Easy Product Displays Reviewed

A few years ago, I started using Easy Product Displays (EPD) to create my product displays on my websites.  I am still using them today!

I would like to take a moment to review the website "Easy Product Displays" and show you exactly why I would recommend them to anyone who desires to sell products online.

Amazon or Zazzle Product Displays in Minutes

If you own a website or blog, you already know product display codes to use on your websites and blogs can be difficult and cumbersome to write.

But, what if you had a tool that did it all for you?  If you could just pick what products you want and have them displayed for you, would you go for it?

That was my hope when I discovered Easy Product Display 2 years ago.  All my wishes came true! Literally!  Well, ok, I didn't win the lottery, but I can now make beautiful product displays with only a few mouse clicks.  Stay with me, while I show you how easy this really is to use.

How EPD Works

It Truly Does the Work for You!

Simply input the item you wish to search into the search box on Easy Product Displays and it will automatically populate the results of your search. You select the items you wish to have displayed, select your border & button choices and EPD will instantly give you the html to insert on your page.

Examples of Displays Using EPD

Easy Multi Product Display

For this example, I put in the Search Term "Doll", selected the layout and in a matter of seconds had the entire code, borders, titles, buttons and all ready to copy and paste into my website page.

Note: In order to remain in compliance with the word/product ratio of Review This, this section is a photo of how the features would look, but are not linked to products. 

With a Simple Click, I Changed the Format to Look Like This:

Note: In order to remain in compliance with the word/product ratio of Review This, this section is a photo of how the features would look, but are not linked to products. 

Another Simple Click and I Have This Format

 Melissa & Doug Doll Brianna 12-InchBuy Now Melissa & Doug Doll Jenna 12-InchBuy Now Melissa & Doug Doll Victoria 14-InchBuy Now Melissa & Doug Doll Annie 12-InchBuy Now Corolle Calin Charming Pastel Baby DollBuy Now

A Few More Clicks and You Can Change the Borders, Buttons, Text Style, etc

For a Totally Different Look

 Melissa & Doug BriannaBuy Now Melissa & Doug JennaBuy Now Melissa & Doug VictoriaBuy Now Melissa & Doug AnnieBuy Now Corolle Calin Baby DollBuy Now

You Could Even Go Borderless on any Size!

 Melissa & Doug Brianna

Easy Options & Features on EPD

• Amazon & Zazzle Search Tool
• Single or Multiple Item Product Display
• Change Image Display Size
• Add a Border and/or Button
• Select Color of Text, Border, Font and Button
• Create Your Own Buttons 
• Amazon & Zazzle Buttons Available to Select
• Set the Image on the Left or Right Side (my examples are all centered
• Manually Change the Item Title for Product Display Uniformity
• Save Format Settings & Colors for Website Consistency 
• Save Multiple Amazon Tracking ID's to Auto Load
• Make Custom Display for Other Affiliations by Simply Entering the Product Link URL, Image URL and Title
• Use the "import code" section to make changes to previous features easy
• No Software Download
• Can Use Tool from Any Device or Location 

Website & Blog Owners

If you own or write on a website or blog that allows html code for products, Easy Products Displays website was created just for you!

You can join today and start your free trial of EPD by simply clicking here.

Testimonials from Current EPD Subscribers

"I don't know how I managed without it before!  It's extremely handy!  I use it everyday when I'm building pages.   The speed and convenience of EPD is worth it!

Barbara Tremblay Cipak

"Easy Product Displays is an affiliate marketers best friend! There is nothing out there that even comes close in ease of use and versatility when it comes to making attractive displays for items you want to feature or sell. In addition, it also has great customer service if you have a problem, the staff usually gets back to you the same day and there is a wonderful community of users that frequent their Facebook page that also offer advice and ideas on how to better use this great tool. Last but certainly not least, the makers of EPD are always updating it and improving its functionality and adding features. You really could not ask for a better product than this, I highly recommend it."

Tracey Jade Boyer

"If you want a professional-looking web site for selling items directly or for marketing items as an affiliate, this is it! Easy Product Displays allows you to add items manually or to interface with sites such as Amazon.com to select the items that you want to add. This economical display solution is packed with features and gives you several choices of layout, and also allows you to easily change the code should you choose to add or delete items, even at a later time."

Rhonda Reid

 

 

One More Exciting Announcement!
EPD recently announced that they will soon be including ShareASale in addition to Amazon and Zazzle. This is a really exciting change for all of us and we look forward to being able to easily create our SAS product displays on EPD!

If you join today, you will already be familiar with the EPD website when they introduce ShareASale to the line-up. (This might be considered insider information, so if you are reading this today, be sure to share this article with your friends too.)

 

Update!  ShareASale Has NOW Been Added to EPD!  Join Today

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.”

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Palm Trees in Paradise

There is something about palm trees that have always fascinated me.  I remember as a young girl the sight of our first Palms as we drove south from Missouri to Florida meant we were almost at our destination.  Even today, I always look forward to the first palms greeting me a the Florida welcome center.

Photography Tips

Palm trees are very majestic looking.  I love to photograph them in all types of weather and at all times of day.  The photograph above is one I took just the other night looking across our condo complex with sunset approaching.  It is fun to capture the silhouette of the palm again the setting sun.  You too can create these images by focusing on the light and then the palm will show as a silhouette. Photograph a second image by focusing on the palm tree and you will get an entirely different point of view.  The photograph below shows an image where I focused on the palm.  In this photo the details of the palms leaves stand out against the evening sky.

 Palms Photographed over the Years

The images below on various Zazzle products show some of the palms I have photographed over the years.  They are always a favorite subject of mine when we are in a tropical locale.

Coral Cove Beach Print by mbgphoto
Browse anotherPoster template design online at Zazzle

Here are a group of palms I photographed one evening in Jupiter Florida.

End of a Perfect Day Greeting Cards by mbgphoto
Check out other note cards online at Zazzle.

This stately palm was photographed a few years ago from our balcony in Jupiter Florida. Palms like this one along the ocean are a wonderful sight. I love the way the palm fronds wave with the ocean breezes.

Palm in Paradise Christmas Tree Ornaments by mbgphoto

Browse more Palm in paradise Ornaments at Zazzle

Fun Facts about Palms

In looking up palms online I found lots of interesting facts.  Here are a few you might enjoy.

• Palms are everygreen trees
• In the Continental USA, Palm are found mainly in southern Florida and southern California
• There are over 2500 different species of palms
• Some palms produce fruits like coconuts and dates
• Most by not all palms have single trunks
• Palms have different types of bark

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.”

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Reviewing the Risks and Rewards of Living on the Web

The Web is a two edge sword with benefits and risks. As you travel the Internet, review how you act and react on the sites you visit. Here are some things to think about.

We're living in a new world. Tread lightly.

That was how a friend started her Facebook post. An article she read on Time.com put a warning in her head about the dangers of texting while parenting. She wanted her friends and family to know that the relationships we have with our children and grandchildren are at stake!

According to the article, kids don't want to compete with smartphones for attention. Can you blame them?

In the 1960s and 1970s, parents were warned that watching too much TV meant spending less quality time with family. In 2015, it's the smartphone that monopolizes our attention and causes us to get grumpy when the kids interrupt a game of Candy Crush.

The moral to this story... Think before using your smartphone and watch your travels carefully when you step out on the web. It's not just our relationships with our families that are at risk.

Review Your Online Activities

Available on Amazon.com

It was ironic that my friend posted this article just as I finished reading The Reputation Economy: How to Optimize Your Digital Footprint in a World Where Your Reputation is Your Most Valuable Asset by Michael Fertik and David C. Thompson.

It's not just our children and grandchildren that react to our online activities. Our banks, employers, travel agents and others watch us as we surf the 'Net. Yes, the Big Brother from George Orwell's classic book, 1984, is alive, well and watching us. And, Big Brother's cousin, Big Data, is keeping score.

In the new and evolving Reputation Economy that is forming on the web, the authors predict that reputation, not money, will be the new power. And, how we act online will affect our online reputation score. It will be this score that will define how people see us and what they will do for us. Or, not do for us.

What is this online reputation score? It's created by a computer algorithm and it takes all of our online activities into account. How can it do this? Big Data is busy collecting everything it can about us as we travel from site to site on the web. Cookies are just one way to collect all kinds of data about us. And, data storage is so cheap that companies can afford to store petabytes of data. A petabyte is 1 million gigabytes!

With so much available cheap storage, Big Data's sibling, Big Analysis, has lots of data to work with and manipulate. Big Data can store everything from our Google searches to online purchases, websites visited and social media posts. And Big Analysis has the computing power to make a quick decision about our characters and habits.

Create an Online Reputation Plan

Think about this for a minute. The combination of data collection, cheap data storage and blazing-fast analytic abilities means that everything we do online can be under scrutiny and recorded. Algorithms have the ability to assign us a reputation score based on the people we meet, the places we go and the things we do.

How much do you know about your fellow Farmville players? You may not think your time spent with gaming friends doesn't matter, but it might. Big Data and Big Analysis may use this information to create a reputation score that affects your ability to rent a car, buy a home or receive valuable coupons.

Now, if you're thinking that you can surf the web anonymously and avoid detection, you may be wrong. According to Fertik and Thompson, "powerful software can often identify you by nothing more than the quirks of your writing style."

What do the author's of The Reputation Economy suggest we do to protect ourselves from Big Data and Big Analysis? Here are their basic tips:

• Assume everything you do online is being collected, stored and analyzed.
• Be careful what you say and how you react to false allegations.
• Create a digital smokescreen to hide any negative information in your search results.

Learn How to Manage Your Online Activities

Why should you care about this online reputation score? Fertik and Thompson believe one of the outcomes of this reputation score is that business will use this score to pinpoint good customers and offer these people special offers. If you aren't lucky enough to have this prized reputation score, you may be passed over for these offers and never know it.

The moral to this story... Keep a clean social media profile, always be on your best behavior online and think before you post.

Find more insights and tips on living on the web while preserving your reputation by reading The Reputation Economy. I found this book fascinating, informative and somewhat scary. The Reputation Economy is a well researched book that looks at the effects online data collection can have on our lives and our abilities to get along in the world. It provides some serious food for thought that every netizen should be thinking about.



Coletta Teske received The Reputation Economy from Blogging for Books in exchange for this honest review.

Posted by 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.”

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Review of Either Side of Midnight by Tori de Clare

Warning! I Could Not Put This Thriller Down!

I don’t often start a book I think is a thriller or has the kind of suspense that makes me unable to put it down. I really didn’t realize Either Side of Midnight was going to capture me the way it did. But I could not put it down. I read until too late at night, and then had to finish the book the next morning before I could do any real work. So I give you fair warning – don’t start this book if you have urgent tasks to get done or if you really need to get a good night’s sleep.

Photo in Public Domain Courtesy of Pixabay

The Plot

It’s very hard to go into detail about the plot without spoiling it for you. We first meet Naomi Hamilton Stone six hours after her wedding, just after she steps out of the shower before consummating her marriage. She then discovers her special cross necklace is missing – the one she’d never taken off her neck except to replace it with a borrowed family heirloom for the wedding. She searches her room for the necklace, and realizes that in all the confusion after the reception and travel, it must have fallen out of the travel bag and been left behind in the car.

With little on but her underwear, Naomi throws on her coat and ties the belt tightly at the waist and tells Nathan  she is leaving to go to the car to get her necklace and will then be back to meet him in bed. He implores her to wait for him to dress and go with her, but she is already out the door before he can finish dressing. He has not yet caught up with her, and she is obviously enjoying the chase. They talk and flirt on their cells as she bounces down the hotel stairs as he is trying to dress and follow her. She is almost to the hotel door as he says he is leaving their room. They continue to tease each other as he tries to catch up


 She finally reaches the car and as she is unlocking it, a figure in a dark balaclava lunges at her and grabs her phone and she can hear Nathan calling her name, as the abductor tells her not to scream. There is a knife touching her side. She is forced to stumble along, feeling the knife against her bare skin, her head beneath what seems to be a small wool blanket. They finally stopped. Her hands were bound, but she continued to fight and struggle to no avail. A car door opened and her head hit something solid as she realized she was being shut into the trunk. She thought she heard Nathan pursuing the car before she slipped into unconsciousness.

From here on it gets more exciting, with amazing twists and turns. One was so subtle I thought the author must have made a mistake in the character’s name, but after rereading a couple of times, I realized it was just another twist.

I’ll skip what comes next except to say that just as Naomi thinks she is being buried alive in an old open grave, the book flashes back to her parents, driving home from the wedding. Naomi’s mother Camilla  continues to complain about the groom, convinced Naomi has ruined her life by marrying him.  Naomi was a promising music student who had just finished her first year at the Royal Northern College of Music. Camilla had great plans for her. Naomi had been a serious student of piano – unlike her twin sister, Annabel, who cared only to be a social butterfly.

The book keeps jumping from Naomi’s current predicament to the events leading up to it – moving into her rooms at school, learning to make friends, meeting Nathan, who was not a student there, and their courtship. We also see the dysfunction  of the Hamilton family, the competition between the twins, and some of the secrets Naomi has finally told Nathan. We meet Lorie, the employee that is responsible for keeping the Hamilton household running smoothly, but who has also become Naomi’s friend and confidant. We meet Tom, the ex-boyfriend who has badly hurt Naomi.

Analysis and Recommendation

I loved this book, but I wish the author had made more obvious breaks when moving from one scene to another. I found it a bit disorienting to move from one setting to another with no white space or line breaks to alert me. One minute I’m with Naomi and Nathan spending time together and in the next paragraph I’m back at the Hamilton household or in another flashback. Most of the time, though, there is a chapter or a break in the text to keep one from getting too confused.

Although there is lots of suspense, there is not much violence or gore. I appreciated that. Most of the language was clean, too, and there was no explicit sex.  I would recommend this book to anyone who is prepared to read it in one sitting. It took me several hours to finish it. I’m dying to read the sequel. Unfortunately, though it's been a year since this was published, no sequel has been published yet.

I highly recommend Either Side of Midnight (The Midnight Saga Book 1)to those who love suspense and who don't mind a little mental exercise in following the abrupt changes in the setting. Since I read this, the sequel, The Darkness Visible, has been published. Get both books together so you don't have to be left hanging at the end of Either Side of Midnight. 

 The Midnight Saga (2 Book Series)

& 

For more of my book reviews, please see my blog, Bookworm Buffet.

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.”

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Sharpies - a Great Way to Personalize Easter Eggs

Eggs by A Pumpkin & a Princess

There is an easy way to make beautiful and personalized Easter eggs. In this review, you will see that using egg coloring and Sharpie brand markers is an inexpensive way to make your eggs unique.Whether you decorate Easter eggs as a great way to spend time with children or because you are an adult who loves to relive that childhood magic of coloring eggs, using a Sharpie marker is a great way to make your eggs your own.

I have always loved Easter eggs

I am not a very creative person. Nor do I do much decorating on the holidays. But I have always loved Easter egg decorating and hunting. Easter eggs bring back memories of the hunts at Grandma's house so many years ago.  Even the hunt that I remember few details of except looking down at my pretty new shoes in the snow, leading up to Grandma's house. We had the hunt in that house that year.  I must have been around kindegarten age but I sure do remember those black patent leather shoes and the excitement of trying to add eggs to my little basket. 

Coloring the eggs

Over the years I have tried different products to color eggs. But I always return to the familiar way with PAAS. I have the best luck with PAAS and it is inexpensive.  I find PAAS is reliable and the directions are simple to follow. 

PAAS Egg Decorating Kit

Some folks color their eggs with Kool-Aid.  I may try that this year. I like the colors and they say that it slightly scents your eggs. The directions for using Kool-Aid packs are as follows:

• Pour 1 pack of Kool-Aid into a container suitable for coloring eggs
• Add 2/3 cup water to container; stir until completely dissolved.
• Place the egg into the container (with a spoon preferably)
• Keep the egg, or section of egg, submerged until the desired color is achieved
• Set egg aside and allow to dry completely

Cherry Kool Aid

Taking the decorating one step further

My friend's personal Easter Bunny

I have to say that I LOVE Sharpie brand markers. Always have and I always will.  I use them at work, at home, and every chance I get.  Sharpie makes a marker size and color for every project you could think of.  They are bright and permanent. There are a variety of tips and mediums. 

My friend likes Sharpie markers even more than I do. A few years ago he introduced me to the idea of decorating Easter Eggs with Sharpie markers. We colored our eggs as we normally do. After they cooled and dried, we drew on them with these simple, black, permanent markers.  I regret not having taken more photos of his artwork but I think you can get the idea. You can see that the marker ink is dark and bold.  I am not as artistic. Rather than drawing things such as bunny faces, I drew simple smiley faces on mine, and wrote words or messages. 

I never imagined that Minion eggs would be an easy and adorable Easter egg design. Crystal on A Pumpkin & a Princess shows us how to color the eggs with PAAS, then add googley eyes, a bit of string, and a hand-drawn face to make these holiday Minions (shown above).  There too, you can see how nice the Sharpie marker ink looks on the eggs. 


On Redefine Creativity Alisa Burke shows us how she creates gorgeous "doodle" Easter eggs by using a black Sharpie over a white egg.  She uses the empty egg shell after blowing out the contents.  There are a variety of designs in her article but they all remind me somewhat of beautiful henna tattoos. I'd like to try these with a hard-boiled egg and a base of pastel color. Thank you Alisa for this wonderful idea. 

Eggs by Obviously Sweet

The "doodle" eggs displayed on Obviously Sweet are also white eggs with black sharpie patterns. These have a slightly different look than the patterns mentioned earlier. To me they look more modern and geometric. They can be as easy or difficult as you care to make them.

I don't know how I didn't know, but there is a neon sharpie marker set that is fluorescent under black lights.  I can imagine using the neon colors for these patterned "doodle" eggs.  I think they would look great. 

Happy Easter to you. Whether you are helping a child discover the wonder of making beautiful things or whether you are an adult that still enjoys the fun of decorating eggs, I hope that you create some wonderful memories as you make your eggs this year. 

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.”

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Making a Mattress More Comfortable with a Microplush Mattress Pad

Suppose it's currently not an option to replace a not-so-comfortable mattress. In that case, there is an affordable solution: With a soft microplush mattress pad, you can bring an otherwise useless mattress back to life - A Review.

Although a mattress pad is primarily for added comfort, there are two other benefits to having them:

They form a cleanliness barrier for the mattress itself and make it a little easier to clean the bed. Some padding covers are machine washable, while others are dry clean only. Usually, the over-filled padded covers are dry clean only.

Even if a mattress has a pillow top, you can still use this Microplush-filled padding. You really do get a lot of extra softness by doing this. The deep pockets on the sides of the cover make it easy to go on, even with the added thickness of a pillow top.

To save even more, you can also get a comfortably filled pad that has the bed skirt already built into it. 

That way, you don't have to run out and buy a separate skirt. I've featured one here so you can see what it looks like. It's the same as the one above, except it has the skirt built in.

So before you go to the expense of adding a soft topper to your bed, examine whether a mattress pad is a wiser, more affordable option.

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.”

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The Crafty Month of March in Review

March is National Craft Month

March is 'National Craft Month', a month which also includes National Crochet Week. 

This is the perfect time to look at some handmade crafty creations, including DIY projects and tutorials, and read some articles about the art of crafting to get you in the mood for creating.

 

To Craft means to make or produce something skillfully.

Craft in Green for St. Patrick's Day

Crafting for holidays is quite often a popular endeavor.  Since the month of March includes the St. Patrick's Day holiday, crafters enjoy the opportunity to 'Craft in St. Patrick's Day Green'. 

St. Patrick's Day Octopus on eBay

Craft Ideas for National Craft Month

• If you check out the Craft Section here on Review This, you will find many articles with crafts to try for all the other holidays during the year from Thanksgiving to Valentine's Day and throughout the year right back to the Fall Holidays which begin with Halloween!

• Or try out one of these DIY Craft Books with projects and gift ideas for a large variety of holidays available on Amazon.

• A fun example is the one for the next nearest holiday – Easter.  DIY Projects & Gift Ideas for Easter is filled with amazingly easy guided gift ideas for beginners to the more experienced (with pictures!) and is available in Amazon's Kindle Store. 

Handmade gifts are such a joy to create, give and receive and this book will give you lots of crafty ideas.  There are homemade Easter crafts in the popular areas of Easter Eggs and Easter Bunnies and fun DIY Easter food, to name a few of the projects available in this book.

Time to Get Crafting...

Golden Bunny Girl on eBay

This sweet bunny girl in gold is all dressed up for Easter in a pretty dress. Bunny rabbit in crochet is hopping by to remind you that if you love to craft, but find life getting in the way and your crafting time getting put on a back-burner, circle the month of March on your calendar and use National Craft Month as a reminder to restore your creative self!  

Crochet crafter Wednesday Elf uses National Crochet Week in March as her reminder.

If you are a crafter and have a DIY tutorial to share with those of us who love hand-crafts, please feel free to share a link with us in the comments section. 
 

Wednesday Elf on Etsy
Follow Wednesday Elf on Twitter
Crochet Blog by Wednesday Elf

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.”

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Reviewing Easter Bunny Crafts

Easter Bunnies Featured Below

I think just about everyone loves some bunny sometimes, and these adorable Easter bunny crafts are sure to be loved by all.

Every holiday presents a new opportunity for crafters to create a new gift, a lovely decoration, or perhaps add embellished apparel to our wardrobe.   In preparing for Easter, we think of flowers, Easter eggs, Easter baskets, but foremost in our playful hearts and minds, are Easter bunnies!

Crafting for Easter is always a lot of fun, so let's jump right in and review this selection of Easter crafts. 

Easter Bunny Crafts in Apparel

Either of these Easter bunny shirts would be fun to make!  Perhaps, the choice of which top to make would be determined by the age of the recipient. However, I can actually imagine crafters of any age would make these shirts, wear them proudly and dare anyone to challenge their creative Easter apparel.

The DIY Easter Bunny Shirt with Rosette Tail, created by Linda at Craftaholics Anonymous, would be fast and easy to make and I am quite certain the idea could be adapted to suit any age.

The post about the Bunny Rabbit Sweater is written in Swedish, but with photos, crafting becomes a universal language.  It is pretty easy to see that she used embroidery stitches to add a bunny face to a gray sweater.  Really cute ideas!

 lDIY Easter Bunny Shirt with Rosette Tail Bunny Rabbit Sweater

Easter Bunny Crafts in Home Decor

From bunny pillows to bunny shaped washcloths, we can make bunny home decor to dress every room for Easter. The Hoppy Bunny Pillow article is fabulous!   She uses one of my all time favorite craft items, fusible interfacing.   Plus, she gives us the bunny template to print so we can easily add the lovely bunny image on a pillow.

The Chocolate Bunny would be fun to place anywhere in the home!  I love the photo with it placed on the white place setting of china.  Anyone would delight to find a Chocolate bunny waiting for them at the dinner table and this one won't get eaten.

But, let's not forget our restrooms, especially the children's bathroom!  Everyone will enjoy having a bunny washcloth tending to their needs.  Baileygrib finishes the washcloth bunnies by adding eyes, a nose and a tail, but truly we could stop after step 6 in the instructions and have temporary bunnies that, with the rubber band and ribbon removed, could serve once again as a washcloth.   I think everyone recognizes the shape of a bunny without the details.

 DIY Easter Bunny Pillow How to Make Felt Chocolate Bunnies Bunny Rabbit Washcloth

A Few Special Easter Bunny Crafts that Make Great Gifts

Most crafters enjoy making gifts for our friends and family.  The Easter Bunny Boxes would be the perfect gift box, but imagine how much fun a child would have helping you actually decorate the box.  Whether you choose to make it in advance, or make the box together, I am certain the Easter bunny gift boxes would be a gift in it's own right.

Because I love Pom Pom animals, I simply had to include the Pom Pom Bunny pictorial instructions.  In the article, the photos show making your own pom poms, which of course you can do.  However, ready-made pom poms are available for a fast and easy craft.

 Pom Pom Easter Bunny Easter Bunny Box Tutorial with Video 

One of our very own contributors here on Review This Reviews crochets lovely items and sells them in her Etsy store.  Don't tell anyone, but I am secretly hoping Wednesday Elf will purchase this pattern and make those bunny shoes in my size, (Mouse size 6, please).

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.”

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Customized Clocks Make Great Gifts

Design a Personalized Clock for a Special Person  

Most of us find ourselves occasionally needing a gift for someone who seems to have everything. Why not design a wall clock as that gift? Whether a person needs to read the time on the wall or not, everyone loves something personal decorating the wall in the room where they spend the most time. Everyone has an interest and appreciates wall decor that recognizes that special interest.

The clock above would be appropriate for that friend who collects anything related to parrots, who has a parrot, or who has a special interest in tropical birds. But using the method below, you could substitute a photo of your friend's own parrot or other bird for the one in this design. You could do the same for a friend with a cat, dog, horse, donkey, or any other animal. And there are always children and grandchildren that are wonderful to see every time you look at the clock. 

Here's How Design Your Own Custom Wall Clock from Scratch On Zazzle

Prepare an image of about 3225 pixels square and 300 dpi resolution and save it where you can find it easily.  .
Square Clock Template Check out more Wall Clocks

To design your own clock, follow these easy steps. Be sure to have the artwork or photo you want to use as your clock face image handy. Here's how I created the clock below.

1.  Pick a shape and size 
2.  Click the customize button under the image.
3.  Click "add image." 
4.  Upload the image from your computer or file on Zazzle. 
5. Add your numbers. In the clock below I did each number as a separate text element so I could make them irregular. If you prefer not to have numbers, don't add them. 
6.  For each text element you can use the edit dropdown menus to change text size, style, and color. I used the "arrange" dropdown to rotate some of the numbers. I also dragged some numbers around to mix them up by clicking the text box of the number to make the box for it appear on the screen, and then I dragged the box to where I wanted it to go. Be sure to use a very large image at 300 dpi resolution. My editor lets me edit by inches, and the large square and round clocks need to have an image 10.75 inches square or in diameter. Small round clocks have an eight inch diameter. When you finish your creation, double check your spelling and make sure everything is as you intended. 
7.  Put the item in your cart.  If you want a similar "Who cares" clock with an image of your favorite place or activity, follow the link to this clock, click "customize," and click the box containing the name of the image already on the product. Then click "change image." You will be able to select the image you want to use and upload it, and it will replace the image that's there. Repeat with any of the text boxes listed under the edit menus. Maybe you don't want to change the numbers, because that's a lot of work, but you might want to change the "Who Cares?" text to something else.
   

Square "Who Cares?" Wall Clock

 Below is another variation on the square clock. (The images I had available seemed to look better on a square clock than a round one.) For this clock I chose an interest -- baking. I just happened to have a picture for it. You could customize by clicking the link to this clock and using your own picture of a lovely cake or pie of loaf of bread to replace my date bars. Or maybe you prefer making soup and you have a steaming pot of soup image. You can replace my date bars with your soup, and then change my text to "It's always time to make soup." Since that's longer, you might need to make the type size smaller to fit it in. If sports or games interest you more than kitchen activities, use an appropriate picture and then change the text to one of these or your own idea.

• It's always time for Wi 
• Chess stops the clock 
• Never enough time to play golf 

You will have some great ideas. My example below is just that an example. In this product, I included a template for adding your image and text.

Wall Clock Date Bars "ALWAYS TIME TO BAKE"


To test my instructions, I just made this new design in a few minutes. I as amazed at how quick and easy it was to do.

Time For Peace Wall Clock with Windmill in Sunset

The Quality of Zazzle Clocks

The clocks you can order from Zazzle are made by the Acrylic Idea Factory in Tuscon, Arizona. Out of the 314 customers who reviewed the clocks they received, the average rating they gave their clocks was 4.7 out of a possible 5. (293 people gave 4-5 star ratings and only 21 gave lower ones.) Many satisified customers don't bother to write reviews, but the unsatisfied customers are very likely to sound off. Most reviewers liked the quality of the clock bodies and were surprised at how sturdy they were.  They expected them to hold up for years of use. Most people were also very happy with the print quality. Many commented on how easy the clocks were to set up and use and on how simple it was to insert and change the AA battery (not included).

In most cases, those who were not happy were disappointed because they had not read the descriptions properly. One person thought she would be getting a clock with real forks and spoons on it instead of an image. Another person complained because the images were very small in the picture on the website and she didn't realize the clock she ordered for children with little fairy figures on the edge was intended for adults. If a figure is too small for you to see the details clearly, most browsers have a zoom feature that allows you magnify the entire page. I know Chrome has this. So if you are in doubt, zoom in and get a good look at the design before you order.

When customizing your clocks with your own images, remember that the quality of the image you upload will determine the how your finished clock will look. Some of the complaints were really due to customers uploading images that did not contrast enough with the clock hands. The clock hands are black, and will look best when they will not be on a very dark background.

A couple of people expected the clock hands to be heavier than they were and were upset because they can bend. But heavier hands would not move as easily and there is a reason to keep them light. It's best to put the clocks high enough on the wall to be out of reach of small children who might try to play with the hands.

To make sure you are one of the happy customers, read all descriptions carefully, zoom in to see image details, and make sure your image is large enough, has high resolution, and will contrast well and not be covered by the clock hands on important image parts.

Keep Calm And Carry On Round Wall Clocks Find other Keep calm Wall Clocks at zazzle.com

Sometimes Seeing Clocks Others Have Designed Will Give You Ideas for Your Own
You can personalize any of these with text or use as is.

I'm hoping some of these will give you ideas for creating your own clocks by customizing or personalizing one of these designs. There is everything here from abstract art to animal, sports, occupational, literary, travel, and children's literature designs. If you can think of it, someone has designed a clock for it. One of the clocks you discover is sure to inspire your own ideas, since when we see what someone else has done, we can think of ways to rework it for someone we know. 

I got a lot of fresh designing prompts from browsing these designs of others. When you click the links here, they will lead you on a merry journey of browsing even more interesting clocks. The imaginations of these artists are limitless.

Whatever, I'm late anyway - aqua blue Clocks
Find additional Wall Clocks

The clock below is perfect for a cyclist. The bottom link will lead you to other appropriate designs with wheels. You will know which will resonate with your friend or loved one. So often I wondered what a teen-aged boy might want, and a sports related clock might be just the thing he would love and not outgrow.

Bicycle Wheel clock with numbers
View other Wheel Wall Clocks at Zazzle.com

What child would not love a special clock in their room with their own name on it? Zazzle has an amazing variety of designs pertaining to almost any child's interest. Find the clock and change the name. Shopping done! Unless you find yourself wanting to buy for more than one child when you see all those fabulous choices. Just be sure you choose a clock with numbers for children who may not be used to knowing where the numbers should be. 

Personalized pink rainbow clock for girls
Look at other Kids Wall Clocks at zazzle.com

Is there a musician on your list? The clock below will fit either a vocalist or someone who plays an instrument. Clocks are also available featuring almost any instrument you can think of, and you can find colors to fit any decor. Great for dorm rooms or music studios. 

Black and white music notes clock with numbers

Is there an animal lover on your list? How better to customize than with a picture of their pet or pets on a clock they will see every day. Many people add "Remember to feed the cat (or dog) " on the clock showing their pet. If a pet has crossed the rainbow bridge, one could add text similar this: "Remember the good times." Just be sure to find a photo that won't have an important part of the face covered with the hands mechanism. 

Beagle Baby Dog Square Wall Clock
Browse Animal Wall Clocks online at Zazzle.com

Penguin lovers will be happy to have so many choices in colors and designs on clocks featuring penguins. There are artsy designs, superb photos, and even cartoon characters. 

What I have showed you above only scratches the surface of the thousands of wall clock designs you can find on Zazzle. To find just the perfect gift, use search terms that focus on occupations, interests, age-related humor, and anything else that comes to mind with regard to that person. In closing, here are more of my own personal favorites. 

Colorful Abstraction Wall Clock
Shop for more Wall Clocks at zazzle.com

Nurses Call The Shots Clocks
View other Nurse Wall Clocks at Zazzle.com

Pink Floral Teacup Personalize Wallclocks
Browse another Wall Clock at Zazzle

I hope you will now be inspired to go right to Zazzle and make a clock. Or if you don't feel quite up to that, I hope you'll want to do a little window shopping in the Zazzle clock department. Enjoy.

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.”

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Tote Bags on ReviewThis!

Vera Bradley Tote Bag

I rely heavily on tote bags and am a bit of a tote bag snob. My criteria for defining a good bag are durability, functionality, size availability, and appearance.  In this review, I will explain why the following bags fit the bill perfectly.

Vera Bradley tote bags - perfect for work

I need a very particular size of bag for work.  I need it to be large enough to carry my supplies back and forth to work; a varying assortment of notebooks, file folders, day planners, and often a clipboard.  I need straps long enough to fit (and stay) over my shoulder. Durability is a must.  I weighed my bag this morning, and it weighs just over 7 pounds.  I found all of those qualities with the Vera Bradley tote bag.

I must admit that 25 to 30 years ago, when Vera Bradley became widely known, I hadn't given their bags a second look.  I don't tend to purchase things because they are trending.  Eventually, I purchased a bag and I loved it for the reasons listed above. I have owned two of these tote bags over the past 7+ years. I am hard on bags (i.e. carrying over 7 pounds back and forth to work on a daily basis) and eventually the shoulder straps begin to fray a bit.  But overall, it makes quite a statement that a quilted tote bag lasts for nearly four years with very little wear-and-tear.

Mesh beach bags - perfect for outdoor activities

While I sometimes have taken my retired quilted tote bag on outdoor adventures, I find that the quilted material is not the best option for hiking, camping, river-wading, or sandy beaches.  I have found the the best bags for the beach are inexpensive, but very durable mesh bags.  With mesh bags, the sand shakes out of the bag, the bags are able to be rinsed out, and air circulates around your wet beach towels on the way home.

see-thru mesh bag

I prefer the beach totes with webbed straps and bags that are not see-through. Because I often travel alone, I prefer that folks passing by are not able to see the contents of my bag.  

When my children were young, or when carrying items to share with others, I preferred the see-through mesh bags. It makes locating items in the bag easier to do. You are able to easily reach into the bag and find your item without dumping the contents of the bag.

CutePurseNalities bag

More quilted bags from CutePurseNalities

If you are looking for a quilted tote bag but want something specific for a holiday, or a design other than prints offered by Vera Bradley, you must visit the CutePurseNalities store.  She offers handmade quilted bags, similarly sized to the bags I carry, but with a variety of colors and prints. 

This adorable Leprechaun Kitties bag is just a bit smaller than the bags I carry, only 10" tall as opposed to 13 1/2" tall - but not everyone needs to carry a clipboard back and forth to work. Otherwise, it is very similar and includes four inside pockets instead of three. 

Women are very particular about their bags. They have specific needs and preferences.  But if you are looking for a tote bag for work, casual, or outdoor activities, these bags are wonderful options. 

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.”

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