cspierdowis' Product Review Blog https://cspierdowis.com Mon, 07 Oct 2019 21:40:11 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.0.2 83694181 Sculpey – Shape it, Bake it, Wear it! Party with Tryazon https://cspierdowis.com/sculpey-shape-it-bake-it-wear-it-party-with-tryazon/ https://cspierdowis.com/sculpey-shape-it-bake-it-wear-it-party-with-tryazon/#respond Mon, 07 Oct 2019 21:40:11 +0000 https://cspierdowis.com/?p=8050 My husband and I do like to craft, and enjoy making many things. We, however, have not crafted with clay yet. Just the usual, playing with clay, that one does with their children. The Sculpey brand has been around for over 50 years. It is a tried and true way to craft with clay. So, it most definitely is a great brand to dive into the clay world, with. I was just so excited to be a part of the Sculpey – Shape it, Bake it, Wear it Party campaign.

We received an expanded version of their Bracelet Kit. The bracelet kit, for purchase, has enough for 4 bracelets to be made, and each bracelet to have 3 charms on it. From their website, each kit contains:

“Make 4 stylish charm bracelets
Clay colors included – Teal pearl and Pearl
Kit includes: 2 oz. Sculpey III clay, 12 decals, 4 plastic squeegees, 4 metal circle cutters, 4 metal bangle bracelets, 12 eye pins, 12 6mm jump rings, 4 plastic rollers, 4 toothpicks, and instruction sheet.”

If you are new to this clay crafting world, I highly recommend watching their YouTube video for the bracelet kit. It is so well done, and easy to understand. After watching it, I was very confident that we would all do well and have a great time. You will need additional supplies. You will need a little container with water for each person to soak their decals in, an index card, or thin piece of cardboard, to place their charms on, as they are made, and then to bake on, at least one paper towel each to dab the water away off the applied decal, and to clean off the squeegee and hands, a pair of small needle nose pliers would be great. A pencil to outline the decals with, and a pair of scissors to cut out the decals. I prepared the decals prior to my guests arriving, to both save time, and to make it more relaxing and easier for everyone. I even wrote everyone’s name on the index card, so when I baked the charms, no one’s charms got mixed up. I placed the charms on their perspective index card, onto a baking sheet, and then into the oven for 20 minutes. It went so smoothly that way.


The included instruction pamphlet is bright, well-illustrated, and written. It has cut lines in it, so you can cut it apart, and then you and your guests can easily share it around the table. I decided to laminate mine, so the instructions would both, not get ruined, and be easier to use with wet hands. Also, when laminated they are sturdier, and easier to prop upright, if needed. The charms need to be baked for 20 minutes at 275 degrees F. They stress to not overbake them, so set a timer, and make sure your oven was preheated thoroughly, first. The laminated sheets ended up being so perfect. We even placed a block of clay to be cut, by the outline of how to cut one, so each was done perfectly.


Now, the clay can damage some surfaces, so make sure you put a smooth work surface down, prior to working with the clay. You can use smooth cutting boards, wax paper, foil, baking trays, and the like. You will also want to make sure you wash your hands prior to working on the clay, and wipe them in between each color, so you don’t accidentally mix the colors.


Now, we chose to invite couples to our party. Many couples love to craft and do things with each other. It is no different than the pottery and wine nights, or the paint and wine outings, that you see everywhere. This, I think, is more fun, because it can be done in home. You can relax and cut up more. Serve food and drinks that everyone will enjoy, and really make an evening out of it. It really is a no brainer. We unfortunately had 1 ½ couples cancel last minute due to both illness and family obligations, but we still had a blast.
I also chose to buy some glow in the dark clay, in case anyone wanted to use that for one of the charms, instead of the included clay. I went to our local Micheals, and they had almost an entire aisle done in just Sculpey clay and accessories. Soooo many colors to choose from. I couldn’t decide, until I saw glow in the dark, and I thought that was just too much fun, so I bought that pack quickly and then bolted, lol. One can easily get carried away with all of those choices. You can check out the Sculpey website and see all the different things they offer. You will be amazed, I promise you.


I am really impressed with the decals. They come in sheets, so you do need to cut them out. The pamphlet and the video show you how to do so. You just place your circle cutter on the sheet, starting from the bottom edge, so you don’t waste any of it. Then, take a pencil, and outline the inside of the circle cutter with the pencil. Now you just need to cut out the circle with a pair of scissors, place the decal in some water, and wait until it starts to flatten out in the water, and the decal should come right off the paper, with a little swipe of your fingers. Now, you just place the decal on the cut circle of clay you have prepared, dab with a paper towel, to get the excess water off of it, and a light scrape with the squeegee to get out all of the air bubbles. That’s all you have to do. Then, when you are done baking your beads, you have a beautiful design on your bead, that would have been impossible to do without it. I think the decals are truly ingenious.


Some of us did go a little rogue from the kit. I had holiday themed clay cutters that I bought, so we made bat designs with glow in the dark clay. One made an Easter themed charm, and my husband made a couple actual skull shaped charms. You can really be so creative with this product.
Overall, I am really impressed with both the product, and the company. They really have done a fantastic job of creating well thought out kits, individual product, incredible instructional videos found on Youtube, and instructions that are easy enough for a complete novice to understand. Thank you Tryazon and Sculpey for such a wonderful experience.

How to video via Sculpey:

Scupley sites to check out and follow:
Website: https://www.sculpey.com/
Bracelet Kit: https://www.sculpey.com/web-exclusive/161-sculpey-iii-charm-bracelet-kit-diy-party-for-4
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PolyformProducts
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/PolyformProducts
Twitter: https://twitter.com/SculpeyPolyform?s=17
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/sculpey/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sculpey_polyform/

Tryazon: https://www.tryazon.com/

I received this product to test. All opinions are my own and honest. I received no monetary payment for my review, and I do not make any money off of the sale of the product.

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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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The GhostBed Mattress Protector – Absolutely Perfect! https://cspierdowis.com/the-ghostbed-mattress-protector-absolutely-perfect/ https://cspierdowis.com/the-ghostbed-mattress-protector-absolutely-perfect/#comments Thu, 25 Oct 2018 21:33:47 +0000 https://cspierdowis.com/?p=7994

This Halloween marks GhostBed’s 3rd year Anniversary. So, first off, let me say, Happy Anniversary! I absolutely love the name of this company. Halloween is one of my favorite holidays after all.
I was sent their King sized Ghostbed mattress protector. This protector will be great on almost any mattress, but it’s ideal to pair it with any GhostBed mattress. I personally own a newer Serta Perfect Sleeper mattress, so that is what I used to test out this mattress protector. First off, let me state some company stated features about this mattress protector:
1. Works best with the GhostBed mattress.
2. GhostGrip: 2 inch thick elastic band encases entire bottom for maximum stability.
3. Comfort: Super soft knit top provides quiet breathability.
4. Security: Total water-proof barrier with long-lasting durability after every wash.
5. Technology: Non-migrating antimicrobial technology helps eliminate allergens.


This mattress protector also has a 10-year limited warranty and free shipping! I absolutely love free shipping! I was so excited to be able to try out this product. I have asthma and insane allergies, and suffer from frequent anaphylactic reactions. The mattress protector I purchased when I bought my mattress was nothing like the description, when I ordered it online. It’s thin, a little noisy, and slides on my oversized mattress. It’s pretty annoying. I have to keep a clean bed, clean room, or I have trouble breathing, sleeping, and my skin will, itch, itch, itch. I am highly allergic to dust, and dust mites. Both hazards in a bedroom due to all the fabric involved in that room. That is why I must always use a mattress protector.
This GhostBed mattress protector arrived quickly in the mail, even with its’ free shipping. I received it in a few days. When it arrived, it arrived nicely packaged, and with a card explaining about the product, proper care and installation, and what the minimal warranty covers.


When I first opened the mattress protector, what I did NOT notice, was wonderful for me and my allergies. I did not detect any chemical smell. I have literally had many anaphylactic reactions opening mattress protectors, clothing, pillows, and more, from products. They use so many poisonous chemicals to “size” materials and treat foam, nowadays. Chemicals like Formaldehyde, lead, mercury…. When I went mattress shopping and couch shopping, I actually brought a formaldehyde reader with me. The results were terrifying. So, I was able to open this product up, pull it out of the package, wave it around to open it, and place it directly on my bed without even a sniffle. My respiratory system is quite happy with this Ghostbed Mattress Protector!


My mattress is around 22” thick. It is a beast, and I love it. However, I do have issues finding sheets, etc.. for it, lol. I am quite happy to announce that this protector fits beautifully on it. The protector has a soft outer covering on the top, a more sheet like material on the sides, and an enormous and wonderful 2” wide elastic band on it. This protector not only fits my bed, but WOW, holds it in place perfectly. It passed the jump, wiggle and squirm test by my big and adorable 11-year-old son, lol. I am 5’3” with big hair, and I have to lean and pull, etc.. to put the sheets on my bed. It didn’t even slide while I was doing that! This really is fantastic, fantastic, fantastic!!!!!! I cannot stress that enough.
As I have been sleeping on this mattress protector, I have not even noticed the protector. That right there is a blessing. It has not smelled, or bothered my allergies. I have not been awoken with my asthma and allergies, due to this protector. It has cut that insane dust smell I always get. My dust allergy is off of the charts, I have been told.

I have not awoken to bunched up sheets, due to the mattress protector sliding on our bed. In the morning the sheets are still on the bed, not pulled up on the corners, as they had been daily with my prior mattress protector. It does not slide, finally a mattress protector that does not slide, lol! The Ghost Grip elastic band really does its’ job.

We have not woken up sweaty or itchy; no skin irritations at all. This protector keeps our skin cool and dry. Overall, it has been doing its’ job perfectly. I am in love with this product, no lie!
The quality is fantastic. Mine is so well made. There was not a snag, or a tiny thread to trim off upon arrival. It is easy to wash. I have a front loader washing machine, so no agitator. It fits well. I wash on eco-cool, which is no extra electricity cooled water, lol. Do not add bleach or a bleach alternative to the wash with this mattress protector. Then it states to hang dry, or tumble dry on low heat air. Do not place it in the dryer alone, though. Place other linens or towels with it. This will help it from twisting itself up tightly, on itself. If you have a shower with a shower rod, just hang it over that. It fits perfectly. The company also states to not use strong detergents and fabric softeners on it. They can destroy the water proof barrier. It does come with a 10-year limited warranty, which speaks volume for their quality control. Big thing though, do not forget to register your product with them at www.GhostBed.com within 30 days.
Overall, I have nothing but positive to state about this product. I truly love it. I have never spent this much on a protector, and now I wouldn’t blink an eye. I have wasted money on many protectors in my past, that haven’t lived up to their promise, in the least. Pennies are hard earned, and this gal hates wasting money! I highly recommend you check out their website and what they have to offer. They do sell what looks like to be a fantastic line of mattresses. If I love their mattress protector this much, I can imagine the mattress!


This is a sponsored post by GhostBed, but all opinions are honest and my own.

Please check out the mattress protector and mattresses sold by GhostBed. Great quality! Just click on the links to be brought to their page.

 

 

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Tryazon’s USAopoly Blank Slate Board Game Review https://cspierdowis.com/tryazons-usaoply-blank-slate-board-game-review/ https://cspierdowis.com/tryazons-usaoply-blank-slate-board-game-review/#respond Wed, 17 Oct 2018 21:30:47 +0000 https://cspierdowis.com/?p=7970

Being able to relax with family and friends, or just family, is such cherished time nowadays. Everyone works so hard, it’s just so hard to find that time. USAopoly is a company that makes a multitude of games. So, I was so excited to be able to be part of Tryazons’ USAopoly Blank Slate Board Party event. Unfortunately, mother nature thought we would enjoy Hurricane Florence much more. So, we evacuated, and were not able to come home for a couple of weeks. With clean up, work, and the effects we are currently feeling from Hurricane Michael, we ended up just enjoying family time. This game, Blank Slate, is the type of game that allows you to be silly, to relax, to not have to think too much, enabling you to just enjoy each other’s’ company.
In the box you will get:
1 Score Board
1 Directional Pamphlet
8 Dry-Erase Slates
250 Double-Sided Word Cue Cards with Box
8 Dry-Erase Markers with Erasers


The directions included are easy and quick to read. It took my husband only a couple minutes to read them, and then another minute to give us the directions, right before we played the first time. You need a minimum of three people to play, and can play with up to 8 people. My youngest was our third player. He was a reluctant participant since he prefers video games/computer games over anything else. As soon as we started playing, he started smiling, and laughing. My husband and I had a great time that night. Being able to interact in a game with our youngest, without electronics, was and is so amazing.


This game is so simple to play. Give everyone at the table a little whiteboard card and dry erase marker, included with the game. One person keeps ahold of the scorecard, to be the official scorekeeper. I seem to always get that job, but I do not mind. It is so easy to do. To play, everyone takes turns pulling out a card. You place the card either white side up, or grey side up. We have done games with white side up only, and the next game, grey side up only. The card states a word on it, with either a line before the word, or after the word. Then, everyone writes on their little whiteboard card a word that correlates to the word on the card. You need to think about what you think the others would write down. When everyone is done writing, then the person to the left of the person who drew the card, shows what their word guess is.

Then everyone else in a row, one by one. If everyone wrote the same word down, then everyone earns a point on the scoreboard, if no ones’ words match up, then no score is given that turn. Now, if multiple people guess the same word, then each person gets 3 points. The person to earn 25 points first, wins the game! See, so easy!

A game example:
Word drawn is: Ice_________
Example word guesses: cubes, cream, skating…..

This game is not only fun, but really allows you to have and enjoy a social experience at the same time. My youngest loved this game so much, he made us play another round as soon as we were done with the first game. This is now a family game, and I love it. I also love this game, because you can play it over and over. There are so many word options, that no game will ever be the same, and you can play it again and again! This really is the perfect game for game night, be it with your kids, or friends, or both at the same time.

As time goes by, and our town heals, and life gets back to normal, we will be able to have friends over for really fun game nights. We were so blessed to be introduced to this game. It really is a winner in our eyes!

Awards this game has won so far (Not Surprising):
2018 Parents’ Choice Award
2018 Family Choice Award
2018 Creative Child Magazine Preferred Choice Award

You can see what this great company has to offer here: USAopoly: http://www.usaopoly.com/ . They have a vast array of fun games to experience.
Here are some of the ways you can check out this game, as well as follow them on social media:
Blank Slate
Facebook Link
Instagram Link
Pinterest Link
Twitter Link

I received this to test via Tryazon and USAopoly. I was in no way monetarily compensated for this review. All opinions are honest and my own. I will not and do not earn any money from any of the sales of USAopoly.

#ad #Tryazon #blankslate #USAopoly

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Tryazons’ Play with Pai Party https://cspierdowis.com/tryazons-play-with-pai-party/ https://cspierdowis.com/tryazons-play-with-pai-party/#respond Mon, 06 Aug 2018 21:16:22 +0000 https://cspierdowis.com/?p=7922

I was very excited to be chosen as a hostess for the Play with Pai Technology Parties. I did not know what I was receiving when I was chosen, which kept up the anticipation in my household. My youngest who is eleven is homeschooled. He loves technology and couldn’t wait to get his hands on the box. I was overjoyed, as was he, to see a variety of Pai items in the unboxing. In my box, I received:
Cube-Tastic!
Ocean Pets
TJ’s Fairytale Adventure, TJ & the Beanstalk
Circuit Conductor
-2 AAA batteries
– 2 Spiral Note Sized Notebooks
-5 Coloring Cards to hand out
-1 Flyer
I was excited to read in the flyer, that Staples has Pai Technology Products on sale, 15% off, until August 3! That’s a great way to save on toys that are both fun while helping you learn. Steam toys are definitely the new must have for parents and kids nowadays. They even have a contest going until August 3, 2018. You need to follow them on Instagram @PaiTechnology. Find and like their giveaway photo. Comment on the giveaway photo with which product you are most excited about using #PlaywithPai in the sentence. Then, just tag two friends. They have 5 prizes that they are giving away, so go and check that out!
What is Steam technology? I could ramble on, so I thought that everyone would prefer that I posted a general definition instead. The following is from Sciencecloset.com: “STEAM is an educational approach to learning that uses Science, Technology, Engineering, the Arts and Mathematics as access points for guiding student inquiry, dialogue, and critical thinking.” They are able to wrap up the principals that children equate as homework, school, and work, into fun, bright, and interactive toys. They are learning and are happy doing so. I love our new technological age we live in now.
We love the Rubics Cube in our household, so that is the first product we tore into. The Cube-Tastic! By Pai is rightly named. First off, if your pad , for example were to break, the cube itseld is very well made. It is a much better quality than any Rubics Cube we have ever owned. Secondly, once you get a hang of the app, it is pretty amazing, and I am not sugar coating it. The box it comes in has little, to no directions, really. It pretty much says to go to your Playstore for your operating system and look for and download the Cube-Tastic! App. That is exactly how’s it spelled. It is free to download on Android. That is what I have. The minimal requirements are: IPhone 4 or newer, Ipad 2 or newer, Ipad min or newer, IPad Pro, or Android Smart Phone 4.0.3 or newer. Once you download the app, and agree to their terms, you are off and running. You need to scan the cube, as it tells you. Then you mix up the cube, scan it again, and it gives you the moves to solve it. It actually times you, too. You do the moves in view of the camera, so it can follow you and give you the next move, up until you are done. Then you scan it again, and it verifies it, and gives you the results. It’s pretty magical, especially if you have ever struggled with the cube!

The next product we delved into is the sweet interactive book, TJ’s Fairytale Adventure, TJ & the Beanstalk. There is something so magical about bringing a book to life like this. I may be an adult, but wow do I love this technology. They need to bring it into more books, that’s for sure. Now, the directions for the book are actually located in the back of the book. There is a little flap, open it up, and you will see the little book, labeled Handbook. There are interactive cards for the book, behind it as well. You will need your pad or phone to download the app. The requirements to use the app are: IOS 6.0 and above, Android 4.0 and above. I have an Android based Tablet. The app is free, search Pai Storybooks. Once the app opens, it gives you a clear tutorial on how to use it with the books. Then it will ask you to register and put in a code. For the life of me, it kept counting down to send me a code via email, but I didn’t get it. Then I remembered to check my spam folder, and there it was, lol. So check there before becoming flustered, like me. Then you take out the card from the back of the book, and scan it. Now it can read your book. In the corner of some of the pages, there are two letters printed, AR. You line up the tablet with that corner, and then it brings that page to life and reads you that page. The images are 3D, and act like an interactive video. It is so impressive! The cards that are in the back of the book do the same thing. It is really fun, and truly brings the story to life. Nothing but positives here! We love it.

After delving into storyland, we moved on over to electricity. My husband is an electrician, so I am surprised we didn’t jump into this one first, lol. We already own a competitors’ set up, so I was very curious about this one. Have a butter knife handy. You need one, or a coin, to access the battery compartment of the main unit. It requires 2 AAA batteries to operate. They included them for me to test, but none were in the actual box itself, so I cannot state for sure whether or not they are included. There is an app for this as well. Thus, the saying, There’s an App for that! It is free. Just do a search for Circuit Conductor and download it. The minimum requirements are: IOS 7.0 and above and Android 4.3 and above. You will need 2 GB of memory as well. You can just connect and explore on your own. The app is interactive though and is a quick study of how to set up about 4 different scenarios. The wires are magnetic, so simple for little hands to use and apply. This set is easy to set up and use. You can make sounds, and turn on and off, and dim the lights. There are switches as well. Overall, a fun and interactive beginner set up in circuit electricity.

Last but not least, Ocean Pets. I love this one. We always try and visit the aquarium near us at least once a year, so this particular product really called to us. You will need to download the Ocean Pets App from the Playstore, and it is also free. You need a minimum Iphone 4 and newer, or an Android 4.0.3. I have a Samsung 2 tablet and have had no issues with these apps I have mentioned throughout the blog. There are a lot of parts to this set up. The box really is not user friendly to use as storage, so I suggest getting a container or large Ziploc bag handy, to store the parts in. In this set you get:
1 Cushion (more like a small cutting mat)
2 Putty Tools
8 Sea Creature Templates
8 Putty Colors in Containers
(Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue, Purple, Black, and White)
No parental code is need to use this app. Just accept the terms and you are set to go. It takes you step by step through making your fish out of the dough. Then you scan it with the app, and it comes to life in the screen. I opened up each dough pack, and I only had one that had dried out. The green was the unfortunate casualty. I find this very common wit any brand of modeling clay/dough. If this happens to you, you can just go and exchange your purchase. The dough has a great feel to it. It is soft, but dry. Not sticky at all to the touch, and leaves no residue behind. There is no odor to the dough either. I am very sensitive, and I have had no issues at all. The app is so cute and fun to do. It’s amazing how fast it scans your fish, and brings it to life in the app. The fish are cute to look at and fun to watch. You move the pad around to make it swim. You can even change the view so it looks like the fish is swimming through your actual room. That was a pretty fun feature. You take care of the fish too. You need to name them when you create them, play with the fish, feed them, let them sleep. When you go back in, the directions aren’t written out, but there are not that many areas to click on, so it is easy to figure out. Your fish will be there, so even when you run out of putty, you will still have your aquarium of fish.

Once you click on the fish to play with, it may be hiding in the ocean and you have to find it. Let me tell you what, it is strict on it’s sleeping time. We turned off the tablet, and hours later went back on. It started back at the same time for the sleeping count down. It’s 10 minutes, and it had over 5 minutes left, lol. When you pet, clean, and feed the fish, and let them rest, they grow. There is some educational information in the program as well, which is great. There are even puzzles to solve, as you search in the ocean for the pieces. Overall, this is a pretty fun, and very interactive program. It can be more hands on with new fish creating, or more laid back, where you just play with your current creations.
Everyone had fun watching videos of the products in action, and also being able to actually experience them hands on. The older kids and even adults couldn’t believe the Cube-Tastic app, and how easy it made it to solve the infamous cube. I’ve been having fun talking to people about the items. We had an emergency roof repair which made our party spread out and more personal at times. I honestly think it was more fun and easier this way. It takes time to explain and help people discover the items. We passed on the incredible interactive book to a precious young boy. Bringing stories to life for little kids is a magical experience to see. I wish every young child could experience these stories!
Overall, this has been nothing but a positive and fun experience. I am new to Pai products, and I am thoroughly impressed. The products inspire, teach, entertain, and teach all at the same time.

Pai Technology Links:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/paitechnology/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/paitechnology/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/PaiTechnology
Website: https://www.pai.technology/home

 

I received these Pai products to experience and share my thoughts, through Tryazon. All opinions are honest and my own. I do not and have not received any money for my posts. I do not make any money off of any sales through Pai either.

#PlayWithPai #Tryazon #ad #Steamlearning #Family #Education #learningthroughplay #toys #kids

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Tryazons’ Codenames Marvel Game Night with USAopoly https://cspierdowis.com/tryazons-codenames-marvel-game-night-with-usaopoly/ https://cspierdowis.com/tryazons-codenames-marvel-game-night-with-usaopoly/#comments Mon, 16 Jul 2018 20:19:00 +0000 https://cspierdowis.com/?p=7900

I love game nights. Whether it’s just family, or spending time with friends, it creates great memories while having a great time. I was so pleased to be able to both try and share my opinions about this new game from USAopoly through Tryazon.
Some quick specs on the game:
For ages 9+
2 – 8 players
Currently for sale in the US and Canada only

Codenames Marvel is a game for Marvel fanatics. My household is the perfect fit, that’s for sure. My husband loves all that is Marvel. This game is easy to play, but there are a lot of instructions to read. Fortunately, the instruction pamphlet is both easy to read and follow. My husband was in charge of reading the instructions to our friends to see if they could easily grasp it, and they could. Even with frequent distractions from their little one running around.
The game is pretty simple. You have to lay out 25 cards in a grid pattern. Then you choose a card, which secretly lays out your particular grid. You work in teams and ask questions accordingly. One team is SHIELD and the other is HYDRA. Shield of course are the good guys! Mwahahaha for those on the Hydra Team. (You can be a one person team.) The goal is to build your team, but you have to guess clues from the director to find out who your fellow assets are. Each team will ask questions. For example, the director has to give a one word clue and a number. So the word could be scales, for example, and then number of cards that fit that description. If the number is 2 or more and the guessing side, “the agent” guesses correctly, they can either continue to try and find the others with that clue or request another clue. As long as they guess correctly, their turn continues. A wrong guess either uncovers a natural card or the opposing teams card. If they guess the wrong one, you place either a Hydra card or Shield card on top of it, depending on which side you are on. So, if you guess wrong, you are actually helping the other team win! You can choose the loser card though, and you automatically lose! There is a slot slated as the Thanos Assassin.

It’s the landmine of the board game, pretty much. Those with the most matches win. So, you can chat, eat, and be silly during the game. I will say that some of the cards are darker, and very detailed, which makes them a little hard to see if you have any vision difficulties. But, no worries, your partner can help you out.


Now, you can switch it up, and add variety to it. I think adding a timer to it would be hilarious. For example, only allowing 10 seconds, or less, to choose your card would be fun! Also, you can have couples take turns on the teams, if people were too busy chatting, chasing kids, and eating.


We served simple finger foods like cheese and crackers and pigs in a blanket to our guests. Our drinks were a variety of craft beers and Not Your Daddys Root Beer, lol. But, no drinks or food are required. The only thing required is some floor or table space to set out your game, that’s it.


Overall, it’s a fun, simple game to play with friends and family. We really enjoyed it. One lucky couple received a free game for themselves to take home. They have a older kids at home who they said will love it, and were very excited to take it home.


USAopoly has their own website, and sell numerous different games. That was another great experience for me. With Toys R Us closing, it was great to be able to see so many different genre of games in one place to look at and share with my son. Everything is so electronic nowadays, it’s important to connect without electronics. These games really help with that.

You can check out USAopoly and follow their social media at these following links:
http://usaopoly.com/
https://www.facebook.com/usaopoly/

https://www.instagram.com/usaopoly/

I received this as part of a promotion from USAopoly through Tryazon. All opinions are my own, and I do not earn any money from any sales generating through this blog. I was also not paid to write to this blog or share my experience.

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Life with Anaphylaxis Vlog June 16, 2018 https://cspierdowis.com/life-with-anaphylaxis-vlog-june-16-2018/ https://cspierdowis.com/life-with-anaphylaxis-vlog-june-16-2018/#respond Mon, 16 Jul 2018 19:12:34 +0000 https://cspierdowis.com/?p=7895 Just a quick vlog to keep everyone updated on my experiences. Today’s was a little emotional. Sometimes it can get a little overwhelming with my condition. This round has really placed me in that category. I just wipe away the tears and keep fighting. Every day is a blessing, and I am always highly appreciative of that. Not one day goes by that I don’t give thanks to God. That is my personal belief.

 

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Post Ananphylactic Reaction Vlog, June 29, 2018 https://cspierdowis.com/post-ananphylactic-reaction-vlog-june-29-2018/ https://cspierdowis.com/post-ananphylactic-reaction-vlog-june-29-2018/#respond Fri, 29 Jun 2018 20:24:55 +0000 https://cspierdowis.com/?p=7891

Just a vlog update about my reactions, health, and how I maintain it. All opinions are my own, from my own personal experiences. Please seek professional advice regarding all of your own health conditions.

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McDonalds Brought Me To Tears Today… https://cspierdowis.com/mcdonalds-brought-me-to-tears-today/ https://cspierdowis.com/mcdonalds-brought-me-to-tears-today/#respond Wed, 27 Jun 2018 19:28:29 +0000 https://cspierdowis.com/?p=7888 I debated doing a video, but besides feeling run down, sick, and overwhelmed, I am pretty upset. Through the evolution of my allergies becoming numerous and life threatening, I have had to, basically, go through the stages of mourning for my old life, to what my life is now. I do not function like a regular person. Every day I wake up, it’s like playing another game of Russian Roulette. I have so many anaphylactic reactions. I have become accustomed to living like this, as has my family. It’s just a way of life now. Unfortunately, occasionally, a situation will pop up that brings me to tears, and I feel like I am back to the stage, feeling like I am useless and in the way.

I cannot go to many places, but I can take my family to McDonalds and Cracker Barrell. So, I normally take my son and mother out to lunch at McDonalds, I have not had any issues overall, except for recently. They changed to adding kiosks in al of their stores. I guess every store will eventually get 2 kiosks. Now, I have informed the employees that because of my health issues, which affect my vision, that I cannot and will not be able to use the kiosks. I have a hard time focusing in to see the writing on the kiosks, and I do not want to, and cannot risk touching the kiosk screen, that a constant stream of hands touch daily. I could easily have an anaphylactic reaction this way. I cannot even imagine what will happen to people during flu season, yuck! They really need to add their wipe stations at every kiosk, as well as a trash can.

Anyhow, I have taken my group to McDonalds twice this week. It started Monday, with the crew ignoring me, and making me wait a long period before taking my order at the counter. The just ignored me. Today, it was blatant, very blatant. The same people, turned their backs, and completely ignored me. It took almost 10 minutes for someone to come and take my order. A person that had been cleaning, had to come from the other side of the lobby to help me. The people behind the counter and the person by the kiosks just turned their backs, and ignored me. No one would say a word to me, just made me feel like I was a horrible person. I may not look disabled, but I am. I am highly dependent, and this really has hurt me to the core. I almost had to leave, and not take my family out, because I couldn’t get any help. They were doing it on purpose, even if they try to deny it. The behavior is not acceptable. Being rude and denying service to anyone is really not acceptable. I know every establishment has the right to refuse service to anyone, but just say that. Do not treat people like they are nothing. Treating someone who is disabled like they are a joke, or nothing, or a nuisance is morally wrong. Before this week, they kept loudly trying to make me use the kiosks. They kept trying to make me feel guilty, saying I was  going to get an employee fired, and so on. I am sorry, but my ability to stay alive is more important. Little do they know, or care, that I have had a sting of severe, and mild reactions. Monday I woke up and had a sink full of blood from my mouth because of it. My skin on my face would break out and ooze from infection at the spur of the moment. I am battling an infection, and am in a lot of pain. I am just trying to function as a person, a mom, a wife. But, to these inconsiderate people, I am a person that is to be highly disrespected, ignored, a nothing. Little do they know that I had to fight back tears twice while there today, and then succumb to silent tears at home while writing this blog.

Being a strong mom for my son is a top priority for me. My family has, and has to give up a lot, to live with me. Taking my son and mom out to McDonalds is our way of getting out into the world frequently. It isn’t much, but it means a lot to us.

Maybe they secretly want to see me have an anaphylactic  reaction. Maybe they are just so wrapped up into themselves, they can be nothing but mean and selfish. Maybe they get off on treating people with disabilities like trash. Only they know for sure. This lady, however, will not stand for it. I have dealt with a lot of negligence from stores and restaurants over the years, causing me real physical harm. Today was the straw that broke the camels back. The McDonalds that is so rude, and will not tolerate people with needs, for me, anyhow, is store # 4570, according to my receipt.

These opinions and facts are mine personally. I cannot speak for how anyone else feels, or has been treated.

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E-Cloth Summer Sparkle Tryazon Party https://cspierdowis.com/e-cloth-summer-sparkle-tryazon-party/ https://cspierdowis.com/e-cloth-summer-sparkle-tryazon-party/#comments Mon, 25 Jun 2018 20:43:21 +0000 https://cspierdowis.com/?p=7853

E-Cloth aims to supply the most effective, healthiest and more environmentally friendly cleaning products at a good value to the consumer. Their chemical-free products use only water to remove dust, grease, oil, grime, dirt and bacteria.”

Ok, who here loves to clean. I know I do, lololol. Well, I love a clean home, and I really don’t mind cleaning. Cleaning is a game of Russian Roulette for me. I have asthma and insane, life threatening allergies. I have frequent anaphylactic reactions. One of my off the chart allergies is dust, and dust mites. Go figure, huh. So, I have to keep on top of cleaning in my home, or I really suffer the consequences. I also have issues with a lot of cleaners as well, both natural and chemical. I am always looking for a healthier way to clean. Both for myself, and my family. I was over the moon when I learned of the company E-Cloth. I had not heard of them before and was blessed with this opportunity to both try out their wonderful, wonderful products, and be able to share about them to others. I was sent a large variety of their cleaning products to try out, and I was sent goodies to give out as well. A win, win for everyone involved.
My package included:


My items to give away are:


So, maybe I shouldn’t have told people ahead of time that the party involved cleaning products, lol. I had a lot of people no show. Their loss, these products are pretty amazing! They loved the coupons, sample E-Cloths, and the contest!


These products are created so you can clean with just using water. No chemicals needed with their line of products. Wow!!!!!!!!!! Now you know why I had to see these for myself. This company was founded in 1995. Since they have been around for over 20 years, I had a lot of faith with them, going into this. Fortunately, I was not disappointed. My first impression upon discovering what was in the box, was sheer happiness. Everything appeared to be of great quality. Nothing was cheap or flimsy, at all. This company started in Europe, and per the company, became Europe’s #1 chemical-free cleaning company. They came to the US in 2008. Their product line includes anything from single cloths to value packs, and complete cleaning sets for kitchens, bathrooms, windows, floors, stainless steel, and electronics, and then some. They have something for everyone.


I know what you are thinking. That’s just surface cleaning. I need to disinfect. Well, I personally agree, I’m a clean freak. But, I do not agree that you need heavy chemicals that are bad for you and the environment, every time you clean. That’s if you are a regular cleaner, lol. People have cited actual harm that has come to their children and themselves, from cleaning agents. I think this company offers a great healthy alternative, that truly is needed.


Now, to further prove that these cloths clean well, here’s some scientific proof from the company:
“Fiber Density – Each e-cloth is fabricated to have as many as 3.1 million fiber strands per square inch of cloth. Nearly 500 million fiber strands are in each cloth. e-cloth’s filaments are so small and so strong; using just water they break up, lift, lock in, and clean deep down into the tiniest grooves and crevices. Dust, grease, oils, grime, dirt and bacteria are quickly and easily removed and locked away deep inside the fibers until the cloths are rinsed or washed. Surfaces are cleaned so effectively that there is nowhere left for bacteria to grow. Surfaces are left polished and totally smear and lint free. e-cloths rapidly absorb 7 times their weight in water. In addition, scientific research carried out by world renowned Silliker Group, has proven that e-cloths also remove over 99% of bacteria.”


The key to the cleaning cloths is to wet them thoroughly, then ring the water out. Then you can dry and polish with the polishing cloths. The dusting glove should be enough to dust the whole house, depending on the size and dust level, of course. To remove the dust from the glove, you will need to wash it, afterwards. The Kitchen pads are like any other scrubbing pad. You do not need to use soap though, with them. Have faith in the cloth; science, remember. The Pet Bowl Scrubber is just a scrubber as well, use it as such. I love the dog bone design though; so cute! I love that E-Cloth offers a water atomizer. It works great with their cloths. It is a fine atomized mist. Not overly heavy, which is what you don’t want with windows, mirrors, surfaces, etc.. It delivers just the right amount, which makes cleaning a breeze. These cloths can be thrown in the washer or rinsed thoroughly with hot water. They are pretty durable, well made, and easy to care for.

I have wood floors and tile through the majority of my home. So, I was very excited to try out their Deep Clean Mop. I love it! The handle is aluminum and comes in two parts, which is easy to put together, and take apart for storage. It extends from 34″ to 61″, which accommodates both different cleaning levels, and heights of those who are using it. It is very to maneuver, and use. I love it! The cloth has a 300 wash guarantee. One comes with it. Just add water to clean your hard surface floors. “True Chemical Free Cleaning – Proven to remove over 99% of all bacteria (including e-coli and listeria) from hard flooring surfaces with just water.” This is from their page about the mop. Yay! The mop head Velcro’s on. So, it’s easy to remove to wash, and reapply. You wet the cloth and wring it out, apply to the mop, then clean your flooring. So simple and quick, and I love that!!!!! You are safe to clean these flooring types with this mop: vinyl, bamboo, laminate, stone, ceramic, tile, hardwood, linoleum, and concrete.


After trying out their mop, I moved onto their stainless steel cleaning cloth, and window cleaning cloth. Two items that I thought might be harder to clean, since both surfaces are so finicky. Well, I was quickly proven wrong. The stainless in my kitchen was so clean and shiny after using the cloth. No lint, or streaks left behind, and no muscle put into it. I literally wiped with the damp cloth and dried with the polishing cloth. The windows were no different. No one really enjoys cleaning windows, and I hate using a ton of paper towels, which I always end up doing. I was over the moon happy to be able to clean all my glass surfaces in my dining room and foyer, without any paper towels. Besides my many windows in that room, I have a china hutch and glass front fireplace. The cloth system proved so easy, and insanely efficient in cleaning all of these surfaces. I cannot recommend this set enough, if you can only grab one set.
No one loves dusting, but I think you might love the dusting glove. With it you can clean those dust collectors so easily. The fibers really do cling onto the dust. My family will get to use that. I, unfortunately couldn’t handle the longer fibers with my fabric sensitivities. It is soft and it is perfect for higher end wood finishes and collectibles. You can clean without worry of damaging anything. My son came in 2nd at a National Woodworking Competition with a TV table build. This glove dusted it beautifully, and for once I didn’t have to worry about the finish on the table, lol. I always sweat over that when cleaning it. I did use the glove myself on this table, since it is quick to do. I was thrilled with it. It even went through my washer and dryer, very well.

All of the products have come through as advertised for me. I am both over joyed and relieved. I love knowing I will not be killing a tree every time I clean my windows and glass items. I normally go through quite a few paper towels. My stainless and floors are so much easier to take care of, and so on and so on. Hello, my name is Carol, and I am an E-Cloth convert. Thank you, E-Cloth, and Tryazon for letting me participate in this Party.

And the winner is:

E-Cloth: https://www.ecloth.com/ecloth-perfect-cleaning-with-just-water.html
Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/eclothUSA/
Direct link to all of their products: https://www.ecloth.com/All-Products/
E-Cloth’s Get To Know Them Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NVowxVXQZDk&t=

I received these product to try from E-Cloth and Tryazon. All opinions are my own. I do not make any money off of the sale of these products, and I have not been paid any money to try out and represent these products.

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