Norm of the North Paper Craft ~ Out on Digital HD today!

Here is a fun paper craft for the kids to have some fun with! Enjoy here. 

Lionsgate’s family adventure Norm of the North is heading to Digital HD March 29 and Blu-ray Combo Pack April 19! Follow the adventures of Norm, a polar bear from the Arctic who happens to have some very unusual talents and who has to head outside of his comfort zone to save his home! Norm embarks on a laugh-filled adventure in New York City with his lemming pals as they all try to stop greedy humans from turning the Arctic into a suburban neighborhood, and he makes some new friends along the way. 

This new movie is packed with laughs, music, fun characters and heart, Norm of the North is a must-own for the entire family! Bring home this heroic adventure on  Digital HD March 29 and Blu-ray Combo Pack April 19!

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DreamWorks Valentines ~ Download & Print Cards #ValentinesDay

~*Disclaimer: This post was written by Genuine Jenn. All opinions are honest and my own.*~

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Full Circle: From doodles to discovery- 101 drawings to finish (Volume 1) by Katja Vartiainen

Book Description:  

Want to draw, but don't know how to start? You love doodling on the phone but need inspiration?Your child is full of energy with a pen in her/his hand but that first line is always so difficult to make? Full Circle offers you less talk and 201 no nonsense doodles to discover and finish the way you want to. For children from 8 years old up to adults, these sketches offer an easy-approach starting point to get you drawing. You can challenge yourself by turning the page sideways or upside down. There are 101 doodles on every other page. You can draw first, then you can continue by coloring your work. 'Full Circle' is part I in a series 'From Doodles to Discovery' and it allows you to just get on with it and nourish the creative flame flickering inside you.

Purchase a copy on Amazon. 

About the Author: 

Katja Vartiainen has an art background. She is a painter and an illustrator. Her visual inspiration comes from fine arts as well as from the wide cornucopia of comics and graphic novels. Her literary interests are wide and varied.

With her husband/collaborator Christian Eberle, they share a taste for humor, multi-dilettantism, and get inspired by our tragicomic planet and its curious creatures and beyond.Connect: Website | Goodreads | Twitter | YouTube | Facebook |

Review:

My daughter loves to draw and colour so I knew she would love to check out this book. The book has a 101 started drawings that the reader/artist can finish how ever they see fit. Then the can leave them as is or colour them. There is a wide variety of pictures to draw and can take the imagination all over the place. Some of spaceships, people, animals, country settings so much to draw. This is great for all ages, the author recommends 8+ and my daughter is 8, she enjoys it a lot. This is especially great for people who would like to start drawing but don't know how to get started or just fun like writing prompts but it is a drawing prompt.

My daughter and I give this book a 5 star!

Here are a few of my daughters drawings.

~*Disclaimer: This post was written by Genuine Jenn. I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are honest and my own.*~

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Get Set, Sew by Jane Bull ~ Book Review, Sewing & a lot of FUN!

This past August we had a fun visitor for the UK, her name is Jane Bull Doll and Abby had a blast. Jane & Abby went everywhere together and enjoyed some library time, ice cream and sewing! Abby is just learning to sew and we sat down with Jane Bull Doll, my Singer sewing machine and Get Set, Sew book by Jane Bull. 

About Get Set, Sew:

Jane Bull's Get Set, Sew is a beginner's guide to mastering your sewing machine with 20 easy projects. The latest in Jane Bull's successful series of craft titles, Jane Bull's Get Set, Sew is a clear, fresh, enjoyable introduction to sewing on a machine. Jane's friendly, jargon-free instructions and step-by-step photos will walk you through everything you need to know to learn how to use a sewing machine.

Master sewing machine basics one at a time, then put newly learned skills to work with 20 simple sewing projects to make — including creative and original bags, accessories, cushions, and toys. Jane Bull's Get Set, Sew includes templates, sewing patterns, and everything you need to make your first sewing projects and lay the groundwork for countless creative fabric crafts to come.

Purchase a copy through DK Canada. 

About the Author: 

By seeing the world through a child's eyes, award-winning author Jane Bull creates fresh, original, and energetic designs that inspire children to get crafty. Jane has been involved in an enormous range of adult and children activity books including bestsellers Make It! and Made By Me. Jane lives in London with her husband and three children. 

Review: 

I learned to sew back when I was just a little older than my daughter by a friend's mom. I think I was about 10 and we were doing a sewing 4H course. Fast forward to when I had my daughter I decided to learn to sew again and made a quilt. Then my machine got put away with the crazy busy life of toddlers. Now that both of my kids are older I wanted to pull out the sewing machine again. My daughter also wanted to learn to sew so we were very excited to read Get Set, Sew. 

This book is for beginners and geared to kids but I absolutely love it and wish I had it years ago when I was teaching myself to machine sew again.  The book starts out with learning the sewing machine and each part of it, along with tips and sewing safety! We went over these two pages a couple times to make sure we knew what we were doing. Then we learned about how stitches work and how to thread the sewing machine! This was prefect, I love how easy this was to follow. Next learning to fill a bobbin and now learn to sew! The pictures are very big and bright and I found them great for kids and even adults. Everything is laid out nicely with numbers for each step.

There are many fun and easy beginner projects. If you are looking for advanced projects this isn't the book. These are perfect for a beginner or someone just learning to get crafty. There are projects to make pillow pals, bags, a cover for the sewing machine and even a bunch of zipper pouches! Zippers are really not that hard to learn but they are intimidating for sure. Jane makes learning to sew a breeze with this new book!

My daughter has learned a lot about sewing and has a list a mile long of things she wants to make in the future. We plan on doing more sewing for the holidays.

 We give this book a 5 out of 5 stars and look forward to more books by Jane Bull!

We had finished pictures but I can't seem to find them after having to get a new phone. :( 


~*Disclaimer: This post was written by Genuine Jenn. I received the above book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are honest and my own.*~

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DIY Fermentation: Over 100 Step-By-Step Home Fermentation Recipes

Book Description: 

Simple DIY Ferments that Prove Homemade is Always Better

Fermentation has given us some of the food world’s most treasured delights, and with DIY Fermentation, making delicious probiotic foods in your own kitchen has never been easier. Accessible overviews of fundamental fermentation techniques and step-by-step recipes provide the basic skills you will turn to again and again as you experiment with nourishing ferments at home. Work your way through a wide range of do-it-yourself fermentation projects with:

• 100+ recipes to make your own sauerkraut, kimchi, pickles, kefir, yogurt, vinegar, kombucha, hard apple cider, and more
• Recipes ranging from beginner to advanced to put your skills to the test
• Detailed troubleshooting guides to ensure fermentation success
• Insider tips and anecdotes from fermentation experts
• Step-by-step illustrations to stay on track
• A bonus chapter integrating homemade ferments into everyday cooking

Enjoy all the health benefits and delicious flavors of naturally fermented vegetables, fruits, dairy, beverages, breads, condiments, and much more with this invaluable guide to unleash your inner DIYer and master your fermentation skills.

Purchase a copy on Amazon. 

Review: 

Since starting out on a Health & Wellness journey last year I have been looking at all the ways to eat clean and remove processed foods from my daily life. Fermentation has been something that keeps popping up in my search. It is super beneficial to improving the healthy bacterias in our gut which help us live a healthier life. Fermentation is having foods with living bacteria in them but they are the healthy ones.

I love this book because it really broken down what fermentation is and why we should be doing it along with how to safely ferment foods that we can get at our local farmers market or grow ourselves. I am looking forward to fermenting some of our veggies from our garden this year.

There are so many great recipes and each are label for the beginner or advanced cooks. This book also tells you want kind of jars and equipment you will need. I like that for the most part you can use things that are already in your kitchen. I am slowly taking my time to get into this as the weather has gotten really warm and we don't have central air. I will get into it more in the later part of summer. I am really looking forward to making my own kefir and yogurt. I did not know that you can ferment fruits and the kids and I have chosen some great recipes to try out.

The recipes are written well so that they are simple to follow and easy to achieve great results from them. I also love that they include tips at the end of some recipes.

This is a great DIY Fermentation book for both beginners and experienced cooks. If you are looking to learn about Fermentation this is a great place to start. 


~*Disclaimer: This post was written by Genuine Jenn. I received this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are honest and my own.*~

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Real BBQ: The Ultimate Step-by-Step Smoker Cookbook ~ Review

Book Description:

Prep It, Smoke It, Savor It—A Start-to-Finish Meat Smoking Guide

There is no tried-and-true formula to smoke mouthwatering barbecue, which is part of the fun and part of the challenge. Don’t be fooled, though. With Real BBQ, mastering your smoker may take time and patience, but it won’t be complicated. Insider advice from celebrated pitmasters, step-by-step guidelines, and plenty of barbecue lore and wisdom demystify the art of smoking meat.

With over 95 recipes to start cooking up your very own brisket, ribs, pulled pork, and other incredibly delicious barbecue, this trusty guide also boasts:

• Handy smoker illustrations and dozens of invaluable tips for smoking beef, pork, poultry, seafood, and other meats
• Beginner, intermediate, and advanced recipe labels so that you can start simple and work your way to a challenge
• Inspired ideas for amazing barbecue sides to round out your meals, including Summer Bean Salad, Dijon Potato Salad, and Southern-Style Collard Greens
• All the sauces, rubs, brines, and marinades you need to move beyond a recipe
• A closer look at the regional barbecue styles of Texas, the Carolinas, Memphis, and Kansas City

Whether you are just breaking in your new smoker or looking to go beyond the basics, Real BBQ will give you the tools and tips you need to start smoking some brag-worthy ‘cue.

Recipes include: Beer Can Chicken, Hickory-Smoked Pork Belly, “All Day Long” Smoked Beef Brisket, Beach Barbecue Lobster Tails, Coffee-Rubbed Buffalo Steak

Purchase a copy on Amazon. 

Review:

This is a book about using Smokers. It has the history of smokers and tons of facts! It is packed full of information for anyone looking to get started with smoking meats. I love that it has a section on how to choose your proteins. I find there are tons of great advice especially as a newbie when it comes to really choosing the right cuts of meat etc. I also like that it teaches you how to smoke seafood. We love to eat fish and salmon is my favorite so I am really excited to get a smoker and learn how to make incredible foods with this book.

Not sure what equipment you need to get started? no worries and this book breaks down the different smokers out on the market and also what tools you will need and even where to get your wood.

The recipes are not just for the advanced, there are tons for beginners and intermediate smokers. I love how the recipes are set up including which wood they recommend and breaking the sets down to make it super simple to follow even for a beginner cook. At the end of a recipe there is also a spot Pair It, which gives you ideas to pair your tasty meats with. They also include great and easy side dish recipes. Different veggie dishes and salads. Great rub and sauce recipes included that can be also used for other meals other than smoking.

I have handed this book over to my hubby as he is the BBQ man of the house and loves to learn how to make delicious meats. I hope to enjoy lots of these recipes over the summer.


~*Disclaimer: This post was written by Genuine Jenn. I received the above book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are honest and my own.*~

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Grow All You Can Eat In 3 Square Feet ~ DK Canada Book Review ~ Mother's Day Gift Idea

With the beautiful weather we have been getting the last couple weeks I have been busy out in the yard. I have trimmed up the vines that enclose the patio, trimmed the trees and cleaned the flower bed. I am also in the midst of cleaning out the kids HUGE sandbox to turn it into a vegetable garden. It is a hand made box that is 4 feet by 4 feet. It will be great!

Does your Mother have a green thumb? Do you enjoy to garden? Maybe you are just starting out like myself (I have done a lil garden but nothing big as of yet). Here is a fabulous book that everyone should get if you are thinking of gardening but only have a small space. You can grow tons of things in 3 square feet with this book.

Book Summary:

Want to grow your own vegetables and food, but don't have enough space for a garden? Don't let lack of space get in the way of growing healthy, organic foods at home. Apartment dwellers, schoolteachers, and anyone else who wants to grow a lot of food in a little space will find a great small garden resource in Grow All You Can Eat in 3 Square Feet.

Small-space gardeners, find your start in Grow All You Can Eat in 3 Square Feet, packed with information on window boxes, potted plants, patio gardening, raised beds, small square-foot gardening, container gardening, and everything else related to growing your own small garden. Whether you want to grow a full garden, grow tomatoes, grow an herb garden, or just pick up great tips for small gardens, Grow All You Can Eat in 3 Square Feet is the resource you need.

Review:

This is a great book for anyone looking to garden in small spaces or even for the beginner gardener like myself. It breaks down so much I didn't know or even thought of. Some of the things I have learned are when to plant certain veggies, flowers, fruits, how far apart to plant them, if they need a small pot or big, how to make a homemade trellis, which grows best in shady or sunny spots, which to grow for what season. This book is a huge resource for any gardener. Learn about planting an herb garden and also a huge section on Plant know-how which includes common pests and disease. I have learned so much with this book and I am so excited to have my own garden this summer! I highly recommend this book to everyone! The book is laid out nicely that it isn't crowed or too busy with beautiful pictures of plants etc.

I give this book a 5 out of 5 stars!


~*Disclaimer: This post was written by Genuine Jenn. I received the above book for review purpose. All opinions are honest and my own.*~

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The BIG Book COLOR: An Adventurous journey into the magical & marvelous world of color! by Walter Foster Jr ~ Kids Book Review

Book Synopsis: 

The Big Book of Color introduces children to the art and science of color through a fun and engaging, easy-to-understand approach. Young artists will be treated to an in-depth exploration of the wonderful world of color through simple step-by-step projects and unique educational content. Myriad creative exercises and projects throughout the book make learning color concepts fun and applicable, while perforated pages make it easy to display new masterpieces. With a plethora of fun projects, easy-to-understand concepts, and pages bursting with color,is sure to be a hit for young readers and budding artists everywhere.

Pick up a copy through Quarto Publishing Group USA

Review:

My daughter loves to draw and color so this was a huge hit with her. The book is geared for ages 5+ and teachings everything from a color wheel to learning to draw animals. I love how bright and interactive this book is. It is sectioned into learning about warm & cool colors, moods, color & value, mixing colors and each color with what things are in that color group along with shades of each color. Then there are activities for the kids to work on what they just learned. This is a great book for a budding artist to learn more than just "coloring" or "drawing" it takes learning art deeper than those.

I give this book a 5 out of 5 stars as my daughter has been learning tons about color and which are warm & cool colors and mixing colors. She is having a blast with this book! 


~*Disclaimer: This post was written by Genuine Jenn. I received the above book for review purpose. All opinions are honest and my own.*~

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The Big Book of Things to Make ~ Book Review

Are your kids on March Break? Are you looking for activities to keep the kids busy during the cold or rainy weather? Here is a great book that will keep the kids busy with all kinds of fun ideas! 

Book Synopsis: "A compendium of cool projects, exciting games, and fun quizzes kids can do inside or outside, The Big Book of Things to Make is the perfect activity book to cure boredom and inspire creativity. With more than 200 activities, including building a castle, learning to juggle, building a birdhouse, magic trips and sinking a pirate ship, plus sports quizzes, animal quizzes, film quizzes, and more. This book will keep kids entertained, active, and engaged."

Purchase a copy click this image...

Review:

This is a great book for kids to keep busy. When they are feeling bored this is a great book to pull out and choose a couple activities. The book is full of bright colored pages with crafts, activities, food, outdoor fun and so many other ideas that are different from the other books out there that we have had in the past. The kids got into this book right away choosing things they would like to try. Lots of recyclable crafts and food caught their eyes right away. The instructions are easy and straight to the point. My son loved the trivia section and started reading it out to me right away. Lots of fun! I highly recommend this book for anyone with kids, even for grandparents or babysitters. I would have loved to have had this book in my babysitting bag when I was younger.

The kids and I give this book a 5 out of 5 stars! It will be a resource I am sure we will use a lot especially with the summer holidays coming up!


~*Disclaimer: This post was written by Genuine Jenn. I received the above book for review purpose. All opinions are honest and my own.*~

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Boredom Busters: 50+ awesome activities, recipes, experiments, and more by Caroline Fernandez

Book Synopsis:

Let's get crafty! You will never be bored again with the brilliant things to make and do in Boredom Busters. The book is divided into five themed chapters: Art, Craft, Science, Food, and Travel. Art Activities shows you how to create pretty pictures using homemade paint, recycled crayons, and even coffee filter paper and shaving cream! In Craft Activities, reuse milk cartons for your own bowling game, turn a baby food jar into a snow globe, and make cinnamon clay decorations. You will love the cool experiments in the Science section--from growing your own crystals to setting off plastic bottle tornados and creating "lava" in a cup. Cook up a storm with the great recipes in Food Activities: cool ice cream cone cupcakes, delicious chocolate mug cake, and colorful pizza faces. Finally, discover ways to keep yourself busy on journeys and holidays in Travel Activities, such as making a T-shirt pillow, wooden spoon puppets, and homemade travel journal.

Purchase a copy through Thomas Allen & Son Ltd.  or Amazon

About the Author:

Caroline Fernandez is a freelance writer and blogger specializing in family activities, and has shared her activity expertise through appearances on TV, radio, and live events. Creator and owner of parentclub.ca, she has an extensive social media presence and has held ambassadorship roles for leading family brands such as Fisher-Price and General Mills. Caroline lives with her husband and three crafty children in Toronto, Canada.
 
Review:

This is a great book for all ages! It is great for days when you are stuck inside or just want to craft. So many different ideas from recyclable, tape, food, clothes, science experiments. My daughter has a list of crafts that she wants to do out of this book. One day she was bored and stuck inside due to the cold and she grabbed a egg carton out of the recycling and made the cute Egg Carton Creature. She did it all by herself! The food and science ones are tops on my list but all the crafts will be fun for the kids and teach them different skills. Great way to keep the kids busy and most of the crafts require stuff that is already around the house or inexpensive to buy.

My daughter has a new blog that she is posting her crafts, baking, etc on and has posted about this craft book on Abbygale's Creations.
 

~*Disclaimer: This post was written by Genuine Jenn. I received the book above for review purpose. All opinions are honest and my own.*~

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Mani Monday ~ Poinsettia

I hope everyone had a fabulous Christmas! I have been super busy with the holidays and having the kids home, I haven't been able to put up any blog posts last week but I will be posting again this week. Here are my holiday nails Poinsettia along with my new 8 lb weights and lifting gloves that I got for Christmas!


~*Disclaimer: This post was written by Genuine Jenn. All opinions are honest and my own.*~

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Mani Monday ~ Holiday Sweater

The past couple weeks have flown right by and I forgot to take a picture of my Holiday Sweater mani. I also haven't found time to change my manicure yet either. So this weeks Mani Monday is to show you how well Jamberry Nail wraps can hold up with everyday use of cleaning supplies, typing, baking, showering, working out, beading (my newest hobby that I am sure to share with you soon!) and so many other things. I have been using tons of hand lotion also because my hands have hit the winter dry. My daughter made me my cute beaded bracelet. She is finding tons of joy crafting with mom.

Want to try a sample of Jamberry nails? Send me an email or comment below. I will be sending out samples in the new year!


~*Disclaimer: This post was written by Genuine Jenn. All opinions are honest and my own.*~

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Mani Monday ~ Snow & Ice Jr.

I can't believe how fast November flew by! With December bring the holiday spirit! A and I had a Jamberry event over the weekend and we both did our nails for the Holidays! This week I wanted to share A's nails with you. These are Snow & Ice from the Jr line. A and I are in love with these cute wraps.

Want to see more awesome manicures? Head over to The Knit Wit by Shair to see which wraps she is sporting.

~*Disclaimer: This post was written by Genuine Jenn. All opinions are honest and my own.*~

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Mani Monday ~ Jr Movember Mani

I know I am a day late but yesterday was crazy busy and I didn't get a chance to get on the computer. Here is A's mani for the week! She has on a sparkle that is retired (Raspberry) from my collection and then the Jr set of French Tip Bows & Little Mo Mo. Are these not the cutest wraps?!

Watch for our winter/Holiday manicures coming up over the next few weeks!


~*Disclaimer: This post was written by Genuine Jenn. All opinions are honest and my own.*~

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Mani Monday ~ Movember

This week I have dedicated my mani to Movember with the Mo Mo, Black Tie Affair and a Raspberry Sparkle (retired wrap) accent nail. I love this combo! 

Don't forget to check out what The Knit Wit by Shair is wearing on her nails!


~*Disclaimer: This post was written by Genuine Jenn. All opinions are honest and my own.*~

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Mani Monday ~ Everything Nice

I have been waiting to try out the new sparkle wraps by Jamberry Nails and they don't disappoint. I am in love with them! This mani is called Everything Nice.

Don't forget to check out Shari's Mani Mondays on The Knit Wit by Shair.


~*Disclaimer: This post was written by Genuine Jenn. All opinions are honest and my own.*~

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Halloween Mani ~ Jacks & Corns

A fun Halloween Mani by Jamberry Nails, this is a jr wrap set called Jacks & Corns. They are too cute!

~*Disclaimer: This post was written by Genuine Jenn. All opinions are honest and my own.*~

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Mani Monday ~ Fright Night

I am all set for my Halloween Mani! I just put on Fright Night over the weekend and will be putting on Jacks & Corns on my daughter this week. I love doing up my nails for the holidays.

Don't forget that I have teamed up with Shari from The Knit Wit by Shair for mani Monday. Check out here her Mani Mondays also!

If you are interested in trying a Jamberry sample please send me an email or tweet.   


~*Disclaimer: This post was written by Genuine Jenn. All opinions are honest and my own.*~

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Mani Monday ~ Classic

At the beginning of October I headed to Blissdom Canada conference and decided to go business casual. Something not too crazy but something that would go with all my outfits. These are retired but there are some similar wraps on the Jamberry website that I love! There is just something about black and white designs that I really like. They are classic and stylish. 

Don't forget that I have teamed up with Shari from The Knit Wit by Shair for mani Monday. Check out here her Mani Mondays also! 

If you are interested in trying a Jamberry sample please send me an email or tweet.   


~*Disclaimer: This post was written by Genuine Jenn. All opinions are honest and my own.*~

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