Tryazons’ 3Doodler House Party!

I am always thrilled to be accepted for one of Tryazons’ parties. I was exceptionally excited to be able to participate in the 3Doodler Campaign. I love creating things, but I have yet to even come close to mastering the 3D pens on the market. 3D doodler has a great product, I am very impressed. I received their 3Doodler Create Pens to play and party with, but they also carry a beginner’s line, and a line great for younger kids, called #Doodler Start. Now, if you are a pro at it, or a professional, they even have a line for you, called 3Doodler Pro, and it looks impressive. Last, but not least, they even offer a kit for classrooms, called the 3Doodler EDU. The 3Doodler Start was The Best Creative Toy of the Year for 2017, too! We took the pen on the road as well, since it is so portable. You can really have fun with it anywhere.

They have a wonderful website, with 5 main sections on it: Store, Projects, Educators, Support, and Blog. The website is very easy and clear to follow and understand. I am highly impressed with their Projects section. It is a lot better than others I have used, and looked at. Their projects are actually free to print out as well, which I really love! I printed out a few to use at my party.

In my package I received 2 3Doodler Create Pen Starter Kits, 1 DoodleStand 2.0, 2 Different Color Packs of ABS Plastic Sticks, and 2 Doodle Pads. The Create Pen Starter Kits include: 1 Pen, 1 AC Power adapter, 1 instruction pamphlet, 1 Quickstart Guide, 1 wrench, 1 mini screwdriver, and 1 long tool to clear the passage with. I love the stand that this company offers. It can hold up to 75 Doodlestrands, and 1 Pen. Because the pen has a rubber guard by the tip of it, it will even hold the pen if you have the power cord attached to it. The power cord attaches to the top of the pen. It plugs into a regular 2 prong outlet. The included pamphlet offers some easy to read, and understand instructions. You can also go their website, and on the first page of the Shop section, you will see a Getting Started Tab. Press that, and it takes you to a page, where you can choose your pen. So, I clicked Create, which is the pen I have, and it took me to a plethora of information. This is the direct link for that section: http://the3doodler.com/getting-started/create/?_ga=2.159286396.778643117.1500502727-1931972569.1497930577 There are videos and manuals there to help you on your journey. Here is the main Youtube video for getting started: https://youtu.be/LVPqK4L5p2Y Have your pen ready, so you can follow along. It is basic, for example: On the side of you pen is the off, low, and high switch, as well as, the ports for accessories. It shows you that the top of the pen houses the air vent, the power port, and the port for your plastic strips to be inserted. The buttons to make the melted plastic come out, are called extrusion buttons.

These are on the front of the pen. The larger one makes it go faster, and the smaller one, makes it go slower. It’s a fast visual, which makes it easier to adjust your speed. I really like that. I also like how they are not located on the side, like some other brands. I would always hit it while trying to create, and that was sooo annoying. Now, the back side of the pen houses a clear section, which is the Maintenance Housing. You can see how mush plastic you have left in the pen, and access the inside of the pen from here, if you have an issue, like needing to clear a blockage. Last but not least, it warns you about the tip, or nozzle of the pen. It gets very hot while in use, and takes a bit to cool down after the pen is turned off, so be careful! Then it will go through other videos about turning on and operating your pen. You can choose to just read the pamphlet, but having a video visual, can make it easier for a lot of people. The pen has two settings: low, and high. On the low setting, the lightbar turns green when ready, and blue when ready for the high setting. The bar is on the front, top of the pen. The included plastic with the kit is ABS, which has to be used on the High setting. The low setting is for PLA, which was not included, but can be purchased separately. This pen can accommodate it. Now, to operate it, after you place a piece of plastic in it, and the light is on, go ahead and press one of the extrusion buttons once to start it. Pressing once again, will stop it, and double clicking one of these buttons will reverse the direction of your plastic, so you can remove it, and start a new color; easy peasey. Now, they state to trim the ends of your plastic after removing it from the pen, so it’s ready to be reused. This is easily done with a pair of scissors. Now, if you are trying to reverse your plastic, and it won’t, that means it’s too short to reverse, and you will have to use the rest of it, to remove it. They have videos on how to use the included tools to troubleshoot, in case you have an issue removing any plastic.

Time to create and enjoy. Being aggravated is not allowed, lol! I printed out a few projects ideas, but you can find others for free, or for purchase on the internet. I am ecstatic by the free library of projects 3Doddler’s website offers, though. Their videos give you hints on how to do 3D drawings, and more. Nothing takes the place of practice, though. With their DoodlePads, which have grid measurements on them, it was easy to place a project paper under the mat, and then create from there. Here is a link to some of their videos, for ideas: http://the3doodler.com/videos/ . Some hints I learned from their website. For a flat pattern, press form onto the surface. For a 3D pattern, when creating a line up, hold it for a few seconds, so it can solidify, and then pull quickly away, to separate from the creation.

I have a 10 year old son, who has tried 3D pens before too. He is at my skill level, which is, we will say, the fun level, lol. I feel safer with him using this pen. Since the plastic inserts are straight, and not long and curvy, the pen is easier for him to handle, which in turn makes it safer to use. I homeschool him, so I love to bring creative items into our home. This definitely fits the bill. Their website also shows all types of kits they offer, which can be highly fun, and educational for children. I am really impressed with this company overall! Under their Educators section on their website, the even have STEM included, which is beyond wonderful. You can create, or copy patterns. Learn how physics work in 3D builds. You can even have your friends create their own wine glass, or beer bottle markers, at the beginning of a party. Scientists do say, that as we age, are brain ages also. To keep It young, and quick, we need to keep using it, challenging it. This is definitely more fun than brain games on a tablet or phone, that’s for sure.

You can purchase any of their pens directly from their website, or Amazon. Here is a link to their community page: http://the3doodler.com/community/

All opinions are honest and my own. I have no financial ties to Tryazon or 3Doodler. I received this set in exchange for testing their items, and sharing my experience, only.

My Tryazon Ozobot Evo Party!

I was so excited to be a part of Tryazon’s Ozobot Home Party. I homeschool my youngest, so I am always eager to get my hands on new tech. The Ozobot is a very simple and fun way to experience the world of coding hands on. The thought of coding for most people, equals boredom and the feeling of being defeated, before you even try it. My youngest is a computer attic. He loves everything that has to do with computers, and gaming. Since this is a hands-on method to inspire and teach, it is perfect for him. This little robot has been tested for ages 8+.

The Ozobot is part of the Stem Learning Practice, which is a big part of today’s education. What is Stem? Stem is: “STEM is a curriculum based on the idea of educating students in four specific disciplines — science, technology, engineering and mathematics — in an interdisciplinary and applied approach.” It’s a feel-good moment for a parent to introduce this to their child. It definitely was for me. I feel that this is also great for older people, that are newer to computers. It’s a fun way to keep the brain stimulated, as well as keeping your motor dexterity up. It will also be a great generation gap filler for some grandparents to interact with their grandchildren. A win, win overall, for everyone.

You can get Ozobot Evo in a starter package. It includes the Ozobot Evo, a 9 piece playing field which is double sided, 1 micro USB cord, 1 carrying pouch, and 4 colored markers. The playing field has a green banded side and a blue banded side. There is a Quick Start Guide in the kit as well. You can go to http://ozobot.com/manuals to download the actual manual. That is what I did. You can check out their website for all the information you will need. (http://ozobot.com/) They even have all the different codes this little guy knows, clearly displayed there. Ozobot can remember up to 500 codes at one time. The website also teaches you how to draw lines, and add code. You can print games for your Ozobot, as well as print out the codes, too. There is a free app to download. “The Ozobot app is designed for tablets with 9 inch screens or larger, camera availability and iOS 6.0 and Android 2.3 (or newer).” I only have Android products, so I was only able to test out the app for Android. I downloaded one app: Ozobot Evo. Other Ozobot apps will come up in the search, but this is the newest version of the Ozobot, and only this app will work for it. There are sections on the app that state coming soon: Ozo Tunes and Maze Runner. We can’t wait for them to be ready. The app is free to download. There is an Ozoblockly section on the app. This is the website for that: http://ozoblockly.com/. Unfortunately, “the Ozobot Evo video tutorial is coming soon”. More to look forward too, lol. I printed out multiple pages of each printable game, and code sheet. That way, I have a folder ready to go for playtime. Now, there are online games on the www.ozobot.com website as well. There are three main sections on the website: Products, Play, and Education. So, it is pretty quick and simple to find what you are looking for.

The Quick Start Guide has you set up the playing mat, green side up. The pieces are a thick laminated cardboard, and fit together like a puzzle. Then you press and hold the button on the Evo, until it flashes white, then release and place it on the starting spot. It takes over from there. It’s a great way to get started hands on with it. It will keep going on the board until you hold and press the button and it turns off. The Evo makes the cutest little sounds and flashes multiple colors. My son love it. The app can be finicky, and sometimes the Ozobot doesn’t want to pay attention, lol. In other words, it’s just like a child, lol. They do state that it is important to calibrate your Evo each time, before you play with it. You can draw a black circle on a piece of paper, or white board. I drew some on paper , and then laminated it, for future uses. Then press and hold the power button on the Evo for approx.. 2 seconds. It will start to flash white. Quickly place it on the black dot, until it flashes green. It is now calibrated. Now, on the video it flashes white for a good bit, as well as green. My Evo barely flashes white or green, but it does calibrate, so don’t panic if yours is like mine. I had emailed support, and they were fantastic at getting back to me and answering my questions. That was a huge relief for me. I hate companies that refuse to help out.

The Education section is packed full of information to use as a family, or as a classroom set up. There are many sections to go through: Teacher’s Guide, Ozobot Tips, OzoCode Reference, OzoBlockly Getting Started, Calibration Tips, Log Sheet, and so much more. The amount that you can do and learn from this little guy, is really up to you, and how much you plan to follow and learn from this website. It is definitely worth delving into. Even though I laminated everything, it did not interfere at all with the Ozobot Evo being able to pick up the lines and codes.

They describe it as a three-tier system. First you need to draw the lines for the Ozobot to follow. Second, you drag and drop blocks of code (their OzoBlocky System) within the lines. The third thing is to take what you have learned, and create your own actions, and “world” to play in. To add another twist to the Ozobot, on their webpage, they even offer Marvel skins, that take on lights on sounds of the characters. For a reluctant learner, this might really help to inspire them.

I initially had a lot of trouble getting my Evo to connect to my app. There is a little trick to it. When you are loading your app, make sure you give it permission to use your Bluetooth. Then whenever you are accessing the app, turn on the Evo next to the device, at the same time. That way it is able to connect. Since I have started turning the app and the Evo on at the same time, I haven’t had an issue at all. This robot has become one of my son’s favorite “toys”. I hate calling it a toy since it is robotic based. It really is so much more than a toy.

We had so much fun at our Ozobot Tryazon Party. People were amazed at how interactive it was. They could not believe all the different ways you can interact with it too. We all had to agree that the lights and sounds that this little robot makes, is what really brings it alive to people. It gives it so much personality. I loved seeing all ages play with it. One is now giving one to her grandson for his birthday in June. She loves that he can learn with it, and she can interact with it, with him too. We had an older teacher there, that just fell in love with it, and everything the Evo can do. She was so impressed. This overall experience has been so much fun! I truly recommend the Ozobot Evo for all ages over 8.

You can follow Ozobot and be a party of their community on Facebook, here: https://www.facebook.com/ozobot/

There are even Ironman and Captain America Smart Skins available. We love that type of thing in my household, lol. This website has the packages available here: https://shop.ozobot.com/collections/all-new-ozobots. My son has officially put them on his wish list, since both Easter and his birthday are coming soon.

I received the Ozobots Evo to present the party, and share my experience. All opinions are solely my own and 100% honest.

A meeting of the minds with Tryazons’ SmartGamesUSA party.

I am so excited to be a part of the Tryazon SmartGames Party. I am 100% a family oriented person. My kids are my world, and will always be, no matter what the age. We have been playing games together, and with friends, for as long as I can remember. Everything has become so electronic oriented, though, and it is harder to stay connected because of that. That’s why I really love, we really love, board games, hands on games. These three games from Smart Games are not only fun, but they are also exercise for the brain. That is suggested for all ages now, too. No matter how old we get, we need to exercise our games, and the best way to do that is with games. The games that were sent to us to try out and experience are:

• 2 sets of IQ XOXO

• 2 sets of Busy Bugs

• 2 sets of Ghost Hunters

These games are slated for 1 player each, so it’s great to have more than one, so you can compete and challenge each other, if so desired. Games like this are great for large and small families. A child can keep themselves occupied by themselves this way too. Which is great for my youngest! We had a lot of laughs, and silliness throughout the party. It was a lot of fun. My favorite comment of them all, at the end is: “Wow, that was a lot more fun than I thought it would be.”

IQ XOXO is a game that entails challenges. You are given a booklet of challenges that you need to complete. There are 120 challenges too. Each board consists of 10 puzzle pieces that fit into a built-in grid on the game board. The pieces are solid plastic and highly durable, and everything is self-contained in a small plastic container, for storage. This is a 1 player games slated for children ages 6 through adulthood. My son really like this game. This one is pretty neat. The pieces are nice vibrant colors. You have to fit them into the matching sequence as shown in the puzzles. It’s actually very fun, and enjoyable to do. My son loved the pieces. Probably because they reminded him a lit bit of Legos, lol.

BUSY BUGS is a 1 player game for ages 7 through adulthood. It is also self-contained game, in a book like form, which snaps shut. There are 4 magnetic game pieces that you move around the magnetic board to solve/match up to the many, many challenges set up in this book. There are 48 to be exact. They can be redone, and redone, too. By the time you work your way through, the first one will again be a challenge. The further up you move in the numbers, the more challenging it becomes, too. This is a great one for traveling, and for sitting on the couch, because it can be done on your lap. It really doesn’t get more convenient than this one. There is even answer pages in the back of each puzzle section. Don’t look until you’re done, or you’ll just be cheating yourself.

GHOST HUNTERS is also a 1 player game for ages for ages 6 through adulthood. I love the name of this game, and was drawn to it immediately. This one was my first choice. There are 60 challenges to this game. The challenges, or puzzles, are printed in a foldout pamphlet. I am going to cut the pages apart and laminate them, eventually, so they last longer. You need the puzzles to last, since they are integral to the game. The bottom half of the board opens up to reveal the other game boards, that rest on the top half of the unit. After you place your chosen game board on the platform, you have 6 hard plastic games pieces that cover the board. You will need to find the coordinating puzzle challenge that matches your chosen game board. You need to move them around to reveal the ghosts as shown in your current challenge. I love everything that is Halloween, so I love the game boards, lol.

These games are great to boost and strengthen your cognitive skills and abilities. It’s great for kids, because they don’t even know that they are doing this. It’s just fun for them. The colors, and designs are fun, and engaging. From what I have seen, this applies to all ages. Most brain games for adults are boring to look at, and it’s easy to lose interest. I have been enjoying this set as much as my son. His favorite is different from mine, and it’s fun to see who can do the challenges faster. Overall, these games are well thought out and put together. They most definitely can be used from child through adulthood. They can be used solely, or as entertainment in a group environment. You can create a game/event, where you have to complete a challenge to move on to the next event. That would be fun at birthday parties, rainy days, and more. These have really been an enjoyable set of games. I was very pleasantly surprised, and I am truly glad I was able to share them with you.

Check out their games here: http://www.smartgamesusa.com/

#tryazon #SmartGamesUSA #GotItFree

Stapling with ease with GizmoMate’s GM-X Automatic Electric Stapler.

Whenever I think about staplers, I think about the infamous red stapler from the movie Office Space. That was hilarious. This stapler could become that for you, lol. It really takes stapling up to the next level. It even comes loaded with staples, and is ready to work right out of the box. Now they just need to offer it in red, lol. This stapler is black in color. No larger than a regular stapler. It measures only 6 7/8^th” in length, and is 1 6/8^th” wide. It takes the standard sized staples too (26/6 staples), so you can pick them up anywhere really, which is great. This is an electric stapler, and it uses a regular outlet. It comes with a detachable power cord, and is only a 2 prong plug. You can use this without electricity if so needed. On the bottom of the stapler there is a battery compartment. No tool is necessary to access it. This stapler can run off of 6 AA batteries. They are not included.

They state this stapler can staple up to 8000 times on one battery fill. Lol, I did not test that out. With regular weight paper, this baby can staple up to 25 sheets of paper at one time. That is huge. I hate all of my regular staplers, because I have them jam up on the paper all of the time, when I only have 2 pieces of paper to be stapled. Staplers have become a source of agitation to me, lol. So, I am loving these professional style electric staplers. They just work sooooo much better for me. This stapler staples with ease. It is easy to refill. Just press in the back of the stapler where it says push, and the compartment pops open. With two fingers, you can easily adjust the depth of the stapler, too. The tabs are on each side of the stapler. Just pull them out to your desired depth. It can be adjusted from between 0.2 inches to 1.6 inches. I love how quiet this stapler is as well. I tested another one recently, and this is just as quiet, so I was pleased. It is pretty lightweight, and is made out of thick ABS plastic. It is not a flimsy piece in the least, but highly portable if you work on the road. I haven’t had any issues at all with the paper jamming. It staples so quick and easily. You literally just push your papers into it, and it staples on its’ own. It really is the perfect stapler. I love it.

I received this for free. I was under no obligation to leave my unbiased and honest review. – GizmoMate’s GM-X Automatic Electric Stapler, Heavy Duty, No-Jam 25 Sheets ? Free AC Cord and Staples.

If you would like to purchase this product, it can be found here on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01GD57KB2/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

#GotItFree #CheapDealMagic

Time to create. – Premium Colored Pencils, 72 Piece Set.

I have been to a couple of art schools in my past. I have also raised three boys. So, I have gone through my share of colored pencils. Colored pencils are all the rage nowadays with adults. Especially because of the wide spread adult coloring phase that is wide spread. Coloring is a creative, mind opening, and relaxing habit. It’s very cathartic to those who have a lot of stress in their lives. I am really happy with this set of colored pencils from StrapRight.

They are soft core colored pencils, and come in a great tin storage case. So many companies are skimping on the packaging nowadays, and I think this tin really makes a difference. It was definitely a thing I looked for when I went to art school. Your pencils had a much better chance of not getting broken that way. It really does help to prolong their lifespan. When you open this tin, you will only see one tray of colored pencils. The other tray is located underneath it. When you are using them, you can place the top tray in the open lid spot, thus enabling you to have both trays of colored pencils available to you at once. These are 7” pencils, and you get a whopping 72 of them. To top it off, they are all different colors as well. They all come pre-sharpened, so they are ready to go upon arrival. All of my pencils arrived in perfect condition. The colors are true to what you see. You do not have to do layer upon layer to get the hue you are going for. They have a medium softness value, so you do not have to apply a lot of pressure when coloring, like you do with your kids cheap Crayola or Roseart colored pencils. My son hates those now, after trying my better quality pencils. They really don’t compare. Also included with these pencils is an EBook , 50 page, adult coloring book. You can print and color. It’s nice to have that options, especially if your kids want to color too. The value of this set is incredible. The colors are vibrant, and you have so many choices. It really is a great, well rounded set.

I received these, at a discount, in exchange for an unbiased and honest review. – Premium Colored Pencils, 72 Piece Set | Huge Range of Color Pencils Perfect for Art | No Repeat Colors; Great for Shading, Drawing & Sketching | Comes in a Steel Box & Bonus Coloring Ebook.

If you would like to purchase this product, it can be found here on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01B212OUO/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o05_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Solar power, perfect for homeschooling and more. – iLoonger’s T4 Transforming Solar Robot Kit.

I homeschool my 8 year old. I love kits like this one. They can really inspire and teach. I talk about solar power to him all of the time. But, seeing his face light up with excitement over the toy coming to life, was amazing. When we brought it out into the sun, and the dinosaur jaws started opening and closing, and the feet started moving, he glowed. We kept moving it from the sun to the shade, over and over. It was like an instant on/off switch, lol. When they say full sun, they mean it. We made the dinosaur option, but you can also make a drilling machine, robot, or insect. You can only make one at a time.

At first glance, when you open your kit, you may say to yourself, “Nope!” Let me tell you this, even though at first glance, the instruction book looks daunting, it isn’t. I was able to go through it and easily assemble the dinosaur. My son watched, lol. The gear box is the main assembly. The solar wires are fine, so if you have a bruiser like my son, you may want to do the gear box, and let your child finish the rest. This kit does not store power. It uses it immediately to power the product. You will get 1 green sheet of parts, and 1 grey sheet. You also get a little bag of parts and stickers. Each sheet is clearly labeled. For example, you will see A12 or B6. You have to look closely though. The letters and numbers are imprinted in the plastic itself. The loose parts are listed out in the beginning of the instruction booklet. To change forms, you will not have to redo the gear box, just the added pieces to it. The even show you how to undo your pieces. The instructions are all illustrated out, which makes it really easy to do.

My son knew about solar power. But seeing the dinosaur start moving, and quickly too, was impressive. He really was able to grasp the actual sheer power of the sun, first hand. You need to have full sun too. We went out in the evening too, when the sun was low, but it still worked when we aimed the solar panel at the sun. He had the most fun this way. It was so easy to use the shade as an off switch this way; on, off, on, off, over and over again, lol. This first hand truly teaches the power of the sun to your children. It makes solar power come alive for them.

I was afforded the opportunity to review iLoonger’s T4 Transforming Solar Robot Kit- Robot Insect T-rex Drill Vehicle, in exchange for an unbiased and honest review. This product arrives as shown.

If you would like to purchase this set, it can be found here on Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00RVT9O1E?m=A1PT14S3JDHKLK&qid=1457738434&ref_=sr_1_6&s=merchant-items&sr=1-6