GuruShots

Today we are talking about an app called GuruShots. It is a very fun app and great for any type of photographer. It is very simple. You upload your photos and they are stored on your profile. From there you can browse the challenges they offer and join the ones that match up to any or all the photos you take. Some examples of challenges they have are: "Quiet Moments", "Benches", "Architecture in Black and White", and may others. They have a wide range of challenges so that everyone can find multiple ones that fit their style. It s sort of like a game with your own photography and it can quickly turn into a scavenger hunt to get the perfect shot! 

Canon EOS Rebel T5

Today we are talking about the Canon Rebel T5. It is a great little camera, my first, and it works perfectly for your basic everyday needs. The descrption on the Canon website reads as follows: "Perfect for families, budding photo enthusiasts and first-time SLR users alike, the EOS Rebel T5 makes it easy to capture movies and photos that are nothing short of dazzling. It features a powerful 18.0 Megapixel CMOS (APS-C) image sensor and Canon’s DIGIC 4 Image Processor for easy recording of HD video and high-resolution photos and has a huge 3.0-inch LCD screen for Live View recording and review. With a 63-zone, Dual-layer metering system, an expanded ISO range for outstanding operation in less-than-perfect light, shooting modes like Scene Intelligent Auto to take the guesswork out of complex shots plus creative options like Canon's Basic+ function and Creative Auto, the EOS Rebel T5 is ready for anything. With a helpful Feature Guide, rugged, lightweight construction and proven Canon design, the EOS Rebel T5 makes EOS SLR photography faster and easier than ever!"

Keep an eye on sales near you! 

Royalty Soaps

Today we are talking about Royalty Soaps! Katie Carson is one of the most amazing soapers you can find! She is so cute, her southern charm comes through and she is always so bubbly and happy it's contagious! She is very empowering, and is a huge supporter of other soap makers. She shares her recipe in every video she makes and though she doesn't give step by step video tutorials, her videos are amazing and addictive to watch.

Her soaps are always beautiful, she is known for doing high top soaps most, with beautiful piping on top and glitter, but she also has some low top soaps. In her videos she always shares about her life and stories she has to tell. She does a great job of sharing herself and craft with her audience. 

You can find her on Youtube, Instagram (she has two - one for Royalty Soaps @royaltysoaps and one for personal stuff @katiewcarson) and on her own personal website (below).

Bernard Cornwell

Today we are talking about Bernard Cornwell. Cornwell is a British Author most commonly known for his historical fiction books like the Sharpe Stories (a television series by ITV), The Grail Quest Novels, The Last Kingdom Stories (a TV show on BBC), and other series and novels. 

Cornwell was born in London in 1944 and adopted by an Essex family, who were members of the Peculiar People. After the passing of his adoptive father, (Mr. Wiggins), Bernard took on the last name Cornwell in honor of his birth mother's maiden name. Prior to tha,t he had used Bernard Cornwell as a pen name.

His first series of novels followed the adventures of Richard Sharpe, a soldier from the Napoleonic Wars (the War of 1812 in North America), focusing specifically on the Iberian Peninsula. There are a total of 24 novels in this series. His next series is the Warlord Chronicles and they take place in a historical re-creation of Arthurian Britain. His next series include the Grail Quest Novels, Thomas Hookton goes in search of the Holy Grail, The Saxon Stories (The Last Kingdom), again set in the Anglo-Saxton kingdom of Wessex. The Starbuck Chronicles, set during the American Civil War, and the Thriller series; a set of modern mysteries all with sailing themes.

Penzu

Today we are talking about Penzu. Penzu is an online journal or diary where you can write anything and everything. It is completely private, only for you to see, you can even put specific locks on your journals. It is completely free, but there are some upgrade options. None of them affect your writing ability at all though, they are more of a cosmetic design. 

Everyday Penzu will send you an email (if you wish, you can always tell it not to), and it will remind you to write a journal entry. It will ask you about your day, and if you are too busy to go directly to their website, you can simply reply to their email and they will add the entry for you! 

Wix.com

Today we are talking about Wix.com! It goes without saying that we fully recommend their services. We built this entire website ourselves in just a few months. It is very easy to use, and you control everything. All your content, can be placed on a Wix site and they offer many apps to help you in whatever field you are in. Also it is free, or you can upgrade, depending on what your needs are! 

Art 101 142 Piece Wood Set

Today we are talking about an Art set from Amazon. It is called Art 101 142-Piece Wood Set. It includes Pencils, Wax Crayons, Oil Pastels, Paint Pallets, a sharpener, eraser, two paint brushes and two regular pencils. I personally own this set and it works beautifully. The pencils are not the best made, you can tell when you sharpen them that it eats up a lot of the wood but they work fine. The box is beautiful and a great keepsake even after all the art supplies are used up. You can find it on Amazon for $39.00 and it ships for free! 

Streamer Spotlight: Gerbiez

Gerbiez is an up and coming streamer on Twitch.TV from Canada. He plays and speed runs a variety of platformers generally from the Nintendo 64 era including speed running Super Mario 64. Gerbiez strives to have a positive atmosphere in his Twitch Community. His goal is to become a full time streamer on Twitch.

Gerbiez streams Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Sundays with an 11:00PM EST Start.

E. L James

E.L James really broke out into the literary world with her Fifty Shades of Grey Series. Though it has been the topic of many discussions, some good and some bad, there is no question that the book series and the author have become insanely popular overnight. E.L James credits Stephenie Meyer's Twilight Series as the inspiration for her books, however, Anastasia Steele and Christian Grey are worlds apart from Edward and Bella. 

The story of Christian Grey and Ana Steele is often interpreted in different ways. Though some would disagree, simply put Christian and Ana find themselves trying to make their "Adult" relationship work. Ana isn't use to the life Christian leads and Christian isn't used to feeling how he feels about Ana. 

If you are ready for a new type of "romance" series and are open minded we encourage you to try this series!  

Soap Making Starter Kit

Today we are talking about a starter kit of sorts for soap making. This kit is available on Amazon, it is four pieces. It includes the mold (and the liner), two cutters and a cutter box. This is great for melt and pour of course and you can use it with cold process too. Of course with cold process you will need more safety items. But it is a great way to get your feet wet and it is slightly cheaper then buying all the items individually. 

Mystic Moments (UK)

Today we are talking about Mystic Moments. They are a UK company that specializes in Essential and Fragrance oils (amount other things). Unfortunately, being in Canada can make it hard to start any kind of Bath and Body company and it can be hard to just find oils even. Naturally, our first choice would be TKB or BrambleBerry but unfortunately shipping them up to Canada can cost a small fortune! What's great about Mystic Moments is even though they are stationed in the UK, they offer their scents on Amazon.ca and they ship for free. 

Lynsay Sands

Lynsay Sands is a Canadian Author and though that may mean she is not as well known as the other authors on our list, she is still among the best when it comes to fantasy and historical romance writing. Sands is mostly known for her Argeneau Series following a modern family of Vampires. But she is also known for her Highlander Series and her historical standalone novels. The popularity of the Argeneau series and the number of books in the series called for Lynsay Sands to make an Argeneau family tree for them all! Which may be helpful when reading her books! But it won't be long before you fall in love with every last vampire and won't need the tree anymore.

That Woman by Anne Sebba

Today we are talking about a novel called That Woman by Anne Sebba. "That Woman" followed the life of Bessie Wallis Warfield. Not many may recognize that name. She was better known as Wallis Simpson, Duchess of Windsor. She is not one of the better-known members of the royal family. She is known in history as the woman that King Edward VII abdicated the throne for. 

King Edward VII was the son of King George V and brother to King George VI (Queen Victoria's father). King Edward is known as the only King to ever abdicate the throne for. Many people (in that time) saw his marriage to Wallis Simpson as a disgrace to the throne because of her marital status. 

Wallis Simpson was a twice-divorced American and as King, Edward was ultimately the Church of England. It was frowned upon to marry a divorced woman (whose two husbands were still living) but to do so as the head of the Church of England was impossible. Ultimately, Edward abdicated and the throne passed on to King George. Since 1937, Wallis Simpson was known as the woman that cost the nation a king. 

This book is a very historical book. Anyone interested in history, the royal family or just biographies, in general, should enjoy this book. You can also see her story touched upon slightly in "The King's Speech". If that movie, or "The Queen" or "The Crown" interest you, you should enjoy this book also. 

Wednesday Review - Marked (Book Review)

With Vampires getting a new make over in the last ten years. Marked (A House of Night Novel) by P.C Cast and Kristin Cast adds a twist all its own to the new kinds of Vampires. The series follows Zoey Redbird, a 16 year old girl who has just become a "fledging" vampyre. In this universe that means she is required to attend the House of Night boarding school. The school is set up to help adolescents on their transformation into being a vampire. 

But Zoey isn't any regular Fledging. She has been marked with a crescent moon on her forehead and she has been marked by the vampyre Goddess Nyx. She has affinities for all five elements: Air, Fire, Water, Earth and Spirit. In the first book of this series (Marker) we meet Zoey and learn more about her life and the vampyre world around her.

This is a good teenager/young adult book but some adults may enjoy it also.

Pure Soapmaking: How to Create Nourishing, Natural Skin Care Soap

Today we are talking about a book called Pure Soapmaking by Anne-Marie Faiola. Anne-Marie is known for being the woman behind Soap Queen and the spokesperson, CEO and Founder of BrambleBerry.com. IF there was ever an "expert" on soap-making it is her and she shares her knowledge, her safety tips and 32 recipes in her latest book. This book is a great buy for beginners and even the more experienced of soap-makers. 

George R. R. Martin

George Raymond Richard Martin is best known for his book series called A Song of Ice and Fire. Many people may not recognize that title but it was later adapted into a television series called Game of Thrones. George Martin is called "the American Tolkien" because of his writing style and ability to tell a story. Martin focuses on science fiction stories and historic story writing. Before writing Novels and amazing series that would captivate tv audiences Martin was known for his short stories and novellas. Martin is undoubtedly most known for his Game of Throne series (A Song of Ice and Fire) and has put most of his efforts into creating more content for the series with two new novels and a new novella forthcoming. 

Me and My Big Ideas - Stickers (Foil)

These stickers are beautiful and elegant and would be a great way to secure any photo to a scrapbook page or to a card. Whether it is normal or not, two sheets of stickers come with this order. And they are beautiful, easy to work with, stick well and are at a good price $3.95 (CAN). Of course, because it is shipped by Amazon it ships for free with orders over certain amounts. 

Recommendation Wednesday - Crayola Markers

As I mentioned in our CAL post yesterday, dried markers can be a disaster. Especially, if you are in the middle of a project. I love Crayola, I think everyone does. It is the go to company for everything creative! I made the mistake of buying markers from a pharmacy midway through the school year. Usually, places that don't carry items regularly are not the best places to buy such things. 

That is why today we are recommending Crayola Markers from Amazon.ca! On Amazon you can add Crayola Markers to your order as an add-on item for as little as $3.97 CAN and if you have Prime they will be delivered within two days. And Amazon is known for their amazing customer service. If you have any problems with them Amazon will make it right! 

Recommendation Wednesday - Dan Brown

Today, we are talking about Dan Brown. Dan Brown and his novels have become a worldwide phenomenon almost overnight. Brown's enthralling tales give a new and very realistic twist to common conspiracy theories that will have anyone questioning just what is real and what is fiction. The series of books following Robert Langon are without a doubt Brown's most popular books and most well known. However, Brown has written other stand-alone books that will make any thrill seeker enjoy another adventure from the brilliant mind of Dan Brown. The Langdon Series started with Angels and Demons and the conspiracy theory of The Illuminati, followed by The Da Vinci Code which touches on the conspiracy theory of Jesus's Wife. The next book The Lost Symbols shines light on the Free Masons and conspiracies that surround the organization, followed by Inferno dabbling with theories based on Dante's Inferno and finally, Brown's new book Origin.

Recommendation Wednesday - Soapmaking Equipment

Today for Recommendation Wednesday, we are talking about a "kit" we found on Amazon. This may not be the best kit out there (especially if you are in the United States) but for Canadians we found this kit very well priced and good for beginners. 

This is a set on Amazon, not exactly a kit, but it includes a Soap Mold (Silicone), a wooden loaf cutter box (adjustable), and two cutters (straight and crinkled). This is a great starting step for beginners and for $62.89 it is a great deal. If you would buy them individually, they would come up to much more. Plus the shipping is free and amazon is usually very great with returns if you are unsatisfied.