The relaxing music of Jeff Gold {Review & Giveaway}

"First Snowfall" from Jeff Gold's CD "Simple Treasures" is a celebration of Winter.

   

Sunsets and clouds were shot on Kauai's North shore at Hanalei, Na Pali and Tunnels Beach by Diane Gold. Take a nice relaxing musical vacation..... Escapes 2: "Hanalei" by Jeff Gold - Beautiful Instrumental Music - Hanalei, Soothing and Relaxing Music

 

I was given the opportunity to review three of Jeff Gold's instrumental CDs. He is a prolific recorder of relaxing music that is intentionally created to help the listener achieve a sense of relaxation and relief from stress. Good for the commuter's drive. Background music for office or home. And widely accepted as spa music for those relaxing moments.

Some might find his pieces repetitious and uninteresting. He does make use of simple rhythms and repeated phrasing with some modification through a piece, but music that is intentionally relaxing can not by its very nature be exciting, bombastic, and intricate. 

I didn't enjoy every single song, but I found the majority to be great playing softly on my computer while at work or during my commute to and from work. I particularly enjoyed a couple of pieces that included flutes (or computerized flutes). A co-worker even commented, "Beautiful music!"

I find that this music has a definite place in the world in which we live and we are in need of something relaxing and that can bring the mind and body to a place of simple beauty.

Biography: California native Jeff Gold is a composer/musician who creates imagery through music; images that are emotional and melodic, restorative and uplifting. He composes soulful relaxing instrumentals which have received the attention of Wellness Centers, Spas and Music Therapists for their tranquil and healing qualities.

A bit more "Easy Listening" than "new age," Jeff combines beautifully arranged acoustic guitars, piano, strings and flutes. He has released three CD's; "Soul of a Mountain" in 2006, and "Escapes" in 2009 and his latest, "Simple Treasures" in 2012. All three are a soothing and relaxing collection of melodies ideal for music therapy, yoga, massage, scenic drives or just winding down.

Soul of a Mountain

Jeff’s 14-year old special needs nephew, Russell, became a big fan of these soothing instrumentals because they help to calm his overstimulation. Russell then passed his uncle’s music on to his other friends on the autistic spectrum and they found that it is helpful to them as well.

Jeff is also a contributing writer and music advisor to EXPERIENCE | PREMCHIT resorts, located throughout Europe and Asia, researching and writing articles on the physical, mental and therapeutic effects that are possible with music.

Jeff composes and arranges all of his own music, playing the guitars and pianos, and creating other instrumental sounds by computer. He also does his own mixing, mastering and editing; a skill he perfected as a television editor for shows like MTV’s “Making the Video,” “Baywatch,” “MadTV” and “The Office.”
GIVEAWAY: Two of Chat With Vera's readers will receive their choice of one of Jeff Gold's CDs shown in this review. Begins March 15 & ENDS April 2 @ 12:01 a.m. EDT. Open to USA addresses only. 
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DISCLOSURE: Mr. Gold has provided 3 CDs to facilitate this review. No compensation was received. Opinions expressed are solely my own.

INSTACANDI - New way to send a "care package" {Review & Giveaway}

If you've ever had a child away from home and wanted to reach out and touch them in a small, inexpensive manner, you will see the value in INSTACANDI. These little baggies of assorted sweets that you can send for $9.99 and that is the entire cost. Product, shipping, and handling.

I know it isn't really a "good for you" treat, but it is sweet and it is a thoughtful gesture that conveys warm generous heart. It won't break the bank, either.

There are several assortments from which you may select, and right now there is a St. Patrick's Day buy-one-get-one-free offer if you use the code BOGOSTPAT. I don't know how long this offer will hold, but you can try it. Also, there is a 10% discount using the code ICTENOFF - again, I don't know how long this is good for. Their website - CLICK HERE

INSTACANDI for Business
(bulk orders discounted)

Mindful Mix
(a tad better for you than regular candy)

So you want to send someone sweet a little treat? INSTACANDI makes gift giving easy! Here is how it works:

Step 1: Think of a person who needs some extra sweetness in their life.
Step 2: Select a package and send INSTACANDI.
Step 3: Get ready to hear that you are AWESOME, THOUGHTFUL, KIND, FUNNY, AND ADORABLE.

GIVEAWAY: One of Chat With Vera's readers will win an INSTACANDI package of their choice. Begins March 14 & ENDS April 1 (not an April Fool joke, either) @ 12:01 a.m. EDT. Open to USA addresses only.

a Rafflecopter giveaway Product info: Each INSTACANDI package comes with an assortment of old-time favorites like Mary Janes and Tootsie Rolls to Snickers, Milky Ways or Jolly Ranchers.  They stock 100’s of different INSTACANDIS! Each package is wrapped up in a nice clear treat bag and accented with themed confetti, depending upon the occasion. They also include your custom message hand-written on a themed card that you add at checkout. They use colorful padded envelopes to ensure your INSTACANDI does not get crushed during delivery. All packages are only $9.99 and include shipping!
DISCLOSURE: I was provided an INSTACANDI package to facilitate this review. Opinions are mine and I was not compensated.

SomeBunny Loves You! - written by Melinda Rumbaugh & illustrated by Cee Biscoe {Review & Giveaway}

About the book: A playful, sweet music book that celebrates love for a child.
This delightful book is centered around a love poem to a child:

Right from the start, since you were new,

You've had Somebunny loving you.

I'll give you hints. Can you guess who?

Somebunny loves you.

Each page celebrates something about the little rabbit and concludes with the refrain, 'Somebunny loves you.' Children will love the rhyming text and sweet illustrations, quickly catching on that the 'Somebunny' in the book is really the narrator, and the feelings are echoes of what their loved one feels for them. The reassuring message of unconditional love is accompanied by a delightful melody that plays when the sound button is pushed. Ages 2 to 5.

My thoughts: Sweet! Sweet! Sweet! It's Spring and we just love bunnies. This is just a sweet little rhyming (song) book about a wee little bunny that some "bunny" loves. It is a bit of a mystery.  It is also a "push the button and listen to the song book." These are always favorites of the little ones.

A charmingly illustrated board book that tiny little hands can grasp and tote around with them all day (Oh! And yes, these little ones do tend to do that.), pushing the button and singling along with the music.

A little book, a little song, a little rhyme, for those wee little hands. A real winner!

GIVEAWAY: The publisher is providing a copy for one of Chat With Vera's readers to win. Use the form below to enter. Begins March 13 & ENDS March 24 @ 12:01 a.m. EDT. Open to USA addresses only.
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DISCLOSURE: I was provided a complimentary copy to facilitate this review. Opinions expressed are mine. I was not compensated for this review.

WashGuard - Lingerie Bags for Laundry {Review + Giveaway}

Sizes: (1) 12x16, (2) 15x20

I have had a little "lacy" zippered bag that I place my lingerie so it is not roughly treated in the washing machine. This protects it from abrasion, getting tangled with other garments, hooks snagging, and lace tearing. I have loved it. But it is getting old and I knew it was nearing replacement time. Plus, I have had a hankering for a larger "special bag" that I could place larger pieces in such as a sweater to protect it during machine washing.

The folks at IX Better Home, creator of the WashGuard laundry bag, have provided a couple of their lingerie bags - two sizes - for me to review. I have used them both a couple of times, and I am very pleased. When they arrived, they were a bit stiff. The mesh is closely woven which will help keep hooks from catching and perhaps prevent lint from getting in the bag and onto your garments. After using them, the bags soften.

I don't know what can be said other than these are nice and I am thoroughly enjoying them. It is so very nice to have more than one bag so I can place smaller pieces or larger pieces in the wash. 

I can endorse heartily having little garment bags in which to place your delicates during washing. It has saved my special garments from excess wear and tear and makes them last much longer. I intend to use these two new WashGuard bags a long time.

QUICK GIVEAWAY: IX Better Home is providing 2 WashGuard bags for one of Chat With Vera's readers to win.  Begins March 12 & ENDS March 19 @ 12:01 a.m. EDT. Open to USA addresses only.

Product description - Lingerie Bag for Laundry - Ultra Fine, Zippered, Mesh Wash Bag Protects Delicates - Expensive Blouses, Hosiery, Bras and Underwear From Other Clothes in the Washer - No More Snags, Knotting or Napping Caused By Washing Even in Delicate Mode. Sold in single and double packs of both medium and large size bags.

a Rafflecopter giveaway DISCLOSURE: I was provided two WashGuard products to facilitate this review. Opinions expressed are solely my own. I was not compensated for this review.

The Adventures of Pajama Girl and the Coronation of the Cupcake Queen by Sandra Hagee Parker [Review & Giveaway]

Worthy Publishing

About the book: A cute, illustrated story about a girl's imagination and her magical pajamas. In this adventure, Ellie's cupcake pajamas pave the way for she and her Sis to take a journey to a land filled with all kinds of sweet treats. Their journey quickly turns into an adventure to help the Cupcake Queen find the missing sprinkles needed for her coronation ceremony. In searching for the missing sprinkles, Ellie and Sis uncover a life lesson that is important for every child to learn.

My thoughts: The idea behind The Adventures of Pajama Girl and the Coronation of the Cupcake Queen is certainly delightful and this is a very colorful book. Love the two little sisters. Ellie, the pajama girl, loves to choose her pajamas each night by how they are decorated and dream about the theme - tropical, cupcakes, etc.  She and Sis land in the dreamland of cupcakes and become embroiled in the Cupcake Queen's missing sprinkles.

As it turns out, they have been stolen so a lesson in "thou shalt not steal" based on Exodus 20 is subtly taught. This is always a good point in stories and to see it resolved nicely is great.

The actual text has some rhyming words but lacks consistency in rhyme. It is a type of rhyming prose. The illustrations, while colorful and cheerful and filled with gaiety, seem somewhat lacking. This book will still be very appealing to children because of the delightful little girls, the love of sweets, and the resolution of wrong doing.

GIVEAWAY 

FlyByPromotions on behalf of the publisher and author are providing a copy for one of Chat With Vera's readers. Use the Rafflecopter form below. Begins March 11 & ENDS March 20 @ 12:01 a.m. EDT.

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Lots of fun going on at Pajama Girl Headquarters.

1. Click  here for activity sheets.
2. When you buy Pajama Girl  from any store or online and then enter your receipt at http://pajamagirl.com/downloads.php you’ll receive 10 more free Pajama Girl Activity Sheets sent to you via email!

DISCLOSURE: I was provided a complimentary copy by Worthy Publishing to facilitate this review. Opinions are solely my own. I was not compensated for this review.

Rodeo Red by Maripat Perkins, illustrated byMolly Idle

ISBN: 9781561458165

About the book: Rodeo Red and her hound dog Rusty are happier than two buttons on a new shirt 'til Side Swiping Slim shows up. Red's sure anyone who hollers that much'll be hauled to the edge of town and told to skedaddle, but her parents are smitten. When Slim sets his eye on Rusty, Red'd better figure out a way to save her best friend in all the world. Can she bargain with a varmint?

My thoughts: This is definitely a cute book and cute story. The text is "cowboynese" with a heaping of tough cowboy slang thrown in. While I prefer books to use correct grammar, I can see the use of this in a story. Obviously, a parent or older reader will need to explain the use of poor grammar and slang to the children. I do object to the use of a "dadburnit" in the story.

The story opens with Red as the lone cowboy on the ranch until a sideswiping Slim (new baby in family) arrives. As Red goes through the adjustment of a baby crying, tugging, crawling, walking, and taking stuff we see the illustration depict the baby and Red also growing physically. But Red simply doesn't want to have her territory or stuff messed with, yet that is simply what babies do. Rodeo Red gets in trouble with the Sheriff (Mom) and Deputy (Dad). But resolution does come.

The book has no teaching how a child can adjust to a newcomer in the family or how to learn to share space and toys. Some might find this a fault. I didn't because I think sometimes our books moralize too much. Red creates her own way to get her prize possession back from Slim without hurting him. Petty creative.

Love the illustrations and character's expressions. Love the growth of the two children as the story progresses. The "jail" is the back of the chair. The illustrated "largeness" of the Deputy when he confronts Red for wrong doing. Just good stuff.

DISCLOSURE: I was provided a complimentary copy by Peachtree Publishing to facilitate this review. Opinions expressed are solely my own. I received no compensation for this review.

A Warrior's Faith by Robert Vera {Review & Family Christian $25 Certificate Giveaway}

ISBN: 9781400206780
Hardcover $22.99

About the book: An exhilarating story of a young Navy SEAL whose relentless faith transformed his life and inspired everyone who knew his courageous story.

In "A Warrior's Faith," Ryan Job's close friend, Robert Vera, recounts hght, and fierce determination helped him survive after being shot in the face by an enemy sniper on a roof in Ramadi, Iraq.

Though blinded, the irrepressible Job recovered from his wounds and began facing a new set of obstacles with his characteristic humor and resolve. He married the girl of his dreams, hunted elk, climbed Mt. Rainier, graduated college with honors, influenced countless people around him, and was looking forward to being a father--before his life was tragically cut short by a hospital medical error.

Vera's raw, often funny, and heartfelt account of his friend's life offers readers a way to find hope in the middle of life's raging storms.

My thoughts: The author's account of SEAL Ryan in A Warrior's Faith is thoughtful, revealing, and inspiring. He describes the strength and ability of SEAL Ryan, his deployment and service, and his injury and rescue in a way that leaves no doubt that Ryan was a true hero and Warrior.

After Ryan's massive injury which left him blind, Robert Vera's introduction into the life and faith of Ryan reveals the strength and caliber of faith SEAL Ryan has in God who is his strength, sustainer, and supplier.

Written from the author's standpoint and association with Ryan, the story recounts Ryan's abounding determination to succeed in activities normally outside the scope of the blind and his assurance that God is on his side.

Just short of 200 pages, this is a good read and one that will inspire.

GIVEAWAY: A $25 Family Christian (in-store & online) Appreciation Certificate. Begins March 7 & ENDS March 1.7 @ 12;01 A.M. ET. Open to USA addresses only.
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DISCLOSURE: I received an advance reader copy from Family Christian to facilitate this review. Opinions expressed are solely my own. I received a $10 store coupon/certificate as a gift for posting this review.The giveaway store coupon/certificate is provided to the winner compliments of Family Christian.