LED Lighting and Holiday Decor – cspierdowis' Product Review Blog https://cspierdowis.com Wed, 17 Apr 2019 22:03:33 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=5.9 83694181 Tryazon’s Merkury Innovations Smart Home TryaBox https://cspierdowis.com/tryazons-merkury-innovations-smart-home-tryabox/ https://cspierdowis.com/tryazons-merkury-innovations-smart-home-tryabox/#comments Wed, 17 Apr 2019 21:34:47 +0000 https://cspierdowis.com/?p=8018  

I don’t about you, but I love smart home gadgets. We have them sprinkled throughout our home, and truly believe they have both enhanced our daily lives, as well as give us a true sense of security. I was so excited to be chosen as part of the Merkury Innovations Smart Home TryaBox campaign. I couldn’t wait for my box to arrive. What we were all being sent was a surprise. When my box arrived, I couldn’t wait to tear into it. I received their Indoor Wi-Fi Plug, their 720P WIFI CAM, and their Smart Wi-Fi Bulb – White. Definitely a great box of goodies!

These products can be run by one app. It is free and availabe on IOS and Android. I have an Android phone. It is a Samsung Note 9. The app you download is Geeni. Once downloaded, you add your home (name it), and location. These run off a 2G network. Most homes are 5G with new higher speed cable. We have a router that does 2G in our home as well, so we can operate some smart home products that we use. The home page of the app has categories. If you are attaching a smart plug, just click on that option, and it walks you through the steps, which is nice. Pretty user friendly. I can’t state enough though. Have your 2G password ready, lol. I started with my 5G out of habit, and had to reinstall the app with my husbands phone number. After that, and a few curse words from my husband, lol, we have been connected and up and running without issue. Now, once you have your smart home item connected, and you use Amazon’s Alexa, go to your Amazon account and enable the Geeni app. You can operate all of these gadgets from the app, but it is a lot of fun to just ask Alexa to do it.

The Merkury Innovations Smart Plug was the first item I tested out. It just plugs into your existing outlet. It has a great size to it, and does not block the other outlet, which is key to us. We have a lot of plugs, lol. I already stated how we connected it to the app. We use our Alexa to operate it on a daily basis, though. This smart plug can handle a 3-prong plug. We chose to plug in a decorative light that I love, my flamingo light, lol. But, we also use this outlet for our Christmas tree. I can’t wait to be able to use Alexa for our Christmas tree, with this smart plug. I can’t wait! It’s going to be so much easier with all the items I place around my tree. Our plug has been working flawlessly so far. We are very pleased with it.

Merkury Innovations Smart Plug (From the manufacturer)

-No hub required, Wi-Fi is built in

-Plug in, download the free Geeni app and start controlling your lights and appliances from anywhere in the world

-Slim and compact design will blend into your power outlet without blocking adjacent slots

-Works with Amazon Alexa, The Google Assistant and Microsoft Cortana

Geenie App Set Up Page

The Merkury 800 White Dimmable A19 Smart LED Bulb was the 2nd item we installed. We placed it over our kitchen island. We keep that light on 24/7 pretty much. This LED light bulb is bright at 800 lumens, which I love, and it is dimmable. It does not need a separate hub either. You can dim it from the app, but yes, it is also dimmable with Alexa. How cool is that! Just say, Alexa (whatever you named your light with Alexa) at 25%. It will adjust your light down to 25%. This is perfect for when we head to bed. It is also operable with Google Assistant or Microsoft Cortana, according to Merkury Innovations. The light, even when it’s on full brightness, is still pleasant to the eyes. It’s outer covering is white plastic, which is what my family seems to prefer. I also like that it won’t shatter if I drop it. Overall, we are loving this bulb. We cannot find any negatives with it, and love being able to operate it remotely. Even when traveling, no more timer needed for your lighting. You can operate this remotely which is a dream.

Merkury 800lm (60W Equivalent) White Dimmable A19 Smart LED Bulb (From the manufacturer)

-No hub required, works out of the box with your home Wi-Fi. (2.4ghz wifi network required)

-9-Watt, 800 Lumens, equivalent to a traditional 60-Watt incandescent bulb

-Control your lights from anywhere with your smartphone using the Geeni app (iOS, Android)

-Easily control your lights with Amazon Alexa, your Google Assistant or Microsoft Cortana

The third item we received to test is the The Merkury Innovations WiFi 720P Smart Camera. We had no trouble connecting this to the app, or our Alexa. It has worked flawlessly since we plugged it in. It comes with the camera, a detachable power cord, and a USB adapter to be able to plug it into a regular outlet, in case you don’t have a USB outlet, and a round piece of double sided sticky tape, in case you want to mount it to your furniture or wall. The base, or stem, if you may, is unique. It is flexible, so you can turn it to eh desired angle you need. I really like this feature. It’s our first camera with that option. The image comes up pretty clear. The only downfall we have found with this camera, is the volume when speaking through it. If there is a lot of noise in the room where the camera is, and you are trying to speak through it via the app, you can barely hear the person. For us, there is a 5 second delay in the speech feature as well, which is not a real negative for us. Since we use our camera for security, to see what’s going on, the speech issue is not a major issue. If there was a break in at night, then that room would be quiet at that time anyhow. From the app you can press an alarm, press and hold to speak, record, and take photos, and playback. The alarm feature, when pressed on the app brings up a motion detector setting You can choose from low, medium, and high. This is a nice feature, because you can set it on, once everyone is in bed.

I have an Alexa Show, so I can actually ask Alexa to show me that room (You name the room for Alexa), and it brings up the camera view. I love being able to do that. Smart home technology to me, is a fun and positive option. We placed the camera, for now on our desk, so it faces our door into our garage. It captures most of the room there. At night time, the IR takes a few minutes to get adjusted to the dark. It’s not as fast as some cameras, but hopefully a break in doesn’t occur the second you turn the lights out. That, so far, is the main negative we have found with this camera. You can overcome this negative, however, if you have a nightlight in the room. Our room that we placed it in, is a pretty dark room at night. IR needs some light source to be effective. Here’s a photo of the night view on the Alexa Show:

We are going to continue to use it, as it is a pretty nice camera to use. The alarm is not an audible alarm that the camera emits. What it does is sends you a notification to your phone. It comes up as an alarm symbol. I like this feature. It will give you time to act, before melee breaks out, hopefully. You can also enable the notifications from your Alexa, Google, or Cortana device as well.

Merkury Innovations Smart WiFi 720P Camera (From the manufacturer)

-No hub required, Wi-Fi is built in

-24/7 live video streaming: see your home on your phone in 720p HD and control vision from anywhere  

-Alerts on your phone: get motion alerts so you know if anything happens

 -Night vision done right: see the whole room at night

-Talk and listen: hear the baby or talk back to get someone’s attention

-Flexible stem to bend and mount at any angle

-Turn alerts on and off by voice with Amazon Alexa, your Google Assistant & Microsoft Cortana 

Over all, we are very pleased with both the Merkury Innovations products and their Geeni app. Since we have been up and running, everything has been working very well, and these products have enhanced our lives in a positive way. I love having the added security camera. We have been needing to add one to that room. I suffer from frequent anaphylactic reactions, and being able to operate my lights remotely, actually make my life easier. Not to mention, when we are out of town, we can both access and operate these new features to our home, remotely. A win, win, win, all around. Definitely check out what this company has to offer.

Availabe to purchase here:

https://www.walmart.com/ip/Merkury-Innovations-Smart-WiFi-720P-Camera/835969619

https://www.walmart.com/ip/Merkury-Innovations-A19-Smart-Light-Bulb-60W-Dimmable-White-LED-1-Pack/512088827?athcpid=512088827&athpgid=athenaItemPage&athcgid=null&athznid=PWVUB&athieid=v0&athstid=CS020&athguid=0957a8b7-516-169a5c0bfa591e&athena=true#https://www.walmart.com/ip/Merkury-Innovations-Smart-Plug-1-Pack/126201995?athcpid=126201995&athpgid=athenaItemPage&athcgid=null&athznid=PWVUB&athieid=v0&athstid=CS020&athguid=d54623a0-18b-169a5c25aa9fcc&athena=true 

I received these products to test. All opinions are my own. I do not profit monetarily at all from this review or from any sales of these products. All product facts come straight from Merkury Innovations.

 

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LightingEver’s 16.4ft, 300 LEDs RGB Strip Light Kit Review https://cspierdowis.com/lightingevers-16-4ft-300-leds-rgb-strip-light-kit-review/ https://cspierdowis.com/lightingevers-16-4ft-300-leds-rgb-strip-light-kit-review/#respond Fri, 16 Jun 2017 03:43:21 +0000 https://cspierdowis.com/?p=7510

LED lighting comes in so many options nowadays. Strip lighting, which is what this is, is so easy to work with, and affords a variety of ways to play with lighting in your home. It can be used for holiday lighting, daily lighting, decorative lighting, and project lighting. This particular kit from Lighting Ever arrives with a 16.4ft strip of RGB, peel and stick lighting, 1 remote with batteries included, 1 user guide, 1 remote adapter, and 1 AC adapter. These lights are not waterproof. They are best used indoors, or on a covered porch away from moisture, or moisture build up. If you need to cut these to fit where you are using them, let’s say, to make a turn, you can. You will need to order light strip connectors though, so they will still work on one run. It can only be cut at a certain spacing, though, so check before you do. The remote is a 44 Key remote. These lights have so many settings. You can choose the basic white lighting, which is my favorite, or one of 20 different light color choices. You can leave it steady on, or on a fade mode, and adjust the speed to your liking. It can also flash through the regular RGB colors on its’ own. They do get warm to the touch when on, but not hot. So make sure they will have some ventilation, where you mount them. This is normal for LED tape lighting. My husband is a commercial electrician and has used it for years. The remote is very responsive, and the lights are bright and clear.  This strip uses 36 watts of power. It has 300 LEDs on it. So, it uses just a little over have the amount of power, that a regular 60 watt bulb uses. No bad at all, for so much light.

Overall, a well working light strip. The remote is very responsive. The lights are nice and clear. Everything is all set up for immediate use, upon arrival.

 This product is available here for purchase: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01M2ZRYW3/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I received these at a discount. All opinions are honest and my own.

 

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Light and Sound from LightingEver https://cspierdowis.com/light-and-sound-from-lightingever/ https://cspierdowis.com/light-and-sound-from-lightingever/#comments Sat, 20 May 2017 21:02:55 +0000 https://cspierdowis.com/2017/05/20/light-and-sound-from-lightingever/ LightingEver Lamp and Speaker 5

LED lighting and Bluetooth speakers are everyday items in our household. Bluetooth speakers are great for home, work, vacationing, poolside, and more. There is also always a need for a backup lighting source, be it for emergencies, camping, vacationing, work, and convenience. This product from LightingEver fits the bill for both. Not only is it a convenient source of light, it also has fun lighting options, and a built-in Bluetooth speaker. It has an internal 2200mAH battery, which allows for many hours of both music and light. It can go all day on low, for lighting alone. This light is so usable. It can be placed on the table, or hung with it’s built in hanger. It comes with both an Aux cable, and a micro USB cable. Don’t forget to pull the plastic off of the silicone ring on the bottom of the speaker. It really helps to keep the speaker/light in one spot on your table.

This product is very easy to use. My husband and I both have Samsung Galaxy Note 5 phones. It comes up as LE Lights01 to pair, no code needed. It states paired, so there is no guessing with this speaker. You can use both separate from each other. You do not have to use both the light and speaker together. You tap the center of the light to make it turn on, and to go through the colors. The last choice before off, is a beat to the music mode, which is pretty cool to watch. It’s very disco that way. You can even use this to answer calls.

There are 6 different colors to choose from: red, blue, green, purple, light blue, then the disco mode. Tap and hold the center area, to go to the white color mode. It comes on in low, tap again to go to medium, and again to go to high. The fourth tap has the white light in flashing/beat mode, and the 5th tap is off, for the light. You can just listen to music, audio books, videos, or anything you want via the Bluetooth speaker.  The sound and volume are pretty nice on this speaker. All types of music have been pretty clear, and enjoyable to listen to. The controls are on one side of the light, and the ports are on the opposite side of the speaker. You can listen to music, etc.. via an Aux cable, Bluetooth, or Micro SD card. You need to supply the micro SD card. This unit charges via the included micro USB cable. The Aux cable is also included. It does hold a pretty good charge with it’s 2200mAh internal battery, but can be used while plugged in. I like that feature. Not all Bluetooth speakers can be used while plugged in, I have found. I love the hanger option. You can hang it from your hood while working on your car. You can hang it in your tent for lighting, or from your umbrella at the beach, or backyard patio. It does not get hot to the touch, so it’s safe for your children to use.

LightingEver Lamp and Speaker 6

Overall, this is a fun, and very usable light/speaker. It has so many benefits, and can be used in many different ways. I have found it to be well made and durable. I, as usual, have dropped it quite a few times, lol. So, if you are slightly clumsy like me, you should be good with this product. It is a fun product to use. 

This product is available here for purchase: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01MS3LOXW/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o04_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I received this product at a discount. All opinions are my own, and very honest.

 

 

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Let there be Light – iTLTL’s Creative LED Desk Lamp & Night Light https://cspierdowis.com/let-there-be-light-itltls-creative-led-desk-lamp-night-light/ https://cspierdowis.com/let-there-be-light-itltls-creative-led-desk-lamp-night-light/#respond Sun, 23 Apr 2017 21:56:37 +0000 https://cspierdowis.com/?p=7337

Lighting is an important feature for any home. I’m not talking about just regular overhead lighting, or even regular table lamps. One should always be prepared for emergencies, or just plain unplugged, fun. This Creative LED Desk Lamp & Night Light from iTLTL, fits into that category. This portable light can be used both plugged in, or plug free. It arrives with a USB power cord. So, first thing, charge it up. You will have to provide your own adapter.

Let there be light 5

You can use it plugged in, or without, once it’s charged up. It doesn’t take long to charge enough to use it without the USB cord. I received the pale yellow lamp, but they have it in all white, too. It is such a simple light to operate, but it is very useful. I was a tad skeptical when I first pulled it out of the box. It seemed too lightweight, which was equivalent to being cheap, in my mind. I was quite wrong, and I am happy I was. With this light being so lightweight, it can easily be used for camping. If you used your own clip or cord, you could easily hang this from a tree, or from your tent. I weighed the lamp, and it only weighs 0.4lbs. One pound equals 16 ounces, so this light only weighs 6.4 ounces. Definitely light enough to pack out with. Another lightweight aspect of this light, is the power it uses. It only uses 2W of power. You really can’t go wrong with LEDs nowadays.

This light does not get hot to the touch when in use, at all. So, it is safe to have around your children and pets. This is a 3-function light. You can have the base illuminate like a lantern. You can use it as a desk type lamp, and you can dim the light to your desired brightness, in both settings. On the top of the light, there is a turn nob. You just turn it to your desired brightness, that’s it. When used as a lamp, just unhook, and pull up the arm. There is a diffuser on the LEDs, so it is eye friendly. This part gets only slightly warm to the touch. The head of the lamp is actually the light source for the entire light. When the arm is in the down position, the LED side rests flat against the body, which is the lantern portion. It illuminates the entire base as the lantern, when turned on. This design is what keeps it so lightweight, and portable. On the lowest setting the light can last around 40 hours on one charge.

My youngest has a real fear when it comes to the dark. So, we like to be prepared in our home for any power outages. We also, always, travel with a backup light source. We have been in a hotel before, where the power went out for a bit. Boy, did those backup light sources come in handy for us. This one will definitely be one we take on vacation this year. I love that it can stand on its’ own as both a lantern, and a desk lamp. It really makes it so much more useable than a regular flashlight. The neck of the lamp is very bendable, so you can really position task oriented light, really well. But, since it clips into the base firmly, it then becomes a great handle to both hang it, and carry it from. We are overall, realy pleased with this product.

If you would like to purchase this product, it is available here: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B06XJ5GMV4

I received this as a sample, but all opinions are honest and my own.

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LED Lighting from AglaiaDirect https://cspierdowis.com/led-lighting-from-aglaiadirect/ https://cspierdowis.com/led-lighting-from-aglaiadirect/#comments Mon, 16 Jan 2017 01:15:45 +0000 https://cspierdowis.com/?p=7134 I love LED lighting. Be it solar, decorative, holiday, security, or regular indoor house lighting. It is leaps and bounds better then compact fluorescents. Compact fluorescents have powdered mercury in them. You cannot legally throw them away in your trash, and if broken, you actually have a hazardous situation on hand. My son broke one once in his room, goofing around. What a nightmare. You can’t vacuum it up, it goes airborne. Everything has to be done right. It was a good week, if not longer, before he was allowed o go back into his room. They even emit radiation. You can hold a Geiger counter up to one and will pick up a reading; very scary indeed. I still can’t believe that I put them in my kids’ rooms. So, as LEDs emerged on to the market, we were all scared off by the insanely high price. Now that more companies are involved in their production, the price on LED products, has come way down. They are so affordable now, and save you so much on your electric bill. I was shocked to see the difference, but I love it.

I was sent two lights to review from AglaiaDirect. Two LED lights. One is a clip-on task oriented, work light, and the other is a desk lamp. Both lights arrived nicely packaged, and in great working order. I was pleased to see that neither of the lights had any imperfections to them.

The desk lamp, Aglaia LT-T16 LED Rechargeable Desk Lamp, is a 3W lamp. It is definitely a must have to have in home, if only for an emergency too. It is a rechargeable lamp, with an internal 1000mAh battery. If your power goes out, this light will still work for you. It has three settings: low, medium, and high. The touch sensor, to operate it, is on the base of the lamp. First touch brings I on in low, the second moves it to medium, and the third ouch to the high setting. The fourth touch turns it off. I love how the light holds its charge, and can be used unattached from its USB power cord that is included. The one negative is that they did not include an adapter with this product. You can bring this light anywhere to work, and I really love that flexibility. The light can barely be adjusted to its side, but can really be adjusted in the up and down motions. The LED covering is frosted, so this light is very eye friendly. It emits a cool white light, rated 5500 – 6000K. I am not too fond of the cool white light in home. It can be too stark, and remind me of morgue lighting, lol. Since It has the nice covering over the LEDs, the light is actually user friendly. The bottom of this lamp has a soft, foam like material. It stays put pretty well, and won’t mar your furniture. There are actually 20 LEDs in this lamp, with a max output of 220 lumens. Up close and personal, as a able lamp, 220 lumens is quite bright. The average height of this lamp, with the neck bent over, is 13” tall. If you place the neck of the lamp straight up and down, then its’ max height is 18” tall. It’s a very usable size.

The Aglaia LED Desk Lamp with Clamp, is a 4W lamp. Another energy saver. My husband and older son are both commercial electricians and carpenters, wood workers. Having a work light is always needed. This is great task oriented lighting. The base of the light is a clamp. It is a very sturdy clamp indeed, and holds in place perfectly. The clamp is a durable, thick metal, and the inside of the clamp is lined with a foam padding to help keep it from marring your furniture. This light requires a regular outlet to be used. The power cord is separate, but attaches to the part of the cord that is attached to the lamp. The cord has a built in on/off witch. The lamp is a touch lamp, for operation. If you turn it off on the switch on the cord, then touch will not activate it. This is great for people with pets, and or kids. When the light is turned on via the switch on the cord, there is a red ring that turns on, on the base. I like that touch, very sporty, and has a cool factor to it. This entire base is ouch sensitive, so you can ouch it at any point to turn the actual light on. The first touch turns it on low, the second touch turns it on in medium mode, and the third touch turns it on in high mode. The fourth touch then turns the light off. The entire casing of this light is metal, and durable; Aluminum and Iron to be exact. The neck is very flexible, and makes it so easy to direct the light to where you need it. The light given off on this lamp falls into the 4000-4500K color temperature range. It has a fine diffuser on it, and is actually pretty comfortable to work with. It’s still in the cool range, but warmer than the other lamp. MY light meter, about a foot away from the light, had this lamp at 5500 lux, on average. It did move around, and my hand moved. They do not give a specific lumen count for this light. I have not had any issues with the gooseneck failing on me. It has been holding pretty well in the positions I set it in. Overall, I really like how user friendly this light is, as well as the low energy usage of 4W. It does function really well as a task oriented work light.

 

I received these two lights for free, in exchange for my unbiased and honest review. My opinion expressed is solely my own. I did not profit in any way from this review, or from any future sales of this product from my review.

These lights are available here from AglaiaDirect:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01LY95XGU

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01LYKZLPX

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Solar diamonds for your garden. – SolarDuke’s Solar Diamond Shaped Color Changing Landscape Lighting. https://cspierdowis.com/solar-diamonds-for-your-garden-solardukes-solar-diamond-shaped-color-changing-landscape-lighting/ https://cspierdowis.com/solar-diamonds-for-your-garden-solardukes-solar-diamond-shaped-color-changing-landscape-lighting/#respond Wed, 02 Nov 2016 02:31:39 +0000 https://cspierdowis.com/?p=6467

These lights are so pretty in person. I’m glad I took the chance. You get the four in a set, and I thin it is so unique that you can either use them tabletop or attach the stakes, and use them that way. I place mine in some potted plants on the deck, and they look so pretty in them, both during the day, and at night when the lights come on. Be very, very careful when removing them from the box upon arrival. That is literally my only negative with this product. When I opened them up, the solar panel tops look like their attached to the body of the lights. They are not. I had a couple fall down to the ground, and I am glad they didn’t break. I was on my deck when I opened them up, and my house is on piers, so I was happy they didn’t roll off. You do need to turn each light on upon arrival too. The power switch is clearly labeled, and it is on the underside of this solar panel top. Then, screw the tops on, and either set them out on your table to charge, or attach the stakes to them and set them out. The stakes just push onto the bottom of each light. They hold firmly too. First pull the plastic part of the stake out, and turn it around and reattach it to the pole.

The solar panels are very receptive. I have had no trouble with them charging from my covered deck. They are waterproof, so I do not need to remove them with it’s pouring, or when I water the plants. I live on the coast, and even though it’s a covered deck, water comes in and drenches everything anyhow, lol. The lights have a diamond shape to them, and not only are very pretty to look at, but really throw a really pretty light when they are on. They having been going on at dusk, and have lasted till sun up. My mom gets up early, and when she hits the deck around 6:30 a.m., they are still on, she tells me. I’m not up at that hour, lol. I absolutely love the soft colors these throw off. I normally like lights that stay on solid. These gently roll through different colors. Since they change so slowly, and gently on the eyes, I am really enjoying this set. Even though they are on stakes, they could get lost in your landscaping. I highly recommend them being in a flat border time of situation, or in potted plants, where they can be the star of the show. So far my lights have put up with the wind and weather. They are charging well, and operating like they should. These are really pretty lights.

I really lucked out and bought these lights on a flash sale, with my own money. – SolarDuke’s Solar Diamond Shaped Color Changing Landscape Lighting.

If you would like to purchase these lights, they are available here on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01LYS46R2/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

diamond-lights-15

#Elite1Reviews

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Snowflake simplicity. – SolarDukes’ Snowflakes Solar Powered Garden Stake Lights. https://cspierdowis.com/snowflake-simplicity-solardukes-snowflakes-solar-powered-garden-stake-lights/ https://cspierdowis.com/snowflake-simplicity-solardukes-snowflakes-solar-powered-garden-stake-lights/#respond Sun, 09 Oct 2016 05:11:45 +0000 https://cspierdowis.com/?p=6083

The winter season is coming fast. Instead of just thinking of the ice cold weather that is coming, it’s fun to think of the decorations that surround the months, and the beauty and intricacy of the snowflake. Snowflakes are so beautiful. As children we are taught how to cut them out of paper, and to draw them as best as we can. They are just so beautiful. These particular solar lights from SolarDuke are really pretty too.

snowflake-lights-2

I am loving how sensitive the newer solar panels are, for something so small. The solar panels on these lights are only as big as my palm, yet, I was actually able to charge one in my window, during Hurricane Mathew. We needed something bright and cheery with all the darkness, wind, and rain. These lights are actually yard stakes that you put together easily. They are fully weatherproof as well. They stand about 32” tall, and will go on by themselves at nighttime.

These are LED lights as well, and are rated to last about 100,000 hours. Fortunately, the internal battery is replaceable, because it won’t last as long as the LEDs, lol. They rotate through 7 beautiful colors, and because of the clear plastic snowflake design, really glow in such a mesmerizing way. Under each solar panel, you will see a switch to turn it on and off, as needed. Otherwise just slide the stakes together, to assemble them, and place them out in the sun. They will go on at night and be off by morning.

The snowflakes are made out of a clear plastic. But they are actually pretty thick, and a little bigger than my fist. This is a set of two, so they would be really pretty flanking a doorway, or a garage door, walkway, gateway, and more. You can order more than one set, and then place them in pots along your deck. I love that no electricity is required. Your electric bill will not go up. They are not hot to the touch, and they are not too bright, and shouldn’t keep you awake at night. I love, love, love them!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! But, I’m sure you can tell by all of my gushing about them. These are a win, win for the winter season. They were a big hit in my household.

I received this at a discount. I was under no obligation to leave my honest and unbiased review. – Snowflakes Solar Powered Garden Stake Lights Color Changing Outdoor Decoration Lawn Patio Deck Yard Decor by SolarDuke

snowflake-lights-12

If you would like to purchase this product, it can be found here on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01LXZGT4A/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

#Elite1Reviews #AtADiscount

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Sparkles! – Gao Ges’ LED String Lights -100 Leds, 33 feet Copper Wire. https://cspierdowis.com/sparkles-gao-ges-led-string-lights-100-leds-33-feet-copper-wire/ https://cspierdowis.com/sparkles-gao-ges-led-string-lights-100-leds-33-feet-copper-wire/#respond Sat, 17 Sep 2016 21:11:32 +0000 https://cspierdowis.com/?p=5574

I absolutely love fairy lights on copper wire. First off, I love, love, love copper. No clue why, but I do. The color is so rich and vibrant. It has always been a favorite of mine. I was thrilled when they first came out with these lights. So, I am not new to them. This set is waterproof, but the waterproofing of the outdoor outlet will be up to you. That part is not waterproof. This particular set from the Gao Ge store on Amazon, is 33 feet long, and has 100 LEDs on it. 100 beautiful, warm white, LEDs. The thin copper wire is surprisingly more durable than you would think, and the LEDs are interwoven into the wire. I think it’s pretty cool how they do this. This particular set is a one mode set. They stay steady on. The cord does separate; in case you have a remote set up. These lights will accept it. Fortunately, the lead line is a good length (18”), which makes setup easier. This wire really stays put too. You can wrap it around almost anything, and it won’t budge. For example, I had a set of solar powered fairy lights, copper ones like these. I wrapped them around the landing banister of the deck. It stayed out for almost a year, before the cord was cut by the edger. We had a hurricane go through, and a ton of storms. They never, ever budged an inch. I just wrapped them around the banister too. I did not use anything at all to keep them in place. I love LEDs, they are so durable, and just keep on going, no matter what. They have a really long life span, thousands of hours. This company did not state the specific amount of hours from what I could find. From my past with this type of light, it’s normally around 50,000 hours.

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These lights do not get hot to the touch at all, so little ones won’t hurt themselves if they accidently touch them. These lights use so little energy as well. They only consume 12W of power. You can do almost anything with these, as long as you have a nearby outlet. They have a regular 2 prong plug on them. You can place them inside a bottle. You can decorate your patio like I did, or your bedroom, wreaths, pictures, behind frames, and more. With the holidays coming up, you can decorate around your decorations with these. Since they are so neutral, and offer a warm white light, they can be used year round as well. There is really nothing I do not like about these lights. I am a big, big fan.

I received these for free, in exchange for an unbiased and honest review. – Gao Ges’ LED String Lights -100 Leds, 33 feet Copper Wire, Warm White Outdoor Decor Lighting, Water-Proof.

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If you would like to purchase this product, it can be found here on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01KRPUWPU/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

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Yes, LEDs! – Innovative Goods’ Lux LED 60W Equivalent Light Bulb 6-Pack. https://cspierdowis.com/yes-leds-innovative-goods-lux-led-60w-equivalent-light-bulb-6-pack/ https://cspierdowis.com/yes-leds-innovative-goods-lux-led-60w-equivalent-light-bulb-6-pack/#respond Thu, 25 Aug 2016 20:21:46 +0000 https://cspierdowis.com/?p=5201 750 lumen LED lightbulb set 6

Yea, LEDs. This lady loves LEDs, lol. Ever since we started switching over, and saw how much the electricity bill actually came down, I was hooked. That, and the fact that a while back, my older son, while goofing around with his friends, smashed a CFL bulb, in his room. Those bulbs have Mercury in them. Wow, did that freak me out. I threw so much stuff away. It took forever to clean, and he was banished from his room for over a week. Regular bulbs cost a lot to run, and shatter and make a dangerous mess. CFL bulbs are dangerous when broken, and can’t just be thrown away into the regular trash. That right there is a giant red flag not to own one. It turns out that they emit radiation also. I mean, geez, what were we thinking. The only logical bulb to have, is a LED bulb. Fortunately, they are finally coming down in price. I love this set I just received from Innovative Goods. It is their Lux LED set of 6 bulbs. Each bulb gives off 750 lumens of light, and is a 60W equivalent. These bulbs use 9W of power, which is a little more than some other 60W equivalent bulbs, but the light output is very, very bright! And, it is 51W less than a regular 60W bulb. That is a huge difference. Each bulb is also rated for 10,000 hours of usage. I removed two 60W bulbs from my fan, and placed these 2 bulbs in their place. The other lightbulb I have in my fan is a Bluetooth bulb, lol. Anyhow, I was so shocked at the difference in light. These are sooooo much brighter. They are truly 750 lumens. Thank goodness these bulbs are done with the white plastic covering. This light is easy on the eyes. The light is a warmer light. Not that stark morgue, looking light. On the Kelvin scale, they are rated at 2700K, which means it’s at the warmer of the white light scale. Another great benefit to these bulbs, at this price point, is that they are dimmable bulbs. Now, just because they are dimmable bulbs does not mean you will be able to dim them in your home. If you have an older dimming switch in your home, it is not LED compatible, and it won’t dim your bulbs. You’ll need to go to your local hardware store, and purchase a new LED dimmable switch. Those can dim regular bulbs as well. It turns out, a lot of people do not know this. These bulbs are plastic, not glass. So, not only won’t they shatter if your kid hits it with a toy, but they also do not have dangerous chemicals in them as well. I really like this set. My camera can’t do the light output justice. It immediately dims the light down to take the photo, unfortunately. That’s what happen with an automatic camera, which happens to be my phone, lol. 

I received this, at a discount, in exchange for an unbiased and honest review. – Innovative Goods’ Lux LED® 60W Equivalent Light Bulb 6-Pack – 750 Lumen Energy Efficient & Dimmable.

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If you would like to purchase these bulbs, they can be found here on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01GIPP3SY/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o04_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

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Time to get spooky. – YoungKer’s Vbiger Scary Halloween Skeleton. https://cspierdowis.com/time-to-get-spooky-youngkers-vbiger-scary-halloween-skeleton/ https://cspierdowis.com/time-to-get-spooky-youngkers-vbiger-scary-halloween-skeleton/#respond Mon, 22 Aug 2016 20:03:38 +0000 https://cspierdowis.com/?p=5170

Halloween is my favorite holiday. It is so much fun, and it’s for all ages. When you think of Halloween, you think of skeletons. My son had to have one last year, and it was a hard plastic. He immediately broke one of the joints, so now it’s a one-armed skeleton, lol. So, I am really liking this one. It is so much more durable, and house friendly. It is soft to the touch, and it is made out of plastic foam, but feels like a thick foam. If you put your face close to it, you can smell it at first. It’s shipped in a cellophane wrapper. It did air out. The smell wasn’t strong enough to make me sick with my insane allergies, so I have no concern over it. All foam has an odor to it. The design looks just like it’s pictured. One of the eyes has a smidgen of red just outside of the eye socket. That might make someone with OCD nuts, lol. A white out pen, or sharpie marker can correct that if it bothered you. It doesn’t bother me at all. Mine measured out at 25 inches long, and 9 inches wide, at the widest point. Fortunately, it has a loop attached to it, so it’s a breeze to hang up. Since it is soft, it won’t scratch up your walls or doors, if your kid plays with it, like mine. So, I am loving that feature. The cord is attached to the top of the head, and is 5 ½” long. It can be used both indoors and outdoors. I love the red color in the eye sockets. It gives it a lot of depth and interest. You can add it to a collage of other spooky decorations, or let it hang alone. You can add flashing lights, or colored LEDs, to make it look spookier. Just be creative and have a lot of fun. It’s an easy going, foam skeleton, enjoy.

I received this for free, in exchange for an unbiased and honest review. – YoungKer’s Vbiger Scary Halloween Skeleton.

If you would like to purchase this product, it can be found here on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01JFQXLL4/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

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