Reviewing New Features in Photoshop

 

Some years we just don't get a lot of snow, and when we do it is not necessarily when I'm available to photograph it. In December I visited our historic downtown area in St. Charles and took a photo of their lovely, decorated tree and sleigh. I thought to myself that it would sure look great with a little snow around it.

Winter Scene in Photo Shop

When I got home and edited my photos from my trip on Main Street, I decided to try some of the new Neural Filters in Photoshop.  I opened my photo in PS and then went to the filter tab.  I clicked on Neural Filters and when that box opened up, I looked down the left column and clicked on the landscape feature.  I now had several options at that top showing various landscape scenes.  I clicked on one showing a winter scene with snow and it was quickly applied to my photo with the result you see in the photo above.  Here is what the original photo looked like.

I really think this feature could work well in creating a winter holiday card.  Here is another before and after in using this feature.  This one is a photo of the visitor center all decked out for the holidays.

Here is the before photo.

St. Charles Visitor Center

The photo below is after I applied the neural filter in Photoshop using the landscape feature and then choosing the winter scene.  I used it for a photo challenge called "cold as ice" and I certainly think it gives you that feeling.

Photo with Winter filter Applied

More Neural Filter Choices in Photoshop

There are quite a few different filter choices in the 2021 updates.  Along with the winter scene there are also landscape choices where you chose what season you would like to make your photo.  Here is a photo I took at a farm at the beginning of autumn before the colors were really popping.  I used the autumn filter to give it a real autumn color scheme.

Autumn at the Farm

Another series of filters in the neural filter line is the artist series.  In this group of filters, the styles are changed to fit various artists styles.  You might find a Monet style or a Van Gogh style among many other styles.  The artists are not listed, you just have to recognize their styles.  That is one thing I hope they will change in the future.  I would love to know what artists style each filter is emulating. Here is a barn door photo that I took at a farm and then edited it using the first artists filter available in the artist section.

New Artist Style #1

Purchase Creative Cloud Subscription

I love my Creative Cloud subscription.  It gives me access to Photoshop and Lightroom and gives me all updates as they become available.  It is cost effective at only $9.99 a month.

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10 Wonderful Ways to Relieve Holiday Stress! From the Heart

The Big Holiday many people have been waiting for is just around the corner. 

It's literally just days away and many people are feeling the stress building! Oh don't get me wrong, I'm sure everyone loves this holiday, but when the stress becomes so all encompassing, it's hard to enjoy it!

What can you do to make this time of year the joyful and wonderful time it's supposed to be?  Well in my experience, I know I had put a lot of the pressure on myself and got caught up in all the things that could go wrong.  I needed help to see that my focus was in the wrong place!  Instead of focusing on the negative, I needed to focus on something positive and different.

So here are some of the things I do to help relieve that pressure:

1. Wrapping things up can make me crazy.  I have two left hands but  I still want my packages to look nice!  Now I still do that, but I use gift bags to make the packing that much easier.  Dollar Stores are great help for this!  Inside each package goes a personalized note to the recipient, letting them know how much they mean to me! (It doesn't have to be long, just meaningful)
2. Take lots of breaks,  drop everything and go for a 10 minute walk around the neighborhood.  When you get back you'll get twice as much done because you are  more relaxed.
3. Take your phone with you and grab some festive pictures while out in the "hood".  Focus on Christmas decor, Dogs in their Christmas sweaters, People willing to smile at you, etc.
4. Get physical and do someone a favor while you are out!  Do you have a neighbor that could use a little help?   Offer to do something for them (go to the store, shovel their walk, walk their dog, or ask them to join you for a cup of tea or coffee)  The gift of your time is priceless!
5. Head out to a local church and just take a few steps inside the doors.  Go to a church/temple that you may never have been to before. (Check the internet for times, most places of worship will have some kind of schedule and extended hours)
6. Take an hour or two and head to your local library.  Browse the shelves for something you might enjoy reading over the holidays.
7. Turn up the music (not necessarily Christmas music, but something that you enjoy!  ABBA, the Beatles, Rolling Stones (am I dating myself?))
8. Browse You Tube to learn a new dance.  Moving and getting your blood flowing are great ways to relief some stress.  Plus you could learn a few new moves along the way and share those with your family and friends (Even if it's just to laugh at yourself).  
9. Sit back and watch a movie!  Again it doesn't need to be a Christmas movie, but one that you enjoy!
10. If all this fails, then you can always take a nap!  Sometimes just resting your eyes can do wonders for your nerves and your anxiety. Close those eyes and say a little prayer so your focus is on something supernatural and divine.

When your stress  drops to a manageable level, you can restart what you were doing and probably accomplish more than if you had stayed with it.  Taking a break is a game changer for many people. Believe me, the holidays will come one way or the other, but if you are relaxed, they will be more enjoyable!

Learn to laugh and smile, what you share out in the world will come right back to you!

My hope for you is that you truly enjoy this Holiday Season to it's fullest!  May you have a lovely Christmas with your family and friends and may your New Year be Blessed with lots of Joy!

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Crossword Puzzle Day – Holiday Review

Crossword Puzzle Day is held each year on December 21.  A journalist (Arthur Wynne) invented this fun word game we all enjoy today. His first crossword puzzle was published in the New York World newspaper on December 21, 1913. Today this challenging word game is enjoyed by millions around the world.

Crossword Puzzle Facts

The crossword puzzle is the most popular of all the word games. 

The objective of the game is to fill the white spaces of a grid with the words for the given clues. Black spaces separate individual words.

The levels of these puzzles range from simple puzzles for kids to challenging puzzles for adults.

Reasons to do Crossword Puzzles 

In addition to being fun, crossword puzzles also provide additional benefits:

• They sharpen the brain for problem-solving. 
• They may help delay the effects of dementia, so exercise your brain with a crossword puzzle.
• They can increase vocabulary. 
• If you are bi-lingual or learning a new language, consider completing a crossword puzzle in your second language.
• They can even relieve the mind from the day's stresses.

Challenge yourself to complete a puzzle a day for fun, entertainment and for any of the reasons above.

My brother always begins his day with a coffee in one hand and a newspaper with a crossword puzzle to solve! Where others have given up the daily newspaper delivered to their door (in favor of quick news online and on TV), Ken loves his newspaper for the daily crossword puzzle.  Many turn first to the 'funnies' for their morning entertainment via a newspaper; Ken goes straight to the crossword puzzle. He often does the daily puzzle with his wife. A fun couple activity.

Crossword Puzzle Day Summary

So, if you have not been in the habit of doing crossword puzzles, consider making it a daily habit for any of the number of reasons I have stated in this article, or simply for the fun of it! 

If you do not subscribe to a daily newspaper, which always has a crossword puzzle, a daily crossword calendar can give you one for every day.

Crossword Puzzles 2023 Day-to-Day Box Calendar

A  Daily Desktop calendar which features daily crossword puzzles designed to challenge and entertain. The pages include answers on the reverse side and are mounted on a recyclable stand for easy display.

Numerous crossword puzzle books are published regularly and available in many stores. Crossword puzzles can also be found online and on apps for your Smartphone.

National Crossword Puzzle Day

December 21

More Links to Word Puzzles Articles on ReviewThisReviews

More Links to Holiday Articles on ReviewThisReviews.

Click here for more crossword puzzles in a variety of forms

National Crossword Puzzle Day Holiday Review was written by

Wednesday Elf on 12/21/2022

*Crossword Puzzle Images courtesy of Pixabay.

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Birds: Reviewing My Experiences with Window Strikes

 As someone who loves birds, and considers myself a beginner bird-watcher, I was vaguely aware that bird injuries via window strikes is a thing. But it was a distant thought and nothing I concerned myself with. I suppose I imagined that window strikes only occurred in cities with massive buildings, lots of glass, and limited outdoor space. And that only startled birds took flight and flew into buildings in their fright. I am finding that I was wrong about the frequency and locations of window strikes. I thought it important to pass on my experiences to our readers who may also be concerned about the safety of the birds in their communities.

My Own Recent Experiences with Window Strikes Causing Death and Injury

I have recently moved to my new, small home that is located on a mountain ridge and next to a wooden area. Bird-watching is one of my favorite things here and was one reason I chose to locate my house on the property; next to the treeline where the most bird activity occurs. 

My home is small. To take advantage of both natural light and the views, I have a window-door configuration at both ends of my home that in essence creates glass corners.  I love them and consider these to be the highlights of my home.  Unfortunately, I had not known that this window set-up is at high risk for window strikes. 

My first clue was while the house was still under construction. I found a deceased Yellow-billed Cuckoo on a scaffold set up just under my bedroom window (one of the door-window configurations I mentioned earlier). All About Birds by The Cornell Lab states "Yellow-billed Cuckoos are slender, long-tailed birds that manage to stay well hidden in deciduous woodlands" and "Yellow-billed Cuckoos are fairly easy to hear but hard to spot."  How very sad that my first spotting of one of these bashful birds was via a window strike.   Still, I did not expect that there would be more window strikes at my home. I assumed that the Yellow-billed Cuckoo just was taken by surprise by my newly installed windows (installed just that week into openings that had been open for months due to supply chain problems).

Last week, I was sitting in my livingroom, in the corner window area, when a bird strike occurred. The bird was stunned. I was unsure about what to do - intervene and "help" the bird while knowing that typically human intervention with wildlife is often the opposite of helpful or leave it to fend for itself.  While I searched the internet for advice, the bird recovered enough to fly away.  It was then I realized that my home is the problem and not just a one-time problem.

Bird Strikes Information

According to The Cornell Lab's All About Birds, "For birds, glass windows are worse than invisible".  Due to the reflections of the surrounding area, in my case the sky and trees, the birds see an area they'd like to fly into. According to the study they cite (2014) "about 1 billion birds die from window strikes each year". They also report that even birds that appear to be only stunned from the strike and able to fly away are often fatally wounded. Which is not happy news at all. (Read the article in it's entirety here.)

Not only do bird strikes occur during daylight hours when the glass reflects the surroundings (in the case with my home) nighttime strikes occur because the lighted windows divert migrating birds from their route. According to this article dated 2017, it is not fully understood why this happens. More research might find more current information about nocturnal window strikes and migrating birds. At this time, however, I am focused on learning solutions for my windows. As you can see in the photo above, the trees and sky are reflected almost perfectly in the glass. And that is what the birds are seeing and flying into.

Decreasing the Risk of Window Strikes

The short answer for decreasing the risk of window strikes in cases like mine is interrupting the reflection of the sky and trees.  

Window screens.  Both bird strikes occurred on the glass (unscreened) portions of my window/door. Placing screen over the entire windows stops the reflections. This may be an option for me for my windows. But unfortunately, not for my sliding doors.

Interior curtains or blinds. These are definitely options for my bedroom door and window. Those areas could easily remain with closed curtains. However, the bird strike in the livingroom occurred with me sitting near the sliding door and looking out. Even with a curtain over the livingroom slider there would be extended periods of time that the curtain would be open and the birds at risk.

Bird Tape, One-Way Transparent Film, and Window Decals.  Covering the glass with closely spaced objects break up the reflection enough to deter the birds. The transparent film covers the entire window which makes the windows appear opaque to the birds but remain clear when on the inside looking out. This is the solution I'm researching and will probably pursue.  I want to preserve my view while protecting the birds I love so much.

As odd as it might sound, this is another reason I am thankful for my small house. I believe that is why I noticed the most recent window strike. I can only imagine how many occur and are never observed. If I had not heard the collision and seen that poor stunned bird on my deck, I would not have learned about how lethal windows are for our backyard and migratory birds. With this information I will be able to find a good solution. At this point I am leaning toward curtains for the bedroom glass and window clings for the livingroom glass. However, I am still researching Collidescape brand window "dots" and window film as well as the WindowAlert cling designs.

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The Best Baby Booties - A Personal Recommendation

The arrival of our Granddaughter has given me an education on what's popular and what's not with baby products. 

Having raised four sons, I know a thing or two about constantly losing baby socks. 

About a month ago, I noticed our super-cute Granddaughter had these very warm, comfy, and secure booties on her feet. I asked my daughter-in-law what kind they were, and she informed me they were called "Hudson Baby Booties."

Hudson Baby Booties Come in a Variety of Sizes, Designs, and Colors - They're Awesome!

Here's One Pair Our Granddaughter Wears

I've since purchased two additional pairs for our Granddaughter, and I highly recommend them for gifts. If I were a new mom starting out, I'd want many pairs of these to go with a wide variety of outfits.

What's So Great About These Booties?

• They're soft and comfortable
• They're cozy and warm
• They're easy to put on and remove
• They have never fallen off of our Granddaughter's feet!
• They come in multiple designs, sizes, and colors
• They make a lovely gift
• No more losing sockies
• They open up wide for baby's feet to go in
• They velcro-wrap for closing
• Great for cold winter nights or cooler days
• A good choice when taking baby for a walk or in the car

Notice How Much They Open So You Can Easily Put Them On

The Tongue is Soft - Pulls Forward so Foot can Easily Go Inside

Here's a Look At the Velcro Close

The Two Velcro Sides wrap around Baby's Ankle - They Stay On!

I highly recommend these booties for the baby in your life. Several pairs of these, in multiple sizes, make an excellent gift. In fact, these are now my go-to baby gift. They're usable, cute, and practical. Our Granddaughter, especially now during the winter months, wears hers daily.

You can find Hudson Baby Booties here on Amazon. 

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Oatmeal Muffin Day – A Food Holiday Review

National Oatmeal Muffin Day is celebrated on December 19th each year. It's one of those minor holidays with no known origin, but since it involves a delicious and healthy muffin, we are happy to celebrate this fun foodie day. 

A Bit of Background

A Muffin, or Quick-Bread, is similar to cupcakes both in size and in cooking method.

Muffins are popular breakfast foods, especially served with coffee.

Muffins come in many varieties and can be savory (like cheese muffins) or sweet like blueberry or banana nut muffins.

Oatmeal muffins have oatmeal as the primary ingredient – which has many health benefits which far outweigh any worry you might have over calories. 

Oatmeal muffin recipes began appearing in American cookbooks as long ago as the mid-1800s. They are made with flour, butter, eggs, OATMEAL, and baking soda as the raising ingredient.

Quick Recipe for Easy Oatmeal Muffins

Ingredients for a quick & easy oatmeal muffin recipe I like that I found on Allrecipes include 1 cup of quick cooking oats, milk, an egg, vegetable oil, flour and salt. Baking powder is added as the raising ingredient. 

You can find the exact list of ingredients and also the directions for mixing this muffin recipe at the Allrecipes site for Easy Oatmeal Muffins. 

Prep time is about 15 minutes and baking in a preheated oven (at 425 degrees) is 20-25 minutes. Not long at all for a dozen tasty breakfast muffins. A warm, delicious treat on a cold morning. 

Summary

So whip up a batch of Oatmeal Muffins, or pick up a few at your local bakery, to celebrate this day with a delicious & healthy breakfast treat.

National Oatmeal Muffin Day

December 19

For more Muffin Reviews, check out ReviewThisReviews: Muffins

For more Holiday Reviews, check out the ReviewThisReviews Holiday Category

*National Oatmeal Muffin Day review written by 

         ~Wednesday Elf

**Images are from Pixabay; Intro image was created with GetStencil. 

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Christmas Pen Pals Movie Review

I am always thrilled to find a new wonderful Christmas movie!  

Most often, I default back to classics of the past during the holidays, but this year I was searching for something new.  I tried several that ended with the movie being clicked off within the first 15 minutes.  I wanted a good movie, not just a time-passer. When I discovered "Christmas Pen Pals" starring Sarah Drew & Niall Matter, I knew almost immediately that I had found the Christmas movie gem I was seeking.

This sweet, romantic movie was perhaps a bit predictable since we knew Hannah (Sarah Drew) was going to fall in love.  However, there were plenty of fun surprises along the way that kept my attention and made me hopeful that this kindhearted woman would find someone who loved her as much, or more, than she loved them.

Yes, I know.  I am an unapologetic hopeless romantic!  I love a great love story whether I am reading a book or watching a movie.  Of course, no love story is better than a real life love story, but we rarely get to see that from the very beginning and see those first sparks. 

Christmas Pen Pals Movie Synopsis

Hannah Morris has a well organized life and in isolated from people and pain by her electronics and gadgets.  As the creator of a dating website, her financial stability is also dependent on the internet via those devices.  When her company partner shares how their site is struggling because people are leaving it in droves due to the lack of the emotional element they desire, the two woman know they need a new "catch" to continue to succeed.  

 CHRISTMAS PEN PALSCheck Price Unfortunately, Hannah also lacks a romantic relationship in her own life. That makes it rather hard for her to envision how to set up a new dating app that would have the needed emotional appeal.  When searching through her phone list of men from her past, she accidentally calls her dad.  Because she doesn't want to let her father down, she ends up agreeing to come home for Christmas.

However, home is where Hannah must come face to face with pain, the past, and the reality of Christmas at home without her mother.  But, she is also greeted by family and friends who welcome her home with open arms. 

The town is celebrating Christmas this year by having secret pen pals assigned to participants who decide in advance if they are seeking love or a new friendship. Because of her current work problem, she decides to check "love" on the application, hoping she will find that needed inspiration for her dating website.

Does she find that inspiration and the "catch" she needs to be professionally successful?  I won't tell!  

You must watch the movie for yourself to find out.

 

More Great Movies Reviewed

Check Out More Movie Reviews at
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Christmas Pen Pals Movie Review by:

 

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Quick & Easy Livlo Blueberry Scones Keto Baking Mix Review

Ever since I lost nearly 60 pounds last year by following a healthy ketogenic diet, I have continued eating a very low carb diet to maintain that weight loss. As a lifelong lover of baked goods, I love to bake and did a lot of low carb baking while I was on my keto weight loss diet, which helped me stick to my plan. Although I continue to bake keto recipes from scratch when I have the time and inclination, I also appreciate the convenience of a low carb baking mix with clean ingredients when I am short on time or energy. 

I have already shared several keto recipes and low carb baking mix reviews here on Review This Reviews. Today, I am reviewing my newest high quality, low carb baking mix find, Livlo Blueberry Scones Keto Baking Mix.

Livlo Blueberry Scones Keto Baking Mix contains real blueberries! Just add butter and eggs.

I love being able to throw together a batch of delicious keto blueberry scones in just a few minutes with this low carb baking mix, with minimal time, effort and kitchen cleanup. They're a lovely breakfast treat as well as the perfect "little something" to enjoy during an afternoon tea or coffee break. My husband and I enjoy eating them as is, but they're even better split, toasted and buttered.

Since this Livlo keto baking mix is gluten free and grain free and has no added sugars, it's a great choice for anyone who follows a paleo, diabetic, LCHF (low carb, high fat) or keto diet (as long as they don't have a tree nut allergy, since it contains almond flour). But you don't have to be watching your carbs, sugar, gluten or grain to enjoy these yummy treats.

Note: The official company spelling of this brand is Livlō, ending with a lowercase "o" with a macron (a straight bar over the letter "o" indicating that it should be pronounced as a long vowel).

Livlo Blueberry Scones Keto Baking Mix vs. My Favorite Keto Blueberry Scones Recipes

When I want to make low carb keto blueberry scones from scratch, I use one of two good low carb baking recipes. One is this Keto Blueberry Scones recipe from Carolyn Ketchum at All Day I Dream About Food, whose Ultimate Guide to Keto Baking cookbook is my keto baking bible. The other is this glazed Almond Flour Keto Blueberry Scones recipe from Maya Krampf at Wholesome Yum, whose Wholesome Yum Easy Keto Cookbook is another of my favorites and whose second cookbook, The Wholesome Yum Easy Keto Carboholics' Cookbook: 100 Low Carb Comfort Food Recipes. 10 Ingredients Or Less, is available for preorder. (I preordered mine the day it became available!)

However, when I just want to spend a few minutes making fresh-baked keto blueberry scones without having to measure out all the dry ingredients, wash a bunch of measuring cups and spoons or running out to the store for fresh blueberries, this quick and easy Livlo Blueberry Scones Keto Baking Mix is a great option.

All the ingredients are keto diet friendly and are ones I often use when I make keto baking recipes from scratch: Almond flour, erythritol and monk fruit extract sweeteners, blueberries, corn-free baking powder and fine sea salt. You won't find any unpronounceable preservatives in this keto baking mix!

The Livlo low carb baking mix contains real blueberries, which you can definitely taste in the baked scones, which are buttery, tender and delicious! The blueberry scones I make using this Livlo keto baking mix and ones I make from scratch using the two recipes I mentioned are quite similar, although the texture of each is slightly different. Honestly, the main difference is that the mix uses dried blueberries instead of fresh ones. 

Bake Fresh, Hot Scones in Minutes With This Quick & Easy Livlo Keto Blueberry Scones Mix

Making low carb blueberry scones with this Livlo low carb baking mix is so easy, it would be a fun activity to do with a young helper. 

Ingredients

1 bag Livlo Blueberry Scones Keto Baking Mix

1/4 cup (2 oz. or 1/2 stick) butter, very cold

2 eggs, beaten

Tools, Supplies and Equipment

Baking sheet

Parchment paper (I highly recommend these pre-cut unbleached baking parchment sheets, which are packaged flat and stay that way)

Mixing bowl (I use the 3-quart bowl from my favorite OXO 3-piece stainless steel mixing bowl set with non-skid bottoms)

Chef's knife (I love my 8-inch Victorinox Fibrox Pro Chef's Knife, which was highly recommended by Cook's Illustrated and cuts as well as knives that cost twice as much!)

Pastry cutter (although the package directions say you can use a fork instead, I don't recommend it; if you don't want to use a pastry cutter, I recommend using two knives instead to "cut in" the butter)

Mixing spoon, fork or seamless silicone spoon spatula

Cookie scoop or tablespoon (I use my comfortable, versatile Norpro 50mm/3 Tbsp stainless steel scoop)

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 °F and line the baking sheet with parchment paper.

Open the bag of Livlo Blueberry Scones Keto Baking Mix and pour the contents into a mixing bowl. 

Cut the very cold butter into 1/4" or smaller cubes and stir them into the dry mix in the bowl. Then, use a pastry blender to "cut in" the butter until it is in smaller bits and evenly incorporated. 

Stir in the beaten eggs and mix well to form a soft but thick dough.

Use the cookie scoop to portion the dough evenly into 10 well-spaced mounds on the parchment lined baking sheet. Since I have only a tabletop oven currently, I baked mine in two batches on two smaller baking sheets.

Bake the keto blueberry scones in the preheated oven for about 15 minutes, or until the tops are golden. Let them cool on the baking sheet for 5–10 minutes, then remove them to a cooling rack to finish cooling. (If you don't let them cool before trying to move them or pick them up, they will fall apart.)

Drizzling them with a glaze is optional. There is a simple recipe on the package (powdered sugar alternative/sweetener mixed with low carb, unsweetened non-dairy milk, plus a drop of vanilla or lemon extract, if desired). However, these keto blueberry scones are also lovely without any glaze, which is how we usually have them.

Optional Add-Ins

Sometimes I'll add a little almond extract along with the eggs when I prepare the dough. I love the flavor combination of almond and blueberry!

Occasionally, I'll amp up the berry flavor even more by adding some fresh or dried blueberries into the dough, which makes these scones even yummier and more nutritious  with very little increase in net carbs per scone. 

If you want to try this variation, I highly recommend adding only fresh or dried blueberries, not frozen ones. The chemistry of keto baking is different from that of conventional baking and the extra moisture from the thawed frozen berries can negatively affect the texture of your scones. 

Fresh, tiny wild blueberries from Maine or Canada, if you can find them where you live, have the best flavor and their small size allows you to distribute them more evenly through the dough. Alternatively, you can uses organic dried wild blueberries with no added sugars or oils. They can be a bit pricey, but fortunately even a small amount packs a big flavor punch.

Quick & Easy Livlo Blueberry Scones Keto Baking Mix Review by Margaret Schindel

Posts About My Keto Diet Journey

My First Year on The Keto Diet

Preparing to Succeed on the Keto Diet, Part One

Preparing to Succeed on the Keto Diet, Part Two

Low Carb Muffins & Cupcakes: Treats to Enjoy on a Keto Diet

Low Carb Keto Chocolate Yogurt Granola Chip Pudding Recipe

Good Dee’s Keto Cookie Low Carb Baking Mix Review

Hamama Microgreens Growing Kit Review & Success Tips

My Favorite Hamama Microgreens Seed Quilt Accessories

Keto Cheddar Cheese Biscuits With Chives Recipe

The Ultimate Keto Hot Chocolate Recipe

The Best Low Carb Keto Gift Ideas: Keto Gift Guide

The Best Low Carb Keto Cinnamon Muffins

Wholesome Yum Keto Bread Mix and Yeast Bread Recipe

The Good Chocolate 100% Organic No Sugar Dark Chocolate Review

The Best Advice to Maintain Your Keto Diet Weight Loss

My New Irresistibly Delicious Keto Cheese Crackers Recipe

Luscious Low Carb Keto Triple Peppermint Cheesecake Brownies Recipe

Quick & Easy Livlo Blueberry Scones Keto Baking Mix Review

Snack Better With The Best Healthy Keto Cookie Dough Bites

The Best Quick and Easy Low Carb Keto Pizza Recipe

The Best Quick and Easy Low Carb Keto Shortcake Cupcakes Recipe

Comparing the Best Keto-Friendly Chocolate Hazelnut Spreads - No Added Sugars

The Best Low Carb Keto Sandwich and Burger Buns Mix

Blueberry Biscuit Scones — New, Easy, Low Carb Keto Recipe

The Best Keto Pizza Crust Mix With 0 Net Carbs

An Unusual, Delicious Strawberry Chocolate Tea With 0 Calories

Delicious Sugar-Free Keto Cookies That OREO Fans Will Love

Healthy Pistachio Cherry Chocolate Chip Marshmallow Cereal Treats Recipe

Easy, Decadent, High Protein, Sugar-Free Rocky Road Cottage Cheese Ice Cream

The Best Quick & Easy Low Carb Sausage and Ricotta Calzones

How to Make Refreshing Vanilla Italian Soda (With or Without Cream)

Reviews of the Keto Diet by Barbara C. (aka Brite-Ideas)

My Personal Keto Testimonial

How I Stayed Committed to the Ketogenic Way of Eating

Read More Recipe Reviews by Our Review This Reviews Contributors

Read More Product Reviews by Our Review This Reviews Contributors

Read More Reviews About Health and Wellness by Our Review This Reviews Contributors

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Himalayan Salt Lamps Reviewed

 

I love our Himalayan Salt Lamp. It is a beautiful and soothing addition to the lighting in our home. We have had it for several years now and find it very useful and lovely.

What Is A Himalayan Salt Lamp?

Salt Lamps are made out of pink Himalayan salt carved into different beautiful shapes with space for a bulb and a plug and lead is attached.

Some are simple unfussy natural shapes, others made into ovals, or in a firepit-like arrangement, some in beautiful metal cages with tree scenes for example, which look stunning especially when lit. They also come in different sizes depending on the look you would like to achieve. 

Salt lamps are available in many different shapes and sizes from small to very large and in different price ranges. 

It all depends on what look you want to create, how elaborate or simple you would like the look and light to be and where you intend to place your salt lamp in your home.

Beautiful Salt Lamp

Why We Love Our Salt Lamp

As a bright light, it certainly lightens up the dark autumn and winter evenings and produces a really lovely warm light. Ours is on a dimmer switch which makes it perfect for when we want a bright or very subtle light. 

When we are watching a film we turn it to the lower dimmer function and then it becomes a wonderful glowing ambient light, just right for curling up warm and cost on a winter's night and relaxing. 

For a romantic dinner at home, the salt lamp helps to create a beautiful magical mood with its amber glow and beautiful looks and texture. 

We have also used it as a night light on low dimmer especially if we have not been feeling well, or on a really wintery stormy night it is reassuring to have a low warm glowing light. 

Close Up Of Glowing Salt Lamp

I think Salt Lamps should be purchased and welcomed into our homes on the basis of that we like the way they look both off and on and the quality and mood of light they produce. 

There are many claims of health benefits from salt lamps.  Some of the claims are that they produce negative ions and purify the air thus being very good for us. It is also said that they help promote sleep and calm allergies along with promoting mood-enhancing properties. 

I cannot be certain if we receive any health benefits or not. The main benefits as I see it are that they help us relax and take time to "be". For me, they do have a calming influence and help me take time out from a hectic schedule.

I do love to watch the beautiful glowing light and it is lovely to have a warming look on a cold winter night. I am not a fan of long dark winter nights so the beauty of this light does help my mood, if even just that it is a lovely light to enjoy in the darkness. 

They are a beautiful and unusual light to have in the home and give it a warm homely, yet modern feeling. 

Salt lamps look good during the day when they are switched off and simply gorgeous in the evening.

Salt Lamp Switched On 

A Few Points To Bear In Mind About Salt Lamps.

They are so simple to use as you just plug in. The bulb will need replacing every so often depending on how much you use it but we got a long time out of ours for our usage and bulbs are easy to replace.

Salt lamps are fairly substantial and can be very heavy so you need to take care when carrying or moving them. If you think you will need to move it around a lot then go for a smaller less heavy one. However, do bear in mind this weight when placing it on any piece of furniture and place it somewhere where pets or children cannot easily knock it over as it can hurt if it drops on a foot. 

I would advise keeping this lamp only in living and bedroom areas. They are not suitable for use in bathrooms or kitchens due to the higher humidity there.

For safety do keep and use them only in dry areas of the home. We have ours in the living room mainly and sometimes take it into the bedroom, never the kitchen or bathroom. 

Salt can be corrosive so make sure the surface you place the lamp on is not metal, as that will rust, or likely to be affected by salt. Or to be safer put the lamp on a protective mat first. 

Salt Lamp Switched Off

Himalayan Salt Lamps As GIfts

Salt lamps make fantastic beautiful gifts for loved ones on many occasions. As they go with most decor you do not need to know colour schemes or design tastes too much, they tend to go in most environments and decor choices.

They are beautifully tactile. Everyone needs another table lamp and as they are so beautiful most people would be very happy to receive one as a gift. They are lovely housewarming gifts, and as presents for Christmas and Birthdays

We love ours and will definitely purchase more salt lamps for the different rooms in our home and as gifts, as we go on.  Here is a small selection. 

The Body Source Himalayan Salt Lamp 8-10 inches (7-11Ib), Includes Lamp Dimmer Switch and Night Light - All Natural Salt Lamp with Handcrafted Wooden Base and Salt Lamp Light Bulb Replacement

33%

Spantik Himalayan Salt Lamp Bowl with Natural Crystal Chunks, Dimmer Cord and Classic Wood Base Premium Quality Authentic from Pakistan

17%

Himalayan Salt Lamp, Salt Rock Lamp Natural Night Light in Forest Design Metal Basket with Dimmer Switch (4.1 x 6.5 4.4-5lbs), 25Watt Bulbs & ETL Cord 1 Pack

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