Wednesday, February 19, 2014

An amazing light and giveaway

Lighting is so important to the ambience of a room.  
Lamp light is the best way to create an inviting atmosphere. 
 I use a lot of table lamps and floor lamps in home decorating, 
as well as in my home.  At home I tend to have lots of vintage lighting,  
like this tole and crystal lamp on a marble base that that has a clip-on style lamp shade. 
 This post is about light~light bulbs in particular!  I was asked if I would like 
to review a new kind of light bulb and if you read my blog, 
you will know that I do not do reviews very often.  
However this particular light bulb is LED 
and is a new product that has a lot going for it, 
so I wanted to check it out myself.  I am picky about the light a bulb 
will throw in a room.   If the light is nice, and if it can save oodles 
on my energy bill and the bulb itself will last ten years, then I am all in!
Its the CREE lightbulb, and in fact it just won 
Home Depot's Innovation Award for 2013!
If you think LED bulbs are screaming bright and harsh light, think again.
Cree has created the first LED light bulb that looks like a normal light bulb
and gives off a soft warm light just like a normal old fashioned bulb.
What is amazing is that it uses 82% less energy because most bulbs spend 
their energy creating heat, not light. Did you know that home lighting uses
13% of all the energy used in the USA?  If  Cree bulbs were used, the amount saved
in energy dollars would be $50 billion a year.  And one more stat~
they last 25 times longer than a normal bulb, and they have a 10 year warranty.
Its also priced under $10, which is amazing for the return on the dollar.
These bulbs are shaped light a regular light bulb, so my clip on style shades 
work the way they are designed to work.  The bulbs are really sturdy and shatter
resistant, as well as good for indoors and outdoors use, which is nice for 
not having to get on the ladder and change out those outdoor fixtures beside the
garage or front door.  I have a burnt out light right now, and since its winter, its 
going to stay that way until spring comes. Then I plan to install these Cree lights
and not worry about it for TEN YEARS!
I had even put in the ugly swirled florescent bulbs in the outside fixtures
 to save energy even if they did look ugly, but I figured we were saving energy 
so I would sacrifice looks for doing the right thing.
Now I won't have to! 
Can you see why I am not asking hubby or 
getting outside myself to change a light bulb right now?
Its snow-maggedon up here in Boston.
These bulb are also dimmable, which is nice if you have dimmer switches. 
They contain no mercury either, like CFL bulbs do. 
Ok, I am totally excited about the boring old light bulb now!!
I am offering a give away on the blog for the bulbs, and if you win you
will receive a 75 watt and a 60 watt bulb by leaving a comment on this blog
post if you would like to be entered to win.  One comment only, please.
This giveaway is for US residents only.
If you have a no-reply blogger address make sure I can contact you via email.
I will post on Facebook and the blog who is the winner.
Contest starts today and ends February 28th!
For more information you can check out Cree light bulbs
here at their website: www.creebulb.com

One more thing about lighting~update your older lamps with 
a simple switch out of a lampshade like I did.
·                 I find great looking shades at various places, including HomeGoods,
and have seen nice ones at Lowes and Home Depot too.
Sophisticated grey linen shade with a gold metallic thread was just the ticket
for these vintage brass candlestick lamps.  This is an easy DIY project anyone
can accomplish without much trouble, and you will update your living space in a jiffy.
Thats it from me~I am loving the new lightbulbs, and you won't be
disappointed.  This review was truly my opinion, and I was not 
compensated in any way other than to test out this new award winning Cree bulb.


Photobucket

49 comments:

  1. I'd love to try these. I've always been anti-CFL, because they're so ugly and the light so harsh. Now that incandescent bulbs are being phased out, I'd love to know that there's a good alternative. And if I can save some money, that'd be nice, too!

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  2. Awesome! I usually don't like LED lights because of their brightness, but if there is a soft white one, then sign me up. Thanks for hosting this giveaway.

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  3. I'd really like to try these bulbs. They sound
    wonderful and hopefully they would help with
    our electricity bill. Thank you for the giveaway.

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  4. We used LED lighting for the first time this Christmas, and I even found some soft white glowing ones to use on our little white tree. So I am all for trying a new LED light bulb in a couple of my table lamps, please! Enter me in the contest -- thank you!

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  5. We participated in. Program by massave, and they replaced most every bulb in our home, no Cree though, and I do have some pot lights that are on dimmers I would like to replace with what you mentioned.

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  6. Great to know...I haven't purchased any energy light blubs because they are so ugly. I'd love to try it out and recommend it to others.

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  7. These look really great, I am so glad you gave us a heads up! Di@Cottage-Wishes

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  8. It's nice to hear that companies are starting to take notice of the way lampshades fit. Those new bulbs look like they will solve that problem and still save energy! Thanks for the generous giveaway offer.

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  9. Oh... thank the lord! I was about to become a light bulb hoarder. I HATE those led lights so bad! Thank you SOOO much for this post. I felt bad about using old bulbs, but just couldn't stand the awful light from the new bulbs, and the mercury for goodness sake! Knowing this is a big deal in my world!

    Cindy

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  10. This sounds wonderful as I have the ugly swirly bulbs in all my lamps currently. I think lamps really give my rooms a cozy look at night and I would love to try thee new bulbs out. Thank you for the chance to win!

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  11. I would love to try them. My energy bill is crazy high due to having an all electric home.
    I'm sold!

    Cheryl Siciliano
    cherbust@verizon.net

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  12. I'd love to give these a try. Finding good bulbs has become a problem. We love the energy savings, but there's the color problem, and the disposal problem, and finding decent bulbs that are also dimmable. We'd love to give these a try!

    thrivingthrifter at gmail dot come

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  13. I am definitely going to give these a try. I'm a little picky about light bulbs too.

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  14. They sound promising as a viable alternative to old-fashioned light bulbs. Thanks for the chance to try them.

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  15. Your test came at a good time. We are testing light bulbs to complete our home reno. We want to be energy efficient and truthfully it's the direction that everyone will move in. I like the life span that the bulbs offer too.

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  16. Hi Amy,
    I was so happy to see that you stopped by my blog the other day. I think about you often and keep up with your store progress. It's so fabulous!
    I am glad to see that this LED bulb doesn't look like those ugly swirly types.
    Good review.

    hugs
    Sissie

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  17. I'd love to win these. Please enter me in the giveaway and you are invited to sign up for my giveaway too for framed wall art:

    http://decoratedchaos.blogspot.com/2014/02/new-spring-wall-art-and-awesome-giveaway.html

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  18. I love the sound of this!

    Lesha@tothemotherhood.com

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  19. I've been ogling the dimmable Cree's at HD recently and would love to give them a try! Thanks for showing them in "real life".

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  20. Thank you SO much for this post! I'm sending it to everyone I know.
    I've been hoarding the old bulbs because I detest the CFL ones. Their bright light is ugly but my primary concern with them has been the fact that they contain mercury. I will give these LED ones a try. Please enter me in the contest.
    Thanks!

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  21. Since I will be at Home Depot today, I will buy one of these bulbs to see IF they will persuade me to use bulbs other than my beloved incandescent bulbs.So far, I have universally hated every bulb that isn’t an incandescent, because they give awful light and they hurt my eyes..ok- they are tolerable in the basement and closets but that’s it.I have amassed a huge cache of incandescent to use in the future- so I am good for a few years.
    Even though incandescent use more energy, the offset is that in the winter, they do give off warmth and heat..and they have no mercury to despoil the environment.I am betting the mercury will cause huge environmental problems down the road..because everyone I know who uses them- throws them right out with the trash when they are dead...

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  22. I would live to try out the bulbs....so...please pick me! Thanks. Love your blog!

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  23. love this! So true about the lampshade too. I invite you to share at my hop today Hugs!

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  24. Your timing is perfect! I just got a new dining room drum shade pendant light and have been looking for a dimmable 'good' light. I'd love to win, but I'm going to get one of these today because I can't wait. Thanks for the tip!

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  25. The bulbs sound great. Even if I don't win, I think I'm still going to give them a try. The other energy efficient bulbs are not very attractive & I love that these look like the old fashion bulbs. Thanks for the review & chance to win!

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  26. I hate the ugly "spiral" bulbs. I would definitely give theses a try. I have crystal chandeliers, & hope they make a bulb suitable in style for them.

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  27. I've heard about these and would love to win. Thanks so much for the opportunity.

    Love the new shade on your lamp! So pretty.

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  28. I'd love to try these and replace those eye sore CFL's. I'm all about using less energy when I can so these new bulbs would be great. Pretty photo of the snow, send some our way to California....

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  29. So I bought one of these Cree 75 watt bulbs at home Depot just now, and I’ve replaced 60 Watt bulb with the 75 watt Cree.
    Opinion? It isn’t quite as warm and golden as the 60 watt it replaced, but it’s the first LED light bulb that I could actually live with, and that is saying a lot!
    So yes- if I buy more LED lights, it will certainly be a CREE.
    Thank you for the post!

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  30. What a thoughtful giveaway. Thanks for the chance. Very interested in these bulbs.

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  31. We have switched all our bulbs over to the twirly ones. But they can be too bright. I would love to try these new LED bulbs.
    Thanks, Bonnie

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  32. I would love to give these light bulbs a try! Especially is the light is not harsh, and they save me money! Thanks for the opportunity!

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  33. Hi Amy ~ What great information! I hadn't heard of the Cree lightbulb before. My husband and I have discussed replacing our bulbs with new LEDs. Of course, all of ours were the ugly curlique type and I replaced those with regular bulbs after hearing that the other ones (with mercury in them) let off radiation or something! With the LEDs being more expensive than regular ones, I would love to start off my "bulb upgrade" with a couple of the Crees, Amy. :) Thank you so much for the chance to win!

    xoxo laurie

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  34. Always up for trying something new - would love to try these. I had never heard of this bulb either - great post! Thanks for the chance...

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  35. I'm so happy to see that I can use traditional clip on lampshades with these bulbs and that they are dimmable.

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  36. Thanks so much for highlighting these bulbs-sound like winners!

    Beth D

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  37. Thanks so much for highlighting these bulbs-sound like winners!

    Beth D

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  38. These really do sound good and I've enjoy giving them a try. :)

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  39. Love the new shade. I have noticed that leds are coming in warm light now although I have not tried them. I bought warm led twinkle lights after Xmas on sale for 75% off. I took the regular twinkles out of my fireplace and put in the leds. But I wish I'd checked the look first. The leds have a green cast to them...they are better than the cold white ones but still not the same and they don't glow quite the same. I'm anxious to try this in lamps where the bulbs don't show. Still not an attractive bulb. Better than the gosh awful florescent bulbs. I bought one of those and threw it out.

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  40. I've replaced 75% of the bulbs in my home which makes me feel good about energy savings. NPR just did a feature of CFL/LED lights. Definitely buy LED! Thanks for the info on CREE.

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  41. Those bulbs are the greatest...Cree is a NC company and the inventor of the LED light lives down the street from me!...Love the lamp!!

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  42. So glad to hear about these! I am so over the cfl bulbs and hated that the LED's were so harsh. This sounds exactly like what I am looking for!

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  43. I would like to give these a try.

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  44. Hello, thanks for the review. I'm learning now about some of these new light bulbs. When those curly cue CFL bulbs came out I was mad. Not only are they expensive but ugly and a health hazard. I'm glad to see that some of the companies are coming out with mercury free led bulbs. The big plus for me is I'm told they last like 10 years. That I would love. Thanks for the review.
    trishden948(at)yahoo(dot)com

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  45. A giveaway is surely a good way to try those new bulbs. Thanks so much, Amy!

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  46. These bulbs look great! I just started using LED bulbs for our dining room chandelier and I love them!
    madelinebrubaker {at} gmail [dot] com

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  47. Yay! I am all for saving energy and looking great at the same time.

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