The Sewing Mom

I am delighted to say that I received a special package in the mail and was asked to give my personal opinion on the contents of the envelope and the item that was stowed away inside the pretty little gold colored box inside the envelope.  The necklace is mine to keep and, in exchange, I am writing this review which is completely my own opinion.  I want to thank Parent Reviewers for the opportunity to do this review.

I love getting packages in the mail, who doesn’t! But when it’s a piece of jewelry inside, that is even more exciting!

I quickly tore open the envelope and lifted off the lid of the little gold box to find a very shiny, very pretty, silver name necklace.

I’m fairly particular when it comes to jewelry, but this piece definitely exceeded my expectations. The name itself is very easy to read and is made of a thicker metal, so not easily bent or broken. The name is connected to a very pretty silver box chain 16 inches in length which goes nicely with just about any style of shirt or dress. The connections are all nice and smooth so they don’t scratch the skin at all and I like the box style chain because I find them to be stronger, not to mention, I think they catch the light and give off more sparkle than other styles of chains!

If you are looking for a birthday or graduation gift, or maybe even a little bling for yourself, you should certainly check out the name necklaces from Wow! Imports. There are many different styles to choose from and different chain lengths as well. Some also are available in 14K or 18K gold. There is a nice range of prices too, to fit any budget.

Note: Other than the necklace, I have received no other compensation for this review and the opinions are 100% my own.

Thanks to Parent Reviewers, I was sent a couple of books to read and review. I received the 2 books in the mail and have received no other compensation. These opinions are strictly mine and I have chosen to share them with my readers.

The first book I read is titled Snow Takes the Checker! written by Demi Knight Clark. The story’s main character is Snow the race horse and her love of racing and her love of friends. I have to admit, I loved the artwork that was done throughout the book, but I’m somewhat unclear as to what age group this book was written for.

At first glance I thought it was directed towards young children, i.e., toddlers. But, after reading the story, I’m not sure. The story begins with Snow telling the reader about her dream of racing and introduces her family which supports her dream. The storyline then takes a turn and introduces her friend Tula, a turtle, and her arch rival, a raccoon named Robbie. The long awaited race takes place and all of the different animals participate. There is quite a bit of jostling for position and an attempt by the author to teach the importance of good sportsmanship, but in the end, the race is a tie thanks to Snow waiting for her friend so they could cross the finish line together. I thought this was pretty thoughtful on Snow’s part, but it also show Robbie in the background looking exhausted and losing the race. So, while Snow was quite polite during the race, she certainly didn’t do any favors for anyone other than her friend. This story seems to have a conflicting message, or maybe it’s trying to get too many messages across in one simple story book, but then again, maybe I’m just over thinking it!

The second book I read is titled Catty Wompus and is written by Julie Howe with drawings by Chason Matthams. Catty Wompus is the story about a lonely girl who has all the material things a girl could ever ask for. Unfortunately, Catty has everything but the thing that matters most, friendship.

Catty Wompus is a wonderfully written story for tweens. I think every girl and boy has met someone like Catty, they may not have realized though why they were so unhappy. In today’s environment of having so much, it can certainly be difficult to understand that having things isn’t what makes us happy. This is an important lesson all kids should learn. It wouldn’t hurt for a few adults to learn this as well! I do recommend Catty Wompus.

As a member of Parent Reviewers, I was recently given the opportunity to read a very special book, The Mighty Queens of Freeville and this is my review of the book.

When I was first asked if I would read and then write a review of The Mighty Queens of Freeville, I was under the impression that it was a fictional novel. To my surprise, the book is not a novel, but the memoir of Amy Dickinson, the syndicated advice columnist and contributor to NPR. So, it was with a bit of trepidation that I opened up the cover of the book and began to read the experiences of Amy Dickinson, both as a child and as an adult woman.

Amy’s story as a child, growing up on a small farm, is one that many of us can relate to. Amy’s skill at writing makes it enjoyable to read and drew me in making me feel that I was right there, experiencing it right alongside Amy. Her childhood experiences in a small town in upstate New York built Amy’s character and shaped who she is as an adult and, more importantly, as a mother. You see, Amy is divorced and has been raising her daughter on her own, following in the footsteps of her own mother and aunts, something of a family tradition.

Amy shares her experiences as a child, adult, wife, single mother, daughter, niece, and friend, and does it in such a witty way that she draws the reader right into the stories she’s telling. Amy’s stories are touching, tearful, joyous and sometimes, downright humorous. I haven’t had so much fun reading a book in a very long time and I highly recommend anyone who enjoys reading, to pick up a copy of The Mighty Queens of Freeville for themselves.

• Hardcover: 240 pages
• Publisher: Hyperion (February 3, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1401322859
• ISBN-13: 978-1401322854

I have been so excited to share this and I haven’t had time to write this post! So, I’ve spent this evening uploading my pictures and I’m going to share my news.

A while back I had entered a contest sponsored by Parent Reviewers and Dymo, manufacturer of some of the best label makers I’ve ever had the privilege to use. Then, just before Christmas, I received notice that I had WON! I was thrilled beyond words. Since we moved almost 2 years ago, I’ve been unable to locate our label maker and having one is such a great organizational tool, not to mention how handy a label maker is for assisting with school projects. Not long after that, I came home to find a package at my front door.  I wanted to rip it open right away, but I did pause just long enough for my daughter to snap a quick photo.  I knew I would be wanting to write about this very special occasion!

At first, I couldn’t think of anything I had ordered so was surprised to see the package. Then, my surprise turned into delight when I realized that my brand new, shiny, super easy to use Dymo LetraTag Personal Labelmaker was inside. I ripped open the package and was even more thrilled when I realized that they had also included 7 additional rolls of label maker tape in a variety of colors, including a magnetic tape, plus AA batteries. How cool is that?!

So, my tackle for this week, besides getting this post written finally, is to get all of my electronic cords labeled. It drives me nuts when I’m looking for the camera cord and can’t figure out what cord goes to which electronic device. I’m going to feel so much better when everything is organized and labeled! WOOHOO! I do feel like a winner!