Fancy That!

One of the coolest movies I saw (on a very awkward date, I might add) was Ray. To me the music and the story behind the real man was interesting to me and made me enjoy his music even more. So when I saw that Get On Up! was coming out James Brown I had a gut feeling that I might really enjoy it because of how much I enjoyed 'Ray.' Here's some info about the movie: Get On Up stars Chadwick Boseman (42, Draft Day) in yet another career-making performance as Brown, with a stellar supporting cast that includes Oscar®-nominee Viola Davis (The Help, “How to Get Away with Murder”), Oscar-winner Octavia Spencer (The Help, Fruitvale Station), Nelsan Ellis (The Butler, “True Blood”), Oscar-nominee Dan Aykroyd (Driving Miss Daisy, Ghostbusters), Craig Robinson (This is the End, Hot Tub Time Machine) and Jill Scott (Why Did I Get Married, Baggage Claim). James Brown’s ferocity, talent and ambition propelled him from his hardscrabble South Carolina roots to some of the most prest

Rarely do you find me doing a lot of baking, but one thing I have always wanted to find an easy solution to was making pancakes. It's not like I don't like them, but you have to make them one at a time most of the time and by the time the cook gets to their batch, everyone else is ready for more! So I had the chance to try some baking mixes by Amazing Foods for Life and when I received their amazing pancake mix, I thought I would give pancakes a brand new spin. First, preheat your oven to 350 degrees. After that, for the most part, the process is the same. You follow all of the directions listed out on the packaging. The only thing I added was about one teaspoon of cinnamon. I would also recommend about a teaspoon of vanilla extract too. You take your muffin tin and you butter the tin thoroughly. If you have them, I recommend using baking cups, because although these pancake muffins don't stick to the pan, they are very light and you run the risk of them falling

This post contains affiliate links for which I will receive compensation if you purchase via the link provided. I am so excited to tell you about this giveaway going on with Zazzle.com. You have the chance to win a prize from one of their creative product makers every single day. PLUS if you don't win the daily prize, you get entered to win the grand prize of $1000 each day you enter. Follow the link to enter!  30 Days of Maker Giveaways on Zazzle

I know we all have those days where we feel just down and out and pummeled by life. And sometimes the right song comes along and re-ignites that fire and you just feel like you can do anything. So since it's Friday and we all need the extra help to get through the day, I thought I would put together a list of 10 songs that make me feel like I can take on the world.  1) Piano & I - by Alicia Keys   Something about the lyrics, "Always got to try; no matter how long that sh!t take..." makes me feel like I not only should try, but can try.    2) Think by Aretha Franklin  Everyone needs a little bit of "sass" in their day and this song has it. I mean it just makes me want to strut and tell people like it is.   3) Chandelier by Sia   This song has a tragic quality to it yet feels free at the same time. Every time I listen to it it makes me want to let go of inhibitions which is a very good thing when it comes to my personal fiction writi

I've seen Van's Foods in stores but this is the first time I've really had the chance to try them. What I already appreciate about Van's Foods is that they are certified gluten free by the Gluten-Free Certification Organization. Since going gluten free last year, I've made it my goal to find really good food items that are gluten free that taste JUST as good as their gluten brethren. Although reading over their FAQ, I did notice that their facilities aren't gluten free. So depending on your sensitivity to gluten, keep that in mind. However they do practice excellent cross-contamination prevention methods and I really appreciate that! Read more here . I tried out two different foods - their waffles as well as their crackers. Luckily, I picked up both of these items at my local grocery store so they weren't hard to find at all. (I usually shop at Safeway by the way mostly because it is very convenient to my home!). First, for their waffles. I did enjoy the waf

We’re looking for you to create a fabulously fantastic collection on Wanelo titled “New Year, New You” where you include products that represent your New Year’s resolutions. If you enter, you can chance to win one of the following amazing prizes: ONE GOLD PRIZE : $75 Zazzle Gift Certificate and feature of 9 products from your collection on Zazzle blog ONE SILVER PRIZE: $50 Zazzle Gift Certificate ONE BRONZE PRIZE: $25 Zazzle Gift Certificate How to enter: 1. Follow the  Zazzle store  on Wanelo 2.  Create a collection  on  Wanelo.com  titled “New Year, New You” 3. Tag every product in your collection #zazzlenewyou 4. Add at least 4 Zazzle products, and include at least 9 products total in your collection 5. Fill out  this form  to submit your collection For a full description of the challenge please visit  Wanelo Collections Challenge  . 

I am always on the hunt for healthy food items - particularly healthy food items that are gluten free, taste good, and aren't strange. A very difficult task I have to say! I had the chance to try out some of their gluten-free noodles and their dried beans and I was pleasantly surprised! First of all they truly have a wide variety of options for both gluten-free and non gluten-free people, which I really appreciated. Pereg Gourmet was established in 1906 and is a family business passed down from generation to generation. You know how I love businesses that stay close like that, so I loved reading this! For their gluten free noodles, I tried their quinoa spaghetti and curvo rigate . I also had the chance to try their black beans and chili beans . I definitely enjoyed myself when I had the gluten free noodles. I would really suggest something creamy when you make it, because I had mine as Alfredo pasta dish and it was really good. I would say the taste of the quinoa noodle

This post contains affiliate links which I will receive small compensation if you click, download, or purchase through the link.  It's been a while since I've had the chance to tell you about some great deals! The latest one I want to share is with Plum Organics and they are having an AMAZING sale at Target stores right now. The coupon I have is $2.00 OFF any Plum Organics item and it's an exclusive item at Target stores. Simply click on the image below or follow this link to print YOUR coupon! 

Anyone else really sad that the holidays are over? I sure am! My holiday decorations are officially down and I am so sad to see the season end. But onward and upward, right? Over the Christmas holiday, I had the chance to hang some decorations made by Liane Fried on my amazing Christmas tree. She is such a talented artist and I couldn't wait to feature her work on my blog. First she's an amazing illustrator (as you can probably by every single item she sells in her store). She describes her creations as being "quirky, whimsical, and colorful" and I absolutely have to agree. I love art that has so pop of color and personality. I want to feature some of the amazingly creative items she has in her store before I show off the ornaments she sent to me! Never Enough Time Clock $15 And for all you pet parents out there, check out these adorable magnets! Cat Magnet Set $21 And for you bookworms - Bookmarks $6.95 I received several ADORABLE Christm

I'm back from my mini-blog vacation! I took some time off and basically took off my blogging hat for a while to relax and spend time with family. So that means I have many products and companies to tell you about, and today I'm starting with some of the best olives I've had in a long time. I mean, these were incredible. Remember when I told you about Pearl Olives to Go? These adorable snack packs were so perfect for lunch time ( read my review here! ) Pearl Olives are made by the Musco Family Olive Company , a privately held family business that is the leading supplier of olives in America. This company has family roots and has passed on from generation to generation, so make sure you read more about their family history if you have a moment. I tried California Grown Specialties Olives in three different flavors - Spicy Escabeche, Herbs & Sweet Pepper, Garlic, Lemon & Thyme. These olives were incredible. I can rarely say this about olives, but these were