This post brought to you by Sears. All opinions are 100% mine.

I love shopping at Sears. The store is huge- and they have everything! Whether I’m shopping for Christmas décor, kid’s clothing or something special to wear for a date night, I know I can find it at Sears for a great price.

But for as much as Sears has in stores, did you know that they have even more online? Not only do they have more of the same items that are in stores {like that perfect shirt that you fell in love with- that they ran out of in your size} but they have more colors, more sizes & more items in general! {Need something sooner rather than later? Buy it online & schedule an in-store pickup. When you arrive, your item will be ready in 5 minutes or less, or you’ll get a $5 in-store coupon!}

It’s easy to get distracted while shopping at Sears.com- they have more brands and styles online than in the store, including some really hot brands like Ray Ban, Michael Kors, DeWalt Tools, Steve Madden, Nike, Tory Burch & a lot more. So whether you’re looking for something you need at a great price or a more luxurious splurge, Sears is a great place to find it.

I took a look around some of their featured marketplace offers and newest arrivals and found so much stuff I loved! Check out some of my finds- and as a note, they have over 50% off on select women's shoes!

Every day, Sears is adding hundreds of new styles, colors and designers to the website because they are committed to ensuring every customer can find exactly what they want or need. What are you waiting for? Head to the Sears website to check out their new lineup for yourself & be sure to tweet your finds with your family & friends!

App stores are popping up every day and will soon number in the billions. It is not a surprise that things are exploding with all the Smartphones we have, but with more App stores and mobile websites it means changes are necessary. It is perhaps why there are many individuals asking experts what they can do to help their App stores become something better.

The typical App store

Most App stores of today have a registration/user account the consumer needs to create in order to access the different offerings. A catalog of what is being sold in that App store including free and paid categories is created to show the most purchased or popular first. Images are often provided to give the consumer an idea of what is offered. The pricing if there is any is often listed above or beside the image depending on the App store setup. The purchasing process, delivery process, and update automation are then going to follow once the app has been downloaded. It is all very simple; however, Windows Azure is making changes, which often means other producers of Apps and stores are going to need to change and keep up; also a typical app store needs to accept credit cards online in order to facilitate smooth business operations so that it becomes easier for paying customers to purchase applications off the shelves without any hassles whatsoever.

What current App stores are lacking

Most App stores have some great things like a user account, easy to use catalog, but there are also things that do not fit with App stores. These things which are lacking hold back most producers from starting a true App store. What is lacking includes pricing complexity, B2B payment models, bulk purchasing, and incorporation of any channels and partners. Apps are cheap and many are free, with very little maintenance. It is one of the main reasons consumers keep coming back to purchase more; however, from an ecommerce point of view changes are needed for even better results. Most producers find ecommerce software is still required to make the most of their business options. They are looking for a way to combine both ecommerce with App stores in a better way.

eCommerce solutions needed

Producers of Apps need ecommerce sites. It is possible to integrate the software with App stores in an easy to use model for mobile devices if the appropriate software is used. Shopping can be done on the ecommerce site, with activation IDs, and then be redirected to electronic shopping requirements. Licensing is one of the main issues many producers face. How to get their products licensed without losing money is fairly simple with the right online ecommerce site and software.

Shopify.com options can offer the B2B and ecommerce platforms required, with electronic downloads. Customization is supported and since these ecommerce sites are setup for electronic sales it does make it better. As of yet there is no concrete solution to creating a workable App store like producers truly need according to the experts. It is also a matter of what producers might be hoping for from their App store that they are not as yet getting. The main answer is to start looking for ecommerce versus traditional App store for anyone selling apps.

Note: Post by Kyle Taylor. Please see my disclosure policy regarding posts of this nature.

This post brought to you by Scotts Miracle-Gro. All opinions are 100% mine.

Now that the snow is melting across the country, it’s time to start working on your yard! Creating the perfect yard takes quite a bit of work- and definitely requires the right tools. Here’s a short list of what you’ll need to start prepping your yard for Spring:

1. A lawn mower: It seems fairly obvious since anyone with grass needs one, but make sure that you have a good one with all parts in working order. One of our blades got a dent in it last year when Justin ran over a metal dog bowl {oops} and it made the cut uneven.

2. Garden fork. Use this to break up chunks of soil and to mix organic matter, fertilizer, etc. into the soil.

3. Weed whacker and/or hand weeder: Once weeds start growing in your garden, they’re likely to spread quickly. Be sure to get something that allows you to get to the root of the problem- literally- so that you can stop the spreading from happening.

4. Watering tools: Whether you have a built-in sprinkler system or water your yard with a hose, be sure to keep your grass watered by the schedule appropriate for the time of year. Grass here dies quickly in the summer so we water every day that we’re zoned for.

5. Mulch: Mulch helps to maintain moisture, prevent weeds {by blocking growth and access to sunlight} and create a groomed landscape all year long.

If you live in Florida, consider Scotts Florida Select Natural Eucalyptus Mulch. It’s made from 100% Florida-grown Eucalyptus, a sustainable Cypress alternative {I'm all for sustainable gardening}. Eucalyptus grows back up to four times faster than Cypress, and because of that it’s considered a renewable resource. It’s also all-natural &is guaranteed to be free from any construction, demolition, pallet, or other waste materials.

Not in Florida? Consider Scotts Nature Scapes mulch. Available in Classic Black, Sierra Red, and Deep Forest Brown, they’re all natural forest products with no waste wood. They even come in a variety of textures to suit your yard.

Whichever type of mulch you choose, spread it 3 inches deep and keep it several inches from tree trunks & house foundations or other wood structures. You’ll want to actively put it around trees, shrubs, flowers or vegetables- after seeds have germinated and plants have developed. A 2 cu. ft. bag will cover 12 sq. ft. of bedding area at a depth of 2 inches, 8 sq. ft. of bedding area at a depth of 3 inches, or 6 sq. ft. of bedding at a depth of 4 inches.

There are plenty of other necessary gardening supplies, especially if you also include a garden or decorative trees or shrubbery. However, these basics should help you keep your yard maintained!

What tools do you use in your yard?

This post brought to you by White Cloud. All opinions are 100% mine.

I try to make "green" choices whenever I can. We recycle our cans, bottles and paper, and I reuse or bring back plastic grocery bags. We turn the lights off when we aren't in a room & don't run the water while we brush our teeth. We aren't SUPER green, but we do what we can.

There are some things that you just can't avoid, no matter how eco-conscious you are. Most of us use paper towels, and all of us use some sort of paper products. So how do you get the paper products you need without hurting the environment? You buy White Cloud's GreenEarth product line!

White Cloud, a paper products company available exclusively at Walmart, has a line of eco-friendly paper products that includes paper towels and bath tissue. Each item is made of 100% recycled fibers, but is still affordable so that anyone can make the switch & live green! You can learn more about the items on the White Cloud GreenEarth products page.

White Cloud is hosting a contest right now where you can win free GreenEarth products & a Green Living Prize Pack! Here's how to enter:

1. Follow the White Cloud Pinterest page

2. Create your own "Living the Green" Pinterest board

3. Repin at least one pin from the White Cloud “Living the Green” Pinterest board, using the hashtag #LivingTheGreen in the caption

4. Visit mywhitecloud.com/promotions and complete the entry form.**

Don't forget to Like White Cloud on Facebook & Follow White Cloud on Twitter-  or to find White Cloud GreenEarth locally- Find a Store Near You! Good luck!

What do you do to live green?

**Check out the Sweepstakes Rules and Regulations for more details. NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. Ends 4/30/13. Click here for Official Rules.
 

This post brought to you by Vectra flea & tick control. All opinions are 100% mine.

Living in Vegas has it’s perks. We have some amazing restaurants, unlimited entertainment, and a lack of fleas & ticks! While fleas & ticks are very uncommon here due to our severely hot summers, you still have to be careful as your dog can pick some up from other infected animals- or by going out of town to a climate that does have fleas & ticks. I remember having to check Bella Notte daily for ticks when we went on a trip to Wisconsin, and while she luckily didn’t get any, I was worried the whole time that she’d get a disease.

If your dog is at risk for catching fleas & ticks- whether from living somewhere that has them or due to their social habits- it’s important to take preemptive measures to protect them. Consider getting them Vectra 3D flea and tick control, a medication that repels and kills fleas, ticks, mosquitoes, biting and sand flies, lice, and mites {excluding mange mites}. It prevents critters from attaching to or biting your dog, reducing the risk of them getting a disease. If your dog already has fleas or ticks, the medication kills them on contact and begins reducing flea feeding in just 5 minutes {and kills fleas in just 6 hours}.

Vectra 3D Flea & Tick Control is safe for puppies as young as 7 weeks of age. It lasts through swimming and bathing and protects for 1 month, so one quick dose really goes a long way. It’s available at the vet’s office- and you can get a free dose of Vectra flea & tick control!

Vectra is currently running a Protect the love Facebook Sweepstakes that gives you the chance to win a $100 gift card to use at your next vet visit. One will be awarded each week for the duration of the sweepstakes. And, just for entering, you can claim a FREE dose of Vectra flea & tick control! Enter the sweepstakes, then visit FirstDoseFree.com and fill out the form.

Be sure to like Vectra on Facebook & follow @VectraPet on Twitter to learn more!

How do you protect your pets from fleas & ticks?