Review: Younique Moodstruck 3D Fiber Lashes

Earlier this summer, my friend Lynn asked if I would like to try/review Younique Moodstruck 3D Fiber Lashes for the blog, as she was now selling them. I was very interested to give them a try - I love playing with makeup! Though I was not familiar with this product, my daughter was.  So of course I let her try them out too!

The Younique Moodstruck 3D Fiber Lashes system consists of two tubes in a nice case for your purse. One tube contains the transplanting gel and the other contains the natural fibers.  These products work together to enhance and magnify your natural eyelashes.  They are water resistant, but easily wash off with water and any eye makeup remover.  And they make your eyes POP! They look like you are wearing fake eyelashes,w but without all the fuss!

The directions are pretty simple.  First you apply your favorite mascara.  Let it dry, then apply a thin coat of the transplanting gel.  While it is still wet, apply a coat of the fibers.  Then apply another coat of the gel to set the fibers.

It took me several times to get exactly the right look.  The first few time I applied too many fibers and my eyelashes just looked clumpy.  Finally figured out that if I did two lighter coats of fibers, each followed by the transplanting gel.  That worked better.  Also, I have simplified my beauty routine over the last few years, so I no longer have an eyelash curler or comb.  I believe those two tools would have made my Younique-enhanced lashes look even better. I'll be purchasing those to add back to my makeup bag so my lashes will look even better.

I do wear contacts daily, and I was a little worried about having fibers fall into my eyes.  That didn't happen, but when you apply the fibers too heavily, you will see them fall on your cheeks! (That happened to me the very first time I tried it)

Katie tried Younique on two different occasions when she was at my house. Both times her lashes looked gorgeous! She was blessed with thick, black lashes anyway, but the Younique Moodstruck 3D Fiber Lashes enjanced them in a great way.  She only applied the fibers to one eye here so you can see the difference.  Pretty amazing, don't you think?

As much as I loved trying these Younique lashes, I wouldn't wear these every day, just because makeup isn't an every day thing for me anymore.  But I will definitely use them for nights out, or when I have something special going on! They are easy to apply and they really look fabulous.  If I still worked outside the home, these would be a must have for my makeup bag!

My final recommendation - easy to use, they do what they promise. Younique Moodstruck 3D Fiber Lashes are great, and an affordable splurge for anyone who wants their eyes to look even better!

Want to try Younique Moonstruck 3D Fiber Lashes for yourself?  Please contact my sweet friend Lynn to try them.   She also does Facebook parties if you want to host one and earn free products. Please reach out to her and tell her you saw Younique on Just Kidding Around Atlanta!


Disclosure:  I received this product for free in order to try it and write this review.  No other compensation was received. 

Review : Zimtal Nut Milk Bag

Last week I received the Zimtal Nut Milk Bag to try out.  As a Saba Associate, I use many of our products, including Toppfast Meal Replacement shakes.  I like to use almond milk in my shakes, but it gets expensive, so homemade is the way to go!

I had purchased a nut milk bag on Amazon a few years ago when we got our Vitamix, but it wasn't the easiest to clean, so eventually I stopped using it.   This bag is much better.  When I opened the package, I noticed that the mesh on this bag was much finer than our previous bag.  I thought it was cool that they also give you a link on the package for a free ebook with recipes for making several types of nut milk!

It truly couldn't be easier to make almond milk at home.  You just put almonds and water in your blender or Vitamix, and blend for several minutes.  You can add a sweetener to it if you'd like, but since I use chocolate Toppfast mix with my almond milk, I don't add anything else to it.

When it's at the consistency that you like, then just pour it through your Zimtal bag (with a bowl or pitcher below!).   The milk will start to strain through the bag into the pitcher.  When it slows down, you begin squeezing the pulp left in the Zimtal nut milk bag to get all the milk out of it.  It will take 5 minutes, maybe more.  But it is worth the time and effort to get FRESH almond milk with no preservatives or additives!

Since I make shakes every day, I like to freeze some of my almond milk in cubes so I can add them to my shake and make it frosty! It will last in your fridge for several days, just store in a covered pitcher or other container.

Once you are done squeezing out the delicious milk, you can dehydrate the pulp that is left in the bag, then use it in smoothies, muffins, etc. In the past, I would toss it out, but I'm trying to find uses for it! I have also added a little of the dehydrated almond "meal" to my smoothies - yum!

Before washing

And After! 

Then I simply flip my Zimtal bag inside out to get all the pulp out, then handwash it in the sink and hang it up to dry. This bag is super-durable,  which is great because you have to squeeze the heck out of it to extract every drop of almond milk! This bag hasn't given me any problems despite multiple uses this week!

I've also used it to strain juice from my Vitamix.  The Vitamix grinds everything and leaves your juice with lots of pulp.  I do not like pulp in my juice! So when I make apple/carrot/spinach juice, I strain it through this bag to get all the juice out and it works perfectly for that purpose, too.  You can use the leftover fruit pulp in muffins, soups, or smoothies, as well.

You can get your own Zimtal Nut Milk Bag here!  I am very pleased with this bag and I think it will be used often in our kitchen!

Have you ever made your own Almond milk?

Disclosure: I received a free Nut Milk Bag from Zimtal so I could review it.  No other compensation was received, and the opinions in this post are my own. 

I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

Mystery Room is the best place for date night or family night!

Last Friday the kids and I spent the morning defusing a bomb! No, really, we did! Actually, we didn't defuse the bomb, but we did manage to open four locked boxes to get all of the clues that could have helped us. We just didn't pick up on the right clue for the bomb.  But we had an awesome time trying! Want to solve your own mystery? Keep reading......

Mystery Room is a brand new, interactive real world detective adventure! It's located inside Sugarloaf Mills (formerly Discover Mills) in Gwinnett County, right off I-85.  You can either park and enter the Mall at Entrance 1, or go through Bass Pro Shop to get to Mystery Room .

In our family, we like to play a few of those games on Facebook - you know, the ones where you have to escape from a room, or find hidden objects, solve a mystery or puzzle.  Mystery Room is the real life version of those games! It didn't disappoint!  It is a fun place to take your family (with kids, probably 10 and up is best), or your girlfriends for a fun and unique Girls Night Out, or even make it a double date with your best friend and her guy.

It's such a great concept and so different from anything else you can do around here. Everything you need to solve the mystery is in each room - but you will have to work for it! This encourages teamwork, thinking outside the box, and it's a whole lot of fun, too.

There are six rooms for you to choose from.  You can pick a Detective Room - Sherlock's Room, Special Agent Room and Black Ops Room, all hold up to 6 people; or an Escape Room - Hollywood Room & Royal Room both hold up to 10 people, and Sports Room which holds 6 people.

Trust me when I say that you want to go with a group, and the bigger the better! In each room there is much to see, many clues to uncover, and codes to decipher. Oh, did I mention there is a lot to look at? It's not easy! So bring your friends or your kids and help each other solve the mysteries at Mystery Room.  Everyone can work together looking for clues, and also bouncing ideas off of each other to figure out the mystery.  Next time we visit it will be with more people - I think we could have defused that bomb for sure with one more person helping!

David chose the Black Ops room for us and it was much more difficult than I expected! Not gonna lie - I thought we'd be able to solve it pretty fast! But once you begin, you have 45 minutes to solve the mystery, so there is no time to waste.  There are definitely things in there to throw you off - it's very challenging trying to decide what is important and what isn't!

My daughter got a little frustrated early on, but she rallied at the end!  David was our helper, emptying things out and helping to sort through all of it, and writing down clues. The friendly and helpful staff at Mystery Room will let you know when you are about halfway through your time, and you can even buy a clue to help you out if you need to.   Whatever you decide - just have FUN with it!

If you are lucky enough to solve your room in the allotted 45 minutes, you will get your picture on the Wall of Fame!

They change the rooms on a regular basis, so you can revisit every few weeks and solve a new mystery! It was a really fun experience for my kids and me, and all the way home we kept talking about the clues that threw us off, and that last one we missed. We are definitely going back and trying another room!

They offer Corporate Team Building Events & Birthday Parties at Mystery Room, as well.

Mystery Room is located at:
Sugarloaf Mills
5900 Sugarloaf Parkway
Lawrenceville, GA 30043
Phone: 678-847-5002

Mystery Room can be found online:  Facebook, Twitter, Instagram  & Trip Advisor.

They are open 7 days a week, so get going and solve a mystery!  Tell them you heard about Mystery Room on Just Kidding Around Atlanta, please!

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Please share your experience in the comments if you've been - I want to hear what you think about the other rooms! (Trying to decide our next room to try!) Or tell me which one you plan to solve first!



Disclaimer: We were given free admission to visit Mystery Room to facilitate this review.  All opinions included in this review are my own.  No other compensation was received. 

First Things First

Summer is all about family and spending quality time with the ones you love. And the more skills you develop, the more time you invest in your family and your relationships.  First Things First (FTF) is an award winning, not-for-profit organization dedicated to strengthening families in Chattanooga, Tennessee.

FTF is a resource that collaborates with and is supported by a broad cross-section of community organizations, groups and individuals.  FTF accomplishes it mission through meaningful media messaging and skill building classes.

Did you know:

• 24 million children are growing up in homes without their biological fathers.

• Only 30% of divorces are due to infidelity, addiction or abuse, 70% of divorces are due to couples feeling disconnected.

• Couples who manage to devote time specifically to one another at least once a week are markedly more likely to enjoy high-quality relationships and lower divorce rates, compared to couples who do not devote as much couple time to one another.

• Fathers provide unique benefits to their daughters through their active and positive presence from the time of birth all the way through adulthood.

You can see all of First Things First's e-learning videos here. They cover relationships, marriage and parenting.  Not only are they funny, they are educational! I think these videos are great resources for any family. 

I've watched them all, and this is my favorite FTF video.  Check it out! It's called Dad's Way....

I am the first to admit to being a helicopter mama.  But I realize it is important for kids to have the chance to get a little wild with Dad sometimes.  I need to let that happen more! 

First Things First wants to give one of my readers a fun prize pack that includes His & Hers MoonPie shirts (size L) and two boxes of single decker MoonPies!  

It's easy to enter, there is only one mandatory entry (you MUST leave a comment below this post about the video you like best - if you don't do the mandatory entry, your other entries won't count!) There are plenty of ways to get extra entries. Enter throught the Rafflecopter Widget below  & if you don't see it, click the read more link!

IKEA 2015 Catalog & $100 gift card giveaway!

It's been a busy couple of weeks for us! Tonight I am excited to share our visit to IKEA Atlanta last week. They graciously hosted a group of Atlanta bloggers and I was fortunate enough to be included.  The evening was a celebration of the release of their 2015 catalog, which is just fabulous, by the way! (Sign up here to get yours!)

We were treated to a delicious dinner, then the kids were whisked away to work on some fun arts and crafts.  We watched a video showing how Wellspring Living became the recipient of a $10,000 IKEA makeover! Wellspring Living is a non-profit organization that helps girls and young women who are survivors of sexual exploitation and abuse.  They desperately needed this makeover for their Life Skills building and therapy offices. We also heard from Jason King, who attended the Celebration to represent Wellspring Living.  It was so nice to see such a deserving group get this blessing! IKEA Atlanta loves to give back to the community, and that makes me love IKEA even more!  Then Deidra Cunningham,  IKEA Atlanta's PR Spokesperson, rewarded the IKEA staff members who volunteered their time to complete the makeover at Wellspring Living. It was wonderful!

Soon we split up into groups and were given a cool behind the scenes tour of the huge IKEA Atlanta store. I learned so much, despite having shopped there since they opened!  I never knew, for example, that they offer a 25 year warranty on their mattresses! They also offer a 90 day mattress return policy.  If you don't love it, exchange it for another.  We heard about IKEA's optional services, such as home delivery, assembly service, and even picking and delivery service, where they collect the items on your list and arrange delivery. What a great time-saver!

I enjoyed learning more about their PAX closet systems.  You pick the components you want, like a pullout slacks hanger, or shelving for shoes, even a velvet-lined drawer for your jewelry.  I could seriously spend a fortune just in that department alone! I had fun exploring the PAX planner online which lets you choose the products you want, from color, drawers, baskets and shelves and put them together in your dream closet!

Oh, and when you are shopping at IKEA, you know you have to enjoy some of their delicious food, right? Not just in the restaurant upstairs, either.  They have a variety of foods in the Marketplace downstairs, so make sure you give yourself time to explore there after you check out! They have much more in store for you than just those delicious meatballs! During our tour, we got to sample those meatballs, cinnamon rolls, and learn abou their UTZ Certified Coffee.   During our sampling, I discovered they have a delicious, bite sized chocolate toffee. (it's the red wrapped candies in the glass bowl) Oh how I wish I'd never tried it - That stuff is dangerous for me, but it surely is decadent! You should definitely try it!

Are you a member of the IKEA Family member benefits program? I wasn't, but while we were touring the store we were given the opportunity to sign up at their kiosk.  It only took a couple minutes and my card printed right out!  Some of the perks you get for being a member include getting free coffee or hot tea every day, product discounts and extra time in Smaland, the supervised play area for children.  David is too big for Smaland now, but when he was younger he enjoyed staying there while we browsed the store.

The new 2015 IKEA catalog highlights bedrooms and bathrooms.  In their words, "spaces where people refresh and recharge. Personalize these areas with customizable solutions to make the beginning and end of the day more comfortable, more calm and more organized.  Take a look, get inspired and find out how IKEA can help people begin and end their day in the best way possible."

Here are a few of my favorites from the 2015 IKEA catalog:

Another cool thing ~ IKEA offers a mobile app for their catalog, too.  You can get the Android version here and the iOS version here.

Now for something wonderful!  IKEA Atlanta teamed up with participating bloggers to offer our readers a chance to win a $100 IKEA giftcard!  Entry is through the rafflecopter widget below.  Winner will be contacted via Twitter, and prize will be available on or before September 2.  Click the read more link to enter if you don't see the widget:

Atlanta Fun for Kids Tiny Towne ~ Norcross, GA

This week David & I were very excited to visit Tiny Towne in Norcross, GA.  I heard about it from a friend and it sounded like a cool place. I checked out their website and discovered it's a large indoor "edu-tainment" complex where kids from ages 3 - 15 learn all about the rules of driving and being safe on the road. They get to drive cars (different sizes according to their age).  Tiny Towne believes learning should be fun, and strives to inspire the next generation of safer drivers! I love the idea of David learning about safety and driving rules while he is still young.  This is the first Tiny Towne location in America.  According to the website, there is a similar driving edu-tainment park in Lebanon called Rio City, and based on its success, they brought the concept to America.  So glad it is close to us!

David's Driver's Permit

I wasn't sure what to expect, but when we arrived David got his driver's permit, and we were given a wonderful tour of Tiny Towne by Rebecca.  It really is like a town, with streets, red lights, stop signs, etc.  Rebecca introduced us to Pierre Maalouf, the founder of Tiny Towne and I told him I think this is the coolest kids place ever! Kids won't even realize how much they are learning - they just think they are having fun!

On our tour we discovered two "street" tracks - one for younger kids, and one for kids 57" and taller. Circling these tracks are painted train tracks, for the train kids can hop on and ride around the "towne", finishing up with a trip through a tunnel! Towards the back of the building you'll find a large computer classroom with touch screen computers. It is just perfect for field trips, and they also have several party rooms.  I hope to set up a field trip for some of our fellow k12.com homeschool families here this Fall.

                                             Tracks from the viewing deck

Classroom

Party Rooms

At the front of the building there are simulators for testing the older kids before they actually drive on the tracks.  There is also an area where the bigger kids take a computer test that they must pass with 100% correct answers before driving. Don't worry, little kids don't have to test!  Tiny Towne has a cute "Carcade" game room too.  Upstairs (actually over the tunnel) is a comfortably furnished deck for parents to sit and watch their drivers navigate the tracks.  And when you want to take a break from all the fun and learning, there is a nice restaurant called The Grill where you can order lunch or a snack.

Simulators

                                                                 The Carcade

Viewing Deck

The Grill - a great spot for a quick meal or a snack!

As mentioned above, David had to take a written test first.  It took him 4 or 5 tries to get 100%,  but he was learning with each retest so it didn't take long to ace it!  There were park benches nearby for parents to wait.  Next he had to spend time on one of the simulators up front. Pierre helped get him started on that.   It was like a video game, but more realistic.  He learned to shift, use the turn signal, use the rear view mirror to check for traffic, and then how to maintain speed.  He did a great job, so next it was time for a smart cart on the track!

Learning on the simulator, with help from Founder Pierre Maalouf

He went out on the track and I went up on the deck to check out his skills! I was pleasantly surprised - he did a great job! I really like that they have realistic street signs, traffic lights, and even police officers patroling the streets of Tiny Towne.  And yes, you can get a ticket! (Luckily, David didn't!)  After about 20 minutes of driving, we spent time having fun - playing air hockey and other games in the Carcade.  By then it was past lunch time, so we grabbed some tasty sandwiches and chips over at The Grill. They had a variety of foods that kids will enjoy (pasta, sandwiches, pizza) plus salads, appetizers and desserts.

To sum up our wonderful day of learning and fun at Tiny Towne ~ we love it and plan to go back after school starts! It's a unique learning experience for kids and parents will enjoy themselves too.  Thanks for having us for the day, Tiny Towne! 

Tiny Towne offers yearly membership options, and you can read about driving for each age group here.   Admission to Tiny Towne complex is free, but attraction prices vary. To find out prices, hours, and directions, click here. 

Follow Tiny Towne on FB. 

Please use the twitter and facebook share buttons at the top of this post to share this review with your friends! Let's spread the word about this great new attraction in Gwinnett County! Thanks for stopping by!

Disclosure: David received free track time and tokens to allow us to visit Tiny Towne for this review. No other compensation was received, and opinions stated above are 100% my own! 

Have you heard about Bloominous DIY Wedding Flowers?

My friend Denise and I are hosting a bridal shower for Katie in September, and we've found some amazing things out there thanks to google and pinterest!  I'll have a post up soon with some of our favorite ideas soon, but one that really stands out is Bloominous.  Wow - what a fresh concept!   They make it super-easy for brides (or anyone who will is entertaining, for that matter) to decorate with beautiful, cut-to-order fresh flowers.


Bloominous Floral Kits come to you straight from the farm, de-thorned, trimmed & ready to arrange. They offer several collections, including Country Charm (with sunflowers) & Vintage Cottage (pale pink roses and other delicate flowers - pictured above).  You can even order a trial kit which will give you the chance to make a centerpiece and a bouquet before the big day.

Bloominous offers step-by-step photo instruction cards for you to follow, and everything is included in your kit to make the bouquet or centerpiece perfect! It's not just flowers, they give you the whole look - tape, lace, ribbon, container, etc. No more trips to the florist AND the craft store to pick up all that you need.  And each collection is designed with the DIY bride in mind - they offer easy-to-arrange flowers so you can complete each piece in about 15 minutes.  You can order & make bouquets for the bride and bridesmaid, boutonnieres, and more. It just doesn't get any easier than this!  And no one will ever guess you did it yourself! They have seriously gorgeous flowers!

Best of all - what you see is what you get. There are no last minute surprises! They suggest you have your flowers delivered two days before your event so they are fresh and beautiful.

Bloominous offers a 100% Fresh Quality Guarantee.  You can find out more here.  I hope you love these flower kits as much as I do!  I'm hoping we can do a centerpiece or two for Katie's shower using their amazing flowers.  The price is can't be beat!

You can find Bloominous online: Instagram, Pinterest, Facebook, Twitter




(I received a gift card in exchange for sharing my opinions about Bloominous and their service.  No other compensation was received.  All opinions are my own and were not influenced by compensation received.)