Friday, August 28, 2009

Old School Lap Desk by Lap-Desk Originals


The classic elegance of the Old School lap desk is reminiscent of the old-style school desks in use during the 1950's. Inside this desk is a spacious storage space which is divided into two compartments. The smaller of the two compartments measures 2-3/8 wide x 11-1/4 long x 1-1/2 deep making it ideal for storing pens, pencils, erasers, highlighters, small crafting supplies and other small items. The second compartment is spacious at 12-1/8 wide x 11-1/4 long x 1-1/2 deep and is ideal for storing notebooks, calculators, envelopes, small books, magazines, craft books, or a thin laptop. Both sections are lined with soft green felt to protect the contains. The lid has two sturdy brass-hinges, and a third brass-hinge which holds the lid open while one is looking for items in the storage space. Finely crafted from solid hardwoods this desk is sturdy and durable, products made from solid hardwoods are meant to with stand the rigors of daily use. The natural grain of the wood is enhanced with richly stained cherry finish, giving this desk a handsome appearance. Underneath the lap desk is a soft micro-bead filled pillow which provides comfort and stability for the user. The pillow is constructed from 100% Polyester.

Size: 13-7/8 high x 17-5/8 long x 3-1/2 wide. Product dimensions (imperial): 13.875 inch H x 17.625 inch L x 3.5 inch W Product dimensions (metric): 352.43 mm H x 447.68 mm L x 88.90 mm W.

Features:
  • Reliable brass hinges that lock and unlock with ease
  • Two spacious storage compartments
  • Felt lined compartments to protect papers and loose items
  • Expertly crafted from solid hardwoods.
  • Soft micro-bead filled bottom for stability and comfort
  • Grooved pencil ledge
  • Writing surface measures 13 7/8"W x 17 5/8"W
  • Item Weight: 5.75 lbs

History of Lap-Desk Originals:
In 1975 Creative Essentials designed the Original Lap Desk which featured a foam filled base that provided both stability and comfort for the user. They are the Original Lap Desk company, well known for the quality and affordability of their products. Today they produce several types of Lap Desks which can be used for school work, office work, computer work, crafting, casual dining and many other activities. Creative Essentials offers many Lap Desk designs to better suit our individual needs and personalities.

Lap-Desk Originals http://www.lapdesk.com/

My Personal Opinion:

I am impressed with the quality and usefulness of this Lap Desk. The large storage compartments are useful for keeping supplies organized, and can hold a large amount of supplies. I am very impressed that this model can hold all of my study supplies, so that I don't have to hunt for supplies as I need them. Getting organized has greatly improved my study time and I like the idea of all my supplies in one convenient place. Also something I like to note is that the felt lining prevents the items from rolling around to much which is very nice. Lap desks are a valuable study aid by providing a portable writing surface for the user to study from any where they are comfortable, and keeping all supplies and books together as needed. This is a great gift for any student or aspiring artist to have. This is a lap desk you will be proud to own and use for years to come.


Lap-Desk Original products can be found at your local
Staples, Office Depot, Office Max and Border's. Staples carry the largest variety of Lap-Desk Original products.

The lap-desk featured in this review can be found at-

Monday, August 24, 2009

Information for Publicists

Below are answers to frequently asked questions for publicists, along with my contact information. If you have a question that isn't addressed on this post feel free to contact me.

How Did ReviewTime Start?
ReviewTime was founded on December 5th 2008, as a way to share with my friends and family books I enjoy reading. After learning about Book Review Bloggers I decided to give writing professional reviews a try. Since that time I have written reviews for several companies including, Oxford University Press, Thomas Nelson, Zondervan, The Lockman Foundation, Moody Publishers, Bardin & Marsee Publishing, Good News/Crossway Publishers, Word Among Us Press, Broadman & Malman Publishers, Biblical Studies Press, Harvest House Publishers, Sakura of America, Loreto Publications and The A. T. Cross Company a major manufacturer of fine writing instruments. It is a great honor that so many companies appreciate my reviews.

Preferred Method of Contact
:
E-mail: reviewtime@ymail.com

Do You Review Other Products Besides Books?

Yes, in addition to reviewing books I also review a variety of products
in order to provide helpful articles for my readership. The articles I write for non-book products are in dept reviews showcasing the qualities of the product. In the detailed review I include information on the product, where it can be purchased and when possible helpful tips regarding the product.

Below is a list of products I am interested in featuring on ReviewTime, if your product is not covered in this list it may
still be featured.
  • Pens
  • Organizers
  • Prayer Beads
  • Rosaries
  • Meditation Beads
  • Knitting/Crocheting Supplies
  • Messenger Bags (luggage, backpacks, purses, or briefcases)
  • Craft kits
  • Craft Organizers
  • Yoga Supplies
  • Exorcise equipment
  • Video Games
  • Electronics
  • Desks
Do You Return Review Samples When Your Review Is Finished?
Not unless I have agreed to, ReviewTime is my personal blog therefore the shipment cost would come out of my personal budget. I am sorry but considering the time and effort which go into my reviews I am unable to provide ReviewTime's services without some form of compensation.

What Happens to Review Copies After You've Reviewed Them?
Books: Review Copies are added to my collection, for personal use. Review Copies are never sold, if for some reason I don't like a certain title I may donate it to my local library.

Other Products: Review samples are never sold, or traded. I personally test review samples to ensure quality, durability and reliability. If I am very impressed with a product I will write a follow up review of its performance.

Do You Accept Payment For Reviewing Books and Other Products?
I've never asked for payment and do not plan to. Personally I consider the review copy/review sample and helping my readership find quality products as payment. If a Publisher or Company offered payment I would of course accepted it, but payment is not requested or expected.

Where Do You Post Your Reviews?
Reviews are posted on the following sites, in addition to being posted on ReviewTime.
(If you prefer a review to be posted on certain consumer websites I will be glad to post a review on the websites of your choosing.)

What is ReviewTime's Reach?
Google Analytics has been keeping track of how many visitors visit ReviewTime since June of 2009. If you would like to know more about ReviewTimes reach feel free to contact me with your questions.
  • October 1st-31st 2009 -- 1,280 visitors
  • September 1st-30th 2009 -- 1,935 visitors
  • August 1st- August 31st 2009-- 686 visitors
  • July 1st- July 31st of 2009 -- 1,096 visitors
  • June 1st- June 30th of 2009 -- 448 visitors
Updates about new and up coming reviews are posted on the following sites

ReviewTime's Twitter Page
http://twitter.com/ReviewTime

ReviewTime's BlogLog Community
http://www.mybloglog.com/buzz/community/reviewtime/

ReviewTime's Fan Club
http://www.facebook.com/home.php#/group.php?gid=135700305629

When a New Review is posted a ping is sent to the following sites
  • Weblogs.com
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What Book Genres Do You Feature On ReviewTime?
ReviewTime is devoted to reviewing Christian literature although not exclusively, I am open to reviewing other types of litterateur on ReviewTime. Below are the genres I prefer.

Preferred Genres for Non-Fiction:
  • Christianity
  • Catholicism
  • Spirituality
  • Mythology & Folklore
  • Gift Books: such as journals, etc
  • Prayer Books
  • Books about Angels
  • Bible Studies, Commentaries, References, or Guides
  • World Religions
  • Inspirational
  • History
  • The Strange & Unusual (UFO's, haunted houses, etc)
  • Crocheting/Knitting (The review will also be posted on my knitting/craft blog)
  • Craft Books (beading, drawing, etc)
Scripture: Bibles are always welcome for review on ReviewTime, whether they're study, pastoral, devotional, reference, compact, or reader's editions. Please keep in mind that a large part of the review will be devoted to the materials from which a Bible is made. When possible ReviewTime prefers to feature high quality editions such as genuine leather or calfskin bound Bibles. Realizing that this isn't always possible all cover types are welcome. When reviewing Bibles I do not seek to judge the translation, all translations are welcomed. If an edition comes in multiple translations and I am giving the opportunity to choose a translation below is a list of my personal preferences.

Personal preference for Catholic Translations
  • Revised Standard version- Catholic Edition
  • New American Bible
  • Douay-Rheims Bible
Personal preference for Protestant Translations
  • New American Standard Version
  • New King James version
  • English Standard version


Preferred Fiction Genres:
When reviewing fiction if possible I prefer an audio format over bound books. An audio book loaded onto my mp3 player is much quicker to review. Bound books are certainly welcomed.
  • Christian Fiction
  • Horror (Ghost stories, vampires, any thing creepy)
  • Fantasy (Such as the Wheel of Time, Twilight, The Last Appearance, Harry Potter or Dragon singer series)
  • Action / Adventure
  • Classic Fiction
  • Science Fiction
  • Short Stories
  • Suspense/Intrigue
  • Children
  • Teen

Please Note: Reviews for fiction material are not as thorough as reviews of non-fiction material. It's ReviewTime's policy to give brief information about the book along with my opinion. ReviewTime is a NON-SPOILER Blog. Reviews for most fiction Titles do not exceed 500 words.

Genres that ReviewTime Will Not Accept

  • Romance novels, especially those with overly sexual content (Personally I don't like novels with sexual themes)
  • Drama (Personally I don't like novels that make me want to cry)

With In What Time-Frame Are Reviews Posted ? The time frame depends on how many products I have agreed to review at the currant time and on the type of marital I am reviewing. Usually the time frame for posting reviews of Bibles, gift books, and devotionals is with in one month or less. On other types of non-fiction books are usually reviewed with in two months or less. Fiction Titles in audio book format will be reviewed with in the above time-frame. Fiction Titles in bound book format can be very thick and may take 3 months or more for me to read through the book. When reviewing Fiction Titles in bound book format please allow 6 months for the review to be posted. If you would like to see a review posted a on certain date feel free to mention this. When you contract me I will schedule your the review. In most cases reviews are posted with in 1 month of receiving the product in the mail.

What Format Do You Accept for Review?

Preferred Format For Non-Fiction:
Bound Books are preferred, Audio Books are accepted as well.

Preferred Format For Fiction:
Audio books are always the Preferred format for fiction, ReviewTime accepts titles in bound book format as well.

If Our Company Submits A Book for Review Are We Guaranteed To Receive A Review?

All books and products which are personally accepted will be reviewed. As can be seen in my reviews I always give my honest opinion of the products I review, I believe in being honest and fair. If for some reason I feel that my review would be overly negative, I will contact you with my reasons for not posting a review. (Although I haven't run into this problem yet) ReviewTime is written and managed by myself I write reviews because I enjoy writing, personally it isn't productive or fun writing about books or products I view in an overly negative way.


Thursday, August 6, 2009

The Cross Personal Agenda with Pen

About The Cover:

The cover of this agenda is made from top quality full-grain leather, the leather is soft to the touch making this planner a pleasure to use. Products which are made from full-grain leather are meant to last for many years of daily use and will out last products made of other types of materials. Cross specially treats each piece of full grain leather to enhance the quality, color and finish of each naturally pebbled piece of leather. The leather retains the original texture of the hide, showcasing its natural characteristics. Unlike other materials full-grain leather acquires a natural patina over time. The stitching used on this agenda is high quality upholstery grade thread, which adds to the durability of this planner. This agenda measures 5 1/2" x 7 3/8"

About Full-Grain Leather:
Full-grain leather is considered the highest quality of leather, the natural pattern of the hide is unaltered. The grain remains in its natural state which will allow the best fiber strength, resulting in greater durability. Full-grain leather can be made from a variety of different animal hides, but is usually made from cow hide. Hides chosen for full-grain leather are superior quality and selected to ensure the finished product has no imperfections. Unlike other types of leather, full-grain leather uses the whole hide rather than layers of the hide. In contrast, top-grain leather, another very desirable high quality leather is made from the top layers of the animal hide only. Using the whole hide makes full-grain leather much thicker, and very durable. Full-grain leather will over time develop a natural patina.

Treatment:
Leather can undergo complex treatment processes, many of these treatments may result in weaker leather that will not wear as well. Full-grain leather is desirable because of its minimal treatments and its durability. With full-grain leather, the hides are not treated through the same treatment processes as other types of leathers. Instead the hair of the animal is removed from the hide, but the hide is not sanded. Which allows the nature grain of the leather to remain unaltered. Full-grain leather can be dyed in a variety of colors called aniline finish. The finish does not effect the durability of the leather. Another type of finish is called semi-aniline finish. This is a clear finish placed on the leather that will allow natural imperfections in the leather to show. Actually many desire the semi-aniline finish in full-grain leather because it gives a more natural look to the leather.

About The Pen:

The pen included with this plainer is a unique chrome ballpoint pen, which also serves as a latch to keep the agenda closed. This form of latch appears to be more durable than over varieties I have used. The pen is held firmly in place by a leather and elastic loop. Cross pens are well known as durable high quality writing instruments, this pen is a good example of the quality and craftsmanship of Cross products. Each Cross pen comes with a life time guarantee, if your pen malfunctions Cross will fix or replace the pen for no cost. From my personal experiences with Cross, I am very impressed with their life time guarantee policy. Measures: 4 3/5 inches


What's Inside?:
Inside you will find:
  • Four Card-Holder Slots
  • Receipt pocket
  • Monthly Calendar
  • Weekly Calendar
  • Notes
  • Address Book
My Personal Opinion:
Personally I find the quality of this Agenda very impressive, having grown up in an upholstery shop I can say that the materials used in this product are high quality. I am especially impressed with rich even color tone and softness the leather. A lot of time and energy goes in to making quality leather products, this agenda is a good example of craftsmanship.

The Cross agenda featured in this review can be found through the Amazon boxes below.











Tuesday, August 4, 2009

Sakura Glaze Pens: Stained Glass Sticklers



Sticklers are a fun way to decorate plastic, metal, glass, or paper items. Sticklers are an easy way to add your own stylish touch to cards, wedding st6ationary, notebooks, and personal electronics like cell phones or MP3 players. Sticklers kits utilize metallic colored die cut outline stickers with 3 coordination special craft pens that can write on virtually any non porous surface.

Personalize Items Such As:
  • Card-making,
  • Stationary
  • Gift Tags
  • Rubber Stamping
  • Electronics such as Laptops, MP3 Players, Cell Phones, Etc
  • School supplies
  • Vases
  • Christmas Ornaments
  • Votive Candles



Enamel Your Jewelery:
After using the glaze pens to decorate prayer candles, the idea hit me that the ink in these pens might be similar to enamel? To test this idea I used my high school ring, since all the enamel had warn off and my St.Michael necklace.

My High School Ring Re-Enameled with Glaze Pens:



I am very impressed with the results, as you can see in the photo my high school ring looks like new again. Using the glaze pens to fix this problem was much easier and faster than mailing the ring to the manufacturer to be re-enameled, (5 minutes vs 2 months). Of course the glaze pen enamel isn't permanent, but judging by how well the enamel has lasted on my St.Michael necklace it is impressive.


My St.Michael Medal Enameled with Glaze Pens:


This St.Michael necklace is something that I wear every day, I have tried using other coloring products to highlight the detail of this medal such as acrylic paints, permanent markers, etc. but the longest any of those products lasted were 4- 5 days. It is very impressive that the glaze pen enamel has lasted 2 weeks of daily wear and still looks just like I applied it a few minutes ago.


My Personal Opinion:
I found Sakura sticklers to be a fun, creative, and unique way to decorate and personalize my things. The style of sticklers is a unique concept that can add a whimsical touch or an elegant flare to any item. There are many craft ideas and projects that utilizing the glaze pens can add a level detail unobtainable most other ways that makes this an excelent resource or gift for any crafter or hobbiest.

Sakura Sticklers and Glaze pens can be found at the following links-

Silver Stickers


Gold Stickers


Sakura Pigma Micron Archival Quality Pens: Sizes 01 and 05

While searching for the right pen to use in high quality Bibles, I came across Sakura's Pigma Micron. This pen is superior to the other types of disposable pens I have used in the past, both for drawing and writing. The ink flows smoothly while drawing and writing and doesn't bleed through most types of Bible paper. The ink is acid-free, chemically stable, waterproof, and fade resistant making it perfect for long lasting projects and writings. For these reasons I decided to test the Pigma Micron on different thicknesses of Bible paper (shown below).

History of PIGMA:
The Sakura Color Products Corporation was founded in 1921 and has become one of the major suppliers of fine drawing and writing materials. PIGMA ink was invented by the Sakura Color Products Corporation 25 years ago, since then PIGMA ink has become the standard for what is define as high quality permanent pens. Originally invented as a drafting tool PIGMA ink is now used in a variety of applications and pen styles, nib sizes and colors. PIGMA Micron pens come in 6 point sizes for writing or creating precise lines. This pen is widely used by designers, scientist, archivists, architects, manga artists, cartoonists, illustrators, scrapbookers and craft hobbyists. Sakura's Pigma Micron was also used in the presidential election of 2008 "Pigma Micron used in Historic Presidential Election"

Unique Qualities:
The below features make the Pigma Micron a very unique and useful pen.
  • Archival Quality PIGMA Ink
  • Waterproof
  • Fade and Chemical Resistant
  • Will Not Smear or Feather When Dry
  • Does not bleed through most types of paper
  • Comes in 6 different point sizes 005-.20mm, 01-.25mm, 02-.30mm, 03-.35mm, 05-.45mm, 08-.50mm
  • Comes in fifteen Colors: Black, Blue, Blue/Black, Brown, Burgundy, Fresh Green, Green, Hunter Green, Orange, Purple, Red, Rose, Royal Blue, Sepia, and Yellow
  • Meets the ACMI "AP" seal non-toxicity standards
Technical Stuff behind the Pigma Micron:
The pigment molecules in PIGMA ink are 100 times larger and chemically more complex than that of dry based ink, resulting in a longer lasting ink which is less
susceptible to UV rays, chemical degradation, pollution from contact with oils and other chemicals on paper. The researchers at Sakura discovered a way to reduce these pigment particles to sub-micron size (1/25,000 of an inch), which allows this ink to flow evenly through even the narrowest of pen nibs. Single color pigments are used to eliminate pigment separation, which results in less fading and changing of ink color. The ink dries to a neutral pH, neither acidic nor alkaline, which protects the paper or other materials it is being used on. Resins are added to make PIGMA ink waterproof, making it universally compatible with other media such as watercolors, oils, acrylic paints, etc. The micron practicals are small enough to remain stable within its water-based solvent, which promotes color shade consistency and smooth ink flow.

Color and Readability:
The colors you choose to write or underline with can effect readability. Below are examples of how color can effect
Readability. Note how certain colors are easier for you to read, while others are harder. Click on the images to view then full size.

The Above text was written using the Pigma Micron pen size 05 which creates a .45mm line
This size is very useful for underlining keywords or phrases.

The Above text was written using the Pigma Micron pen size 01 which creates a .25mm line
This size is very useful for writing notes,symbols, or drawings in the margins of a Bible.

Each person will find certain colors easier to read while others are harder to read which can cause eye strain over an extended period of time. It's recommend that you test different colors on a notebook to see which colors work best for you. Personally I find pink, blue, red and green to be the most readable. Or if you are following a color system like that used in The New Inductive Study Bible you could make use of all the colors.

The Pigma Micron and Your Bible:
After looking through
different Bibles I chose five to test the 01 and 05 Micron pens. Below are five short slide shows featuring the front and back of each page tested.

The In Touch Ministries Wide Margin Edition

The Pigma Micron writes exultantly on this type of paper Bible. For writing notes and drawings I used the Pigma Micron 01, for underlining I used the 05. As one can tell from the photos there is no bleed through on the paper, which is very impressive.

The New Inductive Study Bible


The Chronological Study Bible

NAB Catholic Companion Edition Giant Print

The Ignatius Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition


Drawing with The Sakura Pigma Micron:
After reading about artists using this pen for drawing I decided to test them for myself.


The above drawing of Pepe Le Pew
was drawn using Sakura Pigma Micron sizes 01 and 05.

This pen works very well for drawing weither its filling in larger sections or drawing finer details. Drawing fine lines is much easier using this pen because of the thin tips. The ink flows smoothly from pen to paper which is a nice feature when drawing. Personally I love that the ink does not smear while drawing and has no smell.

My Personally Opinion:
After testing the Sakura Pigma Micron I have to say that I am very impressed. Using this pen makes writing small much easier, making it ideal for taking notes in the margins of a Bible or underlining key passages. This pen also preformed very well for drawing. I have used many different pens for drawing but this one is the best I have ever used.

Bible marking kits featuring Sakura Pigma Micron Archival Quality pens can be found at the links below.
Sakura Pigma Micron Archival Quality Pens can be found at
http://www.sakuraofamerica.com/Pen-Archival