Crazy Aaron's Thinking Putty Review Party

Let's be honest. I really didn't know what Crazy Aaron's was about until this party. I knew of their products from previous Tryazon party opportunities. But I thought, who wants to have a bunch of kids playing with slime in their house?? I'm too much of a neat freak for that kind of thing. We aren't the type to play with dough toys unless Mommy puts down a plastic tablecloth first. So let me introduce you to something that showed me there is more to Crazy Aaron's than that.

*Disclaimer: I was sent these products in exchange for hosting a party with friends and sharing them. I was not otherwise paid or endorsed. All opinions shared are my or from my guests.*

First off, what is Crazy Aaron's? 

So glad you asked! Crazy Aaron started his business of innovative toys in 1998. The product lines they release are non-toxic and made with high quality ingredients, right here in the USA!  I won't get into too many details, but I'll say that his growth and making the products here in the United States has meant that he doesn't have to worry about any future disruptions to supply chains. So gifting with his toys is a great idea. But if you want to know more, there is plenty to learn HERE. 

Crazy Aaron's are not just slime, or even putty, as I knew it. I grew up with the cheap putty from the Dollar Tree (back when everything was still $1!). And the first time I tried out slime, I was grossed out. 

But Crazy Aaron's has surpassed what I knew of those two things. The slime is slick, wet-feeling even. But it doesn't stick like others. So it comes across as cleaner. Now, I have a sensory issue when it comes to how things feel. Slime and I can't ever get along. Ever. But I can say that I honestly do believe this kind is the best one I have ever had dealings with. It was quite popular at the party too! They come with charms you can mix in as well. Though, my girls were more excited about some of those charms becoming doll sized snack items than they were about mixing it into the slime. At the beginning, it would leave some residue behind when I opened the package for the kids.

I think one of the most popular items on the tables were the SCENTsory Putty's. Smooth and comforting to handle, they also had really good scents. My daughter fell in love with the Banana Split one while her friend loved the Popsicle version. They really do smell as they say they will. No residue from this one! And then the packaging even has things to do in them. Activities and such!  

The second item that was highly popular (even with Moms) was the cloud Slime Charmers. Sounds too much like an oxymoron, but it is amazing! No slimy feels on this one. It sorta reminded me of a dough product, but it is softer and airy. When you stretch it out... Well, I don't know how to describe that feeling exactly. It was just highly enjoyable. My son had the Sushi one and has decided to keep it as just his only, which is unusual for him. 

The thinking putty can be rolled into a ball and even bounce! It isn't sticky. It isn't slimy. No mess. I love that the mini tins can actually fit into these little bag clips you can get from Crazy Aaron's. 

So many options! These little ones with the charms have been so popular. What do you think? What was the favorite one in your opinion? Let me know in the comments below!

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!

Mystery Packs!

We love mystery, or blind, packs. One that we really enjoy is the mystery Minecraft figure boxes. Normally you would find these at the checkout lanes, sometimes in the toy aisle. We have quite the collection. But since the break in the supply chain here, I have noticed that they are not as readily available. In fact, Walmart rarely has them these days. So what happened when I was looking to get them for the kids this past Christmas? 

Creating the advent calendar

Each year, we have our family advent calendar. It has been two years in the running. I make it myself. Each day, starting December 1st, a family member opens a gift from the box that is marked with their day. I nearly didn't finish it this year. Each gift is supposed to be only a couple - $5. But I was having a hard time finding little things for each person. I went online, thinking that surely I could find what I need on Amazon. Crazy fact - those Checklane Blind Boxes? Out! As a matter of fact, my son ordered one with a gift card he got from a family member and I'm still waiting to hear when they come in stock. So I had to start looking elsewhere. And I'm so glad I did! I found a website that specializes in these things. Especially ones that you can't find in stores anymore. 

MysteryPacks.com to the rescue! 

I found this website called mysterypacks.com. They had so many to check out. I was mainly looking at the Minecraft TNT series 25 mystery pack. They had them for $3.99 each. Right now, they are sold out. But I plan to keep an eye in case they come back in or even if they get others. They have the Mob Head series ones in stock though. Those are $4.99 each. 

Does your kid like Disney Frozen like mine? They have the Mash'Ems Frozen series 4! One day I hope to order some of these for my daughter. She loves Frozen characters. And better yet, these make the perfect size for her dolls to have dolls. 

Same goes for the Spirit horse blind bags. These little horses are my youngest daughters favorite.  

I have been thinking I might need to get my sister the My Hero Academia ones. They are the keychain ones. 

I could go on, but honestly there are a lot! Nintendo, Hot Wheels, Zuru, Universal Studios Monsters, Barbie, Star Wars, Marvel and DC - you can find just about any kind for any collector. 

They also have some display helps for the building brick collectors. They have a case or stands for things like Lego and Mega Construct figures.

What else did I like about them?

Well, besides being affordable, they have a great selection. In some ways, better than stores. They were easy to order from. And they are really fast on shipping! I ordered on December 3rd, they shipped them on the 5th. I had them in my mailbox on the 12th. Most stores can't keep up with orders in December. So a total win in my book! But one more thing - they were having a 20% off sale! So I saved even more during one of the busiest sale months of the year.

Christmas Gifts for the Doll Lovers

I have been keeping really busy preparing for Christmas, while maintaining the day-to-day life. It hasn't been easy. And I've walked away from projects more than once.

Everything I have been putting together is while using what I have on hand. Though I'll be glad when I can take a trip to Hobby Lobby and the Dollar Tree again! My mom and little sister have been building a 1/6 scale mall. My mom found a Barbie house at a steal and has been giving it a renovation in her free time. But what to put in it? Each floor represents a different use. When she told me the plan and showed me her progress, I knew exactly what I was going to do for her! 

Mall needs! 

Malls have shops, no? So each store needs items for the customers. This is where I started making boxed products for the shelves. But let us not forget that when a customer makes a purchase, they need to be able to carry it out comfortably. So bags as well! 

 Some are simple Google finds. Or even through Pinterest. 

As I mentioned before, I have walked away from projects repeatedly. Fit them into brief moments of freedom. I feel like most of the time that has been after the kids went to bed. I would work while my husband gamed. 

Nightmare Before Christmas vibes

My little sister likes NBC. So I got the idea to paint these support pieces from a 3D print job and add other things that she could make her own diorama with.

I had a larger piece that came from a chair I printed. It was the perfect shape for Zero's doghouse. Then I printed pages for the floor and background that she can attach to the boards to make a mini 'room' with. I couldn't find the Jack, Sally and Zero figures I wanted in the right size. It is amazing how void stores were of characters that I had thought were a staple between Halloween and Christmas. Apparently not anymore! I also missed my chance to find her some mini pumpkins. But I had the thought that later on down the road, I will find them and send them. And she can create her own room!

Then there are my own doll creations...

But I was also distracted by my own doll decorating. My dolls are prepping their living room with all the fixings for a great (and nerdy) Christmas! 

These gift tags were at our local HEB in the Christmas decorating section. They are the perfect size for the dolls! The first one I did was in pastel colors as my daughter chose those. 

I'm working on a second one, but needed to find my tiny gears as it will be a steampunk version. Still feeling like I might be missing something else for it.

Then of course my husband gave me my gift early. A Legend of Zelda themed Christmas tree!! It even lights up!!! I LOVE this! 

Under the tree, we had to have gifts. Which meant that I needed to wrap small boxes. Mostly tiny boxes that held little things before, but are now the perfect size for the dolls to hold after wrapping them in scraps of paper.

Back to Christmas gifting!

See how easily distracted I can be?? I'd say it has been worth it. I can't wait to see the finished project that my mom and sister will have. And I wish I could see how much my little sister enjoys it. My daughters love when I make things. It makes their play time even more realistic! I plan to keep creating more things and send them as I'm able to. At least play time won't be on pause for now!

3D Printing for the Whole House

My Dad gave me one of the most amazing gifts imaginable. A 3D printer! The first time I remember seeing a 3D printer, was in Jurassic Park 3. Remember that? They printed the resonance chamber of a velociraptor. Wasn't called a 3D printer back then though. Okay, nerdy moment over. The next time I saw a 3D printer, was when I worked for Target. They were donating one to the School for the Deaf and Blind in St. Augustine. We did art with the kids there. They would draw a picture that would be scanned in, and then it would 3D print it for them to feel their creation. I loved seeing what they wanted to make! Fast forward to now. I have my own. Thankfully, it does not rely on my artistic skills. There is this great website where people have already done the CAD work or scans and created the file to input into the printer. Though I wish I had remembered my Dads training in using CAD... There have been things I wished I could create. Thingiverse.com has become one of my favorite places to browse through. I've even made gifts for family from it. 

When we first received it, we were printing little things. My husband made extensions to add to the printer. I printed various things for the girls' and I to use with our dolls. Since then, our collection of prints has just grown!

Since moving, I have been printing upgrades to this old house of ours. Starting with a different light switch cover in every room.

Yes, this switch flips like a mad scientist one and even makes a clicking noise while doing so. I have walked by my husband just in time to hear him switching it on while crying out, "We have light! Muhahaha" 

Painting is out of our budget right now. So these walls are getting just a temporary beautification until we have a little more funding to change the cosmetics. Ugly orange from the... what? 70's? Meet Star Wars!

I really can't wait to redo the kitchen. Especially the cabinets. *shudders* Why they thought orange was a cool color back in the day, I'll never understand. However, at the very least, my kitchen has been taken over by Star Wars. Salt and pepper shakers, oven mitt gloves, knife set - I have pulled out all my Star Wars aesthetics to really make it home in there. And this plate cover just adds icing to the cake for me.

And then my second love, Steampunk, is also being introduced. How could I not have some of that in our new home? Sadly, not all prints work as well as they are claimed to. This one is stuck in this position. Not functioning, despite my husbands efforts to adjust it. But it works out. This one controls a fan that is left on all the time to keep the kitchen cool. 

This one is still a work in progress as we have to adjust how to hang it better. For now, this was the engineers fix my husband came up with. There is nothing to attach it by except command strips. My husband is waiting for the day when he can use it to prank someone.

One by one, our light switch covers around the house are slowly being shifted from plain to nerdy! I have a Nintendo controller plate for the game room. The girls have a unicorn. Boys have a lovely Legend of Zelda plate. We even have a key ring hook for the first time ever in Zelda theme.

I've printed stands to hold my sons geode slices, and plan to print another one for a hand-painted plate that my husbands Great Grandpa gave me. 

This is just around the home. There are so many other amazing things you can 3D print. Like Christmas gifts! This year, Christmas is not going to be the same. One, we are in a town at least 6 hours from anyone we know. Two, we be broke. Let me rephrase, before I get frantic phone calls and my husband revokes my blogging rights - we have what we need to get by paycheck to paycheck. Not for extras. I really miss having that small cushion we had before the move. However, I'm glad to have the home of my dreams. So I'd say it is a fair switch off. But that means that unless I make the gift myself or find something super cheap for a person on our list, they are getting nothing more than a card this year. Which isn't so bad. I have plenty of filament in various colors. The trick has been finding something for each person. The second trick will be getting the gifts either mailed or delivered to them... I'm still working on a plan for that. 

There are so many ideas on there! I even found things that are customized to have unusual names on there. That is something you hardly find in stores. 

My son loves the Halo game ships. So I printed these and hung them from the ceiling for him. See that gas station set he has? For his birthday, we are giving him accessories to add to it. Including a car lift like they would have in the garage to lift the car and work under it. 

What do you think? Are you impressed where technology has gone? I know I am! I can't wait to see what other creations I can make.

Men's Grooming Gift Ideas!

Christmas is around the corner. And with that, comes the stress of shopping. For me, shopping for men can be the most difficult. But fear not! I have some ideas I think you will like. Check them out and let me know what you think! 

*Disclaimer: I was sent this product free of charge in exchange for writing the review and sharing it with you guys. I was not otherwise paid or endorsed. All opinions are my own or my husbands.*

Now that you have seen why we love this brand, why don't you look into getting something special for the men in your life? You can save 20% automatically by going to https://www.manscaped.com/gifting. They have quite the variety of products to choose from. 

Like these:

1. The Lawn Mower 4.0 by MANSCAPED
The fourth generation groin and body trimmer features cutting-edge ceramic blades to reduce grooming accidents thanks to their advanced SkinSafe technology.

2. The Weed Whacker by MANSCAPED
Proprietary SkinSafe technology helps reduce nicks, snags, and tugs.

Fits nicely in our bathroom drawers!

Stocking Stuffers by MANSCAPED
1. Refined Cologne by MANSCAPED
A clean and fresh scent designed for the refined gentleman

2. Shears 2.0. by MANSCAPED
Luxury 4-piece nail kit featuring tempered stainless steel tools including:

3. Foot Duster foot deodorant
Say goodbye to stinky foot funk with the Foot Duster deodorant spray

What do you think? Worth a shot? Leave me a comment below! Love hearing from you all! 

Easter Without Too Many Sweets

  

Easter can be a fun time. Our family doesn't celebrate it for the egg hunts and treats, however. It is when we remember that Christ came, died, and rose again from the grave. But that doesn't mean we don't enjoy the fun events as well. If we are with family, we will do an egg hunt. These can be amazingly fun for kids. As long as you count the eggs so you know if they found all of them! Nothing like finding an old hidden egg weeks later... Personally, I also think that color coding the eggs so that kids can only pick up their colors makes for less pushing and shoving. That's just me though.

However, for us, having them full of candy can be a bit, how should I say it.... Undesirable. Dentists make bank off kids who are constantly consuming sugar. While we don't allow sodas in our home, except as a treat or for an event, we do allow them to have sweets 3 days of the week. After holidays like Easter and Halloween, our candy bowl can get pretty full. 

So I got to thinking! 

This is dangerous for me. You never know where I'm gonna go with the thought train. The thought of alternatives for Easter got me excited though. There are so many things out there that are tiny enough to put into Easter eggs that aren't edible. Or things to just give as treats as well. You just have to know where to look. 

Covid restrictions are still in progress for our area.

Easter baskets are a great way to make the holiday fun. Especially if you are under restrictions in your area. Our family still has restrictions for hanging out with some of my in laws. So Easter is looking like a no for us. While we can't be with most others, we can still enjoy the holiday. 

If you are doing a basket, what to stuff into it? I recently did a review on Bakugan. Once removed from the packaging, they can actually be tucked into larger eggs.

Otherwise, they are something different for the basket ideas. Pokemon and Yugioh cards are popular. My kids have been collecting them lately and their friends do too. The Dollar Tree stores usually have packs of 3 Pokemon cards each that the kids like me getting. Or I get a mixed bunch super cheap on Amazon to divide among them all. Another cheap find that I like to include is glow sticks. My kids love them. I keep some on hand for weekend fun.  

A neighbor friend of ours sells Paparazzi jewelry. You can get a necklace and earrings set for $5. Bracelets - $5. Little girls earrings - $1.

                                              I believe little girls bracelets are also $1 each.

Hmm... Little ladies like dressing up and looking nice. Why not use something like that instead? My friend Kara loves to help, so be sure to ask what she has new in stock. It is boutique style. Once she sells out, she can't guarantee that she can get them again.

I plan on having books included. I've come to know that too much iPad time in school has led to issues with my kids. From worsening eye sight in one son, to my younger son having issues using a mouse with his Dad's desktop. Everything has been on a touch screen, including reading books. So in our home, they read printed books. With real paper. Not gonna have a scene from WALL-E play out with my kids. If I have only done 1 thing right in raising them, it is raising them to be avid readers.

Thinking outside the box.

Another idea I have for my kids is a scavenger hunt. The same items suggested for baskets would work as prizes for this. It gives them a fun activity to do that rivals an egg hunt. This can be made even better by doing it in the dark! Just some suggestions if you are planning to celebrate with just your household. Leave me a comment below of any ideas you might have!

Let's Get Fabulous With Paparazzi! (Review Included)

I've lived at my current address for almost two years. And sadly, I know very little about my neighbors. I know some names. Some family connections. But nothing too in depth. This year, I got to know one of those neighbors a little more. We have some common ground. And she has a fantastic side business that I want to introduce you to! 

                     (Check Your Heart Rate in red necklace. Comes with earrings to match.)

*Disclaimer: I have purchased and won products from her. Nothing in this review was paid for or endorsed by Ms. Kara. All opinions are strictly my own.*

Bring on the bling!

Paparazzi is new to me. Until seeing Ms. Kara with them, I had no idea it existed. She had given my girls bracelets for Valentine's.Which brought us to talk about her products. With February over (ALREADY?!), Mother's Day will be here before you know it. With that thought in mind, I want to show you some of her amazing jewelry.

Keep in mind, before Covid - there was the option to host parties too. If you are in the area, maybe a virtual one would be possible. This would be another awesome idea for a special gift to a lady you know. Host a party! Sadly, that is a bit hit or miss now. But something I would like to try in the future. Especially as I try to help those who are wanting to start their own business. 

What she has to offer!

More like what doesn't she have? Earrings, necklaces, bracelets - and in just about every style you could imagine. I want to show you several that I have gotten to give you an idea on what I'm talking about. 

The very first time I browsed her web page (which is still growing!), I immediately saw something that I knew a Mother in my life might just like for Mother's Day. Sets like these are just $5. All the products are nickel and lead free. This is a long chained necklace with turquoise colored beads and brown rock-styled beads. The earrings are dangling hooks with matching turquoise beads.Native American style.

Ms. Kara has live video updates that she uses to show off her products. New things that come in. She also hosts specials and sometimes even has giveaways. I won two necklaces from her. And they are beautiful! I love the rich colors. 

The first is this blue one. Reminds me of of the ancient Indian culture necklaces. The collar styled ones. Comes with matching square earrings. It is called Feeling Inde. I decided to gift this one to another Mom in my life for Mother's Day.

Then you have this deep red one. I love red! The style of this one is fun too. It is called Count to Zen.

To me, it is bold in its simplicity. Light weight and fun! The earrings are hanging ones.

My daughters love unicorns. So I got the younger one this unicorn bow and Ms. Kara gave the older one earrings!

It fit perfectly above her little pony tail, but she also wore it on the side to keep her bangs back.
Aren't these earrings adorable?? The mane and horn are so carefully filled with color. And she gets them in other colors too. The backings for them is a soft rubber, which is perfect for children.

I also purchased these beautiful earrings for my little lady. She loves the butterflies!

Make sure to check back often!

Every week, she has new items. You can check out her Facebook page HERE. I highly suggest you follow her. So you will know when she goes live. Her website is linked on there so you can check out some of her inventory. And if there is something you are looking for in particular, feel free to reach out to her! She is happy to talk about her products.