Candace Rose

Interview: Hot Holiday Gifts with TV Host and Entrepreneur Danielle Knox

Tis the season for shopping, gift giving and receiving! Were you one of the ones who got their shopping done on Black Friday or Cyber Monday? If not, never fear, TV host, Danielle Knox has you covered with all the top gifts for everyone on your list this season!!!

 

Danielle Knox of Lifetime's "The Balancing Act"

 

 

 

Candace Rose: Shopping can be an overwhelming experience, especially during the holiday season. Where do we start?

Danielle Knox: "By not panicking! That's probably the best advice I can give you- don't panic because there really is something out there for everybody and if you make your list and check it twice, you can't go wrong. When you go out into the malls and when you log in to do your holiday shopping."

 

Candace Rose: What are some of the best buys on a budget, this year? (Please be sure to watch the video above to see all the great things Danielle mentions) :)

Danielle Knox: "Well, you know it really depends on what you're looking for but I have to tell you a lot of the things I brought here for you today are really great buys on a budget and that's really why I brought them, because I know a lot of people are conscious about that this year. And I think kids who want the latest and greatest in everything that they see, one of the great hot holiday gifts for kids this year, Candace, is what's based on the hottest holiday movies of the season. So take a look at this cute little guy here, this is Eric and you probably may not recognize him as much as you do his dad, Bumble from the movie "Happy Feet Two". You can actually build your own Eric at the Build-A-Bear Workshop near you. I love Build-A-Bear, my kids love it. We build there quite often. You can build your own Eric and then you can also build your own- look this is Alvin, and this is Brittany from the new holiday movie "Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chip-Wrecked" and so you can actually build them as well. And the great thing that I love is that these furry friends actually can be purchased, then you can purchase these furry friends with them, so you can make great stocking stuffers with these little guys that you see here in front. So you can build these three guys back here, you can have these guys as little furry friends. They make great stocking stuffers and knowing my kids they would want it all. Can you imagine seeing all this under the tree? That would look absolutely amazing. They'd love you for life! So that's great, purchasing something hot for the kids. It's economical that you can also base on some on some of the hottest holiday movies, they'll think mom is uber cool, so I love that."

 

  Build-A-Bear Dolls based on the movies "Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chip-Wrecked" and Eric of "Happy Feet Two"

 

Candace Rose: You also say that little indulgences go a long way when it comes to gifts. Can you explain?

Danielle Knox: "Absolutely. Little indulgences like chocolate; who doesn't love chocolate? Everybody loves chocolate, right? And Nestle has really done it right this year. Here, check these out, they're terrific little vintage candy tins and they've put a lot of your favorites in them: the Nestle Butterfinger, Nestle Crunch, the Baby Ruth and the 100,000 Grand bars; so absolutely terrific for your family, for colleagues, for your work friends- this is really great.

 

Vintage Hershey Candy Tins!

    The other thing that I happen to love, personally is I love these Wonka Fun Dip Fantastical Fun books and I love these because they have puzzles and games but they also make terrific stocking stuffers as well, so when my kids wake up in th morning and see these they'll be very, very happy.

 

Wonka Fun Dip Fantastical Fun Book

     And then for the fun, fashionable person on your list, check this out, this is the Nestle Crunch Paul Frank chocolate bar. This is great, it's designed by designer Paul Frank, himself. Wonder packaging; a great gift for somebody who loves chocolate or who wants to be a little bit fashionable at the same time."

 

  Paul Frank Hershey Crunch Bar!

 

Candace Rose: Do you have any tips and tricks for finding small gifts with a big impact?

Danielle Knox: "Yeah, absolutely. I'm so glad you mentioned that because I happen to love Bonefish Grill and I love it for a lot of reasons. I ate there a couple of weekends ago with my husband, it's great to give the gift of a night out. If you're married with kids, it's hard to get out sometimes, so I like to give that gift and also to receive that gift and Bonefish Grill is an award winning restaurant. It was Zagat's 2011 'best overall restaurant' and 'best seafood restaurant' two years in a row and they are doing something amazing this year! Check this out, this what they're doing- so you purchase $100 worth of gift cards in any denomination- $100 worth of gift cards, then this is what you get in return: bonus! You get this $20 bonus card for yourself for free. It doesn't get much better than that because we always talk about it's better to give than to receive, well at Bonefish Grill you can do both. You can give and you can receive. I love this, it's all part of Bonefish Grill's 12 days of happiness, you can go into any Bonefish Grill in your neighborhood and you can pick up these gift cards or you can go online to BonefishGrill.com, so I absolutely love that from Bonefish Grill. And their 'Big Bang Shrimp'- to die for. Love that too!"

Candace Rose: I'll have to try that out!

Danielle Knox: Yep!

 

Delicious menu items courtesy of Bonefish Grill

The $20 Bonus you'll receive when you purchase $100 in gift cards. Visit Bonefish Grill for more information.

Candace Rose: And how about when it comes to picking out clothing for other people?

Danielle Knox: Well, sometimes that can be tricky because you're really not sure of their taste and what they like, but that's why I love Eddie Bauer because their stores have something for everyone. Their clothes are comfortable, they fit all lifestyles so I love them. And then check out their favorite flannels behind me, these are so great year after year. I know I got my husband a few years ago and he still wears them to this day and I have to tell you, it's time to upgrade, so I'll be be upgrading his favorite flannels here, coming up this holiday season. 100% cotton and they do look really, really great.

 

Eddie Bauer Flannels are a perfect gift for the guy in your life this holiday season!

 

    And speaking of what's old is new again- look at this original skyliner down jacket behind me- it's back! It's still around celebrating its 75th anniversary. It's got the same diamond pattern that Eddie Bauer created, himself 75 years ago, back in 1936; European goose down, it's very warm; doesn't add bulk. A terrific, terrific gift. 

 

Eddie Bauer 75th Anniversary Skyliner Goose Down Coat

 

    And then for the girls on your list- look at this heritage cable vest. Isn't that cute? I love it because you can wear it by itself with a shirt underneath; but imagine putting a little belt around that, how cute is that? That's great for girls.

 

For the ladies: Eddie Bauer Heritage Cable Vest

    That's great for girls and also the cloud shawl collar sweater that you see right here comes in a lot of different colors- a wonderful gift for girls as well. So that's why I love Eddie Bauer so much because they've got something for the men, for women and for the kids on your list, so you can't go wrong;  EddieBauer.com for more information on that and then for more information on everything that I've talked about here this morning, simply head to the website News2Know.com."

 

Eddie Bauer's Cloud Shawl Collar Sweater

Interview: Busy Mom Survival Tips with Daphne Brogdon of CoolMom.com

Daphne Brogdon, the hilarious and very insightful mom blogger at CoolMom.com and frequent TV host joined me recently to share her best tips for busy moms on the go!

 

Blogger and Media Personality, Daphne Brogdon; image courtesy of CoolMom.com

 

 

 

Candace Rose: What are some tips for making mornings easier, especially for moms on the go?

Daphne Brogdon: "Well, number one is you've got to plan the night before; the kids- you've got to have them lay out the clothes the night before. So you know their favorite shirt- oh well it's dirty? You've got to wash it, whatever or if there's an argument about something they're going to wear, get it done when you still have your brainpower not when you haven't had your cup of coffee and can hardly think, so that's number one.

    Number two is moms need to get up a little bit before everybody else just to have a little time. Maybe 15 minutes makes a big difference because once they're up forget it, it's not about you anymore. Another one is you know you want your kids to have a nice breakfast, not just some quick little sugar rush, so Pillsbury's come up with Egg Scrambles which is a cool thing. It's in the freezer section, you pop in the microwave and has a steam bag so the eggs come out nice and fluffy and they've got meat and cheese and veggies, and I didn't have to worry about dicing and 'now I've gotta clean the cutting board and now I've gotta clean the plans;' it's just done. I can be creative at dinnertime but breakfast it's a little more of a struggle.

 

Pillsbury Egg Scrambles

    And then also to try to get the kids involved in their own hygiene rituals. For teens acne can be an issue. There's a new product out by the makers of Proactiv called X Out and it's a one step solution so it's much simpler for teens to follow it. So just rub it in, the medication gets in the pores, into the bacteria and moisturizes so mom doesn't have to stand over the kid like 'you're supposed to go for two minutes, twice a day.' There's a funny video, you can link to it; there's a code on the bottle that just syncs up with a smartphone so the kid can watch the daily distraction, the funny video that goes along the same time that they're supposed to be washing their face.

 

Proactiv X Out acne treatment for teens

Teens can watch the daily distraction video on their smartphone by scanning the barcode on the bottle!

 

    And then for my little ones I try to have a different funny character toothbrush everyday so they don't know which character they're going to get that day. If I brush their teeth I make up a story relating to it or you know if they do their teeth themselves, then I try to make a big deal about it 'ooh let me smell your breath, ooh it smells so good.' Lots of positive reinforcements."

 

Daphne uses different funny character toothbrushes everyday to get her little ones more excited about brushing their teeth!

Candace Rose: And how should moms plan the night ahead?

Daphne Brogdon: "Well, I think you've gotta make lists. I am a huge checklist junkie because once I've gotten the kids off and I'm ready to sit down and do either my domestic work or my professional work I'm like 'what am I supposed to do?' I mean really it's a total brain fry and then I look and it's like that's right 'I'm supposed to write that, I'm supposed to return that call.' So you've gotta basically set your intention for the day. You know that sounds very highfalutin, like 'today I will think about peace', you know but with basic stuff just what are the few things you want to get through today because sometimes it's hard to get anything done."

 

Candace Rose: Absolutely. Do you have any additional tips or information you'd like to share this morning?

Daphne Brogdon: "Well, I love for people to go to CoolMom.com and you'll see all the funny videos that I do there that relate to parenting and families and so forth."

Interview: Holiday Gifts for the Entire Family with Melissa Gerstein of Moms and the City

Award winning journalist, Melissa Gerstein of "Moms and the City" joined me to share the top holiday gifts for babies, teens and parents too!

 

Melissa Gerstein of NBC's Moms and the City!

 

 

 

Candace Rose: What are some of the must have gifts for the family?

Melissa Gerstein: "Thank you for having me, I've been working with these companies here and let me tell you I've got some great ideas and great products to share with you. Let's start with the little ones; I have a 10 year old, a 6 year old and a 2 year old, and so this is great for my 2 year old (this is for up to age 2) it's the Discovery music active table. What I love is not only the music but it offers three different languages too and as they grow the table grows with them. You just add the legs and then it stands up and your child can hold on and play with it and in addition to that they have the Discovery kits which comes with a CD, a DVD, flash cards and a board book. And this is also really sweet, "The First Book of Puppies" but what's nice is the sliding doors. No more flaps where they rip or tear and my children unfortunately chewed on them; so that is from the Baby Einstein company.

 

Gifts from the Baby Einstein company

 

    But if you have older ones, next I'm going to talk to you about Grease the video game, and you did hear me, that's right Grease is the word! Who doesn't love the music from Grease? This is for Xbox Kinect and PlayStation Move but it gets everyone up and off the couch moving, shaking, grooving, dancing. Do you hear the music? Ooh ooh you're the one that I want; really fun.

 

The Grease Dance game is a great gift for teens and the entire family to be exact!

Grease Dance for PlayStation Move and XBOX 360 Kinect

 

     I'm a very busy mom on the go, so for any busy person out there this is awesome, this is the new Pantech Pocket from Pantech Wireless and it's available through AT&T 4G's network. And look at this big screen, it's terrific! I'm so excited about this is, it's affordable, it's durable and it fits right into your back pocket, your front pocket. Again, Pantech Pocket, it's a great gift for the busy person or someone who wants a bigger screen. 

 

Pantech Pocket is available at Pantech Wireless and AT&T Wireless

 

     And last but not least, Sleep Numbers AirFit Adjustable Pillow, and you did here me right, adjustable! So, this is a great gift- look at this dial, it actually can adjust for proper alignment and comfort while you're sleeping; and I need better sleep, I don't know about you out there or your viewers, who doesn't want better sleep? So this is the gift for giving someone a better night sleep. And that's available through their 400 stores nationwide. But for all of these products and for more on what I've talked about to you today, you can find them at www.MomsandtheCity.net which is my site."

 

The Sleep Numbers AirFit Adjustable Pillow!

 

Candace Rose: Shopping during the holidays can be extremely hectic, do you have any tips to share with viewers?

Melissa Gerstein: "I do. I try to remind myself, and I speak to my friends and family about that it's all about you have to keep in mind that it's all about just the family and getting together, enjoying these special times. So I think inhale, exhale and remember to always also give back to those less fortunate, so just keep it all in perspective."

 

Candace Rose: Absolutely! And where can we go for more information?

Melissa Gerstein: "Sure, MomsandtheCity.net."

What is the Best Wrinkle Cream??? Why Perricone Of Course! Perricone $150 Product GIVEAWAY!!!! *CLOSED*

Happy Cyber Monday everyone! Today I'm so happy to be offering a great giveaway from Perricone MD & the lucky winner will actually win one product valued at $150 or less! How great is that?!

 

 

    Last year I had the chance to try their Cold Plasma cream (valued at $150) and INSTANTLY saw a difference in my sensitive skin. In my opinion there's nothing more important than taking care of your health and your skin and it's never to early to get started on an anti-wrinkle regimen. Have you ever stopped and wondered what is the best wrinkle cream? I know I have! My mom and grandma look fab for their age which they credit to taking care of their skin. Do I really want to be the dud in the family who didn't listen to their advice and have more wrinkles than them? Absolutely not! Not only did I purchase the cream but I purchased Dr. Perricone's book "The Perricone Promise" which I also love!

 

Here's how to enter:

 

Mandatory entry - Leave me a comment letting me know which Perricone product you'd love to win and why! =)

*The contest is only open to my US readers. My apologies to my International friends*

 

For additional entries:

• Subscribe to Candace Rose (leave a separate comment for each)
• Follow Candace Rose on Facebook
• Become a follower of Candace Rose on Twitter
• Follow Candace Rose on Youtube
• Follow Perricone MD on Facebook
• Follow Dr. Perricone on Twitter
• ***Blog/Link to the giveaway (Up to 1x daily! & post link as comment)
• ***Link to giveaway on twitter (Up to 1x daily & post link as comment)
• ***Link to the giveaway on facebook (Up to 1x daily & post link as comment)

*** Contestants may only submit an extra link daily if they a) link to the giveaway on their own facebook profile page daily (post link which shows you've done so) b) link to giveaway on twitter (post twitter link) and blog the giveaway daily (post link to blog post).***  All entries without links will be deleted. Thanks! :)

Please make sure and leave separate comments each time you do one of these things for additional entries. Super easy!!! =)

 

Contest ends on Monday, December 12th at 7pm PT with the winner being announced on this post!

 

Congratulations to ELENA! Thank you to everyone for entering!!! =)

 

Cyber Monday Deals & Coupon Codes!

Happy Cyber Monday everyone! I hope you were able to score some great deals over the weekend!!!

 

My boy, Fred! I can't believe this photo was taken two years ago. Doesn't it look like he's ready to take some shopping in?

 

Cyber Monday Deals

 

Beauty

 

• Mac Cosmetics: MacCosmetics.com: Free Overnight Shipping valid today 11/28/11 only with coupon code: CYBER
• Origins: Origins.com: $10 off plus free shipping on orders of $25 or more with coupon code: TENOFF
• Elizabeth Arden: ElizabethArden.com: Save 20% off any order from Elizabeth Arden for the holidays with coupon code: HOLIDAY20
• Macy's: Macys.com: Free Shipping at $75 sitewide with coupon code: CYBER
• Nordstrom: Nordstrom.com: Free Shipping (No Coupon Needed)

 

(Be sure to visit my Black Friday Deals Post For More Beauty Coupon Codes Shown Here)

 

Fashion

 

• Lucy: Lucy.com: 30% off your training favorites (today only) no coupon needed and free standard shipping on all orders until 12/06/11
• C&C California: CandCCalifornia.com: Take an extra 42% off entire site with coupon code: CCCYBER42
• Urban Outfitters: UrbanOutfitters.com: Free shipping- no minimum and no code!
• Nike: Nike.com: Free shipping with coupon code: SWOOSH
• Tory burch: ToryBurch.com: Limited edition Tote with any purchase of $150 or more. Get up to 30% off of purchase with code: GETGIFTS. Free shipping on orders over $250.
• Steve Madden: SteveMadden.com: 30% off plus free shipping with coupon code: CYBER
• Tobi: Tobi.com: 30% off sitewide with coupon code: SHOPPER30.
• Abercrombie: Abercrombie.com: Take an additional 40% off entire purchase and free shipping on all orders with coupon code: 15440
• Athleta: Athleta.com: Take 30% off your purchase with coupon code: HUGECYBER
• Gap: Gap.com: Take 30% off your purchase with coupon code: HUGECYBER
• Banana Republic: BananaRepublic.com: Take 30% off your purchase with coupon code: HUGECYBER
• Old Navy: OldNavy.com: Take 30% off your purchase with coupon code: HUGECYBER
• Piperlime: Piperlime.com: Take 20% off your purchase with coupon code: HUGECYBER
• Nordstrom: Nordstrom.com: Free Shipping- no code neccessary.
• Shopbop.com: Save up to $500 with coupon code: BIGEVENT

 

(Be sure to visit my Black Friday Deals Post For More FASHION Coupon Codes Shown Here)

 

HOME - CRAFTS -DECOR

 

• Lifeguard Press: LifeguardPress.com: 20% off your entire order with coupon code CYBER20
• Candace Rose Photography: DolceChic.Etsy.com: Free shipping until 11:59PT tonight with coupon code: FREESHIPBF
• Jo-Ann: Joann.com: Free shipping with code: CYBER332
• Gumps: Gumps.com: 20% off your order of $100 or more with coupon code: GIFT2U
• Crate&Barrel: CrateandBarrel.com: Save 15% off your order + free shipping with coupon code: SAVE15
• Williams-Sonoma: Williams-Sonoma.com: Save 10% on select electronics with coupon code: ELECTRICS10

 

For more savings be sure to sign up for EBATES! Not only did I score an Clarisonic Opal at SkinStore.com for $148 BUT I also made $17 for visiting their site beforehand! How great is that?! They have tons of links to great savings at the top stores online. If you need an invite to great savings, please feel free to click this link! (I'll receive a $5 credit when you sign up and make your first purchase)

Interview: Holiday Makeup Trends and Beauty Must Haves with Beauty Expert Jeannine Morris of Beauty Sweet Spot

Beauty expert, Jeannine Morris, most famously of BeautySweetSpot.com joined me recently to discuss the top drugstore beauty must haves this season for both men and women and number one beauty trend for the holidays!

 

 

Beauty Expert, Jeannine Morris, Image courtesy of BeautySweetSpot.com

 

 

 

Candace Rose: What are the latest beauty finds every girl needs this season?

Jeannine Morris: "Well, first and foremost let's start with our hair because as the winter weather rolls in we are we are all straightening and drying our hair which is leading us to a little bit of damage. I found a  product by Pantene that I really like because it really binds our split ends, it's their split end hair cream. It's the repair cream that I use on dry hair and I just run it through the bottom of my hair and it binds my split ends back together so it looks like I have a fresh haircut every single day. It actually replaces some keratin loss over time and it helps to prevent future split ends from happening. It's a drugstore product, it can be bought under six dollars; but it's best for women who have normal to thick hair, so I recommend using this all winter long to prevent any future damage and also to make sure you have a fresh haircut and a fresh look throughout the holiday season."

 

Pantene Split End Repair helps replace keratin loss and repairs split ends from happening again.

 

Candace Rose: What about for skincare?

Jeannine Morris: "Skincare- my number one tip throughout the holidays is to make sure you exfoliate; everybody focuses on moisturizing but you want to exfoliate before you moisturize, even your lips. You can exfoliate your lips because that's just an extension of the skin on your face so you want to exfoliate your lips and then moisturize with a really good lip balm. And I have a lip balm that I love, I've been turning to Lypsyl which is a lip balm that has beeswax in it, it's Swedish beeswax which has a creamy, moisturizing texture. And you know how some lip balms just sit on the surface of your skin but they don't really penetrate deeply into it?"

Candace Rose: Oh yeah.

Jeannine Morris: "You've felt that before, probably. Well, this one I feel it penetrates into my skin on my lips because it has like a tingling feeling after I put it on that's very minty and I really like that because I feel it's very effective. It helps to heal chapped lips but it also helps to prevent them from being chapped. And also it's a quirky little packaging, it's like a great stocking stuffer. It has a little bee on the side that you push up as an applicator. I think it's a cute stocking stuffer but it's also a bargain buy- under three dollars at drugstores and it will save your lips this season.

 

Rembrandt Whitening Treatment

 

    And speaking of our mouth, I think something all of us ladies and even men need to do before holiday parties is whitening our teeth. But when we think of that we think of like expensive in-office treatments that we can't always afford, so I found something. You're not going to believe this, it's a $25 whitening kit available at drugstores, it's by Rembrandt and it takes two hours to do, that's it two hours! So it's Rembrandt 2 Hour Whitening kit, it's clinically proven to whiten your teeth three shades lighter. So, I don't know if you're a coffee drinker or a red wine drinker, but do you drink any of those things that might stain your teeth?"

 

Jeannine Morris on set!

 

Candace Rose: Absolutely! That sounds perfect.

Jeannine Morris: "So yeah, I am. I drink coffee all the time and then this lifts those stains and it's cool because it has like these mouth pieces, it's called their 'comfy tray' so you put it in hot water, then you mold it to your specific teeth so you know the bleach is hitting your teeth. It's not like a one size fits all thing, so I use this before a big event, holiday parties; I use it a couple times a year."

 

Rembrandt 2 Hour Teeth Whitening "Comfy Trays" mold to your teeth.

 

Candace Rose: What are the biggest makeup trends we all need to know about?

Jeannine Morris: "Well, this holiday season it's all about rocking a bold lip. Now I know a lot of women are afraid because they think holiday season means red lip but you don't necessarily need to wear red lipstick if that's not you. If you're not comfortable with it, a bold lip can be any color that suits your skin tone, so right now for this holiday season we're seeing a lot of berry tones, a lot of plums and also even nude. Nude can be a big statement- believe it or not. It's been all over the red carpet, so this holiday the bold lip is the easiest way to put on makeup and transition from like an office party to a cocktail party at night is to throw on a bold lipstick and you're good to go."

 

Candace Rose: Do you have any additional information or tips information you'd like to share this morning?

Jeannine Morris: "Well, I say for more information you can go to LifeMinute.TV and there's more holiday tips on there and more information about all these fun drugstore finds that I found."

Black Friday Coupon Codes!!!

Hope you had a very Happy Thanksgiving! For those of you like me who won't be braving the cold on Black Friday, here is a list of coupon codes I've compiled! I will be updating throughout the day, happy shopping! :)

 

Beauty Society is offering free shipping through Sunday, November 27th. PS I love the Brow Doctor (eyebrow enhancing gel) and even use it on my eyelashes. Definitely my favorite!

 

Beauty

• SkinStore: Skinstore.com 20% off Storewide use coupon code: GIFT20

• Beauty Society: BeautySociety.com Free shipping until Sunday, 11/27/11

• Arcona Los Angeles: Arcona.com 40% off all products over $100 use code: black. Free shipping on purchases over $200

 

Crafts/Decor

 

• ArtBeads.com: 20% sitewide with coupon code ZZSAVE20

• Candace Rose Photography: Dolcechic.etsy.com: Free Shipping with coupon code: FREESHIPBF (Now until Cyber Monday)

• Linens-N-Things: LNT.com: Save an extra 20% off your entire order with coupon code: CY20

• Gumps San Francisco: Gumps.com: 20% off and free shipping on orders over $100 with coupon code: XTRA4U

• Art.com: 25% off merchandise with coupon code: THX25
  

• Jo-Ann Stores: Joann.com: 50% off with coupon code: THXF50

 

Fashion

• Splendid: Splendid.com: 30% off with coupon code: BESTGIFT

• Pura Vida Bracelets: PuraVidaBracelets.com: 50% off Pura Vida Bracelets with coupon code: BLACK50

• Island Surf: IslandSurf.com: 15% off all orders over $100 with coupon code: THANX15

• Abercrombie: Abercrombie.com: Take an additional 40% off entire purchase plus $5 shipping with coupon code: 15440

• Steve Madden: SteveMadden.com: 25% off all purchases plus free shipping with coupon code: Turkey

• Kohls: Kohls.com: Take an extra 15% off EVERYTHING with coupon code: GOBBLE15

• Urban Outfitters: UrbanOutfitters.com: Free Shipping until 11/29/11 no coupon code needed!

• Via Spiga: ViaSpiga.com: 20% off all orders plus free shipping until 11/28/11 no coupon needed!

• Lucy: Lucy.com: Free standard shipping until 12/06/11

• Macy's: Macys.com: 15% off + free shipping with coupon code: GOBBLE

 

Eve's Apples Lingerie: EvesApplesLingerie.com is offering free shipping from now until Cyber Monday!

PETS

• Posh Puppy Boutique: PoshPuppyBoutique.com: 30% off the entire site with coupon code: BLACK

 

 

*Be sure to check each individual shop for exclusions not mentioned in this post.

Happy Thanksgiving!

 

Happy Thanksgiving! Wishing you and yours a very happy, safe and healthy holiday! Here's to the Green Bay Packers continuing their undefeated season, my Dallas Cowboys beating the Dolphins and spending time with those you love! Oh and a little shopping doesn't hurt either ;) Be sure to check back tonight as I will be posting links to the best Black Friday deals on the web!

In the meantime, as my gift to you I'm offering FREE SHIPPING (USA only) in my etsy shop Candace Rose Photography through Cyber Monday by entering FREESHIPBF at time of purchase. XOXO

Interview: Black Friday Technology MUST HAVES with Tech Expert Scott Steinberg

With Black Friday only two days away, Tech expert, Scott Steinberg of GadgetExpert.net joined me this morning to discuss not only the best technology deals on Black Friday but the must have apps you'll need when shopping and whether you should wait for Cyber Monday to make your big purchases online.

 

Tech Expert, Scott Steinberg

 

 

 

Candace Rose: What are the must have items this season?

Scott Steinberg: "Yeah, tons of great gift ideas for the holidays. Right off the bat you can buy a digital camera like the Samsung 16 megapixel MV800. Very cool. The reason the family photographer is going to love this one especially, is that it's the only compact point and shoot with a flip-out screen and has 180 degrees of movement, so what that means in plain english is if you want to take a self portrait or higher low angle shots like you would for kids and pets, you can see what you're doing so it's very convenient, very easy. And you can actually manipulate photos right on the touch screen; super cool- add special effects, filters and this one's going for just $199 for Black Friday which is pretty amazing, especially considering it's lightweight, it's convenient- so a good one for the shutterbug in the family."

 

Samsung 16 megapixel MV800 is going for $199 on Black Friday.

The Samsung 16 megapixel MV800 has a higher low angle for taking pictures of children and pets (fur-children)

With the Samsung 16 megapixel MV800 camera it's easy to add special effects and manipulate photos on the touch screen.

Candace Rose: And it's 16 megapixels, correct?

Scott Steinberg: "That's right, you get some pretty high quality shots there and if you're shopping for a smartphone and also want to check out the Samsung Replenish; Sprint, thanks to them you can get it free with a two year contract with a $10 rebate or $10 off your monthly bill which is pretty amazing, if you buy between November 25th and 27th. It's one of four eco-friendly devices that Sprint has. It's actually partially made from recycled plastic, so good for environmentally friendly. It's got a five megapixel camera QWERTY keyboard. It's the latest version of the Android operating system, so easy to see why Sprint was named the third greenest company in America recently and a great gift if you want to go green while saving some green as well."

 

Samsung Replenish from Sprint

 

Candace Rose: Is it possible to get great tech deals without braving the cold on Black Friday?

Scott Steinberg: "Yeah, well that's the nice part, you can actually download a lot of apps completely free like iSlick, you can get RedLaser which is a barcode scanner that lets you check online prices with local prices. You can also get Black Friday DealFinder or TGI Black Friday that will really tell you store by store or a category of item by item what the best deals are."

 

Candace Rose: What type of technology are we seeing this year?

Scott Steinberg: "Well, we're seeing all sorts of innovations throughout the home. A lot of connective devices; you're also seeing things becoming smaller, sleeker, operating faster. Of course you have tablet pc's are big but even the kitchen is getting innovation too. Right off the bat there's stuff like Capresso GC100 pump cappuccino and espresso maker, this is pretty crazy. Literally you get the full taste of coffee at home, even does lattes. It can take prepackaged espresso pots and pre-ground coffee; super fast, it's convenient. You get the best of both worlds. It has a stainless steel lined heating system, swivel frother, even a cup heating platform, so if yo pair that with your Capresso grinder you get some pretty cool tech in the kitchen or you can see something like the Genesis soda maker from SodaStream. This is really neat, a lot of people have been buzzing about it. It turns water into soda in 30 seconds flat. You get that whole kit for $100 with dozens of flavors- family loves it, it's the gift that keeps on giving. It's not just fun, it can actually save money because you don't have to lug home all those bottles and cans from the store. Actually if you buy any SodaStream machine on Black Friday they'll give you a $10 rebate- so pretty cool one. The whole family is going to want to gather around."

 

Genesis SodaStream soda maker!

 

Candace Rose: What are some gift recommendations for those who are on a budget?

Scott Steinberg: "Well, you know what's nice- Tablet PC's seem to be the year's hottest gift items but you don't have to spend $500 on one, actually they've knocked the price of the Blackberry Playbook down to $199, so this would be a good example and it's ultra portable, easy to use but it also comes even for that price with a powerful dual-port processor so you can run multiple apps simultaneously. Of course you can download lots of free ones as well to keep within budget and since it can run things multiple, simultaneously, literally you can be playing the latest video game and watching a movie on your HDTV using the HDMI output. And again you know if you pick up smartphones like the Samsung Replenish on the Sprint deal, again you're not paying for the phone itself and you actually get to add functionality. lots of apps that you can download for free or just a dollar."

 

Play the latest videogame or watch your favorite movie with the Blackberry Playbook and HDMI output

Candace Rose: Will there be any great Cyber Monday deals?

Scott Steinberg: "I'm sure there's going to be plenty of Cyber Monday deals but as we've learned in the past Black Friday seems to be D-day when you get the best prices, so if you snooze you lose. I know in the past a lot of people wonder 'hey what about those gift cards, should I be using them or will there be better deals for Christmas and Hanukkah?' 'What happens if I wait until the New Year?' But really Black Friday is the time to shop."

 

Candace Rose: Where can we find the best deals?

Scott Steinberg: "You can actually find at DailyLounge.com hints and suggestions, we can even show you where you can get some great deals at local retailers and online."

Interview: Holiday Entertaining & Decor with Elizabeth Mayhew, Editor-in-Chief of Woman's Day Magazine

Woman's Day magazine's Editor-in-Chief, Elizabeth Mayhew (one of our favorites around here at Candace Rose) stopped by to share the must haves in holiday entertaining. From monogrammed linens to tasty dinner and dessert recipes, quick and efficient appliances to the dreaded clean-up!

  Elizabeth Mayhew, Editor-in-Chief of Woman's Day magazine

 

 

 

Elizabeth Mayhew: "Hey, Candace!"

Candace Rose: Hi Elizabeth, how are you?

Elizabeth Mayhew: "Great to see- I can't see you but one of these days I want to meet you; but great to talk to you again."

Candace Rose: You too! I know, I was so happy that we're connected on LinkedIn, so I feel a little closer to you!

Elizabeth Mayhew: "That's true!"

 

Candace Rose: You know with the holidays creeping up on us, do you have any suggestions when it comes to decor?

Elizabeth Mayhew: "Yeah, so this holiday season one thing that we are loving and what we're doing on our tables (what I'm doing) are monogrammed linens. They're really elegant and beautiful. They don't have to cost a lot. I think sometimes people think that monograms are expensive. They're really not especially if you go somewhere like Lands' End. You can see these really pretty napkins on the table, they come trimmed in all different colors so you can pick your own color scheme, but they have six different monogram types that you can choose from. They're timeless, they will work on your table throughout the year, not just for Christmas. They're also machine washable which I love. The other thing that Lands' End has done is they've really focused on finding products made in the U.S. which I really appreciate and like; so the little pine cones place card holders, the pretty organic leaf ornaments and the leaf napkin ring holders- those are all made from artisans from Wisconsin to Rhode Island, so you feel about about your purchase and it just adds a little lift to the table and again they can be used time and time again. You can even have an ornament at each place setting for your guests to take home which is a really nice thing to do."

 

Lands' End Monogrammed Linens along with Place Card Holders and Ornaments created by Artisans from Wisconsin and Rhode Island.

 

Candace Rose: And how about when it comes to meal planning?

Elizabeth Mayhew: "When it comes to meal planning we are all about getting it done. We want it to be delicious but we want it to be easy and we want it to be fun to make. That's why we love T-Fal Actifry. Actifry is kind of the newest multipurpose cooker that we found. A lot of our readers love the slow cooker; well, this I call the fast cooker which is you put all your ingredients in, there's a paddle that moves the food around, it's done with a special patented steam heat and it cooks with very little fat so all you use is a tablespoon of fat for a whole thing of french fries. So, you can make delicious tasting french fries that are low fat but you can also make a full dinner- like we did this turkey and vegetables stir-fry in only 20 minutes and never have to stir, never have to do anything at all, just put the ingredients in and turn it on. We even made this morning homemade granola, so imagine you can wake up Christmas morning and in seven minutes have a nice warm toasted granola. You can get all the information at TFalActifry.com or check out your local Bed, Bath and Beyond. I know this month they're doing demonstrations throughout the month, so you can really see how it works and taste how good the food is. It's super convenient and the other thing is all the pieces come out and go in the dishwasher so clean-up's easy too. It's great all year long, not just for holidays."

 

T-Fal Actifry created this great turkey and vegetable stir-fry meal-

.....as well as this delicious granola!

Candace Rose: Wow, that's amazing!

Elizabeth Mayhew: "Yeah, very cool. It would be a great Christmas present too."

Candace Rose: Yes, I want that on my list.

Elizabeth Mayhew: "Yeah!"

 

Candace Rose: And what about the dreaded clean-up?

Elizabeth Mayhew: "Well, Candace, you can't forget about dessert!"

Candace Rose: Oh, I thought the granola was dessert!

Elizabeth Mayhew: "No, so for dessert one of the things you can do is if you're watching your waistline during the holidays you can for a Coffee-Mate- one of their seasonal collections. So, they've got two new flavors that they've added to their seasonal collection. Now this is only available through January. They have a 'brown sugar maple latte' and a 'warm cinnamon sugar cookie' so you can add some of it. It's 35 calories for one serving and one and a half grams of fat, add that to your coffee and it's kind of a guilt-free sweet. The other thing you can do though is you can use Coffee-Mate to make delicious desserts- go to CoffeeMate.com for tons of recipes. A couple that we made today; we made an eggnog tiramisu and we made a peppermint mocha cheesecake. We also made a gingerbread martini so you can even make it into a drink. So all those recipes are at CoffeeMate.com. Now to your clean-up!"

 

Coffee-Mate drinks and desserts! Be sure to head to CoffeeMate.com for these recipes and more!

Candace Rose: Shame on me for forgetting dessert!

Elizabeth Mayhew: "(laughing) You want us to clean-up. No. But for clean-up, listen you can have the cousin who spills the red wine on your carpet or the aunt who leaves the big lipstick smudge on your beautiful monogrammed napkins; well, Clorox to the rescue! They have a holiday stain hotline that they have implemented this year, so you call 877-Stain-411 and a scientist- one of the Clorox scientists that are Dr. Laundry will answer all of your stain questions.

 

Clorox Helpline and Dr. Laundry Blog are here to help you with all your cleaning questions this holiday season!

    They're also doing something where on their online community they're asking users to participate and to send in your most messy moment and the winner of the messy moment, what they call 'Bleachable Moment' is going to win $25,000, so that's pretty interesting. Also, they have an app. so you can download it; if you have a smartphone download their stain app, that way if you're at someones house and you accidentally do something and you quickly want to know what works better- you know club soda or salt, they'll answer your question right there."

 

Head over to Facebook.com/Clorox to enter to win $25,000 for your "Bleachable Moment"

Candace Rose: Okay, that's next on my list. I think I'm downloading that today.

Elizabeth Mayhew: "My Stain App."

 

Candace Rose: And do you have any additional tips or information you'd like to share?

Elizabeth Mayhew: "You know you can always pick up a copy of Woman's Day. It's on the newsstand now, we have tons of recipes and decorating ideas or go to WomansDay.com."

 

Candace Rose: Well, thank you so much, Elizabeth. I look forward to talking with you in the next few weeks.

Elizabeth Mayhew: "Thanks, Candace. Bye!"

Interview: Creating the Perfect Holiday Card with Fashion Expert Jenn Falik and Shutterfly's Meg Bohnert

With the holidays creeping up on us, have you had a chance to create your family's holiday greeting card this year? If not, no worries as fashion expert, Jenn Falik and Shutterfly's Meg Bohnert have you covered! They joined me this week to discuss ways you can make your family photos pop and the latest trends in holiday card designs!

 

Shutterfly's Meg Bohnert and Jenn Falik on creating the perfect family holiday card!

 

 

 

Candace Rose: Jenn, do you have any advice when it comes to taking that perfect holiday photo?

Jenn Falik: "The perfect holiday photo really showcases your family's unique personality so I think you want to make sure to capture that in the best way possible. The first decision you have to make is where do you want to take the photo. If you pick outdoors versus indoors your style choices will follow suit, so if outdoors is your choice I love this time of year; dressing the whole family in cozy warm winter sweaters especially in tones of ivory that pops beautifully against fall foliage.

 

If you're doing an outdoor shoot be sure to wear ivory as it will make your photos "pop" 

 

    If you want to do an indoor shot and you want something a little bit more formal- in front of the mantel, next to the tree; that doesn't necessarily mean that you have to go head to toe Christmas sweaters, you can tie in holiday colors in a really subtle way to make a maximum impact. Red for example: give mom a red scarf, have dad wear a red bow tie, red accessories for the kids, it still feels festive, it still feels like the holidays but has a little more timeless quality to the photo itself."

 

Red accessories are a festive way to brighten up your indoor photo shoot!

 

Candace Rose: How about when it comes to picking the card for the photo?

Meg Bohnert: "So inside or outside shots work great, you just want to make sure that you start with that photo to really determine your final design choice. Outside shots happen to be a favorite this time of year and they can be really fun and playful, lots of energy. These photos pair back beautifully with whimsy designs like this real fun Santa Claus. 

 

This black and white photo looks fab paired back with this "whimsy" Santa Claus design!

 

    For a lot of people that prefer that formal inside shot in front of the mantel or the fireplace rather, you can always go with a classic card, that will work great. But just remember start with the photo and let that really determine the best design to highlight your family's personality."

 

Candace Rose: Meg, what are the latest trends in card designs this year?

Meg Bohnert: "So, Jenn can speak to some of the fashion things that we're seeing on the runways."

Jenn Falik: "Yeah, I think in fashion and on the runways we're seeing color, color, color- bright, bold. In your holiday photo, that works beautifully. If you want to have a color blocking effect- a bright cobalt sweater on dad, a purple button down on mom. There's a fun way to set that up and then those bright, bold colors that we've seen on the runway and in the fashion magazines have also made their way into stationery. 

Meg Bohnert: "Right, translate right on in so we're seeing brights and bolds all over cards and stationery this holiday season. Shutterfly's loving the 'Merry and Bright' collection and we have some examples to show you today- this first full bleed color type piece that really takes any one good shot and makes it just sensational.

 

Oh What Fun - Merry and Bright Collection - Shutterfly

    Then we have this next Chevron stripes paired back with this rainbow color story that really highlight this photo.

 

Chevron Card - Merry and Bright Collection - Shutterfly

    And last if you can't choose just one photo, you have six that you can incorporate into this design, still maintaining that bright and bold color story, this could be the perfect card for you this holiday season. So if you want to do something that's very high fashion and on trend this holiday season, go with a Merry and Bright card.

 

Six photo card design - Merry and Bright - Shutterfly

 

Candace Rose: And do you both have any additional information you'd like to share this morning?

Jenn Falik: "For more information on creating that perfect family photo, we have a whole downloadable tool kit actually on ShutterflyFamilyPhotos.com. Log on there and you can find out everything you've ever wanted to know about creating that perfect family photo and an amazing holiday card."

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Interview: Holiday Decor Trends & Must Haves with Sabrina Soto of HGTV

Sabrina Soto of HGTV stopped by recently to share the must have holiday decor trends for your entire home, on a budget!

 

Sabrina Soto of HGTV with the latest in holiday decor and must haves!

 

 

 

Candace Rose: What are the first steps we need to take when it comes to entertaining this holiday season?

Sabrina Soto: "Well, when it comes to entertaining or decorating, always plan ahead and don't feel like you have to decorate every space in your home. Just focus on a few key spaces like the entryway, living room and obviously the dining room."

 

Sabrina Soto with the biggest holiday trends and must haves!

 

Candace Rose: And how do we get started with those?

Sabrina Soto: "Well, in the entryway it's the first and last place that people see, so it doesn't necessarily have to be complicated, maybe just a decorative tray with a cocktail to greet your guests right through the front door. And then adding some decorative elements like mercury glass which is a huge trend this season and then when they get into the living room, you want to make this space very cozy- lots of decorative pillows and throws and then deck out your mantel with evergreens, ornaments, wreaths to decorative stockings and then once everybody's done in the living room; the dining room where everybody has a meal with an inviting tablescape. 

 

A decorative tray adorned with mercury glass and holiday cocktail drinks greets your guest as they walk through the front door! 

 

A stunning mantel adorned with an evergreen wreath, beautiful metallic pieces and Christmas stockings!

 

Poinsettias in a gorgeous metallic vase!

 

    I always recommend that you set the table the night before so it's one less thing you have to think about; less stress. And a good tip is to use these serving dishes that can be transferred right out of the oven onto the table. This piece is Giada De Laurentiis for Target. It is beautiful and very affordable- something you can use all year round."

 

A trendy metallic tablescape 

 

A beautiful Giada De Laurentiis platter adds to the lovely tablescape

 

Candace Rose: What are the latest trends in decor or most popular colors this holiday season?

Sabrina Soto: "I think you're going to still see a lot of metallics- the matte golds and lots of mercury glass and then just updating more pops of color than the traditional red and green. You'll see greens in the form of chartreuse or an apple green- something little more bright but really all of these new pieces can be easily incorporated into your existing decor and then for food you know a lot of times you're going to see these cake pops that are all the rage now and you can actually buy a cake pop maker for about 20 dollars. It's something super fun and easy for the kids to decorate the night before too and they're so delicious."

 

The Bella Cake Pop Maker!

 

Candace Rose: Oh, they're the best.

Sabrina Soto: "So good!"

 

Candace Rose: And how do we decorate with budget friendly decor?

Sabrina Soto: "Again, just incorporating new pieces into your existing decor, not having to buy everything brand new, adding the pops of color and the metallics. The more metallics the better, don't be afraid to mix and match this year."

 

Candace Rose: Do you have any additional tips or information you'd like to share?

Sabrina Soto: "Well, if you need more information or tips, you can visit Target.com/Christmas."

 

JewelMint Review & GIVEAWAY!!!! *Closed*

 

Good morning ladies! It's been forever since I've hosted a giveaway but when I was approached by Jewelmint to review one of their beautiful pieces and possibly host a giveaway (if I loved the item) I jumped at the chance. I'm sure most of you have heard of the uber popular jewelry site which was started a year ago by actress Kate Bosworth and stylist Cher Coulter, it's grown exponentially over the course of a year and has the most gorgeous jewelry at affordable prices! What's not to love?! 

 

 

My beautiful Mumbai bracelet!

 

Posing with my new bracelet which you'll have to pry to get off my wrist! I wear it everywhere =) Thanks again to my new friends at Jewelmint for this beautiful piece. I absolutely 150% LOVE it! 

 

Just a few of my favorite pieces from Jewelmint!

 

Here's how to enter: 

Head over to Jewelmint (if you haven't already) and let me know what piece you'd love to own! My apologies to my international friends but the contest is only open to US residents. 

For extra entries:

• Subscribe to Candace Rose (separate comment)
• Follow Candace Rose on Facebook (post a separate comment) 
• Become a follower of Candace Rose on twitter
• Follow Jewelmint on Facebook
• Follow Jewelmint on twitter
• Subscribe to Jewelmint on Youtube
• Blog/link to the giveaway (post link in comment)
• Link to the giveaway on twitter (post link in comment)
• Link to the giveaway on facebook (post link in comment)

For ex: If you were to do all of these things you would leave 10 comments stating what you did and leave the link in each comment. Easy! =) 

 

The lucky winner will be chosen on Black Friday, November 25th at 7 pm pacific time and will be announced on this post! :) Best of luck! 

 

Thank you to everyone for entering my Jewelmint giveaway! I chose a winner via Random.org, many congrats to Tina Renee! =)

Interview: Holiday Entertaining Must Haves with Ceci Carmichael of Home Made Simple on OWN

With Thanksgiving just a week away, food and entertaining goddess, Ceci Carmichael of Home Made Simple on Own stopped by to share her best tips for throwing a flawless holiday party! 

 

Home Made Simple Food Expert - Ceci Carmichael

 

 

 

 

Ceci Carmichael: "Candace, my twitter friend."

Candace Rose: Hi, Ceci, how are you?

Ceci Carmichael: "How are you?"

Candace Rose: Good to be with you this morning.

Ceci Carmichael: "I was looking forward to you today so much!"

Candace Rose: You too! How was lard-a-palooza? (inside twitter joke) 

Ceci Carmichael: "Lard-a-palooza was oh my God- if it wasn't tied down, I fried it."

Candace Rose: (laughing) That sounds amazing.

Ceci Carmichael: "I should have tweeted to you and asked for suggestions if there was anything you wanted to see fried."

Candace Rose: Oh, everything!

Ceci Carmichael: "I made the best fried chicken too. For some reason I can never make fried chicken but man it was amazing."

Candace Rose: Oh that sounds so good.

Ceci Carmichael: "And donuts!"

Candace Rose: Just about everything, right?!

 

 

Candace Rose: So what's the first step to throwing a great party with pizazz and how do we get started?

Ceci Carmichael: "Well, I think that; what I tell everybody, I think people get really stressed out about entertaining because they think it's going to be too much work and they're already stressed out it's the holidays. But organization, I think my game plan is for people to a week out make your menu list, make your shopping list and then about three days out, go grocery shop- get that out of the way. There's nothing worse than having to go grocery shopping, especially around the holidays when it's really packed. Go a little bit early when it's not so packed, then a day or two early make as many of the things that you can make ahead of time that can be either reheated or served at room temperature or served cold so that on the day of you're doing absolutely the last thing that needs to be done- whether it's the turkey or whatever feast you're serving and that way you can actually sit down and enjoy your family and friends which I think is the point and I think people kind of forget that." 

 

Candace Rose: Do you have any tips when it comes to decor?

Ceci Carmichael: "Well, I think you know people have asked me that and I think that I tend to want to go a little more how you say organic- sort of free range, whatever I have around the house. I don't think people; again people get sort of stuck in their tracks because they go it's going to be too expensive, I don't have the right tools; mismatched plates, it doesn't matter. You know you have a beautiful scarf that you like- use it as a table runner. Get the kids to run outside and collect beautiful colored leaves and just sort of (these aren't real but) go get a real leaf and just sort of scatter them around the table. And this is just an inexpensive necklace that gives a little bling to the table. It doesn't have to be expensive, it just has to be you."

 

Candace Rose: How about when it comes to meal planning?

Ceci Carmichael: "Well, I think that, I'm a big fan of appetizers because I think it allows you to get a lot of variety into your menu and without working too hard. One of my go to favorites every year on my cheese board is boursin cheese. It's got a sophisticated taste, simple presentation and it elevates your gathering in a way with a very little effort, I think that's the key. Anything that makes you look really good without a lot of work is okay in my book and it comes in five flavors. I have the garlic herb here which I adore and it's everybody's favorite and I just think it looks elegant on your cheese board. I love the way it looks. So if you go to boursincheese.com great menu ideas to help you plan your menu."

 

boursin cheese - boursincheese.com

Candace Rose: And when it comes to drinks?

Ceci Carmichael: "Drinks- I think that everybody appreciates a great cup of coffee after dinner. People get kind of like they eat too much and they get a little drowsy and if you really want to impress your family the Jura Ena 9 One Touch is the most amazing. I have one at home, I adore this thing. It brews authentic cappuccinos, latte macchiatos with a single touch of a button. You don't even have to move the cup, the beautiful featherly light foam comes out; I mean it's like those expensive coffee shop drinks but in your own home. It makes espressos, coffee cremas, so it's just a really beautiful cup of coffee you can make at 50 cents a cup, so it's inexpensive. It's so much cheaper than the coffee shop coffees and it's changed my life, this machine."

 

The Juna Ena 9 Coffee Machine

 

Candace Rose: I need one! You got me hooked on the pita chips, so I'm pretty sure I'm going to get one now! 

Ceci Carmichael: "Oh, the pita chips. Forget it, I love those things!"

 

Candace Rose: How can hosts and hostesses make throwing a party easier on themselves so they actually get to enjoy it?

Ceci Carmichael: "Well, a bunch of different things; you know having things that sort of help you organize. I think a big thing that causes a lot of frustration and stress is afterwards you've got so much food and you're like left over. You're like what do I do and start stuffing them in your refrigerator; things get lost in the back- three weeks later you're looking at them and you're like 'I don't recognize that' but the Amana Top-Freezer refrigerator really simplifies your life, especially around the holidays. I love this thing, it comes in 19 and 21 cubic feet but it's absolutely just gigantic on the inside. It has reversible doors so you can customize it. It opens to the left or to the right- so for your kitchen layouts. Peoples layouts are different and it's got these adjustable shelves. You can make out all this food I have- this is like a 15 pound turkey, a pie and I still have a ton of room. And you can sort of raise shelves/lower them depending on what you need. And on this side here they have the quintessential door bins, they're popped out a little bit so that they actually make it easier to grab things. You're not kind of working things trying to get them out from underneath. They're really easy and accessible for your friends and family. They have a facebook page, check them out if you want more information on this great refrigerator."

 

Ceci showcasing the Amana Top-Freezer refrigerator

The gigantic Amana Top-Freezer refrigerator

 

Candace Rose: Do you have any additional tips or information you'd like to share? 

Ceci Carmichael: "I think you know- stay organized and be brave this year. Go ahead and do it, have a party, don't be intimidated that it's going to be too much work, it doesn't have to be. It's only as much as you want it to be, so try to enjoy your own party. How's that one for a tip?"

Candace Rose: (laughing) Yeah, okay!

Ceci Carmichael: "(laughing) Yeah, right, okay!"

 

Candace Rose: Where can we go for more information?

Ceci Carmichael: "If you go to News2Know.com you can get more information on everything you see here today."

 

Candace Rose: And as for you, Ceci, where can viewers go to see you next?

Ceci Carmichael: "I'm on 'Home Made Simple' on the OWN network on Sunday mornings. I'm one of the food experts (not on all the shows) but that's what I'm doing right now. 

Candace Rose: And they can also find you on twitter!

Ceci Carmichael: "Swellfood; they can also follow me on twitter if they want."

 

Interview: Holiday Entertaining Tricks with Marc Silverstein

With Thanksgiving a little over a week away and the holiday season upon us, Marc Silverstein stopped by to share the latest in holiday entertaining!

 

Marc Silverstein with Holiday Entertaining Tips!

 

 

 

 

Candace Rose: What are the secrets to throwing a great holiday party?

Marc Silverstein: "Well, one of the secrets is you getting to spend some actual time with your guests. You know you're often too busy in the kitchen cooking to spend time. Well, we don't want that, we want to free up some time for you, right?"

Candace Rose: Absolutely.

 

Marc Silverstein: "So we're going to free up some time for you with the GE Double Oven- the GE Cafe Double Oven gas range. This is the largest in the industry, it cooks your entire meal for you if you want; the entire holiday meal at the same time. It has a heavy duty roller rack that glides in and out gently protecting your most delicate foods. That's another time saver that GE's tri-ring burner. It's like three burners in one. You can turn it up to full blast, power boil your water or you can just gently simmer, melt your chocolates. It's restaurant inspired so you're going to look and cook just like a real pro."

 

The GE Double Oven

Pastrins in the GE Cafe Double Oven

 

Candace Rose: And how about when it comes to decor?

Marc Silverstein: "Well decor- here's something that will brighten up the room, give your guests exactly the drink that they want and entertain them at the same time. That's perfect for entertaining, and decorating is the fizz from the SodaStream. It turns water into soda in just seconds. It has a patented fizz chip that shows just how fizzy is that you're making. It tells you how much CO2 is left in the tank. There's more than 50 flavors so everybody gets what they want. You don't have to worry about lugging or storing cases of soda anymore or dealing with the empties and recycling, it's all right there. Now how is that for- people are going to walk in and go 'I love that' what is that?"

 

SodaStream Soda Maker

 

Candace Rose: How about when it comes to the dreaded prepping and cleaning up?

Marc Silverstein: "(laughing) This is really going to give you some great free time- the Neato XV-12 automatic vacuum it automatically and intelligently cleans your house giving you plenty of free time. It has the strongest suction available of any automatic vacuum on the market. It uses laser based vision and it cleans methodically using a smart path cleaning method. You come home to just clean look. This new misty white color is available exclusively at Target."

 

The Neato XV-12 Vacuum

The Neato XV-12 Vacuum Path

 

Candace Rose: Do you have any additional tips or information this morning?

Marc Silverstein: "Yeah. Great, serve up some fun; I have this wonderful cooking addition of Scrabble. It's just like the classic Scrabble fun game but you get bonus points for words that are related to cooking and the recipe cards allow you to double and triple your score. Mini grocery bags hold all the tiles, it's a great idea for when your guests are over or bring it as a gift to the host and hostess."

 

Scrabble Cooking Edition Game

 

Candace Rose: Where can we go for more information?

Marc Silverstein: "Dailylounge.com. Check out all this information at DailyLounge.com."