Hey Look, I Cooked! / Blue Apron Review

Sponsored Post: This post is sponsored by Blue Apron, but the content and opinions expressed here are my own.

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     I  really  do not like to cook and in fact I do not actually cook much at all these days. I used to do the majority of the cooking in our family but Aaron has taken on that role and I couldn't be happier about it. Sometimes on social media I'll see people posting about making an "easy" dinner and you guys I seriously am always thinking, "that is more involved than my  elaborate  dinners..." That's the extent that I cook. 

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     I've been seeing people order these Blue Apron boxes all over the place so I was really excited to get a chance to work with them and try them out for myself. They describe themselves as a "fresh ingredient and recipe delivery service that helps chefs of all levels cook incredible meals at home." Sold.

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(And hey, if you've been interested in trying Blue Apron as well, use my link to get $30 OFF your first purchase!)

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Here are a few cool facts about Blue Apron that I didn't previously know:

+ All ingredients are GMO free.

+ Their meat has no added hormones and no sub-therapeutic antibiotics.

+ Blue Apron offers a "Freshness Guarantee" on all ingredients and will replace anything that arrives looking subpar within the first 7 days.

+ They use sustainably sourced seafood.

   I was really impressed with our box. It included all of the ingredients necessary for 3 meals. Everything was neatly packaged and also kept cool and insulated. This box probably sat on my porch for a few hours and everything, including the meat, was still cold! Asher had a lot of fun digging into the box with me and seeing some foods he knew and many that he didn't recognize.

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All of the recipes Blue Apron sent sound amazing but I decided on the "Za'atar-Spiced Chicken" first because I love anything with lemon and couscous.

 

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Here are all the lovely ingredients as they came packaged. Everything comes in the exact portions you need which honestly is so nice. I love that Blue Apron takes away the grocery shopping + measuring aspect of cooking! This makes the process even easier for someone like me who is whiney about cooking.

My cute little helper ready to go!

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The directions were extremely straightforward and helpful. I will say that this recipe was a little more involved than I anticipated but the meal was also "fancier" than I expected. I did have to google "how to mince a shallot," and I also set off the fire alarm twice, but the house didn't burn to the ground and I kind of shocked myself that this turned out so well in the end!

 
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This picture where I'm cooking the chicken is really  something to write home about because even when I used to cook, I cooked mostly vegetarian. I squealed a little when I had to touch the raw chicken but it wasn't as bad as I feared and it was so nice that the seasoning for the meat was already premixed and ready to go!

 
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     Voila! You guys, are you impressed? It turned out so  picture perfect and it tasted amazing! The sauce that I made at the end was seriously so delish and made this meal just perfect. I've even been scavenging some leftovers from the fridge as I worked on this post.

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Do y'all like to cook? I feel like I never meet girls who don't love cooking so tell me below if you are like me!
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Have you been wanting to give Blue Apron a try? You can use my link to get $30 OFF your first purchase which is an awesome deal!

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Simple Ways to Have Fun with the Family!

Sponsored Post: This post is sponsored by the Goldfish brand but the content and opinions expressed here are my own.

     This is definitely the busiest season of family life for us so far. Even though Roman and Asher are both in school now, it hasn't seemed to slow anything down! Just being a working mom and taking care of two wild and rambunctious growing boys seems to be enough to wear me out each and every day.

     We have always relied on simple ways to connect as a family. There is so much pressure on parents to spend a lot of money and attend exciting planned activities to give our children a happy childhood, but I have found that kids don't need much to have fun and feel loved. Here are 6 simple, inexpensive things that have been my go to ways to have fun with my kids over the years!


1. Take a Drive: Going for drives has always been a thing for our family. I think it started when Roman was a baby and we realized on weary nights that a nice long drive at night would put him to sleep much faster and easier! Now that we live in Colorado, drives are even more enjoyable and fun because, well mountains - duh.

Sometimes the kids scoff a little about the idea of going for a drive but getting them out of the house almost always puts them in a better mood. One trick to pulling this off is bribing the kids with a fun snack. Sometimes I stash away something like these little Grab and Go Goldfish crackers to whip out when it's time to get out of the house. Goldfish are a HUGE staple in our family (um the Xtra cheddar is my absolute favorite) and these little personal sized cartons somehow make them seem even more appealing to my kids! 

2. Movie Night: Throwing a movie night is basically parent-code for having an excuse to lay down all night, right? Sometimes we'll rent a RedBox movie or look for one we haven't seen on Netflix, put together some easy snacks and veg out in front of the TV all night. Asher is the expert at making a "bed" for us on the living floor which consists of dragging out all the blankets and pillows in the house. :) If you want to take it up a notch, you can take movie night to the $2 movie theater and smuggle in some snacks (here's where those Goldfish come in handy again!) for a really inexpensive night out!

3. Go to the Park: This is always a super easy/simple entertainment option. We have our favorite parks and kind of mix it up between them to keep it fun. Sometimes we go on an "adventure" to try out a new park that we've never been to! If you live in a larger suburb or city, playground options are never ending and always a surefire way for the kids to have fun.

4. Restaurant Play Place: Restaurant play places are parenting gold you guys. You don't have to feed your kids fast food for dinner to go either. (Although no shame in that game.) I usually let my kids get an ice cream or sometimes I just grab a coffee and let them play!

5. Neighborhood Walk: Taking a neighborhood walk is one of our favorite things to do. I think the old saying that fresh air is good for you definitely holds so much truth. Both of my boys are extremely talkative little guys and they love having my undivided attention on a walk when I have nothing distracting me. Sometimes I walk in between Roman and Asher while they are both talking to me a mile a minute and I honestly can't hear a word they are saying, ha!

6. Dance Contest/Party: We love to dance and we've gone through many different dance phase over the years. We used to have "dance parties" where we all jumped on the bed together and this has kind of morphed into "dance contests" where both of my boys create dances to perform on the bed and I judge. It's pretty hilarious and always so much fun! They really like when I make videos on my phone so that they can check out their movies. Yes, I let the kids jump on the beds. You only live once!

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We honestly live a very simple life and luckily both of my boys enjoy doing all of the simple things I've listed in this post. I've found that the little moments in motherhood are the most important and always end up being my favorite memories as well. What simple ways do you have fun with your family in the busy seasons? Please share!

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Thanks to Goldfish for sponsoring this conversation! Head over to their Pinterest Page and YouTube channel for more fun family ideas!

First Impression // New Skincare Products!

     *This post is in partnership with OZ Naturals & Imagine Dermatology. I only work with brands that I truly love! Thanks for reading along!*

     I'm back with another skincare post! I have really been loving  incorporating more beauty posts into my blog and I hope you are enjoying it as well! I've always been enamored by the idea of taking care of  + protecting my skin and love experimenting with different products. All of the products in this post were sent to me to try out and review and it was so fun to get my hands on a few new things that I hadn't heard of yet!

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     I was really excited to receive this Vitamen C + AHA Facial Serum from OZNaturals. I did some stalking on the OZNaturals website and I absolutely loved learning about their philosophy for natural skincare. Their motto is "Natural Skincare that Truly Works." OZNaturals products are free from GMOs, sulfate, parabens, fragrances, phthalates + petro chemicals. 

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     This Vitamin C Facial Serum boasts of two powerful ingredients: Vitamin C + Alpha Hydroxy Acid (AHA). The combination of these ingredients is meant to fight against wrinkles while also working on brighter, more radiant skin.

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     I have honestly never tried a serum so I was really excited to add this to my skincare routine. I love the packaging and the fact that this product comes in a glass dropper bottle. It has a very refreshing but subtle citrusy scent and putting this on makes me feel like I've just squeezed an orange right on my face and I love it! Maybe that sounds weird but it just feels very refreshing and natural... 

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     Vitamin C is such a powerful natural skincare component and can even help prevent future damage to the skin by fighting against free radicals! I'm hooked on this serum and am planning to use it going into spring to help even out my skin tone and protect my skin as I start getting outside more.

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     Imagine Dermatology reached out to me about their new skincare line and I was definitely intrigued since they claim to have branched off from a well-known skincare company. They sent me two products to try out: their Smoother Skin anti-aging renewal complex + their Instant Lifting wrinkle fighter. My philosophy on anti-aging products is that it is never too early to start using them if you want to keep your skin looking youthful! I remember reading this when I was a teenager somewhere and I would use the samples of eye cream that my Grandma would get for free at the department store beauty counters! :)

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     Both of these Imagine Dermatology products oddly smell very similar to the OZNaturals serum - light and citrusy! I am really happy with these products and have been using them at night following my face cleansing routine. They feel nice and fresh and haven't irritated my skin. Both of these products contain hyaluronic acid which helps retain moisture in the skin and after a dry Colorado winter, my skin is loving this extra boost! 

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     The Instant Lifting wrinkle fighter contains acmella olerecea extract, an ingredient that I've never heard of but claims to reduce the appearance of wrinkles in a method similar to Botox! Crazy, right? 

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     I was also impressed that Imagine Dermatology products are paraben, phtalate and sulfate free and are not tested on animals!

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Overall, I'm very happy with all of these products and am happy to have some new skincare products to put into my routine for Spring!

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Which skincare products are you loving right now? I have just recently completely switched up my skin cleansing routine also and will share those products with you all soon!

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Pi Day Celebration!

Sponsored Post: This post is sponsored by Edwards Desserts, but the content and opinions expressed here are my own.

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     It's no secret that my boys have been driving me a little crazy lately. I love them with all my heart of course, but man we have been going through a rough time! To me, raising school aged kids is much more difficult than raising babies + toddlers. The baby thing seemed to come naturally but having a 5 + 9 year old is giving me a run for my money. Some days it feels like there is too much nagging and going through the motions on my part and I have been missing those moments of mother/son connection between us. 

     When Edwards Desserts reached out and wanted me to share a Pi Day "Piece" Offering, I knew it would be the perfect chance to set aside a moment to connect with my kids all while earning back some mom points!

     I picked up my Edwards Pie at my local Safeway. There were several flavors to choose from but I thought that this Hershey's chocolate creme pie would be perfect for my little guys! 

     Asher and Roman were pretty psyched when I surprised them with the pie and told them we were having a little Pi Day celebration! Asher is a picky eater but he devoured two pieces and Roman even stayed in from playing with his friends to share a piece with us! You would never guess that this pie came from the frozen foods section; it is so good!

     I'd say that my Pi Day Piece Offering certainly did the trick. It was such a good feeling to take a moment to relax and enjoy myself with my sweet little boys.

     This definitely reminded me that I need to look for more opportunities to surprise my kids with something special. It doesn't take much to make peace and a little bit goes a long way!  

Are you celebrating Pi Day with your kids? Why not run to the store and grab an Edwards Pie and some cute paper plates and have a party of your own? Checkout the Edwards Desserts Facebook page for more inspiration!

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cleaning my floors with Bona!

This post is sponsored by Bona, but the content and opinions expressed here are my own.

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Grab this $3 off coupon so that you can try out Bona cleaning products for yourself!

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     I don't know about you guys, but I feel like my house gets destroyed  during the winter months! It's dark and gray and my kids are stuck inside all day long. My house is little  y'all and lately I have started to feel like the walls are closing in on me!

     Last week I did some deep cleaning and it was a serious breath of fresh air! I was so excited to incorporate my partnership with Bona and their hardwood floor cleaning products into my cleaning frenzy and make my entryway feel a little less grimy and gross! My kids are constantly coming in and out of the house dragging their snowy slushy boots and selves all over the entryway and our hardwood floors needed some help.

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     Ash said he didn't want to be part of my photoshoot until I whipped out this mop and then he was all over it. We always call Asher our, "little helper" because he truly loves to clean and help out. It's pretty adorable, and convenient!

   

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     To tackle cleaning my hardwood floors; I used the Bona Floor Mop with their PowerPlus Microfiber Deep Clean Pad + PowerPlus Hardwood Floor Deep Cleaner. I love that Bona offers these microfiber deep clean pads. They stick onto the velcro of the floor mop really easily and then you can just toss them in the wash when you're finished! I'm all about reusable and earth friendly cleaning products!

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     The PowerPlus line from Bona is created to get into the grooves and creases of your hardwood floors. Our entryway and kitchen look so much better now. I am hooked on these products and it's especially nice that both of my kids seem so into this new mop. I have a feeling they will be getting quite a few mopping duties assigned before winter is over; which in Colorado could be a while...

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How do you cope with the messiness of winter? Share your tips with me below + be sure to grab a

$3 off coupon so that you can get a great deal on your first Bona purchase

the next time you're at the store!

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New Year's Giveaway!

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I'm so excited to be hosting my second annual New Year's Giveaway on my blog! 

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     I've had so many amazing opportunities through photography/Instagram/blogging and now my VA business and it wouldn't be possible without all of the wonderful people I've connected with along the way! I love using this end of the year giveaway to give back to one of my followers. 

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     Last year I based the giveaway around some of my favorite companies that I worked with throughout the year and it was mostly geared towards moms + kids. This year, I'm doing an all girls giveaway to celebrate my female followers + friends who have stuck by me this year! I've only partnered with shops that I already followed and absolutely admire on Instagram! I'm actually really jealous putting this together because I want to win everything for myself now... ;)

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The giveaway is taking place on Instagram (so click over and enter there!) but I'm sharing a little bit about each shop involved with you here!

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Planners 4 All

Website // Instagram

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I don't know what it is about paper products and planners but I really never get sick of seeing them come across my Instagram feed! Tiffany is such a sweet gal and one thing that is unique about her planner business is that she also makes planners for kids! I love seeing all of the new, fun + colorful designs that Tiffany comes up with! Planners 4 All is giving away one adult 2017 planner of choice that can be personalized or monogrammed!

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Feather and Wild

Website // Instagram

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I am in loovvve with the hippy-dippy vibe of all of the products at Feather and Wild. I pretty much want everything in their shop. I only recently began to learn the story behind this handprinted clothing shop which consists of a husband and wife team ( and their 5 adorable kiddos )! You can learn more about their story here. Feather and Wild is giving away one of their gorgeous Manifest sweatshirts.

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Sweet Journey Shop

Website // Instagram

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Melanie is the face behind the Sweet Journey Shop and she is also a blogger at Life's Sweet Words and an avid RV traveler! I love Melanie's sweet and adventurous spirit. I still dream of traveling more in my life so she is definitely an inspiration to me! I fell in love with her mugs when I started seeing them pop up on Instagram. Sweet Journey Shop is giving away one "Adventure Fuel" mug. 

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Koala and Rawr Soaps

Website // Instagram

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Koala and Rawr is the cutest shop that creates beautiful soap masterpieces! One neat thing that they offer are custom photo soaps! Wouldn't they make the coolest party favor ever? My favorite though are these pyramid soaps. The best part is that there is jewelry hiding inside! Koala and Rawr is giving away one Triceratops Horn Soap. (with a jewelry surprise inside!)

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Shop Ava to Zoe

Website // Instagram

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I've recently connected with Janette on Instagram and she is a super talented blogger as well as the shop owner behind Shop Ava to Zoe. She creates gorgeous hand stamped leather goods. I love the hip and modern feel behind her shop and I can't wait to see what new products she comes up with this year! Shop Ava to Zoe is giving away two custom hand stamped leather keychains.

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Julia Paris Jewelry

Website // Instagram

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Julia Paris Jewelry creates handcrafted jewelry which she describes as, "minimal and modern with a touch of bohemian chic." I absolutely love her style and all of the gorgeous and timeless pieces she creates! I feel like everyone could find something they love in this shop. Julia Paris Jewelry is giving away a set of silver hexagon rings.

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I'm so excited to gift one of my followers all of these gorgeous prizes!
You all are the best and I'm so thankful that you've stuck around for another year at By Gillian Claire.

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Head over to Instagram to enter to win! Best of luck and best wishes in 2017.

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planning for 2017.

*This post is in partnership with STARTplanner. I only partner with brands that I use and love. Thanks for supporting my family by reading along!*

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The end of 2016 has held some huge transitions for me. The biggest being that I quit my day job and started my own Virtual Assistant business. It's basically my dream job because I'm able to use what I've learned in my  5+ years as a blogger to turn around and help businesses understand the world of Influencers. I get to do fun things like run other social media accounts and establish blogger to business relationships.

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Overall it's been an awesome experience, however making the switch to working from home has definitely been stressful for me. There is so much about this field that I'm having to learn and pick up along the way. Some weeks I've felt like I'm working around the clock which basically, I have been.

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While working from home can seem pretty great on the surface, it also comes with it's own unique set of challenges. I already knew from my work as a professional photographer (and blogger) that time management is something I struggle with. I am pretty much an unorganized hot mess and when it comes to working from home, it can really hold me back.

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One thing that I am excited to do in 2017 is start using a planner again. With my new job, I need  something tangible to keep me better organized. That's why I was so excited when STARTplanner sent me their beautiful Hustle Daily Planner to use next year! This is by far the nicest planner I've ever had my hands on. This planner is thick and each weekday has a full page spread which will be a huge asset to me when I'm planning my work week. The Hustle Planner has all kinds of great extras like a "goals" section where you can create a vision board as well as worksheets to break down your goals into manageable deadlines throughout the year!

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I don't have any set New Year's Resolutions for myself yet, but I am hoping to get off on the right foot simply by getting back to the basics a little bit. I'm hoping this planner will help me organize my days  so that I can be more efficient with my work, have time to hit the gym and keep track of my kids' activities as well!

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STARTplanner is giving away a planner to one of my readers! It's easy to enter. 
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1. Click here to fill out the easy entry form ( I promise it just takes a second! )
2. Head over to my Instagram @bygillianclaire and make sure you are following me + @startplanner
3. Comment on my Instagram planner photo sharing one of your goals for 2017
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I will be announcing the winner on Instagram on Christmas Eve!

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Best wishes for 2017 to you all! 
Any work from home mamas out there that can share some words of wisdom with me?

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giving the gift of art / with Chalkola.

* I was compensated for this post and received these products free of charge. 
All words + opinions expressed are my own. 

Thanks for supporting my family by reading along; I truly appreciate it!*

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My kids are really into art right now. They've always been little artists but they definitely go through phases. I was so excited when Chalkola wanted to partner with my blog because I knew their chalk markers would make a perfect birthday present for Roman! His birthday is coming up in December and I always have to get creative to think up enough presents to cover birthday and Christmas for him! I loved the packaging of the Chalkola markers and I thought it was be neat to get Roman something a little different to add to his art collection.

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Asher and I did this super secret photoshoot while Roman was at school and Ash was pretty pumped that he got to try out Roman's present first. Chalkola sent us their 8 pack of jumbo chalk markers as well as a 10 pack of thinner chalk markers that comes with 6 metallic markers.

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I really had no idea what to expect with the idea of "chalk ink markers." The team at Chalkola let me know that these markers work best on non-porous surfaces such as chalkboards, whiteboards, glass and windows. I picked up a couple little chalkboards and whiteboards at the dollar store for us to use. (You guys, does anyone else love the Dollar Tree?)

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Asher had so much fun trying these out and having a little art time after school. The ink is super bright and it's definitely unique to any craft product I've used. I was not prepared for how messy this would be. For some reason when I heard the word "chalk," I was thinking dry but the ink that comes out of these markers are more of a paint consistency. They are definitely worth the mess but I would not suggest doing this on your carpets as shown here! Next time I will for sure have the boys doing this project on a better surface but hey it's all in the name of pretty blog photos, right?

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Chalkola is currently offering my readers 20% off any order through Amazon with code: 20OFFSTR  

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These markers would make a great Christmas present for your kids who are into art. I think that it's always nice to have some new, fun art supplies stashed away for those horrible cold winter months!

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Have you guys heard of chalk markers? What cool presents are you starting to stash away for your kids this Christmas?

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