Starfocal

There are so many reasons why you should have an awesome Coffee Maker, but for me I love to have my coffee ready for me when I wake up and it has to taste good! I wish I could explain the disappointment of waking up in the morning only to have to make a cup of coffee and have it taste horrible! I have been searching for a great cup of coffee at home for quite some time now and I was so excited when I was told I was getting the new iCoffee to review!

So, why is the iCoffee so much better? After 7 years and 1,257 prototypes iCoffee has perfected SteamBrew technology. Using six rotational hot water jets and gold-tone filtration, iCoffee extracts only the best coffee flavors while leaving out the bitterness you get with other brewers. So you know every cup of coffee will be perfect!

I was very surprised with how big the iCoffee is! It’s not as big as an espresso machine would be, but it is still bigger than any other coffee pot I have owned. It looks very futuristic and definitely adds some style to my kitchen. Not only does it look cool sitting there, but it looks even more awesome while brewing.

Thanks to the brewing window, you can see your coffee being steamed to perfection! You can also see the coffee crema being formed, which is totally awesome! The brewer also plays a little song at the beginning and end of the brewing cycle so you know when it is done! I also love that it has an automatic shut off! After two hours of having ready to go coffee, it shuts off by itself so you don’t have to worry about accidentally leaving it on and ruining your pot.

This coffee pot has definitely surprised not only me, but anyone who has come over to test it out with me. I have been asked what kind of coffee I use, if it is fresh, or even if I added something to make it taste better. I have tried many different types of coffee in this machine so far and even the cheapest store brand still tastes as good as the more expensive brands. The iCoffee will definitely be staying for quite a while! It is definitely a new favorite in this house!

You can find out more about iCoffee on their website here. Also be sure to check them out on Facebook and Twitter!

**Disclaimer** Star Focal received samples of the above product in order to facilitate a review. However, we were in no way paid, or obligated to give a positive review, or a review at all for this company. If you would like to read my full disclaimer for reviews you can find it here.

I LOVE listening to music! I think my whole family is pretty much the same. In our house we try to listen to music as much as possible but either we have a difficult time connecting our devices, or those devices are just not loud enough. I have tried so many different devices, but with all the cords and all the hassle, I eventually stop using them. This is why I was so excited when I found out I was getting to review the Tego Audio CERA Wireless Portable Speaker!

So what makes this speaker so awesome? You can connect it to your device via Bluetooth and unlike most other devices you don’t need a security code to connect it. It pairs to your device within seconds so that you can start listening as fast as possible. It also tells you when it is pairing so that their is no guessing if your connecting it right! Not only that but you can play the speaker up to 33 ft away from the connected device. You can connect your CERA to your phone, laptop, tablet and so much more!

Recently I got a Windows Surface Tablet and while the speakers on it are clear and louder than my laptop, they are just not good enough. As soon as I got the CERA I hooked it up and was amazed at how clear the speaker was. What was even more surprising was how loud the speaker was! The sound filled up our whole living room as if we had a sound system playing the music. I love how you push the top to turn it on and off. Even my girls can do it, which they do constantly. It is also very sturdy so I am not afraid to let my girls play with it.

She was so happy with the CERA that she wouldn’t stay still for a photo

We have so much fun playing music from the CERA! The battery lasts up to 7 hours, so we can have lots of fun before we have to re-charge it! Each CERA comes with a Daisy Chain Cable which allows you to connect an unlimited amount of CERA speakers to make it a party! It has a 360° expanding sound chamber that is illuminated with blue lighting as well as a touch control panel that matches.

CERA also comes in three different colors! You can get it in Red, Black or White. They are decently small, so you can place it in your purse or backpack to use at anytime. Everyone that saw us using CERA wanted one! It was definitely a cool thing to have around!

You can find Cera on Tego Audio’s website here, or check them out on Facebook and Twitter. That’s not all! Be sure to enter below to win your very own CERA speaker!

In my house, we are constantly loosing everything! Whether it is our car keys, our phones, remote controllers or even our mind! We just can’t seem to keep track of anything. It is such a pain when we can’t find what we are looking for! We spend hours if not days trying to find our stuff, which mostly ends up being eaten by the couch, but that’s a whole different problem! When I heard about Click N’ Dig Key Finders I knew that this house would be extremely happy to be able to find things quickly and easily. I was so excited when I found out that I would be getting a Click N’ Dig set of my own to review!

I received the F6 Item Finder set. What is great about this particular set is that not only do you get 3 key finders, but you get 3 finders that you can attach to just about anything and a transmitter that is color coded for each different receiver! What I love about the color coding is that, unlike the find a phone button on your home phone, you can find a receiver by clicking it’s color instead of trying to ignore the other receivers beeping until you find the one you are looking for! It makes it super easy to use and a lot less of a headache when you try to find things.

I love that the receivers are in bright colors and have cool designs! I put one on my key-chain and it matches perfectly. I love that the item receivers are flat and easy to apply as well. My husband put one on his phone and it even makes it easier for him to hold the phone while he is texting! I’m just glad that they don’t look out of place when put on a device or like a strange extra on your key-chain. I hate it when you add something to your key-chain that looks odd and makes everyone try to figure out why it is on there in the first place!

I was really surprised at how loud the receivers were! They were not so loud that they hurt your ears, but they are loud enough that if you were looking for something you could easily find it. They also flash so you can see where they are in a couch or anywhere else that is dark. The receivers are strong enough to reach through couch cushions or even through walls! Which makes it easy to find even if you have no clue where the item you are looking for is.

You can find the F6 Item Finder set or other great finding devices on the Click N’ Dig website here, or feel free to check them out on Facebook.

**Disclaimer** Star Focal received samples of the above product in order to facilitate a review. However, we were in no way paid, or obligated to give a positive review, or a review at all for this company. If you would like to read my full disclaimer for reviews you can find it here.

ïNothing is worse than having a horrible looking piece of furniture in your home. Especially if the other things you have are nice. In our house we do have a lot of nice things, but we do tend to buy pieces that need a little work to save some money. Recently we have acquired an old desk that was beautiful, only $15, but it did have some cosmetic damage. After talking with Giani Granite about their products, we decided that they would be a great way to turn old furniture into a great work of art! I could not wait to start the review!

This is what the desk looked like before we started:

While I was in love with the desk, it just looked like it had been unloved for too long. I could

n’t wait to get started on making it beautiful again! I received Giani Granite’s Bombay Black Granite paint and their Titanium Infusion NUVO Cabinet paint. I could not believe how little there was to do to create a new masterpiece.

I think that the hardest part of the process is washing the area you want to paint. However, it could have just been because the desk was new to me and I wanted to make sure it was completely clean. The primer was super easy to apply and dried surprisingly quickly. Even the primer looked amazing on the desk and I almost wanted to leave it that way before I messed it up! My husband thought that it would turn out horrible the minute I started painting with the sponges. After about 20 minutes I had gotten the look I wanted with the different colored paint and could not believe how great it was already looking!

Last on my mission was to paint the clear coat and the cabinet paint on the bottom. We were surprised at the different textures of the paints. The clear coat was very thin and almost watery, where the cabinet paint was very thick. Everything worked amazing and the results were incredible! The desk didn’t even look close to what it used to. In fact everyone that saw it asked if I had cheated and went out and bought another desk.

The desk definitely brightens the room and I could not have done it without Giani Granite paint. Giani Granite paint is made to make your counter-tops look like granite, but you can use it for so many other things! They are inexpensive compared to buying real granite and look absolutely amazing. I still cannot stop staring at my desk and how wonderful it turned out. My next adventure is to re-vamp my kitchen table with Giani’s Roma Red granite paint. So stay tuned for another review and be sure to check out the giveaway for your own Giani Granite Kit below!

Be sure to check out their great products on their website here and let us know which color you would like to win!

I know I’m not the only one obsessed with the smell of freshly cleaned laundry! Maybe I am more obsessed than others, but I hate it when my laundry looses it’s scent. I have tried so many different brands of soap and fabric softeners, but it seems like the scent fades after a couple hours. I was so excited when I got Purex Crystals in Mountain Breeze to review!

First I will start with how great the bottle is! It has a unique design that I just love! It also has a cap and pop open top so it is easy to use! I hate trying to fumble around with caps just to wash my laundry. As if I have enough time in the day to deal with complicated caps! So this was a breathe of fresh air, or should I say a breathe of Mountain Breeze?

As I said before, this product is super easy to use. Unlike other laundry additives, you can add it at the beginning of the wash and forget about it. It doesn’t leave a strange residue on your clothes and it is 87% natural! These crystals leave your clothes smelling fresh for weeks instead of hours and you can definitely tell the difference in how fresh your clothes are!

I love that they actually look like crystals and that as soon as you open the bottle you get a huge whiff of amazing! They made our clothes smell amazing and they still smell amazing, which is a must for kids clothes! I am really happy that I was able to try out this great product!

Be sure to check out Purex Crystals and the other scents on their website here.

Want to win your own bottle of Purex Crystals? Enter to win a coupon for a free bottle below!

As a kid, I loved chocolate milk. In fact it was really all I would drink. My parents hated this and always tried to keep it from me. They always said that it wasn’t healthy, so when I finally had a children I was so happy that I found TruMoo. I was also excited when I learned about TruMoo Chocolate Marshmallow Milk and got the opportunity to test it out for you!

I could not believe they came up with such a great flavor! Of course, TruMoo Chocolate Marshmallow milk is made with fresh white milk sourced from regional dairies around the country – pure cocoa and just enough natural sugar to make it taste great. TruMoo Milk also contains no artificial growth hormones and no high fructose corn syrup. So not only does it taste great but you will love that it is healthy too!

As soon as I gave my daughter this awesome treat she was in love! She loved flavored milk and adores chocolate milk. Of course she put on a big smile and drank it down as fast as she could. She was making silly faces and laughing while drinking it and even asked for more after she was finished!

This flavor is great for this weather and even better because of Valentines Day! You can enjoy this milk hot or cold, or even enjoy it with some gram crackers for an easy alternative to smores!

TruMoo is great for parents and kids! You should check them out and see if you can find TruMoo Chocolate Marshmallow Milk in your area here.

Also be sure to check them out on Social Media!

Facebook

Website

Twitter

TruMoo is having a a giveaway! Enter below to win a $500 Target Gift Card below!

**Disclaimer** Star Focal received samples of the above product in order to facilitate a review. However, we were in no way paid, or obligated to give a positive review, or a review at all for this company. If you would like to read my full disclaimer for reviews you can find it here.

As a blogger, one of the things I have a hard time with is finding companies to work with. I spend hours, if not days looking for companies to work with and only get a small response back. I love having the opportunity to work with certain networks that bring together bloggers and companies. One of the best blogging networks is Markerly.

Markerly is a full-service managed network with 24/7 blogger support. Which is great because anytime I have a problem I can get help anytime. I hate working with networks that either don’t respond fast enough to solve the problem, or that give some kind of generic response that doesn’t help. Markerly is great because not only do they respond when you need them the most, but they actually help instead of sending generic messages that you have to decipher to get your answers.

Another problem I have with other networks is that it takes forever to get paid for sponsored content, or they have minimum payouts or other confusing ways of paying. With Markerly, they pay within 48 hours of the content going live. So your hard work will not be for nothing. One company I recently worked with still has not paid me after 2 months. It is very nice to know that if I work hard for a company that I won’t be screwed in the process.

They also help you figure out what is generating the most feedback from your post with heat mapping. You can see what is being clicked instead of trying to guess. I know I tend to post a lot of links in my posts and word them different ways and I would love to know which ones are being clicked so that I know what my readers enjoy most.

Markerly gives you the opportunity to work with great brands like Levi’s, Super Bowl, TruMoo, eMeals etc. They even have opportunities to try out products from great companies for better content. Markerly is open to anyone that gets 10,000 unique monthly visitors or for those that get an average of 3 comments per post or more. They are focused on getting as much feedback and the best content possible so that both the blogger and the company is happy! It’s nice knowing that someone has your back!

So what are you waiting for? Check our Markerly today and see what they have to offer! They make it easy to find blogs and companies that can work great together and make it easy for everyone! You can check them out or sign up on their website here.

Since Markerly is so awesome they have decided to hold a great giveaway for a $250 American Express Gift Card! Enter to win below!

**Disclaimer** Star Focal received samples of the above product in order to facilitate a review. However, we were in no way paid, or obligated to give a positive review, or a review at all for this company. If you would like to read my full disclaimer for reviews you can find it here.

Something that just about every girl needs is a hair tie. Sure we all have our favorites, but most of us don’t really know where to keep them without loosing them. When I was a teenager I used to put them around my wrists, but now they cut off my circulation and they just look funny. I started to make rubber band balls out of them, but they either got lost or my girls found them and lost them. If I didn’t loose them they lost their elasticity and it was back to the store to buy more. I was so excited when I was told I was getting the chance to review Cyndibands Hair Ties.

Cyndybands are hand-made and won’t break or bend your hair. They are made to be comfortable and stylish and you can wear them like a bracelet and they have tons of options that can fit your personal style. You can even create your own set of colors and give it a name! I was able to receive their Mini Paint tin set and a couple gift tags for the holidays which were both amazing and I loved how easy they were for gifting!

Valentines day is quickly approaching and they have some great Valentines day cards with Cyndibands attached! They are super cute and a great V-Day gift! I wish they had something like this when I was younger! I am absolutely loving their spring colors!

They also have Mini Paint Tins, which are absolutely amazing! Not only are they great for storing your Cyndibands, but they each have 6 ties inside. Not only do I love it for it’s design, but I love that my girls can’t get into it!

I love that Cyndibands don’t pull or bend your hair! My hair falls out no matter what I do with it and I hate pulling out a handful of hair every time I pull my hair tie out. They are great for all ages and even my girls are obsessed with them! Cyndibands also heats the ends so that you don’t have to worry about them fraying on you or wearing out. If you are looking for a better way to keep your hair up and out of your face, Cyndibands is definitely a must!

You can find these and other great Cyndiband products on their website here, or catch them on Facebook and Twitter!

**Disclaimer** Star Focal received samples of the above product in order to facilitate a review. However, we were in no way paid, or obligated to give a positive review, or a review at all for this company. If you would like to read my full disclaimer for reviews you can find it here.

It is hard to find a good shampoo and conditioner that doesn’t break your hair or your bank. I have always been a fan of Herbal Essences, but have never truly loved them until now. I was able to try out Herbal Essences new Naked Line and I am proud to report that it is pretty amazing!

As with all Herbal Essence products, Naked Volume smells amazing! I was quite surprised with the grapefruit and mint combo, but it really was great. I get a lot of dandruff, so I really enjoy hair products that include mint. The Naked line has 0% heavy residues, parabens, and dyes, my volume shampoo and conditioner will restore 100% of your hair’s natural body and your strands will feel revitalized and refreshed. I love that it doesn’t weigh your hair down and that it restores your hairs natural oils instead of stripping them.

The kit I received from Walmart has the Naked Volume Shampoo, Conditioner, Dry Shampoo and the Volumizing Soufflé. The Shampoo and Conditioner worked great! The shampoo had lots of suds, which is something I look for in a shampoo and the conditioner made my hair really soft. Together they made my hair smell amazing!

I have been a fan of really any dry shampoo for quite some time. I have found some amazing versions and some horrible versions, but most of them are pretty great. The Naked Volume Dry Shampoo was awesome! Unlike some dry shampoos, when I sprayed it onto my hair it didn’t look like I had poured a bag of flour on my head and didn’t make my head feel itchy. It didn’t get every last drop of oil out, but I would imagine that getting it all out is where the itching comes from with other brands. It did however get enough of the oil out to look fresh and clean. Another thing I really liked about this dry shampoo was that it smells just like the other products. I have noticed a lot that even if a company has created a dry shampoo to match a certain line that it will not smell the same and often will even clash with the other products. This was a perfect match and left my hair smelling great!

The only thing that was not amazing for my hair in this set was the Volumizing Soufflé. My hair is naturally very frizzy and most foams and sprays tend to worsen the problem, which seemed to happen with this product. On a brighter note, it did not make my hair stiff or unmanageable like similar products. I was able to straighten my hair after using it and it still looked great! I think that this particular product is meant more for those with straight or wavy hair and not for crazy curly hair like mine.

Overall I loved this set and I cannot wait to try the other Naked collections. Herbal Essences has definitely wowed me with this product and after many years I may have to give them another chance!

Be sure to check out the new line and other great Herbal Essences products on their website here or from Walmart.com, or check them out on Facebook and Twitter.

**Disclaimer** Star Focal received samples of the above product in order to facilitate a review. However, we were in no way paid, or obligated to give a positive review, or a review at all for this company. If you would like to read my full disclaimer for reviews you can find it here.

I love being able to sit down with my girls and watch Holiday movies. They love the movies and love that we can watch them as a family too. We were so excited when we found out that we would be able to test out the Dreamworks Holiday Collections.

First we have a new classic set including Shrek, Po, Toothless and more from Dreamworks.

My girls loved being able to see their favorite characters in Holiday specials. It was easy to get them to watch the movies and they were fun for the whole family! This box set includes Shrek The Halls, Merry Madagascar, Kung Fu Panda Holiday and Dragons Holiday: Gift of the Night Fury. It also has awesome bonus features including games, music videos and more!

We also got to enjoy the Original Christmas Classics Box Set, which of course is always a favorite.

This set includes all of the Classic Christmas cartoons that most of us grew up watching. This set includes Frosty the Snowman, Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, Santa Claus is Comin’ to Town and Frosty returns.

We loved being able to get ready for the Holidays watching great movies that we all loved. If you are looking for a great way to get your kids ready for the Holidays I would definitely check them out!

You can find these and other great DreamWorks movies on their website here, or at a major retailer near you.

Also be sure to check out this awesome Holiday Wish list you can print out for your children!

**Disclaimer** Star Focal received samples of the above product in order to facilitate a review. However, we were in no way paid, or obligated to give a positive review, or a review at all for this company. If you would like to read my full disclaimer for reviews you can find it here.