Month: April 2015

April 27, 2015

Paddington Now on DVD/BluRay + Giveaway!

The much-loved Paddington is back in this hilarious new movie, all about this loveable bear and his search for a family in modern-day England.

Paddington, the bear from the much-loved series by Michael Bond, is coming to DVD/Blu Ray on April 28th.

Not familiar with the story of Paddington? Paddington is a Peruvian bear who travels to London in search of a new home after his home is destroyed. He is sent to London bearing a tag that states: “Please look after this bear. Thank you.” His label was styled after the labels that were attached to children that were sent out of London during the war by their parents to families outside of the city to care for their children. Paddington is noticed by a kind and loving Mother who is with her two children and husband. They decide to take him in for the night. What harm could this possibly cause? Only if they knew! On top of this, a taxidermist catches wind of his arrival and wants to capture this rare bear to add to her collection. Paddington shows his ‘adopted’ family about love, kindness and the true meaning of family.

Full of adventure, mishaps and hilarious encounters, it is easy to fall in love with Paddington. He is sweet, kind and loveable. Paddington is a movie that you and your family can cherish for years to come.

Here is a trailer of our sweet friend:

Our friends at Entertainment One are now giving one of my readers the chance to win their own copy of Paddington! My Canadian residents, eighteen years of age and older can enter via the Rafflecopter form below – good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Disclosure: I received a copy of this movie. All opinions expressed are my own.

April 26, 2015

Aoléon The Martian Girl Part Four: Book Review

Aoléon is back in the fourth installment of the series, Aoléon The Martian Girl: Illegal Aliens by Brent LeVasseur.

About Aoléon The Martian Girl: Part Four

Aoléon and Gilbert have become the Luminon’s top priority in stopping the Martian resistance movement and after being chased by the Palace guard they are forced to flee the Martian metropolis.

After they escape, they crash-land deep in the Martian desert where they set out to locate Aoléon’s parents who are being held captive. After a long and hard battle they finally make their destination but come to learn that their journey is far from over.

Will they be able to save Aoléon’s parents and stop the Martian invasion of Earth before it is too late?

My Thoughts

I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE this series of books for young adults and tweens. It has the perfect blend of imagination, creativity, illustration with the strength of the book coming from two young friends.

Part four of Aoléon did not disappoint! I think this part is one of the best so far. It was full of exciting adventure – at times I was worried the two were not going to make it through! But as one wise, old Martian taught them it is important to have faith. Aoléon and Gilbert hang on tight to their faith, trust in each other and the friendships they form to get them through the worst of the journey to rescue Aoléon’s parents.

The humour in this book had both my son and I cracking up (D.U.M.B. for a secret location!) – and helps to offset some of the more dangerous parts of the novel (being chased by Martians, crashing in a desert,etc..). Gilbert starts to come into his own strength and this novel and I loved that!

Aoléon will be the perfect addition to your child’s library!

You can purchase a copy of this book on Amazon.

Rating: 5/5

Here is a trailer of Aoléon Part Four:

Disclosure: I received a digital copy of this book in order to facilitate this review. All opinions expressed are my own.

April 24, 2015

Bridges of Paris #bookreview & #giveaway

Paris. Just the name alone can stir of images of cathedrals, historical monuments and places and a city full of rich history. The Bridges of Paris guides us through the city in a way we have never seen it before.

About Bridges of Paris

The Bridges of Paris is a large format book with over 350 original colour photographs. The thirty-seven bridges over the Seine River emerge as beautiful, historic destinations rather than go by unnoticed. This book not only features each bridge but riverside photographs as well.

Michael Saint James immersed himself in the Parisian culture for a year and captured images over, on, below and beside these wonderful bridges.

My Thoughts

The first words that came to my mind when opening up this book for the first time was breath-taking, incredible and wondrous. It truly brings the city to life through the photographs and history of the bridges! My love of history and the arts made this the perfect book for me. The photography was stunning and breath-taking. The historical content was the perfect amount to intrigue and to learn something new.

The book is broken down into several sections: Island Bridges, Palace Bridges, Downstream and Uptown Bridges. Each section contains historical facts alongside the images. So not only is this a visually appealing book but one you can learn a great deal of knowledge from.

The book is in a large, rectangular format that is perfect for displaying on your coffee table and just tempts you to want to hold it and cherish each page. Although this is probably designed for an older crowd (young adult and up), both of my children enjoyed turning the pages and learning a little bit of French history!

You can purchase your own copy on Amazon.

Check out this fantastic book trailer of the book:

Rating: 5/5

About Michael Saint James

Michael Saint James’ artistic pursuits include award-winning book design, film editing and sound recording, as well as his first love photography. He has taught media production and technology arts as well as photography, story telling and art history. Michael is a world traveller who has visited over fifty countries.

The Giveaway!
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Disclosure: I received a copy of this book in order to facilitate this review. All opinions expressed are my own.

April 22, 2015

Grow Vegetables in Pots #DKCanada #Gardening

Over the last year I have grown to appreciate and love gardening. There is something so rewarding when you grow a plant from a seed and harvest it for herbs or vegetables. Grow Vegetables in Pots is a helpful tool for gardeners of all skill level to help plan, design and harvest your own garden all in pots!

About Grow Vegetables in Pots

From a large plot to a small patio, here is a selection of fruits, herbs and vegetables that grow in containers. This colourful guide shows an endless possibility of growing plants in pots. This book is packed with creative ideas and easy to follow techniques.

My Thoughts

This is one of the best gardening books I have ever had the privilege to read. It was easy to read (almost like reading a novel) and starts from the basics up to the more advanced. I found myself planning new areas and plants for our garden while learning some fantastic info – who knew how versatile lettuce was and that it can be literally grown in anything or everywhere!

Some of the best features of Grow Vegetables in Pots are:

large, bright pictures
useful diagrams
step by step instructions that are clear and to the point
the book is broken down by fruit, vegetable and herbs with useful coloured tabs on the side for easy identification
also includes common problems seen by gardeners in their plants

Using the information that I learned in this book, I have started some seeds which includes spinach, parsley and basil. They are just starting to sprout up now.

I also learned how to create my own ‘green house’ effect with a plastic bag over top of the seeds to encourage growth (which I honestly think made the biggest difference for me this year).

I can not wait to get outside this upcoming month and start planting my seeds as well as adding more depth and variety to my garden.

Do you grow your own vegetables? What are your favourite plants to grow?

Disclosure: I received the above mentioned book in order to facilitate this review. All opinions expressed are my own.

April 22, 2015

NAAT Cream with Argan Oil and Macadamia Review

Your hair is one of the first things people will notice about you (besides your teeth!). I want my hair to shine and be as strong as it can be but with the amount of colouring and swimming I do it has become quite the chore. Years of damage have taken its toll on my hair and it is now dry and damaged.

Here is a closer look at what I am dealing with:

While it may be hard to see from this picture I have frizzy, hard to contain hair with dry, damaged ends.

What is Argan Oil?

Argan oil is extracted from the nuts of the argan tree found in southwestern Morocco. It has been used for centuries by Berber women to help neutralize the damaging effects of the extreme hot weather. The argan oil has age defying, restorative properties as well as being high in fatty acids and Vitamin E.

NAAT Cream with Argan Oil and Macadamia

The NAAT Cream comes in a 32.5oz container and is recommended for individuals with dry and frizzy hair. It is a deep conditioning cream with long-lasting frizz control. It replenishes moisture and restores hair’s natural shine and softness. It can be used for everyday use.

So how did it work out?

I loved how soft my hair was! I used the NAAT cream three times a week for two weeks and noticed a significant improvement in the texture and shine of my hair. My hair was softer to the touch and when I went to shower it didn’t immediately turn into a thick and rough mess. This all combined to make styling and combing my hair that much easier after showering.

The application was easy, as you literally scoop out some of the cream and apply. The cream is thick with no smell to it. They recommend waiting three minutes but you can wait up to fifteen minutes for a really deep condition. So in those few minutes it takes to get a good deep condition I used that to practice on my singing skills much to my family’s delight! The container contains over fifty applications which is perfect for so many of us that need those extra treatments. I find that deep conditioning products are usually quite expensive and only come in small containers that you go through more often.

Disclosure: I received the above mentioned product free of charge in exchange for this review. All opinions expressed are my own.