Revel Home’s Wyer Modern Industrial EcoFriendly Mini Pendant Lamp

I’ve needed to update a few of the fixtures in my home, and it’s hard shopping at big-box stores because they only want to carry contractor-grade cheap and make you special order anything nice. Shopping online for lamps and fixtures can be a dizzying, harrowing experience, what with the over-abundance of selection and and sometimes-questionable descriptions and pictures, you can end up with something you hate and live with or have to pay to return. Revel home comes to the rescue with products that not only look as good as the pictures online, I dare say the products exceed expectations and even look better!

This is my second go-round with products from Revel Home, and while the last one, a counter-height barstool, was awesome, this lamp, to me, is even better. Packed well, made well, and looks like a million bucks installed, it was a dream to work with. The drop pendant style is my favorite, but sometimes Hubby has to mickey-mouse what I like to fit into our somewhat shorter ceiling heights. This time adjusting the drop was a breeze, just by adjusting the plastic cord “lock” inside the mounting plate. Installation took Hubby about 30 minutes, because we’v done these types of lamps before, but one huge oversight (which is probably just an anomaly) was the lack of instructions for installing. Thankfully, we know our way around them and it wasn’t an issue. The glass “canister” is thick and sturdy, and the antique-bronze looking metal accents are gorgeous. It swings free when installed so even if your ceilings are slightly uneven, your lamp won’t be. It also accepts incandescent, LED, and CFL bulbs and can be used with a dimmer as well. Revel Home even included a vintage-Edison-style LED bulb, which in and of itself can sometimes run you $10 or more, but Revel Home gives it to you for free.

Therein lies the only minus I could find, and it’s not a shortcoming at all of the lamp, but all of these style of bulbs cast a harsh yellow pallor over everything. When turned off they look stunning, and I have no doubt in the right environment there’s no issues, but in my cream-and white color scheme in the room I installed it in, every thing was yellow. Very, very yellow, and I replaced the bulb with a cool white LED just fine.  At $55.99 on Amazon it’s a little on the steep side, which stops me just short of a 5 star rating, because similar lamps can be had elsewhere for as little as half that price, but I adore everything else about the lamp and the company and recommend them highly.

Connect with Revel Home:

• On Amazon
• Buy Yours Right Here!

 

I received the above product(s) free of charge. I am not obligated to provide a positive or favorable review, just my honest opinion. I received no other compensation in exchange for my review. My review is based on my experience with the product and/or brand, which may differ from yours.

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Ozeri 360 Oscillation Tower Fan

We’ve tried a few fans from Ozeri, because let’s face it, in California, it’s not actually “cold” all that often. And this Ozeri 360 Oscillation fan is just phenomenal in almost every regard, and might even be my favorite.

To start, this fan is whisper-quiet at it’s lowest setting, much more so than the other two Ozeri fans I have tried. There are a ton of functions controlled by either the on-fan control panel or the included IR remote control, like an 8-hour timer and 3 different pre-programmed airflow patterns. There’s almost too many choices! The remote is markedly improved over the last generation, with quick responses to the lightest touch from any angle. The 360 Oscillation Tower Fan from Ozeri also uses cylindrical motion technology with over 200 staggered micro-blades, making the operation quieter than traditional fan blades, and usually reserved for much more expensive brands. The oscillation is (of course) up to 360 degrees, with options for 60, 90, and 120 degrees as well. It’s slim and the oscillation is smooth and quiet as well, so the form factor and obtrusiveness is minimal and not attention-getting.

However, it’s not all wine and roses. The base is flimsy, and can be terribly unsteady on carpeted floors. It also lacks non-skid or non-marking feet on the base, which can be a concern with softer natural tiles. This is really something that, at $90.79, should absolutely be included. The base needs to be upgraded immediately, because I’d hate for a fan as nice as this to be damaged by toppling over due to a poorly-designed base. Unusual, because the other 2 fans I’ve tested from Ozeri had rock-solid bases. At any rate, the value is undeniable and the operation is smooth. Assuming you can live with or work around the issues with the base of the fan, you’ve got another excellent Ozeri product.

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I received the above product(s) free of charge from Moderna Housewares/Ozeri.  I am not obligated to provide a positive or favorable review, just my honest opinion.  I received no other compensation in exchange for my review. My review is based on my experience with the product and/or brand, which may differ from yours.

MYS Salt and Pepper Grinder Set

It might seem superfluous to have more than one set of grinders on your counter, but in this house, even two sets falls a little short. Because for us, we have 3 different salts and 4 different peppers to grind depending on the meal, so it can get a little crowded on the counter at times. What that also means is I get to compare and contrast MYS’s Grinder set versus, say, the previous set from Q’s Inn. They look alike, but do they perform alike?

Sadly, no. Not that the MYS set performs badly, it’s just not as butter-smooth as the Q’s Inn set. There’s some binding in the grinding action, as well as a squeal or two. Occasionally they stick a bit. Other than that they function identically. What was absolutely superb was the collapsible silicone pouring spout for refilling. That’s a bonus that has unexpectedly made filling my grinders a joy instead of a chore. The julienne peeler is neat, but I have a few of those, and none of the are as dangerous. This one as sharp blades that are right out there for my soft, pink digits to get sliced and diced on, so have a safe place to store it. The included cleaning brush is also an inspired inclusion that is one of those “Well, duh!” tools that I should have had much sooner. But the meat and potatoes of this set are the grinders, and they’re decent, not great.

The stainless steel is also slightly thinner, and not as “polished” so I would be wary of putting in salts that have high moisture content. The ceramic burrs are adjustable and should last a while. The glass bases are easy to clean, grip and use. And the included goodies are mostly awesome, but the action on the grinders, which means the most important part of the set, is lacking and problematic on my set, so I have to knock a couple of stars off for that, but I’ll add one back because the silicone funnel for filling? Inspired. And MYS states on the Amazon listing: “100% MONEY BACK GUARANTEE; we aim to keep you perfectly happy with our products and want to know if there are any concerns or questions; please contact us as we will make it right!” So it’s up to you, but for my money, Q’s Inn gets my business instead.

Connect with MYS:

• Online
• On Amazon

I received the above product(s) free of charge from MYS Homeware. I am not obligated to provide a positive or favorable review, just my honest opinion. I received no other compensation in exchange for my review. My review is based on my experience with the product and/or brand, which may differ from yours.

 

Euphoria/CaliTime: Cotton Throw Pillow/Cushion Covers with an Embroidered Dahlia Flower in Burgundy Review

I have always loved inexpensive items that can update my decor. Throw pillows are one of those items that can easily change how a room looks from seasonal, to even changing how a room feels by the colors you choose. White tends to make any color pop and when you combine something like a burgundy colored detail, you can really even make the most boring couch seem new again. I love that nowadays throw pillow covers are coming back because they are easier to store. Why keep trying to shove pillows with permanent covers into trunks or even closets, when you can just change the outside and reuse the same pillow? It saves you money because the cover comes unfilled, space and you can even take that savings and buy more decorative or elaborate cushion covers. CaliTime has an enormous array of designs, colors, fabric, and they really make anything to fit anyone’s decor, style, to even mood! Yes, they have pillow covers with phrases, animals, prints, to the embroidered style I picked. The nice part is they have their own site but they also sell via Amazon, so if you are a Prime member, shipping is also free.

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Verdict:
The Dahlia flower pattern, which is embroidered onto a cotton cloth comes in several colors. You have stitching in gold, grey, teal, navy blue and burgundy. The fabric is thick and not like many white fabrics that tend to be see through. You have a tight weave here and the nicer part, it’s not stiff. The cotton used is actually soft to the tough even though it will be durable because of the quality. Now, the stitching is more than I expected. Pictures can only say so much and in person, the stitching on these covers is phenomenal. At the store, so many pillows get damaged by mishandling and there is never a time that I have not had to fix loose to missing threads on covers of this kind. These arrived pristine! The burgundy thread is a deep wine color that is perfect for anytime from the Autumn colors that are nearing with Fall approaching to everyday use if you have tones that match, or you want a statement piece. This cover works either way! I was very happy and a 2-pack is just $19.95 via Amazon. yes, just a little under $10 a cover. You can’t find that and these are for pillows that measure 18 x 18 inches, so no small size here. The covers are also machine washable in the gentle cycle, again making it a practical purchase. Take a moment and I am sure you will find the perfect covers for your pillow because the selection is amazing!

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I received the above product(s) free of charge from . I am not obligated to provide a positive or favorable review, just my honest opinion. I received no other compensation in exchange for my review. My review is based on my experience with the product and/or brand, which may differ from yours.

B&C Home Goods Foldable Fabric Cube Containers

This week we looked at a set of 6 fabric storage cubes from Safari Foldables. I liked them, a lot. They were solid, strong, and made to last. And I thought I’d hit the jackpot when B&C Home Goods approved me to try their versions. I’m sad to report that while they’re decent, they just don’t fly as high as the Safari Foldables versions. They’re still very decent, but they didn’t blow my skirt up the way the last set did, and I’ll explain why.

On the surface, everything is practically the same. Same size, dimensions, similar construction, similar materials. But the little details are where the wheels come off the little red wagon.The sides aren’t as strong. The handles aren’t as strong. The bottom isn’t as strong. The fabric isn’t as thick. The sewing is not as neat. They almost feel, I don’t know…flimsy. If I hadn’t already tried the Safari Foldables, I’d think these were decent but I’d use them as supplements to something more solid-feeling, and not have fallen in love with them like I did with the Safari Foldables versions. Even the gray coloring is not as pleasing, more industrial looking. They do the job adeqhately, but they also lack the label window from the Safari Foldables versions. Taken together I think the B&C Home Goods 6 pack of foldable fabric storage cubes would warrant 3 & 1/2 stars, but since Amazon only likes whole stars, I’ll be generous and round it up to 4, but at $21.97 for the B&C Home Goods storage cubes, for my money I’ll spend the couple of extra dollars for the far superior Safari Foldable cubes instead.

Connect with B&C Home Goods:

• On Amazon

I received the above product(s) free of charge from B&C Home Goods. I am not obligated to provide a positive or favorable review, just my honest opinion. I received no other compensation in exchange for my review. My review is based on my experience with the product and/or brand, which may differ from yours.

U.S. Art Supply’s 40″ Professional Quality Mat Cutter

U.S. Art Supply has single-handedly re-awoken my crafty nature. From painting to framing, airbrushing and more, the only thing I needed to have done professionally was my matting. No more, because U.S. Art Supply has made a mat cutter that puts the one I saw being used at Joanne’s to shame.

With solid, strong aluminum hinged guide rails and aluminum mat channels (with 2 production stops) mounted securely to a solid, heavy premium MDF backer, it’s build like a tank and designed for heavy-duty use for years and years and years. There’s also a fold-able 27″ 90 degree 27″ squaring arm to keep things even and straight, and you get both straight and beveled cutting heads that use a simple razor blade to cut, so keeping a fresh, sharp blade in there is a breeze and the cost is minimal. It’s so simple to use that I can’t imagine I ever having paid someone to do this for me. Quick, sharp, precise cuts every time, and perfectly square too. And I love that I can set the bevel I want and not just have flat edges. The unit comes mostly assembled, so the box is huge, and even though I saw that it’s a 40″ unit I was still in awe of the sheer size of the system. You’ll need an extremely long counter or table to operate it on, and thankfully it has non-marring feet on the bottom as well.

Gone for me are the days of hoarding framing discount coupons for my art projects, because with U.S. Art Supply’s Professional-Quality 40″ Mat cutter, I’ll never need to rely on someone else to cut mats for me, or pay an exorbitant or ridiculous price for pre-cut mats. after a few projects, this mat cutter pays for itself, and with U.S. Art Supply you’re also getting top-notch customer service, soup to nuts. They only want 100% satisfied customers, and always go above and beyond to get you there. I recommend this product highly!

Connect with US Art Supply at:

• Online
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• Get your own right here!

I received the above product(s) free of charge from US Art Supply. I am not obligated to provide a positive or favorable review, just my honest opinion. My review is based on my experience with the product and/or brand, which may differ from yours.

MLVOC Wireless Doorbell Set (White)

Our front courtyard has a gate, and though we’ve painted the decorative scrolls around the doorbell a bright contrasting color, for whatever reason UPS, FedEx, the USPS and nearly every other delivery person seems to miss the doorbell on the gate. I can’t count the times we’ve missed deliveries or had them delayed because of this. Thanks to this MLVOC Wireless Doorbell set, that’s now a thing of the past!

A bright white with shiny chrome trim, I don’t think anyone will be missing this doorbell unless they’re actively trying to do so. It light’s a soft blue when the button is pressed, and with the included adhesive pad, you can mount it just about anywhere. For a more traditional mount MLVOC included screws and anchors as well. For us, Hubby will probably make some kind of removable fitting so that it can be moved to paint the gate, or taken down in inclement weather, because let’s face it: though rain is uncommon in Southern California, when it does rain, it’ll soak and ruin this doorbell. What I like as well is that you can move the receiver to an outdoor location if, say, you’re doing an outdoor project or in the garage where you might not hear the normal doorbell. All you need is an electrical outlet and you’re golden. The volume is easily adjustable from the toggle button on the side of the receiver, and you can choose from a whopping 36 different chimes and tunes. The battery in the button portion is easily replaceable, and none of those tiny button cells that are hard to find sometimes, just a simple tiny 12v battery like you’d use in a car alarm fob. It transmitted easily all the way to the back of my house, and into the yard on an extension cord as well. MLVOC claims it’s good up to 1000 ft. on open ground as well, so you’re good to go in almost any residential suburban home.

There are some things we buy just to make out life a little easier, and I can safely say this is one of them. I don’t know why I didn’t pick up something like this MLVOC Wireless Doorbell Set before, but I can tell you I’m thrilled I did, and I think you will be too!

Connect with MLVOC:

• On Amazon
• Grab a set right here!

I received the above product(s) free of charge from MLVOC. I am not obligated to provide a positive or favorable review, just my honest opinion. My review is based on my experience with the product and/or brand, which may differ from yours.

Creative Scents’ Vintage White Shatter-Proof Bathroom Accessories

I know all too well the heartbreak of having a really nice set of bathroom accessories that match, pull the room together, and were a great price, and one broke. Or chipped. Or shattered beyond repair. I’d completely sworn off these sets until I found this Creative Scents set. These are nice enough to put in the guest bathroom. Yeah, that nice.

Made from injection-molded resin and painted and finished to mimic much more expensive glass sets in every way, I at first even thought I ‘d been mistakenly shipped a glass set. The paint details are amazing, and they have a real heft to them that speaks to the quality. And no more chips or shatters!! I mean, if you threw them down hard, yeah, you’d probably break them, but no more panicked terror when you brush up against the glass toothbrush holder and watch it wobble, with a split-second decision to try to grab it before it falls or hope it rights it’s own ship.

For $39.99, you get four durable and elegant looking bathroom accessories, and Whizzhome’s commitment to customer satisfaction. And while my set was a gorgeous vintage white color and design, there are 6 other patterns/colors to choose from, and shipped 2 day with Prime. I can’t wait to put up my new set in my redesigned bathroom. What, you didn’t think I’d put something this nice in my old bathroom, did you?

 

Connect with Wizzhome:

• Online
• On Amazon

I received the above product(s) free of charge from WizzHome.  I am not obligated to provide a positive or favorable review, just my honest opinion.  My review is based on my experience with the product and/or brand, which may differ from yours.

Sugar Creek Candles Company: Monkey Nuts Natural Soy Wax Candle #SoyCandles

I have been a fan of soy based candles because they tend to burn cleaner and the amount of scent or how strong they are, is not affected by the soy base. Lately, I have been using a warmer and another one with a fan feature. We burn candles or melt wax on a daily basis. It keeps the house that cooks and bakes on a daily basis from smelling like food. Foods smells are great when they come from a baked treat like a cake, but a lobster tail that was grilled and then finished in the oven……well, not so great the next morning!

In comes Sugar Creek Candles with a decent array of scents to satisfy every taste out there. I opted for the Monkey Nuts variety, which has a tropical scent that is more like a coconut and pineapple blend, versus banana like the name may suggest.  I pretty much enjoy every scent out there from Clean Linens to the Spring floral blends because change is welcoming when you burn candles like we do.

Retail Price Point: $14.99 for one candle and free shipping if you are an Amazon Prime member.

Verdict:
I receive the glass jar, which also has a glass lid for when not in use. The candle is white in color and the scent was faint when I opened the jar to get an idea how it smelled. I figured some candles are soft when it comes to the fragrance notes they release and especially lighter scents, but they can still do their job of covering odors or just adding a nice smell to the air. This was not the case for Sugar Creek Candles. I burned the candle after dinner and I made Asian that evening. The candle burned for 4 hours straight and you could only smell it a few feet away. We have a high cathedral style ceiling in the family room, so I just moved it to the kitchen itself, which has a shorter ceiling. No difference and this was one weak candle. I blamed the food I made. Maybe the oils, chilies and everything combined was too big of a job for a jarred candle. The next day there was no residue left of the scent, so I again burn the candle for 2 hours. I stopped when I realized that as long as you are over the candle, you could smell it. Like so on top that you better not burn your nose (kind of close). I go outside to make sure I have not acclimated to the aroma and when I return inside, I realize this candle is just sadly a fail for size and price. It’s weak…..way too weak in scent and unless you want to burn a candle for ambient light, that is the only positive I could find. The jar is nothing special and the wax is white in color, so it’s not even a beautiful hue to look at but if it smelled like it should, I would have enjoyed and especially with the days warming up and now that we are in May, the tropical fragrance would have been perfect.

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I received the above product(s) free of charge from Sugar Creek Candles. I am not obligated to provide a positive or favorable review, just my honest opinion. My review is based on my experience with the product and/or brand, which may differ from yours.

Candle Warmers Ect.: Candle Aire Fan Fragrance Warmer in Fleur de Lis style #Review #CandleWarmers

When you cook and bake, it tends to make the house smell like whatever you are making. This may be a good thing or a bad one. Cooking onion and burgers, plus baking fries is a welcoming aroma before you eat and two hours after you ate…..not so welcoming. I most times have to bake before I cook dinner to allow desserts to cool down like pies, cakes, and the sort. So, that sweet smell that I wish would linger longer, gets killed by whatever meal I am making for dinner. One thing I dislike and almost more than dust, is smelling the next morning what I made for dinner the night before. It drives me up a wall, so I am always fighting smells in the home.

I buy candles, pods, blocks, oils, you name it. I purchase my scents after a holiday to use the next holiday in order to save some money. There are some scents I like all year around, even though companies label them seasonal and only for Spring or Fall. Clean linens are a scent that I enjoy all year around. Most recently I purchased a few of those boxes that contain those blocks of wax, which you melt to release a scent. I cleared out the scents I liked most because I have purchased the brand before, love the fragrance this scent provides, had a bundle of coupons……to just get home and realize the fragrance was diminished in strength this time around. Yes, I saved money but not enough to justify a reformulation that really equates getting less for more. Even the amount of wax squares was cut back and now I get 2 less than when the “new style” was introduced. That is another thing that gets to me, the constant revamping. I have devices/plug-ins and sprayers that refills are no longer made for. They hit the market and poof, they leave. I get tired of buying “starter kit” after kit. I like fresh starts but not when it means plunking down more money for a new device that is just a modification to make the last one obsolete. I just don’t want to play anymore. The one thing that has lasted me is my wax melting pot. No matter the brand, that little pot will melt any fragrance rich wax block and deliver results, with just requiring one tea candle.

Retail Price Point: Warmers are $39.00 via Amazon and the candles are $15.99 via Amazon.  Shipping is free for Prime members!

Fleur de Lis Warmer

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When Candle Warmers Ect., offered to send me one of their warmers and candles, well you came to the right house. I don’t just look for pretty, I am after results. Now, I must admit that it was hard choosing between the wax warmers they carry. They are all so pretty and my heart was desiring two of them, but I went with the Fleur de Lis style. It’s a caramel colored glaze and the vessel is really pretty both in color and design. It just looks like a small jar and goes with any decor, plus the earthy tones in the glaze make it welcoming to any colors you may have in your home. Simple but gorgeous! Okay, visually the warmer got me!

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Verdict:
The warmer gets delivered and this is not a dinky device. The size is substantial and the details are more than I expected. It’s beautiful! I turn of the device and the fan is low in noise level but strong. The warmer starts delivering scent within 15 minutes that is significant in aroma. The family room is next to the kitchen and has a cathedral style ceiling. This means what you cook and bake tends to linger above you without escaping. If the air conditioner clicks on, this means the smells collected in the highest part of the ceiling now get to swim around and promptly shared with the rest of the house! Yay…..not! If it was that you can’t leave a candle unattended, I sometimes wish I could burn one at the other end of the house. No worries with the warmers from Candle Warmers Ect., the unit requires zero wicks or live flames. It’s a warming plate with a fan, the flickering light up is for effect and it does look pretty and especially when the warmer is next to a wall. The wall captures the flickering shadows quite lovely. I fried fish on a Sunday. One hour later and it smells like I just fried the fish. Five hours pass and we decide this, “I just cooked fish” smell needs to go. It’s midnight and the house, plus the bedrooms included….stink! I’m about to shower and I’m afraid my open pores are going to capture the fried cod smell and I am going to smell like fish in the morning. We put everything together at midnight, no time like the present. We plug it in and drop in the round that Candle Warmers Ect., provided. I go shower. The scent on the tin stated Sugared Citrus and 20 minutes later after I come out, I can only smell fish at the back of the house. The front area, including the family room smells like no fishy crime was committed. You smell a clean and crisp orange scent. Like a fresh orange, not some orange chemical cleaner. The fragrance is refreshing and nice, plus different from anything I have purchased at the store. I think $16 for a tin…..that is kind of high. Forty minutes later I smell zero fish. I even take the dog out to go potty in case my nose is acclimated to the house’s smell, but when I step back in, no fish. Fish gone. That $15 price tag is seeming not so high now. I use this candle day after day, after I finish cooking. Stays on about 2 to 3 hours and I still have wax left, plus I am nearing a month’s time from owning it. I probably have 2 weeks worth if I continue using it and do not get me started when my Husband left it on after we went to bed. I woke up to a citrus field and that still was okay because no worries, that is not a real candle’s flame burning! That is a major plus in my book and because the fragrance is still strong, pleasant and kills bad odors, this $15 tin is a fair price point. You got to try it and especially if you cook daily like I do.

Connect with Candle Warmers Ect. and their entire warmers and candle tin collection at:

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• Warmer Link
• Candle Link
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• #CandleWarmers

 

I received the above product(s) free of charge from Candle Warmers Ect.. I am not obligated to provide a positive or favorable review, just my honest opinion. My review is based on my experience with the product and/or brand, which may differ from yours.