DAS Foods Review & Giveaway!

CEO and Founder of DAS Foods, Katie Das, started her company with the vision of sharing foods containing gourmet salts found all around the world with other people.  DAS Foods started by selling Gourmet Finishing Salts but quickly introduced it's line of artisan caramels (Fleur des Sel Caramels) after being invited to the World of Chocolate philanthropic event organized by the AIDS Foundation of Chicago back in November, 2006.  The line of caramels started with 4 flavors and since then an additional 4 flavors have been added to the pack.  In addition to finishing salts and caramels, DAS Foods now creates and sells Lolipops, gift packages and packages specifically for weddings and other special events.

Prior to starting DAS Foods, Katie Das gathered a variety of experience by working as a food scientist in the Kraft Foods Research and Development division for 5 years, and as a marketing manager for Wm. Wrigley Jr Company.

One thing that impressed me about this company was their strong beliefs and values.  DAS Foods donates 10% of their profits to the AIDS foundation of Chicago.  Here is what Katie had to say on the DAS Foods Philanthropy page: 

“I grew up in an environment where universal values, such as helping those in need, collecting intellectual wealth and nurturing love within the family were most important. We do our best to live by these values and project them onto our company as well."

"Whether it is helping low income women to become self sufficient, funding efforts to fight AIDS in the US and abroad, or helping to develop sustainable local agriculture – we’re helping people who are in need.  We’re a small company but we too can make the difference. There is so much still for us to do, and we will get there- step by step.”

If you'd like to read more about how DAS Foods came to be and their values, be sure to check out their About Us Page.

As you browse through DAS foods' website, you will notice a page filled with recipes that use DAS foods products: Recipes.  Since Halloween is quickly approaching, I figured I would include one of their fun recipes with my post for all of you looking for treats to make for the upcoming weekend!

Review
Katie was kind enough to send me some DAS Foods' products to review on Everything Up Close.  In my review package, I received a variety of Fleur des Sel Caramels and Lollipops.  When I opened my review package, I noticed the cute little packages that contain the caramels.  Instead of being in a plastic bag like many candies, these caramels come in a paper box, which is completely recyclable.  I also found out that DAS foods tries to use as many local ingredients as possible when making their caramels.  They all use 100% Natural ingredients - that means no preservatives or artificial flavors.  I love the fact that DAS foods is doing something to reduce the effect they have on the environment.  As for the actual caramels, I immediately noticed the unique flavors that DAS foods offers.  Their caramels come in 8 different flavors that I doubt I would be able to find in any brand of caramels.  My favorite caramel was the Chili Pecan caramel.  Here is what the DAS website had to say about it: "Our newest creation will leave you breathless: literally!  Smoky, spicy chili pepper, fresh pecans from small farm in Texas all wrapped in indulgent all natural caramel base.  Our new Chili Pecan caramel is innocently sweet and at first, and then just as you thought you really tasted it all, three pepper spice will hit you all over.  The tantalizing spice will linger long after the caramel has disappeared reminding you of how delicious it really was."  I love this flavor caramel because the it is unexpected and unique.  This caramel starts off sweet and has an after spice. I can honestly say that I've never tried a caramel like this.  My boyfriend also had an opportunity to try out these caramels.  His taste was a bit more conservative and he chose the Dark Chocolate – Toasted Walnut Caramelas his favorite.

Next I had a chance to try DAS foods' lollipops.  Like all of DAS Foods' products, these lollipops are all natural, plus they do not contain corn syrup.  After looking at their interesting names, I wasn't quite sure what to expect.  For this taste test, my opinion was a bit different than my boyfriend's taste.  In terms of favorites, I went for the more ordinary flavours, whereas my boyfriend was more than willing to consume the Maple Bacon lollipops (yes you heard me right...maple bacon).  I tried them and they weren't bad but I guess I just couldn't get past the bacon name.  Although, these lollipops are fun and a great conversation piece.  They are perfect for leaving in your coffee table's candy bowl or including with gifts or cards.

Overall, I was happy with both the values and the products supplied by DAS foods.  I especially liked their caramels and would purchase them in the future.  Also, I will certainly give them credit to bringing a number of innovative product flavors into the market place!  If you are looking for stocking-stuffers for Christmas, DAS Foods caramels are a great choice because of the perfect size of the box they come in and their unique flavors!

How many winners will there be? Two (2).

What can you win?  Each winner will win an assortment box of caramels (shown in the picture to the left) from DAS Foods.  ARV $20.99USD.

To enter, Look through DAS Foods' website, then come back here and tell me the name of one other product you'd like to try, other than the products mentioned in my article. 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. Please make sure to leave a separate comment for each thing you do:
-Writing a haiku about salted caramels.
-Following DAS Foods on Twitter (@dascandy).

-Friending DAS Foods on Facebook.  Please leave your name that is shown on Facebook for verification.

-Telling me the name of one retail store than sells DAS Foods' products.  Click here to find out.

- 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.
- 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.
-Donate a minimum of $1 to my BlogHer 2010 Fund using the ChipIn widget on the right hand side of my blog. 3 ENTRIES! 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, November 9th 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 the Continental US only (no Hawaii or Alaska)!

Good Luck!

A Halloween Full of Giveaways!

Halloween is getting close.  Only 4 more sleeps!  To celebrate the fun and festivities, I am posting a Mr. Linky for all giveaways that end on Halloween (Saturday, October 31)!  Please only include your giveaway link if your giveaway closes sometime throughout the day on October 31.

May you win more treats than tricks!  Good Luck & Happy Halloween! :)

To make your giveaway easy for everyone to enter, please type it in the following format:

Blog Name - Prize - US/Canada/Worldwide/Etc.
Example,  Everything Up Close - A limited edition Tropical Howie Laptop Sleeve - Worldwide

Please note, any giveaways that are posted and are not family friendly or do not end on October 31 will be removed from the list.

^^Please click on the Mister Linky logo above to add your giveaway and to see a list of giveaways that other bloggers are hosting.

Tropical Howie Review & Giveaway!

Have you ever heard of a limited edition laptop sleeve?  Either had I until I came across an unique Australian-based company called Tropical Howie.  Tropical Howie makes stylish, practical and custom designed laptop sleeves that are limited to 750 pieces, which are divided into 3 categories: 13", 15", & 17" sleeves.  Once all 750 sleeves have been sold, the design will be discontinued and a new design will take it's place.  Tropical Howie doesn't believe in mass producing it's products.  They want you to be able to confidently carry your laptop in style without having to walk down the street and worry about seeing numerous cases that are the exact same as yours (this happens to me all the time with my *brand name* laptop backpack). 

Review
Tropical Howie sent me one of their Tropical Howie WALLPAPER sleeves to review.  When I first received it, two aspects caught my eye: the lovely design and the interesting material used to make it.  I can definitely say that this sleeve is unlike any of my other laptop carriers/protectors I own.  According to their website, each Tropical Howie laptop sleeve "is made from high quality 5mm neoprene [and] finished with our unique ‘L’ zip for speedy pack up."  Because the sleeve is made with neoprene it is stretchy and spongy, which makes it feel like it has an extra layer of protection.  In addition, the L zipper design featured in this sleeve is great!  Not only is it a large and durable zipper but the style makes it easy and quick to store away and take out your laptop.  One thing that surprised me about this case was the story enmeshed in the design (the inside of the case) that tells how the name WALLPAPER came to be.  I think this is a unique feature of the Tropical Howie brand that just adds to the appeal.  It definitely makes the sleeve feel more customized.  Although these cases are marketed for Macs, they can easily be used for other brands.  I have a 15.4" Dell laptop and it fit just fine. If you are thinking about purchasing a Tropical Howie laptop sleeve, you'll want to look at their sizing guide to make sure your laptop will fit.   

All-in-all, I really like my new Tropical Howie laptop sleeve.  With my new Tropical Howie WALLPAPER sleeve, I can be sure that the likelihood of someone else having the same case is me is extremely rare...and I love that!  Although there isn't anything that I would change, I would like to make one suggestion: although not necessary, the additional of an inside pouch would be nice.  I'd like to have a dedicated space for a CD, a pencil, etc.

Each Tropical Howie laptop sleeve sells for $69.95 AUD, which is currently equivalent to approximately $65 USD.  Why not treat yourself or someone else this upcoming holiday season?

How many winners will there be? Two.

What can you win? Each winner will receive a Tropical Howie laptop sleeve in their choice of style and size.

To enter, go look through Tropical Howie's product page, then come back here and leave a comment telling me what style (must be the same name listed on the website) and size you'd choose if you won. 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. Please make sure to leave a separate comment for each thing you do:
-Subscribing to Tropical Howie's mailing list (the bottom left hand corner of their webpage).  Please leave me a comment stating you did so, along with the email address you used.
- Subscribing to my blog via email or RSS (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.
-Donate a minimum of $1 to my BlogHer 2010 Fund using the ChipIn widget on the right hand side of my blog. 3 ENTRIES! 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 Saturday, October 31st 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 everyone Worldwide!

Good Luck!

 

Kids Konserve SALE!

In anticipation of Halloween, one of my previous sponsors: Kids Konserve, is offering a coupon code valid on all orders.  Save 15% off your order when you quote the coupon code halloween.  This coupon code is valid until October 31, 2009.

While at the Kids Konserve website, check out their 16 oz. Stainless Steel Bottle (Squiggle bottle), which is now selling for 62% off (please read description fully re: minor manufacture defect)!

Finally, read about some great Halloween tips in 2 of Kids Konserve's latest blog posts!

Pulse Yoga Giveaway!

Lately it seems like there have been tons of new and interesting fitness programs popping up everywhere.  You may have heard of some like Zumba, Cardio Salsa, NIA, Pole dancing, Hoopilates, Jukari Fit to Fly, and the list continues...  These exercise programs seems to have a couple of things in common: each incorporates fun with fitness!  In addition to these programs, I recently heard about another interesting fitness that offers these same aspects; a program called Pulse Yoga.

Argie Ligeros Tang, Founder of Pulse Yoga, talks a bit more about the concept of Pulse Yoga and how it came to be:
"As a woman in my 50's, I also wanted more toning, strengthening and increased muscle definition, again without using machines in the gym. So, in addition to the free weights, I added micro movements that primarily target areas such as the gluteus muscles, abdominals, upper arms and lower back. These micro movements within the yoga postures are highly effective with results that are noticeable immediately." (This information can also be located on Pulse Yoga's website).

Pulse Yoga currently offers 4 different DVDs and one book all ranging between $9.99 and $14.99.  All of these products can be purchased on the Pulse Yoga website.

What can you win? One winner will receive a copy of the DVD: Pulse Yoga 1 Basic.

To enter, Tell me the name of one other Yoga Pulse product you'd love to own (other than the DVD that is being given away). 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. Please make sure to leave a separate comment for each thing you do:
-Tell me one thing you learned about 'Pulse in Person' PLUS tell me one place you could find one of the workshops.
-Read through Pulse Yoga's blog and tell me the name of your favorite article.
- Subscribing to my blog via email or RSS (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 3 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.
-Donate a minimum of $1 to my BlogHer 2010 Fund using the ChipIn widget on the right hand side of my blog. 3 ENTRIES! 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, October 26th 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 Canada and the US only.

Good Luck!

*Note: I have not been sent a copy of this DVD to review.  The information included in this article is purely objective and based on information found on the giveaway sponsor's website.

indiDenim Giveaway Announcement!

I just received an email from indiDenim about a great new promotion they have going on and I thought many of you would be interested.  Right now, indiDenim is holding a contest that will give you the opportunity to win a CUSTOM pair of jeans.  This is a great opportunity for anyone who has a hard time finding jeans that fit or for anyone who wants something made especially for them!  According to the Rules & Regulations, this contest is open to U.S. residents only (excluding Puerto Rico) and it ends on October 31st @ 11:59 p.m. PST.

Click HERE to enter!

Winner Announcement!

After a long weekend, I am back to the regular routine. It was a nice break and I hope everyone enjoyed the extra day off to spend time with family and friends.

I am happy to announce the winners of my most recent giveaways:

-The winner of the Style Solutions giveaway is Rajee (comment #170). Please email me; your email address is not visible on your profile.
-The winner of the Zinney Lou Totes giveaway is Pam (comment #295). Please email me; your email address is not visible on your profile.
-The winner of the Shoo-foo Bamboo giveaway is kngmckellar (comment #444).
-The winners of the FoldTuk giveaway is js22 (comment #413) and Confessions of an Overworked Mom (comment #196).
-The winners of the Magic Spicer giveaway is Smooshy (comment #209). Please email me; your email address is not visible on your profile.
-The winners of the BonitaJ giveaway is Ardy22 (comment #295 - you've won the set) and 409cope (comment #62 - you've won the earrings).


Thank you to everyone for taking the time to enter! Don’t forget to enter the Mary Alison Handbags giveaway for your chance to win a custom handbag (Ends Oct. 16 @ 11:59pm CST)! Also, as usually, remember to check back every week for more exciting reviews & giveaways!

Canadian Thanksgiving Sales!

Happy Thanksgiving to all my Canadian readers!  Many of you are likely spending time with friends and family and I'm sure at least a few of you are on the lookout for great Thanksgiving Day/Weekend specials.  Below is a list of the ones that I've come across.  If you know of another that I haven't listed, please leave a comment with the information so that everyone can save even more!

Automotive
AutoPartsWay.ca - 10% off and FREE SHIPPING on orders over $75 (Use coupon code THANKS1009) - Ends Oct. 12/09 @ 11:59pm EST

Clothing/Accessories for Adults
Suzy Shier - 20% off everything online and in-store - Ends Oct. 12/09
Suzy Shier - Take an additional 50% off all items ending in .98 - No end date provided
Tabi - 40% off any sweater in-store - Ends Oct. 12/09
Sterling - 30% off selected boot styles - No end date provided
Forever21 - FREE SHIPPING on all orders + a gift card giveaway (Use coupon code: FREESHIPCAN) - Starts Oct. 12/09 & Ends Oct. 14/09
Luello - 15% off all orders over $100 USD (Use coupon code: TURKEY) - Ends Oct. 12/09 @ 11:59pm EST

Clothing/Accessories for Children
Krickets - 30% off everything online - Ends Oct. 12/09

Computers/Electronics
Canada Computers - Daily door-crasher specials - Ends Oct. 12/09

Newegg.ca - A list of specific items on sale - Thanksgiving Day only
NCIX - A list of specific items on sale - Ends Oct. 13/09
Dell - A list of specific items on sale - Ends Oct. 13/09 @ 6am EST
Anitec - A list of specific items on sale - Ends Oct. 15/09

Department Stores
The Bay - 10% off your purchase when you use your HBC card in store - Ends Oct. 12/09

Etsy
Nerd Girls Unlimited - 10% off your first order (Use coupon code: Canada, in the 'Notes to Seller' field) - No end date provided
Jacaranda Designs - FREE SHIPPING on orders over $25 (State in the 'Notes to Seller' section during checkout that you found out about the offer in the forums) - No end date provided
Heavens Earth - Buy 1 Get 1 FREE offer on Prints (State in the 'Notes to Seller' section during checkout which print you'd like) - No end date provided
Heavens Earth - 15% off your order, excluding shipping (Use coupon code: Thanks, in the 'Notes to Seller' field and wait for an updated invoice) - No end date provided
EUC Designs - 15% off everything in stock, including custom designs (Use coupon code: Thanksgiving, in the 'Notes to Seller' field and wait for an updated invoice) - Ends Oct. 31/09
Suzies Cards - Buy 1 Get 1 FREE card sale (Email the shop owner with your choice of card of equal or lesser value) - Ends Oct. 11/09
Sweet Jewelry by SW - FREE SHIPPING on everything in store - Ends Oct.12/09
Jewelz Creative - Buy 1 Get 1 FREE - No end date provided
Restless Traveler - 15% off everything in store - Ends Oct. 13/09
Restless Traveler - FREE pair of earrings with a purchase of $20 or more prior to discount (Use coupon code: JAVA, in the 'Notes to Seller' field) - Ends Oct. 13/09


Stationary & Gifts
Paper Pretties Boutique - 20% off Thanksgiving, Halloween and Christmas Sets - Ends Oct. 12/09

Travel
CheapOStay.com - $20 off any hotel stay of $161 or more (Use coupon code THANKS20) - Ends Nov. 30/09

Have a Happy and Safe Thanksgiving Weekend!

A creative giveaway on Healthy Moms!

Christmas is just over two months away and I am sure many of you have seen Christmas themed reviews, giveaways and articles popping up all around the blogosphere. Healthy Moms is getting ready for their 2nd annual 12 days of Christmas Giveaway on December 1 - 12 by having a fun, creative giveaway. This one is for all you graphic designers out there! Healthy Moms is looking for designers to develop a button for their event and they are making it into a special giveaway. The person who has the top rated button (rated by Healthy Moms readers) will with a $25 gift card for Target (to help with all the Christmas shopping) and they will have their button displayed all over the web during, after and leading up to the giveaway.

If you are interested in entering your design, email Cascia (Editor of Healthy Moms) at talbertcascia@yahoo.com with a copy of your design by October 15, 2009.

Mary Alison Handbags Review & Giveaway!

What girl doesn't love to accessorize? I recently came across a shop called Mary Alison Handbags on Etsy that offers a wide range of bags to help you do just that...accessorize! Mary Alison Handbags offers diaper bags/totes, clutches/handheld bags, small & sassy bags, chic shoulder bags, and slouch hobo bags. Besides Alison's premade bags, you can also request custom orders. To do this, find a bag style you like in Alison's shop, then take a look through all the fabrics she has available here. Send her a message with your choice of bag style and fabric and approximately 2-3 weeks later your custom bag will be ready for you to enjoy!

Alison enjoys spreading the word about her bags by offering purse parties in the Milwaukee area. Hosting a purse party is a great way to spend time with friends and earn a FREE Mary Alison Handbag (please contact Alison for more details).

Here is a bit more information about Alison and how she got started making handbags (This information is a direct quote and can also be located in her profile):

"I am Alison Wolf the designer and creator of these awesome bags. I am a stay at home mom with a love for creativity and fashion. What started as Christmas presents for my family and friends has escalated into my own business! My husband was the one who first encouraged me to sell them, even though I thought he was just being nice. :) I toyed with the idea for a while but it wasn't until I was home with my daughter full time that I really started pursuing selling my bags. Since I suddenly had more "time" being at home to sew, I thought I would give it a shot. My first craft fair was overwhelmingly successful which then turned into special orders, purse parties and now my own Etsy shop."

Review
Alison offered to send me one of her handbags to review. The one I received is very much like 'The Assemble' - brown multi' that is currently listed in her shop. The only difference is that mine had round metal handles instead of rope handles and mine doesn't have a magnetic closure.

Here's what Mary Alison Handbags had to say about this bag, "Add some pizzaz to your wardrobe with this funky handbag. Fun dark brown cotton material with colorful circle pattern. Large enough to fit just about everything. Fits comfortably under the arm." This bag includes 2 metal loop handles, 2 inside pockets, interfacing (which provides increased durability), and scotch guarding (to extend the life of your bag). This bag measures 19 inches long, 14 inches tall, and 4 inches wide.

Now onto what I thought about the bag. My first impression was that I loved the funky design. I usually go with solid color bags and purses so this was a nice, exciting change! Plus, the style was different than I am used to so I was looking forward to trying it out. While testing out this bag, I had numerous people comment positively on it and ask me where I got it.

Another thing I loved about this bag was the material. The material used to make this bag is very thick and durable, which makes me believe that this bag will last a very long time. Another benefit is that the material has been scotch guarded. Since I usually have to place my purse on the ground, this will make sure that my bag stays spot and stain free.

In addition, I really liked the overall size of this bag. I could easily fit everything I needed in it for my day. I also enjoyed the 2 inside pockets because they helped me to organize my 'stuff' a bit better. Because I love pockets, I'd like to see this purse with an extra pocket on the opposite side for future designs. This isn't needed but it would be a bonus!

Although I really like the style of the metal loop handles, it was a bit uncomfortable to carry over my shoulder. I think a thicker or flatter handle might eliminate that issue in the future. Because of that, I usually carried the bag in my hand, which worked well. Not having any type of closure for the bag was a bit difficult at times because I worry about losing things and I don't like people seeing what I have in my bag. I figure that a woman's bag is her personal place! After reading and looking through Alison's new bag, 'The Assemble', I think she addressed both of these issues; 'The Assemble' bag has a magnetic closure and a different type of handle. Finally, I looked through her entire store and I didn't see any bags with a metal handle, so this leads me to believe she strayed away from using them.

Overall, I really do like the bag. I like that it is fun, funky, durable and full of space! Would I buy a purse from Mary Alison Handbags in the future? Yes. I really like her styles because they are unique and I know her products are made with pride. I would be happy to have another Mary Alison Handbag in my closet!


What can you win? One winner will have the opportunity to design their own handbag! The winner of this giveaway will receive a Tendu handbag in their choice of fabric.


To enter,Visit the Mary Alison Handbags shop and look around. Then come back here and tell me the name of your favorite bag. 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. Please make sure to leave a separate comment for each thing you do:
- Telling me the name of the fabric that you'd choose for your Tendu bag if you won. Pictures of all the fabrics available can be found here.
- Subscribing to my blog via email or RSS (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.

Enter to win a custom handbag from Mary Alison Handbags http://bit.ly/2mYqJC #giveaway

- Blogging about this giveaway on your blog. Please leave a link to your blog post in your comment. 3 ENTRIES! Please leave 3 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. 3 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 Friday, October 16th 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.

Good Luck!

Would you like to purchase something from Mary Alison Handbags for yourself or as a gift? Receive FREE SHIPPING when you tell Alison in the notes to seller section during checkout that you heard about the offer from 'Everything Up Close'. Note: The shipping fee will be refunded via PayPal.

SlimPerfect SALE on now!

SlimPerfect is working on their new 2010 line. That means they are working to clear out the remainder of their 2009 stock. For you, this equals big savings! To get rid of the remaining product, SlimPerfect has decided to sell their items at the same price they pay! You can get SlimDresses starting at $18, Tankinis starting at $15, and Bikini Tops starting at $10. With those kind of savings, you'll just have to check out their website to see what other deals you can find! To avoid missing out, visit SlimPerfect today!

Slim Perfect told me about a new promotion they are offering on Twitter:
"As of this evening (September 30, 2009) we are starting a contest on Twitter to win a $50 E-Gift Certficate to the 500th person to tweet "500th Tweet Wins $50 E-Gift Cert to www.slimperfect.com. Oct. overstock sale up to 83% off. Pls RT" Our Twitter contests usually are won in 24 to 72 hours, so be sure to tweet soon! You can follow us at @SlimPerfect." While visiting Twitter, follow me (@ihchicky) for regular updates of reviews, giveaways and sales!

If you'd like to read a review before you buy, check out my previous review that I did on a number of SlimPerfect products. Plus, keep your eyes peeled because I will be posting another review on their products in the coming weeks!

GamiWorks Review & Giveaway!

GamiWorks is a wonderful Etsy store that specializes in selling Chiyogami gifts & accessories. GamiWorks has a wide range of items ranging from jewelry (glass pendants, chokers, etc.) to things for your home (nightlights, magnets, etc.).

Erin, the owner of Gamiworks (a.k.a. the gamigirl) told me a bit about herself and her store. She said, “I've been obsessed with these Japanese chiyogami papers for years and finally started to make little gifts for friends and family using them. My now ex-boss said I should try selling some of my little pendants and magnets online and that's when I discovered the amazing ETSY website for artists. Three months after setting up GamiWorks shop on ETSY, I became so busy that I then had to give my notice to that same boss. Since then, I've been living my dream of doing only work that I love and ever so flattered that others love the work that I do. What a wonderful world.

GamiWorks is a contemporary collection of Japanese chiyogami inspired gifts and accessories. I use simple and feminine lines to highlight the endless array of colors and graphic patterns of these brilliant age-old papers.”

Review
Erin from GamiWorks sent me two things to review: a Mini Tile Pendant and a set of three Glass Geisha Gem Magnets.

The Mini Tile Pendant that I received was in the flying rice pattern (shown to the right). When I received it, I was very impressed with the quality of it. Each “glass tile measures 7/8" square x 1/4" thick.” It looks just as I suspected it would from the picture provided on the website! I love the weight of the pendant (it is not heavy but not super light either). By the weight, you can tell that it is good quality and will last a long time. The pendant also came with a nice ball chain that was packaged with tissue paper inside a beautiful matching flying rice chiyogami tin. I think this tin definitely makes her pendants ideal for gift giving.

I had only one concern about this pendant: it’s ability to be water resistance. She states in her listings that, “This piece is sealed to be water, oil and stain resistant, but may not be water-proof.” I can tell on the back of the pendant that it has a light water resistant coating but it doesn’t feel like quite enough to really protect it. I would worry about getting it wet at all. However, even though I had this one concern, it does not stop me from wearing this pendant. It has easily become one of my favorites (I have worn it almost every day this week and last week). The style of this pendant makes it easy to wear either casually or for a more formal occasion.

I also received a set of three customized Glass Geisha Gem Magnets (picture shown to the left – different pattern than the ones I received since I received a custom pattern). First of all, I was so happy to receive them. I honestly have not seen magnets as beautiful as these ones before. The “3 jumbo sized gems [magnets] are made of molded glass and measure 1 1/2" in diameter” and each magnet is ¾” deep. After using these magnets for a while, I realized the wonderful quality of them. I think the size and the thickness of the glass is perfect. One great feature of this magnet is the type of magnet that she uses. The magnet that she uses is an actual stone type magnet (instead of the thin plastic magnets that many places use), which proves to be quite strong. It is strong enough to hold up a wide variety of items on my fridge. I love that the magnets add a little bit of class to a previously boring fridge. These magnets are very reasonably priced and would make an excellent little present or stocking stuffer.

Overall, I was very impressed with the quality of items that I received from GamiWorks. I think her items are very unique and I love the large variety of patterns that she offers for her items. GamiWorks will definitely remain one of my Etsy Favorites!

What can you win? The winner of this giveaway will receive the Wonderland - mini glass tile chiyogami pendant & necklace (shown below) from GamiWorks! The winner will receive their choice of a 16” or an 18” cable choker to go with the pendant!


To enter, go to GamiWorks and tell me the specific name of one item you would love to own. (IMPORTANT: Please do not just say, something like Japanese chiyogami pendant necklace, etc. This is not specific. Erin has almost 100 of these in her store and they make up a majority of the items that she sells. You must choose a specific pattern and state the exact name of an item that you like. If you don't, this really isn't very helpful to the owner of GamiWorks and will not count as an entry. If you'd like, you can even include the http:// link to the product. Thank you.)

Earn up to 4 extra entries by:
-Subscribing to my blog. Do not forget to activate your subscription.
-Adding my button to your blog sidebar.
-Following me on Twitter (ihchicky). Please make sure to leave your Twitter name in your comment.
-Blogging about this giveaway on your blog. Please make sure to leave a link to your blog post in your entry.

For each of the above actions you do, you will receive one extra entry into the giveaway. Please leave an additional comment for EACH thing you have done for an extra entry.

You can have a maximum of 5 entries in this giveaway.

This giveaway will end on Saturday, November 8th 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 anyone Worldwide!

Good Luck!

This giveaway is a last minute addition to the Bloggy Giveaway Carnival. If you’d like to enter more great giveaways please visit: http://www.donttryit.com/bloggy_giveaways/. The Carnival ends on October 31st, 2008.

SPECIAL OFFER!
Can’t wait to see if you win and want to buy something now? GamiWorks is having a limited time special for Etsy members: Buy any 2 pendants of any style and receive a free mini tile pendant of your choice…a total value of $17! All of GamiWorks' pendants come in beautifully packaged coordinating keepsake tin, perfect for holiday gift giving!

How to redeem for your free mini tile pendant: To select your free mini tile pendant when you purchase two pendants, please don't add your free pendant choice to your cart; only check out the ones you are paying for and then just mention your FREE mini tile pendant choice in the "Message To Seller" section upon checkout or send a message directly to Erin.

If you are planning to purchase more than 2, you are in luck. This offer applies when purchasing higher numbers of items as well. For example: Buy 2, get 1 free! Buy 4, get 2 free! Buy 6, get 3 free! Etc.

Halloween Giveaway List - 10/31

Colored with Memories is having a giveaway that everyone will love. Who doesn't love chocolate? One lucky winner will receive a Ghirardelli Intense Dark Chocolate bar! - ?

Where the Kudzu Grows is having a wonderful fall giveaway. One winner will receive a set of Fall Print Potholders. - November 1st

Where the Kudzu Grows is having another giveaway. This time you'll have the chance to win a warm and very beautiful and very snuggly throw! - November 1st

Where the Kudzu Eats is having a giveaway for all you cake makers out there. One winner will receive a nifty Wilton Icing Spatula! - November 1st

An Island Life is giving one of her readers a BusyBodyBook. What is a BusyBodyBook? You'll just have to check out the contest page! - November 2nd

An Island Review is hosting a giveaway for all her readers. You will have a chance to win Kiddo Kards of your own! - November 2nd.

Peanut Butter and Pickle Reviews is giving away a wonderful cupcake courier! US only (too bad for me)! - November 3rd

An Island Review is giving her readers the chance to win a $25 gift certificate to Sugar Sweet Baby. - November 4th

An Island Review is giving away a super cute game: Thomas' Great Race Game. - November 5th

Momma in Flip Flops 2 is having a wonderful giveaway for a $25 gift certificate to Layers Clothing! This means you get to pick whatever your heart desires for your prize! - November 5th

Happy Housewife & Penny Pinching Mom is having a great giveaway that I'd love the chance to win. The winner of this giveaway will receive the Entertainment book of their choice (This book is worth $25-$40 depending on which book you choose)! - November 7th

Momma in Flip Flops 2 is having a giveaway for a $25 gift certificate to Nina and Tom. All you have to do is go to the contest page and tell her what you'd love to have from their site! - November 7th

Cool Crazy Kid Stuff is having a fun giveaway for all of you out there who have some crazy big hair pictures you'd like to share (requirement of the giveaway). If yours is chosen, you will win a Bead Shop Hair Styling Kit. - November 15th

An Island Life is giving us all the chance to get ready for Winter. Yay! :S The winner of this giveaway will receive their choice of Women's Fall/Winter Footwear. - November 21st

Happy Halloween!

Bear Creek Candle Company Review & Giveaway

“Bear Creek Candle Company is a woman owned business in beautiful Evergreen, Colorado. Our workshop is nestled on a peaceful hillside in the Rocky Mountains, where we are serenaded by the sweet voice of Bear Creek murmuring just below. Laura Kalkman founded Bear Creek Candle Company in 2002. Each candle is made with unrefined Rocky Mountain Beeswax, 100% Cotton Wicks and Pure Essential Oils and has no additives of any kind. We are dedicated to offering the finest handcrafted Beeswax Candles available at the best prices possible.” – Laura Kalkman

In addition, Laura told me some interesting facts about beeswax candles. Laura explained that “Beeswax candles are the most natural candles you can find, even more so than soy candles, because there is literally no processing in the creation of the beeswax being used. After the honey is separated from the honeycombs (the beeswax), the wax is melted and filtered to remove bits of plant matter. That is why they are the most natural candles on Earth. They are long burning and they burn clean - they don't emit any toxins like paraffin candles do.”

Review
When I first came across Bear Creek Candle Company, I was very impressed with the wide variety of candles they have to offer. In addition to beeswax candles, they also sell wick trimmers and dippers plus a couple of eco-friendly products they have found and enjoyed throughout the years. The Bear Creek Candle Company online website also offers information about beeswax and tips on how to burn your beeswax candles most effectively. I found the information very useful and found out many things I didn’t know before.

Laura offered to send me a 4-inch aromatherapy pillar in the ‘Mental Clarity’ Aromatherapy Synergy Blend, to allow me to try out her candles for myself. According to the online store, “Each of our new Aromatherapy Synergy Blends are uniquely designed.” Respected Aromatherapist Elizabeth Rea and Chemist Sang Kwon formulate them in Australia. “Together they have combined the best of the Art and Science of Aromatherapy.” The new Aromatherapy Synergy Blend candles come in four different scents:

-Sensuality - Pure Essential Oils of Ylang Ylang, Patchouli, Orange Sweet, Sandalwood, and Jasmine
-Relaxation - Pure Essential Oils of Lavender, Marjoram, Patchouli, Mandarin, Geranium and Chamomile
-Mental Clarity - Pure Essential Oils of Bergamot, Basil, Lemon and Grapefruit
-Energy - Pure Essential Oils of Peppermint, Rosemary, Lemon, and Eucalyptus


When I received the item, it looked just like it did in the picture online. Even though shown in the picture, I was most impressed with the size of the wick used in these candles. The wick is larger than what is found in most candles and creates an absolutely beautiful flame! These candles are supposed to burn for approximately 15 hours per inch. I haven’t had a chance to burn the entire candle (4 inches = 60 hours), but so far, the candle is living up to it’s expected life span.

Overall, I enjoyed the candle; however, I found that the scent was not exactly what I expected. I received the ‘Mental Clarity’ candle, which is supposed to contain “Pure Essential Oils of Bergamot, Basil, Lemon, and Grapefruit”. When I first opened the box that contained the candle, I found that the basil scent was quite overpowering and therefore, I was unable to smell the bergamot, lemon, or grapefruit within the candle. I was hoping that maybe once I started to burn the candle, those scents would come out. However, they did not. Even though the scent was not what I expected it to be, it would not deter me from ordering a candle from Bear Creek Candle Company in the future, since their candles do burn very nicely. If I were able to try a different scent in the future, I would definitely go with the ‘Energy’ scent.

How many winners will there be? The owner of Bear Creek Candle Company is being extremely generous by offering a prize to 3 lucky people!

What can you win? Each winner will receive one 4-inch Aromatherapy Pillar in their choice of Aromatherapy Synergy Blends scent from Bear Creek Candle Company.

To enter, Go to Bear Creek Candle Company and tell me one specific candle that you would love to have. (this step must be completed in order to be entered in the giveaway)

Earn up to 4 extra entries by:
-Subscribing to my blog. Do not forget to activate your subscription.
-Adding my button to your blog sidebar.
-Following me on Twitter (ihchicky). Please make sure to leave your Twitter name in your comment.
-Blogging about this giveaway on your blog. Please make sure to leave a link to your blog post in your entry.

For each of the above actions you do, you will receive one extra entry into the giveaway. Please leave an additional comment for EACH thing you have done for an extra entry.

You can have a maximum of 5 entries in this giveaway.

This giveaway will end on Saturday, November 8th at 11:59pm Tuesday, November 11th at 11:59pm (Central Standard Time). Please note this giveaway has been extended a couple of extra days! 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 United States only.

Good Luck!

This giveaway is a last minute addition to the Bloggy Giveaway Carnival. If you’d like to enter more great giveaways please visit: http://www.donttryit.com/bloggy_giveaways/. The Carnival ends on October 31st, 2008.

Olive Smart Review & Giveaway

Olive Smart was founded by two former professionals that became two full-time moms and entrepreneurs: Kerri and Stephanie. Olive Smart began with a discussion between Kerri and Stephanie about their passion for doing something to help save the earth for our future generations. Kerri and Stephanie decided that reducing and eliminating the use of plastic bags for shopping would be their starting point. Did you know that “up to 1 trillion plastic bags are consumed worldwide each year? That comes out to over 1 million per minute. Billions end up as litter.” When Kerri and Stephanie looked at all the other options of reusable shopping bags out there, none met their standards. They wanted to create bags that were “stylish, washable, durable, lightweight, compact, convenient, easy to remember and most of all, practical: containing enough bags for a full shopping trip.” From this came the simple and stylish Olive Smart Sack.

Review
I was lucky enough to try the Olive Smart Sack (see picture below), which has six huge bags in one cute little sack. The bags and strap size were created to make carrying all six at once an easy task. Also, each bag is strong enough to hold up to 20 pounds. The sack that comes with the Olive Smart Sack is 3.5" in diameter by 9" tall. Each bag found inside the sack measures 21" (height) x 11.5" (width) x 7" (depth).

When I first received the Olive Smart Sack, the super soft material that they use to make these bags (supplex nylon) was the first attribute that impressed me. Also, I was surprised by how small the sack was that contained the bags. When I took out the bags and saw how big they were, I immediately noticed how nicely they were folded. I thought to myself, I sure hope I don’t have to fold them up this nice each time I am finished with them, just to get them back in the bag. Nevertheless, my suspicions were proven wrong. I took out each bag, put all six bags back into the pack, and did not even have to fold them up again.

Now came to testing them out with a shopping trip to my local supermarket. As I went through the checkout, I handed the cashier the Olive Smart Sack and told her that she could use the bags inside to pack my groceries. She looked surprised and told me it was a neat idea (I am sure she had never seen anything like it before). While she was busy packing my groceries, she said that pulling out each bag was like a magic trick because of all the different colors; you never knew which color you would pull out next. I thought that was cute, and true! After my shopping trip, I noticed that I only needed to use four out of the six bags, which came in the Olive Smart Sack. Using the Olive Smart sack was definitely much easier to transport than bringing 4-6 of the local store bought reusable (bulky) bags from home.

I found that these bags were very secure and held the weight that they claim too. I also found them sturdier than many other reusable bags because of the way the straps are constructed. Many times before, I have had the handles break off my shopping bags because they are just sewn in place. This issue is something I know I don’t have to worry about with the Olive Smart Sack because the bag is a solid piece of fabric.

Lastly, I am so glad I found the Olive Smart Sack. They are by far the best reusable shopping bags that I’ve found. They make saving the Earth for our future generations just that much easier!

What can you win? An Olive Smart Half Sack, which contains three big bags in a cute little sack (see picture below).

To enter, please tell me what “green” changes you have made in your life!

Earn up to 4 extra entries by:
-Subscribing to my blog. Don’t forget to activate your subscription.
-Adding my button to your blog sidebar.
-Following me on Twitter (ihchicky). Please make sure to leave your Twitter name in your comment.
-Blogging about this giveaway on your blog. Please make sure to leave a link to your blog post in your entry.

For each of the above actions you do, you will receive one extra entry into the giveaway. Please leave an additional comment for EACH thing you have done for an extra entry.

You can have a maximum of 5 entries in this giveaway.

This giveaway will end on Monday, November 3rd 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 Canada and the United States.

Good Luck!

This is a Bloggy Giveaway Carnival Giveaway. If you’d like to enter more great giveaways please visit: http://www.donttryit.com/bloggy_giveaways/

Carolyn's Kitchen Apron winner!

I am pleased to announce the winner of the Carolyn’s Kitchen Apron giveaway has been chosen using Random.org. The winner of this giveaway will be a beautiful Dorothy Apron in Red. A big congratulations goes out to comment #19 – Millie who said,

“I love the cupcake apron! Thank you for the chance to win such a great prize!”

Thank you to everyone for taking the time to enter! Please remember to check back every week for more exciting reviews & giveaways!

Giveaway List - 10/27

NC Triangle Street Team is hosting a giveaway for Amyzo's Handmade by Amy's Etsy shop. If you win, you will receive your choice of any gift tag set in amyzo’s shop PLUS any set of 90 address labels! Shipping included! That’s a $16 value! - October 28th

Peanut Butter and Pickle Reviews is giving away one great product. The winner of this giveaway will receive a Pouchee Purse Organizer. - October 30th

Sisterly Savings is having a giveaway for Boojiboo. One lucky winner will be chosen to win their very own Retro Apron, your choice! - October 30th

Homemaker Barbi is having a Fall Magazine 10-Pack Giveaway (including Country Home, Bridal Guide, Elle Décor, & More). US only! - October 31st

Yummies 4 Tummies is hosting a great giveaway! The prize, your choice of one $25 Gift Card: MLB.com, Cheesecake Factory, Blockbuster, or Starbucks. - October 31st

Thrifty & Chic Mom is hosting a giveaway for Sweet Valley Candles. They are giving one lucky winner a candle and bottle of lotion in their choice of scent! - October 31st

Beaded Tail is having a great giveaway for all you jewelry lovers out there. One lucky winner will receive a $15 store credit in their BeadedTail shop. - October 31st

Soapy Chica is having a giveaway to promote her Etsy store. The winner of the giveaway will receive one of her vegan glycerine soaps- Strawberries and Cream fragrance. - October 31st

Indie Craft Corner is having a great giveaway for JCJEWELRYDESIGN. The winner will receive a beautiful pair of SWAROVSKI CRYSTAL WHITE PEARLSTUDS ( 8mm). - October 31st

Chefdruck Reviews is having a giveaway for all of you game lovers out there. One lucky winner will receive the new My Baby Nintendo DS game. - November 1st

Katydid and Kid is having the perfect giveaway! This is something I could really use. The winner of this giveaway will receive a Lazy Spoon. Very neat idea! Why didn't I think of that? - November 1st

Chefdruck Musings is having another fabulous giveaway! This is one prize I'm sure everyone will want to win...a Sony Cybershot Digital Camera! Just in time for the holiday season! - November 1st

Quiltish is offering a great giveaway for all your sewing fanatics. The winner will receive 4 half yard cuts- 2 yards in total of Butler's new floral prints in olives, creams, forest, teals, and spring greens. - November 2nd

Mom Most Traveled is holding a for the Soda Club. Soda Club is giving away a Fountain Jet Starter Package. - November 2nd

Deal Seeking Mom is giving away a nifty pair of EyeClops Night Vision Infrared Stealth Goggles! - November 2nd

Chefdruck Reviews is giving away a lovely Savoring the Moment gift bag. One lucky winner will receive a coupon for a free package of Pillsbury Savorings, a wine bottle topper, wine glass charms, a bottle opener, a wine and food guide, stampable wine tags, and an appetizer plate that also holds your wine glass. - November 8th

Chefdruck Musings is giving away a great prize pack. The winner will receive a cooler, a set of BrainQuest cards and a coupon for free yoplait kids yogurt! - November 8th

Sock Monkey Greetings is having a giveaway that as a Canadian, I can truly appreciate. The winner of this giveaway will receive a 1/2 pint of Maple Syrup and a package of her Maple Candies. - November 16th