November 13, 2014
Creating Lasting Memories During the Holiday Season With Posterjack #giveaway
A photograph can capture an important milestone, a special secret, a happy moment and so much more. These moments are captured forever on canvas print as a way for us to always hold on to that moment.
The holidays are the perfect time to collect the best memories of the year and have them developed into a canvas print and delivered to a special person in your life.
Canvas prints by Posterjack make not only great gifts to give to Mom and Dad but are also the best Grandparent gifts – I let our kids choose their favourite picture of themselves (sometimes we get lucky and find a great one with Grandma and Grandpa) in order to put it into print and to be framed. They love being able to give their Grandparents such a special token of love on Christmas Day.
For our family, this year will mark our first Christmas without my Grandfather. This will be extremely difficult for all of us but even more so for my Dad. We wanted to capture my Grandpa and I fell in love with this picture (he was so camera shy!) and will be enlarging it for my Dad to give him as a remembrance gift for Christmas this year.
No kids in the house? No problem!
Long before I had children I loved photography. Being able to catch a perfect moment in nature is what I loved the most. A tree bark or pond has the most intricate details if you take the time to stop and look at it.
This holiday season why not treat yourself or a loved one with your own canvas print of your work of art. My office has one wall dedicated to my own photography and it reminds me every day of my passion and to never give up on my dreams.
This holiday season, Posterjack wants to help you turn your work of art into print! They are generously giving one Working Mommy Journal reader a $100 credit to Posterjack.ca!
I am super excited for one of you – I had our wedding photographs put into prints and framed by Posterjack which were so beautiful I cried (and this was four years after my wedding!).
Canadian residents, 18 years of age and older can enter via the Rafllecopter form below. GOOD LUCK!
November 11, 2014
The DK Canada Gift Boutique for Holiday Shopping #giveaway
I love to read as I am sure many of you have figured out by now! Reading takes you to a whole new place, allows you to learn new things as well as enjoy some good quality down time.
One of the best gifts you can give a child is the gift of learning. Children love to explore and learn about their favourite topics. As parents (and aunts, uncles and grandparents!) we are here to nurture this love and have some fun with their learning at the same time!
DK Canada has their spectacular Gift Boutique full of fantastic reads that will be sure to be a hit under the tree this holiday season.
Have a budding scientist in your home? Maybe an animal lover? We are bringing your little learner a fantastic giveaway with two great titles, Utterly Amazing Science and The Animal Book.
These books will have you learning right along with your little one while you explore the world of science and the animal frontier. Both books are in hardcover format so no worries about ruining your book while out on your adventure! They can definitely do some travel time with you.
Utterly Amazing Science takes a look at the core principles of science. Using fun, interactive elements (pop ups, pull outs, flaps) each page in this book features colourful illustrations and fun activities that covers key topics such as force and motion, light and colour, elements and matter. To top it off the book is packed full of interesting facts that will keep your child constantly learning and discovering.
The Smithsonian Animal Book covers the world’s extraordinary diversity of animals. This guide is full of creatures both big and small. A tree of life greets young readers at the beginning of the book charting the complex relationships between species. Every plant and animal is presented in proportion with in-depth pages giving a sense of scale for each animal. This will satisfy the most avid animal lover’s interests! The Animal Book is also a 2014 Mom’s Choice Award Gold Award Winner!
Now Canadian residents can enter to win their own copies of these two incredible books from DK Canada and Working Mommy Journal!
Enter via the Rafflecopter form below – good luck!
November 11, 2014
Protecting Our Eczema Prone Skin with Polysporin #EczemaAndMe #shop
Not familiar with eczema? Here are some of the signs of eczema (don’t forget to always take your child in to see the doctor if you feel they have eczema!):
- patches of chronically itchy,dry, thickened skin
- if scratched these patches can open and bleed (yikes!)
- eczema blisters (nothing is worse than seeing these form on your child – I speak from experience here)
Eczema can interfere with your day to day routine as well as your self confidence. When my arms are at their worst I will cover them with long sleeves because I am embarrassed at the state of them – I don’t want anyone to see the blisters and raw skin. Proper care of our skin as part of a daily routine is essential in order to ensure the flare ups do not occur or lessen the occurrence of the flare ups. This includes using a body wash and lotion designed specifically for eczema prone skin.
Not following Polysporin on Twitter yet? Head over now and follow them to find great tips, deals and more!
November 11, 2014
Lest We Forget #WW w/linky
November 8, 2014
The Woman who Stole my Life by Marian Keyes #review
It is finally here! The new novel, The Woman who Stole my Life, by incredible author Marian Keyes hit stores November 6th, 2014!
About The Woman Who Stole My Life
Stella Sweeney is an ordinary woman living an ordinary life with her husband Ryan and their two teenage children in Dublin. She works with (or really for) her ambitious sister, Karen, in a beauty salon. None of this makes her unhappy but none of it really makes her happy. But then things start to change.
One day, Stella, attempting to do a good deed causes a car accident and faces down a bad tempered, handsome stranger. She hardly thinks twice on this incident. But karma is hovering over her and ready to change Stella’s life forever. She becomes ill and the stranger she hit enters into her life again. Stella’s world is thrown upside down – for better or worse, Stella has a new life. A thrilling, glamorous life – a life that others may covet.
My Thoughts
I fell in love with this novel within the first two chapters. Marian Keyes has the most fantastic writing style where each sentence feels like a conversation with the character – as if you are right there beside her experiencing each and every moment. Marian’s characters become a best friend – one that you can find yourself laughing with as well as crying with as you relate to the personal experiences that Stella is going through.
The story is told in the beginning in glimpses of present and past giving a very unique perspective into Stella’s life and how her mind works. Stella is just an ordinary mother and wife. She wants her children to exceed and puts the needs of her family before her own. She loves her snacks, her humour and the comfort of it all. She just does not realize how much happier she could be. When she realizes this and acts on her decision (an extremely brave act!) her whole world changes – the once selfless mother realizes in order to be happy she needs to follow her own heart. Without giving too much away, it is her own act of moving away from the wife role to follow her own dreams that we see the title of the book come in to play.
I loved this novel from start to finish. It was a novel that I lost myself in (literally – I did not put it down until 3am and I was suffering for it the next day at work!). At so many times I felt like I could relate to Stella and wanted to reach out and hug her (maybe have that glass of wine or two with her!).
Marian Keyes went above and beyond in her new novel, The Woman who Stole my Life, is one of her best pieces of work that you will fall in love and will want to read over and over again.
Rating: 5/5
If you are not following yet, make sure to check Penguin Canada on Twitter as well as Marian Keyes!!
Disclosure: I received an advanced copy of this book in order to facilitate this review. All opinions expressed are my own.