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Sunday, February 7, 2010

Winners!

The winner of the Valentine's Day Gift Basket Giveaway (c/o Glade) is Amy Brown (Comment #156).

The winner of the Make-Ahead Meals for Busy Moms Cookbook Giveaway is RR (Comment #52).

Congratulations to all the winners!  If you didn't win this time, keep trying; next time the winner might be you!

Note: If you were the lucky winner, please check your email.  I will be sending announcements in a few minutes and I'll need a response within the next 48 hours, otherwise, I'll have to choose alternate winners.

Tuesday, February 2, 2010

Giveaway List - 2/2

Happy Groundhog Day! 
Here's to hoping that the groundhog doesn't see his shadow tomorrow morning!

UPDATE: As you can probably tell, this post didn't post as originally scheduled.  As it turns out, a number of groundhogs saw different things - here in Manitoba, the groundhog didn't see his shadow, which hopefully means will have an early spring.  But, knowing Manitoba, it isn't likely. 


Worldwide Entries Accepted
Simply Stacie
is giving away an Original World's Thinnest Wallet (by ALL-ETT Billfolds). - Ends February 3rd

Simply Stacie is giving away Muk Luks. - Ends February 4th

Life's A Charm is giving away $20 Value Surprise Hair Accessories and Coverings from HairCoverings.com and 125x125 Ads Space for 1-month at http://lifesacharm.net/blog. - Ends February 8th

Simply Stacie is giving away a Digital Custom Photo Card from Dolcetto Designs. - Ends February 8th

The Giveaway Diva is giving away a pair of Butter Kids pants from the National Jean Company. - Ends February 20th


Canada and US only
In The Know Mom
is giving away the Scholastic Treasury of 50 Storybook Classics: Animal Antics - 7 DVDs - $50 value. - Ends February 2nd

Canadian Free Stuff
is giving away 1 of 4 $25 GCs to moesplace.org. - Ends February 5th

Simply Stacie is giving away a Set of 3 PeopleTowels. - Ends February 6th

Simply Stacie is giving away a French Charm Bracelet from LilyMe. - Ends February 7th

Simply Stacie is giving away Better Body Butter from Fresh Organics. - Ends February 8th

Melinda Joy is giving away a pair of Hi-Tec Auckland Sneakers (1 male + 1 female winner). - Ends February 8th

The Pure Natural Diva is giving away a Diva Cup and Wash. - Ends February 13th

Simply Stacie is giving away an Amethyst Bracelet (ARV $300) from Beautiful Silver Jewelry. - Ends February 23rd


US only

Simply Stacie
is giving away a $25 Gift Certificate to The Tots. - Ends February 2nd

Cakeblast is giving away an adjustable Sippy Secure Strap. - Ends February 4th @ 11:59pm CST

Melinda Joy
is giving away an epicurean product of your choice. - Ends February 4th @ noon EST

At the Fence is giving away a Kinder-Glo night-light (3 winners). - Ends February 5th

A Frugal Friend is giving away the New Thomas & Friends DVD: Splish, Splash, Splosh (2 winners). - Ends February 5th

My Four Monkeys is giving away Bakugan "Time for Battle" Volume 6 on DVD. - Ends February 8th @ 11:59pm EST

My Four Monkeys is giving away a $50 GC to Baby's First Phone Call (6 winners). - Ends February 8th @ 11:59pm EST

Healthy Moms is giving away a $25 gift certificate to the Eco StoreUSA.com. - Ends February 14th @ midnight PST

Healthy Moms is giving away 4 boxes of Triaminic Thin strips (3 winners). - Ends February 21st @ midnight PST

MamaBuzz is giving away a pair of Variya Jewelry-Siren Song Earrings. - Ends February 21st @ noon

Beauty and the Budget is giving away a $35 Gift card to Forever 21. - Ends March 12th


Other

CanContests.com
is giving away a pair of Stay Put Socks. North America only. -  February 14th


Unknown

The Giveaway Diva
is giving away a Clutch That! Silk Peacock Clutch (worth $75). - Ends February 14th

Sunday, January 31, 2010

Valentine's Day Gift Basket Review & Giveaway c/o Glade!

What do you have planned for this coming Valentine's Day?  For us, we'll be staying in and celebrating with a romantic fondue.  If you are like us and celebrating in-house this year, Glade has put together a great gift basket that is sure to make your Valentine's Day extra special!

Glade offered to send me one of their special Valentine's Day packages to try out for myself.  My package included:

- 1 Glade Multiwick candles from The Fragence Collection (Currants Açai)
- 1 Glade  Soy-based mini candle (Sheer White Cotton)
- 1 Glade Reed Diffusers (Sheer White Cotton)
- A set of 5 cards and one set of Valentine enclosures from Jonesy.ca
- A Happy Valentine's Day Mookie from jinjaninja
- 1 Bottle of Copper Moon Wine (Sauvignon Blanc 750ml)


Last time I did a review for Glade, I also received a Multiwick candle in Currents Açai.  Still, this has proven to be my favorite product from the Fragrance Collection.  Here is what I said last time about why this product is my favorite: "The smell of this scent is nice, sweet, and refreshing.  Since I love fruity smells, this was a clear choice for me!  I especially liked that it wasn't too overpowering like some candles can be."  One thing that was different about the Multiwick candle this time was the jar that it came in.  The last one I received was a different style, with a different label.  I have to say, I much prefer the design they have now - it has a touch of elegance to it!  Plus, the label is meant to be removable, which is nice if you want a simple look without broadcasting the product information.


As for the Soy-based mini candle and the reed diffuser in Sheer White Cotton, both are very nice.  I think the scent of these make them perfect for rooms that need a little freshening up - such as bathrooms.  The subtle clean scent makes me think of an early Spring day!  Plus, if you are looking for a reed diffuser that lasts, I'd definitely suggest the ones sold in Glade's Fragrance Collection.  I've had one going in my house for the last few months and it is still going strong.  Not only do I love the reed diffusers' longevity but I also like the fact that you can set it somewhere, forget about it, and not have to worry about an overpowering scent.  The scent of these are gentle and they smell REAL, not like other products on the market that smell like the chemicals they were made with.

Last time I did a review on one of Glade's gift packages, I had a chance to test out Copper Moon's Sauvignon Blanc wine.  Here are some of my thoughts from the last review "I found it to be a nice refreshing surprise.  It was mild, smooth and had a good flavor.  I could easily see myself drinking this wine on special occasions (we hardly drink in our household so even though the wine is great, it would be occasional).  What I really like about [the Copper Moon] wines is their decent price of $9.45/750ml bottle.  When I purchase wine, I am used to paying roughly $14, so a savings of $4.50 is a definite plus in my books!"

One part of this package that I absolutely loved was the Mookie from Jinja Ninja.  Before receiving this package, I had never heard of a Mookie or Jinja Ninja.  So, when I opened up my review package, it was a pleasant surprise.  Jinja Ninja is a Canadian company and the maker of the Mookie, which is a special (GIANT) message cookie! Mookies come in seasonal and special occasion selections.  Don't see one that captures the message you are looking for?  There is always the option to order a custom Mookie.  After having the chance to try a Mookie and look through their online selection, I am pretty sure I'll be ordering at least one more Mookie in the future - likely more!  Mookies make the perfect gift for that special someone in your life!

Finally, I received a package of 5 note cards and a package of Valentine's enclosures from Jonesy.ca.  Here's some background on Jonesy and their products "We want to keep the handwritten note alive!  Jonesy Charismatic Stationery is committed to providing high quality, environmentally friendly greetings.  All designs are created in Canada using FSC certified recycled paper and soy based inks.  One design benefits the Sick Kids Foundation, a charity close to our own hearts."  What I like most about these cards are the simple designs used.  I also like that style isn't compromised just because they are made from recycled paper - the cards I received look fantastic!  I would be proud to give these cards to family and friends!

Thanks to Glade, they are offering my readers the chance to win one of the same prize packages that I received (shown below)!


To enter, go look through Glade's website, then come back here and leave a comment telling me the name of another Glade product you'd like to try. This question must be answered to gain an entry in the giveaway.

Each of the following will give you one extra entry in the giveaway (unless stated otherwise). Please make sure to leave a separate comment for each thing you do:
- Tell me what your plans are for this Valentine's Day.
- Become a fan of Glade on Facebook. Please make sure to leave the name you use on Facebook.
- Become a fan of Jonesy on Facebook. Please make sure to leave the name you use on Facebook.
- Become a fan of jinjanina on Facebook. Please make sure to leave the name you use on Facebook.
- Subscribing to my blog via email or RSS feed (Maximum of 1 entry - please tell me how you subscribe in your comment).
- Adding my button to your blog sidebar.
- Following me on Twitter (@ihchicky). Please leave your Twitter name.
- Following me on Blogger / Google Friends Connect (publicly).
- Tweeting about this giveaway (with a link to this page) on Twitter. Please leave a link to your tweet or your twitter name. You can do this once a day.
- Blogging about this giveaway on your blog. Please leave a link to your blog post in your comment. 2 ENTRIES! Please leave 2 separate comments if you blog about this giveaway.
- Talking about and linking to this giveaway in any public forum or on Facebook. If you do this, please leave your user-name and a link to the post. 2 ENTRIES! Please leave 3 separate comments if you blog about this giveaway.

Important Entry Details: The above entries (main and bonus) can only be submitted once per person (except for the tweet entry, which can be done daily). Please do not use more than one blogger account or add additional anonymous comments to gain extra entries. This is not fair to everyone else and this practice is strictly prohibited. If a person is found to be using more than one account to enter the same giveaway, they will be disqualified from that particular giveaway, as well as all future giveaways.

This giveaway will end on Saturday, February 6th at 11:59pm (Central Standard Time). After the giveaway has ended, the winner will be picked randomly using random.org. EMAIL RULES: In order to win, you must provide a valid email. I will be notifying the winner by email only. Please make sure your blog profile includes your email address and make sure that it is visible. If you do not have a blogger account, please make sure you have included your email address in your post. If there is no email address provided, to contact the winner, another person will be chosen. The winner will have 24 hours to respond to the winning email notification with their complete mailing address (I will be forwarding all this information to the sponsor), If this information is not received within 48 hours, a new winner will be chosen.  

This giveaway is open to CANADA ONLY!


Good Luck!
**Disclaimer** To complete this review and post this giveaway, I was sent a review package from Glade, which contained all of the products listed above.  Receiving this package did not in anyway alter the information which is discussed in this article; this review is 100% of my own opinion.  I did not receive any other type of compensation for this review/giveaway.

Thursday, January 28, 2010

Blog the Weight Away - My Story

A few weeks ago, I was wondering around the blogosphere when I found http://www.4babyandmom.com/.  This year, 4 Baby and Mom has decided to start a challenge called Blog the Weight Away.  When I heard about this, I thought it would be the great way to start my journey to a healthier life and applied immediately.  In a few days, I heard back from Lauren @ http://www.4babyandmom.com/ and she let me know that I made it into the challenge!  Needless to say, this was exciting.  After a few more days of waiting, I found out who my team members would be through this process. 

I am a proud member of The Green Team and my team mates include Stacey from SaySomethingStacey.wordpress.com and Reiza from OffTheSpaceship.blogspot.com.Our total weight loss goal for the challenge is 163 pounds.  Each week, we will all be weighing in on our blogs to track our progress, our successes, our struggles, etc.  I'm a bit late getting started so I missed the weigh-in on the 20th and yesterday.  I had some extra time today so I figured now is a better time than any to get my information up for my readers to see!


In addition to our team (The Green Team), three other teams have joined the challenge:

The Purple Team:Stefany from ToBeThode.com
Toni from MarketMommies.com
Paula from FrostedFingers.com
Goal weight loss as a team: 165

The Red Team:
Colleen from KennedyandZach.blogspot.com
MaryAnn from Momsjournel
Judy from youthfultips
Goal weight loss as a team: undetermined/ 30+

The Blue Team:
Brandy from HappilyBlended.com
Hilary from GladFamily.blogspot.com
Lauren from 4BabyAndMom.com
Goal weight loss as a team: 170

My Story
I have struggled with my weight now for a number of years now.  When I hit my teenager years, my weight was all over the place.  Now that I'm an adult, the fluctuations have stopped and I've unfortunately remained consistently overweight or obese.  A few years back, I reached my top weight of 198 pounds. After that, I knew I had to make a change. Over the next year or so, I came down to 156 pounds. Since that time, I have slowly gained a bit of weight here and there and now I am back up at 173 pounds (as of January 9, 2010).

I would really like to lose the weight once and for all. In addition, I feel that I have even more motivation now since I would like start trying to conceive (TTC) within the next year. In order to have a healthy pregnancy, I would love to be at a healthy weight and get their naturally (eating healthy and exercising). My partner and I have discussed a pregnancy and we both feel that both baby and I would be better off if I started the pregnancy at a healthy BMI. After many discussions, we've decided to start TTC once I've reached my ideal weight -  we've decided that magic number will be 130.

So, not only is this journey to help myself be healthier and to increase my self-esteem, but it is to ensure our future family starts off on the right foot.


My Before Pictures

Below are three pictures of me this past summer (2009).  My weight hasn't really changed since then and I'm hoping these will give me some motivation to take the weight off!


Measurements and Weigh-In


Height: 5 feet 4 inches
My Starting Weight (as of 01/09/2010): 173
My Starting BMI (as of 01/09/2010): 29.7 (on the verge of obesity - very scary!)

My Starting Measurements (as of 01/09/2010):
Chest Measurement - 42 inches
Hip Measurement - 45 inches
Waist Measurement - 38 inches
**I will be updating my measurements once a month during my Wednesday Weigh-Ins.**

My Current Weight (as of 01/28/2010): 170
My Current BMI (as of 01/28/2010): 29.2


My Weight Loss Goals

Goal #1 – Lose 10 pounds by February 18, 2010 (163 lbs)
Goal #2 – Lose 21 pounds by March 30, 2010 (152 lbs)
Goal #3 – Lose 31 pounds by May 12, 2010 (142 lbs)
Goal #4 – Lose 43 pounds by June 30, 2010 (130 lbs)


My Weight Loss Plan
- Eat a healthy balanced diet while reducing portion sizes, increasing my intake of fruits, vegetables, and whole wheats, and reducing my overall fat intake.- Exercising five (5) times each week for a minimum of 25 minutes.
- I will be using a number of methods of exercise including the elliptical trainer, the Wii, the treadmill, hand weights, etc.


I'd love to hear from all my readers throughout my journey.  I'd love to hear your experiences with weight loss, exercise, healthy eating, and changing habits.  I'd also love to know who else is trying to lose weight before trying to conceive (TTC)!

If you are trying to lose weight right now, Best of Luck!  If you've already lost your extra weight, Congratulations!  I look forward to sharing my progress with all of you!



Saturday, January 23, 2010

Giveaway List - 1/23

Worldwide Entries Accepted
Simply Stacie is giving away 2 silver necklaces from MyNameNecklace.com. - Ends January 24th

Simply Stacie is giving away an apron of your choice from Flirty Aprons. - Ends January 28th

Contest Corner is giving away a F.A.T.F.R.O.G Inspirational Bracelet. - Ends January 31st

20 to Life - the chosen sentence when you become a Mom is giving away an original canvas piece from swiss artist, Krishala Burchill (your choice of 1 of 2 paintings). - Ends February 26th


Canada only
Glimpse is giving away a $20 GC to Friendly Fish! - Ends January 28th

CanContests.com is giving away a $50 iTunes GC to 4 winners! - Ends February 28th @ 10 a.m. EST


Canada and US only
Mom Focus is giving away a Mrs.Smith’s Diaper Bag of your choice. - Ends January 25th

Glimpse is giving away a DIY Lip Balm Kit! - Ends January 25th

Glimpse is giving away a $25 GC to The Cotton Cupcake Shoppe! - Ends January 26th


Melinda Joy is giving away a $25 GC to Mccromick & Schmick. - Ends January 28th

A Blog of Goodies is giving away a $100 Gift Card to either Walmart or Amazon.com. - Ends January 28th

Simply Stacie is giving away a copy of Black Hills by Dan Simmons. - Ends January 29th

Simply Stacie is giving away a copy of Drood by Dan Simmons. - Ends January 29th

Simply Stacie is giving away Late July Organic Snacks Giftbox. - Ends January 29th

Simply Stacie is giving away a Ban t-shirt of your choice. - Ends January 29th

Simply Stacie is giving away a Variety Pack of Cereal from Nature's Hand. - Ends January 30th

Tot-to-go Design Inc. is giving away a $50 Gift Certificate plus 5 secondary prizes of $15. - Ends January 31st @ 8:59 p.m. PST

Smart and Trendy Moms is giving away The Carry Her Combo - a cute doll carrier for 16-18" dolls. - Ends January 31st @ 11:59 p.m. MST

Canadianfreestuff is giving away 1 Gift Basket filled with Planet Forward products (ARV $75). - Ends February 22nd



US only
Rockin' Mama is giving away Fresh Organics Bubble Bath and Baby Shampoo. - Ends January 24th @ 10 p.m. PST

Mom Start is giving away a Mastermind Board Game. - Ends January 25th

Mom Start is giving away a $75.00 Meat Sampler Pack. - Ends January 25th

Mom Start is giving away a $10.00 Pizza Hut Gift Card. - Ends January 25th

Mom Start is giving away 2 FPCs (Free Product Coupons) for Natures Peak. - Ends January 25th

Simply Being Mommy is giving away a copy of Kip Kreiling’s, The Imposter Book. - Ends January 25th

Simply Being Mommy is giving away a Kodak D830 Digital Frame. - Ends January 27th

Rockin' Mama is giving away a Kid's Warmables Set. - Ends January 28th @ 10 p.m. PST

Praying For Parker is giving away an Alphabet Stampers and Over Sized Stamp Pads from Discount School Supply. - Ends January 29th

HandmadeMN is giving away a Set of Personalized Tile Coasters from Angel Ellie. - Ends January 30th

Today is my Someday is giving away a Juno Baby DVD - Juno's Rhythm Adventure. - Ends January 31st @ 7 p.m. CST

Mom Start is giving away a $50.00 American Express Gift Card. - Ends February 1st

Your Money Mama is giving away a MasterMind Board Game Classic Edition. - Ends February 5th @ midnight PST

Joy Of Desserts is giving away a copy of Corked: a memoir by Kathryn Borel to 5 lucky winners. - Ends February 15th


Unknown
Simply faBOWlous is giving away a Mix -n- Match Headband & Hair Clip! - Ends January 29th

Moms Blogs 4 U is giving away 2 prizes from Tassimo. - Ends February 6th


We Blog Conference is giving away a FREE CONFERENCE Ticket to the event including 2 nights! - Ends March 14th


Friday, January 22, 2010

Winners!

I have lots of winners to announce today!  Congratulations to the following:

Jessica (comment #26) who won the UPrinting.com Giveaway!
Heidi P (comment #2) who won the Baby Essentials Guide Giveaway!
mom2anutball (comment #100) who won the SlimPerfect Giveaway!
heaventrees (comment #281) who won the Avery Gift Basket Giveaway!
momtoem (comment #76) who won the Daddy Diaper Changing Toolbox Giveaway!

Once again, congratulations to all the winners!  Please keep an eye on your email inbox because I will be sending winner announcements shortly.  In order to receive your prize, please note that you must respond to my email within 48 hours.

For those who didn't win, best of luck next time!  I will be adding a number of reviews and giveaways over the next few months that you are sure to love!

Thank you to all my readers who took the time to enter!

Happy Friday!


Thursday, January 14, 2010

My 1st UPrinting.com Giveaway!

Recently I joined a new blogger program called the UPrinting Blog Sponsorship Program.  This program gives me the opportunity to tell of you all about UPrinting's products and services and offer a number of items as giveaway prizes! 

UPrinting's motto is 'Spread Your Message' and this is exactly what UPrinting allows you to do.  UPrinting provides you with a number of products that are completely customizable, including Business Cards, Labels/Stickers, Posters, Postcards, etc.  For each product, you have the choice of using UPrinting's designs or adding one of your own!  You can easily create your own design by using one of the templates offered by UPrinting.  These templates make it simple to create a design that reflects your style 100%.  Plus, you can use these templates with a number of programs (e.g. Adobe Photoshop, Corel Draw, Microsoft Publisher, etc.).  Not familiar with design programs but you still want a one of a kind (OOAK) design?  A number of Etsy shops sell premade OOAK and custom designs for business cards and more!  If this is something that would interest you, you may want to check out my Etsy shop - EUC Designs.  Additionally, UPrinting shows just how user friendly they are by offering FREE samples of a number of their printing papers.  This allows you to pre-order samples so that you can ensure that your custom product arrives just as you imagined it!

Finally, as you look through UPrinting's website, you will notice that their prices are very competitive compared to other online printing businesses.  For example, you can get 250 business cards for only $20 + shipping (dependent on options chosen).  Or, buy 100 custom Birth, Wedding, or Event announcement postcards for only $33.60 + shipping (dependent on options chosen).

UPrinting.com is an accredited member of the Better Business Bureau and Inc. 500 | 5000.

Now for the fun part - the giveaway!


What can you win? One winner will receive a package of 250 business cards from UPrinting.com.  The business cards in this package are completely customizable to your preferences and you can choose from the following options:

Size: 2 x 3.5”, 2 x 3”, 2 x 2” (square card) or 1.5 x 3.5” (skinny card)
Paper:  14 pt gloss cardstock, 14 pt matte cardstock or 13 pt recycled uncoated cardstock

*NOTE* - the winner is responsible for the cost of shipping.


How to enter: Tell me how you'd use the business cards if you won, or what you'd put on themThis question must be answered to gain an entry in the giveaway.

Each of the following will give you one extra entry in the giveaway (unless otherwise noted). Please make sure to leave a separate comment for each thing you do. If a certain entry method is worth more than one entry, which will be indicated for methods worth more than one entry, please leave a comment to reflect each entry:
-Tell me the name of another product you'd like to try from UPrinting.com.

- Subscribing to my blog via email or RSS feed (Maximum of 1 entry - please tell me how you subscribe in your comment).
- Adding my button to your blog sidebar.  - IMPORTANT - If you've added it before, please add it again with the new code.  The button must point to http://www.everythingupclose.com for it to be counted as a valid entry.
- Following me on Twitter (@ihchicky) and Tweeting about this giveaway (with a link to this page). Please leave a link to your tweet or your twitter name. You can do this once a day.
- Following me on Blogger / Google Friends Connect (publicly).
- Entering one of my other giveaways.  Please indicate the name of the other giveaway you entered.
- Blogging about this giveaway on your blog. Please leave a link to your blog post in your comment.
- Writing about and linking to this giveaway in any public forum or on Facebook. If you do this, please leave your user-name and a link to the post.
-Donate a minimum of $1 to my BlogHer 2010 Fund using the ChipIn widget on the right hand side of my blog. Earn 2 entries for each dollar you donate! Please leave me your PayPal email address so I can verify your entry.
Important Entry Details:
The above entries (main and bonus) can only be submitted once per person (except for the tweet entry, which can be done daily). Please do not use more than one blogger account or add additional anonymous comments to gain extra entries. This is not fair to everyone else and this practice is strictly prohibited. If a person is found to be using more than one account to enter the same giveaway, they will be disqualified from that particular giveaway, as well as all future giveaways.
This giveaway will end on Monday, January 18th at 11:59pm (Central Standard Time). After the giveaway has ended, the winner will be picked randomly using random.org. EMAIL RULES: In order to win, you must provide a valid email. I will be notifying the winner by email only. Please make sure your blog profile includes your email address and make sure that it is visible. If you do not have a blogger account, please make sure you have included your email address in your post. If there is no email address provided, to contact the winner, another person will be chosen. The winner will have 48 hours to respond to the winning email notification with their complete mailing address (I will be forwarding all this information to the sponsor), If this information is not received within 48 hours, a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is open to residents of the US only!  The winner will be responsible for the cost of shipping.



Good Luck!


*Disclaimer* As part of the UPrinting.com Blog Sponsorship Program, I will be receiving 1 free package of 250 business cards as a thank you for posting the giveaway and sharing information about UPrinting's products and services.  This review is 100% of my own feedback and I did not receive any other sort of compensation for my opinion.