SPARQ Home Soapstone 16" Pizza Stone Review

I received a Soapstone 16" Pizza Stone from SPARQ Home for review. I have always wanted a pizza stone and couldn't wait to try this one out. I was so impressed with the way the pizza stone was packaged. It was wrapped with such care and detail that would ensure your stone would not be broken upon delivery to your home. 

The actual pizza stone is beautiful! I was wondering how on earth you are supposed to bake on it since it resembles something you can serve on. I decided to bake a frozen pizza last night. I preheated my oven and let the stone preheat for about 5 minutes before putting the pizza on it. The stone is very dense and heavy so it gets very hot. I was afraid that it would get too hot and burn the pizza crust underneath. I was pleased that it did not end up burning and my pizza had the most amazing crunch. Sometimes when I bake frozen pizza, the crust will brown too fast and the inner part of the bread will not bake enough. My pizza stone baked the pizza to perfection! It tasted like we got it from an authentic pizza restaurant. My family loved the texture of the pizza crust. I don't think I can ever eat frozen or homemade pizza unless it's baked on my Soapstone.  It was really easy to clean and because of how heavy it is, I will store it inside my oven.

Look at how gorgeous that crust is! Isn't the pizza stone so pretty too? 

Some details of the SPARQ Home Soapstone Pizza Stone: 

This Soapstone 16" Pizza Stone allows you to cook like a pro. Handcrafted from one solid block of soapstone, this durable pizza stone does wonders in baking with its even heat distribution.

The 16" is great for entertainers to host pizza night or can function as a cheese board to pass around the room. These stones are stain-proof, naturally non-stick, and can be used on the grill or in the oven to prepare that perfectly crisp, never burnt pizza you've been craving. All sizes are also available with a marble trivet, making these serving pieces oven-to-table.

Our 16" stone is handmade by SPARQ in Colorado by the guys who know soapstone and understand its amazing qualities. Plus, our pizza stones are eco-friendly because they are handmade with soapstone from factory excess.

The Pizza Stones come in 10, 12 and 16 inch sizes and can be purchased with a serving trivet. The 16" is such a good size and retails for $69.95. Once you use this stone, you will ditch your old pizza baking methods. I think I will try to bake cookies on it next. Any of these stones would make a great homewarming gift, hostess gift, wedding gift or even Mother's/Father's Day gift.

To find out more about SPARQ Home products, visit them online and connect with them on Facebook and Twitter.

I received a product sample for review purposes. As always, all opinions are my own.

SOL REPUBLIC Master Tracks Over-Ear Headphones Perfect for Mom or Dad (Review & Giveaway)

**WINNER-- Thomas Murphy- Congratulations!**

As the month of April comes to a close, it's time to start thinking about Mother's Day and Father's Day. For so many of us, it seems like you run out of gift ideas for the special moms and dads in your life. I always look for something that they wouldn't necessarily purchase for themselves because they are always working hard and giving so much to everyone else. Mom and dad deserve to be spoiled! I have a great gift suggestion that is sure to please any mom or dad, SOL REPUBLIC Master Tracks Over-Ears Headphones.

These headphones are the perfect to help mom or dad "get away" from the hustle and bustle of the day. They truly will change the way you listen to music! The Master Tracks are the most comfortable headphones I have ever tried. They have extra soft speaker pads for a more enjoyable listening experience. The sound quality is superior and really allows you to relax and enjoy your music without interruption. As a matter of fact, you will hear every single note! Oh my, truly the most amazing listening experience ever! You can easily plug them into your iPad, iPhone or iPod and zone out. These are prefect for me to take with me in the school pickup line and even comes with a convenient carrying case. Just a warning, these headphones can cause maximum relaxation and should be kept away from prying teenagers :)

Some product details of the SOL REPUBLIC Master Tracks Over-Ear Headphones:

• Interchangeable Headbands
• Headband is virtually indestructible. Constructed of an advanced polymer compound, the FlexTech™ Sound Track headband is built to withstand heavy abuse. Twist it, bend it, drop it - it’s not going to break.
• SONICSOFT™ Speaker Pads- Listen In Comfort & Isolation Supple, noise-isolating ear cushions let you enjoy your music in comfort for hours.
• 3-Button Mic+Music Control- Adjust the volume, pause/resume/skip music and answer/hang-up calls. The high clarity mic captures every word possible. 
• X3 Sound Engine- Master Tracks X3 Sound Engine Speakers deliver an immersive music experience balanced with powerful bass, clear highs and supreme vocal accuracy.
• Comes in 3 colors- Electro Blue, Gunmetal and White. 
• Retail price: $199.99 

For the mom or dad on-the-go, you might consider the SOL REPUBLIC Relays. These ear buds are easy to put in and won't fall out. They would be great for the parent who is very active. Retail price is $79.99.

You can find SOL REPUBLIC products on their site and connect with them on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter for products updates and promotions.

How would you like to win a pair of these SOL REPUBLIC Master Tracks Over-Ear Headphones? One very lucky Mom Files reader will win a pair!! Enter below:
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This giveaway is open to US Residents only and will end on May 4, 2014. Please follow giveaway rules in Rafflecopter widget. One winner will be chosen at random and will be contacted via email. Momfiles is not responsible for any lost or stolen prizes. Good luck!

I received complimentary products in exchange for an honest review. No additional compensation was received and all opinions are my own. 

What are Vinyl Wall Art Stickers?

One of the most inexpensive house decorations now is vinyl wall stickers and wallpapers. However, do you know much about this kind of stickers?

In chemistry, vinyl is one of the alkenyl functional groups. An industrially important example is vinyl chloride, precursor to PVC, a plastic commonly known as vinyl. So it can be widely used in our daily stuff and you don’t worry if it it harmful to our bodies.

The vinyl wall stickers are harmless, beautiful. Innovative and easy to apply. Nowadays, they are not any longer just used in our home. People have most public places or commercial areas pasted on some wall stickers to attract people’s attention or just play as a warning. It is even a special and joyful way for people to get information from the wall.

Mostly, buyers apply this easy wall stickers in the house decoration. Since there are plenty of patterns of this rising decor way, pasting some wallpapers can show your individualities to your guests and even make your life more interesting and beautiful. For instance, one of our top sales are the nursery decal series for kids. It includes some styles like cartoon animals and plants, growth chart, black chalkboard and alphabet. Your kids will be very delightful if their growth will be accompanied with such cute animals that can only be seen in the zoo. And the growth chart wall decals can make you witness your son  growing taller and taller.

Since its special texture, it can be used not only on the walls, but also in the windows or furniture. We have a lot of holiday-related wall decals that will make your family full of the holiday atmosphere, especially the Christmas theme decals pasted on the windows.

Don’t bother with the complex tools of pasting, our wall decals are very very easy for you to apply. You just need to peel of its cover and paste it. Your fingers can finish all the process. What are you still waiting for? Buying this easy wall stickers is definitely your best choice for decoration your house.

Trash to Toys: 10 Recycled Educational Toys #earthday

Earth Day is a yearly reminder to consider our role in protecting the
environment.    Parents can make a positive impact by creating fun, educational
toys from everyday items that may initially seem like trash, but can be
repurposed into teaching tools.

"Children are natural learners, and often see educational opportunities that
adults can miss," says Richard Peterson, vice president of education for Kiddie
Academy® Child Care Learning Centers.  "Anyone who’s given a child a new toy and
then found him playing with the box can appreciate a child’s gift for creative
play."

Want to feed your child’s imagination, while helping the environment?  Kiddie
Academy (www.KiddieAcademy.com) offers the following ideas for creating recycled
educational toys:

Computer Keyboard:  An outdated keyboard is a perfect teaching toy, as it
includes the entire alphabet to assist in early literacy exercises.  Challenge
your child to sing the ABC song while locating each letter on the keyboard.

Shoebox to Mailbox:  Children love getting mail.  Reinforce both reading and
writing skills by creating a family mailbox from an old shoebox.  Encourage your
child to write notes to family members, and leave notes for them as well.

Water Bottle Instrument:   Fill a clean, dry plastic water or soda bottle with
rice, bells, beans or coins and shake them to hear a variety of new sounds.
Glue the top on to secure the contents.

Junk Mail:  Instead of immediately sending your unwanted mail to the landfill,
allow your child to play with the envelopes and letters.  She can pretend to be
a postal carrier while getting additional exposure to printed words.

Magazines:  Glossy photos in magazines are perfect for creating collage art that
provides fine motor skill practice with scissors and glue.

TV remote:  Children love pushing buttons.  An unused television remote control
can be used for number and math play.  Simply remove the batteries and ask him
to find the numbers as you call them out.

Clothing:  Dramatic play is an essential teaching tool that allows children to
explore social roles, practice problem solving and language skills.  Add no
longer needed pieces of your own wardrobe to the toy chest to encourage your
child’s imagination.  She can literally “try on” a different role by wearing
your skirt, hat or shoes.

Linens:  Your child can use a worn out sheet or towel as a cape, picnic blanket
or as the roof to a play fort.

Toilet Paper Tube:  Empty TP tubes are a favorite art tool in classrooms.  Save
a box of them, and give them to your child along with a few craft supplies to
see what he can create.  Binoculars, stamps and creatures are popular choices.

Boxes:  While it’s tempting to immediately recycle a box, your child can have
hours of fun using an empty box for creative play.  What seems like trash to you
could become a school bus, secret hideout or magic castle.

Purex No Sort for Colors (Review & Giveaway)

Laundry is a never-ending task. I think it is impossible to ever see the bottom of my laundry hamper ever again. I take any steps I can to help reduce the time I spend on laundry. Purex has come out with a new formula that features a breakthrough Anti-Color-Transfer Technology™ which traps loose dyes in the wash, and prevents them from settling onto other fabrics—leaving your clothes bright and clean without color bleeding accidents. Introducing new Purex No Sort for Colors detergent.

This was especially appealing to my teenage daughters who apparently don't think sorting is really necessary. Of course if you have a brand new bright red t-shirt, I wouldn't recommend that you just freely throw it in a wash with light colors for the first wash. We gave this new Purex No Sort a try on a load with assorted colors. I took a chance with my husband's light grey dress shirt and some bright orange, blue and green shirts that belong to my son. The end result is that everything came out bright, clean and fresh. What more can you ask for? The even better part is that Purex detergent is about half the price of other brands. With the cost of everything these days, that's a big help! I like the fact that I don't have to waste time, electricity and water on one extra little load anymore because of the major color difference.

Right now you can enter in the sweepstakes The Rules Have Changed with NEW Purex® No Sort™ for Colors Detergent!

Enter for your chance to WIN $1,000 & a year’s supply of this game-changing NEW detergent, so you can avoid extra laundry loads.

I have 2 coupons to give away to 2 Mom Files readers. Enter below for your chance to win.
a Rafflecopter giveaway

This giveaway is open to US Residents only and will end on April 28, 2014. Two winners will be chosen at random and will be contacted via email. Momfiles is not responsible for any lost or stolen prizes. Good luck!

The Purex brand provided me with a sample of Purex No Sort for Colors detergent in exchange for a product review. However, all the opinions expressed here are my own.