From My Vanity

Beauty, Skincare, and a bit of Lifestyle

Another Post Featuring Grace Unplugged Today! (Review & Giveaway)

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Remember when I posted the giveaway for the book Grace Unplugged by Melody Carlson? Well, today I have more exciting things to bring you from Grace Unplugged! (As well as another giveaway! 🙂

For those of you who don’t know about Grace Unplugged, Let’s talk about the book/movie…

About the Movie:


A talented young singer and aspiring songwriter’s Christian faith and family ties are tested when she defies her worship-pastor father and pursues pop-music stardom in GRACE UNPLUGGED, a moving and inspiring new film that explores the true meaning of success.

Grace Trey has just turned 18 and aspires to do more than sing in her church’s worship band, which is led by her father, Johnny Trey, a one-time pop star who gave up his life in secular music when he became a Christian. Grace longs to escape his shadow and make a name for herself singing songs about something other than God, but Johnny warns her that fame is not as glamorous as it looks and reminds her that serving and worshipping God with the talent she’s been given is a far more worthwhile goal.

When Johnny’s former manager, Frank “Mossy” Mostin shows up 20 years after the two parted ways to offer him another shot at the big time, Johnny declines the opportunity. But Grace takes it – without telling her parents. She records a cover version of her father’s old Top 10 hit, runs away to Los Angeles and, under Mossy’s guidance, begins to taste the kind of success she’s always dreamed of, landing on the charts herself, attracting the attention of the entertainment press, even dating a popular TV star.  But with each rung of the ladder she climbs, Grace feels pressure to compromise her Christian values, and her relationship with her parents gets further strained. Even as plans move forward for her to record a follow-up album, Grace learns not everyone who says they’re on her side really is. The one exception is Quentin, an intern at her record company and a fellow Christian who urges Grace to reassess her choices and put God first again in her life. Will everything she experiences lead her to reject her faith … or rediscover it?

Starring AJ Michalka, James Denton, Kevin Pollack, Shawnee Smith, Michael Welch, and Jamie Grace, GRACE UNPLUGGED arrives in theaters October 4 from Lionsgate and Roadside Attractions. Inspired by a true story, GRACE UNPLUGGED is directed by Brad J. Silverman and produced by Russ Rice, the team behind NO GREATER LOVE.

Information on the movie…

Website  /   IMDB  /  Facebook
About the CD:

Sounds pretty good, huh? I thought so! I was so excited and thrilled when I was given the opportunity to receive the Grace Unplugged CD
that features the music from the movie! Totally, cool, right? I always enjoy reviewing music CD’s, but don’t usually get the opportunity. The neat thing about this CD is that it features songs from several different artists! I’m going to run down the list of songs that come in this CD and also include which artist sings them. 🙂

Please Note: AJ Michalka is the main character in Grace Unplugged (Just in case you are unfamiliar with the name. 🙂

All I’ve Ever Needed – AJ Michalka
Desert Song – AJ Michalka
You Never Let Go – AJ Michalka (with James Denton)
Misunderstood – AJ Michalka
Holding On – Jamie Grace
Our God – Chris Tomlin
Steal My Show – TobyMac
In And Out Of Time – Colton Dixon
The Void – Nine Lashes
The Space Between Us – Shawn McDonald
Welcome To Daylight – Luminate
Amazing Grace (Instrumental) – Josh Wilson 
I’ve had a few weeks to listen to the CD and now I’m bringing you my thoughts on this CD! 🙂
My Review:

AJ Michalka has such a beautiful voice! I don’t know if she is a new artist, but I know she was new to me! After listening to four of her songs on the Grace Unplugged CD
 CD, I’ve really grown to like her voice. It’s very clear and sweet and gives an innocence and beauty to the songs that I absolutely love.

Depending on your denomination and doctrine, you may like or not like the words in the song. I found them to be okay – I wouldn’t call them deep, but I wouldn’t call them bad either. My favorite song from AJ Michalka would have to be All I’ve Ever Needed. It’s a very moving song and one I hope will touch people in their personal lives and drive them back to Christ.

There were several other songs in the CD that I really enjoyed, such as Holding On by Jamie Grace. The opening to In and Out of Time by Colton Dixon was kind of loud and hard — when I pressed play before going to bed, I’d end up being jolted awake when this song started! — I did like the song. Pretty catchy tune/words, too! 🙂

My least-favorite song would have to be The Void by Nine Lashes. I personally don’t like that hard music — when it sounds like the artists are on the verge of yelling or something. And the music wasn’t restful or peaceful. Some people might like this type of music, but it’s just not my cup of tea. 🙂

All in all, I really enjoyed listening to the Grace Unplugged CD
! There were many artists in the CD that I know and enjoy listening to, and getting introduced to AJ’s beautiful voice was great, too! I’ll be on the lookout for future songs by AJ, that’s for sure. 🙂

I reviewed this CD for Grace Hill Media – special thanks to Briana for setting this up! It was not required that I give a positive review, but solely to express my own thoughts and opinions of this book, which I have done.

Giveaway!

Okay! So today I have the CD for 12 songs from the movie, Grace Unplugged
, that I’ll be giving to one winner. 🙂 All you have to do is enter in the Rafflecopter form below in order to get a chance to win the CD! This giveaway will run until October 21st at midnight.


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ATTENTION: People who live in Raleigh, North Carolina – enter to win tickets to see Alone Yet Not Alone!!

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Okay, I am SO excited about this giveaway! As the title states, this giveaway is only for people who live near Raleigh, North Carolina. So if you know anybody in that area, make sure you send them to this blog – this giveaway is only going to be live for a few days. So take advantage of this opportunity while you can!!

Now here are the specifics…

Alone Yet Not Alone will be coming to theaters on September 27th, and I am working with FlyBy Promotions to get some tickets out to y’all before the release date! There are several bloggers in on this fun opportunity, so if you don’t live around Raleigh, do a bit of research on Google and see if any of the other giveaways are near you!

If you missed my previous giveaway for the movie edition book of Alone Yet Not Alone you can read it here, or just check out the synopsis below. 🙂

Settled in the Blue Mountains of Pennsylvania, deep within America’s new frontier, the Leininger family celebrates the blessings of a beautiful homestead and bountiful harvest. That is, until tragedy strikes with the beginning of the French and Indian War and the devastating raid known as the Penn’s Creek Massacre.

The lives of this simple, God-fearing family are forever altered when Barbara and Regina, two young sisters, are carried away by the Delaware tribe. Driven by their faith in God and the powerful bonds of family, Barbara and Regina hold firmly to the belief that they are never alone, even in their darkest hour, and that they will be reunited again.
Rich in historical details, Alone Yet Not Alone is an inspirational, true story of a family caught in the cross fire of the French and Indian War. 

And then here is the trailer…

Pretty cool, huh? So don’t miss this opportunity! Tell all your family and friends that live near Raleigh, North Carolina to come and enter in the Rafflecopter form below, and you could win TWO TICKETS to go see Alone Yet Not Alone when it releases. There are going to be 5 WINNERS for this giveaway, so the chances of you winning are pretty high!

I’d hate to see anybody miss out on this giveaway! So spread the news to anybody you know in Raleigh, North Carolina. They could win and be on there way to seeing this movie in theaters with another special somebody on September 27th!

Enter in the rafflecopter below. Giveaway ends on Tuesday. September 16th at midnight. I know this is a pretty short giveaway, but we need time to get the tickets mailed to the winner. 🙂

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Stay connected with Alone Yet Not Alone through these sites below…

Grace Unplugged – a book AND a movie coming out soon! (Movie Giveaway)

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About the Book:

Grace Trey is an eighteen-year-old singer as passionate about her Christian faith as she is her phenomenal, God-given musical talent. Both traits come from her father, one-hit wonder Johnny Tray who found Jesus after losing his chart success two decades ago.

When Grace encounters her own music break of a lifetime, the sudden dive into the “real world” puts her deeper beliefs to the test. Pop superstardom is just within reach but appears to require some spiritual compromise. Will Grace reject her faith, or will she own it?

Book releases on September 1st

Information about the author…

About the Movie:
Having just turned 18, Grace Trey aspires to more than just singing at her church, where the worship leader is her father—a former pop star. So, with the help of Mossy, her dad’s former manager, Grace records a cover version of her dad’s old Top-10 hit, runs off to Los Angeles, and begins to taste the kind of stardom she’s always dreamed about.
Yet with each rung of the ladder she climbs, Grace feels more and more pressure to compromise her values, further straining her relationship with her parents. Will everything she experiences lead her to reject her faith … or rediscover it? GRACE UNPLUGGED opens in theaters October 4.
Information on the movie…

Website  /   IMDB  / Facebook
Trailer:
Book Giveaway:

It’s been a while since I have done a giveaway – so thank y’all SO much for having patience with me! So for today’s giveaway, all you have to do is enter in the Rafflecopter form below in order to get a chance to win your own paperback copy of Grace Unplugged and read it so you’re ready for when the movie releases on October 4th! This giveaway will run until September 2nd at midnight.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

A pen that makes writing easier! (Review & Giveaway)

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I know, I know, it’s been a while! Wish I could stop and chat with y’all for a bit, but right now I’ve got a review and giveaway to bring to you. (I promise, a “chatting” post with an update on my life IS coming! 😉

Have you ever heard of the “UGLee Pen” before? Well, I certainly hadn’t! But they are pretty darn cool! According to them, an UGLee Pen—created by Dr. James Lee—helps people who “…experience pain and discomfort when writing, for example those with arthritis, carpal tunnel syndrome, etc…”

I was given some of the pens to try out. While it isn’t the most sleek and attractive pen I’ve ever seen, it is definitely very comfortable to write with! I had a little trouble, in the beginning, with getting the ink to flow evenly, but I think that was just a “new pen syndrome” and once I started using it, it worked great.

I don’t know what kind of “case” is around the pen, but I really like it. While it isn’t sticky at all, it is made with this kind of gel-ish pad that almost seems to stick to you…almost. If that makes sense at all. It’s really hard to explain, but once you see one and try one, you’ll understand what I’m getting at right away!

The UGLee Pen is said to be the best writing utensil for children who are learning to write and are developing fine motor skills, as well as helpful for special-needs children who find it hard to hold a pen or pencil properly.

And, hey, this is ESPECIALLY good for those of you who write a lot. As it helps keep your hands and fingers from cramping!

What’s not to loose by using these pens, right?? 🙂

So you ready to try to win some for your own?? All you have to do is enter in the Rafflecopter form below, and in two weeks I will select a winner and these pens will be sent right to your front door. 🙂

Giveaway ends at midnight on May the 30th.

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I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

Have your name personalized with inspirational Bible verses! (Review & Giveaway)

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I know I have been very, VERY absent on here lately, and I apologize for my silence. A lot is going on in my life right now, and just trying to straighten it all out. It looks like the main purpose of my blog will be changing in the near-ish future, but I hope all of you will still continue following me and checking out my blog. I still plan on keeping up giveaways and other fun posts, so don’t miss out! 😉

But, anyways, that isn’t the reason for this post. I’m coming to you today with another review/giveaway. So stay tuned until the end to see how you might win a special little something for yourself. 🙂

Ever heard of BibleVerse.org? I hadn’t, either, until I was selected to review their product for them. I was really excited to get to do this, since I think the idea of having your name spelled out with Bible verses is crazy-cool!!

My certificate!

What are they exactly? According to them, “Your Name in Bible Verse certificates are beautiful, custom-printed certificates personalized with your loved one’s name. Each letter of their name begins an inspirational Bible verse.”

So for my review of this product, they let me get my own Bible Verse Certificate. How neat, huh?! As you can see on the right, I had them put my full name, Katie Marie McCurdy, and it turned out really beautiful!

When I went to place my order, I was able to pick from several different backgrounds for the certificate and—of course—write whatever I wanted on it. They were really quick at getting my order to me, and everything was in perfect condition. The paper feels like really good quality and there was even a protective, foggy-looking page that was over the certificate and a hard cardboard behind it to help protect it in shipping.

BibleVerse.org not only has these certificates available in English, but Spanish also. Each certificate is sure to be different an unique and there are over 30 different styles to choose from. And for only $12.95, these Bible name certificates would make the perfect gift–and a great encouragement–for a special someone in your life. 🙂 And this is the type of gift that’s not just for birthdays, either. It would be perfect for weddings, baptisms, Mother’s Day, Christmas….or just about any occasion!

You ready to find out how you could get your own Bible verse certificate?? Well, now’s your chance! BibleVerse.org was kind enough to offer one of the followers on my blog to get their own certificate personalized exactly how they would like it!

In order to get your name in for a chance to be the winner of this prize, just fill out the Rafflecopter form below. Make sure you are a follower of this blog—both to make sure you get a chance at winning this giveaway, and so you will stay informed of future giveaway I host here. 🙂

The giveaway runs from now until April 25th at midnight. 🙂


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I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

Let’s talk about makeup! (Product Review & Giveaway)

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I have really been looking forward to writing this post. Over the months last year, I’ve really become interested and invested in make up, and have been itching to get an opportunity to begin reviewing it on my blog. What are your thoughts about me introducing all these different reviews on my blog?? I hope they are helpful, and since I have such limited time to read these days, it allows me to still be active on here bringing you my thoughts on things…just now I do more then just book reviews. 🙂

Okay, on to the purpose of this post. Oh, and do keep reading till the end — there will be a giveaway!! 😉

I’ve never heard of the company Mai Mariu before they contacted me about reviewing a few of their makeup products on my blog. I was thrilled at the opportunity, and eagerly selected three items to be sent to me to review.

 And they were…

1) Perfecting Finish Mineral Primer
2) Perfecting Finish Mineral Liquid Foundation
3) Perfecting Finish Mineral Cream Concealer

And as you can see from the picture on the left, they also sent a few samples from Mia Mariu‘s skin care line and a sponge for applying foundation. It was quite a fun and exciting package to open up!

My thoughts on these products? Well, first of all let me say that I was a little disappointed that the foundation and concealer color I selected were a bit dark for my skin tone. But while that kept me from wearing the foundation out and about, I was still able to get a good impression of how the foundation felt, blended, and lasted throughout the day (when I stayed home all day! ;-). I just wanted to let you know that before I began, so you wouldn’t be confused when I make no mention of how the color blended into my natural color in my review below. 🙂

First off, every good foundation application needs a good primer to prep the skin for a long-lasting and even-toned application of foundation. I have been on the hunt for a good primer (tried ELF’s primer, and didn’t like it very much) so was eager to give Mai Mariu‘s primer a try. And I really, really like it! It does on a wet-liquid consistency  but in just a few minutes it dries to a very matte and smooth finish — just perfect for applying foundation over. I’ve also noticed how it helps control the oils in my skin from seeping through my foundation. I have really oily skin, so any product that can do this, is wonderful! I’ve been using the Perfecting Finish Mineral Foundation Primer almost on a daily basis and thinks it works wonders! I highly recommend this product!

On to the foundation! I liked the feel of this foundation. It’s a bit of a liquidy foundation—in that it’s not a mousse kind of liquid foundation. It went on really well and, as I said, had a good feel to it. I was a bit disappointed in the lasting power that this had. I would apply it in the morning, and then by noon-ish I felt like my face started getting “splotchy”….as if the foundation was melting off some portions of my face and grouping up in others to give a very splotchy, cakey look to my face. So while I cannot recommend this product for long wearing, I would be willing to say it’s a nice foundation for short occasions. But not one I would recommend to go all day in. Especially if you will be sweating  I wasn’t even doing anything strenuous when I wore this, but just the natural oils in my skin really showed through and, as I said, gave me a splotchy look.

Another plus to this foundation is that it’s mineral. For that reason alone I really wished I had gotten his foundation in my color so I could wear it. I really would prefer to wear makeup that is good for my skin and doesn’t tend to clog my pores. If you are the type who is careful of what you use on your face, I would recommend looking into Mia Mariu‘s Perfecting Finish Mineral Foundation.

Last, but not least, is the concealer! This was also too dark, but it actually wasn’t that bad, and I use it on a daily basis when applying makeup and have acne to cover up. I just have to be careful not to use too much and cause a dark spot on my face. But it works very well at concealing the redness of my acne. It has a sticky consistency which comes in handy when you set your concealer—the powder sticks right to it and it doesn’t move…for a while. Like the foundation, the concealer didn’t have a very long-lasting hold. It tended to wear as the day goes on. Though not as quickly as the foundation did, I was happy to see. I will definitely be using this Perfecting Finish Mineral Cream Concealer until the last bit of it has disappeared from the container!

Well, there you have it, my thoughts on Mia Mariu‘s line of face products. I think the quality of these products is pretty good (besides the foundation not being as long-lasting as you would think, for the price). I would definitely recommend you look into this line of makeup—especially the primer!

So, you ready for your chance to win one of these products? Yep, Mia Mariu has instructed me to run a giveaway on my blog and the winner of the giveaway will get to pick one of the products that I reviewed. So, if you won, you’d have to decide if you’d want the primer, foundation, or concealer. (And, of course, you would select your shade before the gift was sent to you!). Don’t miss out on this great opportunity for free makeup—sign up in the Rafflecopter below. Giveaway ends midnight on March 5th.

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I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

MichelleV is back with more leather jewelry for you! (Giveaway)

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Good news! Michelle from Michelle V Custom Leather Jewelry is back with us today to do another fun giveaway. For those who might be new to following my blog or missed the feature the first time, Michelle came on my blog in June of last year as part of my Etsy features/giveaways. And here she is again. So glad to be hosting her again on here!!

I was thrilled when Michelle sent me one of her leather bracelets to review. The bracelet I received is on the right, and just in case you can’t clearly see what has been etched into the plate, it says…

My best friend is the one who brings out the best in me

Isn’t it beautiful? And after over 6 months of use, my bracelet still looks and feels as good as it did when I first received it. And I wear it almost on a daily basis! It really is my favorite jewelry to slip on in the morning before I start a normal day. It’s so comfortable!

If you are interested in my review thoughts on this bracelet, here are my words from my first post…

“The font used was perfect, in my opinion! Perfect sizing for the letters, too. It’s been over a month since I’ve received this bracelet and it still looks great. No wear marks and the words are as clear as they were when I first got it — and I’ve been wearing this cuff almost daily!!”

And leather breacelets (or cuffs, as they are also called) are not the only thing that Michelle makes and sells over at her etsy shop. This lady is filled with lots of talent as she also makes necklace pendants, keychains, luggage tags, bookmarks, and much more! Just take a quick look as you scroll through the pictures below. If you like leather jewelry (like I do!!) you will love them!

Beautiful stuff, isn’t there?? I have my eye on a few pieces, as soon as I have saved up a wee bit of spending money for myself. 🙂 Also, be sure to follow the links below and find out how you can follow Michelle so you can stay up to date on the new jewelry she comes out with.

Ways to stay up-to-date on new designs/jewelry…
Facebook  /  Twitter  /  Etsy

So, you all ready for the giveaway? Well, let’s get started without delay. 🙂 For this giveaway Michelle offered to give away one item over on her Etsy shop—winner’s choice, up to $30! Sweet prize, ehh?? You have to be a follower of this blog in order to qualify for the giveaway. Just enter in the Rafflecopter form below and follow ALL instructions. Giveaway ends on February 26th at midnight.

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