When CSN Stores contacted me and asked me to do a review of their stores I was thrilled!

They gave me a gift certificate and I was able to purchase anything I wanted.  Their selection is CRAZY.  You could literally spend hours browsing their entire site.

(photo from CSN)

I finally decided on a shelf, and to eat up the extra on the gift card I got a box of Cascade.  I know, I'm so practical. ;o) 

(photo from CSN)

Shipping was very fast and the products I recieved are great.  I actually decided to use the shelf not for shoes as it was intented, but to get all of the wrapping paper, ribbons, and bows type clutter under control in my closet.  It works great!  It was very easy to put together too.  My *only* complaint was that I thought shipping was a little high, but I ordered before I noticed that they really do have a lot of items that have free shipping.  All in all I had a great shopping experience with CSN and I would order from them again.

Have you ever shopped at CSN Stores?  They recently contacted me and asked me to complete a review for them.  I have seen them mentioned on other blogs, and I have browsed their website a few times, but I have not yet placed an order with them.  CSN is comprised of over 200 websites, including everything from luggage stores to furniture, toys, fashion, items for your pets...I can't think of anything I have not seen carried by them.  I am very excited to have the opportunity to check them out.

Check back here soon and I'll show what I was able to review (it may very well take me HOURS to decide!  There are just so many options!) and let you know my experience with CSN!

I signed up for Social Spark!

This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of IZEA. All opinions are 100% mine.

I recently discovered and signed up for SocialSpark, as I'm sure you've noticed I've done a few reviews and I'm really interested in doing more and perhaps, eventually, some giveaways. Wouldn't that be fun?! :o) I will receive compensation for each review I do on behalf of SocialSpark, and as a stay at home mom, always looking for creative ways to save, that sounds great to me.
Signing up was easy, I registered, added my blog, and created a "profile" within five minutes. I am definitely looking forward to seeing what opportunities this might bring. So far in my first few minutes on their site, I see a listing of activities I might choose to participate in, and whether or not I qualify for them. I also noticed that you can view the profiles of other bloggers, which I think it kind of neat. It is a lot to take in at once for someone who is new on the scene of compensated blogging, and I think I will need to spend more time familiarizing myself with the site and all of it's features, but this is something that I am interested in pursuing so it really should be quite fun!

Sign up for SocialSpark yourself, if you're interested!  Let me know how you like it!

The Flowering Cross, by Beth Ryan

I recently teamed up with Book Sneeze to review the occasional book.  Today, we received The Flowering Cross, by Beth Ryan.  It's a sweet story geared to young children about a little girl named Katie, and her neighbor "Mean Old Jack."  His gruff exterior has many other neighbors make assumptions to his character and avoid him.  Not Katie and her family, they get to know him and begin to care for him, as good neighbors do.  Katie begins to call him "Papa Jack," and visits him often.  He is a wonderful gardener and Easter morning Katie goes over to pick some flowers for the church service.  Papa Jack surprises her and says he will be going with her family to their church service.  It is a great experience for them and leads to him beginning to understand their faith.

I found this book to be very sweet.  It is beautifully written and illustrated.  It is well made and would make a wonderful addition to a child's book shelf.  I read this book to my daughters who are two and three years old, and it held their attention and they enjoyed the characters and the pictures, even if some of the story was too advanced for them.  I really enjoyed that this book has "Faith Imprints," that suggest things to talk about with your child as you are reading (along with a small passages from The Bible).  I emphasised to my own children the points of being kind to your neighbors, and getting to know people because they might not be what they seem and maybe all they need is a little kindness to help them feel better (keep in mind the ages of my girls).    I think over all this is a book that they will ask me to read to them again, and I will happily do so.


Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their BookSneeze.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 <http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/16cfr255_03.html> : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”