Jamberry Review

I know that there are a ton of reviews of Jamberry already. But I was given two samples and asked to write a review. I was given Pumpkin Spice and Candy Cane shields. It should be noted that I was given only half sheets and I have never used Jamberry before. As a result, they weren't applied 100% correctly as seen in the photo. Pumpkin Spice was applied correctly but Candy Cane was not. I got lazy.

Pumpkin Spice shields

These were apparently discontinued, not the color but the version of the shield. The adhesive side was thick and silver. I am told that the new shields have a white or clear backing now. The color was perfect, exactly as pictured. I used a hairdryer as I had seen on YouTube but this was cumbersome and time consuming. So I tried the flat iron method. I seem to have a hotter flat iron than that of the YouTube tutors because mine melted the adhesive right off the shield. This wouldn't have been such a big deal if I had more than a half sheet to work with. So adjusted the heat and continued. Because the shields were so thick, I found it hard to stretch the shields as needed to fit my fingers. But once I rubbed the warm rice filled pad on my nails they seemed to fit fine. But on my right hand, I decided to apply the shields and use the heat pad to adhere them. This certainly saved time but it allowed for rippling as the shields required more heat to become pliable. The shields lasted 14 days without a single problem. People complained that the edges were bothering them. The edges are thick, but I found that filing was worse than using baby nail clippers. So I used the clippers and had no rough edges.

Candy Cane shields

These were much easier to stretch and required half as much heat as the old formula. Unfortunately, I was working with a half sheet and had to really stretch on of the shields. I found that once stretch, they would shrink back to their original position. Clear polish didn't solve this issue. There were no edges at all that gave a problem. They were thinner and adhered even better. My only complaint was that the color wasn't as vibrant.

In both cases, I only peeled them off because I wanted to change the color. But they stayed on when washing dishes, cleaning crab, and showering. I would buy these but only if I know I am going to leave the color on for more than 2 weeks. They last so long and are priced based on that fact that it would be a waste to use them for less than 2 weeks.

Yule Incense Recipe

Yule begins December 13th but the celebrating has already begun. Now that my fireplace has been lit, I have been tossing Yule incense in the fire to fill my home with fragrance. I have several recipes but this is the one that my neighbors seem to request the most. 

Yule Incense

3 parts Frankincense

2 parts Sandalwood

2 parts Chamomile

1 part Ginger

1/2 part Smudging Sage

1/2 part Cinnamon


Grind and mix ingredients well with a pestle and mortar or using whichever method you prefer. Toss a small amount on your lit Yule log. Or you can sprinkle some on lit incense charcoal. Make sure all ingredients are dry.

NoMoreRack.Com Review

I made my purchase from NoMoreRack.com last Christmas and I regretted it. I wasn't going to leave a review but I have received several complaints regarding No More Rack since Cyber Monday I feel I should have left a review.

I made two separate purchases. The first was for an IRiola tablet for $50. The site showed a nice leather case, detachable USB keyboard, and a stylus pen. The purpose of this purchase was to have an Android tablet that my then 3 year old daughter could keep busy with and that I wouldn't be upset at her for annihilating. I found that. The ordering was easy. I was slightly irritated with the disorder of the site. There were so many options for the same item and there were very different prices depending on brand and accessories. I was able to pull up all the tablets that were for sale but I had a difficult time searching for the cheapest item and comparison shopping.

The special was great and the prices were right. The shipping was a flat rate shipping for 2 cents as long and I made all of my purchases within a certain time frame. They had everything that I could think of that I wanted for family and friends that year. The toy selection was horrible though. There were no name brand toys but that wasn't why I was visiting the site. They really did have a nice product selection.

I decided to take advantage of the shipping special and purchased a beautiful necklace of a mother and her baby in a heart. It was a beautiful necklace...online. The heart was supposedly 14 karat gold and the diamond accent was supposed to be a real diamond. The photograph of the necklace showed off a brilliant almost sparkling sheen and both the pendant and necklace were a glimmering gold.

So I waited for my shipment. I waited and waited and waited for my shipment. I ordered the items on Cyber Monday and was told by the website that I would receive them no later than December 15th...initially. After the 15 days lapsed, there was an update on the website stating that the estimated delivery would be no later than December 28th. These were Christmas presents so you can imagine my frustration. They changed the delivery date without a phone call or email or explanation. In the end I received the items two days before Christmas.

The tablet was a big disappointment. It was flimsy and there no accessories. I had to wait longer for my purchase to be received and they didn't send me the correct order. I contacted Customer Service which was a feat in itself as the website requires you to complete an online form and wait at least 24 hours for an answer. Nothing turns off a customer like being told to "leave a message and we'll contact you within 24 hours." That 24 hours of course extended past Christmas, more than 2 days in fact. The response was that I received what I paid for and they were sorry. When I sent them a screenshot of the listing, showing all of the missing accessories, the listing mysteriously disappeared and I received an email stating that item was no longer available.

Then came the necklace and pendant. The necklace that was a shimmering gold in the listing was a sparking silver. Apparently, the site ran out of the gold so they substituted for the silver without contacting me first. The 14 karat gold, turned out to be 14 karat gold TONED. The gold coloring was rubbing off in the little plastic pouch in which it was shipped. The "genuine diamond accent" was genuinely, diamond accent. Meaning it was a cubic zirconia.

So I attempted to return the items. This was the real insult. The return policy states that you have 14 days for some items and 30 days for the others. No big deal right? Wrong. The clock starts ticking before you even receive the items. So that two and a half week wait for the tablet made it non-returnable and non-refundable before I had even received it.

I assumed it was the Christmas rush that ruined their service. So, being a glutton for punishment, I tried again. I went to the site and saw Invicta watches. I am not big on watches but my husband has an addiction to nice watches the way others have an addiction to Air Jordan shoes. I just had to get him this really nice looking watch. Just as I add the watch to my cart, the name of the item instantly changes. Right in front of my eyes like magic. I was stunned so I emptied my cart and did it again. The listing specifically stated "Invicta watch", once in my cart the description changed to "Invicta inspired." I was done with the bait and switch routine.

A year later, my readers are even more dissatisfied than I was. Making the same complaints about baiting and switching, receiving damaged property, never receiving the property and being told they had to accept store credit, and other nightmares. This is definitely a website that I will avoid.