Red Barn Scrapbook Review & Giveaway

Red Barn Scrapbook offers unique, handmade camera straps. What started as a simple desire to have a stylish camera strap for myself, has turned into sharing my creations with others. I currently make straps for DSLR and SLR cameras, as well as wrist straps for point-and-shootcameras. These are beautiful, fun, and unique straps. If you are like me, always with camera in tow, you will delight in having a pretty camera strap. Please visit my etsy store to see the current collection of camera straps, and to make a purchase. Kim

Info above taken from Kim's site Red Barn Scrapbook

I was asked by Kim if I would like to review one of her camera straps. When I saw all the cute straps she had to offer, I was very excited to say YES! All I had to do was decide on a favorite. LOL Which was very hard because there are so many cute ones to choose from! I love owls and when I saw the one I chose, pictured below, my search was over.

Isn't it cute?!? I love the ruffles and the owl ribbon.  This camera strap is perfectly made and very comfortable to wear. I put it on my DSLR camera as soon as I got it. It was the perfect week to get it. We had 2 field trips planned at school and 2 sporting events. I received many compliments from teachers, friends and strangers.  We even took the kids to see the Dr. Seuss Art Show at a local museum. I loved the overall look of my strap and will most likely be ordering another for my other camera.

Red Barn Scrapbook offers many camera straps and camera wrist straps too! The best camera accessories available! Just look at these cute ones now available on Kim's Etsy Shop...click on the photo to see more info on those straps.

...The Ooh La La Camera Strap...

...The Sketchy Camera Wrist Strap...

...The Black and Red Ruffle Camera Strap...

If you like what you see and want to learn more, you can visit Kim's blog too. As well as her business site.


Interested in buying a strap for yourself?
Kim is generously offering a discount through March 15, 2012.
Just enter Code: TRENDYTREEHOUSE
at checkout for a 10% discount
Thank you Kim for offering this discount!


Kim at Red Barn Scrapbook is also offering a giveaway here at Trendy Treehouse
1 lucky reader will get to choose one camera strap of your choice.

...How to enter...

Mandatory 1st Entry -Visit Red Barn Scrapbook & Comment below sharing with us what your favorite camera strap is.

Must enter Mandatory entry or all others will be deleted. Thanks! 

Additional Entries... Eligible after completing mandatory entry above. 

Please leave a new comment for each entry that you have done. Thank you! 

• Like Red Barn Scrapbook on Facebook Leave a link in the comment
• Add Red Barn Scrapbook to your Link List - http://www.etsy.com/shop/redbarnscrapbook
• Comment on Red Barn Scrapbooks Facebook page about this giveaway including@TrendyTreehouse

• Follow Trendy Treehouse via Google Friend Connect
• Follow Trendy Treehouse via Link Followers
• Follow Trendy Treehouse on Facebook
• 1 entry daily for each - Blog, Tweet & Post about this giveaway including@trendytreehouse & @redbarnscrapbook

You will have until  March 4th @ 9:00 p.m. Pacific Standard time to enter this giveaway. The winner will be chosen by random.org and announced here. If the winner has provided an email address I will contact you. If you don't provide your email, you will want to check back here and see if you are the winner. The winner will have 48 hours to contact me or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is open to those living in US, CANADA & AUSTRALIA. You must be 18 years or older to enter. Thanks for entering at Trendy Treehouse. Good Luck and Have Fun!!

The featured product {s} in this post were provided to me free of charge by the manufacturer or pr company representing the company. All opinions expressed in this review are my own and not influenced in any way by anyone. By entering this giveaway you agree to Trendy Treehouse Disclaimer/Terms of use.

Christmas Shopping

Have you started your Christmas shopping? Have you finished? Have you started your Christmas crafting? Or maybe at least made a list? Well, I think that I'm almost done with my Christmas shopping and I'm about 60% done with my Christmas crafting. I am determinded to make this a handmade Christmas! I always say I'm going to make all my gifts (well, the ones I can anyway) but usually end up too far behind when gift giving time actually comes...not this year! I've got a few more things to purchase but mostly it's just getting things finished up.

Since I'm almost done with my Christmas gifts I thought I'd give you a jump start on yours. I'm going to be listing some things in my etsy store next week. I've got two felt fishing sets. I've got a few felt pizzas, some felt cookies and if I have time some felt breakfast sets. I can do some custom paintings. I've got some scripture photos, some tie shirts and maybe even a few dresses. I hope to get most of these things finished and listed before black Friday...but really my goal is to get things done by cyber Monday.

But in the mean time I'd like you to enter the giveaway for the DVD from Buckalope Elementary. Entries are LOW so please leave a comment and enter to win this great, educational DVD. Then you have one less gift to buy. I will pick three winners tonight...so please CLICK HERE and leave a comment on that post!

Dot Girl First Period Kit Review and Giveaway

The Dot Girl First Period Kit is perfect for young girls who are entering womanhood. My oldest daughter is reaching this stage and asking questions. Last year she was able to take "the class", you know the one where the nurse comes in and talks to all the girls. They watch a video and ask questions. I was lucky enough to be there to help. I was very impressed with how all these young girls handled the video and asked questions. I was so proud of my daughter for really watching and asking the right questions. She did get some information that was provided by a sponsored company. It was okay. But when I saw Dot Girl, I knew I had to learn more. 

I received the Dot Girl First Period Kit for my daughter to review. This kit came in a very cute pink bag with an answer book, which answers twenty common questions girls may have about menstruation. It included information like, what kind of pads to use, how they should track their periods, how long they may bleed, why they have a period and information on cramping. It also shares when you may begin your period. There is nothing worse than starting to bleed and not know why. I think informing our daughters at a young age is a must. And I believe that this kit is a good way to introduce the subject to your tween girls.

This book is very easy to read. Your daughters will be able to easily read through it with you or on her own and understand what to expect. She will learn the right questions to ask you too! I love that is makes the subject so easy for us moms too! My daughter and I had a lovely conversation about her first period. She has even come to me with more questions without being embarrassed. I am so relieved. Thank you Dot Girl!

Also included in this kit.... 5 pads, 5 disposable bags, 2 antibacterial hand wipes and the best of all a reusable gel heating pad. The supply is great for getting a girl ready for the day her first period comes. She can easily tuck this bag away in her backpack or purse to take on any trip. She is now ready. If she is at home, perfect, you can help her along with her first experience. If she is at school, just help her prepare how to ask her teacher about leaving the classroom discretely to the restroom, kit in hand. I also recommend that you place a change of underpants in the kit with a zip lock baggy in case there are any messes. 

The reusable gel heating pad will be a life saver for them. Just simply snap the disc inside the bag a few times until it activates. The bag will become warm, perfect for soothing those achy, crampy tummy's.  The bag will become hard after cooling. To get it ready for the next use, just simply place in boiling water for about 10 minutes or until the bad is full of clear liquid again. Let cool and you can use it again! You can even use this as a cool pack. Just place in the freezer until the contents of the bag are frozen. Every girl and momma needs one of these!

Once your kit has been used, make sure you replenish it for the next time!

Moms!!!! You will love this kit for your girls. Get one now before your tween reached womanhood. She will THANK you for it!

Want to get a Dot Girl First Period Kit and pay NO SHIPPING?

Just enter code: dot : at checkout!

Reviews....

This product was a very good idea. It helped me talk more with my daughter in detail, and just showed her and explained to her how to keep herself clean on those days, and how to track your monthly. -Terrie from Sacramento, California

I have been consistently pleased with this company.  I contacted them by phone last year and they were very helpful.  The Dot Girl kit arrived quickly and was exactly as we hoped it would be.  The kit is a wonderful, reassuring - very "grown-up" - necessity that I wish had been around forever!  Every young girl should have one.  Thank you for making this BIG step a lot easier to manage. - Rebecca Brooklyn, New York 

This kit was stylish and helpful at the same time. It is something she can drop in her book bag or purse in order to be prepared at any time. - Mary Williamson, Georgia

Want to enter the giveaway and win a Dot Girl First Period Kit?

Read below to learn more!

... How to enter ...

GIVEAWAY CLOSED - WINNER DENISE

You will have until Sept 29 @ 9:00 p.m. Pacific Standard time to enter this giveaway. The winner will be chosen by random.org and announced here. If the winner has provided an email address I will contact you. If you don't provide your email, you will want to check back here and see if you are the winner. The winner will have 48 hours to contact me or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is open to those living in the US. You must be 18 years or older to enter. Thanks for entering at Trendy Treehouse. Good Luck and Have Fun!

The featured product {s} in this post were provided to me free of charge by the manufacturer or pr company representing the company. All opinions expressed in this review are my own and not influenced in any way by anyone. By entering this giveaway you agree to Trendy Treehouse Disclaimer/Terms of use.

My Memories - Review and Giveaway

For the past five years I have been taking an insane amount of pictures. You see, that's when my first child was born. I've been a photographer longer than I've been a mother, but I've been capturing my own family memories in great detail for almost five years. I always took photos of my husband and I when we went on vacation or when we were visiting friends but didn't just randomly snap off 100 photos because my hubby was looking so cute (I don't think he would let me). I have always been the one taking the photos and placing each printed photo into an organized album with care. I have shelves of photo albums and LOVE looking through them. I entered the digital scene full time about a year and a half into my journey as a mother and the number of images of my family skyrocketed. However, the number of photo albums to look through plummeted. The images are stuck on my computer. Many people say, "You're a photographer you must have your photos all over your home and you must have tons of albums". The sad thing is...I don't. And I'm slowly trying to remedy that.

I tried traditional paper scrapbooking for a while and I love to do that, but once Naomi was born my time was cut in two. Add two more kids to the mix now and well, you get the picture. I discovered digital scrapbooking and jumped on board with full force. My computer was very slow after a while of doing this and I got very frustrated with trying to create even one page. I only have one "almost finished" album of random pages from Naomi's first year. So sad. Eventually I just started uploading images online and putting them in a cookie cutter, boring old album just to get them off my computer. This works but it's not me, it's not pretty. One thing I make sure to have done is a birthday album for each of my kids after their birthdays. Their album includes pictures from the party, a letter from us, photos from their birthday photo session and a few pages with my favorite images from the past year. I love doing these and know that at least something is getting printed and my kids will have some way to remember their childhood. Digital media is constantly changing. If we do not print our images how are we guaranteed that our children will be able to access the images from their childhood?

Maybe you have Photoshop or some other digital editing program, I hope you are using it. But if you are like me, it still takes time to learn the program and to design pages that will make you happy. I was so excited to learn about My Memories digital scrapbooking software it is the perfect response to my dilemma. My dilemma being; finding the time to properly preserve the memories that I am capturing day in and day out of my children and finding a way to easily showcase our memories so that we can sit down as a family and reminisce and not have to crowd around my computer screen.

"My Memories Suite is the #1 rated scrapbook software (that comes as an instant download so there's no waiting for your CD to get started (although you can order a CD to have as a back up)). Not only is it affordable and fun, it’s also extremely easy. Whether you’re new to digital scrapbooking or a seasoned pro, My Memories Suite is the perfect digital scrapbooking software to use." You can create albums in a snap, whole years worth of memories preserved and printed for all to see in a matter of a few hours (not including print/shipping time of course). The learning curve on My Memories Suite software is very short. In fact, let me make a little confession. I was given this product to review two weeks ago...but then my daughter got sick, then I got sick and I finally downloaded and started playing with the software on Tuesday. Wednesday my computer was not turned on and Thursday I crafted this post/giveaway (too much info? oh well, now you know the truth). So in a matter of a day and a half I was able to create three beautiful albums that I would be proud to print and show off. Yes, I will add more pages and maybe some more little embellishments but I'm a simple kinda girl and I don't like a lot of fluff on my scrapbook pages, so these pages suit me just fine!

This video will show you all the awesome things that this software can do:

My husband was telling me the other day how he'd like for me to start printing more photos so that we could look through albums again. I was kind of surprised by this but then again not really. Like I said before, who wants to crowd around the computer screen. My Memories Suite has so many options that you are sure to find the type of album that you need. When you download the software you are given awesome templates, papers and embellishments. There are so many options that you won't have to make the same page twice...unless you want to! You can also use any of the papers and embellishments that you have in your personal digital stash. The software is not very difficult to figure out and if you need help with something there are video tutorials online. It's like they hold your hand and walk you through it so you have no excuse to not be able to make the software work for you. They also have a TON of digital products to help you in your quest for the perfect layout. I will admit that I am picky when it comes to digital scrapbook supplies and I have a specific style that I look for. The designs at My Memories are awesome. I found myself making a list of all the kits I wanted to buy...*shhhh* don't tell my husband ;).

Here are some more details about this great scrapbook software straight from their website:

My Memories Suite 2.0 is a fun and creative way to keep and share memories, whether you have a Mac or PC. The scrapbooking software’s design tools will help you to build entire albums effortlessly using one of the many installed templates, or designing your very own pages from scratch. Version 2.0 includes 20+ new templates, over 1,500 new papers and over 1,300 new embellishments. There is even a new color swatch library with matching sets of papers and embellishments. And if you're searching for even more templates, visit My Memories Suite’s online Design Shop, which offers a growing library of digital scrapbooking templates, papers, and kits to inspire your creativity!

My Memories Suite Version 2.0 software is bursting at the seams with new features! With Version 2.0 you can...

• Drag & drop page elements such as embellishments, backgrounds, and layouts from a convenient sidebar with the Resource Gallery.
• Have precise control of your page design with Zoom.
• Position journaling around circular and angled shapes.
• Create your own word art with effects like bevel & emboss, gradients, warping, and more!
• Space elements on your page evenly with advanced align function.
• Search through thousands of embellishments quickly to find the one perfect graphic.
• Layer multiple background papers—perfect for mats, paper strips, frames, and more.
• Combine pages from albums with different shapes.
• Edit your text directly on your page with precision.
• See your effects on your page as you add and adjust them with intuitive preview.
• Duplicate and mirror your pages easily.
• View your page layouts one at a time, or together as double-page spreads.
• Easily share your album with enhanced photobook, calendar, and card wizards.
• Add multiple pictures to your layout quickly with FastFill.
• Burn your creations onto a CD or DVD with better optical device support.

You have to go to the website and check out all the great things you can do with your pages once they are created. Gone are the days of scrapbook pages lying dormant on your hard drive. Share your album with your family and friends by getting it printed, burning it to a CD, and posting albums online. Bring your memories to life. The great thing is that after you create a great scrapbook page you can take it a step further and add video and audio to the page. I have some great video of Hannah laughing at Naomi and Micah so I added it to the scrapbook pages of her. I can burn that all to a DVD and watch it on my TV. Not only do I get to see beautiful images of my daughter but I get to hear her laugh as well. Amazing! That's what capturing memories is all about.

Let me tell you about a few other things that My Memories has to offer. They have a Design Club: you pay a discounted price upfront and get 5 digital packs each month and a discount on all other downloads. They have weekly challenges to get you using your photos, creating beautiful layouts and preserving your memories. There are great software tutorials to help you when you're stuck. They also have a YouTube site for even more information! The site is very well organized and you can search for kits by the designer, themes, bestsellers, top products and they even have a DOLLAR STORE!! yay!! If you know me you know how much I love the dollar spot at Target and the Dollar Tree so this is right up my alley. Not to mention the freebies that you can download and use right away with your awesome digital scrapbook software. Okay, enough talking already...let's take a quick peek at something I whipped up in a matter of minutes.

If you're like me you are a digital scrapbook paper/element hoarder. My Memories Suite allows you to use papers that are on your hard drive. It's super easy to do and you will have an album done in no time flat. It's high time we get these amazing memories off our computers and into our lives!!!

The possibilities are endless! Think of all the hybrid cards you can make with these great templates and supplies. Everything is printable so you can make tons of different items for your home. I will share more projects that I've done with this great software later in the week...

My Memories Suite v2 sells for $39.97 which is a fraction of the price of many other digital photo editing programs. That is a steal of a deal when you realize all that My Memories Suite can do. But you my readers are in luck...I've got a COUPON CODE!!!

Go to MyMemories.com and enter this code: STMMMS59866 to get $10 off the price of the software...but it gets even BETTER. Once you download the software the nice people at My Memories will give you a $10 code to shop in their store!! Yippee!! That's like a $20 coupon! Trust me you won't have a problem finding something to spend your $10 on once you have this amazing software!

One of you lucky readers will win your own digital download of the My Memories Suite v2 software.

All the rules:Please leave a separate comment for each entry. Make sure your email address is included so we can contact you if you win. Winner will be chosen Saturday September 24th using Random.org and will be announced here Sunday, September 25th.

Mandatory Entry...

GIVEAWAY CLOSED - WINNER LISA

Good luck, I really hope you win because this software is amazing!

You will have until Oct 1 @ 9:00 p.m. Pacific Standard time to enter this giveaway. The winner will be chosen by random.org and announced here. If the winner has provided an email address I will contact you. If you don't provide your email, you will want to check back here and see if you are the winner. The winner will have 48 hours to contact me or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is open to those living in the US. You must be 18 years or older to enter. Thanks for entering at Trendy Treehouse. Good Luck and Have Fun!

The featured product {s} in this post were provided to me free of charge by the manufacturer or pr company representing the company. All opinions expressed in this review are my own and not influenced in any way by anyone. By entering this giveaway you agree to Trendy Treehouse Disclaimer/Terms of use.

Timeless Treasures for You | Review & Giveaway

Timeless Treasure is a one stop shop with a high selection of quality products! They offer clothing, jewelry, candles, home decor, books and more! The perfect shopping place for yourself and a gift for friends and family!

I was able to review their Chocolate Chip Cookie candles. When the package arrived, I was getting ready to head out, so I asked my daughter to open it up. She was so excited and screamed "Oooohhh, cookies mommy!" Then, "Candles?" I said yep, they are candles. She then proudly marched in to the kitchen to place them in the middle of our bar. They looked cute. When you get these cookie candles, they come with 3 cookies and on a black metal tray. I liked that they had their own tray. Later in the evening, we lit the candles while making dinner. My girls loved staring at the cookies melting. I loved the cookie scent they had too. Although, I wished it was a little bit stronger. These cookies are too cute. I wouldn't mind getting some more and piling them up on a cake plate to just stare at all the time. Which reminds me, they would make great photo props too! Hhmmmm! Lots of uses for these cookies!

I also have to mention that I was amazed at all the adorable products that Timeless Treasures offers. I wish I could have reviewed more! Their jewelry is beautiful and I love the cute designs on the t-shirts. The best part is this shop is very affordable. So they are the perfect shop for gifts!

Get 25% discount when using code: trendy at checkout

discount expires 10.21.11

Want a Chocolate Chip Cookie Candle for yourself?

You can get one by entering in our giveaway!

Timeless Treasures is generously offering a Chocolate Chip Cookie Candle

to one lucky reader!

... How to enter ...

Mandatory 1st Entry - Like Timeless Treasures on Facebook!

YOU Must enter Mandatory entry or all others will be deleted. Thanks! 

Additional Entries... Eligible after completing mandatory entry above.

You may enter all or some of the additional entries. 

Please complete one comment per entry!

Additional Entries

• Follow Timeless Treasures on Twitter
• Follow Timeless Treasures on their Blog
• Subscribe to Trendy Treehouse - enter email in sidebar
• Follow Trendy Treehouse via Google Friend Connect

You will have until Sept 19 @ 9:00 p.m. Pacific Standard time to enter this giveaway. The winner will be chosen by random.org and announced here. If the winner has provided an email address I will contact you. If you don't provide your email, you will want to check back here and see if you are the winner. The winner will have 48 hours to contact me or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is open to those living in the US. You must be 18 years or older to enter. Thanks for entering at Trendy Treehouse. Good Luck and Have Fun!

The featured product {s} in this post were provided to me free of charge by the manufacturer or pr company representing the company. All opinions expressed in this review are my own and not influenced in any way by anyone. By entering this giveaway you agree to Trendy Treehouse Disclaimer/Terms of use.

Photography Session giveaway...

Hey there everyone...my family and I got back this week from a 10 day mid-west vacation. We had a great time and got to visit lots of family and friends. While we were on vacation I had the honor of photographing my good friends beautiful family. Here are a few of my favorites...you can check out some more from their session here.




If you live in or near Jackson, TN, I'd love for you to stop by my website and enter the Photography Session Giveaway that I have going on for the relaunch of my photo business here in Jackson. Would love it if you would stop by my website and leave some comment love too, let me know what you think and if there's anything you'd like to see! Feel free to email me with questions and comments as well. jamie (at) jtphoto (dot) org.

Mailables Review & Giveaway

MAILABLES make a great craft activity that provides a creative canvas for kids, families, crafters and groups to be able to spend quality time with family and friends. Once personalized and decorated as an artistic gift, MAILABLES are then placed into the custom (and colorable) envelope provided and simply dropped in the nearest mailbox with a couple of stamps attached. MAILABLES provides a unique way for the young and young at heart to celebrate the friends and loved ones in their lives! Quite Simply, MAILABLES are the fun and thoughtful alternative to sending ordinary greeting cards.

"Text above courtesy of Mailables"

I was so excited when I was contacted by Mailables to review their fantastic products! I have never seen such a unique card. These cards are so cool and so fun for the whole family! Each card comes with 2 double sided designs to color. It also comes with an envelope to color too! 

There are 5 designs to choose from and I was lucky enough to review all 5. They came just in time for a couple birthdays in our family. When we presented the card to my dad for his birthday, he loved it! And the kids were so happy to show him which sides they colored. So PROUD! 

←CHECK OUT.... the FLOWER POWER card! 

What girl wouldn't love one of those!

I love that these are so personalized. Any parent, grandparent, friend, would love to get one of these! The best part is they are only $5 each. Most of the time, I find myself buying cards that have sound and they can cost well over $5. I think it is so much more meaningful to receive a card that was personally colored, than a musical one that you eventually throw out!

I also LOVE that these are 3D cards! So much better than pop outs. You can easily display these cards on your counter, piano, mantel, ect.  People will be commenting on how great they are and want to know where they can get them!

I have found a fun new way to send gifts! 

And its MAILABLES! 

The craft you can send!

Here are some great pics of these amazing products!

OUT OF THIS WORLD was the one my kids chose to give to their Papa! Once we got them, I laid them all out and this was their immediate pick!

This is what they look like when you first get them. They come flat, not standing up. I just wanted to show you how cool they look standing up. ;-) This one is the FANCY card!

Next, color them! I love the process. So easy and FUN! Just color with markers, pencils or crayons! We used crayons for ours.

The design below is the ELEGANT card.

Then give them or send them to your loved one! It's that easy! Easy and so loved to get this personalized 3D card!

Finally, here is the FUN DOTS card. Aren't they just cool?!?

... Visit Mailables On ...

Facebook

Twitter

READY TO BUY? Get 25% off at checkout when using CODE - TRENDY

Discount expires 9/30/2011

Want to win a set of these cards? I think you do! 

Enter the giveaway below!

ONE WINNER will get a set of 5 cards. 1 of each design

... How to enter ...

Giveaway now Closed
Winner.... Julie L

You will have until Sept 8 @ 9:00 p.m. Pacific Standard time to enter this giveaway. The winner will be chosen by random.org and announced here. If the winner has provided an email address I will contact you. If you don't provide your email, you will want to check back here and see if you are the winner. The winner will have 48 hours to contact me or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is open to those living in the US. You must be 18 years or older to enter. Thanks for entering at Trendy Treehouse. Good Luck and Have Fun!

The featured product {s} in this post were provided to me free of charge by the manufacturer or pr company representing the company. All opinions expressed in this review are my own and not influenced in any way by anyone. By entering this giveaway you agree to Trendy Treehouse Disclaimer/Terms of use.