Friday, January 31, 2014

Romantic Movie: Romeo & Juliet, Dirty Dancing, & Cyrano de Bergerac

Romantic Movies
Romance is in the air and on the screen!  I love a great romantic movie and I am always on the lookout for a romance that will touch my heart and make me smile. 

Sometimes it is hard to know just from previews if a movie is really going to be worth our time or if a particular movie is going to meet our expectations.  That is why we depend on great reviews! 

Fortunately for all of us, there are some really awesome writers online who also love romantic movies and are willing to tell us all about them.  They write excellent reviews and gladly make recommendations for our next movie night.




Romeo & Juliet


 Romeo and JulietCheck PriceThis review was written by a fabulous author, CharliMillsShe describes the movie as "the ultimate interpretation of William Shakespeare's tragedy."

Charli gives us a beautifully written, fresh look at a movie that is at the top of almost every romantics list of favorites.

After reading her review, I have no doubt that all of us will want to grab a copy of Romeo & Juliet and enjoy Romancing a Favorite Classic.




Dirty Dancing


 Dirty DancingCheck Price

Mbgphoto challenges all of us to take a journey back into our past by recommending another great romantic movie released in the 80's.

But don't misunderstand, this movie is not just for those of us who were young in the 80's.  According to mbgphoto, it is a movie that perhaps "brings back the memories of my younger self."

Dirty Dancing is A Movie to Relive Your Youth!

 



José Ferrer as Cyrano de Bergerac


 Cyrano de BergeracCheck Price You will want to have your Kleenex by your side when you read this review and definitely when you view the movie.

Nightcat  takes us back to the 50's for her recommendation.  She reviews a heartbreaking tale of unrequited love, but also unselfish love.  Nightcat writes that this movie "reminds us that all of us, despite our real or imagined flaws deserved to be loved."

This movie is clearly for a Forever Hopeless Romantic.


How About A Little Romance Tonight


Grab a few friends, or that special someone in your life and slip a little romance into your DVD player, as well as your evening tonight.



Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN) and/or Esty (Awin) Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”


Thursday, January 30, 2014

Photography Tips Reviewed

One of the great things about searching online is all of the tips that you learn from other people.  This is true on many different subjects, but since I'm the Photo Bug Contributor I have been particularly searching for lenses with great tips on Photography.

There are three photographers that I discovered this week that have some great tips to help you get the most out of your picture taking experience.
  • patgoltz is a very talented and accomplished photographer.  Her page on Arizona Sunset Tips is full of not only beautiful photographs but tips on how she captured each of the shots.
  • Have you ever wanted to get that perfect shot of a child?  Anonymous831 has a real way with kids and in her lens Learning Kids Photography she gives you tips so that your next experience in photographing a child will be a good one.
  • Did you know that you can take great photos just using your phone?  In a series of lenses britflorida shows you just how this can be accomplished.  I love her lens on using an iPhone to capture KeyWest. Here you can find tips  on just how to use your phone to capture those great photos Key West through the lens of an iPhone
I love to learn and share photography tips.  Here is a page I wrote that gives you links for photography tips.  Some are from my pages and others are from other writers. Tips in Photography

lilacs photo by mbgphoto

This photo of lilacs along a fence was taken on the grounds of a lighthouse in Michigan.  The lilac bushes were beautiful and I was looking for just the right angle to showcase the beautiful purple blooms.  I paid close attention to the background and was pleased with the blue skies and scattered clouds to surround the blooms.  The lilacs are pretty by themselves but I do think the white fence and the sky adds to the interest in the photo.





Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN) and/or Esty (Awin) Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”


Wednesday, January 29, 2014

Let's Get Creative! I'm the "Little Crafty Kids" Contributor on Squidoo



missmerfaery contributor on Review This Reviews
Hello! I'm Louise - author, freelance writer and home educating mum from England - and I'm delighted to be writing here on Review This!

I'm the Little Crafty Kids Contributor on Squidoo, where you'll find me under the name of MissMerFaery. As a proud mama of two wonderful children, I am super excited to be sharing our crafting adventures with you, and will be asking you to share yours, too!


It's my job to showcase craft ideas, resources and reviews for crafting with the under-fives. So if you love getting creative with babies, toddlers and preschoolers, I want to hear from you! Parents, grandparents, teachers, and anyone who lives, works or spends time with children - that means you! Even if your little ones have all grown up now, perhaps you have memories and past craft ideas that you can share?


When I'm not busy crafting with my own little ones (I have a 4-year-old daughter and baby son), I'll be busy sharing our craft ideas and resources, reviewing our favourite craft kits and materials, providing craft tutorials, and much more. There will be some crafts for grown-ups too, for making toys, learning tools and other items for small children to play with!


But it's not all about us - I'll be looking for stellar craft ideas from everyone else, too! I'll be promoting top notch lenses on Squidoo, finding the best ideas from around the web, and inviting you to review your favourite products or create fun how-to's to share with other parents, caregivers and preschool teachers, so that we can spread the crafting bug everywhere!


I caught the crafting bug in my twenties, and it seems to have rubbed off on my little girl, too. She delves into her craft jar most days, eager to make something new! So if this all sounds familiar, why not share your knowledge and expertise?


Arts and crafts help little ones to develop their creativity and imagination, fine motor skills, artistic ability, and so much more. It's also great for recycling a wealth of materials, creating your own toys and games on a budget, and providing kids with fun activities that create good memories and teach them new skills!


So, I hope you will join me in creating a network of craft ideas for under-fives. To find out more, please stop by my
Little Crafty Kids Contributor page. You can also follow and enjoy all our ideas and inspirations on the Little Crafty Kids Network on Pinterest.

If you're not already on Squidoo, and would like to try your hand at sharing your passions (kids crafts and otherwise) then you can
join Squidoo for free, and enjoy a wonderful creative platform for your writing!

I'm a roving poster girl for Review This! so I'll be popping up now and again between the lovely regular writers here! I shall leave you with an invitation to
review the best kids crafts kits for under-fives, and look forward to seeing what you come up with! 


Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN) and/or Esty (Awin) Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”


Tuesday, January 28, 2014

I’m the Home Renovator Contributor


Renaissance Woman
 Greetings!

I am Diana, better known as Renaissance Woman in my online communities.  I am so pleased that we have this opportunity to connect here.  Though my new title as a contributor speaks of home renovation, I’ll let you in on a little secret: What we are really doing is renaissancing our spaces and the way we live in them.

As a woman who is passionate about renewing herself every day, by learning and growing, I love to join with others who appreciate vibrant living, and being in spaces that feed into that positive energy.

My home improvement life began very early.  When I was 21, I helped construct a room addition for my duplex.  That first taste of expanding my life by expanding my space was all it took to hook me on the do-it-yourself lifestyle.

Though I have been improving living spaces ever since, I only recently returned to my writing (in 2010).  I didn’t realize how much my life would change when I joined the writing and publishing community.  Not only have I found beautiful people who are now the best friends I could ever hope to have, but I have also discovered that in writing about my passions I get to enjoy them over and over again.

I invite you to join our creative community.  First there was HGTV and the DIY Network, now there is our DIH Network (Do It Herself or, if you’re a guy, Do It Himself).  We can be the Design Stars of the show we call life and living well.  I’ll even go so far as to say we can be divine designers just like Candice Olson (my hero).

We can make our network anything we want it to be.  Just like my HGTV mentors, each of us can present before and after features, share “how to” tutorials, write reviews of our favorite products, and share tips.  Best of all, we can celebrate our successes together.





Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN) and/or Esty (Awin) Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”


Monday, January 27, 2014

How I began Writing About the Mid-Atlantic States

As my sons entered high school, and empty nest quickly approached, I knew that I would soon have the opportunity to do more of the things I had always dreamt of doing.

One of those things was to move away from rural Indiana. I had always imagined myself living in a more urban setting and experiencing big city living. During that same time frame, I had friends scattered throughout the mid-Atlantic region and I traveled here quite a bit. The Mister was one of my friends at that time and one day we were driving down a scenic country road. The rolling farmland was covered in pristine snow and the sun was bright and warm.

I began to cry.

He was startled and asked what was wrong.

I choked out “nothing” and continued to cry.

After a moment, I was able to tell him that it was just so beautiful. The snow-covered hills, sparkling like crushed diamond waves, and the bright sunshine with not a cloud in the sky. It took my breath away. In some ways, it was vastly different than overcast Indiana winter days. It was that moment that I had decided that, in the areas I had vaguely considered, from Philadephia, PA to Washington, DC, that I was going to move somewhere slightly north of Baltimore. This Indiana girl that craved sunlight in the wintertime, had found her home.

 I suddenly knew that I was at home here.


I felt much the same way when I found this group of writing ladies. A whole new writing world suddenly opened up to me. A world that is bright, shiny, and full of promise. As soon as I got started, I immediately felt as though I were home.

This is why I am thrilled to share my stories about my travels in the mid-Atlantic Region. Maybe you are already familiar with the area. Maybe you've never heard of the area.  I’m so excited to find ways to show you the beauty of this region.

I am honored and thrilled to be here on Review This! with this group of amazing amazing and talented writers. They have invited me to be the Review This! writer on Mondays. I hope you will join me here every week.

Welcome! This is where I live. This is where my dreams are coming true. Please join me in exploring online writing and the mid-Atlantic states region.


Image Credit: Photographs ©Dawn Rae – All Rights Reserved (Click on photo for larger view)




Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN) and/or Esty (Awin) Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”


Sunday, January 26, 2014

Let's Party! I'm the Party Planner Contributor on Review This

Mandee also known as Decorating for Events, party planner contributor on Review This Reviews
Hi there. Welcome to Review This! My name is Mandee and I am the Party Planner Contributor on Review This. I am tasked with recruiting more writers for the Party niche as well as getting our helpful articles out there to be found on the internet.

I currently also have a couple of websites in the party planning niche where I also write about all aspects of hosting parties. Anything from food/menu, decorations, themes, buffet table set up, gifts and more can be found on Squidoo as well as my sites.

I want to formally invite you to start writing with me! If you have ever held or helped with planning a party or any sort, you qualify. That means 99.9% of us are qualified. Sharing your ideas, suggestions and experiences with others from all over the globe via the internet will help us all when it comes to hosting our next party or event.

It's not hard, I promise. In fact, I think you'll have fun! You don't have to be a journalist, English major or have any other requirements. All you do need is to love helping others and sharing your experiences.

DebW07 did that here in her review of a party planning book: Top Tips for Planning a Memorable Party.

Parties Fill Our Lives 

All of our lives are filled with occasions that can be, and often are, celebrated with parties and get-togethers. Occasions like:

  • Baby Showers
  • Bridal Showers
  • Graduations
  • Holidays
  • Birthdays
  • Anniversaries
  • Promotions
  • Retirements
  • Engagements
  • Weddings
  • Reunions (family and school)
  • Proms & School Event
Choosing decorations, colors and themes as well as planning the menu, guest list and activities can be a daunting task. Some love it, some hate it but we all seem to do it at one point or another. That's how we can help each other -- by sharing.

Sharing what worked, what didn't -- menu ideas -- diy decorating ideas & projects -- best sources for invitations, decor, gifts -- and lots more -- will only help the next time we plan a party.

Start Writing and Helping Others

If you are interested in helping me out, join Squidoo. It's a FREE platform where you can write about your experiences and share your advice. You can even earn a little money by featuring products you used to make the party picture perfect! What are you waiting for?

If you are charged up and want to get started right away -- here are a couple of ideas for you. You can review a party planning book you own or have read from this list or, if you have a favorite 3 tiered serving stand you use at all parties, choose it from this list.

So, start going through those picture albums of cousin Cindy's wedding reception, your sorority sister's baby shower, and little Lucy's 1st birthday party. If you helped plan and execute those events, you can help others with your experiences.


Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN) and/or Esty (Awin) Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”


Saturday, January 25, 2014

It's Fun to Recycle, Let's Turn Our Trash into Treasure!


handmade doll and thread
Hello!

I'm Coletta and I was the Recycler Contributor on Squidoo


NOTE:  On August 15, 2014, Squidoo announced that it had been acquired by HubPages. With this acquisition, the Squidoo Contributor program was cancelled.

It's an honor to be here with such a terrific group of talented Squidoo writers and I'm extremely excited about Squidoo's new Contributor Program.

The Squidoo Contributor Program is a tremendous opportunity for us here at Review This! and for our fellow Contributors to share stories, reviews, recipes and how-tos that answer your questions and spark your creativity. Stories that are unique, useful and updated.

The Recycler will be searching for informational stories, descriptive product reviews, delicious recipes and entertaining how-to articles to help you to Reduce, Reuse and Recycle in every aspect of your everyday life. Stories that will help you 
spend less of your hard-earned money while saving the environment.

Through The Recycler Network, the Recycler will bring you tips and tricks to reduce waste in your kitchen and garden. You'll also find creative craft projects using items that we often see in the garbage can or recycling bin.

Here are some highlights from The Recycler Network this past week:

  • We're saving money on our food budget and reducing food waste. It's easy when you Recycle Your Vegetable Scraps and Make Soup Stock.
  • The kids in the craft room really know how to recycle old crayons and it's is a great way to let kids get colorful and creative.
  • If you like plants, rotting your yard debris and making compost will grow a healthy garden. The Envirocycle Original Composter (www.thegrocerygarden.blogspot.com/2014/12/product-review-envirocycle-composter.html) is an inexpensive way to grow a healthy garden.
  • New to composting? Here are some Fast Composting Tips - Composting Made Easy for every gardener.
The Recycler is anxiously waiting for next Saturday. Squidoo's RocketSquids are, right this very minute, putting their creative juices to the test and writing stories about their adventures in recycling. Next week the Recycler will share with you the best "Upcycle It" stories these RocketSquids create. I've taken a sneak peak and I'm excited by what I see.

I hope you'll join the Recycler and start reducing the garbage from your life. I'm looking forward to this new adventure in reducing waste, increasing savings and making recycling fun.


Coletta





Posted by Coletta Teske
Coletta Teske

About This Contributor

Coletta Teske writes reviews on books, business management, writing, crafting, cooking, and gardening. She is also an avid recycler and shares her tips on recycling. She delights in upcycling an old object, recycling or transforming discarded items into a new treasure.




Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN) and/or Esty (Awin) Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”


Friday, January 24, 2014

About Cynthia Sylvestermouse, Contributor on Review This Reviews!

Sylvestermouse
My real name is Cynthia, but on the internet, I am known as Sylvestermouse.

One of the first questions most people ask me is why I chose the name Sylvestermouse as my online pseudonym.  Before I answer that question, let me point out the blue mouse in my photo.

That blue mouse, "Sylvestermouse", was my original avatar photo when I started working online over 20 years ago.  After a decade of using the blue mouse exclusively, there was a huge push to start using author photos so readers could see what the author actually looked like.  The belief being that readers connected with the author on a more personal level if they could see your face.

I certainly did not want to leave behind or replace my mouse and just start using a cameo photo.  After all, that little mouse had it's own following!  Fortunately, a really good friend of mine happened to be in the business of creating computer images by using photos.  Think computer games and avatar images.  To this day, Indigo Janson is an excellent 3D generalist and I feel quite honored that she took my original blue mouse avatar, a photo of myself and created a professional compilation.  So now you see me, Cynthia, holding Sylvestermouse when you see my author profile image.


So, Back to that Original Question:  Why "Sylvestermouse"?


For that answer, we must go back to my childhood.  I grew up in a large family where everything was shared:  bedrooms, bathrooms, clothes, toys, pets, etc.  My first "mine only" pet was a wild field mouse that my brother caught for me in a Dixie cup outside of an old grocery store.   I have absolutely no idea why I named that tiny little mouse "Sylvester", but that was the name I chose for him.

Sylvester resided in a cage right next to my bed.  He was my good morning greeter and he provided me with my nighttime lullaby, of sorts.  Long after the lights were out, we could hear Sylvester scurrying around in his bedding or drinking from his water bottle. 

One other reason I loved him:  He was a gift from my brother

Many years later, long after Sylvester moved to heaven, I found myself trying to choose an internet email address after we bought our first computer.  By this time, I was grown and had children of my own.  I had no idea what name to use for email.  One of my children suggested that I use a pet's name for fun.  After all, we never really expected it to be anything more than a way to exchange little messages.  Thus, I became Sylvestermouse after Sylvester the mouse.  Of course, that was obviously only the beginning.

You can now find Sylvestermouse stores on Ebay and Zazzle.   I have a photography site, a cooking and recipe site, a crafting site, a gardening site and I contribute to over a dozen other websites.  You can find a complete list of where I publish here.


Hobbies & Interests


As you can probably guess by the sites I own, my hobbies include sewing and a variety of crafts.   I also enjoy photography, mainly because I enjoy traveling and taking pictures of beautiful places, nature, and animals.

Since I have spent the last few decades of my life focusing on being a mother and making our house a home, those are the "niches" where I have the most experience.  Therefore, home related interests or one of my hobbies are most often the subjects of my articles.  Although, I very much enjoy reviewing movies, books and products that I have personally viewed, read, or used right here on Review This Reviews!


Articles Written by Cynthia Sylvestermouse


Most of my articles are on the two Pinterest boards below. Only approximately 50 articles are shown on each board, but you can click "Cynthia Sylvestermouse" on the Review This Reviews board or "Articles by Sylvestermouse" on my Sylvestermouse board to open either board on Pinterest. That will show you all of my articles on each board. The board on the left, are my articles on Review This Reviews! The board on the right, will feature articles from all of my sites, including Review This Reviews!

 


Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN) and/or Esty (Awin) Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”


Thursday, January 23, 2014

I'm the Photo Bug Contributor on Review This Reviews

Mary Beth
Hello everyone and welcome to the Photo Bug section of Review This Reviews. My name is Mary Beth also known as mbgphoto on Hubpages and Zazzle and I am very excited to be the Photo Bug contributor for Review This.

In my position as the Photo Bug contributor I will be searching out interesting pages on photography and featuring them on Review This.

I started writing online back in the fall of 2008 as a way to promote some of the items with my photographs. At first I was very unsure about writing, but I have learned so much along the way. There are so many great people online if you need help you only need to ask.

Although I have always been interested in photography, I was really able to pursue it as first a hobby and then a small business, when I retired from the corporate world in 2007. Since that time I have taken numerous classes to enhance my skills and have enjoyed traveling around the country photographing lighthouses.
lighthouse in Big Bay Point Michigan
The photo above is of the lighthouse in Big Bay Point Michigan. I love this photo because it was a real challenge to find the right lighting and the right point of view to capture both the lighthouse and Lake Superior in the photo. It was a photo I really put to use many of the skills I learned in my classes and workshops. You can learn more about the lighthouses I photograph on my blog Lighthouse Musings.

The great thing about photography is that it is a hobby everyone can participate in with very little training and yet if you want to grow in the field there are a never ending amount of things to learn. I am always looking forward to the next challenge. In this blog I am hoping to share with you tips on photography that I have learned and hope you will share items that worked for you. Together we can enjoy this fascinating hobby.

You can also find me on Hubpages


Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN) and/or Esty (Awin) Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”


Wednesday, January 22, 2014

I'm the Forever Hopeless Romantic Contributor

Sylvestermouse


Hi everybody and welcome to Review This Reviews! 

My online name is Sylvestermouse and I'm the Forever Hopeless Romantic Contributor on Review This Reviews!  

In addition to featuring reviews of romantic books, movies and music, I will be writing about other romantic topics, such as inexpensive dates, as well as sharing true life love story articles.

None of the writers on Review This Reviews are limited to a single topic or  niche and we often write outside of our official titles.  Therefore, one never truly knows what I might write about in the upcoming months and years, but I do hope you will love it.

I enjoy reading and writing online.  My life has been greatly enriched by working online and I have been blessed with many new friends, several I consider to be close friends today and several are right here with me on Review This Reviews!  They share my passion for writing, my desire to share and teach, and they share my devotion to family and friends.

I am delighted and honored to be the Forever Hopeless Romantic Contributor on Review This Reviews because I love everything romantic and I simply love "love".  
                                          


For More About Sylvestermouse, Visit:  About Me






Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN) and/or Esty (Awin) Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”


Most Recent Reviews on Review This Reviews






Search for Reviews by Subject, Author or Title

The Review This Reviews Contributors



SylvestermouseSylvestermouseDawn Rae BDawn Rae BMbgPhotoMbgPhotoBrite-IdeasBrite-IdeasWednesday ElfWednesday ElfOlivia MorrisOlivia MorrisTreasures by BrendaTreasures by BrendaThe Savvy AgeThe Savvy AgeMargaret SchindelMargaret SchindelRaintree AnnieRaintree AnnieLou16Lou16Sam MonacoSam MonacoTracey BoyerTracey BoyerRenaissance WomanRenaissance WomanBarbRadBarbRadBev OwensBev OwensBuckHawkBuckHawkDecorating for EventsDecorating for EventsHeather426Heather426Coletta TeskeColetta TeskeMissMerFaeryMissMerFaeryMickie_GMickie_G

 


Review This Reviews is Dedicated to the Memory of Our Beloved Friend and Fellow Contributor

Susan DeppnerSusan Deppner

We may be apart, but
You Are Not Forgotten





“As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN) and or Etsy (Awin) Affiliate, I (we) earn from purchases.” Disclosure Statement

X