Review This Reviews!

Monday, October 3, 2016

FotoJet Free Photo Editor Review

FotoJet is a free online photo editor. It is extremely easy to use and offers photo editing, collage making, and graphic designs. I was skeptical when I signed up. I was certain it would have nothing new to offer that I don't already have access to with other photograph editing programs. But I was wrong. I love the FotoJet designs for social media posts. In this review, I will show you some of the samples I created using minimal time or energy.

Easy Sign up

So far, I've found no gimmicks with the FotoJet photo editor site. My pet peeve is trying to sign up to use a free program only to find that there is some catch. Perhaps you must enter your credit card number in order to register for the "free" site. Or it is free, but you have to download all sorts of things onto your computer and then their tool bar takes over. Sometimes it is easy to sign in, and really is free, but then you learn that you only get to do one sample of something and your free use has ended. An upgrade (that costs) is required to continue. I found NONE of those gimmicks with FotoJet. Registering was just this easy:

I entered my email address.
I entered the password I wanted to use.
I went to my email account and clicked the link for email confirmation
I returned to the site and began creating

Easy to Use

I clicked the link to confirm and entered the site. Because I'm not tech savvy, I expected to have to spend a day or two trying to figure things out. I looked for FAQs and directions and found none. There are a few hints (such as using the arrow keys...and I wish I had paid attention to that hint!) while the page is loading. Otherwise, I found no instructions.

But within two hours, I have four photo samples edited. And I am very excited about them.

FotoJet Editor for Social Media Posts

Personally, have a really hard time remembering the image size requirements for my social media sites. Sites such as Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest have different and ever-changing requirements. My photos files have multiple photos saved in a variety of sizes and labeled with the site they were created for. FotoJet won 't decrease the amount of photo files I have, but it will take away the need to look at my image size cheat sheet each time I am re-sizing.

FotoJet Photo Designs for Instagram

My first attempt was designing an Instagram photo with a personal photo for my personal blog. I chose the design, chose my photo, dragged my photo onto the design and voila, was nearly finished. I clicked on the text boxes to add my wording, dragged it to where it looked best, and resized it easily. I also changed text colors and fonts easily. When finished, I saved it to my computer.

To show the variety of designs, I used a second design with the same photo. I think it gives my photo an entirely different look.

FotoJet Photo Designs for Pinterest

I then did the same for the designs sized for Pinterest. With permission from our photography contributor Mary Beth, I used her amazing beach photos for these designs.

Aren't her photos gorgeous?! Anyway, with the first design, I dragged and dropped two photos, clicked on their existing text boxes, and changed the wording to my own. With the second image, I dragged and dropped the photo, changed the opacity of the existing text box, and left their text as is.

What a happy coincidence to find a design with my name.

FotoJet Social Media Designs in Summary

I had a bit of difficulty finding the trash bin initially. But I am content with clicking around and trying things out. Clearly, the "click and hope" technique worked well for me. Everything else was very easy to navigate. Especially after I started using the directional arrows to move the photos.

I hope that FotoJet adds even more designs for Instagram and Pinterest. And perhaps some for Twitter. Overall, I really like this free photo editor. It seems to be a program free of gimmicks and tricks to purchase upgrades. It is easy. And if your goal is to create attractive images for your social media sites with as little muss and fuss as possible, I think you will be thrilled with FotoJet.

Saturday, October 1, 2016

Warriors by Erin Hunter - Juvenile Novel Series Review

Source: Amazon

Warriors is a series of juvenile fantasy novels which has captured the attention and delight of my 14-year-old grandson, Ryan.

When Ryan visited me for three weeks this summer, he told me about this book series he was reading. He had been a part of the Summer Reading Program at his local library in Iowa and wanted to continue with the next book in the series, so the first day of his visit we went to the library. Not being familiar with WARRIORS, and knowing that teens like adventure and Science Fiction things, I asked him if Warriors was a Sci-Fi story. With a big smile, he said "no, grandma, it's about cats ~ wild cats who live in clans in the forest and have adventures!"

Grandson Ryan Reading "Warriors" (c) Elf

As Ryan described the story line to me, I thought what an interesting plot series, especially for a boy who loves cats, adventure video games, and books.

The Warriors Series of Books

The Warriors series follows the adventures of four Clans of wild cats—ThunderClan, ShadowClan, WindClan, and RiverClan—in their forest and lake homes named after and by the 4 cats ~ Shadow, River, Wind and Thunder ~ who began the clans and set up the 'warrior code'.

Meet the Warrior Cats

To learn about the warrior cats and their clans, go to their website - Warrior Cats - and meet the Warriors!

The Warrior Cats Series

To date, there are six sub-series, each containing six books. Book 1 of the original series, "Into The Wild", was published in 2004 and series six has the first two books already published as of September 2016.

The first 6 books in Warriors: The Prophecies Begin, introduces us to the clans and the cats within them.
The second series, Warriors: The New Prophecy, follow the WarriorCat clans as they move to a new home.
The third series, Warriors: Power of Three, tells us that the fate of the warrior code rests in the paws of three young cats, grandchildren of ThunderClan — Hollypaw, Jawpaw, and Lionpaw — as they become apprentices. They each possess unusual power and talent, but all of their strength will be needed for the Clans to survive.
The fourth series, Warriors: Omen of the Stars, continues where the third series left off. A fourth cat must now join the three apprentice cats in order to save the Clans.
The fifth series, Warriors: Dawn of the Clans, is a prequel that explains the origins of the Warrior Clans.
The sixth series, Warriors: A Vision of Shadows, has just begun, with the first two books in the series having been published in March and September of 2016, with volume #3 due out in April 2017.

If you begin with book 1 of series one, by the time you get to the sixth series, books 3-6 may be ready for you to read.

All the Warriors books and box sets of each series are available on Amazon.

Author: Who is Erin Hunter?

Erin Hunter is actually six people! She is experienced children’s book writers Kate Cary, Cherith Baldry, Tui Sutherland, Gillian Philip, Inbali Iserles and Victoria Holmes. Together, they all have a love of animals (especially cats), are fascinated with the natural world and respect nature in all it's forms. 'Erin' enjoys creating mythical explanations for animal behavior. See their bios here.

An In-Depth Warrior Book Review

Bev Owens, a fellow reader and contributing writer here on Review This! reviewed Into The Wild, which is book 1 in "The Prophecies Begin" series. Her review will give you a more thorough understanding of what this series of WarriorCat books are about. Suggested for 8-12 year-olds, but greatly enjoyed by 14-year-old Ryan and, as Bev says, us older adults, The Warriors series of books will be a fun and interesting read for almost any age group.

For more book reviews, check out:

Review This!: Book Reviews.

More about the Warrior Cats!

For the complete history of The Warriors book series, plus ways to 'explore their world' and a section on games and extra activities, check out their website at WarriorCats.

Ryan and his cat, Missy, think you will enjoy this Warrior Cats book series.

Ryan with his own cat, Missy (c) Wednesday Elf

Review by Wednesday Elf

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Friday, September 30, 2016

Reviewing the Book, Hide in Time by Anna Faversham

I have just finished reading the book "Hide in Time" by Anna Faversham and I can easily recommend it to anyone. To be completely honest, I was actually surprised by how much I really liked this book. I am not a fan of time travel books, mostly because I don't believe time travel is possible. But, like any really good fiction is apt to do, this book caused me to "suspend reality" and embrace the plot.

Because I don't often read time travel books, the beginning was a little confusing to me, but after the first few pages, I got it! Once the author smoothly lead me by the hand through a wall that separates the 1800's to the twenty-first century, I was hooked. I needed to see what would happen to Laura who found herself lost in a world that was 200 years beyond her life.

Because we can study history, I think it would be easier to go back in time, but imagine what it would be like to be cast into the world 200 years into the future.

The Book, Hide in Time by Anna Faversham

Synopsis Written by Cynthia Sylvestermouse

Hide in TimeAfter discovering her fiancé had been unfaithful, Laura boarded a ship to America. She wanted to get as far away from him as possible. She wanted a new start. She meant to be traveling to a new world, but she had no way of knowing she would actually be traveling to a different place in time. She knew she wouldn't know anyone in America, but she didn't expect to be clueless about fashion, jargon, idioms, and a more informal way of living.

The shipwreck she survived changed her life forever. When she washed up on shore, the land was the familiar, but everything else had changed. It was to her great fortune, that Matt Redfern, the first person to actually speak to her, was always willing to help the helpless. Since she had no memory of who she was or where she was from, he helped her get medical attention. When she still could not "find her past", he helped her establish a new life and guided her in starting her own business.

Five years after Laura was tossed into the future, she had found her footing there. She was thriving, actually living. Although she had regrets, she was content. During the past 5 years, Laura investigated the area of her arrival and discovered the secret of time travel. She also discovered that she was invisible when she returned to the past and it was clear her future belonged in the future. Then she met Xandra.

She saw so much of herself in Xandra. They had so many things in common, even looks. She felt she had actually found someone who would be a real friend. Someone who could understand her unique ways and would like her because of them. Laura hoped Xandra could be the sister she had never had, or at least believed she had never had. However, when Xandra found herself on a murderer's hit list, she needed a safe haven and Laura had the answer. She sent Xandra back in time.

As this point the book is divided in chapters where the reader is following two stories. Laura in the future and Xandra in the past. A truly fascinating exchange of lives. It was a very interesting twist to doppelgangers trading places and I really, really liked it a lot. So much so, I plan to read it again! I feel like I may have missed some hidden nuggets in the story.

My Recommendation of the Book, "Hide in Time"

When I think about it carefully, I know there were several reasons why I really liked this book and why I would highly recommend it to anyone.

First, it shows us that we can completely change the course of our own lives when needed and find happiness in a new place. It might take some time to readjust, but we can survive and adapt to new surroundings and people.

Second, it highlights how people are basically the same today as they were hundreds of years ago. Evil still abounds and good people still exist to maintain the balance that is our world.

And, last but by no means least, I like the concept about time travel in "Hide in Time". You can't go back! Once you have crossed into a different place in time, you can't return and just pick up where you left off. Yes, Laura returns, but she cannot be seen. She can whisper to the living and they hear her, but they believe she is what most of us would think of as a "ghost".

As I said at the beginning of this article, I don't believe in time travel, but if there were such a thing, it would have to be in a way that everyone traveling in time couldn't constantly be changing the future by visiting the past, literally.

More Books By Anna Faversham

Now that I have discovered the author, Anna Faversham, I will be reading more of her books!

One Dark Night (The Dark Moon Trilogy Book 1) Under a Dark Star (The Dark Moon Trilogy Book 2)

Thursday, September 29, 2016

Halloween Countdown Calendar Reviews

A countdown calendar will help put the "How many days 'til Halloween?" question to rest. Here are three Halloween countdown calendars that you can make yourself.

October is a long month and with Halloween coming at the very end, it can seem like forever to a child who can't wait to wear his new costume and go trick or treating around the neighborhood.

A Halloween countdown calendar will help put the "How many days 'til Halloween?" question to rest. Here are three easy Halloween countdown calendars that you can make yourself.

AbilityPoweredDesign on Etsy

Downloadable Halloween Countdown Calendar

Since I'm sure I'm not the only one who puts off projects until the last minute, I'm going to start with this one. It's super-quick and easy to make for as little as three dollars if you have a spare picture frame on hand.

Simply purchase this Halloween Countdown Calendar download, print it out immediately, put it in an 8 x 10-inch frame and you're ready to start counting down the days 'til Halloween. Each day, use a dry erase marker (available at the link or at your local discount store) to write the number on the glass. Next day, wipe off the number and update. Hooray, you're one day closer to trick-or-treat!

I've personally purchased many downloadable files from Etsy and just love the ease and convenience. This is a great project, simple and fun. I think this would make a cute gift for a teacher, neighbor, relative, or friend, too. Choose a pretty black, orange, or gold frame, include a new marker with the gift, and voila! I know I'd be impressed if someone made one of these for me. Oh, and if you like the idea but would prefer another design, you'll find many more choices in AbilityPoweredDesign's Etsy store.

No Tricks! Halloween Countdown Calendar With Treats

OhHappyDay.com

This next project is from the Oh Happy Day blog and I think it's adorable. It takes more time to make, but it's actually quite simple, the supplies are easy to find, and the end result is quite impressive and makes a beautiful, seasonal display. What's more, you'll be able to add little candies or stickers to the adorable cupcake-cup witch's hats to add even more fun each morning when your child counts down one more day.

Chiara, who wrote the post, includes complete directions and awesome photos to help make this project really easy. I hope you'll leave a comment on her blog if you like this project.

DIY Halloween Countdown Calendar With Printable Numbers

DIYNetwork Blog

Next we have a Halloween countdown calendar project from the DIY Network blog. This is another countdown calendar that will take a bit of time to put together, but it's a simple craft that even a beginner can handle.

I love the popular chevron-patterned gift bags and the printable letters and numbers, all in seasonal black, orange, and white. (Note: I can see this project being carried over to other holidays, using other colors, can't you? Love it!)

The project calls for either a bulletin board, as shown, or a foam board. The supplies are inexpensive, the instructions are complete, and the final product is adorable.

So there you have it, three easy DIY Halloween Countdown Calendar projects. I hope one or all appeal to you. Which one do you like best? If you make and use one of these, I'd love it you come back to let me know. Have a happy Halloween!

~Susan

Click Here to Read More Halloween Reviews From Our Review This! Team

~Susan Deppner
Read more of my reviews.

Posted by Susan Deppner

About the Author

Susan Deppner is a baby boomer, a cancer survivor, and a Southerner who believes in the Golden Rule. She enjoys writing about food, faith, and fitness; health, home, and holidays; people, places, pets, and patriotism, and more. Follow Susan on Twitter, Facebook, and Pinterest.

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Wednesday, September 28, 2016

Review This: What are the 10 Most Wanted Halloween Treats

We all know it's coming and we all know that we will enjoy the evening!

What's coming? Why, the most important night of all nights, for anyone who is under 14 years of age!

These pictures belongs to me, please ask if you want to share them elsewhere!

Let me give you a hint! Kids have been thinking about it since school started. They have changed their minds a dozen or more times. They are driving their parents crazy with outrageous costume ideas!

Why it's Halloween of course!

These pictures belongs to me, please ask if you want to share them elsewhere!

So once the costume question has been settled, what's the next most important part of the Halloween festivities?

If you guessed the treats, you would be right! Did you know that there are Treats that are Favored by the youngsters? They will seek you out if you happen to be shelling out their favorites! You will get the biggest thanks from all the little Goblins and Witches for miles around.

So What are these 10 Favorites, you might ask! Let me enlighten you and make all the kids in your neighborhood really happy!

Starting with the Best and Most Wanted!

Butterfingers/Starbursts
Milky Way Bars
Twix Bars
Skittles
Milk Duds
Snickers
Reeses Pieces
Tootsie Rolls/Tootsie Pops
Kit Kat Bars/Nerds
Sour Patch Kids

All of these are readily available, so if you are going to buy treats, they might as well be something the kids are really going to enjoy. (If there are any left overs, you just might enjoy them too!)

HERSHEY'S Halloween Demon Treats Snack Size Assortment (48.05-Ounce Bag, 125 Pieces)

Skittles, Starburst and Life Savers Gummies Halloween Candy Bag, 315 Fun Size Pieces, 99.78 ounce

MARS Chocolate Favorites Fun Size Candy Bars Variety Mix 33.9-Ounce 60-Piece Bag

Now for every 10 that the Kids really want to have, there must also be 10 that they really don't want to have!

So here the list that will prove a waste of money in the eyes of all the Hobo's, Captain Americas, Princesses and their ilk!

Toothbrushes
Apples
Orange taffy pieces
Candy rings
Good and Plenty
Jaw breakers
Dubble Bubble gum
Chocolate coins
Necco wafers
Candy corn

Halloween time is a great holiday for everyone to let their inner child out to play for a while. You know you will be spending money on candy for the kids, so you might as well get them something that they will enjoy.

Just don't buy your candy too early because you know that you will have to do some quality control on just how fresh these Candies are and that will not be good for you or the kids in your neighborhood!

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