I’ve been taking an interest in photography and trying to improve my own with my admittedly ancient (in technological years!) and not top-of-the-line camera. So I was extremely happy to have the opportunity to review these custom canvas prints from Canvas HQ.

They sent me a coupon code to order an 11″x 14″ canvas print. The process on their website could not have been easier. You can choose a photo you have saved on Facebook or upload a new one. They have  a large number of size and framing options available. The site allows you to crop your photo to fit your chosen canvas and allows you to enhance or change your picture. I think the selected color feature, which pulls one brightly colored aspect of the image and turns the rest black and white (such as a child’s bright red dress), would be fun to try another time. They will also email a proof to you, so you can see and approve exactly what you’re getting before they send it.

I decided to go with one of my cardinal photographs. That way the girls wouldn’t get jealous if I chose a picture of just one of them. Plus I need more artwork in my bedroom, which happens to be decorated in red and black- perfect for his showy red plumage.

I was very pleased with the results! You can see here the canvas texture, which added depth to the photo without losing any of the sharpness or detail.

I chose the wraparound canvas, which uses part of your photo to self-frame. I always think this adds a cool dimensional feel to artwork.

I did feel the top of the photo was cropped a little too closely. I probably should have gone with a complimenting color wrap on the sides of the canvas in this instance, which would have left the bird fully centered.

These canvases also come with a handy self-hanging wire,  no tools needed!

I truly couldn’t be happier with the quality of my print. I already have plans to turn some of my favorite photos of the girls into lasting works of art!

Canvas HQ has generously offered to give one of my readers the same opportunity to try their service for free! How cool is that? If you win, I hope you’ll come back and show me the canvas you create!

Use the Rafflecopter form below to enter. At the end of the giveaway, I will announce a winner and contact that person for their information. The Outspoken Yam is not responsible for the delivery of your prize, that is solely the responsibility of the sponsor. This giveaway is open to the USA only.

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I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

Aside from blogging, I have two different jobs that involve long hours spent in front of the computer. This can lead to tired-looking, puffy eyes. I also know that the delicate eye area is one of the fastest parts of your face to show signs of age. Thus I’m always on the look-out for pampering products than can help rejuvenate and refresh me!

I was excited to have the chance to try out this Mineral Eye Gel from Adovia. It contains a promising combination of Vitamin C, Dead Sea Salt and Vitamin A Retinol. They also offer a money-back guarantee, if your eyes do not look ten years younger! It’s nice to see a company that stands behind their promises.

I liked the product packaging, the weighty frosted glass container makes you feel like you’re at the spa. The gel was light and non-greasy on my skin. After testing it for about a week, I do feel like the skin around my eyes is softer and brighter. I think with consistent use over time it will definitely help ward off fine lines and improve the overall health of my face!

I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

These ice sphere molds from StyloPhora are super fun! I actually have a set from another company that I never use. I liked the concept but those ones are made of hard plastic, which makes it almost impossible to get the ice spheres out intact.

These new ones are made of soft and flexible silicone. They also come with a handy pop-out funnel and have a printed fill-line so you know exactly how much liquid to use.

After freezing for several hours, I found that the best way to release the ice from the molds is by filling the empty space in the mold to the top with cool water and letting them sit for about a minute. Then the molds popped right off without any trouble.

I think these would be fun to try with fruit juices or with red and blue juice for the Fourth of July!

I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

I’ve been wanting a pretty wreath for my front door, but the prices are often dauntingly high. There’s also the problem that I’m not a huge fan of fake flowers. They so often scream tacky/funeral arrangement/old lady with plastic furniture covers, at least to me. I have flashbacks to a house I used to pass on my way to school. It was two doors down from a graveyard…and every inch of available space was “planted” with fake plastic flowers still clinging to the grave dirt they’d very obviously been plucked from. So maybe I just have stolen zombie grave flower PTSD.

Anyway! The best remedy, as always, seems to be making my own. I decided my first wreath should be based on one of my favorite flowers- the ranunculus. Perhaps a strangely named, old-fashioned choice but they are quite beautiful.

Materials needed:

• 18″ wire wreath form
• Glue gun and sticks
• Small bird nest
• Paper mache egg
• Acrylic paints: Dark pink, light pink, golden yellow
• Paintbrushes
• Green floral tape
• Light pink tulle
• An assortment of large silk ranunculus blooms, smaller blooms and accent flowers
• Scissors

The supplies you find will likely not be exactly the same. I’m all about using or reusing what you have on hand so feel free to improvise. The main thing is to make something you find appealing and to have fun doing so! First I took three of the ranunculus blooms with stems still attached and wove them through the wire wreath form at about even intervals. These will be your anchor flowers. I left the wider space open on one side because I knew my bow would go there.

Next I removed the rest of my blooms and leaves from their stems. I laid my wreath form flat and began placing leaves and blooms around the form, playing with placement until everything looked balanced. In the picture below, nothing is attached. At this stage you are merely deciding where everything will go.

Now you can begin attaching items. Use the green floral tape and wrap securely. Start with background items like leaves, then move on to your smaller filler flowers. Your large blooms should be attached last. Carefully use your glue gun to adhere the blooms, nestling them in securely among the leaves. Remove any strings of glue. Give the wreath a few gentle shakes to make sure nothing needs extra securing.

To paint the egg, I first gave it an over-all coat with the light pink. After drying I decided to do a textured look to make it more interesting. Pour small amounts of all three of your paint colors onto a palette or small dish. Using a swirling, stabbing motion and a medium sized brush, alternately apply each of the colors.

Let the egg dry. Glue it securely into the nest. Cut a few yards of your pink tulle and form it into a bow. Glue the bow onto your wreath. Glue the nest directly on top of the bow.

I recently had the opportunity to try the new Salmon & Sweet Potato Grain-Free Petbrosia Pet Food. Well, of course, I didn’t try it. For this mission, I brought in my guest product tester and self-proclaimed Spoiled Rotten King of the Universe, The Mighty Thor Thunderpaw.

He says hi!

Each shipment of Petbrosia is tailored to your pet’s needs. When ordering my box, I was prompted to fill out a detailed series of questions- everything from breed, age and weight, to his activity level and any allergies or medical concerns. The package arrived with a printed summery, along with a list of all ingredients. The site features feeding tips for each breed. I didn’t notice at the time, but you can even upload a picture of your pet which they’ll include in the printout!

Notice that the VERY first ingredients are actual salmon and sweet potato. This is a nice change from quite a few brands which are so loaded down with filler ingredients that even after reading the nutritional information, you aren’t sure what exactly you’re feeding your dog. The rest of the list is also pretty impressive. It includes things like navy beans, pinto beans, fish oil, carrots, green beans, blueberry, cranberry and apples as well as a huge assortment of vitamins and probiotics! You can compare your current pet food with the benefits of Petbrosia here.

Upon opening the package, I could immediately smell the difference between this and some store-bought brands. Some of those tend to have a dry, unappealing sort of sawdust scent. This food has a robust scent that had Thor standing up prettily on his back paws immediately. This is his sign that he knows I have something yummy and he would please like it now, thank you!

We decided such a nice food and such a fancy dog deserved a pretty crystal bowl. Yeah this whole God of Thunder thing hasn’t gone to his head at all.

He could barely wait til I got it into the bowl. He was climbing up and trying to nab it before I even got it on the ground.

He seemed to absolutely love it. Petbrosia recommends mixing your pet’s old food in with the new food when switching to make a gradual and easy transition.

The fuzzball is actually licking his lips!

I’m glad he took to it so quickly. Their grain-free Salmon formula has many benefits, including being an excellent source of vitamins, essential fatty acids, and has L-Carnitine added, which helps the body utilize fat for energy while maintaining the lean muscle mass which helps reduce the overall body fat. They use high quality, all-natural ingredients, grown and raised by American farmers. No corn, wheat, soy, or by-products!

If you decide to try it out for yourself, you can use the code BRL10 to receive a $10 discount off of your first order. They cater to spoiled kitties as well!

One of my lucky readers will get the chance to try Petbrosia for free! The winner will receive a coupon code to order their own free 3 pound box, tailored to their pet’s specific needs.

Use the Rafflecopter form below to enter. Do as many or as few entries as you like! This giveaway is open to the US (excluding Alaska and Hawaii). I will announce the winner at the end of the giveaway and the sponsor will email you with a the code to redeem your prize.  Delivery of the prize is the sole responsibility of the sponsor.

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I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

**This post contains affiliate links which means that I may receive a commission if you click a link and make a purchase.

The average American family–where “average” means there are at least three devices–are sitting on somewhere between $500 and $1000 worth of unused devices. That’s a lot of cash, and most families don’t even know it’s there! Gazelle offers a fast and easy way for consumers to get cash for their used electronics like iPhones, iPads, Macbooks, Samsung Galaxy devices, tablets and other smartphones. More than 600,000 consumers have used Gazelle to sell over one million gadgets. Visit Gazelle today, and see what your device is worth!

The summer sun can be brutally drying on my pale, sensitive skin. No matter how much I moisturize or how religiously I use high SPF products, I still worry about developing sun damage and wrinkles. That’s why I was excited to try this Vitamin C Serum from Day By Day Beauty!

This organic Serum contains not only vitamin C but also vitamin E , aloe, jojoba oil and hyaluronic acid. The list of its properties is quite impressive- fades sun spots, age spots, fine lines and wrinkles! I also like that the ingredients are organic and not animal tested.

I decided to try it for a week, focusing on the area between my eyebrows where I feel I’m developing the beginnings of fine lines from squinting/frowning in concentration. I also wanted to see if it would help reduce redness and shrink the pores on my cheeks and around my nose.

I began incorporating it into my morning routine, applying it to my freshly washed skin. The most obvious immediate effect was that my skin did feel softer and more supple to the touch. After a week of using it faithfully each day, I did feel it had visibly tightened the pores on my cheeks. This also happened to be the time of the month when I sometimes still experience small breakouts. The serum seemed to minimize this and helped keep my skin clear and glowing. I believe with long-term consistent use, it will definitely help reduce wrinkles and improve the overall appearance and health of my skin!

I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

**This post contains affiliate links and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking on my links

Princess Elsa and Princess Anna have captured the hearts of children and adults around the world. If you have young children you have probably had the movie on repeat since it released on DVD. Help bring the Kingdom of Arendelle and all of their friends to life with Frozen birthday party supplies from Birthday Express.

At Birthday Express, you can shop Frozen-themed party supplies, favors, decorations, costumes and more! Some of our favorite products are the 41″ Olaf Jumbo Balloon and the Deluxe Anna and Elsa costumes. Right now at Birthday Express, you can Get 10% off all Frozen party supplies through 6/29. Be sure to shop this collection today and turn your next party into a winter wonderland!

They seriously have the cutest stuff! Looking through it all makes my inner little girl completely jealous. I want my ownnn princess party!!

Hosted by: Queen of Savings, Moms and Crafters, Here We Go Again, Ready?, Michigan Saving & More, The World of ContestPatti, Tales From a Southern Mom, My Magnificent Obsession, Moms Who Save, Dividing by Zero & Coupon Crazy Mommy

Sponsor: Budsies

Choose a drawing for your Budsies either from the templates provided online or your child’s custom creation. Upload the artwork or take a picture with your smartphone and send it via text message or email. Receive your custom stuffed animal in approximately 5 weeks.

Prize: 1 Budsies RV $99

Dates: 6/21-7/5

Open to: US Residents 18+

Enter to win using the Giveaway Tools Widget below. Good luck!

These boxes of nerdy cuteness are so adorable, I almost can’t stand it! Good luck to all of my yammies!

Hosted by: Queen of Savings, Moms and Crafters, Here We Go Again, Ready?, Michigan Saving and More, The World of ContestPatti, Tales From a Southern Mom, Dividing by Zero & Coupon Crazy Mommy

Sponsor: Nerd Block

Pick your favorite theme and subscribe. Nerd Block curates great toys for you. You receive monthly surprise blocks. Open your block and let the fun begin.

Prize: Winners choice of Nerd Block Jr. for a boy or girl

Dates: 6/21-7/5

Open to: US Residents 18+

Enter to win using the Giveaway Tools Widget below. Good luck!

Disclosure: The Outspoken Yam did not receive compensation for this post and is not responsible for prize fulfillment.