Pandora the Modern Charm Bracelet: A Review of Pandora's Sterling Sliver Starter Bracelet

Do you love the idea of wearing a charm bracelet, but feel that traditional charm bracelets are unpractical, aggravating to wear (lets face it they get snagged on every thing), or just simply not your style? If you answered yes, don't worry you are not alone many women feel this way my self included. This summer I discovered the solution to my charm bracelet issues in Pandora's line of modern charm bracelets. Pandora's charm bracelet redefines the meaning of the term "charm bracelet", by reinventing the traditional concept with practicality in mind. Unlike its traditional counterpart Pandora's charms are detailed beads, and small free-form dangle charms which screw on to the bracelet its self. This allows you to change beads easily by simple unscrewing the charms. Pandora's design is a welcomed improvement which makes the charms very difficult to loose, and less likely to become snagged on your surroundings. Personally I have always had bad experiences with traditional charm bracelets because I seemed to get them caught or snagged on everything around me (which resulted in the bracelet spending a lot of time in my jewelry box for fear of losing more of the charms). With my Pandora bracelet I have no fear of loosing the charms and have yet to snag the bracelet on my surroundings despite wearing it on a daily bases (which for me is something miraculous).

About Pandora's Starter Bracelet:
Starter bracelets are plain bracelets that are sold with out charms. This allows you to choose the charm you like, and build the bracelet over time. Pandora offers a verity of starter bracelets to choose from including; leather, sterling silver, and 14k gold. Each bracelet is available with either sterling silver or 14k gold clasps. Prices rang from $30.00 dollars for leather bracelets with sterling silver clasps, up to 1499 for a sold 14k gold bracelet. The bracelet featured in this review is solid sterling silver, and features Pandora's signature bead clasp. This bracelet ranges between $45.00 to $65.00 dollars depending on the store it is purchased from. One aspect which sets Pandora's line apart from other modern charm bracelets is that there are four threaded sections along the bracelet. The two threaded sections towards the middle of the bracelet allows you to separate your charms into sections through the use of stationary beads that clasp around the threaded sections preventing movement of the other charms. The other two threaded sections are used to give the bracelet a seamless appearance once the bracelet is full.

Sizing is Important:
When purchasing a starter bracelet from a jewelry store, the jeweler (or well informed staff) will measure your wrist to ensure that the bracelet fits perfectly. As you have probable noticed the bracelet featured in this review fits very snugly on my wrist, the reason for this is that the length of the bracelet will expand slightly over time due to the weight of the charms. According to the staff at Artsy Abode in Fleming Island, Florida "There should only be just enough room between the bracelet and your wrist to place your thumb under the bracelet. This ensures that it will fit properly once the bracelet is full".

Pandora's Charms:
Pandora offers a large selection of charms, ranging from whimsical themes to elegant designs. Each charm is hand-crafted from genuine sterling silver, 14k gold or hand-blown glass. Some charms also have high quality cubic zirconias, as well genuine gems inset into their design. The price of each charm varies, from $25.00 dollars for simple sterling silver designs, up to $800 dollars for solid 14k gold charms. Pandora charm bracelets are designed to be built overtime, resulting in sentimental bracelet that reflects the life of the person wearing it. The charm on the starter bracelet featured in this review is Pandora's "Angel of Hope" charm. Pandora designed this charm in response to hurricane Katrina's tragic effects on Louisiana and Mississippi. Aside from making an initial donation of $100,000.00 to help those affected what Katrina, Pandora pledges to provide continuing support to the relief efforts through the purchase of the Angel of Hope charm. Approximately one third of the proceeds from this charm will be sent directly to the Mississippi Disaster Recovery Foundation. Through this effort Pandora aspires to raise $1,000,000.00 to $2,000,000.00 in additional funds for this cause."

My Personal Opinion:
Since I was a young teen the idea of wearing a charm bracelet has fascinated me. This was largely due to the sentimental concept behind charm bracelets -that each charm represents an aspect of your personality and life. Sadly it did not take long for me to realize that traditional charm bracelets and I are not compatible. When my husband mentioned Pandora's charm bracelets as an alternative my first thought was that this bracelet would have the same issues, well that is until I saw one for myself. The bracelet's design is practical, simple to clean, charms are easy to remove (allowing you to personalize the bracelet with out getting a headache) and most importantly the charms can not fall off or the bracelet while you are wearing it. Another aspect which has made this bracelet one of my favorite pieces is its superb craftsmanship, and superior quality. As someone who appreciates fine jewelry I admire Pandora's skill and craftsmanship.

Where to Buy?:
Check out Pandora's official website for more information and to find a dealer near you http://www.pandora.net/en-US

ReviewTime is not in any way affiliated with Pandora, I simply appreciate the craftsmanship and design of this brand.

Little Devil Designs: Sterling Silver Phoenix Charm

 An Original Design

Elegant and inspiring this lovely phoenix charm is a wonderful reminder of inner strength, transformation, and rebirth. Each charm is hand-crafted from .925 sterling silver, and hangs on a sturdy silver jump ring. Measuring 1.25" tall by .5" wide this charm can be worn on a necklace or charm bracelet. All of Little Devil Designs are nickel and lead free and are shipped in a velvet bag to protect from scratches during shipment.

What Makes this Piece Unique:
The quality of this charm is impressive for many reasons: 1. The charm features sturdy craftsmanship and has a nice heavy weight for its size. 2. Excellent details and shading on both sides of the charm, set off  the wings and body of the phoenix (this design is double sided with both sides showcasing excellent details) 3. The charm hangs from a surprisingly thick jump ring. (Which is something that I always appreciate.) 4. Most importantly this charm was hand-crafted by someone who cares about their craft, and uses the medium of silver to release their imagination and creativity.

Meaning of the Phoenix:
Mythical and sacred the phoenix is found in the mythologies of the Persians, Greeks, Romans, Egyptians, Chinese. The phoenix symbolizes inner strength, courage, transformation,  rebirth, and immortality. To learn more about the mythology and symbolism of the phoenix check out http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phoenix_(mythology)

My Personal Opinion:
Hand-crafted jewelry has always fascinated me, but until recently I never thought of reviewing a piece of jewelry. After some thought I feel that there is a true need for reviews of hand-crafted jewelry in order to help others choose quality pieces wisely, and know which craftsmen live up to their claims. That said I feel that Little Devil Designs is not only worthy of your time, but worthy of recognition among the blogging community. Such quality, craftsmanship and attention to detail is rare. I recommend this shop to anyone searching for quality hand-crafted jewelry.

Where to Buy?:
Little Devil Designs offers a wide variety of hand-crafted charms and pendents to choose from. Check out their shop at http://www.etsy.com/shop/LittleDevilDesigns

ReviewTime is not in any way affiliated with Little Devil Designs, I just appreciate their craftsmanship and lovely phoenix design.

Jack Daniel's Spirit of Tennessee Cookbook, Volume 1 By Lynne Tolley and Pat Mitchamore

 The rich tradition of southern cooking combined with the distinctive taste of Jack Daniel's Tennessee Whiskey gives an interesting view into the heritage of rural American cuisine.  This cuisine is elegantly captured in Jack Daniel's The Spirit of Tennessee Cookbook, which contains more than 350 recipes, stunning full-color photographs, and stories of the people, places, and traditions of Middle Tennessee.

Table of Contents:
   1. Drinks: pages 11-26
   2. Appetizers: pages 27-36
   3. Soups & Salads: pages 37-56
   4. Vegetables: pages 57-78
   5. Breads: pages 79-94
   6. Entrees: pages 95-118
   7. Outdoor Cooking: pages 119-130
   8. Desserts: pages 131-154
   9. Cakes and Pies: pages 155-174
  10. Accompaniments: pages 175-182
  11. Index 183

My Personal Opinion:
As someone is who is severely allergic to gluten, wheat, eggs, chicken, beef, soy, and certain types of fish I am forced to change many of the ingredients to fit my diet. I do enjoy these recipes but I can not say how they taste using the ingredients called for in the book as it has been years since I have tasted many of the ingredients. For example I always substitute flaxseed when eggs are called for in a recipe. A change such as this alters the flavor and texture of the recipe a great deal.  That said I enjoy this cookbook and recommend it to those who love good southern cooking.

Substitutes for allergy suffers:

Below are some ideas for those who have allergies to common ingredients. These are some of the ways I found to make the dishes in this cookbook eatable. 

1. Flaxseed can in be used in most recipes to replace whole eggs, and the use of egg whites. (as long as the dish is not something mainly composed of eggs)
2. Turkey can be used instead of chicken.
3. Pork or deer meat can be used to replace beef.
4. Ground turkey works very well in place of ground beef when making hamburgers.
5. Gluten/wheat free corn flour can replace other types of floor though this takes a lot of trail and error.
6. Premixed pancake or bread mixes can replace the use of normal flour. I always use one of the allergy free mixes found at Winn-Dixie as I find it hard to get the substituted ingredients to turn out right on my own. 

Where to buy?:

Clover's Double Pointed Premium Bamboo Knitting Needles -Set of 5- US Size 8 (5.00mm)

High Quality, Durable, and Easy on the Hands!

 Every knitter has their own personal preferences for the type of knitting needles they use. If you are an intermediate beginner searching for a set of double pointed knitting needles Clover's bamboo needles are a good choice.  Bamboo knitting needles are easier to learn with because of their unique texture. Due to the texture of bamboo your stitches are also less likely to fall off the needles while you are knitting.

The Pros and Cons:
Different types knitting needles have their own set of pro and cons.  Its recommend that you try different types to find what works best for you, and your individual needs.  Below is a short list of my personal pro and cons, feel free to comment with your own in the comment section.

Pros:

1. Bamboo's texture makes it easier to control the needles
2. Tips are not overly sharp making them easier to use.
3. Less likely to fall out of the stitches while knitting.
4. Stitches do not easily fall off of the needles.
5. Wonderfully smooth and warm to the touch. 
6. Light weight (which allows you to knit longer before your hands become tried.)
7. High Quality with great durability 
8. Bamboo is a natural Echo Friendly product

Cons:

1. Knitting with bamboo may feel slower to some knitters. This is due to the difference in texture when compared to traditional metal needles.

My Personal Opinion:
For many the thought of knitting in the round with multiple double pointed knitting needles is a nightmare. Before I discovered bamboo knitting needles I was a member of this group.  Due to unavailability in my area, I used to knit with only metal knitting needles.  The problem I found with metal double pointed needles is that either all of my stitches fell off of the needles or the needles would fall out of the stitches (and then the needles would be thrown into a dark corner to be forgotten all eternity). Thanks to Clover's Bamboo knitting needles my view of knitting with multiple needles has changed completely.  Knitting in the round with these needles is so much easier due to the texture of the Bamboo.  A few weeks I knitted a pair of  fingerless gloves using these needles with out any problems. Last night I began working on another set, and found that my knitting speed is picking up as well. I highly recommend this set to all who are having trouble using multiple knitting needles.

Where to Buy?
The set featured in this review is Clover's: Set of  5 double pointed 7"  knitting needles US Size 8 (5.00mm). (Yes I know that is a mouth full, knitting jargon is like that sometimes)

 The Featured Set

The Shorter Version

(Some people find shorter knitting needles easier to work with) 

High Polished (Extra Smooth) Version

The Little Known By Janice Daugharty

A Kind-Hearted Boy. A Segregated Town. A Stolen Fortune.

Set during the turbulent era of the 1960’s, in the small segregated town of Statenville Georgia, "The Little Known' is a unique coming-of-age story full of hope and forgiveness. The story revolves around the central character Knot Crews, a young African American boy besought with the hardships of living in a small segregated town. Despite his hardship young Knot shows kindness and generosity well beyond his years after finding a bag of stolen cash that was dropped by a thief. He decides to use his new found wealth to help those in need anonymously. Yet to his horror those whom he sought to help squander his gift. Young Knot seeks to find a way to right the wrongs, and in the process learns that money is not the solution to life’s problems. (In fact money can cause more problems than one would think.)

The Author:

Born and raised in Statenville, Ga Janice Daugharty is a writer with a southern flare. Her published works included seven acclaimed novels and two short story collections. In 1997 Ms. Daugharty’s  novel “Earl in the Yellow Shirt" was nominated for a Pulitzer Prize.  More recently Ms. Daugharty has served as writer-in-residence at Valdosta State University, in Valdosta, Georgia, near her home.

The author's website at www.JaniceDaugharty.com

Endorsements:
"Daugharty does a fine job of demonstrating how ordinary men and women are affected, in unpredictable ways, by race, poverty and geography and by the enduring legacy of important historical moments." Francine Prose, People Magazine

"Daugharty creates a forceful character and a compelling, often even humorous narrative." Washington Post Book World

"Daugharty's ear is excellent, her language concise and precise...shrewd and colorful prose." The Atlanta-Journal Constitution

"...fans will rejoice to see Daugharty do what she does best: showcase one character, setting her off against a thousand daily details, like a diamond nestled in the shards of lesser gems." USA Today

"Swirling with details that become more disturbing the closer you look, Ms. Daugharty's portrait of Cornerville is both intimate and unsettling." The New York Times Book Review

Janice Daugharty is a natural-born writer, one of those Georgia women like O'Connor, McCullers, or Siddons who are best grown in small towns, a long way from city lights. There is a lot of red clay and long nights in every line she puts on paper." Pat Conroy

My Personal Opinion:
Both unique and compelling Janice Daugharty presents her plot with passion and finesse. Her characters, and events are portrayed in realistic form. At times you may ask yourself “Could this have really happened“.  The answer is that this work is fictional although the story seems like a true tell. Which showcases the author's skill and creativity.  Great Job Aunt Janice, Love you

Where to Buy?
"The Little Known" is available on amazon in paper back and Kindle editions .

Paper Back

Kindle Edition

The Catholic Comparative New Testament by Oxford University Press

Overview:

The Catholic Comparative New Testament features eight Catholic translations of the New Testaments in one convenient volume. Comparing translations is a simple task with this edition, due to its side-by-side layout. This edition contains four formal equivalent translations - the Douay-Rheims, the Revised Standard Version Catholic Bible, the New Revised Standard Version Catholic Bible, and the New American Bible. These translations are referred to as "word-for-word" translations due to the fact that great care was taken during translation, to render the original wording of the New Testament into English.  This edition also contains four functional equivalent translations - The Jerusalem Bible, the Good News Bible, the New Jerusalem Bible, and the Christian Community Bible. These translations are referred to as "thought-for-thought" translations. The purpose of these translations is to emphasize on the intended meaning of the original text, and adapt its meaning in English syntax and grammar, making it easier to understand. 

"A wide spectrum of people - including new and experienced Bible readers, homilists, and teachers - will gain from having this resource on their bookshelves." - Catechetical Leadership

The Binding and Cover:

The cover of this edition is a traditional hard backed cover, which offers durability at an economical price. This edition’s binding is sewn and glued adding stability, and durably.  

Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.3 x 1.8 inches

What’s inside?

The layout of this edition helps readers to compare verses at a glance, making verse comparison a simple task.  Four translations are laid out on each page allowing for quick cross-referencing as well.  This edition features an easy-to-read typeface, paragraph/subject headings, and helpful information about each of the translations. The paper used in this edition is thin, yet very high quality. There is a fair amount of ghosting (seeing the text that is printed on other side of the page), but this does not interfere with readability.  

In the Front

• Acknowledgments 
• Books of the New Testament in Alphabetical Order
• Introduction to the Catholic Comparative New Testament
• Preface to the New American Bible
• Preface to the Revised Standard Version
• Preface to the New Revised Standard Version
• Preface to the Jerusalem Bible
• Preface to the New Jerusalem Bible
• Preface to the Good News Translation
• Preface to the Christian Community Bible

In the Back

• Appendix 1: Explanatory Notes to the Revised Standard Version
• Appendix 2: List of Changes in the Revised Standard Version 

The Translations:

All of the translations in the Catholic Comparative New Testament have the Imprimatur showing the Church's approval of these translations. Below is a brief description of each translation.

New American Bible:

• The New American Bible (NAB) is the official Catholic translation approved for both Lectionary, and private use in the Untied States for Public.  Most recent editions of the NAB contain the 1970 Old Testament, 1991 Psalter, and 1986 New Testament. While this translation is the translation we hear every week during Mass, you will notice small differences.  Inclusive language that appears in controversial places has been replaced in the Lectionary, so that no inclusive language is used during Mass. At this time the inclusive language still remains in all other editions of this translation. For more information check out http://www.usccb.org/nab/bible/index.shtml

Revised Standard Version - Catholic Edition

• The Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (RSV-CE) is an adaptation of the Protestant Revised Standard Version (RSV) for use by Catholics. This translation is widely used by conservative Catholic scholars and theologians, and is accepted as one of the most accurate and literary Bible translations. 

Douay-Rheims 

• The Douay-Rheims (D-R) is an English translation of the Bible translated from the Latin Vulgate by members of the English College, in Douai. The New Testament was published in Reims, France in 1582. This translation was updated by a revision undertaken by Bishop Richard Challoner in 1752. Bishop Challoner's revision of the Douay-Rheims Bible, added readably and poetic rhythm to the translation. The King James Version was used as its base text, which Bishop Challoner rigorously checked with the Clementine edition of the Latin Vulgate.  "Although the Jerusalem Bible, New American Bible (in the United States), the Revised Standard Version, the New Revised Standard Version and the New Jerusalem Bible are the most commonly used in English-speaking Catholic churches, the Challoner revision of the Douay-Rheims is still often the Bible of choice of English-speaking Traditionalist Catholics.

New Revised Standard Version - Catholic Edition

• The New Revised Standard Version, Catholic Edition (NRSV-CE) is an edition of the NRSV adapted for the use of Catholics with the approval of the Catholic Church In accordance with the Code of Canon Law  825.1, the New Revised Standard Version, Catholic Edition, has the imprimatur  of the National Conference of Catholic Bishops (USA) and the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops granted on 12 September 1991 and 15 October 1991 respectively. The NRSV-CE is one of the versions of the Bible used in English editions of the Catechism of the Catholic Church.

Jerusalem Bible

• The Jerusalem Bible (JB or TJB) is a Roman Catholic translation of the Bible which first was introduced to the English-speaking public in 1966 and published by Darton, Longman & Todd. As a Roman Catholic Bible, it includes the deuterocanonical books along with the sixty-six others included in Protestant Bibles, as well as copious footnotes and introductions. In 1943 Pope Pius XII issued an encyclical letter, Divino Afflante Spiritu, which encouraged Roman Catholics to translate the Scriptures from the original Hebrew and Greek, rather than from Jerome's Latin Vulgate. 

New Jerusalem Bible

• The New Jerusalem Bible (NJB) is a Catholic translation of the Bible published in 1985 and edited by The Reverend Henry Wansbrough, O.S.B., monk of Ampleforth Abbey in North Yorkshire and former Master of St Benet's Hall, Oxford. Like its predecessor, the Jerusalem Bible, this version is translated directly from the Hebrew, Greek or Aramaic.

Good News Translation- Catholic Edition

• The Good News Translation (GNT), is an English translation by the American Bible Society. This translation has been endorsed by many Christians Churches such as the Catholic Church, the Southern Baptist Convention, the Lutheran Church, Episcopal Church, and the Presbyterian Church. Excerpts from the New Testament were used extensively in evangelistic campaigns, such as the Billy Graham crusades and others, from the late 1960s through to the early 1980s. In the Philippines, the GNT is the most popular version of the Bible for both Catholics and Protestants. The Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines used this translation for the English version of their Basic Ecclesial Community Bible.

Christian Community Bible

• The Christian Community Bible was published in1986 as an answer to Rev. Alberto Rossa (a Claretian missionary in the Philippines) need for an English version of the Bible that reaches out to ordinary readers, particularly those in Third World countries. The primary feature of this translations is its use of common English. Editors of the Christian Community Bible consider it to be a very accurate translation from the Hebrew and Greek biblical texts.

References:

1. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_American_Bible
2. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Douay-Rheims_Bible
3. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Revised_Standard_Version
4. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Revised_Standard_Version
5. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jerusalem_Bible
6. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Jerusalem_Bible
7. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Good_News_Translation
8. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christian_Community_Bible

My Personal Opinion:

The Catholic Comparative New Testament is one of my favorite tools for studying God's Word.  Eight Catholic translations placed side by side, makes comparing translations quick and easy. As someone who enjoys comparing translations, I have to say that this edition is the most helpful Catholic tool I have had the pleasure to review. I highly recommend this edition. 

 The edition featured in this review can be found on the following website.

ChristianBook.com: The Catholic Comparative New Testament Gathered together are the Douay-Rheims Bible, RSV, NRSV, and New American Bible, which are formal equivalent ("word for word") translations; along with the Jerusalem Bible, Good News, NJB, and Christian Community Bible, which are dynamic equivalent ("thought for thought") translations. 1800 pages, hardcover. Oxford University Press.

NASB Giant Print Reference Bible

The NASB Giant-Print reference Bible is designed to be easily read by older readers and the visually impaired. This Bible features large, clear text and is bound in a variety of quality materials. If you are searching for an economical giant-print edition, this Bible is an excellent choice.

About the Binding & Cover
The edition featured in this review is bound in Leathertex, an artificial leather that is flexible and durable. Leathertex is thought to be as durable as bonded leather, though it has not been on the market long enough to know for sure. This edition is also available in bonded leather, hard back, and genuine leather. The binding is sewn for added durability. Size: 10.2 x 7.5 x 2 inches

What’s inside?
The text size of this edition is 14 pt, an excellent text size for those needing a giant print edition. The layout of this Bible is double column format, red-letter edition, with subject headings. Features of this edition include: translation notes, a detailed Dictionary/Concordance, 13,000 end-of-paragraph cross references, 8 full color maps, pages for family record/ family tree and located in the back are Introductions to the books of the Bible. This edition has one burgundy ribbon marker and the pages are gilt in gold, which looks elegant with the burgundy cover.

In the Front

1. Presentation Page
2. Family Records
3. Forward to the NASB
4. Abbreviations and Special Markings
5. Table of Weights, Measures, and Coins
6. Books of the Bible in Canonical Order
7. Books of the Bible in Alphabetical Order

In the Back

1. Dictionary/Concordance
2. Introduction to the books of the Bible
3. 8 full color maps

About this Translation
The translation used in this edition is the Updated New American Standard Version. The New American Standard Bible (NASB) is a revision of the 1911 American Standard Version. The American Standard Version is a reversion of the King James Version. Many view the New American Standard Bible as one of the most literal translations of the 20th-century. Since its completion in 1971, the New American Standard Bible has been widely embraced by many as “the most literally accurate English translation” from the original languages. In 1995, the Lockman Foundation reissued the NASB text as the NASB Updated Edition (or more often known, the Updated NASB or NASB95). Since then, it has become known simply as the "NASB" and has replaced the 1971 text in most current printings (although the Thompson Chain Reference Bibles, the Open Bibles, and the Key Word Study Bibles use the 1977 text for their NASB editions).

Helpful Online Resources:
Introduction to the New American Standard Bible

New American Standard Bible Translation Principles

Compare Translations

My Personal Opinion:
The quality of this Bible is excellent for an economical edition; the binding is sturdier than many other giant-print editions, and the text is a large, clear size making this edition easier to read. To test the readability of this edition I asked my friends and family for feedback. My mother found this edition to be very readable and a pleasure to use.

The edition featured in this review can be found on the following website.

NAS Giant Print Reference Bible, Imitation leather, Burgundy

This Bible is bound in a variety of quality materials.
Below are links to other cover options for this edition.

NAS Giant Print Reference Bible, Hardcover

NASB Giant-Print Reference Bible, Genuine leather, Burgundy-indexed

NASB Giant-Print Reference Bible, Genuine leather, Black-indexed

NASB Giant Print Reference Bible, Genuine Leather, black

NASB Giant-Print Reference Bible, Imitation leather Black, Indexed

NASB Large-Print Ultrathin Reference Bible--bonded leather, burgundy

NASB Giant-Print Reference Bible, Burgundy Indexed

NASB Giant-Print Reference Bible, Burgundy Indexed

NASB Large-Print Ultrathin Reference Bible--bonded leather, black

NASB Large-Print UltraThin Reference Bible--genuine leather, black