Crayola Signature Series Pearlescent Acrylic Paint and Markers

Crayola has added a line of Pearlescent paints and markers to their Signature Series.  I was lucky enough to receive the Pearlescent Acrylic Paint and the Pearlescent Paint Markers to review.  Both of these products produce vibrant pearlescent colors for your artwork.  They are perfect for an experienced artist, a beginner or just some one who enjoys doing crafts as a hobby.  Each kit comes in a premium tin that features artwork that was created using the product itself.  It is truly beautiful, and that is just the storage tin!  

The Crayola Singnature Pearlescent Acrylic Paint set contains 16 awesome colors.  Each color has a shimmering, pearlescent and glossy finish. You get superior coverage because the pigment is multidimensional.  The set includes mixing wells for easy color blending and 3 reusable paint mixing trays.  The suggested retail price for this acrylic paint set is $14.99.  

The Crayola Signature Pearlescent Paint Markers set contains 10 markers.  They offer robust colors with a satin gloss finish.  They are perfect for your hand lettering projects and will work on light or dark paper.  Will also work on glass, plastic and ceramics.  These colors show up really nicely on a dark surface.  They are so vibrant and they write smoothly. The suggested retail price for this paint marker set is $19.99.

Both of these products, as well as the other new additions to the signature series (Signature Pearlescent Cream Sticks and Signature DIY Gallery Designer) are available on the Crayola site. 

Colored Pencils and Markers for Artists

I received these products for review from Peter Pauper Press.

This is the Studio Series 26-Piece Sketch and Drawing Pencil Set.  It has everything that a sketch artist needs if they prefer to draw in pencil.  It's perfect for novices, dabblers and seasoned artists.  It includes 26 essential sketching tools stored in a nice reusable case.  There are 12 graphite pencils (5H-8B), 3 charcoal pencils (soft, medium and hard), a soft graphite sketching pencil, 3 charcoal sticks (soft, medium and hard), 3 graphite sticks (soft, medium and hard), a sharpener for the graphite pencils, a sharpener for the charcoal pencils, a kneaded eraser, a plastic eraser and a storage case.  You can purchase this set for $14.99 HERE.  

This is the Studio Series Calligraphy Pen Set.  This is a great set to learn the art of Calligraphy with.  It has everything you need to get started.  The set includes 4 stainless steel pen nibs (1.1 mm, 1.5 mm, 1.9 mm and F-point), 3 black pens with chrome plated pocket clips, 20 ink cartridges (6 black, 6 blue, 2 red, 2 green, 2 purple and 2 turquoise), instruction booklet and a reusable storage tray.  Please note that this set is not a toy.  It contains very small parts that could pose a choking hazard for children.  They recommend that it not be used by children under 12.  You can purchase this for $24.99 HERE.

This is the Studio Series Deluxe Colored Pen Set (Set of 50).  There are so many shades in the set!  It's perfect for artists who prefer to have their drawings in color.  There are 50 vibrant shades here.  You get luminous color saturation from the high performing pigments.  They have soft core leads for easy blending and shading.  They are equally effective for bold pencil strokes or delicate shading.  These pencils are perfect for both beginners and experienced artists.  The set comes with a sturdy tin to safeguard your pencils.  The tin has 2 tiers of pencils in flat trays for easy organization.  You can purchase this set for $24.99 HERE.

This is the Studio Series Professional Alcohol Dual Tip Artist's Markers.  There is a nice assortment of 24 vivid color markers.  They have dual tips...one end is a fine tip for detail work and the other is a brush for broad area coverage.  They are blendable regardless of whether the ink is still wet or if it has dried.  You get even saturation thanks to the optimal ink flow.  These markers are great for illustrating, designing, sketching, crafting, coloring, cartooning and anything you want to do with them.  They work on paper, fabric, glass, wood, metal and ceramics.  The alcohol based ink is archival, dye based.  They will not damage the surface of your paper.  They will write on nearly any surface and are made to last!  You can purchase thesefor $39.95 HERE.

And finally we have the Studio Series Metallic Markers.  You can color, draw and write on nearly any surface with these fine tip metallic markers.  The metallic colors look awesome on a black surface.  There are 7 beautiful colors in this set (blue, gold, green, purple, red, silver and white.  The sturdy plastic market tips will keep their shape and won't wear down and go dull.  They have a valve that ensures smooth and dense ink flow.  Will write on plastic, glass, metal, paper and more.  You can purchase these markers for $17.99 HERE.      

"Wonder Park" Movie Themed Toys and Other Adorable Toys

With the new movie Wonder Park out, the movie themed toys are quite popular.  I was lucky enough to receive some of them to review.

First is the Wonder Chimp Scented Plush Assortment.  They come in 4 styles:  Bunny, Princess, Flower and Bee.  I received Bunny.  These chimps are large, soft and cuddly.  They are perfect for hugging.  And just like in the movie Wonder Park, they smell like cotton candy.  My daughter loves cotton candy and she loves that the bunny chimp smells just like it.  It is great to snuggle with while falling asleep at night.  They are made by Funrise and are recommended for age 3 and up.  The suggested retail price is $14.99.

Next we have the Sunny Bunny Blabbers Plush Assortment.  There are five different talkative characters available:  Hopper, Turbo, Big Boo, Iris and Shiny.  I received Hopper and Big Boo.  Press their bellies and they make cute and silly sounds.  My kids love the sounds they make.  They love their big bright eyes as well.  These are also made by Funrise and are recommended for age 3 and up.  The suggested retail price is $9.99.

Next we have the Wonder Park Wonder Chimp Surprise Assortment.  These are the official souvenir of Wonderland.  There are 30 different Wonder Chimps in the assortment.  Each one comes hidden in a blind bag and you won't know which one you are getting until you open it.  Each one comes with its very own free-rolling roller coaster car.  You can put the wonder chimp in the car and send it for a ride.  These come in Series 1, Series 2 and Series 3.  There are different chimps in each series as well as a different color for the roller coaster car in each series.  You can connect the cars together to make your own line of coaster cars.  These are made by Funrise and are recommended for age 3 and up.  The suggested retail price is $2.99.

This is the Gazillion Bubble Turbo Bubbles.  This is a hand powered bubble blaster that you can carry with you when you're on the go.  This is perfect for all ages (it is recommended for age 3 and up).  You just screw it on to the included bottle of bubble solution and crank the handle to make tons of bubbles.  No batteries are required, all of the power is supplied by you.  The Turbo Bubbles comes with a 4 ounce bottle of the top secret Gazillion Premium Bubble Solution.  It is made by Funrise and the suggested retail price is $4.99.

This is Smash Crashers.  It's a vehicle with a collectible twist.  Smash the truck and unbox the stuff.  There are 12 different trucks and each features a unique design that reflects their personality.  When the truck crashes, two crates pop out.  There are surprise collectibles hidden inside.  There are 50 different figures to collect in Series 1.  All of them are based on themes to gross you out, like Bathroom Brigade and Grossout Garage.  This includes the rare Barfing Bedroom figures and the special edition Edgy Electronics.  Each truck includes 2 hidden collectibles and one bonus collectible, making it a total of 3 collectibles in every package.  They are made by Just Play and are recommended for age 5 and up.  The suggested retail price is $6.99.

These are the Hairdorables Pets Series 1.  Aren't they just adorable?  These are the newest members of the Hairdorables #SQUAD.  These loyal and lovable pets express their unique personalities with their "Big Hair Don't Care" attitudes.  Pull, peel and reveal 8 surprises inside.  Each pet comes with its own brush to style their hair with.  They also come with accessories and stickers.  There are 24 of these adorable cuties in Series 1, including one Ultra Rare!  They are made by Just Play and are recommended for age 3 and up.  The suggested retail price is $7.99.

And finally we have these trendy Cutetitos.  Unroll the burrito blanket and discover an adorable, collectible stuffed animal hidden inside.  There are 12 different Cutetitos, including some super rare ones, with names like Slothito, Puppito, Bunnito and Monkito.  Which one will you find wrapped up and hiding inside your uniquely wrapped burrito blanket contained inside your large blind bag?  Once you have unwrapped it, discover your Cutetitos' personality "Hot Spot" (mild, medium, hot or super spicy).  Also discover their birthday and and favorite "quotito".  These are made by Basic Fun!  and are recommended for age 3 and up.  The suggested retail price is $9.99.

Spring Cleaning Extravaganza

I am in love with all these products from Aunt Fannie's. When it is time for Spring cleaning, you want to have products that do the job without leaving a chemical scent behind. You want your home to smell fresh and clean. These products have a light mint smell and they clean very well. I used a small amount of the spray to clean my, bath tub and I was amazed at the results. It was spray and wipe, no scrubbing and it left my tub with a glistening clean and a light scent of mint!

Aunt Fannie's Cleaning ProductsAunt Fannie’s believes in the pure power of food-based ingredients, so we’ve created solutions using the natural elements of food. Because we regularly mist, mop and wipe our most sacred places (our homes!) with products that can get on our skin, breathed into our lungs, and even sprayed onto our food, it’s finally time to embark on the next evolution in cleaning. Please join us in our movement toward Healthier Housekeeping! Years ago, cleaning solutions were homegrown and made with hand-picked ingredients that nature gave us, such as vinegar.  Aunt Fannie’s Cleaning Vinegar products pack old school punch with the aromatic surprise of garden grown herbs and farm fresh fruits. All products were made with food-based ingredients for commercial grade cleaning power – but without testing on animals.

I love that the products are  made only with essential oil fragrances and plant based ingredients.  The products are vinegar based, but the fragrances are light and crisp.

The Simple Guide to Loans

I want to talk to you today about loans.  A loan is an agreement between two (or more) parties to pay back a sum of money, usually with interest.   There are many types of loans.

Now, we are going to talk about mortgages.  If you don't have cash up front to buy a piece of property or a home, you can get a mortgage.  You agree to pay a sum of money to a lender and the property or home you are buying is your collateral.  You usually repay the loan in payments each month for a set number of years or months until the amount of the loan plus interest is paid in full.

You can get a mortgage from The Associates Home Loan of Florida If you have been in the military you may qualify for VA loan. That means that the United Sates Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is backing the loan. Usually, a VA loan does not require the borrower to make a down payment. This is a wonderful option to have, as down payments can be costly. VA loans offer the borrower many more options to the buyer than most loans out there. If getting a VA loan is an option for you, then I suggest you take that route for your mortgage.

There are many types of mortgages. My experience is with a VA loan. Not having to make a down payment is one of many perks of having the VA back your loan. Most financial institutions that offer mortgage loans will also offer the choice for you to get a VA loan if you qualify.

Personal loans is another type of loan I have experienced. For me, I would go to the same bank I have a checking and/or savings account. You may need or want a personal loan to borrow money for a vacation, buy household appliances, a huge car repair bill, or many other reasons. Your bank will take your loan application and look at your credit score. They also look at past loans you have with them and if you paid them on time and in full. If your credit score isn't great and you have past loans with your bank, they are more likely to give you the loan because of this. It is also easier to get a loan if you agree to have the payments automatically deducted from your checking or savings account. Many banks will reduce the interest rate if you agree to this stipulation of the loan.

Another type of loan is a car loan.  It is basically exactly what the words say.  You are borrowing money to pay for a car.  The car is the collateral for the loan.   You may want to go through a dealership to get the loan, such as Ford Motor Credit.  If you have excellent credit, the dealership can offer you a much lower interest rate than most  Sometimes it is 0%. 

All loans look at your credit worthiness.  This is how you pay your loans or credit cards, that you make the payments on time and pay off the loans within the allotted time frames.  

My advice for ANY loan is to always read the paperwork before you sign anything.  You need to know the amount of the loan, the interest rate, and the monthly payments and the length of the loan.

Win these Hoyle card games

You can all four of these card games from Hoyle!  Great for Easter basket stuffers!  Enter via the Rafflecopter below.  Thanks to our friends at In The Know with Jojo for hosting this wonderful giveaway. The Sponsor will mail the games to winner.  Valid in US only. a Rafflecopter giveaway

Celebrate Cinco de Mayo in style with these Artisan Pieces

When you are attending that Cinco de Mayo celebration, you need some accessories that POP.  You Can find all the accessories listed below at Josephine Alexander Collective.

Josephine Alexander Collective sells accessories in rainbow hues that are handmade by artisans in South America and would be ideal Cinco de Mayo gifts or accessories for young women through adults. Think heart-shaped tassel earrings, woven coin purses decorated with bright flowers, and pom pom bag flair that would spice up a Cinco de Mayo party outfit! Everything handmade by artisans in places like Peru and Mexico City.

Leila Triple Pom Tassel in Blue Hawaiian 

Pom Scrunchie in Rainbow

Bird of Paradise Earrings Hot Flame

 Mini Flower Earrings in Hot Pink Confetti

 Mini Pom Earrings in Light Pink Confetti

Melissa Pom Wallet in Strawberry

Josephine Alexander Collective was born from founder Kelly Rooney's love of travel, style and culture. Named after her three kids, it's a culmination of all her passions.

Born into an international family, she grew up seeing the World. Her sense of fashion was deeply influenced by the beauty, colors and culture she experienced growing up. She has witnessed firsthand the poverty and struggles of people in developing countries, and knows the deep impact a stable job can have.

An integral part of our mission here at Josephine Alexander Collective is to provide beautiful, unique pieces of fashion that come with a soul. Kelly is committed to curating her favorite pieces during her travels as well as working with craft artisans in different countries, collaborating with them to infuse her own sense of design into their creations resulting in a piece unique to our brand.

When you buy from Josephine Alexander Collective, you are helping provide a secure and stable form of income for these artisans.