Sugar Pop Earrings: A JewelMint Review

I placed my first order with JewelMint recently and I thought I'd share a little review of my experience for those who have been curious about trying JewelMint.  For those who haven't heard of JewelMint, it's a monthly jewelry subscription service.  For $29.99 each month you're presented with a personalized showroom of jewelry to choose from.  With JewelMint you do have the option to skip purchasing on a given month by logging into your account between the 1st and 5th to select the skip option and avoid being charged for the month.  If you do not choose to skip the month, you'll be charged $29.99 and a credit will be applied to your account that can be used toward any item on the JewelMint website.

I have heard so many raves about JewelMint from countless YouTubers over the past year and a half.  I've been curious about checking out the service for a while and had even signed up on the site to view the selection, but hadn't made a purchase until now for a few reasons.

First of all, as someone who has made jewelry for nearly seven years, I am very particular about the style and construction of the jewelry I'm willing to purchase.  Many times I won't buy a piece of jewelry because I can make something similar myself for less money that will be of better construction and higher quality.  For this reason, I am fairly skeptical about purchasing jewelry online from mass retailers without first being able to gauge the quality with my own eyes.

The other main reason had yet to place an order with JewelMint is that the jewelry offered on their website usually isn't my personal taste.  I tend to prefer very classic, retro jewelry as well as modern, feminine pieces.  I find the bulk of the styles offered from JewelMint simply don't suit me.  Even while taking the initial style profile on the site (which helps determine which pieces will be in your showroom each month), none of the questions really had answers that suited me.

I was recently browsing JewelMint again after one of my favorite YouTubers shared a JewelMint piece she had ordered with a 60% code.  It was then that I happened upon the Sugar Pop Earrings and was tempted to make a purchase.  After finding a 60% code to use on my order (bringing the price for the earrings down to $11.99 with free shipping), I decided to place an order.

I placed my order last Wednesday, received a phone call confirming my order on Thursday, and my earrings arrived on Tuesday.  I was fairly impressed with the quick delivery time; however, because I receive no shipping confirmation (on my account, via email, or by phone call), I actually had no idea they had even shipped yet.

From having seen numerous reviews of JewelMint online, I had high expectations for their packaging and I wasn't disappointed.  Each piece arrives in a mint green JewelMint box with a description of the piece displayed inside.  The Super Pop Earrings were described with, "Embrace la dolce vita with this runway inspired design.  Sweet as candy, our 10K gold-plated pair, measuring 2 1/4", boasts a dramatic combination of transparent and opaque jewels, in hues of lemon yellow, peridot, pink hyacinth, and tangerine tango."

 Inside their box, which was firmly padded to protect them, my earrings were placed in a beautiful black velvet bag.

The earrings themselves were just as vibrant and sparkling as I imagined they would be from the photo and description provided on the website.  Having paid $11.99 for the earrings, I am pleased with the experience of my purchase and the quality of the product I received.

To be honest, being as particular as I am with jewelry, I probably would not pay $29.99 for these earrings.  I would be hesitant pay $29.99 for anything I find on the JewelMint website in the future.  I think that the packaging of the jewelry above and beyond exceeds the quality of the jewelry itself.  I certainly do not think these earrings are cheap or flimsy.  They seem fairly well made and they are certainly unique and eye catching.  The "10K gold-plated" metal components of the earrings seem hefty without being cumbersome in weight.  The "transparent and opaque jewels," on the other hand, do seem a little more inexpensive and costume-y then I'd prefer.  The quality of these earrings reminds me of costume jewelry you might inherit from a grandmother or find at a flea market.  While I adore the look of costume jewelry, I certainly wouldn't readily pay $29.99 for a piece of that quality.

While I wouldn't personally pay full price for a JewelMint piece, there are thousands of women who do and are incredibly pleased with the quality.  I'm just extremely nitpicky because of the fact that I make jewelry.  I would definitely recommend everyone give JewelMint a try if they find a piece that they love.  There always seems to be fantastic discount codes available online to save 50% or more off your first JewelMint purchase, so I would suggest doing a little Google search before you place an order.

Don't forget to enter the Easy Canvas Prints giveaway for a chance to win a custom 8x10" canvas print!

Review & Giveaway: Easy Canvas Prints

I was recently contacted by Easy Canvas Prints with the opportunity to review one of their 8x10" canvases.  When presented with the option to turn one of my photos into a canvas print, I immediately knew which photo I'd use.  The photos I took of my Chocolate Malt Cupcakes are probably my favorite of the food photos I've taken to date.  I've wanted to have some of my food photos printed for a while but have never gotten around to it, so I was incredibly excited to have the opportunity to turn my cupcakes into a canvas!

Easy Canvas Prints allows you to put "Your Photos on Canvas!" and turn your favorite memories into works of art:

 Turn your photos to canvas with Easy Canvas Prints™. Our photos on canvas are great for decorating your home or office, and perfect as photo gifts! With our easy to use canvas prints designer, you can turn your very own image into a stunning work of art on canvas! Our canvas prints are printed and stretched in-house by our canvas professionals, and come ready to hang or display with a classic semi-gloss finish. Just choose your canvas size and wrap thickness, upload your pictures or art, and choose your border for a personalized canvas print of your own. We can't wait for you to see the quality of our canvas pictures!

Working with Easy Canvas Prints to create my canvas was a really easy, straight forward process.  You begin by selecting your preferred canvas size and the thickness of your canvas.  They have several standard sizes available as well as a custom size option.  Additionally, a standard canvas thickness of .75" is available as well as the option to upgrade to a thicker wrap or a framed canvas.

Next you upload the photo you'd like to use for your canvas.  It is important to use a high resolution photograph for the best quality.  Easy Canvas Prints has a user-friendly indicator which shows you if the quality of your photograph is sufficient for the best results.

Lastly you'll choose your display option (either a standard wall hanger or a canvas stand to display your photograph on a table).  You'll also decide how you'd like the border of your canvas to look.  I chose to have my image wrapped around the edge of my canvas.  I think this provides a really professional and finished look to the canvas.

 I was incredibly impressed with how quick and easy it was to create and customize my canvas.  I  placed my order and it was delivered within a week (a few days earlier than the estimated arrival time)!  It was very well packaged and reached me in perfect condition.

To be fair, this is the first time I have ever had one of my photographs printed as a canvas, so I don't have another experience to gauge this quality of my Easy Canvas Prints product by.  However, that said, I am incredibly pleased with the quality of my canvas print!  I really was surprised to see all the minute details of my original photo captured on the canvas.  The texture of the canvas itself really adds so much character to the image!  The above photo is a detailed picture I captured of my canvas print.  Just look at that detail.  Honestly, I'm truly impressed.

I couldn't be more pleased with my experience working with Easy Canvas Prints!  I will definitely utilize their services again in the future when I seek to have more photographs printed on canvas.

A huge thank you to Easy Canvas Prints, owned by BuildASign.com, for offering me the opportunity to review their product!


Now for the Giveaway!


Easy Canvas Prints has graciously offered to give an 8x10" canvas print to one of my readers!

Rules:
• To enter the giveaway, you must "Like" Easy Canvas Prints on their Facebook page and leave a comment on this post saying you have done so (please include your Facebook name).
• Due to shipping costs, the giveaway winner must be a U.S. resident (excluding Hawaii and Alaska).
• Giveaway will be open until 11:59 EDT on July 3rd.  The winner will be announced on July 4th.

For extra entries:
• Follow Easy Canvas Prints on Twitter and leave a comment on this post saying you have done so (please include your @ Twitter name).
• Follow my blog via Feedburner and/or Google Friend Connect (links to do so are on the left sidebar) and leave a comment on this post saying you have done so.
• "Like" That Winsome Girl on Facebook and leave a comment on this post saying you have done so (please include your Facebook name).
• Follow That Winsome Girl on Pinterest and leave a comment on this post saying you have done so (please include your Pinterest name).

Good luck!

Chicken Enchiladas

These Chicken Enchiladas have become a staple in our house.  I love them and my picky hubby adores them and requests them often.  They are fairly quick and easy to prepare, which is something I require of most dinners I make.  The filling for these Chicken Enchiladas is simply a batch of Shredded Tex-Mex Crock Pot Chicken and little freshly shredded Monterey Jack cheese.  I top mine with a can of Old El Paso mild enchilada sauce and more shredded Monterey Jack cheese.  The shredded chicken requires minimum prep, then cooks all day in the crock pot.  Once the chicken is cooked and tender, you shred it with a fork, add in a little of the juices to keep it moist, and it's ready to be turned into enchiladas, tacos, or anything you wish.

These enchiladas can be assembled and out of the oven in 30 minutes, so they're great for a busy week night.  You can certainly make changes to these enchiladas to suit your preferences.  I highly suggest starting out with the Shredded Tex-Mex Crock Pot Chicken as it's delicious and makes a lovely base for enchiladas.  Feel free to make a homemade enchilada sauce or use your favorite store bought sauce to top your enchiladas.  Use Monterey Jack cheese, Cheddar Jack, Pepper Jack, whatever your heart desires.  We usually enjoy ours plain, but a little dollop of sour cream or guacamole certainly wouldn't hurt.

The ingredients for the Shredded Tex-Mex Crock Pot Chicken are fairly basic.  You'll begin by sautéing an onion, spices, and garlic in a medium sauce pan, then deglazing the pan with a little chicken stock.  (I forgot to take a photo of this step.)

Season your chicken breasts with salt and pepper and add them to the bottom of your crock pot.

Top them with fresh lime juice and chopped cilantro.

Then pour the onion mixture on top.  Cover and cook on low for 3-5 hours.

After a few hours, your chicken will be nice and tender.  Shred your chicken and add in some of the juices from the crock pot to moisten the meat.

Once your chicken is shredded, you are ready to assemble your enchiladas.  Preheat your oven to 375 degrees and spray a 9x13 casserole dish with cooking spray.  (I used a slightly smaller Corningware dish for the purpose of these photos.)

Warm 8 small flour tortillas in the microwave for 20-30 seconds, until pliable.  Fill the center of each tortilla with a generous about of shredded chicken and a sprinkle of cheese.  Roll up tightly and place seam side down in your prepared dish.  Repeat with the remaining tortillas.

Because I used a slightly smaller casserole dish, I was only able to fit six enchiladas.  You'll have enough shredded chicken to generously fill eight enchiladas, and they should fit perfectly in a 9x13 dish.

Top your enchiladas with the sauce of your choice, followed by the rest of the cheese.  Bake in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes, until the enchiladas are heated through and the cheese is bubbling.

Let your enchiladas cool for a minute or two, then dig in!

Shredded Tex-Mex Crock Pot Chicken
via Good Life Eats

3-4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 1/4 teaspoon cumin
1 tablespoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon coriander
1/4 teaspoon paprika
1 1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/3 cup chicken broth
1/3 cup (packed) cilantro leaves, chopped
2 limes
1 large onion, chopped
1 jalapeno, seeded and minced (I omit the jalapeno)
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon olive oil

Heat the oil in a medium sized sauté pan. Add the onion and sauté for 5 minutes. Add the cumin, chili powder, coriander, paprika and garlic and sauté two more minutes. Deglaze the pan with the chicken broth making sure to scrape up any browned bits. Turn off and set aside.

Sprinkle the chicken with salt and pepper. Add to crock pot. Squeeze the lime on top, add the cilantro, jalapeno (if using), and pour the onion and garlic mixture over top.

Cook on low for 3-5 hours, or until cooked through (different crock-pots cook at varying heats) and tender. Remove chicken breasts from the crock pot, shred and place in a bowl. Scoop out the onions and add to the chicken. Depending on the amount of juices produced, you may want to add some or all of the juice back to the shredded chicken.

Chicken Enchiladas
serves 4

1 batch Shredded Tex-Mex Crock Pot Chicken
8 small flour tortillas (or corn tortillas, if that is your preference)
8 oz. shredded cheese (Monterey Jack, or other)
10 oz. can enchilada sauce (or equal amount homemade sauce)
cooking spray

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees.  Spray a 9x13 casserole dish with cooking spray and set aside.

Warm your tortillas in the microwave for 20-30 seconds, until pliable.  Fill each tortillas with a generous amount of shredded chicken (maybe about half a cup, I just eyeball it), then top with a sprinkle of shredded cheese (again, just eyeball it).  Roll up the enchilada tightly and place seam side down in the prepared dish.  Repeat with remaining tortillas until all the chicken has been used.  Top enchiladas with your sauce of choice, then sprinkle with the remaining cheese.

Bake in preheated oven for 20-25 minutes, until enchiladas are warmed through and cheese is bubbling.  Let cool for a minute, then enjoy!