Melissa's Idea Garden

I have long enjoyed playing Civilizationon the PC, as have my husband and Jack. In fact, Jack has been playing for years and I can remember going to museum exhibits and he recognizing people from the past based on his Civilization play. Civilization is highly fun, educational, and addictive!

After my less than happy experience with Myst, which I purchased earlier this month, I went online and did some research. I didn't even know there was a Civilization game for the DS. So I added it to my cart. Last night I played my first game and actually completed it in 2 1/2 hours and had a blast. Civilization Revolution is a little simpler than the PC versions, but I had a great time with it. They have added some new components (great persons for one) and I really enjoyed that. Also, each time I went to build something, I didn't have to go to another screen to see how it would help me, it was right there where I was looking. There are four ways you can win...economic, cultural, domination and space race. I won the cultural way, but was building the final building to complete the economic win and I also was working on the space components. It was so much fun! I can't wait to play again!

I give this game five stars out of five! Jack is loving it too!

Posted by Melissa Markham at 6:16 PM | Permalink

When I was a kid, cars still were very distinctive in appearance. Most of them. Nowadays, most of the vehicles on the road resemble one another. Why else would we get lost wandering about parking lots looking for our car? When I drove a 1976 Monte Carlo, it was easy to spot. When I drove a 1984 Monte Carlo SS...I never had problems finding my car. My mom's 1966 Olds Cutlass Supreme was easy to find.

Nowadays, more and more cars resemble each other. They are kind of boxy and unappealing, but never fear, there are ways to help your vehicle stand out in a crowd. Chack out Asanti grills and Asanti Body Styling Kits and Wheels and Rims. Your car will be styling and standing out from the crowd!

Posted by Melissa Markham at 12:03 PM | Permalink | Comments (4)

Hunting Blinds are useful in hunting and wildlife observation. The Texas Hunter online catalog offers the highest quality hunting blinds and deer blinds they can find at an affordable price - the ones they use themselves. They combine quality merchandise with one-on-one personal service and strive to deliver both at highly competitive prices. In fact, you can build your own blind, but by the time you calculate your time spent and the money spent, it is probably cheaper to purchase one already built.

The Texas Hunter Catalog also offers ATVs, game feeders, and many other items that hunters and wildlife experts will find useful.

Posted by Melissa Markham at 3:18 PM | Permalink

When I was a kid, my dad and I would play a variety of card games. Mostly we played rummy or rook, but sometimes we played Blackjack or Poker. We had some plastic poker chips that we played with. It was fun and I guess Dad had learned to play these games when he was in the Army. Playing with the chips added an extra element of excitement and fun. Today, I have some chips just like them for the times when we sit around playing a little Blackjack.

However, if you know someone who is more serious about their game playing, they may appreciate having a set of Custom Ceramic Poker Chips. These chips can hold whatever custom design you want to put on them. A person's name, a symbol for a persons business, initials, a special date. And, don't be limited to using the poker chips for just playing poker. They could make a lovely giveaway item to promote your business. They would be a novely and stick out in people's memories.

There are other items besides ceramic poker chips at pokerchips.com. You can find clay poker chips, casino inlay poker chips, economic poker chips, cards, poker chip holders, poker tables and more. It someone in your home enjoys a poker night, any of these items would make a fun and unusual gift.

Posted by Melissa Markham at 4:28 PM | Permalink

Do you have an interest in law? Do you enjoy following celebrity legal cases? Then you may want to spend some time checking out the Los Angeles Criminal Defense Blog | California Criminal Attorneys Law Blog. When you visit that blog, you can get information about all kinds of legal situations. Such, as what do you do when approached by a police officer? What is a grand jury?

Learn more about Internet crimes, prosecutor's burden of proof and celebrity or high-profile cases. There are categories that cover drug offenses, DUIs, Domestic violence, white collar crime, and more. It is not always easy to obtain legal information and if you go directly to an attorney, they want to charge by the hour. This blog is one way that you can get some valid legal information from real people that will respond to your comments.

Posted by Melissa Markham at 4:42 PM | Permalink

Whether you want to send gifts to business customers or to family and friends far away, one great option is a gift basket. You can choose a gift basket that is themed depending on a friend or family's taste. It can be as big or as little as your budget allows. We have been both on the receiving end of gift baskets and the giving end of baskets. We always enjoy receiving them and people have always thanked us for sending them.

Delightful Deliveries is a wonderful source for your gift basket needs and they currently are offering free shipping on thousands of delicious gifts! They offer everything from Wine Gift Baskets to Hannukah gift baskets to birthday gift baskets to thank you gifts and more! Check out the following press release. Delightful Deliveries has been ranked as among the best internet retailers in the nation.

Continue reading "Need To Send Gifts Far Away? Try Delightful Deliveries!" »

Posted by Melissa Markham at 7:26 PM | Permalink

Have you ever contemplated how much fun a pair of night vision goggles would be? Think of it, you could wear them and go hiking. You could leave before dawn, hike to the top of a ridge (and be able to see where you were walking). Then you could arrive at the top of the ridge and watch the sun come up.

Or maybe your kids want to have a fun time playing hide-n-seek after dark. Have a hard time getting all of your work done, or maybe you don't like the heat? Then you could mow in the evening when the sun goes down! My Dad is a hunter, perhaps night vision goggles would help him to find his way to his tree stand in the early dawn hours. Think about it! Night Vision Goggles would definitely be a different gift than normal. OpticPlanets.com has a huge selection to choose from too!

And don't worry, if you don't think night vision goggles would be particularly fun, you could always check out OpticPlanets other fine products: flashlights, microscopes, telescopes, binoculars, cameras, rifle scopes and more. If you are at a loss for gift ideas, OpticPlanets has Unique Holiday Gift Ideas as well as a list of bestsellers and top picks.

Posted by Melissa Markham at 5:46 PM | Permalink

So, do you use a Captcha to help screen your blog's visitors? Have you tried PPC to increase traffic to your website or to make some money on your blog? Is your PR good?

Did you know that invisible text, cloaking and doorway pages can lead to the Google Death Penalty?

Have you considered working on your Meta Tag or your Keyword density in order to drive more traffic to your blog or website? Do you take advantage of website's RSS feeds so that you can keep up with your favorite websites latest postings and so that others can keep up with yours?

What? You don't have the foggiest idea of what I am talking about? Or maybe you have a small clue, but you aren't totally sure? I am not speaking Greek...I promise! Instead, I am speaking 'techy' lingo. And in the world of blogging and websites you are in need of a glossary to keep you current and in the know! For instance, I didn't even know that Google had a death penalty! Though I have become intimately familiar with their unfair PR practices recently! My husband has used PPC for one of his inventions (through Google), but next time says that he is going to check into a company like Dallas SEO to help him promote whatever his project is.

Don't be caught with that deer in the headlight expression the next time you are chatting with other bloggers and web designers! Be in the know with a Search Engine Marketing Glossary.

Posted by Melissa Markham at 2:36 PM | Permalink

Are you or someone in your home wishing for a puppy or two this Christmas? You know...under the tree with a sweet red bow tied around their fluffy neck? Maybe you want an AKC registered puppy. One that has a history that you can follow. One that has been bred for certain traits. Free puppies are wonderful, but you don't always know what you are getting. It may look like a golden retriever, but have the temperament of a doberman pincer. Or it may be sickly and you not know it. While puppies from a breeder cannot be guaranteed to be perfect (after all, there are always glitches), you are going to have a much better chance of getting the dog of your dreams.

Also, the benefit of purchasing a puppy from a breeder is that a breeder knows that puppy inside and out. If you go to a pet store to buy your puppy, you really don't know the background of that animal or how it was treated. If you go to a breeder, they have been with the puppy since day one and they usually specialize in just a few types of dogs so they know them and their personality well! Breeders will be there with you for the long haul. Keep in touch with them. They will happily answer questions about your puppy's growth. If you go with a breeder that is registered with the AKC, they have to follow stringent guidelines and their operation is regularly inspected by the AKC. Good breeders usually offer guarantees on their animals too.

If you are looking for a small animal (for inside a house or apartment), consider Yorkie puppies for sale or maltese puppies. More and more people are adopting the smaller animals. They are easy to take care of and travel well.

Whichever kind of puppy you are looking for, be sure to consider a breeder. Adopting an animal is a big decision and one that will be with you for a long time. Don't make the decision and choice lightly. And remember, spay and neuter your pets!

Posted by Melissa Markham at 10:33 AM | Permalink

Do you like taking quizzes and finding out which celebrity you are? What song you are? What book character you are? Then once you find the answers to the quesitons, you can put the code into a post and share your quiz results with the world!

Do you like making quizzes for others to take? Maybe you like to come up with the cool questions and possible 'you are.....' based on those quiz answers? Who knows, you could create the quiz that everyone would be dying to take!

People who blog want to stake a claim in the internet world. They want to share with their friends. They want their friends to know what's going on in their lives. They want their friends to know more about their personalities. Many bloggers who are blogging for social reasons also tend to decorate their blog. They put awards, photos, and quiz results in their sidebars and it is their way of yelling to the world 'this is me!'

Continue reading "Quizzes - Take them and Create Them!" »

Posted by Melissa Markham at 9:36 PM | Permalink

When my father got remarried, he and Dianne had purchased disposable cameras from Sam's and set them on the tables at the reception. I thought this was such a cool idea! And what a great way to get a variety of pictures and to increase the chances of getting a decent photo or two! The idea is that the guests will leave the cameras on the table and the bride and groom will get the photos developed. This is a swell idea for those getting married, but the photographers don't get to see their handiwork. And sometimes the cameras disappear...perhaps by a well meaning guest who plans to develop the photos or perhaps by a not so well meaning guest. Either way, there are flaws with this plan.

Enter ITheeSnap.com! You simply sign up for how many wedding cameras you want to have delivered to you for your wedding. They arrive in a box, you set them out. People take the pictures and you return them in the provided postage paid box. You get to even choose the design on the camera so they will match your wedding colors! The film will then be developed and 4 x 6 prints as well as a photo DVD will be sent to the newlyweds. There will also be a secure website where your guests can view the photos, download them and comment on them. The really cool thing is you pay up front for the cameras. All of the rest...the shipping, the developing, the prints, the DVD, the website are FREE! This is a great help when dealing with a wedding budget.

Not only is this service as easy as 1, 2, 3...there aren't hidden costs or extra money for you to come up with when you return from your honeymoon! Just great candid shots that you and your family and friends can enjoy!

For more information, read this recent press release!

Continue reading "One Less Wedding Hassle - ITheeSnap.com!" »

Posted by Melissa Markham at 3:42 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

If you are an outdoor enthusiast (yes, you know who you are), then you know how important quality clothing can be when you are out in the elements. You need clothes that will keep you warm, protect you from the elements and not tear easily. Perhaps your sport/hobby requries you to stand out and you need bright clothing or perhaps, you prefer to have a more camouflaged appearance so you blend in with nature. Either way, you will be able to find what you are looking for at Moosejaw.

One of the many brands of clothing that Moosejaw carries is volcom clothing. Volcom clothing first appeared in the early nineties. The clothing is highly rated for its breathability, weatherproofed fabric, and fun design. They carry dozens of other name brands. If you haven't visited Moosejaw, consider stopping there for your clothing needs.

Posted by Melissa Markham at 9:49 AM | Permalink

There are things in our lives that don't last forever, but that we need. One of these things is an automobile. We tend to buy used cars and have been fortunate enough to always have cash on hand to purchase them with. But this is not always the case for everyone. Sometimes whether you are purchasing a new or used vehicle, you need to get an Auto Loan. I recently read an article that suggested applying for your auto loan before going to get your car. If you do that, you are in better bargaining power with the automotive guy as you have a check in hand and you will probably get better interest rates than if you go through the automotive financial office.

Other things can pop up in life that lead to a need for you to apply for credit. Medical emergencies, home repair needs, burial expenses, other emergencies of life. When these needs arise, you may or may not have a good credit history, but that doesn't make the need for money any less real. So what do you do? There are financial resources that help people get Bad Credit Loans. If you find yourself in the need of funds, and you have a steady job, Complete Loan Source may be able to help you.

A huge benefit of working with an online loan company is that you can fill out forms and so forth when you are at home or on your break. You don't have to take time off from work or spend hours in a bank office trying to jump through the necessary hoops. And it is not quite as nervewracking when you are filling out forms on a computer screen.

Posted by Melissa Markham at 2:31 PM | Permalink

Whether you are in the military, federal law enforcement, or a local law enforcement agency, there are supplies that you need that are not always easy to find. Tactical eyewear, knives, clothing, and gloves for superior protection. A galco holster for securely carrying your weapon (whether it is a shoulder holster, ankle holster, belt holster or a purse is another important part of your attire. Footwear, gearbags, and other accesories that are on your shopping list all can be found at 5.11 Tactical Outdoors.

They also have some great freebies they are currently offering. Buy a pair of 5.11 boots and get three pair of socks free (for every pair purchased!). Order over $50 worth of merchandise and qualify for free ground shipping. Order over $100 worth of merchandise and receive a free tactical opps flashlight.

Posted by Melissa Markham at 10:11 AM | Permalink

Early on in my marriage, my husband and I faced financial crisis. We had more bills than we could comfortably pay, so we sought help through our local consumer credit services. It has been more than 10 years, so I don't remember the name, but they were in the same building as the United Way and the debt counselling was free. We took all of our papers. Showed what we made, what bills we had and asked for help. In our situation, we were told there wasn't any help to be had. We needed the credit cards to be available for emergencies and to go through Consumer Credit Counselling would lead to shutting down of the cards. We were better off paying the late fees and finance charges than we were trying to consolidate. This was not the answer we wanted to hear. So a couple of years later when we ended up having to declare bankruptcy due to my husband not being paid for a couple of month's worth of work, we didn't even bother to go back to them, because we expected the same answer.

Now, more people are floundering under debt issues than ever before. Credit bills go higher and higher, income doesn't match it and pretty soon we are in over our heads. Every state now has tons of companies that offer to help you repair your credit score, consolidate your debts, and get out from under. I am glad to know that there is help with Virginia Credit Card Debt as there is in states across the country.For example if you live in California you would want to check out California credit debt.

If you find yourself stressed out because of bills or unable to get a home loan because of past problems, take a moment and check for credit card debt help near you. Get your feet back on the right track and get the monkey off of your back. Just remember, once you go through these steps, don't make the same mistakes again. Use credit wisely. Don't buy things you don't need unless you have the money in hand. Credit can be a great benefit if used wisely.

Posted by Melissa Markham at 9:56 AM | Permalink

None of us like to think about the fact that we will one day die. Wills, life insurance, guardianships for our children are all things that we tend to put on the back burner. It is almost like we believe that if we don't do something about it,the event won't come to pass. And conversely, it is like we believe if we do make those preparations, we are tempting fate. In fact the opposite is true. In homes around the world, spouses, children and even parents are relying on you. What if the unthinkable were to happen and you were to be involved in a fatal accident? Would your family be taken care of? Don't put your family in a situation where they are not only having to grieve for you, but they are wondering if they are going to be kicked out of their home.

Don't know where to start? Which type of life insurance to get? Let Advantage Life Insurance Company help. They can explain the different types of policies that are available. They will help you save money on insurance. Whether you want whole life insurance policay or a term life insurance policy. Whether you are overweight or a smoker, they can help you protect your families future.

Posted by Melissa Markham at 10:27 AM | Permalink

I received a free sample of Curel Ultra Healing Lotion from Walmart last week. I love the Walmart free samples page because it gives me a chance to check out a product without buying the whole thing.

I have dry skin and in the winter I suffer even more. Usually once or twice a winter my fingers will crack and bleed. My husband fusses about my 'crusty' feet and I hate my 'rusty' elbows and knees. My hands would never pass a dove commercial, they lines in them are already pronounced. So I am always looking for a lotion to help with my issues.

I tried the Curel-ultra healing lotion. The brochure I received said that it can't help but be drawn to dry skin. Its dermatologist-teste formula contains a positive charge that is attracted to dry skin's negative charge, giving you the right amount of moisture right where you need it. It penetrates deeper for complete all-over comfort without that greasy feel. It also claims to heal dry skin 5X better than Eucerin Original Moisturizing Creme in just one use. And it is supposed to last for 24 hours!

So I gave it a whirl and I have to say, it seems to be everything it claims. My skin felt silky, not just for 24 hours, but for about 36 hours. Unfortunately, I only had enough for one application, but I liked it enough, that I will be adding it to my shopping cart in the near future! Thanks, Curel!

Posted by Melissa Markham at 11:00 PM | Permalink

GreenRoad Technologies has a product that is being hailed by businesses and insurance companies across the country. Their product provides private in car feedback to the driver so the driver of the vehicle knows what they are doing wrong and can improve it.

When we go through driver's training in school, there is a lot of information given to us in a short amount of time. Plus we are more excited about the act of driving than learning how to do it correctly. Most states have increased the times that teens practice behind the wheel training, but that does have one flaw. As adults, we were once those anxious teens ourselves and we have probably developed poor driving habits over the years that we may then pass on to our children.

The GreenRoad system will bypass that and make us all better drivers and help to make the road a safer place to be. Check out these statistics!

Their customers have achieved dramatic results:

54% reduction in driver crashes
42% reduction in at fault crashes
50% reduction in risky teen
driving behavior
7% reduction in fuel consumption

Posted by Melissa Markham at 9:43 AM | Permalink

Since the 1950's, currents and prevailing winds have been collecting trash and depositing it into an ever growing island in the Pacific between San Francisco and Hawaii. This floating island of trash weighs approximately 3 1/2 tons and is twice as large as the state of Texas.

There is currently no way to clean it up, but there are suggestions of things we can do to prevent the island from growing any larger:

Limit your use of plastics when possible. Plastic doesn't easily degrade and can kill sea life.

Use a reusable bag when shopping. Throwaway bags can easily blow into the ocean.

Take your trash with you when you leave the beach.

Make sure your trash bins are securely closed. Keep all trash in closed bags.

Posted by Melissa Markham at 3:12 PM | Permalink

Is there anything that feels better on a chilly morning than a nice warm shower? Particularly one where the water streams out of the shower head? We have an adjustable shower head in our shower and you can change the settings so that it gives you a pulsating massage or something more like a gentle rain, or a few settings in between. Our shower head is about 12 years old. It doesn't have the oomph that it used to have as it has filled up a bit with the wonderful minerals that come along through the pipes with our water. We have a filter, but some still gets through. The water doesn't come through with the same power it used to and the showers are a little less invigorating.

So I have been looking around at shower heads online. Just to see what new inventions they have come up with in the last dozen years. I remember on a trip to Newport, Rhode Island that we saw a home that had hot and cold fresh and salt water spiggots. That was cool!

Check out this dual mermaid shower head. You can run them both at the same time, or turn one off. One shower head can be detached and used as a hand shower. Both shower heads come with four settings: full spray, turbo spray, pulsator spray, and champagne spray! With two heads, it will feel like I am going through a car wash!

What type of shower head do you like? Have you head experience with dual shower heads? I would love to hear your story!

Posted by Melissa Markham at 11:12 PM | Permalink

I wrote a few days ago about how we are having to be involved with some fundraisers this year due to our involvement with our church youth group and 4-H. the 4-H group is looking for more fundraising ideas for later in the year and I found a site that interested me. I really don't care for the popcorn, special candies, or teeny candles fundraisers that I have run across in the past.

ARC Marketing does have some fundraising options that interest me. They have a variety of personalized silicone bracelets and custom car magnets. And if you haven't seen either of these items in your daily wanderings, you are not looking about you.

Custom car magnets show everything from support for Breast Cancer research to support of our troops to showing the world which football team you support. These magnets can be in the shape of ribbons, pawprints, or have your personalized logo printed on them.

The silicone bracelets come in a variety of colors and can show things such as an allergy, your school affiliation, or your favorite sports team.

ARC Marketing provides a quality product at a great price. For example, the standard cost for a silicone bracelet is 85 cents. Most people sell them for $2 or $3. This is a great way to make money and easy too. Most kids have a couple of bucks on them and are delighted to buy a personalized item such as a bracelet. For an order of 300 magnets, the price per magnet is $2.17. But if you order more magnets than that, the price decreases. Most organizations sell the magnets for $5.00. When was the last time you did a fundraiser that you could get excited about and make 100% profit on?!?!?

I will be passing the ARC Marketing website information along to our 4-H club at our next meeting.

Posted by Melissa Markham at 4:56 PM | Permalink

Man, I wish I had known about this site when I put two used xbox 360 video games up on eBay a couple of weeks ago! It would have saved me a lot of hassle and I would have made the same amount of money or maybe more!

PlayerChain offers free sign up which enables you to browse around. Then, if you decide this is the site for you, you can purchase the membership that best suits you and you can start buying, selling or trading. They have a huge database which encompasses everything from the new Wii, XBox 360 and PS3 all the way back to SuperNintendo, PS1, and XBox. And they handle Nintendo DS games as well!

Continue reading "Getting the Most for Your Used Video Games" »

Posted by Melissa Markham at 12:07 PM | Permalink

If you have been reading my blog for any amount of time, you know that I am all about trying to find ways to save money to help out with our household expenses. And in my searching and sharing, I have learned that Everybody Loves Coupons, The blog of UltimateCoupons.com, is giving away a Nintendo Wii plus one game (Mario Party 8). People can enter through October 31, 2007

Not only do they offer coupons, coupon codes, and sweepstakes, but you can subscribe to their newsletter and get information periodically about wonderful deals.

For example, they have a sweepstakes where you can potentially win $200! Just for entering! The easiest $200 you will ever make! They have grocery coupons, store coupons, product coupons. The site is well organized so you can quickly find exactly what you are looking for and find out if there is a coupon for it.

Wondering about that Wii pacakge? well click on the Halloween section and surprise! There is the opportunity for you to win a Wii from their blog. They also have about a dozen options for great Halloween deals. They do this for a variety of other items and stores are well! Go check it out and start saving money today! Don't forget to enter those sweepstakes!

Posted by Melissa Markham at 4:49 PM | Permalink

In recent years, personalized childrens books have become a popular choice for gifts for children. We have never purchased such an item, but I have thought they looked pretty neat and like something that children would enjoy tremendously.

I had the opportunity a couple of weeks ago to receive a free book or CD-Rom for one of my children to review. I filled out a form indicating my son's name, nickname, his two closet friend's names, his hair color and eye color and my hair and eye color. Then I was allowed to say which four titles I thought my son would enjoy most. What I didn't know was whether we would receive a CD-rom or a book. On Friday, this arrived in the mail:

My Lucky Leprechaun.

Continue reading "Personalized Children's Books" »

Posted by Melissa Markham at 10:17 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (1)

In the interest of letting my blog readers know that some of my posts are written for compensation (either cash or products) I am posting my disclosure policy. The below is the legal information. I want you to know that I will not be doing any posts that I feel aren't family friendly or that I personally don't agree with or find interesting. Thanks for understanding that this is a way I can increase our single family income and relieve some pressure from the main bread winner.

This policy is valid from 04 October 2007

This blog is a personal blog written and edited by me. For questions about this blog, please contact Melissa Markham at melissamarkham@takethemat(dot)com.

This blog accepts forms of cash advertising, sponsorship, paid insertions or other forms of compensation.

That advertising content, advertising space or post may not always be identified as paid or sponsored content.

The owner(s) of this blog is compensated to provide opinion on products, services, websites and various other topics. Even though the owner(s) of this blog receives compensation for our posts or advertisements, we always give our honest opinions, findings, beliefs, or experiences on those topics or products. The views and opinions expressed on this blog are purely the bloggers' own. Any product claim, statistic, quote or other representation about a product or service should be verified with the manufacturer, provider or party in question.

This blog does contain content which might present a conflict of interest. This content may not always be identified.

To get your own policy, go to Disclosure Policy.org

Posted by Melissa Markham at 11:09 AM | Permalink

This is a preview to what is going to be happening here at Yesterday's Hopes for the month of October. I have written three ebooks. The Komodo Dragon, The Ruby-Throated Hummingbird, and The American Bison. For the month of October, i will be offering a chance at prizes and the opportunity to support Habitat for Humanity in New Orleans for anyone who buys one or more of my products. In addition to the three ebooks, I also have a recipe cd that contains over 460 recipes and a friend of mine has provided a website where you can learn all about selling on Ebay.

To help me get this started off, Laura at Laura Williams' Musings is hosting a contest where you can have a chance to win all three of my ebooks for free! And just so you don't have to take my word for it that these are great products, she has provided reviews! You can check them out here at the links below!

Ruby-Throated Hummingbird Ebook

American Bison Ebook

Komodo Dragons Ebook

M.O.M.'s Recipes CD

Posted by Melissa Markham at 10:19 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)

Today was a fun mail day. I received two fun packages in the mail.

First I opened a package from Emily at Subu, Inc. Inside was a coupon off of my next purchase from Dragon in Knots and information about Heart and Soul Designs Hand Made Jewelry and Trevor Luckman Photography. But the true prize was the homemade wrist cuff for my daughter. She is thrilled because it has a pink ribbon, it sparkles and the fifteen year old neighbor who she adores wears wrist cuffs!

Then there was a free sample of Shania's new Starlight perfume: From the package: Shania Starlight....inspired by a shimmering western sky. Infused with the glamour that takes you from day to night. Experience the romance sophistication of this sparkling floral fragrance with hints of freesia and star magnolia. This romantic perfume is going on my Christmas list this year!

And while I was writing this post, the UPS man arrived with two books for me from Harper Collins to review. I can't wait to share them with you all!

What a delightful mailbox day!

Mail Call

http://www.melissaomarkham.com/2007/09/mail_call.html

Posted by Melissa Markham at 1:52 PM | Permalink

In the last few weeks I have started receiving some freebie products. I thought I would take a moment and share what I thought of them.

1. From Simply Nutrilite I received a cherry and almond nutrition bar. Let me tell you that thing was yummy! And good for me at the same time! You can't beat that. It came in the mail in a triangular shaped box. When I opened the box, I loved what was written inside. It said

"Like What you Ate? Ordering More couldn't be More Simple. Visit Simplynutrilite.com today."

"Didn't like what you ate? Have your taste buds checked by your doctor!"

I have to say, I do agree with them. It was very tasty. So if you are looking for a yummy nutrition bar, you should try one of these!

2. Listerine Whitening Strips. They only sent me two, so it was hard to tell if they did much in the way of whitening my teeth. They were easy to apply, but I didn't like the taste. Also, they were supposed to dissolve in 5-10 minutes, let's just say 30 minutes later, there were still little pieces clinging to my teeth. YUCK!

Continue reading "Reviews of Freebies" »

Posted by Melissa Markham at 8:14 PM | Permalink

A couple of weeks ago, I won the book: The Mad Days of Me: Escaping Barcelona, a novel by Henry Martin. (Thanks Breeni! )What attracted me to the book (besides the fact that it was free) was the title. I love traveling and the fact that Barcelona was in the title made me curious.

I really had no idea what the book was about. Now that I have read it, I am conflicted about how I feel about it. Overall, the main character, comes through a horrendous ordeal and manages in the end to get out of the situation he has become mired in. Along the way he sees some of the worst attributes of humans and gets glimpses of good attributes. The novel is 172 pages long. There are some 'shocking' scenes in this book and if you don't want to read about personal violence and violations, you probably don't want to read this book. But if you like to read about how people overcome terrible situations and keep going, then you may very well like this book.

BTW, the book is signed by the author. So I am going to pass this book along to a lucky reader! If you are interested, simply place a comment below. I will have a random drawing on September 15th. If you really want to win the book, you can earn yourself an extra chance by placing a link to my blog on your blog. Be sure to let me know you have done that so I can give you an extra chance!

Good luck!

Posted by Melissa Markham at 6:19 PM | Permalink | Comments (6)

You know how you see items on television and they look good, but you are never really sure if they are going to work the way they say? Well, I want to let you know that the Hercules Hook definitely does what it advertises! We live in a doublewide and it is hard as heck to hang things here, but not anymore...

Continue reading "Review: Hercules Hooks" »

Posted by Melissa Markham at 10:37 AM | Permalink