All Ruby Cakes: Holiday Gift Guide

Showing posts with label Holiday Gift Guide. Show all posts

{A Christmas To Remember Gift Guide} Nancy Drew: Shadow at the Water's Edge Review & Giveaway

We are huge Nancy Drew fans! We collected the book series when we were younger (we loved reading them!), and we've loved playing the Nancy Drew computer games since the beginning! So we were super excited to get the chance to review the latest from the award-winning mystery series, Nancy Drew: Shadow at the Water's Edge!

About the Game:

Even Nancy Drew deserves a vacation - after all she is celebrating 80 years. In her 23rd outing, Nancy heads to Japan for a little R&R with Bess and George. Then, her vacation quickly turns into terror. When the other guests run scared, it's up to Nancy to track down the vengeful ghost haunting the traditional Japanese ryokan (inn) where she is staying. Playing as Nancy, you are immersed in Japanese culture - learning about Japanese customs, myths and even navigating the train system - while solving this ghost story.

Key Features:
Immerse yourself in Japanese culture by learning about origami, tea ceremonies, and calligraphy
Create custom anime-style characters for your in-game phone
Play fun mini-games such as pachinko and Sudoku
Choose from Junior or Senior Detective difficulty levels

Info & Requirements

ESRB Rating:

Ages:
10 to Adult

Status:
October 19, 2010

Operating System:
Windows® XP/Vista/7

Minimum System Requirements:
1 GHz or greater Pentium or equivalent class CPU,
256 MB of RAM,
1 GB or more of hard drive space,
32 MB DirectX 9.0 compatible video card,
16 bit DirectX compatible sound card,
24X CD-ROM drive, mouse, and speakers

Check out the Nancy Drew: Shadow at the Water's Edge Official Trailer:

We really enjoyed playing Shadow at the Water's Edge! As Nancy Drew fans, we can tell you that this one is definitely one of our favorites from the game series (with the another being Treasure in a Royal Tower). The storyline and graphics were great, which is why this game was so addicting, and we just wanted to keep playing and playing! Also, we enjoyed, as always, trying to solve the various puzzles/games/tasks you come across during your sleuthing - they make the game challenging! We loved that it gives you a taste of a different culture, as well.

Nancy Drew: Shadow at the Water's Edge is a really fun and exciting game that everyone -whether you're a Nancy Drew fan, computer game fan, or mystery fan - will want to play! And if you have liked the other Nancy Drew games in the series, you will most definitely enjoy this one!

Plus, if you're looking for more fun games, we have some more great gift ideas from Her Interactive to share with you! Earlier this year, in celebration of Nancy Drew's 80th anniversary, Her Interactive released a re-mastered version of Secrets Can Kill, which was the very first game in the series. Another recently released Nancy Drew game is Trail of the Twister, which is the the 22nd adventure in the game series. Also, for any Nancy Drew Fanatics out there, the Nancy Drew: Collector's Edition Fan Favorites would be perfect for them! It comes in a collectible tin, which includes a one-a-kind journal and the top three Nancy Drew games as chosen by the fans (Treasure in a Royal Tower, The Secret of Shadow Ranch, and Curse of Blackmoor Manor).

Connect with Her Interactive!

Buy It!

Nancy Drew: Shadow at the Water's Edge retails for $19.99 for both the PC and Mac version and can be purchased from HerInteractive.com. It is also available at Target, Wal-Mart, and on Amazon.com.

Win It!
One lucky All Ruby Cakes reader will receive a copy of Nancy Drew: Shadow at the Water's Edge!

*Main Entry*
Visit Her Interactive and leave a comment telling us another game that you would love to play OR which game is your favorite.

*Extra Entries*
Please leave a separate comment for each additional entry.
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Subscribe to our RSS feed. (1 entry)
Follow Amy's new blog, Heard It From The Hills, via GFC. (2 entries)
Grab our button! Please leave us a link to where we can find it. (3 entries)
Enter another one of our current giveaways and leave a comment telling us which giveaway(s) you entered. (1 entry for EACH one you enter)
Blog about this giveaway (or post the giveaway in your sidebar) and leave a link to the post in the comment. (3 entries)
Follow @AllRubyCakes on Twitter and tweet about this giveaway. Please leave a comment with a link to your tweet. (1 entry per day/tweet)
The giveaway will end at 11:59 PM (CST) on January 9, 2011. The main entry is a required entry, and it MUST be completed in order to have chance of winning. Please leave your email address in your comment if it's not visible in your blogger profile. The winner, which will be selected by random.org, will be contacted by email and announced on All Ruby Cakes. The winner will have 72 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is open to the US only.

Disclosure: I received a copy of Nancy Drew: Shadow at the Water's Edge for review purposes, and one will be provided for the giveaway winner. No other compensation was received. All opinions are our own.

{A Christmas To Remember Gift Guide} Zuvo Water Filtration System Review & Giveaway

Give your family and friends a healthy start this holiday season with the gift of a Zuvo Water Filtration System. With the Zuvo Water Filtration System your family and friends will be able to enjoy great tasting and safe drinking water from their tap. The Zuvo Water Filtration System eliminates the need to buy bottled water. So, not only will it save your friends and family money but it is also better for the planet!

How It Works:

Step 1: Ozonation
In nature, ozone is generated by lightning and cleans the air where rainwater forms. The Zuvo Water Purator mixes ozone with incoming tap water to treat taste and odor contaminants and improve taste. Like chlorine, ozone is a powerful oxidizer. Unlike chlorine, ozone leaves no chemical residue.

Step 2: Ultraviolet Light
The ozone saturated water is flooded with high-intensity UV light - the same as the solar energy that cleans water in the upper atmosphere.

Step 3: Photo-oxidation
The Zuvo Water Purator combines UV and ozone in a patented process known as photo-oxidation which releases powerful oxidizers to further treat the water.

Step 4: filtration with lead removal
Pure spring water is created by passing through fine particles in the earth. Zuvo uses the same principle by passing water through a Class 1 Particulate Reduction Filter, reducing chlorine taste and odor, lead, and tiny particulates.

Step 5: post-filtration UV
The filtered water is again exposed to high-intensity UV light as it leaves the Zuvo Water Purator, ensuring that you get clean, healthy, great tasting water...just the way nature intended!

We were blessed with the opportunity to receive the Zuvo Water Filtration System for review.

Drinking water is a BIG thing in our household, so I couldn’t wait to install the Zuvo Water Filtration System. I wasn’t exactly sure what to expect with installing it but was extremely surprised by how easy it was to set up. The Zuvo Water Filtration System I received was the above the counter model, so it connected directly to my kitchen faucet. Installation consisted of removing the kitchen faucet nozzle (sorry, if this isn't the correct term, lol), attaching the Zuvo nozzle to the faucet, and plugging in the Zuvo unit into an outlet. It took me just a couple minutes to clear off my kitchen counter and install the Zuvo Water Filtration System (there was no need to ask for help from my husband "B").

Here is what the Zuvo Water Filtration System looks like installed in my kitchen:

The Zuvo Water Filtration System is also very easy to operate. If you want filtered water for drinking or cooking, you just pull out the lever on the faucet to activate the Zuvo, and when you are finished just push the lever back in to deactivate. Very easy!

Now, we have never actually drank water straight from our tap before (we always bought bottled water previously), and “B” is a hard sell, so we did a taste test to see how well the Zuvo Water Filtration System performed. Let me say that there was a drastic difference between the taste of the unfiltered and filtered tap water. The unfiltered tap water had a really heavy “chemical” taste to it. I can now see why everyone advised us NOT to drink the water when we moved into town (lol). The water filtered with Zuvo had a very clean taste to it and the "chemicals" we had tasted before were removed. B and I are totally impressed with the Zuvo water quality! And we love that it will save us money!

Connect with Zuvo Water!

Twitter

Buy It!

You can buy a Zuvo Water Filtration System online at ZuvoWater.com, as well as from other retailers.

Win It!
One lucky All Ruby Cakes reader will win a Zuvo Water Filtration System!

*Main Entry*
Visit Zuvo Water and leave a comment telling us something you learned.

*Extra Entries*
Please leave a separate comment for each additional entry.
(2 entries = 2 comments)
"Like" Zuvo Water on Facebook. (2 entries)
Follow @ZuvoWater on Twitter. (2 entries)
"Like" All Ruby Cakes on Facebook. (2 entries)
Follow All Ruby Cakes via Google Friend Connect. (2 entries)
Subscribe to our RSS feed. (1 entry)
Follow Amy's new blog, Heard It From The Hills, via GFC. (2 entries)
Grab our button! Please leave us a link to where we can find it. (3 entries)
Enter another one of our current giveaways and leave a comment telling us which giveaway(s) you entered. (1 entry for EACH one you enter)
Blog about this giveaway (or post the giveaway in your sidebar) and leave a link to the post in the comment. (3 entries)
Follow @AllRubyCakes on Twitter and tweet about this giveaway. Please leave a comment with a link to your tweet. (1 entry per day/tweet)
The giveaway will end at 11:59 PM (CST) on January 9, 2011. The main entry is a required entry, and it MUST be completed in order to have chance of winning. Please leave your email address in your comment if it's not visible in your blogger profile. The winner, which will be selected by random.org, will be contacted by email and announced on All Ruby Cakes. The winner will have 72 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is open to the US only.

Disclosure: Zuvo Water sent me a water filtration system for the purpose of this review. No other compensation was received. All opinions are our own.

{A Christmas To Remember Gift Guide} Snapily Review

Are you looking for a unique gift or stocking stuffer? Well, Snapily is an awesome site that you guys will love! With Snapily, you can take your digital images and transform them with special effects. The site allows you to easily create customized greeting/photo cards, notebooks, scrapbook pages, and more with cool 3D and animated style effects!

What all can Snapily help you create?

Photo Cards
Greeting Cards
Bookmarks
Business/Wallet Cards
Scrapbook Pages
Notebooks

Snapily is really easy to navigate. You can browse their selection of items by product type or occasion. Each category has a wide variety of designs available, as well as the option to start from scratch. There is also a great feature, the Gift Wizard, that helps you find the perfect gift for someone by entering a few details about them.

We had a chance to try out and create a photo card, and we were really excited to do so. The card making process is so simple -- it's goof proof! First, you just have to select the design you want, which is the tough part because of all the great designs available. We ended up choosing the Blue Christmas Frame (a cute blue frame with snowflakes). Then upload the photo(s) you want to use and add your message. After you're done creating the card is the fun part -- time to preview it and see exactly how your creation will look! And, of course, the final step is to just place your order. If you're using the site for the first time, you have to create an account, but when you make another order in the future, all you have to do is sign in and you're ready to go. I was able to create a really cute photo card in no time at all!

Our photo card, which came with an envelope as well, arrived in the mail about a week later, and it looked fantastic -- just as pictured on the site when we previewed it! We were amazed at the quality! It turned out so well, and the 3D effect was really cool!

We think Snapily is awesome and would definitely recommend it if you are looking for a unique photo gift. Their products are perfect for all occasions - not just for Christmas - such as for birthdays or Valentine's Day!

Connect with Snapily!

Buy It!

Visit Snapily.com to browse their selection of products and fun innovative designs for the 2010 Holiday season with prices starting as low as just $3.99.

Disclosure: I received one photo card for review purposes. No other compensation was received. All opinions are my own.

{A Christmas To Remember Gift Guide} Crocs Review

Crocs are well known for their comfortable footwear, but have you seen some of their stylish shoes from their recently released Fall/Holiday 2010 line yet? They have a variety of new styles available, and all of them are really cute! A few of my friends have raved about the comfort of Crocs, but I had actually never tried out a pair myself...until recently that is!

About Crocs:

Born in Boulder, Colo. as a simple, comfortable boat shoe, today Crocs™ footwear can be found across the globe and in more than 120 styles for men, women and children. With distinct collections, Crocs offers colorful, lightweight comfort for any occasion and every season.

All Crocs™ shoes are uniquely designed and manufactured using the company’s proprietary closed-cell resin, Croslite™, a technology that gives each pair of shoes the soft, comfortable, lightweight, non-marking and odor-resistant qualities that Crocs wearers know and love. Crocs™ footwear is ideal for casual wear, as well as for professional use and recreational activities.

More than 100 million pairs of Crocs™ footwear have been sold. So what are you waiting for? “Feel the love™” and try a pair of Crocs™ shoes today. We promise your feet will thank you for it.

Crocs™ footwear products are divided into four categories:
Core: Line extension styles to the original Beach and Classic.
Casual: Sporty styles and relaxed design inspirations for everyday wear.
Style: Contemporary, forward-thinking products intended to broaden wearing occasions.
Active: Footwear designed for healthy, active living; includes sport-inspired products with uses for walking and hiking, as well as for recovery after workouts.

I'm so happy to introduce you to my new Crocs that I was sent to review!! First, I'll tell you that I was super surprised and amazed to see that I was sent not one, not two...or even three -- but four pairs! FOUR! And they are all SO gorgeous! Check out my lovely new shoes:

Crocband Flat Plaid in Lilac/Plum
I received the Crocband Flat Plaid in Lilac/Plum. These flats are so stylish, and the plaid design is simply adorable. They look great with jeans and give my outfit a nice pop of color! Plus, they're well-made, yet really lightweight. They also come in Mushroom/Espresso and are available for just $34.99.

The Crocband Flat Plaid features:
Fully-molded Croslite™ material flat.
Sleek flat has sneaker-inspired sporty midsole band.
Holes on vamp allow for breathability.
Elastic goring provides the perfect comfort fit.

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Marnie in Espresso/Mushroom
The Marnie flats, which I have in Espresso/Mushroom, are super cute! These ballet-inspired flats are really versatile, as well. They are perfect to wear practically everywhere and with everything - whether it be as casual wear or when you're at the office! The Marnie flat is also available in Black/Black and Plum/Plum and retail for $39.99.

The Crocs™ Marnie flat features:
Closed-toe buffed croslite™ material flat provides Crocs’ signature comfort.
A fiber textured heel creates a secure and comfortable fit.
A rubber outsole for “go-anywhere” style.
A reinforced shank provides greater arch support.
Circulation nubs to stimulate blood flow.

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Berryessa in Espresso/Espresso
Boots are a must-have this time of year, especially ones as fashionable and comfortable as these! The Berryessa boots are available in Black/Black, Mushroom/Mushroom, and Espresso/Espresso. It was a tough choice, but I decided to go with the Espresso color since brown is a color I've been gravitating towards recently. They fit really well and keep my feet warm when I'm out in the cold Midwest weather. Plus, they look absolutely fantastic with jeans (however I choose to wear them -- tucked in or over the boots)! These lovely boots retail for $89.99.

The Crocs Berryessa boot features:
Buffed croslite™ material gives this boot a sophisticated look and feel.
Rubber outsole pods for increased traction and durability.
Microsuede upper with tricot lining for warmth and comfort.

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Crocband Winter Flat in Espresso
I also received the Crocband Winter Flat in Espresso, and they look so great on! And did you check out the inside design (as seen in the photo above)? So colorful and fun!! I ordered a size up as suggested on there site, but these ended up being slightly too big or my feet though (my feet tend to be difficult to fit sometimes). Luckily, I was able to send them back to be exchanged for a smaller size. I think these would make great casual shoes - really perfect for when I'm doing a lot of walking or doing different activities, and I can't wait to receive my new ones (I'll be sure to update this post with photos and more info once they arrive)! The Crocband Winter Flat is available for $39.99 and comes in a variety of colors: Black, Silver, Bijou Blue, Plum, and Canary.

The Crocs Crocband Winter Flat features:
Croslite™ material flat with cozy sweatshirt material liner.
Colorful graphic footbed.
Sneaker-inspired sporty midsole band.
Croslite™ material strap for secure fit and comfort.

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I can't even properly explain how happy these Crocs make this shoe-lovin' girl! When I slipped my feet into each pair, I was seriously surprised how wonderful they felt. They are beyond comfortable, and my feet feel so good wearing them. I now understand exactly what my friends have been saying! Plus, all of them look awesome and super stylish!

Overall, I'm incredibly happy with my new Crocs and am proud to say I own them! The quality and comfort of these shoes are amazing! Plus, with all the stylish footwear they have available now, well, I'm completely sold and am now officially a fan of Crocs! I would definitely recommend Crocs to anyone since they have footwear available for men, women, and kids in a wide variety of styles, and I think they would make the perfect gift for absolutely everyone on your list!

Connect with Crocs!

Buy It!

Visit Crocs.com to browse the selection of new styles or make a purchase. Plus, if you sign up or their newsletter, you'll receive a coupon for 20% off your next purchase!