Artsy Chaos

Sponsored by Tomoson.com Black Diamond Granite Cleaner Review and Giveaway The worst thing ever is to clean your home to a brilliant shine and oops! all the shiny surfaces are streaked. No matter how much you wipe, with some cleaners you can't get rid of that "hey look at me I was just cleaned (sort of)!" rainbow streak.  It's annoying.  And depressing.  Well, not with Black Diamond Granite Cleaner !  Seriously, it leaves NO streaks of any kind and marble, granite and tile are left with a clean clear and classy surface. Plus a big bonus, no rinsing required! We tried out the Black Diamond Granite Cleaner on both shiny black granite tile as well as ceramic tile.  The pH neutral cleaner worked fantastic on both surfaces.  We were happy to learn that by using this cleaner, the factory finish is maintained and it will not harm any sealers.  It is also 100% biodegradable and safe for daily use on all your kitchen, bathroom and other counter tops a...

Music is inspiring. Music is healing. Music brings energy and happiness. If you feel that all of these are true and you enjoy a little bit of reggae mixed with a jazz sound, thrown in with a bit of folk and rock beat with a hint of rap, then you must listen to the uplifting musical soup of Michael Franti & Spearhead !  Caution: you may feel the need to jump up and get moving! Making a difference figures prominently for Michael Franti, not only in his music. Michael is an advocate for peace, stopping violence, and an artist with a conscience. When I read this about him it made me stop and think. As parents, neighbors and just as human beings we should live with a conscience and strive for peace and understanding. If we raise our children to be selfless and treat others with care and compassion, our world might be just a little bit closer to peace for all. What a wonderful thought. The Sound of Sunshine is Michael Franti & Spearhead's newest album, full of lots of so...

Yep.  We now possess the largest tent ever made for a family on a budget; the "Mountain View Vacation Lodge".  Just in time for The Great American Backyard Campout! Ain't she a beauty? We have been needing wanting to purchase a new tent for quite some time now.  Our old tents are just that... old .  Plus, they're either missing their rain fly, leak, have a hole, have broken poles or are missing something else.  We actually didn't go camping at all last summer because of the tent situation.  So now, we have the biggest tent ever made for a family!  This tent is 20x11 and has 3 rooms and a canopy. It's HUGE .  It makes me happy. The new tent is also here just in time for The Great American Backyard Campout .  Every year, the National Wildlife Federation supports Great Outdoors Month by coordinating this nationwide even in the US.  Anyone and everyone can participate!  You can camp as a group, with friends or family, or even alone....

When my teen daughter was younger, she absolutely adored Discovery Girls Magazine .  Every Christmas she would ask for a subscription and when she saw one of the magazines at the grocery store news stand, she'd beg for me to add it to our purchase.  My beautiful daughter when she was about 11, prime Discovery Girls Magazine age!   One of the magazine covers that my daughter remembers fondly. The most amazing thing about Discovery Girls is that much of the content comes from the readers themselves.  As adolescents and tweens, most girls may feel that they are the only one going through a problem or dilemma and this helps them to realize that they are not alone.  Discovery Girls is solidly wholesome as well, no skimpy swimsuit and adult makeup tips found in some other magazines for girls.  Our opinion is that little girls should be little girls, not pressured into being little adults.  My daughter remembers that her favorite part of the magazine was "...

It's just about June, that magical month when so many couples in love walk down the aisle together. It's easy to watch two people so in love. Trying to be unique with the wedding gift, however, is not always an easy task. A lot of times the most appreciated gift is money but that envelope can be kind of boring. This wedding keychain is the perfect way to jazz up your thoughtful gift!! The envelope all tied up with a big fancy ribbon and embellished with a keychain is a fun idea.  Another really fun wedding gift is a Honeymoon Basket.  Assemble snacks, drinks, small games, lip balm, etc. and tie it all up in a cute basket with a big bow.  Again, adding a fun keychain with a photo of the couple or a his and hers keychains set will really set it apart. The cute wedding keychain pictured was sent to us for review.  I immediately thought of my newlywed son and daughter-in-law.  They're so in love and this keychain is perfect for them.  It's a very dain...

Those that know me and maybe some of my readers here know that I have been struggling with health issues for several years now, the worst being the past 2 years.  Extreme fatigue, chest and abdominal pain, heart palpitations, numb hands and feet, dizziness, gastrointestinal problems, hair loss, low thyroid, high blood pressure, racing pulse, shortness of breath, off balance when walking and just plain feeling beyond crappy.  I've seen my physician many times over the past few years and he's treated me for each of these symptoms with medication and it seems that my stock of pills just keeps growing and I don't feel any better.  This past week I decided to schedule another appointment since I had been having severe gastrointestinal problems, a pain in my upper right abdomen and awful nausea.  What I was basically told was I probably just needed to change my diet, exercise more, oh and by the way it might just be psychological.  So now he thinks I'm a nut case?...

Facing a debilitating illness or surgery, or having a family member doing the same, can be frightening and a bit like you're leaping into an unknown abyss.  I recently read Back to Life:  A Journey of Transformation Through Back Surgery and found it to be an interesting and informative read.   One month ago, my mother had heart surgery for the second time.  The first time was 17 years ago for a triple bypass after two heart attacks.  She was 45.  This time she needed a valve replacement and they performed another bypass during the nearly 10 hour surgery.  Back to Life by Pamela Douglas chronicles her experience with major spine surgery through first-person and family journal entries in categories of before, during and after surgery.  I found the similarities between Pam's experiences, thought and feelings to be remarkably like what my mother just went through with major heart surgery.  To me, what is most extraordinary is the way t...

My 15 year old son had a brilliant idea last week while at the local roller skating arena. Let me rewind just a bit, first, however. My son does not roller skate, roller blade, ice skate or really skate in any fashion. Although he's pretty good on the long board and does wear skater shoes, these two things do not a skater make.  He insisted that he was going to just "hang out" with his friends, sit and talk.  $5 later, he was safely in the skating arena talking and having fun with friends..... or so I thought. It just so happens that my daughter-in-law's sister, who is the same age as my son, was there also.  Since she can skate well, here is where my son's brilliant idea entered the picture.  "She can teach me to skate!"  And it went downhill from there.  As soon as he stepped foot on the rink, he fell backwards, twisting his wrist and falling on the bent arm.  I, however, didn't know all of this until later on in the night when I arrive to pic...

Let's face it, we all get sweaty at some point or another.  If you workout, garden, play outside or you just do a lot of mom running around, our bodies don't always feel just-showered clean.  Recently, we were given the opportunity to try a sample of Playtex Sport Body Wipes and let me just say... these ain't your ordinary "baby body wipes". We just love the scent.  It's almost like you're using a body wipe spiked with a fragrance counter perfume.  Plus, they're alcohol free!  These wipes are for your entire body.  Perfect for carrying around in your purse or gym bag.  We also have to admit that we LOVE the colors of the packaging. ;)   We received this exclusive complimentary sampling opportunity of Playtex Sport Body Wipes, available to members only, as a result of our membership at Crowdtap.com .

I'm a couponer, yes.  I just can't quite get "Extreme" with it.... yet.  Of course, I am referring to TLC's Extreme Couponing where the people buy 400 million dollars of groceries for 2.5 cents.  Maybe I just don't need 2500 sticks of deodorant?  All joking aside, couponing is a way of life and today was no exception. My most recent shopping trip resulted in getting just over $100 of groceries for $30-something.  Not spectacular, but not bad.  Everyone likes to see my receipt when I arrive home from the grocery store but today I heard "not your best trip, Mom".. ha!!  I got 47 items for $32.81 which calculates out to .70 per item and this included a family pack of chicken breasts, family pack of ground beef, and a bottle of laundry detergent.  I'll give myself a pat on the back and keep counting my pennies!

Looking for some new reads, new friends or a new place to hang out?  Try linking up or following some of these fantastic Blog Hops this weekend.

As a crafter, have you ever gotten a sore shoulder from repetitive motions or an achy back from sitting for hours at an all-day scrapbook crop?  Yep, I am guilty!  Or maybe you suffer from arthritis, joint pain or other minor aches that make it impossible to enjoy your favorite activities and hobbies.  We have found an incredible topical pain reliever for you called Stopain !! 1 of every 5 people in the U.S. suffers from some type of arthritis and it affects 3 times as many women as men.  May is National Arthritis Awareness Month and Stopain is an Arthritis Foundation sponsor, donating a portion of the proceeds for every product sold in 2011 (with a minimum contribution of $25,000). We love this! Stopain comes in four different formulations; Spray, Extra-Strength Spray, Roll-On, and Gel.  We were thrilled to be able to try the Extra-Strength Spray.  Seriously, if you have ever used a messy topical pain reliever a spray is very intriguing!  Stopai...

...And Giveaway! If you're like me, you've been curious about all the probiotics available on the market today.  What is a probiotic?  What does it do?  Is it beneficial?  Should children use probiotics?  Are there any risks associated with probiotic use? We were beyond thrilled when TheraBreath contacted us about reviewing their brand new Multi Symptom Probiotics!  Maybe now we can learn what this probiotic thing is all about. Within our bodies we have good bacteria and bad bacteria.  Most of the time there is a balance and the good bacteria (which are necessary for good health!) are winning.  If the bad bacteria take the upper hand, however, we tend to get sick.  TheraBreath has developed the first probiotic strains used specifically for oral health.  These probiotic strains, S. salivarius K12 and M18, help the body to resist and possibly prevent things like ear aches, sore throats, cavities, gum sensitivity, the formation of biof...

Me, Mom and My Sister a few years ago I remember one Mother's Day when I was about 2nd or 3rd grade age.  All I wanted to do for my mother was make a city for her to enjoy.  My grandmother took me to the store and we bought poster paper to use as the base of my creation.  For at least a week in my bedroom I worked on cutting, gluing and coloring all the little buildings and streets of this little city.  I kept it safe under my bed until the big day.  I also remember that nothing quite came out the way I had envisioned it but hoped that my mom would love it anyway. When Mother's Day arrived I gave my mom the little city and to my young brain it seemed that she was confused.  Naturally I went into explaining what the city was and how I had made it for her.  Being that I am a perfectionist, I also explained that it didn't turn out quite as I had expected and hoped she liked it anyway.  She exclaimed that she loved it and gave me a hug.  It was...

Soft, bright, happy, cheery, upbeat, perky, sweet and oh so pretty.... I am in love with the combo of PINK and YELLOW at the moment. Will Whipple Photo The color duet reminds me of my childhood and one particular yellow phase I lovingly embraced.   Not a washed out, baby Easter pastel pink and yellow but bold pink and sunny yellow.  Something that ignites a fire in the creative psyche.  From Rose Cottage Boutique 2 Let's EAT!!! (http://marytsrecipes.blogspot.com/) Hmmm... I'm thinking these cute cupcakes might be in order for Mother's Day!!

Lately I've been seeing a lot of really cute wreaths made with fabric.  No, not just your typical fabric rag wreath either but adorable fun flower wreaths!  It's been starting to warm up here and I've been feeling a little Spring-like even though it's been Spring for awhile now.  And as such, I feel a little crafty!  What do you think?  Yay, nay?  Cute?  Any further ideas for a fun fabric wreath? Clicking any of the images will take you to the original creator/designer's site.  Are you inspired yet? :)

Last night we got the chance to see Yanni live in concert .  I really don't know what we were expecting but it was so much more!  What really stunned us was the sheer talent of Yanni's orchestra.  Each of the instruments was played with such ease yet the complex sounds coming from mere wood, string and brass were truly a thing of beauty.  Drummer Charlie Adams is not only an impressive percussionist but an amazing entertainer.  For his concert solo, he donned a Utah Jazz jersey and stripped that off to reveal a Real Salt Lake jersey.  In fact, the whole concert had a more personal intimate feel to it. The cello, played by Alexander Zhiroff, brought a whole new admiration for the instrument.  And we have never seen the harp played with such fire and ingenuity as played by Victor Espinola .  Another favorite was Mary Simpson on the violin.  Each and every one of the musicians brought a beautiful piece of talent to the music.  My person...

We're firm believers that music helps little ones develop.  Here's a freebie of TWO albums for your little ones from Munchkin .  Enjoy!

Prefense Review and Giveaway! Let's say you and the kids are having a fun day at the local park and the sink in the "restroom" is broken.  Or perhaps you've decided to go on a picnic up the canyon and everyone needs to "wash up" before eating.  What do you do?  Pre-fenz to the rescue!!  Prefense is a 100% alcohol free hand sanitizer that protects through 10 hand washings or for 24 hours.  Easy to carry, easy to use, for superior protection. We got to try Prefense and I must say overall, it got mixed reviews from the family.  We actually tried it while in the hospital waiting room as my mother was having open heart surgery for 10 hours.  What better place to rid yourself of germs than the hospital! *I like that it is alcohol free and since it's water based it is non-flammable.  I didn't find much of a scent and it did not bother my sensitive skin.  I also like that it dispenses as a foam.  Since we were sent the travel size to review...

All month we've been saying how wonderful t-shirts are for playing in the great outdoors.  T-shirts really are the perfect outdoor wear as they wash well, are comfortable and casual.  We'd like to show you another fun site for great t-shirts at really great prices.... .com!!! CostumeSquad.com has a fun selection of t-shirts.  From movie tees to funny tees , they carry something for everyone.  Now, I'm not really one to walk around with Chuck Norris or the Power Rangers on my chest but I know people who prefer to sport the Ghostbusters logo to a button-up shirt.  Of course, if you're wearing your tees camping or hiking.... anything goes!! The giveaway portion of this post is now CLOSED.  Congrats to our winner, cherdon !! Would you like to win a tee?  Of course you would!  CostumeSquad.com is offering one lucky reader their choice of t-shirt ($16.99 or less).  Just follow these rules to enter the giveaway.  Be sure to leave yo...