) +1
-Be our friend on Facebook Frugal Family Tree +1
-Follow FrugalFamTree on Twitter +1
-Share this giveaway on Facebook ONLY, using the Share Button at the bottom on this post. +1 for each share you do. (can be done once a day)

-Copy and Paste This Tweet on Twitter and leave me the link (to find the link click on the time stamp under your tweet. Can be done once a day for the duration of the giveaway)

#Win Hard Candy Makeup from @HeresHardCandy at @FrugalFamTree #Giveaway ends 02/20 http://www.frugalfamilytree.com/2012/02/hard-candy-makeup-review-and-giveaway.html

*Limited to US residents; 18 years old and above. Giveaway starts February 12 , 2012 and ends on February 20th , 2012 at midnight PST. Winner will be emailed and has 48 hours to respond before another winner is selected. I was not paid for this giveaway or post. The opinions on this item are 100% mine and may vary from others. The sponsor is responsible for providing the prize.

Emerson Creek Pottery Review and Giveaway

Emerson Creek Pottery has been making beautiful handcrafted pottery since 1977. Located in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia, the company continues on in its tradition of making fine quality pottery for the home.

Each piece is handmade, hand painted and fired in a gas kiln. The clay used to form the pottery is made on site. They currently offer fifteen different lines of ceramic pottery. Each piece is microwave and dishwasher safe, lead free and oven proof.

For my review I was sent the Go Green Bud Vase. It's earthy color and lovely simplicity makes it a perfect match for any flowers you choose to put in it. It makes a sweet present for Valentine's Day or any other occasion.

Visit the website at emersoncreekpottery.com to see their very extensive line of lovely pottery pieces all made in the USA.

GIVEAWAY

Win Emerson Creek Pottery Bud Vase


To Enter This Giveaway: (mandatory entry before extra entries)

Which design of Bud Vases is your favorite?

*Leave a comment answering the question and be sure to leave your email address if its not public in your Google account*

Extra Entries: Can be done after leaving a comment for mandatory entry. If the extra entry says 1 extra entry leave 1 comment and 2 extra entries leave me 2 comments and so on.

-Like Emerson Creek Pottery on Facebook +1
-Follow Emerson Creek Pottery on Twitter +1

-Follow Frugal Family Tree on GFC ( right hand side) +1
-Like be our friend on Facebook Frugal Family Tree +1
-Follow FrugalFamTree on Twitter +1
-Share this giveaway on Facebook ONLY, using the Share Button at the bottom on this post. +1 for each share you do. (can be done once a day)

-Copy and Paste This Tweet on Twitter and leave me the link (to find the link click on the time stamp under your tweet. Can be done once a day for the duration of the giveaway)

#Win Emerson Creek Pottery Bud Vase from @emersoncreek at @FrugalFamTree #Giveaway ends 02/20 http://www.frugalfamilytree.com/2012/02/emerson-creek-pottery-review-and.html

*Limited to US residents; 18 years old and above. Giveaway starts February 12 , 2012 and ends on February 20th , 2012 at midnight PST. Winner will be emailed and has 48 hours to respond before another winner is selected. I was not paid for this giveaway or post. The opinions on this item are 100% mine and may vary from others. The sponsor is responsible for providing the prize.

Pier Market Restaurant in San Francisco CA Pier 39 Review

When I think of San Francisco I always think of awesome seafood. I love fish and clam chowder and the restaurants at Pier 39 are some of the best on the waterfront. For Valentines or any special occasion Pier Market Restaurant is a great place to visit. They have one of the best views of the ocean and harbor that we have been to on Pier 39. We have been to over 3/4 of the restaurants they have on Pier 39 and this is one of my favorites.

The view is beautiful and the food is delicious.The pictures I took of our lobsters and steak dinners were not good enough to truly show how divine they were. The pictures above are from the website and it looks just like it did on our plates. You can read the full menu on their website here. Our waitress was nice. She seemed a bit confused by my mother in law requesting certain things being and not being in her food. But my she has lupus so she has to watch what she eats. They were nice enough to bring my son french fries as soon as we ordered so he would stay seated, she must know its a kid trick in a restaurant to give them fries lol. We ordered the clam chowder for our appetizer and wow it was good. Perfect flavoring with the right amount of clams to potatoes ratio. My son even liked it and he can be picky about trying new things. The steaks were awesome. We ordered them well done and they were still full of flavor and juicy.

For this occasion we went for my son's birthday. We let him open one of his presents at the dinner table. He thought it was great to be able to have good food and presents! A couple sitting across from us were also celebrating a birthday. When the husband saw our lobster dinner arrive at our table he quickly called over his waitress and upgraded he and his wife's dinner to what we were having. It was fun to see someone influenced by what we having enough to change their order to make the night extra special for his wife.  I thought the restaurant knew is was my sons birthday but after dinner the bill came and not a cake I realized they had no clue lol. I wish I would have let them know since we watched the couple next to us get a birthday song and a piece of cake. My son LOVES cake and the attention of everyone singing to him.

The management staff was super nice and made sure we had a good time and took home our leftovers. There wasn't much though, just my sons food. It was all way to good not to eat it right then and their.

We really liked that Pier Market is family owned for over 30 years. Its a wonderful place to eat fresh seafood with a casual setting. Great for Valentines, Birthdays, Anniversaries and they will let you host an event there. The view is a huge reason I would like to go back there again. We went at night so we saw the harbor with all the lights lining the sky. I would love to go for a lunch in the summer to be able to see the Golden Gate bridge while enjoy some more of the delicious clam chowder.

*I was not paid for our review. The opinions are 100% mine and may vary from others. I was a guest of Pier Market Restaurant for my meal for my family from the PR company that represents them.

Skylanders Spyro’s Adventure by Activision Video Game Review

Spyro has been a cool dragon in my eyes since the days of playing the original adventure game on the original Playstation console, long long before I had kids. Now that I have my son he thinks Spyro is a cool dragon too. Its funny as a gamer you want to pass down the fun you had as a kid or in my case a teenager to your kids. Like some people and sports. My son is much younger than the ratings for Skylanders Spyro’s Adventure but he LOVES it. All during the holidays the display was a magnet to him. He would run over to it and get excited yelling "Dramum", his way of saying Dragon. He would push the buttons on this display and his little blue eyes would sparkle as he saw the game portal of power light up and the characters appear on the little display screen. My husband and I also though it was a neat aspect for gaming to have a small toy like character that you place on a game piece that will "place" your character into the game. So cool!

Like many other kids Santa did not bring Skylanders Spyro’s Adventure for Christmas. He bag must have been full of other cool stuff, but my son still wanted the game. We thought Valentines Day is a great time to buy one really cool gift for our son that we can all play together. When we were at the mall in the game store last month my son saw the game display again and went wild. We knew that was the gift we would be getting for all of us to enjoy.

When my son saw the Skylanders Spyro’s Adventure game pack in my hands after he woke up from his afternoon nap he squealed and yelled "YES!". He grabbed the game from me and took off down the hall. He spent the next 30 minutes looking at just the box saying "Wow" and "Cool". This was even before we opened it!

Besides the game being really fun with each character having its own set unique abilities and powers, the characters remember their in game experiences and upgrade as they play. They collect treasures as they explore the game world too. When we were at the game store the store manager told me he and his friends (all grown men) play Skylanders. They collect the many characters and can take it over to anyone house who has the game and portal. I thought that was a great aspect that your character can play on the Wii, PS3 or XBOX 360. How cool is that!?!

Love Spyro!

My son was even playing with the characters on his train set. He thinks they are really cool. Thankfully they are well made and can hold all the data in them without being fragile like most gaming items. I know we will be adding more cool characters to our collection. My son and husband had a great time playing together and I love that they are bonding over something they both like, Video Games! On the Skylanders website they have a special section just for Parents so you can read all about the game and the different aspects of game play. 

You can buy Skylanders Spyro’s Adventure Starter Pack by Activision for your family and many stores including Walmart, Target, Toys R Us, Game Stop and Best Buy.

The Starter Pack includes:

• The starter pack comes with everything you need to start your adventure including:
• Skylanders Spyro's Adventure software
• Portal of Power
• 3 Skylanders Figures
• 3 Trading Cards
• 1 Sticker Sheet for all three characters
• 3 Skylanders Spyro's Universe Codes
• Collector Poster

*I was not paid for our review. The opinions are 100% mine and may vary from others. I was provided the game in this post to review for free from the PR company that represents them.

Valentine's Craft Weekend

This weekend we are busy crafting it up for Valentine's Day! We are making these "Caped Cute-sader" Valentine treats for JJ to take to his preschool friends on Tuesday. They are fun, crafty and easy to make. Right up my alley!!

Weekend Online Deals & Coupon Codes

Valentines Day is coming, with it there are all sorts of online deals to save money. Shopping with a discount or coupon is my favorite way to be frugal! We have nice things just at a great deal this way. I have found a few places that are having a sale for Valentines.

Stride Rite

Share the Love Sale 

20% off $50 or more code: LOVE20

25% off $5 or more code: LOVE25

 They have super cool new Spider-Man Shoes with lighted eyes! 

Label Shopper $10 off $50 valid until Tuesday the 14th.

They have some cute heart pj bottoms for women for only $5.99

OshKosh B'gosh

Extra 20% off a $40 online purchase with Code: CUPID

Super cute Baby Girl Valentine tees $4.99

Tom's of Maine

15% off everything and Free ground shipping with code: SHOPTOM

Now until 2/20

LOFT 

Sweaters only $12.88!

some of these are regular $69

Creative Walls: How to Display and Enjoy Your Treasured Collections Book Review

I was intrigued by this book because of it's cover. A combination of floral prints, postcards, butterflies, flowers and more create a feeling of unique possibilities.

Looking inside, prepare for the meeting of Anthropology (the store), taxidermy, bohemian eclectic and unusual living spaces. It all manages to somehow come together to create beautiful walls, beautiful spaces, and inspires us to walk away from the ordinary.

Creative Walls is a book definitely for the quirky soul. There are no decorating rules for these walls, they are highly personal and this comes through in the photographs.

It is true that this style is not for everyone. The look is a bit cluttered, a tad shabby chic, and individual. If that doesn't appeal to you, there are hundreds of other books out there to help you decorate your home in a more conventional manner.

But this book called to me and inspired me to remember that the whole point of decorating is to make ourselves a home that reflects our personal taste and not the mass produced look that is marketed to us everyday. It certainly made me want to start collecting more and to look for the beauty in the unusual and the unexpected.

I enjoyed this book very much and will keep it handy for inspiration when I need it.

You can purchase Creative Walls: How to Display and Enjoy Your Treasured Collections from the publisher's website CICO Books and other book stores. You can connect with the publisher to learn more about this book and find other great books publisher by them online at facebook and twitter.




* I was not paid or compensated for this post. I was sent a free copy of this book for my review by the publisher/PR company. The opinions are 100% mine and may vary from others.

Sacramento & San Francisco Upcoming Pier 39 Event

 Upcoming Events

Tulipmania at PIER 39 in San Francisco CA
Feb. 18 - 26, 10am Tours Daily


Experience botanical bliss as PIER 39 transforms into a Bayside floral wonderland during Tulipmania. Thousands of tulips and other whimsical floral displays adorn PIER 39's two levels throughout this colorful event. Garden enthusiasts are invited to take a free Tulipmania tour, guided by one of PIER 39's own landscaping experts, daily at 10am beginning in PIER 39's Entrance Plaza. After each tour, participants are welcome to enjoy complimentary coffee, Biscoff cookies and other refreshments at Fog Harbor Fish House. Click here for details.

Shop-Tuile.com Earrings Review and $50 Gift Certificate Giveaway *2 Winners*

Whenever I find a product or a website that I love, it makes me very happy to be able to pass it on to our readers. Shop-Tuile.com sells beautiful and unique jewelry featuring designs from all around the globe. Exquisite rings, necklaces, earrings, bracelets and more are all made with sterling silver, and adorned with semi-precious gemstones. Most collections are exclusive to Shop-Tuile.com and are not available at any department store or boutique.

The company works with a variety of designers whose work is known and sold worldwide. Each designer brings a unique collection of jewelry to choose from.

There is also a collection of scarves available that are truly luxurious, made from pure silk, cotton or cashmere. Though worn by many Hollywood celebrities, Shop-Tuile.com offers many pieces that are surprisingly affordable. Testimonials from happy customers adds to the joy of your shopping experience and assures you of the highest quality of customer service.

I was sent for review the Casablanca, gold vermeil ball earrings. These lovely brushed 14kt yellow gold earrings are perfect for day or night time wear. I really love the simple, classic elegance of these earrings and anticipate wearing them for years to come.

Shop-Tuile.com is a wonderful place to find unique and timeless pieces of jewelry that you will treasure. I am so happy to announce that they are giving away two $50.00 certificates to two of our readers. Go to their website to see the complete line of jewelry and scarves available.

GIVEAWAY

Win $50 Gift Certificate to Shop-Tuile  (they have free shipping!!!!) *2 Winners*


To Enter This Giveaway: (mandatory entry before extra entries)

What is your favorite item at Shop-Tuile.com

*Leave a comment answering the question and be sure to leave your email address if its not public in your Google account*

Extra Entries: Can be done after leaving a comment for mandatory entry. If the extra entry says 1 extra entry leave 1 comment and 2 extra entries leave me 2 comments and so on.

-Like Shop Tuile on Facebook +1
-Follow Shop Tuile on Twitter +1

-Follow Frugal Family Tree on GFC ( right hand side) +1
-Like our new fan page on Facebook Frugal Family Tree +1
-Follow FrugalFamTree on Twitter +1
-Share this giveaway on Facebook ONLY, using the Share Button at the bottom on this post. +1 for each share you do. (can be done once a day)

-Copy and Paste This Tweet on Twitter and leave me the link (to find the link click on the time stamp under your tweet. Can be done once a day for the duration of the giveaway)

#Win $50 Gift Certificate *2 Winners* from @ShopTuile at @FrugalFamTree #Giveaway ends 02/20 http://www.frugalfamilytree.com/2012/02/shop-tuilecom-earrings-review-and-50.html

*Limited to US residents; 18 years old and above. Giveaway starts February 9 , 2012 and ends on February 20th , 2012 at midnight PST. Winner will be emailed and has 48 hours to respond before another winner is selected. I was not paid for this giveaway or post. The opinions on this item are 100% mine and may vary from others. The sponsor is responsible for providing the prize.

New Words and Phrases

My son is not a big talker. He likes to gesture, point and get me to guess what he means. Its our baby charades. I have even had a few people ask me if he knows signing, I laugh and reply no he just makes up his own stuff. But this last week he has been saying so much more. His newest thing is "Help Me". I find it awesome since he is recognizing he is a "me" and that if he asks I am there to help him. He asks for something he cant reach, a closet he wants open, to put on his socks and shoes and when he needs something. He even now says "Im Stuck". The other day I was in the kitchen making him lunch and I hear "Help me I'm Stuck!" I go down the hall and he managed to climb to the middle shelf of a deep cupboard and could not figure out how to get down. It was beyond cute. He held out his hand and again said "help me I'm stuck" I grabbed him out and got him down and he said "your welcome". Oh he cracks me up!

He has realized if he says "help me" I will quickly come to see what is going on. I was using my computer and he was behind me sitting on some empty boxes. He likes to make little play areas with them. He said "help me" I turned around and he was sitting there with a sly look on his face then giggled. I asked him if he was ok and he smiled. I turned back around and he said it again. Again he was sitting there needing nothing. The third time he did it he was standing on top of a small box waving to me. I explained to him you only say "help me" when you need help. He said to me "ok" The fourth time he said "help me" I did not turn around then he yelled "help me!!" I turned around and he was stuck between the wall and a few boxes that had slid over and he was stuck behind. I laughed and rescued him. Its seems all boys do cry wolf at one point!

Now even I think his "help me"might be a false alarm I still go see what he is doing to make sure he does not need a rescue. I love that he is saying more and understanding that what he says gets results. I cant wait to see what the new things he will come up with to entertain himself.

Exergen Temporal Artery Thermometer Scanner Review and Giveaway

When the ones you love are not feeling well its sad for everyone. Having to take a small child's temperature can be a mini battle that no one wins. Having a product like a Temporal Artery Thermometer Scanner makes taking your little ones temperature so much easier.

I love the ease of use and technology of the Exergen Temporal Artery Thermometer Scanner. Its a simple and gentle way to take your babies temperature. My son did think I was messing with him when I tried to use it on him but he is a wild one! It did let me know he was running a bit of a temperature when he had the sniffles. I quickly gave him orange juice, soup and had him rest. Its nice to not wonder if he has a fever, even a small one and to be able help him. Trying to get a temperature from him orally is a disaster that I feared he would get hurt. Now I know he will be safe while I am able to monitor his temperature.

•   It is non-invasive, easy-to-use (only takes 2 seconds) and extremely accurate
•  It will help parents avoid the painful experience of taking their sick child’s temperature rectally and uncomfortably.
• It merely takes two seconds and a gentle swipe, so parents can even check a sleeping child’s temperature.

Product info:
The TemporalScanner has patented software, providing arterial heat balance. This unique process determines temperature by accurately measuring the balance between the tissues warming from arterial blood and tissues cooling (warming) caused by heat loss (gain) to the environment.

Exergen is celebrating Valentines Day with a sweepstakes to win temporal scanners, gift cards and a grand prize of a trip and a car! You can enter here.

To celebrate Valentines Day and to spread the word about the Love Bug Temperature Challenge we are hosting a giveaway here on Frugal Family Tree for one of our lucky readers to win a Exergen Temporal Artery Thermometer Scanner for their family.

GIVEAWAY

Win a Exergen Temporal Artery Thermometer Scanner

To Enter This Giveaway: (mandatory entry before extra entries)


What is your go to item when your little ones are sick? (we always get orange juice!)

*Leave a comment answering the question and be sure to leave your email address if its not public in your Google account*

Extra Entries: Can be done after leaving a comment for mandatory entry. If the extra entry says 1 extra entry leave 1 comment and 2 extra entries leave me 2 comments and so on.

-Like Exergen on Facebook +1
-Follow Exergen on Twitter +1

-Follow Frugal Family Tree on GFC ( right hand side) +1
-Like our new fan page on Facebook Frugal Family Tree +1
-Follow FrugalFamTree on Twitter +1

-Share this giveaway on Facebook ONLY, using the Share Button at the bottom on this post. +1 for each share you do. (can be done once a day)

-Copy and Paste This Tweet on Twitter and leave me the link (to find the link click on the time stamp under your tweet. Can be done once a day for the duration of the giveaway)

#Win a Exergen Temporal Artery Thermometer Scanner from @Exergen at @FrugalFamTree #Giveaway ends 02/20 http://www.frugalfamilytree.com/2012/02/exergen-temporal-artery-thermometer.html



*Limited to US residents; 18 years old and above. Giveaway starts February 8 , 2012 and ends on February 20th , 2012 at midnight PST. Winner will be emailed and has 48 hours to respond before another winner is selected. I was not paid for this giveaway or post. The opinions on this item are 100% mine and may vary from others. The sponsor is responsible for providing the prize.

I Love You More Than Chocolate Book Review and Giveaway

Books about kids, candy and love, how sweet! The book I Love You More Than Chocolate by Melanie Milburn is a sweet book about a mother tucking her child in for bed and telling them how she loves them more than anything in the world, even Chocolate. Its has a nice rhythm to the book that is simple enough for my toddler but also great for older kids. To know you Mama loves you more than anything is a great feeling. This is a great book for Valentines Day.

One of my favorite lines is:

I love you more than the color blue.
I love you more than a day at the zoo.
I love you more...no matter what you do.
I love you more than chocolate!

The book comes with a CD too.

GIVEAWAY

Win the book I Love You More Than Chocolate published by To Press and Beyond


To Enter This Giveaway: (mandatory entry before extra entries)

Who do you love more than Chocolate?



*Leave a comment answering the question and be sure to leave your email address if its not public in your Google account*

Extra Entries: Can be done after leaving a comment for mandatory entry. If the extra entry says 1 extra entry leave 1 comment and 2 extra entries leave me 2 comments and so on.

-Like To Press and Beyond on Facebook +1
-Follow To Press and Beyond (booksherpas) on Twitter +1

-Follow Frugal Family Tree on GFC ( right hand side) +1
-Like our new fan page on Facebook Frugal Family Tree +1
-Follow FrugalFamTree on Twitter +1

-Share this giveaway on Facebook ONLY, using the Share Button at the bottom on this post. +1 for each share you do. (can be done once a day)

-Copy and Paste This Tweet on Twitter and leave me the link (to find the link click on the time stamp under your tweet. Can be done once a day for the duration of the giveaway)

#Win the book I Love You More Than Chocolate from @booksherpas at @FrugalFamTree #Giveaway ends 02/20 http://www.frugalfamilytree.com/2012/02/i-love-you-more-than-chocolate-book.html




*Limited to US residents; 18 years old and above. Giveaway starts February 8 , 2012 and ends on February 20th , 2012 at midnight PST. Winner will be emailed and has 48 hours to respond before another winner is selected. I was not paid for this giveaway or post. The opinions on this item are 100% mine and may vary from others. The sponsor is responsible for providing the prize.

MarieBelle Frangelico Truffles Review

This Valentines I told myself to not over indulge in large volumes of candy. That if I was going to eat candies they would have to be gourmet ones and I would savor every little nibble! I have heard of the famous chocolatier MarieBelle and Frangelico Hazelnut Liqueur and the two of them together to make a truffle is delicious!

You dont have to travel to New York to enjoy MarieBelle Frangelico Truffles unique chocolate treats, you can find them online at MarieBelle.com. The flavor of the truffles was a rich dark chocolate hazelnut with a smooth texture with hints of vanilla, coffee and almond. Each piece is like a mini piece of art. With red, pink, yellow and orange that are painted on.

I sampled the 4 piece box of MarieBelle Frangelico and I enjoyed every bite! They are a treat for yourself and not the kids. I hid mine in my office so I could enjoy them all for me! lol Expensive chocolates like these are great for a Valentines treat for an adult you love.

Here is some product info about the Truffles:
MarieBelle New York combines the finest single-origin chocolate with eclectic ingredients and artisanal techniques to create edible works of art. Our newest addition to the roster of whimsical flavors is Frangelico, an indulgent blend of hazelnut and rich dark chocolate, layered with hints of almond, vanilla and coffee. The chocolates resemble semi-precious jewels as displayed in their beautiful hand-made boxes.


I also found a really cool candy that I will be asking for this Mothers Day, River Rock Candy!

*I was not paid for our review. The opinions are 100% mine and may vary from others. I was provided the a 4 pc sample box of chocolates mentioned in this post to review for free from the PR company that represents them.