Photos.com Review and Giveaway

We are delighted to share the Decorate Your Home for the Holidays giveway that Photos.com® by Getty Images is hosting, but first let me show you the gorgeous canvas they sent us. ~

I have been searching for the perfect "something" for a wall in the family room while deciding whether to have built-ins installed. I searched and searched for something with a coastal feel to pick up the aqua blue in the pillows, lighten up the room, and offset the heavy, slightly darker furniture.

I found just what I was looking for at Photos.com®! I chose Paranga in the gallery-wrapped canvas. It's quite large and fulfilled exactly what I had envisioned at a lot less than what a piece of furniture would cost. It's a stunning shot and I love it's tranquil and relaxing vibe and how well the color and realism of the water was captured. The 24" wide by 36" long canvas is $189. Framed options are also available at photos.com.

Now for the really exciting news!! Photos.com® is giving away a $200 gift code every week in October plus a Grand Prize of one $600 gift code on their Facebook page. Be sure to follow PhotosDotCom on Facebook and Twitter and enter every week HERE. Psst... a little birdie told us they will have a big surprise in store for one of our readers when their October giveaway is over so keep an eye out for it right here. 

Gourmet Goodies, Gadgets...and a Giveaway!

mmm mmm good! Don't take our word for it, pop open the featured wine, try the cool cheese mill, and all these tasty products for yourself. There's even one for your favorite pooch. And don't forget to enter to win the prize of your choice from our gift closet.

yum YuM YUM! Hahn's Original Old Fashioned Coffee Cake is out-of-this world delicious. The 3.5 lb.+ buttery cake is topped with a generous amount of cinnamon-powdered sugar crumbs. It's no wonder it was voted best crumb cake in NY. What a treat! I just spotted they also sell a "Bucket of Crumbs"...OMG!  $25.50 at crumbcake.net.

Recently toured by William and Kate, the Amisfield Winery in New Zealand is a specialist producer of aromatic white wines created from an estate vineyard beneath the Pisa Mountain range. Amisfield's award-winning collection of wine includes the 2012 Pinot Gris we recently enjoyed. The fresh vibrant aromatics of ripe hand-picked Bosc pear and nectarine with a hint of mace spice paired beautifully with grilled chicken, broccolini and cauliflower mashed potatoes. SRP: $19.99. Visit Davies Family Selections for a distributor in your area. 

Amazing Clubs Peanut Butter of the Month Club includes two jars of gourmet peanut butter every month. We love Amazing Clubs' gift of the month clubs because they allow us to try products we would otherwise probably never know about and it's so much fun discovering and sampling the surprises in each box. Now, if I can only get them to start an Almond Butter Club! ☺ 3, 6, 12-month and seasonal clubs available starting at $18.95 per month. amazingclubs.com.

The Peugeot Annecy Cheese Mill grates hard and semi-hard cheese, nuts or chocolate with just a few twists. Simply load the large reservoir with your favorite cheese or blend of cheeses and grind the exact way you would with a peppermill. Includes three efficient stainless steel blade inserts for fine, medium and course grinds. The removable reservoir is refrigerator safe. Blades, reservoir, lids are dishwasher safe. SRP: $49.95 available at cutleryandmore.com.

I'll take a frozen margarita, please! Craft a pitcher of crisp, refreshing frozen margaritas for happy hour or Sunday game day with crystal-clear Blue Nectar Silver Tequila. Blue Nectar Silver is a premium triple distilled tequila handcrafted in the countryside of Amatitán, Jalisco, Mexico. It's 5 o'clock somewhere! SRP: $39.99, a store locator is available at bluenectartequila.com.

We love their pizza dough, now Venice Bakery has introduced gluten-free tortilla wraps which are absolutely fantastic and a welcome alternative to my go-to rice cakes. In addition to being gluten-free, they are also wheat, soy, dairy, egg, nut and corn-free. A bag of 6 wraps retails for $6 at venicebakery.com.

For a delicious Penne a la Vodka, be sure to reach for Victoria Vodka Sauce a rich, creamy sauce with all-natural ingredients and a homemade taste. Suggested retail for the 25-oz. jar is $6.99-7.99. A store locator is available at victoriafinefoods.com.

Molina Salsa blends fresh tomatoes with habanero peppers, sweet onion, roasted red peppers, minced garlic and a proprietary herb mix to create a deliciously garden fresh salsa. Named "Best New Food Product of 2014" in the Virginia Food and Beverage Expo. A 12-oz. jar retails for $6. molinasalsa.com.

Maille pairs Honey Dijon Mustard with Balsamic Vinegar for a most savory condiment. Enjoy as a marinade for chicken or spread on a baguette and turn an ordinary sandwich into a scrumptious lunch. The 7.9 oz. jar retails for $9.89 at mybrands.com. 

We even found a 'gourmet' treat for our furry friends! Pedigree® STACKERZ™ Filet Mignon and Bacon Flavor is a soft meaty treat that features real meat as the main ingredient. Available in three varieties, each combines two flavors and has breakable pieces so it's suitable for any size dog. SRP: $3.99 for a 6-oz. bag, available at mass retail, grocery and pet stores.

For a sweet and salty indulgence without all the sugar try Lily's Salted Almond & Milk Chocolate Bar. Made with Fair Trade creamy milk chocolate sweetened with stevia and almonds that have been roasted and salted. A 3-oz. bar is $4.49 at lilyssweets.com. 

Lemon Blueberry with Poppy Seed Mandelbroydt from Papa Ben's is a double-baked biscotti-like European cookie that is non-dairy, all-natural, and low in sugar. The blend of lemon poppyseed and sweet blueberries is delightful especially when served with a cup of hot tea or coffee. $6.99 papabenskitchen.com.

Chic Giveaway! ~ One reader will win the prize of their choice from our gift closet.

To Enter: Email chicgiveaway@gmail.com and include the following: 

• "Gourmet" in the subject line
• your first and last name
• complete mailing address
• twitter id 
• facebook name 

If you're entering our giveaways, we ask that you follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest 

If you wish to tweet about this giveaway, here's a sample tweet for your convenience ~

#Win the prize of your choice from @ChicLuxuries gift closet in *Gourmet Goodies, Gadgets & a #Giveaway* EASY entry: ow.ly/C4aXL

Giveaway ends 11:59 PM ET November 5, 2014.  Limit one entry per person and email address. Winner will be notified by email and announced on our Winner's page. Winner will have 48 hours to claim prize. Open to US Residents 18 years of age and older. We will not clog your inbox with emails nor do we share your email with sponsors, we only email giveaway winners.

Many thanks to each of the brands featured for providing products and/or photos for this editorial. 

Beecology Review and Giveaway

We recently featured Beecology in our premiere issue of Made in America. To celebrate their new brand name, Beessential, they are gifting one lucky reader several of their fabulous products. We selected a variety of products we think each of you would enjoy  ~ 

One of my fave products from Beessential is their Grapefruit and Lemongrass Citrus Body Wash. Its invigorating scent makes it the perfect body wash for morning showers. Made with aloe, coconut and olive oils, the moisturizing body wash is 100% natural and delightfully refreshing. $8.99 for a 8-oz. pump bottle.

And for evening, the relaxing Lavender with Bergamot Body Wash is ideal to use in the bath before bedtime. Beessential's all-natural products are gentle enough for everyone in the family. 

Beessential's Honey & Botanical Sulfate-Free Shampoo is fortified with soy and wheat proteins, honey, and aloe vera and infused with chamomile, yarrow root, and orange peel extract. It gently cleanses and hydrates hair and leaves it and heavenly scented. It also doubles as a wonderful detergent for fine washables. $12.99 for an 8-oz. bottle. 

Beessential Conditioner is made with honey and silk proteins to hydrate and repair hair to leave it soft, shiny and fabulously scented. An 8-oz. bottle retails for $12.99. 

Beeseential Honey & Oat Refreshing Peppermint Soap is a wonderful fragrant soap to use at the kitchen sink. A natural oatmeal and honey soap is scented with peppermint to cleanse and hydrate. A 6-oz. bar retails for $5.99.

All of Beessential's products are made in the USA. Find Beessential's entire line at Beessential.com. Connect with them on Facebook and Twitter and be the first to know about new products, sales and special offerings. 

Chic Giveaway! ~ Beessential is graciously gifting one reader all of the above products!

To Enter: Email chicgiveaway@gmail.com and include the following: 

• "Beessential" in the subject line
• your first and last name
• Mailing address
• twitter id 
• facebook name 

If you wish to tweet about this giveaway, here's a sample tweet:

#Win an all-natural bath product bundle from @Beecology ARV: $50 cc: @ChicLuxuries #giveaway details: ow.ly/BQfwl

If you're entering our giveaways, we ask that you like/follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest as well as our generous sponsors. 

Contest ends 11:59 PM ET October 25, 2014. Limit one entry per person and email address. Winner will be notified by email and announced on our Winner's page. Winner will have 48 hours to claim prize. Open to US Residents 18 years of age and older. We will not clog your inbox with emails nor do we share your email with sponsors, we only email giveaway winners. 

Thank you to the Beessential team for gifting us these fantastic products and sponsoring this giveaway. 

Falling for Fall...

Don't you love Fall? The crispness in the air, the possibilities a new school year brings, and the anticipation of enjoying the holidays with family and friends. It's an ideal time of year to update your wardrobe with a few new accessories, and to take some time to enjoy the great outdoors, maybe even indulge in some at-home pampering, or just relax in front of a cozy fire. Below, you will find product suggestions for all this and more. After perusing the websites featured below, hop back over here and enter to win the prize of your choice from our gift closet.

With the kids back in school, you may find yourself needing another printer now or wanting to upgrade to print quality photos. We just tried the Epson Expression Premium XP-620 Small-in-One® Printer. It can print wirelessly from smartphones and tablets. You can even scan photos directly to Facebook or cloud. It prints crisp clear text, vivid images and sharp colors. Perfect for school projects, sharing photos with family and friends and makes a great gift for the holidays. SRP: $149.99, it's $99.99 with free shipping at Epson.com.

Fall is the season of fabulous scarves, no other accessory does as much to change the look of an outfit. The PDX Scarf in Blue Iris from Horny Toad has a casual look to wear with a sweater and jeans. This go-anywhere scarf is made of lightweight 100% organic cotton with a crinkled finish and fringed edges. 22" wide x 78" long. $38 at hornytoad.com

Years ago when working in NYC, I would change handbags everyday to match my outfit. Those days are long gone but I still try to switch bags at least once a month. Olivia + Joy's Lilith Satchel in Black with gold chain and bar accents is a great handbag for Fall. The roomy bag with zippered closure has an interior zippered pocket, outer pocket with magnetic closure and is lined in Olivia + Joy's logo fabric. Available in Black, Winter White or Brown for $98 at oliviaandjoy.com.

For our friends who prefer smaller bags, Thirty-One's™ Cross Town Wallet is a wristlet, crossbody and wallet in one. Two zippered compartments and a fold-down magnetic inner compartment for easy access to the ID window and credit card slip pockets with strap closure to hold them securely in place. In a black and white chevron print to match almost every outfit in your wardrobe. $35 at thirtyonegifts.com.

I love to breathe new life into my wardrobe each season with a few new pieces of jewelry. This necklace from Amabel Designs has rose gold, champagne and iridescent stones accented with crystals that dance in the light. SRP: $50. Amabel Designs wholesales their jewelry, their designs can be found at Sears, Amazon and on amabeldesigns.com.

The Aqua Visor from the Wallaroo Hat Company is great for watching the kids games on a Saturday afternoon, or while biking, power walking, or golfing. It's lightweight, has a large 4" brim, and ties in the back to adjust to any size. Available in ten pretty colors for $28 at wallaroohats.com.

If you have children, you no doubt have piles of laundry to do. The Lifter Hamper eliminates lifting and bending when doing the wash. Just roll it to the washing machine and start loading. The spring-loaded hamper will lift as it empties. Great for the elderly and those with back problems too. Easy assembly and fold-over cover included. Available in black or white for $49.99 lifterhamper.com

All that laundry won't be as daunting if you're listening to your favorite tunes. The Creative MUVO™ mini belts out quite the sound for such a small speaker. The bluetooth-enabled wireless speaker is water resistant so take it with you outside, to the lake, and yes when doing the wash. The speaker is integrated with a built-in microphone which allows you to take calls. The chic-looking portable speaker will be the life of the party for up to 10 hours of playtime. Available in 4 colors for $59.99 at us.creative.com. 

When Ayelet asked me which soap scent I wanted to review, my go-to bakery scent, Almond Butter Cookie, was not immediately available because they had just received a huge order for it. They sent over Sensible System Lemon Ginger Neem Soap instead, and it just goes to show we all need to step outside our comfort zone or routine every once in a while. I LOVE this happy scent that is perfect for a morning shower to awaken and invigorate. A 4.5-oz. bar is $6.50 at ayeletnaturals.com. 

After a long day, you'll love the feeling of at-home massage with Wahl's Deep Tissue Massager. The massager includes 4 attachments: accupoint, four finger, deep muscle and raised bump. Intensity can be adjusted from light to intense. aaaahhh $59.99 at wahl.com. 

We have the shower and massage covered ☺, now it's time to curl up and relax in front of the fire. Enviro-Log FireStarters will ensure a roaring fire in minutes. Grab some marshmallows and a good book, and you're set for a cozy autumn night at home. Great for camping too. A box of 24 firestarters retails for $12.99 at enviro-log.net.

Did someone mention a good book? Truth be told, I usually pass on book reviews, but something about the cover photo and subtitle of Life's A Bark by Larry Kay, spoke to me. This book is filled with simple ideas for a happier, carefree life. Loaded with helpful tips on taking cues from dogs to handle life's daily circumstances. The book is fun, lighthearted and a feel-good read, even if you're like me and don't have a dog {yet}. Hardcover, 123 pages nearly all with adorable heart-warming images. A thoughtful, enjoyable gift for dog lovers. $14.99 where-to-buy links available on Positivelywoof.com. {gotta love that domain name!}

Chic Giveaway! ~ One lucky reader will win the prize of their choice from our gift closet.

To Enter: email chicgiveaway@gmail.com and include the following: 

• "Falling for Fall" in the subject line
• your first and last name
• complete mailing address
• twitter id 
• facebook name 

If you wish to tweet about this giveaway, here's a sample tweet for your convenience ~

#Win the prize of your choice from @ChicLuxuries' gift closet in their *Falling for Fall* #giveaway details: ow.ly/BOkVs

If you're entering our giveaways, we ask that you like/follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest 

Contest ends 11:59 PM ET November 15, 2014. Limit one entry per person and email address. Winner will be notified by email and announced on our Winner's page. Winner will have 48 hours to claim prize. Open to US Residents 18 years of age and older. We will not clog your inbox with emails nor do we share your email with sponsors, we only email giveaway winners.

Many thanks to each of the brands featured for providing the review products and photos for this editorial.