Reviews - 30/32 - Views From the Ville

Disney*Pixar’s Cars 2

It’s an exciting summer for a Disney fan like me. First the Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides. Now Disney*Pixar’s Cars 2 which revs into theaters in Disney 3D tomorrow, June 24th! And right around the corner are a number of other Disney films that I’ll be sharing with you as we get closer to the release dates.

Disney*Pixar’s Cars 2

Cars 2 has star racecar Lightning McQueen (voiced by Owen Wilson) and tow truck Mater (voiced by Larry the Cable Guy) taking their friendship to exciting new places. They head overseas together to compete in the first-ever World Grand Prix to determine the world’s fastest car. The road to the championship is filled with potholes, detours and surprises when Mater gets caught up in international espionage! Mater has to decide between helping Lightning McQueen or helping with the top-secret mission led by master British super spy Finn McMissile (voiced by Michael Caine) and the stunning rookie field spy Holley Shiftwell (voiced by Emily Mortimer). The journey leads Mater on an explosive chase through the streets of Japan and Europe being watched by the whole world.

The folks at Disney have put together a huge collection of great free activities for Cars 2 fans, as well. There are crafts, recipes and activity sheets. Check out the samples below and then download the entire collection here.

Tow Mater Cookies

Lightning McQueen Air Freshener

Tire Track T-Shirts

For more fun Disney*Pixar’s Cars 2 information, text CARS to DISNEY (347639), check out their website, “like” them on Facebook and follow their updates on Twitter!

Now for the giveaway! Win a Cars 2 prize pack including a t-shirt, puzzle and 2 sheets of temporary tattoos.

Disney*Pixar’s Cars 2 Prize Pack

Please fill out the form below and tell me what size youth t-shirt you’d like (sponsor will try their best on sizes). You can do as many or as few of the other optional entries as you would like.

Quick links to:

“Like” Shopping for Savings on Facebook

Follow @LMC502 on Twitter

Subscribe to Shopping for Savings by Email

Giveaway open to those residents of the US ages 18 and older. The giveaway will end at 11:59 p.m. EST on Sunday, July 3rd. I will select a winner with Random.org and the winner will have 48 hours to respond to my email or another winner will be selected.

Weddings are all about memories. And as fathers prepare to walk their daughters down the aisle (or as brothers prepare to walk sisters, grandfathers prepare to walk granddaughters, etc.) you can be sure they are thinking back through the years and reliving some of the memories that they have created together. Wearing your heart on your sleeve may be just a saying but now it’s possible to literally wear your memories on your sleeve, too.

I recently received an Easy Change Photo Cufflinks Kit in the mail from Photo Jewelry Making. These would make a great Father’s Day gift for next year but I think they would also be the perfect gift from the bride to the person walking her down the aisle. From the men I spoke to over the weekend, they all agreed that having a special photo of the two of them slipped into these cufflinks for them to wear on the big day would be a perfect little touch.

Photo Software to Make Personalized Photo Cufflinks

This kit honestly could not be easier to use. To start, load the included software CD so that you can edit your photo and then shrink it down to size. To do so: Continue reading »

One of the first words you hear used to describe brides is glowing. And to get glowing skin, you need to start with a good base. You want skin that’s hydrated and healthy. Once you’ve got a great base then you can use makeup to enhance and create the perfect look. Some of you may have naturally flawless skin but the rest of us are going to need a few products to help us get there.

Before we get into skin care products, though, did you know that one of the best ways to have healthy skin is for the rest of you to be healthy, too? Getting plenty of sleep and exercise, eating right, not getting too much sun, limiting stress – all of these directly impact your skin as part of your overall well-being.

SparkPeople.com

With the rest of the wedding details that are constantly running through your head it can be hard to remember all the details of a new health regimen if you choose to start one. To keep it all straight you may want to consider a journal or online tracking tool. For those of you who prefer an online approach I’m a fan of SparkPeople.com. I like that you can keep track of everything from what you ate and your exercise minutes right down to the amount of water you drank each day. You earn points for daily tracking which is good for those of us who like incentives. The points really aren’t good for much but some of us just like to see them add up.

If you like something a little more concrete then I would suggest a journal – like the Light Fit & Healthy journals that Yoplait is providing to three lucky winners! Journals are great because you can throw it in your bag if you’re heading to the gym or out of town and want to keep track on the run. It’s also nice because sometimes you just want that satisfaction of writing something down in black and white.

Either way you choose to go I strongly suggest using some tracking method. Not only for the organizational aspect but also because research has proven that when you keep a food and exercise journal you get better results than if you don’t. I guess seeing all those M&Ms written down on a page guilts you into not eating them again.

If you want to jump start your health plan consider checking out Yoplait’s Two Week Tune-Up plan. It’s always nice to see some quick results and this plan is super-easy. Then just keep following the healthy habits until the big day (and beyond!).

Now that you have the glow from the inside we can work on the glow from the outside. First skin needs to be hydrated so you’ll want something like Skin MD Natural’s Shielding Lotion. Prior to hearing about Skin MD Natural I didn’t know what a shielding lotion was and how it’s different from a moisturizer or other type of lotion. Most moisturizers do not seal in the body’s own moisture, they just artificially lubricate the outer layers of skin. Once it wears off you’re back where you started. This shielding lotion, however, uses natural ingredients to restore the outer layer of skin to help replace the barrier that’s stripped away by the daily use of most soaps and cleansers.

Arbonne’s RE9 Advanced systems

Next you can look to make additional repairs like with Arbonne’s RE9 Advanced system. It has not just one but 9 major age-defying elements and botanicals that are clinically proven to start working within 24 hours. 83% of testers said they had increased skin firmness in just 24 hours and 92% said they saw a reduction in fine lines within 1 week. While almost any product works best and produces the best results when used over time this is a system that if you get down to the last couple of weeks before the ceremony and notice that all that summer sun has you looking a little older than you are you could still see a change. After all the late nights with Baby C I was looking a little older, myself; I tried the Instant Lift Gel and definitely thought I looked a little more refreshed after.

No matter what you choose just make sure you choose something that works for you. These are lifestyle changes and good skin care habits you want to form and you’ll only make changes and stick to them if they easily fit into your day.

Skin MD Natural, Yoplait and Sarah from Arbonne have all generously donated prizes for this week’s giveaway. I received samples from Skin MD Natural and Sarah from Arbonne in order to facilitate my review. No compensation was received and all opinions are 100% mine.

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Most folks who have planned a wedding will tell you that one of the most important aspects of planning their wedding was selecting their photographer. Obviously you want someone who is going to capture all moments of your wedding and reception, both big and small. Someone who has an eye for the little details, who will fade into the background and snap great pictures without you tripping over them, who can calmly guide your friends and family into posing without causing sighs or tears.

Engagement Photo by Damie Ann Photography

Here are some questions you’ll want to ask yourself when choosing the best photographer for you:

What kind of photography do you prefer? Whether you like the thought of mostly classic, posed shots or you prefer more candid photos, or even a combination of both, you want to know what you’re looking for so you can find someone that’s a good match.
How long do you want them for? You may just want them for the service and then a few pictures before or after of the bridal party. You may want them for pre- and post-photos, and the ceremony plus the reception. Or your may want someone that will capture all the moments from the first day forward and have them take your engagement photos, bridal shower, wedding, reception and everything in between.
How many pictures do you want? Some photographers may just try and capture the key moments or posed pictures, and others will basically hold the trigger down and take 1000s of shots. Decide how many images you want to be able to pick from so you can articulate that with the photographer.
Do you get along? That may seem like a strange question, but you want to have a good rapport with them so that you feel comfortable asking for what you want. They may be the professional, but this is your day!
What is your comfort level with “the technical stuff”? If you’re going to need someone to do more than hand the image disk over to you, consider that when you’re interviewing. You may want someone who will also crop, color, do corrections, make prints, and create albums.

Engagement Photo by Damie Ann Photography

After you’ve decided what you want, here are some tips for signing someone that fits the bill:

Start early. Many of the best photographers have booked their schedules years in advance, so once you know your date(s), you’ll want to get on their calendar.
Ask for recommendations. Check with family, friends, aquaintences, colleagues – anyone whose opinion you trust that’s recently used a professional. Be sure to refer back to your list of questions, though, because being the top pick of someone else doesn’t automatically make them them right for you. It’s a good place to start, though.
Check their work. Ask to see their portfolio, look at their website and ask for references. When perusing the photos keep your own wedding in mind. For example if you are having an outdoor wedding but their indoor pictures are stronger than their outdoor one, you might want to keep searching.
Conduct interviews. Hold a phone interview with your list of favorites to further narrow it down. Use the list of the above questions and ask them of the photographer to see if you really do match up. Some additional questions you may want to ask:

Do you have backup equipment, and is it the same quality?
When will my proofs be ready?
Do you mark your proofs? If so, is there an extra charge to receive unmarked proofs?
Have you worked at my particular location before?
Do we get to keep our negatives?

Meet them. Once your list is narrowed down to the top two or three finalists go and meet them in person. You’ll get a better feel for their personality, can check out their equipment and may see more recent examples of their work in their studio. You’ll also get a sense of their professionalism; is their studio well-kept or are notes and appointments scattered around? You want your photographer to be organized.
Sign a contract. Negotiate the price (everything is negotiable, no matter what the “list” price is), solidify the details, specify the photographer (this is important; some larger studios may just send whomever is available that day and not the person you’ve met and worked with), double-check the date, include the engagement, shower and any other parties if applicable and then get it all in writing. This isn’t class pictures that can be redone fairly easily; this is your wedding, so it’s a one-shot deal.

There are so many things to consider! Hopefully these questions and tips will help make it go a little more smoothly for you.

If you’re in the northern Maine area you may want to consider one of the Goin’ to the Chapel event sponsors, Damie Ann Photography, for any of your photography needs. The engagement photos above are her work. And if you’re not in the area but are looking for someone to do editing work on existing photos (black & white, coloring effects, corrections, adding text, etc.) she also offers that service.

One of the things that I dislike about living where we are right now is that there isn’t enough space to have a dog. I love dogs. I literally grew up with a dog; my parents picked up their puppy just a few weeks before I came home, and we were pretty much inseparable. Even though I’m told that I did confuse the poor thing when I first learned to talk, because my Mom would always tell the dog to “get away” and I thought his name was “Get”. So I’d chase him around trying to hug him all while telling him to get away from me.

I’m very much looking forward to us finally finding a new place (yes, we’re still looking) where we have a yard big enough for a pup. I really want Baby C to have a furry friend to grow up with. Not only for the play and unconditional love experience, but I also think it teaches responsibility.

AnnieWear

If you’re like me and you’re a dog (or cat!) lover, then you are going to love the line of animal-themed baby and kids clothes and gifts at AnnieWear. Not only are their designs adorable but a portion of all the sales are donated to animal rescue programs around the country. The company is actually named after the founder’s own rescued dog, Annie, who came from the Almost Heaven Golden Retriever Rescue.

The shirt I received came packaged very securely and wrapped in pretty hunter green tissue paper. As I opened it, you couldn’t help but say “awww” when you saw the design on the shirt.

Opening my AnnieWear pacakge

And of course, once we put it on Baby C, I had to say “awww” again!

Baby C in her “good girl!” onesie

The AnnieWear signature “Good Girl!” onesie is a size 3-6 months, and as you can see, it’s just a smidgen big on Baby C who is 14 weeks, but that’s normal of most clothes for her right now. It comes in black, white, lime, lavender and turquoise and goes up to size 12-18 months. You can get it in both long and short sleeve versions. The quality is also very nice; the shirt is 100% ringspun combed cotton and the design is silk screened with non-toxic durable ink.

We really like the shirt; it feels so soft and Baby C looked mighty comfortable in it. And at $22.50 it makes a reasonably priced gift for any pet lover and their child. I have a friend that is recently pregnant. She is a big dog-lover and I can definitely see getting her an AnnieWear item as a gift once she knows and shares the gender.

Even though the prices are reasonable, it’s always better when you can get something on sale! So AnnieWear has generously provided a 15% discount for all of you! Just use promo code BLOG2011 at the checkout.

Please share below if you find something you love!

Views From the Ville

Disney*Pixar’s Cars 2 – Racing Into Theaters Tomorrow – Giveaway & Freebies!

Goin’ to the Chapel Event Week 3: Ceremony & Reception

Goin’ to the Chapel event – Week 1: Getting Yourself "Wedding Day Ready"

Goin’ to the Chapel event – Week 1: Choosing a photographer