Screen-Free Summer: Crafts with Crayola's CIY Box! #WelcomeSummer

*DISCLOSURE* Thank you to Crayola CIY Box for providing product samples in order to facilitate this post.  All thoughts are strictly my own. 

Check out this awesome screen-free, boredom busting subscription box for the crafty kiddo (or adult:) ... Crayola's CIY Box!

Crayola has branched out into the world of subscription boxes doing what they do best, providing quality products to encourage creativity and exploration through art!

Choose the perfect Crayola® CIY Box™ plan for your family for as low as $32.99 per box + FREE shipping and prepare for hours of artistic fun!

Your first box contains premium materials and easy-to-follow instructions for 2 "Marble Madness" crafts: a marble clock and marble treasure dishes. You'll also discover surprise gifts, delightful treats, unique samples and coupons.  Here is a peek inside the Marble Madness box:

Look at all the goodies!

The first project is the Marble Clock:

The instruction booklet tells exactly which supplies you'll need to pull out of your box and offers step-by-step instructions with color photos...very helpful for younger artists. 

13-year-old A took on the Marble Clock project and she really had a blast creating a beautiful work of art:

The second project was Marble Treasure Dish:

There were plenty of supplies for both A and D to create several masterpieces for holding treasures:

Each kit comes with a bonus challenge...this box's challenge was Make a Mobile:

There were also fun bonus items including a Sneakz milkshake, a permanent marker in pink and a couple of cute sticky note pads:

Our CIY Box was a great experience and a wonderful way to spend a couple of summer afternoons.  I love products that get my kiddos to use their creativity and explore their artistic sides...it helps get them away from their screens for a few hours too:)  It's nice to have everything you need in one place with expertly designed activities and instructions.

If you are looking for screen-free activities for your kiddos this summer, check out Crayola's CIY Box!

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Disclosure: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.

#FathersDayGiftGuide: The Fishing Caddy for the Fishing Daddy!

*DISCLOSURE* Thank you to Fishing Caddy for providing product samples in order to facilitate this post.  All thoughts are strictly my own. 

Is your dad or husband a fisherman?  If so check out this awesome Father's Day gift idea...The Fishing Caddy!

The Fishing Caddy helps get to your fishing spot with everything you need for a perfect fishing trip! It's an all-in-one fishing system that keeps everything you need in one place making for easy grab-and-go fishing.

The Fishing Caddy we got to try out is a 5.5 gallon bucket with a dual rod holder attachment, an LED light attachment, 2 LED lights with batteries, a universal bracket, a cupholder, a quick release water spigot, a padded handle and padded seat lid.  You can also get a lid that doubles as a tackle box.

Assembly is easy, you just pop everything together and you are good to go.  You can throw your tackle in the bucket and once you start catching fish, you can use the bucket as a live well.

If you dip the caddy in water, the 30 pounds of water weight acts a stabilizer for your rods when they are in the rod holders.  When it's time to head home, use the quick release water spout to lighten your load.

The Fishing Caddy is a truly useful gift for any dad that loves to fish.  There are several different kinds of fishing caddies, so if this seems like the perfect gift for your dad or husband, check them out!

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Disclosure: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.

Pamper Your Skin with Utama Spice! #WelcomeSummer

*DISCLOSURE* Thank you to Utama Spice for providing product samples in order to facilitate this post.  All thoughts are strictly my own. 

Summer can be hard on my skin.  We are outside a lot more which means sun, wind and water repeatedly take their toll.  Luckily, I found out about Utama Spice and was fortunate enough to get to try out several of their amazing products.  It was truly a treat for my skin!

Utama Spice is a 100% natural skin care company based in Ubud, Bali. They apply traditional herbal knowledge to create products that not only enhance your skin's natural beauty but also inspire you with the raw power of nature. They do all this while using only 100% pure natural ingredients.  LOVE!  Take a look at the products we got to try:

Coconut Lavender Lotion

This luxurious lotion is made with coconut oil to help keep skin soft, smooth and moisturized naturally with a non-greasy feel.  It smells ahhh-mazing!  I tend to put this on before bed since the lavender scent is so calming.  I always wake up feeling refreshed with soft, supple skin!

Rose Allure Body Butter

This Seaweed and Aloe Vera based body butter blended with Rose Geranium extract is a treat to my senses!  It smells lovely and leaves my skin satiny smooth.  I use it when i need a bit deeper treatment than regular lotion can provide and it's absolutely divine!  

Aphrodisia Body Oil

This sensuous aromatherapy blend of Cubeb, Cinnamon and Patchouli Essential Oils with Coconut oil moisturize your skin and invoke your senses.  This is great after a day in the sun.  It goes on so smoothly and my skin just soaks up all of the amazing benefits of these oils!  Of course, it smells heavenly and provides a wonderful aromatherapy experience.

Perfect Balance Essential Oil Set

Experience the centering power of essential oils with the Perfect Balance Essential Oils Set.

I use essential oils for a variety of ailments, household uses and fragrance experiences, so I was super excited to get to dive into this assortment of oils.

This set was beautifully packaged, definitely gift-worthy.  I love that includes a handy chart inside the box to explain the benefits and uses of each oil...that makes it super easy to really get the best use out of each oil!

This set contains 5 oils that unlock the body and mind:

Clearing Essential Oil Blend 5ml

Focus Essential Oil Blend 5ml

Pure Energy Essential Oil Blend 5ml

Bliss Essential Oil Blend 5ml

Deep Calming Essential Oil Blend 5ml

They have been an essential part of every day this summer, mostly in our diffuser.  I love using oils to create peaceful moods through the sense of smell.  These oils really enhance our living space. 

Be Gone Bug Spray

We live on the mosquito coast of Texas, so bug spray is a summer essential.  I prefer to use natural options, but sometimes it's hard to find a natural product that keeps the bugs away.

This gentle, yet powerful all-natural bug spray is safe for the whole family.  One of Utama Spice’s most popular products, Begone Bug is a mix of essential oils traditionally known for their insect repellent properties like citronella, clove, and maleluca.  This spray has proven to be very effective so far this summer.  We love it!

If your body needs a little extra pampering this summer, treat your self to some natural goodies from Utama Spice.  You deserve it!

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Disclosure: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.

Make Memories All Summer Long with a FUJIFILM instax SQUARE SQ20 Camera! #WelcomeSummer

*DISCLOSURE* Thank you to FUJIFILM for providing product samples in order to facilitate this post.  All thoughts are strictly my own. 

Check out today's hot summer must-have for the tween and teen crowd...the FUJIFILM instax SQUARE SQ20 camera!

13 year old A has really shown an interest in photography lately and she was super excited to get to try out this instax camera since it's a camera and photo printer in one.

The instructions are simple and she had all the features mastered in about 10 minutes.  Kids these days are so much more tech-savvy, am I right?

This isn't your mom's instant camera from days past.  The hybrid design lets you preview and edit your image before you print on the 2.7” TFT Color LCD monitor with 230K dots resolution.  There are 16 different Filters that can be applied to both still images and video.

This instax has a built-in crop tool and the Sequence filter offers the ability to capture dynamic images, adding a dreamy feel to the image.  They thought of everything with this version of the instax!  It even has a selfie camera next to the lens for taking those ubiquitous teen selfies!

Some of A's favorite features include Frame Grab which allows you to shoot a video up to 15 seconds long and select the frame that captures the best moment. Capturing a moving subject has never been so easy.  She also loves the Timeshift Collage where four images can be taken with a time difference at one time.  Press the shutter button to shoot when four images appear on the monitor. The time difference between frames can be adjusted within 0.2 to 2.0 seconds.

Here are some other cool features worth mentioning:

Double Exposure

Two shutters go off and the two pictures are combined into one image.

Bulb Mode

The shutter remains open while the shutter button is being pressed.

Split

Multiple images can be captured on one images. Select four segmentation options: vertically halved, horizontally divided in three, divided in quarters and divided in nine.

Collage

You can create a collage style image where one image is divided up at random or you can take photos for each segment.

Zoom

The SQ20 is the first camera in the instax series to include a digital zoom function. The digital zoom allows you to zoom up to 4x to adjust your view.

The internal memory holds around 50 still images. More can be saved by using a Micro SD card.  Reprinting allows the last 50 photos to be printed from the print history.  Index prints can be created with a four-frame or nine-frame layout and the camera comes with a built-in rechargeable battery.

This camera is compatible with Fujifilm Instax square film (2.4” x 2.4”) - 1: 1 aspect Ratio.  Using the 1: 1 aspect ratio, Instax square film allows for more capture of the scene in a single photo, delivering exceptional image quality with numerous artistic expressions.

All the bells and whistles and this camera is still super easy to operate!  A is having a blast capturing her favorite moments of the summer and plans on building a summer collage board to keep as a memento:)

If you have a budding photographer or just a teen who likes the instant gratification of a camera that can instantly print photos, check out FUJIFILM's great line up of instax cameras.  There is an instax camera for every budget!

Explore FUJIFILM's instax line

Disclosure: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.

#FathersDayGiftGuide: Stylish Mission Belts!

*DISCLOSURE* Thank you to Mission Belt for providing product samples in order to facilitate this post.  All thoughts are strictly my own. 

Looking for a gift that dad will actually use this Father's Day?  Mission Belts offers an awesome line of no-hole belts that will get worn all year long!

There are so many reasons that Mission Belts are B's absolute favorite belt of all time!  Seriously, he wears a no-hole belt every day and has tried several brands, but Mission are his favorites!

Mission Belts have no holes which means no worries of stretched out holes if your waistline grows.  They adjust every 1/4" meaning they fit more securely than standard belts with holes placed and inch or so apart.  No more having to poke your own holes if you lose or gain a few pounds!

The quality-made release lever on a Mission Belt buckle is intuitive and smooth and you can mix and match buckles to belts to fit your outfit.

Mission Belts are made from real leather which means that last a lot longer and don't crack like many other belts.

If you need another reason to try out a Mission belt, with each purchase you become part of THE MISSION.  A dollar from every belt goes to fight hunger and poverty worldwide through micro-lending. Micro-loans range from $25-$500 dollars per loan. Small loans make HUGE differences. There are millions of industrious, motivated people striving for a better life, and sometimes the only thing holding them back is a little capital to get started. It's a hand up, not a hand out.  And you gotta love that!

Find the perfect Mission Belt for your pops and give him a gift that he can really use this Father's Day!

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Disclosure: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.

#FathersDayGiftGuide: Give the Gift of Style with Sprezza Box!

*DISCLOSURE* Thank you to Sprezza Box for providing product samples in order to facilitate this post.  All thoughts are strictly my own. 

Another awesome Father's Day gift idea for the fashionable dad...Sprezza Box!

Sprezza Box is a must-have for the fashion-forward man.  Each month a stylist will handpick 5-6 on trend items and ship them straight to your door.  Theses boxes are usually coordinated around a central color scheme and provide all the accessories you need to polish off your look.  Typical items will include socks, ties, pocket squares, grooming products and more!

Take a look at our review box, The Houston:

A nifty card with all the details for each product and a price breakdown:

Zockz Socks - $10

The color scheme of this box is purple and gray.  These argyle socks are stylish and pretty comfy as far as dress socks go.

Perry Ellis Plaid Necktie - $30 

Perfectly paired with the socks color-wise and looks great with gray, blue or tan suit jackets!  Perry Ellis is known for it's quality craftsmanship and this tie does not disappoint.

Classic Wine Aerator - $5

This is a pretty simple aerator and it gets the job done.  It's easy to use and helps to improve the flavor of your wine.

Classic Nail Clipper - $4 

A classic nail clipper like this is a must-have for any gentleman. It comes in a stylish black tube which you can easily put away in your grooming kit.

Thursday Boots 2-Pack Shoe Laces  - $10

One pair of brown and one pair of black make it easy to switch up and coordinate your outfits with your shoes!

SPREZZA NYC Valet Tray - $30

This is a snap-together leather piece that turns into a cool tray.  Very manly decor-wise and looks great on a desk or nightstand.

Like what you see?  Sprezza Box has a great deal going on right now!  Starting Friday, take 30% off your first box and 30% off your entire store purchase using the code DAD2019.  This code is valid from Friday 5/31—Sunday 6/16

Give dad the gift of style with a Sprezza Box Subscription! 

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Disclosure: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.