Bev's Edible Variety Shop

   Who doesn't love goodies? Especially ones that you don't have to make yourself!! Well I am happy to announce that I found an awesome little shop that is LOADS of fun and has So many good looking treats that you'll want one of everything!!!
   BevsEdibleVarietyShop  Is a WAHM operated business rubbing out of Naples, Florida, the Page is ran by Bev, who makes all the little treats. Bev is a total blast! she is so much fun and so sweet! I asked Bev about doing a review and giveaway and she jumped at the chance!

Check out this little bundle of awesomeness!!! I got to try her chocolate covered red velvet cake pops, chocolate covered oreos, a chocolate covered chocolate chip cookie, and some marshmallow pops! My kids could NOT wait to dig into these goodies!
   I live on Oregon, and Bev in Florida, with the heat i was worried about them travelling well, but aside then being a bot soft (easily solved my popping in the freezer for a few minutes) they arrived to my house 2 days after being shipped, they were in great shape!!! Bev uses gel packs, and paper, to insure that the products stay fresh and pretty!

 Red velvet cake pops! How cute are these??!

After I took a bite...Tee hee!  You can see how moist they are..so nummy! Sharing these is gonna be a hard one!

 I didn't actually get to try this tasty looking chocolate dipped chocolate chip cookie! My kids fought over it and begged for more, so I think they liked it!!

 Chocolate covered Oreo..So cute!

 I was surprised and very pleased that the cookie stayed crunchy! most times they tend to be a bit soggy. Not these lovelies though!

Chocolate dipped Marshmallow pops!!!! It's a good thing Bev sent 2 of these, my kids attacked them!!!! So simple so tasty and so much fun!!!!!!!
Over all I was very happy with everything!! No one can work wonders with chocolate like Bev can!! She even dips CHEETOS in CHOCOLATE!!! I am SO dying to try those!!!!.
   Now, that I have your mouth watering, do you want a chance to try Bev's goodies for FREE??!!!! Well here is your chance!!! Bev would like to give one lucky winner a DOZEN marshmallow pops!!!! Totally epic right?!! So here is all the dirty details! To enter you must:
1. Be a fan of www.facebook.com/kraftedbykari
2. ADD Bev as a friend.  http://www.facebook.com/BevsEdibleVarietyShop?sk=wall
3. after she adds, let her know "KBK reviews sends wet sloppy chocolate induced coma kisses"
and Finally!! I will have a discussion up on my Krafted by Kari facebook page. after you have done all those things, post done, and your email address, so we can notify you if you win!!!
   This contest will end JULY 5, 2011 !!!
READY?.....SET?.....GO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Juli's Jewels

   I was so excited when I found out that I was going to be able to review a pair of earrings from Juli's Jewels. I am in total awe of the talent Juli Nocita has for creating jewelry. She is one of the most creative artists I have come across in a while, her pieces are works of art. Wearable art! 

I got these beauties in the mail yesterday and I am totally in love with them! the antique brass makes the cobalt blue crystals pop. The color is so vibrant but not overpowering. Measuring at 2 inches long from the top of the ear wire to the bottom of the crystals these earrings are a stunning example of Juli's craftsmanship. I am a huge fan of earrings as most of you know, but until now I have never had a pair of chandelier earrings and I must say they are awesome! They can be dressed up or dressed down to suit the occasion. they look heavy, but are surprisingly light and within minutes I forgot i was wearing them until people started complimenting them.

Juli Nocita doesn't make just earrings, she makes bracelets, necklaces and rings as well.

Check out these awesome arm cuffs she made! For some reason I think of Dr. Who when I see them.

   Out of all of the amazing pieces that I have seen on Julis Jewels I think this is my all time favorite! I absolutely adore the contrasted colors, the masculine of the metal, paired with the feminine splash of colors and flowers. I can't get over how different each element is and yet they they come together with such beauty, It's truly stunning.

Here is the woman behind all the awesome! Meet Juli Nocita-

Here is a blurb about the fabulous Ms. Juli that I found on her Art Fire shop~

   

 " Juli grew up a shy, middle child and is a woman of few words whose jewelry speaks volumes about herself, her feelings and her perspective on the world. A modern alchemist of design, she melds industrial imagery and organic aesthetics together to create new and unique designs. Juli's love for asymmetrical design was immediately made apparent in her very first bead craft: a pair of mismatched earrings created when she was sixteen. She developed her eclectic style by reading about and experimenting with every style and technique she could get her hands on, from stitched bead jewelry to riveted metals and from wire wrapping to precious metal clays. No matter what Juli creates, her sense of humor & fun, love of the craft and sense of style come through."

One thing is for sure, Juli is a unique, creative artist, and you are sure to find something for everyone!

   

The pea pod craze!

There is a new trend in the jewelry department and I am ALL over it! Once again I am pleased to be reviewing another Misty's Mystical Jewelry item! Lets talk pea pods! These are adorable, creative pieces that combine beads and wire wrapping, to create a one of a kind piece of jewelry...

Cute isn't it! this is the item I was given by Misty to review, and I have to say that I adore it! I get compliments on it every time I wear it and it is surprisingly durable! Misty's pea pod pendants are totally customizable, you can pick your own colors for the "peas" and there are color choices for the wire too! you can get up to 6 peas on your pendant for just $8.00 shipped! Add a chain for another 4.00. I have done my fair bit of looking around at pea pod pendants, I have wanted one for sometime and I can tell you with great certainty, that you won't find a better price! i have seen pea pods sell on other pages for 38.00!
   I loved reviewing this item that I had to order a custom pod for myself!

This is my beauty, don't you just love the little leaf? The colors I chose are based on families favorite colors, most people choose birth month colors, but if i had done that I would have had 3 purple and one red lol! Misty can get any color that you might want! These make great birthday, Mother's day, Christmas or just because presents! I have a pair of pea pod earrings coming my way too! they are SO cool! you can see a pic of them on Misty's wall at http://www.facebook.com/MistysJewelry she has so many creative pieces and comes up with something new every week, she is also more that willing to do customs too.
   Now for a little bit of "Behind the Awesome" Meet Misty!

\

"I am happily married with a 10 year old son named Cole. Besides making jewelry I am a stay at home mom. I just started making jewelry back in December 2010, I was actually looking for some inexpensive Christmas gifts for family and started seeing some hand made jewelry and thought hey I could do that lol and once I started I just couldnt stop and it turned in to an awesome little business for me  Hoping to go bigger in the future but for now I am more than happy and love my customer"




Now for the super fun stuff! Giveaway!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
   Misty has offered up a FREE customized pea pod pendant to one lucky winner! so, how do you win? well first you must like Misty's facebook page and tell her KBK sends love. Second if you're not a fan of my fan page yet, you gotta go like it! www.facebook.com/kraftedbykari and finally comment in my KBK discussion tab! make sure to include you're facebook name, and email address!! The contest will be open for 2 weeks! Ready?.......Set?......GO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!                               

My super awesome bag of awesomeness!!

My story starts 6 weeks ago...Tax return season! I've hunted far and wide for that perfect bag, that bag that screams "Take me home and shove your keys in me.". Gucci?? no, Coach??? Please...Ugly! This momma doesn't do name brand, doesn't spend more money on a bag than her rent. Hell the most money I've ever spent on a bag was twenty bucks! But I earned that money, saved that money, I wanted something awesome, something, me...Something Brooke Van Gorey!!! Ahh just the name brings a wicked little indulgent smile on my face...Her bags, oh her bags...I'll never buy a bag from Wal-Mart or Ross Dress For Less again. This momma will only buy handmade bags!
   Brooke of Brooke Van Gorey Designs, Hand makes everyone of her spectacular bags. Most of her biggest sellers are her diaper bags. Momma's crave a custom BVG bag. Women wish they were pregnant so they had a reason to buy one. I think BVG's moddo says it best. "Mary Poppins bag. Made real!" Her bags are large, roomy and gorgeous. When I decided that I wanted Brooke to make my Handbag, the fun began. She told me she could get ANY fabric...Oh the possibilities! I had SO much fun Googeling fabric options. I found the cutest mushroom fabric. Black, with bright mushrooms, flowers and butterflies. I showed Brooke the fabric and she ordered it!!. Once the fabric came it, it came time to pic all the nifty stuff; The color of the bag it'self, the strap color, the inside color, piping, zipper, thread color, even the stitch! After all the details where hammered out, the waiting began.... And like Tom Petty sung, Waiting is the hardest part...
   I stocked her fan page on Facebook http://www.facebook.com/pages/Brooke-Van-Gory-Designs/277715450631?sk=info. I looked on her page everyday (even though I knew it wasn't my turn yet) hoping for a glimpse of my little beauty in a pic, or an offhand comment...I think Brooke will agree that I was a little OCD..... The time finally came! i got on her page and BAM there was a pick of MY bag!, My own, my precioussss. tee hee.

Isn't it awesome???!!!!! Now I told people in my first blog that I would be totally honest! And honestly, when I first saw the straps I HATED the stitching! Now, I asked for a stitching that would showcase my super awesome rainbow colored thread. Brooke did just that....But I didn't like it. I apparently was the only one, everyone said how awesome it was...So I told myself I might like it more in person, and I do!

This is all the stuff I can get in my bag! My wallet, keys, glasses case, reusable shopping bag, compact mirror and my daughters inhaler and spacer!. It's the perfect size for me!

Here is the inside of my little lovely. It's red and black, my camera isn't cooperating. The top of the bag has a zipper to keep everything from falling it out. It also has a little zippered pocket in the side, for things you dont want getting lost in the bottom. Now that black thing in the middle? I think it's a divider..It's a bit lose and a little floppy ,so for ME it gets in the way a bit rather then helping me , I think a little snap or velcro to hold it to one side would be awesome.

Bottom line? I LOVE my bag! It was SO worth the wait! And I am SO happy that I have it! Anyone that knows me knows that this bag is just my style. At Brooke Van Gorey Designs you can get a totally customized bag 100% your style, there are several bag sizes to choose from and you can choose ANY fabric you can think of. Prices may seem a little pricey, but if you take into consideration, the time, and work that goes into these bags, they are worth every penny! The majority of Brooke's bags are custom orders, but there are a few ready to ship bags creeping there way on to other pages...Keep an eye out! 

Misty's Mystical Jewelry

   Who doesn't love bling?? I LOVE me some bling! especially when it's cute, affordable and meaningful. That is exactly what I found at http://www.facebook.com/MistysJewelry . I found an adorable pair if earrings that spoke to my heart and i knew they were meant for me....

These earrings are so special to me. They are teal. Teal is the color of the Ovarian Cancer awareness ribbon. for my friends you already know about Marla, for my fans, here is a short story. My stepdaughter Marla lost her life to ovarian cancer on October 12, 2008. Not only was she my stepdaughter she was my best friend, and I am forever changed for the better from having known her. I wear these earrings in honor of her. They are a beautiful symbol of remembrance and awareness.
   These earrings measure just one inch long, they have great detail without being big and clunky, they are an accessory not a fashion statement. These earrings cost me $7.00 shipped! Can you believe that? Such an awesome deal! And for every pair purchased $1.00 is donated to Saint Jude's Children Hospital.
they are made with  Czech glass faceted beads, Glass pearls and silver plated parts.
   There are a lot of things to find at Misty's shop, she can work wonders with wire! I have been lusting after this for a month now....Soon the precious will be mine

How awesome is this!! It's called the tree of life. It's a pendant that can be totally customized, you can pick the wire color and the color of the crystals to match birthstones. This is a beautiful necklace and a very popular item!
   Earrings, rings, bracelets, necklaces, even purses! At http://www.facebook.com/MistysJewelry you are sure to find something perfect for you!
   

Sweet Lil' Mama

For those of you who know me from my Facebook page www.facebook.com/kraftedbykari you know that I am a HUGE fan of Sweet Lil' mama, Alex is the reason that I started Krafted by Kari. I am so happy that my very first review is going to be of a brand new item she is now carrying, still in the tester stage I am happy to announce the arrival of the Pillow Case Dress!!

This Is my darling 2 and a half year old Ruby, sporting a SLM original with a matching SLM rosette headband.! I am SO very impressed with the work, not only did Alex have the dress made and mailed in 2 days, the craftsmanship is awesome! Unlike traditional pillow case dresses, the straps are made from the material of the dress itself instead if ribbon. I like this idea because I find that tying and untying ribbon over and over again makes the ribbon look old, wrinkled and used, not to mention using a solid color for the straps takes away from the dress as a whole. Another thing about the straps I love is the fact that they are fixed to the dress, they won't slide off out if your little one tugs on it! I have a romper with loose ribbon straps and 3 times I've had to use a pencil to thread the ribbon back through.

here is a close up of the top quality stitching on the dress, it's very straight, very clean and I love the color!. Another awesome feature of this dress is the neckline, it's elastic! i love that feature because my daughter changes her clothes often and with traditional dresses I am worried that she will pop the stitches when trying to get her arms through the neck hole. With the elastic I don't have to worry about her mid day wardrobe changes. The great thing about a pillow case dress is that it grows with your daughter! Not only can it be worn year round (simply pair with leggings and a long sleeve shirt in the cold weather) thanks to the adjustable straps it can be worn as a shirt when it gets too short for a dress. Pillow Case dresses were so named because they used to be made from actual pillow cases is, the technique has evolved over the years and transformed into something awesome, With the millions of fabric choices, the possibilities are endless!

Ahh, the Rosette, who knew a scrap of material wrapped up into a flower could be so beautiful and popular! Rosettes are all the rage right now and you can see why! Babies, children, teens, and adults can ALL wear these cute little accessories. Alex has such an eye for these little beauties, her color combos and the bling she adds to them make them very unique. I was lucky enough to get this little bundle of awesomeness along with the dress, and they match perfectly! I was worried that Ruby may destroy the headband but it is very durable, unlike some Rosettes, Alex glues hers every inch of the way for added stability, then secures the back with coordinating felt. These rosettes can be attached to a variety of things, headbands, bobby pins, alligator clips, snap clips and even made into broaches!

   Overall I am so very impressed with everything about the dress and the headband. The colors are amazing, the craftsmanship is beautiful and durable. I am happy to be an owner of one of these cute dresses and I will be ordering more! I urge you to check out Sweet Lil'mama on facebook at www.facebook.com/sweetlilmama2010  Not only does she make dresses, she also makes blankets, hair accessories, baby leg warmers, bow ties, and jewelery. You will always find something you HAVE to have, and you will NEVER be disappointed!

And so it begins

After much deliberation, I have decided that my opinion matters! That being said I will now be doing reviews of items I receive from other WAHM (Work At Home Moms). I am very excited about this new path I am taking. I receive so many items from other shop owners that I would like to showcase them, dedicate a little more than just a status update and a shout out too. For now the items that I review will be ones that I have paid for or have won from Facebook games..It is my hope that one day shops will send me items for the soul purpose of writing a review. I will ALWAYS be honest in my opinions and critiques, I will not play favorites. What you will get here is MY opinion, and like I said before..My opinion matters! lol