This post brought to you by POWOW Messenger. All opinions are 100% mine.

 

I have had the Samsung HTC EVO 4G Android phone for almost 2 years now. It is my entire life wrapped up into one tiny little gadget. If I don't have it with me, I feel alone and desperate. It is like an automatic anxiety attack. Yes, me and my phone are inseparable. 

Every now and again, I head over to the Android market and download some of the latest apps. One of the apps that I most recently heard about is an app called POWOW Messenger.

What is POWOW Messenger for Android? This app is the only text messenger application that allows you include anyone on any mobile phone in your circles of friends and family, team, coworkers and neighbors.

Some of the Top Features Include:

1. Group messaging with true reply-all for everyone in the group (Primary)
2. Single place for all one-to-one and group messages, replacing the need for 2 apps to do both
3. ZipIT: Blacklist unwanted texters so you don't see notifications or messages; Mute notifications so you don't see notifications but still receive messages

I downloaded the POWOW Messenger for Android to check it out for myself. My experience with this app is good. I found it easy to navigate through and use. It is very simple. Basically, while I had the ability to message multiple people before, this app took it one step further. Now I could get the messages back to me all in one place. With the replies coming in on the same thread, it was easier for me to manage the conversation. I don't do this often, but about once a month. This made it a lot easier – rather than bouncing back and forth to the individual threads. This is VERY cool! Secondary to this, but also a cool feature, is that I could add as many people as I wanted to a message, add an entire group, make favorites, etc. Whereas before, I had to search for each individual I wanted to message.

Overall, the process of the POWOW app simplifies messaging for multiple people at once. It is neat how you can organize and choose who you message, you can block user notifications and the fact the replies are all tied together. This is a great app if you send group messages!

How do I Get this App? If you have an Android phone, and this app sounds of interest you you, you can download the App by searching for "POWOW Messenger" in the Android market. It should be the first thing that pops up!

This post brought to you by Whitney Farms. All opinions are 100% mine.

 

Ever since we bought our first home, I have been big into gardening. It is so much fun to see something go from a seed to a plant and then into something we serve at dinner! For the past three years I have been slowly perfecting my garden and getting to know how things grow, what plants grow best and what products to use to help enhance growth.

Whitney Farms® is a natural plant food producer with over 25 years of experience in aiding production. They offer products that can enhance flower and plant growth. With a full line of 100% natural plant foods and organic soil - they have a number of products that might work for your garden! You can be pleased to know that there are no additives, nothing artificial, just ingredients from the earth!

Whitney Farms® has products with:
-low to no dust 
-no manure odor 
-easy to apply 
-Contains beneficial microbes 
-Specially designed protein-based blends provide your plants with 
both macro and micronutrients they need to grow and thrive

The benefit of adding organic plant food to your flowers, plants and garden is obvious – big, beautiful flowers and veggies! Who doesn't want that? I sure do. I would love to have the type of garden that I see in the magazines such as Better Homes and Gardens! Flourishing, organized, and fruitful – without putting chemicals into it! I want to keep my garden as organic as possible! And I am getting there – with the help of growth promotion plant soils and foods!

Here is my garden as of today – here is to hoping it is better than last year!

Save $$ – Grab a Coupon! Get the goodness of gardening naturally, with Whitney Farms® plant foods and soils. Try out Whitney Farms® with the $3 coupon!

This post brought to you by Bloom.com. All opinions are 100% mine.

 

Oh you know I love a fun contest when I see one! Well this one is on behalf of Bloom.com! This social beauty networking site is giving you the opportunity to win a Luxury Spa Weekend in Vegas for YOU and FOUR girlfriends! That is right -­ all expenses paid at the luxury 5 star Aria hotel! This includes flights, hotel rooms and spa treatments for everyone!

I can only fathom the amount of fun and relaxation we would have enjoying ourselves at the beautiful luxury spa and hotel. Massages, manicures, facials and more. It is so rare that we get a "me moment" – this would give us a full weekend of "me moments"! My girlfriends would owe me forever if I won this for us!

If you want to Win a spa vacation for 4 girlfriends! all you have to do is join Bloom.com! 

What is Bloom.com? Bloom.com is a FREE social beauty network ­that is changing the way that women find and purchase the right beauty products. Bloom.com has over 10,000 items from 150+ of the top brands. All purchases come with free gifts (love it!) and additionally you get  10% back in Bloom Dollars. First timer bonus –  when you make your first order you get 30% back on your purchase! Within Bloom.com you can read unbiased feedback on your BeautyMatches and what is trending in the social world. Best of all, at Bloom.com you can personalize your needs to best fit you!

How do I Enter? You can win by joining Bloom.com for free! There are daily giveaways too of $50 Bloom Dollars to use on at home beauty treatments! All entries must be in before July 14th. The winner will be announced on July 17th! Plus, for every friend who joins you get an extra spa weekend entry, and for every friend who joins & buys you receive a $25 credit to your account (No Limit!).

In my previous Catalogue App post – I told you about an Android phone app that had a lot of potential. There were many reasons why I thought that it did, but here were my top three reasons:

1. Green alternative to the common print catalogues received by mail

2. Easy and Quick to shop for items, all in one place

3. Large variety of brands and merchandisers

Based on the above reasons, I chose to download the app. So is it truly worth it? Well, now I am going to tell you whether or not it is worth YOUR time! Continue on…

I have been using the app for about a week, but it wasn’t cut and dry at first. Nope, at first it took two tries to find it on the Android market. When I searched for ‘Catalogue’, it didn’t come up. So helpful hint: search for ‘The Find Catalogue’ when downloading! Of course, the download process was a cinch. I had the app running in just a few minutes.

Getting started with the app brought me to the home page, where I could do a product search, scan a barcode or shop straight from the catalogs. Those are three easy ways to get my shopping started!

I really liked browsing through the catalogs. There were pages and pages of catalogs to choose from! Once I chose one, I found it simple to browse it end to end, or search for a specific item. When I tested out the search feature – it worked great. I typed in "Dress" and gorgeous dresses from Saks Fifth Avenue, Patagonia, Coldwater Creek, Guess and more popped up! I could see all of the dresses on one page, including which catalogue it was from and the price.

For the best prices, I can send email updates of the deals and discounts – (love saving money!)

With this app, everything is all in one place. There are so many stores and options! Here are just a few of the catalogs I found on the app:

1-800-Flowers, Best Buy, Coldwater Creek, Crate & Barrel, dELiA*s, Hammacher Schlemmer, Harry and David, J.Crew, Kmart, Land’s End, Macy’s, Red Envelope, Sears, The Land of Nod, Toys R Us, Vera Bradley, Williams-Sonoma, Zappos…

Once I found items that I wanted, I could add them to a shopping list. Another cool feature – and one of their newest features – is you can check local availability of catalog items before you drive to the physical stores!

Overall, there are a ton of features and a TON of merchandise to choose from! Ok, I know that sounds like a lot. You might think this app has too much going on and is confusing, but it isn’t really! No need to be overwhelmed – it is just convenient shopping on your phone! I love having Nordstrom, J. Crew and Best Buy  at my finger tips! Oh, and did I mention it is AD-LESS? There are no ads on the app – for easier, less distracting browsing!

Get the App!! With approximately 1 million downloads,  Catalogue is also the most downloaded catalog app, and the only catalog shopping app available on Kindle Fire – Catalogue is frequently ranked as the #1 most popular app on iTunes. If you are interested in this app you can get it for free on many different platforms, including the Android, iPad, Kindle Fire and more!

Disclosure: This post is part of a Blogger Ambassador program. I have received monetary compensation for participating.

It is difficult to write movie reviews without leaking spoilers. After you watch a movie, you just want to talk about the movie, right? But really you can’t without ruining it for someone else! So without giving too much away, I am going to speak on the independent film, Mighty Fine, which premiers in select cities May 25th.

Thanks to Mom Central Consulting, I got the opportunity to watch a sneak peek of the movie Mighty Fine from the comfort of my own home. Plus, after the movie we did a live chat with the actors! It was pretty neat! I signed into a website, entered my passcode and the movie played just like that!

This film is about a family dealing with a father who has anger issues and is mentally abusive. One moment he is happy and lavishly spending money on his family, buying their love with gifts, concerts and even a new car! Then the next minute he is exploding in a violent rage.

The theme of the film hit home for me in a few ways…  It is a very revealing and true portrait of what some families deal with, day in and day out. While the movie began with a happy-go-lucky family, there were a few twists and turns, and then the true characters’ personalities were revealed.

Having experienced emotional abuse in my own family, I could relate to many of the scenes. As I watched, I saw how I was a combination of both of the daughter’s personalities. While I was one of the lucky ones, some are not. I was able to forgive and forget, be the better person – even if it made me grow up a whole lot quicker.

The movie ends with a beautiful poem that ties the movie together. It is deep and weighs heavy on the viewers’ heart. The poem relays an important message of families dealing with aggression and mental abuse. Whether you feel scared or shy, angry or passive, it is important to know you are not alone and do not deserve to be in such a hostile environment.

After the film had ended, some bloggers stayed in the chat room to discuss the film. Many bloggers expressed their own relation and how the film struck a chord in their own lives. It brought them back to the experiences they had with explosive parents, grandparents, spouses, etc. It was nice to talk about how many managed to be the better person in the end and make the best of it.

Let’s Go To The Movies!! Readers, the independent film based on writer/director Debbie Goodstein’s childhood experiences, Mighty Fine is premiering in select cities beginning May 25th. So please check to see if there is a location near you!
 

Disclosure: I wrote this review on behalf of Mom Central Consulting and the film, Mighty Fine. Compensation was given for my time and honest review. This did not affect the outcome of this review. All opinions are 100% my own. For full disclosure click here.

This post brought to you by Leviton. All opinions are 100% mine.

 

Do you long for a home remodel but just cannot afford one?

I hear ya! Upgrading a home can be just as expensive, if not more expensive than purchasing a new home. Depending on all that needs to be done, it can be thousands and thousands of dollars!

So what can you do to get the feel of a new home but not spend all that cash?

Well, if you watch any of the DIY networks, they have a ton of ideas for quick and inexpensive ways to update your old home, and make it feel more new. From painting a wall in a room to changing out the light fixtures. They’ve got some great tips!

One of the newest decorating products seen on the DIY home networks is: Leviton’s Renu®. Renu will update your home in no time! The Renu® collection includes:

-Switches
-Combination switches
-Wallplates
-Dimmers/Remotes
-Tamper Resistant Outlets
-Tamper Resistant GFCI Outlets
-QuickPort Connectors

All of these products have faces you can update to give an instant new look. The products are available in 20 attractive colors, so they easily fit any design or room color. The Renu products are easy to install (they snap on and off) which makes them also easy to replace and clean!

I was looking around my house and realized I would love to have a couple Renu dimmer switches instead of some of the current standard switches. Here is a picture of my hall/family room light switch.

The more I thought about it, installing a Renu® dimmer light switch would be awesome for this area! It would be great for parties (not have the blaring light!) and for movie nights (set on a dim – instead of all the way off!) If I wanted to change the plate color I could too. A dark switch might look good to match our TV, rug and table. 

Overall, these Renu products are a simple and quick decorative idea – that make an easy upgrade!

Join In!! Follow @Leviton on Twitter and connect with Leviton on Facebook.

Win! Win! Win! Leviton is hosting a twitter event where you get the chance to win some prizes (like Home Depot gift cards!). Leviton is offering 2 sets of Broadway tickets as a grand prize for the twitter party on tonight! Join in on the fun and see if you’ll win! Make sure to follow @Leviton and #Renu for the event! The dates and time of the event: Wednesday, May 2nd 9pm EST

Have you heard of the Catalogue App by TheFind.com?

With busy parents in mind, the Catalogue App was designed to save time and clutter on the counters! It is a new, convenient and free and way to browse through all your favorite store catalogs in one place.

Interesting right? I thought so. I was intrigued when I first heard about this app. I thought this app had a lot of potential. There were a few reasons why I thought so.

My first thought was how it would save me trips of emptying my recycle bin! Then, I would have less bulk in my mailbox. Think about all the environmental impacts this could have! What if everyone switched to this app?! This could be very powerful in reducing waste!! How powerful you ask?

Just to give you a little idea on the environmental aspect and why the Catalogue application offers a “green” alternative to the classic catalog shopping… here are a few facts!

 

Environmental Impact Facts:

• 5.6 million tons of catalogs and other direct mail advertisements end up in U.S. landfills annually.

• The average American household receives unsolicited junk mail equal to 1.5 trees every year—more than 100 million trees for all U.S. households combined.

• 44 percent of junk mail is thrown away unopened, but only half that much junk mail (22 percent) is recycled.

• Americans pay $370 million annually to dispose of junk mail that doesn’t get recycled.

• On average, Americans spend 8 months opening junk mail in the course of their lives.

So the obvious first reason to use the Catalogue app is for the environment. It is no question that we could all make an enormous stride in reducing waste if we no longer received print catalogues by mail. So, if you are interested in living a more eco-friendly lifestyle, this is a useful app.

But what else?

How about the fact that this app makes it quick and easy for simple shopping!

Unlike traditional catalogs, the Catalogue app combines everything into one place. With this app, you can pull together your personal favorite items into one location – no matter what the brand! You can check local store availability, view  the retailers sale emails and, –get this- can see items in your own home “using Camera View”!

If you are like me, you like sales and clearance – and with this app you get the most recent deals and promotions from the brand through the store emails. The emails don’t go to your email – they are right on the app – so you don’t clog your personal email with a bunch of brand spam!

That is pretty high-tech stuff! These are some great features that make a shopping experience smooth and simple!

This app is available for FREE on the iPad, Kindle Fire and (large screen) Android phones. If you don’t have one of these devices, you can also get the Catalogue Facebook version of the app (although it is not the full version).  It is easy shopping at your fingertips.

Anything else?

Why yes. My last reason this app is so great, is that the Catalogue App has roughly 95 catalog merchants and features 175-200 issues of catalogs! These catalogs range in topic, including fashion, beauty, home, kids and more. Here are just a few of the common catalogues that are included in the Catalogue App:

 

Overall, I see no reason why I shouldn’t download the app. My summary why…

 

Karissa’s Top 3 Reasons to download the Catalogue App:

1. Green alternative to the common print catalogs received by mail

2. Easy and Quick to shop for items, all in one place

3. Extensive variety of brands and merchandisers

These are the top 3 reasons I personally decided to download the catalogue app… but as far as using the app… is it worth it? Did I cancel my catalogue subscriptions?

You’ll just have to wait and see in my next post. Next week, I will tell you what I think about this app and if it truly is worth downloading.

Disclosure: This post is part of a Blogger Ambassador program. I have received monetary compensation for participating.