Holiday Gift Guide: Eye-Fi Mobi SD Card Makes Transferring Photos Easier Than Ever

Disclosure: A product was received in exchange for a review. No other compensation was provided and all opinions are my own.

At only four years old, I remember carrying around an old 110 camera, snapping pictures of my family. So much has changed since the 80s and photo-taking is no limited to film. I have always loved taking photos and have picture books pretty much documenting my entire life, but now that I a parent and can take photos with my digital camera as well as my phone, you wouldn't believe how many photos I take on a daily basis! Just recently, on our Disney trip, I took over 500 pictures. No joke!

I have to admit that there are two downfalls to taking photos. Every time I take a great photo on my digital camera, be it of a sunset or of my kiddos, I can't wait to post it on my blog or on social media for everyone to see. However, it's a bit of a process because I have to take the SD card out of my camera, insert it in my laptop (which isn't always with me, unfortunately), download onto the computer and then upload the photos online. Secondly, if I do take a photo with my phone, the quality is always lacking and pixilated. If you enjoy taking photos like me, I am sure you can relate!

A typical blurry photo taken with my smartphone with low lighting and little detail.

What if there was a product that bypassed all of this work to post quality photos online or to message them to friends and family? 

Well, there now is an amazing product, the Eye-Fi Mobi SD Card, that makes transferring photos easier than ever before and I couldn't wait to give it a try.

What exactly does it do? Many of us love our social media these days. From blogs to Facebook and Twitter to Instagram, I love posting photos and do it often. I mentioned above that my phone doesn't take the best photos and it really lacks the quality my Canon Rebel photos have. I really dislike having to post mediocre photos, but I don't have to do this anymore! The Mobi SD card allows you to instantly transfer your best photos and videos from a camera to a smartphone or tablet! It completely cuts out that lengthy process, giving you the ability to bypass the middleman, aka your computer.

How does it work? What makes this SD card so unique is that it does not require a wireless network. I've heard bad things about other SD cards that work on a wireless network, mainly that they suck your battery life and the user often receives error messages. However, Mobi has its very own WiFi, so it can work anywhere you are. You install the free Eye-Fi App on your smartphone or tablet, which connects the card.

So, I went online to install the free app and found that it was readily available in the Apple App Store, Google Play and the Amazon Apps, making it accessible for just about any device. I easily installed it on my iPad and then on my phone. Once installed, you just enter the access code that is included in the Mobi SD Card package. Once you get that set up, you are ready to put the SD card in your camera!

A great photo taken with my camera and transferred to my phone via my Mobi SD Card!

Once my phone and iPad were connected to the card, I was ready to take some photos. As soon as I took a new photo, it is detected by the Mobi SD Card, which is triggered to transfer it immediately to your phone. Once the new content is transferred, the card disconnects from its WiFi! This feature is what completely saves battery life and one of the reasons I think the Mobi is so awesome. Not to mention, you can switch off the WiFi completely to use it as a regular SD card, BUT beware! If you do this, when you switch it back on, all of the photos you took will then be transferred, which may take a while, especially if you take as many photos as I do. I don't plan on turning mine off, though, so this shouldn't be an issue.

Once the photos are transferred to my phone, they show up on my camera roll and, from there, I can edit and show off. In no time at all, I was able to share beautiful quality photos with friends and family from my phone. No more low-lighted, blurry or pixilated photos will be shared anymore and it's so easy!

Another reason I love the Eye-Fi Mobi SD card is the price point. We received the 8gb, which retails at the affordable price of $49.99! Cards with more memory and features are also available and range in price up to $99.99. I think this would be such a great holiday gift idea for just about anyone. Parents and photographers alike would enjoy this product.

Disclosure: A product was received in exchange for a review. No other compensation was provided and all opinions are my own.

Mother's Day Gift Guide: Wondershare DVD Slideshow Builder Deluxe Review & Giveaway *5 Winners*

As a mom, I take more and make pictures each year and, now that I finally purchased my Canon Rebel, I can take videos of the kids as well. I have just been storing them on my computer and occasionally posting them online for friends and family to see, but it's just seems like a waste of all those cute pictures and I wanted to do something more creative with them. I was recently contacted to review Wondershare DVD Slideshow Builder Deluxe and found that this is the perfect way to put together a collaboration of videos, photos and music, too!

The first thing I did was easily download the program onto my computer from the Wondershare website. Once it downloaded, I decided to choose standard mode so I could get the hang of the program. Then came the fun part! I started downloading pictures and videos. I love looking through all of the pictures, especially the baby pictures of my boys. The pictures actually downloaded very quickly and I could get them not only from my computer, but straight from my camera.

Click add photos and they easily download onto Wondershare!

Once I added all the photos I wanted included, I went to the next step "Personalize" and began to customize the pictures just the way I wanted them. I was surprised at how many options there were for how the pictures would be displayed on the DVD. There are 450 movie styles and 150 transitions to personalize your video. At first I wasn't sure what I was looking at, bug the program really guides you every step of the way.

When I picked a style, I was instantly shown a preview to make sure it was the one I wanted. This way I was able view many different displays in order to pick the one I liked the most, which ended up being one of the more colorful options, which not only showed the pictures, but included background graphics as well, giving something extra to the video. I also love all the little extras you can add to the pictures, such as clip-art and other effects like bubbles or balloons floating across the screen.

Once I completed the movie, I uploaded my video onto a disc and couldn't wait to show it to everyone! This is when it dawned on me that these videos would make great gifts for grandparents! Next Christmas I know exactly what they are getting and they will love it. Plus, I can upload the video onto social media, such as Facebook and YouTube. Wondershare Slideshow Builder Deluxe really takes your pictures from ordinary to extraordinary.

Check out my first slideshow I made below!

Special Deal For Our Readers

The Wondershare Slideshow Builder Deluxe retails at $59.95, but our reader can receive it for $35.00!!

Giveaway Time!

Thanks to Wondershare, we have an awesome giveaway for our readers!

FIVE Very Lucky Readers Will Win Coupon Codes To Download the Wondershare Slideshow Builder Deluxe for FREE! 

MyMemories Scrapbooking Software Review & Giveaway - US & Canada

My future sister-in-law, Dena, is a scrapbooker and so is her entire family. I tried it once with her and we had to buy pre-assembled kits with only one layout. So, to say the least, I'm not much of a scrapbooker. Well, I wasn't until recently! Having Miss A and taking a zillion pictures of her has made me want to display those pictures EVERYWHERE so I once again thought about scrapbooking.

Well, digital scrapbooking software is exactly what I needed to get going with scrapbooking. 
I actually write up monthly updates about Miss A and MyMemories Suite, has been amazingly perfect to work with!

This is my first and very favorite creation yet. I know it's so simple but it is exactly what I want! Imagine a 2nd page with all the words she's learned along with other milestones. I'm working on taking all the monthly updates I've put on my blog to create something amazing with MyMemories Suite. I want to make a book full my daughter's first 2 years and all of the joys along the way so I can display it in my home for others to see. Plus, it will make a great keepsake to give her in the future. 

About MyMemories

MyMemories Suite is the #1 rated scrapbook software for a reason. It is very affordable and easy to use! MyMemories Suite is also a powerful and creative tool. Tutorials are also offered, which provide ideas to get the most out of this award-winning scrapbook software!

My Thoughts

This software has been great to use! I have to admit, I was a little intimidated at first when I opened up the program, but I immediately caught on and figured everything out. I love that there are tutorials on the website, too, which really helped me out. 

I also love that the software comes loaded with an amazing amount of digital background papers (1500 to be exact!) as well as digital embellishments (1300 of those, too!). It's a great start to creating scrapbooking and really helps get the creativity flowing. Along with the tutorials, the website also has a picture gallery, so if I need inspiration, all I have to do is look around to see what others have don before. I am so happy with this program and can't wait to make many scrapbooks in the future.

Ready for a Giveaway?

One Lucky Children Teaching Mama Reader  Will Win the MyMemories Scrapbooking Software ($39.97 RV)!

Capturing Beautiful Baby Pictures With SanDisk & Erin Manning

When I was growing up, my mom always took pictures of big moments, vacations and holidays. I love looking at all of the picture albums she made for me over the years and, now that I have children, I want to do the same for them! From the moment my boys were born, my husband and I were snapping photos left and right. I love taking photos with my Canon Rebel and have always used SanDisk memory cards for my pictures because I want my pictures to be safely stored for many years and it is a brand I trust. 

Need some ideas and tips for taking great pictures of your baby? 

Well, SanDisk and photographer, author, and educator Erin Manning are here to help! In the video below, Erin Manning shares her Top 3 Tips for capturing some great baby photos. The advice she gives is very helpful, including how to set the scene, how to get beautiful up-close pictures of baby, and why she uses a SanDisk Ultra SDHC card to be sure she never misses a shot.

What tips do you have for taking great baby photos? Give the tips above a try and let me know how it goes! We will definitely give them a try and share the pictures with everyone.

I participated in a campaign on behalf of Mom Central Consulting for SanDisk. I received a product sample to thank me for participating.

An OutMyWindow™: Easy Way To Share Photos With Friends & Family #outmywindow

A few months ago I splurged and finally got a camera for myself that takes amazing pictures. Before that I took pictures often, but now I am constantly snapping pictures of every little thing. As a parent, it seems like my little boys are constantly doing something silly and photo-worthy, so I always have the camera nearby just in case. I love showing my friends and relatives pictures of my kids, but I really don't like pasting them all over the place for just anyone to see. I'm protective of my kids, as I am sure you can relate, and don't feel right about people I don't know seeing everything about my kiddos. This is why I was so excited to find out about outmywindow™!

About  outmywindow™

The outmywindow application is a more personal way to share and save your precious moments, giving you complete control of your photos and who views them. With unique timelines that automatically build themselves, it’s simple to organize and share across all kinds of devices (smart phone, tablet, PC, TV) in real time, all via a stylish easy-to-use dashboard.

My Thoughts 
I love that this program is so easy to use! I'm able to easily upload my pictures to albums and share them with friends and family without having to share with the entire world. Plus, you can share through the app and, since we have an iPhone and iPad, this is perfect for us! In fact, you can download the outmywindow app on iTunes! I've already made an account and shared with family members because, after taking a closer look at outmywindow, I think this is something my parents would enjoy and, even though my mom is not computer-literate, she will definitely be able to figure this one out. It's straight forward and it's great being able to store my photos somewhere safe. 

Do you take as many pictures as I do? Sign-up for outmywindow and see just how easy it can be to save and share your photos!

Disclosure: I have been hired by Warner Bros WBWord division to raise awareness for 'outmywindow™.

Organize Your Summer Photos & Send e-Photo Books Via Pholium, A New iPad App!

Summer is nearing and we all know the nice weather brings around many fun events! We just celebrated my son's 5th birthday and our family is now planning our 4th of July vacation! Others may be planning a wedding or even a family reunion! Regardless of the event, one thing is for certain: there will be many pictures taken over the next few months. I think I took about 100 just during my son's birthday party. 

When you take pictures, where do you usually store them? I sometimes place them on Facebook, but they otherwise sit in in a file on my computer. Now there is a creative way to take those pictures and make something to share with others with Pholium. This amazing digital photo book iPad app allows you to make photo books and send them to others as well as receive photo books from friends and family. It's such a unique idea and a great way to share those memorable photos.

Thanks to Pholium for providing us with 5 great tips to help us all create a beautiful photo book for family members that will last a lifetime!

1. Think, but don't over think - Don't worry about the actual photo book until after the photos are taken. You want to tell a story about an event or possibly a vacation, but do so naturally without over thinking it! While taking photos just be in the moment and enjoy every single minute of it... and make sure you have plenty of batteries and memory space! Once you have already captured the moments via pictures, there is no need to provide too much detail. Let the recipient enjoy the book via photos.

2. Capture the memories - Snap those pictures! You want a variety of content to include in your photo book, so if it looks like a great photo opp, go for it! If you think there will be a chance to take photos somewhere, go ahead and pack your camera. Long gone are the days of paying for film to be processed. You can take as many pictures as you like, delete the ones that didn't turn out great and keep the ones that are perfect!

3. Represent and be present - There may be specific photos you know you want to take at an event or on vacation, but be sure to take other photos in between. Just last weekend at my son's party my husband and I took turns with the camera, snapping pictures of our guests having fun and the grandchildren playing with Grandma. The candid pictures turned out amazing and are some of the best we took! Take pictures of the scenery, but always take time to get some pictures of people. These are always the most special and memorable.

4. Don't edit or delete those photos (yet!) - Yes, we all want a "perfect" picture, but don't over analyze when snapping photos, just do it! Even if eyes are closed, someone is making a silly face or not paying attention, it's okay. Those can sometimes make for the best and funniest photo stories. My son always makes faces at the camera and I used to get mad, but now I save them as a progression of his many silly faces. Just capture the moments as you go and edit/delete later!

One of the cutest pictures we took. It is unedited and may need work, but it will be perfect for a photo book!

5. Organize and create the book the way you want it - Now that you have taken some beautiful and amazing pictures, let the story come together in your photo book. Before uploading all of the photos, which can be time consuming, think about the story you want to tell and how you want to displayed. For example, do you want it in chronological order like a progression of the year or vacation or do you want the story to be a theme? We have made photo books of each year as well as just cute theme of the boys playing together. It's important to think out the book before sifting through photos because it can sometimes become daunting and stressful. Making the photo book should be fun and easy, so don't do unnecessary work. You can even sort the albums via date, event name, location, etc. to make it easy to sift through photos when making your own one-of-a-kind photo book!

Putting photos together in a photo book can not only take some time, but is usually expensive, too. Apps like Pholium allow you to create high-quality digital photo books that are easily customized on the iPad and sent to others! Try something different this summer by getting Pholium and making photo books for your loved ones. They will appreciate the great gift and the books are always fun to look back at and remember the great times you experienced with friends and family. 

What events and vacations do you have going on this summer? Be sure to take lots of photos and give Pholium a try when organizing and making a photo book. Let us know what you think. We just know you will love this new App like we do! Be sure to "Like" Pholium on Facebook to keep up with all the latest news!

Fotobounce Digital Photo Management Application Review

I've always enjoyed taking photographs, even before digital cameras! Now that I have children, I snap photos every single day and they add up so quickly. If I don't upload them onto my computer quickly, I easily get overwhelmed with everything and it's just frustrating. In addition, I love showing off pictures of my kids to family and friends through social media websites. This is why I was so excited to learn more about Fotobounce because they offer a solution to the endless clutter of digital photos, can work with social media sites, and keep your privacy in tact!

With Fotobounce, you can not only organize photos in one place with easy access, but you can organize them in amazing ways no I've never seen another program do! Once you download their program onto your computer, you can link it up to picture folders on your computer. It also has the ability to link up with your social media sites (Facebook, Twitter, and Flickr). You can organize your social media site pictures, see and organize your friends' pictures, and share them with each other! Have they tagged you in pictures? You can organize these as well.

Fotobounce also offers an advanced facial recognition technology I've never seen before! As photos are found or imported, you can individually tag the person(s) in each photo. The face recognition technology then teaches Fotobounce who people are and helps automate the tagging process. No need to go picture by picture like on social media sites to tag others! I've already tested this feature out and it worked amazingly well. The new improved version has made the facial recognition faster and more accurate. I can definitely attest to this because it soared through my pictures, tagging them quickly and accurately. Even when the program wasn't sure if they had the right person, it asked just to be sure!

What about safety? I know all of you are concerned about internet security and others seeing pictures of your children. Fotobounce takes that extra step to make sure your info and photos are secure. Unlike photo programs by other social networking sites, where they store and use your face data on their own public servers, the Fotobounce recognition data remains local to your own computer and downloaded program. You can customize and organize your pictures just the way you want them and can easily share and access them at any time. Also, you can choose who to add to your network, which means you can easily control who gets to see your pictures, too.

As a Mama who loves to share pictures of her kids with family members and friends, I want a photo program that can not only keep my photos organized and in one place, but safe and secure. It's nice to know there is somewhere like this existing for parents and photo-lovers! I'm seriously addicted to Fotobounce now.

Ready to give Fotobounce a try? Click HERE!

If you'd like to read more about Fotobounce v3.5, just click HERE!

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FREE 8X10 Canvas Print OR $50 Credit

Hi! I thought it was time to share another great deal. I love canvas prints and think they are beautiful. I heard about this deal about week ago and just saw that it is still on! Go to the Canvas People Website to get your FREE 8x10 Canvas Print of any photo OR $50 Credit Towards Any Size Canvas! That's an awesome deal. The only thing you have to pay is shipping, which is around $14.95. We just had pictures taken last month and they wanted over $100 for a canvas print. HAHA!