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Right now, until November 30th, you can enter to win a Panasonic Viera 37" LCD HDTV from AllAmericanDirect.com!
Good luck!
Disclaimer: I was not sent anything nor did I make any money on sharing the word about this sweepstakes.
In this electronic age of instant messaging and e-cards, you may just be surprised that the sheer beauty and joy of creating and giving a unique handmade greeting card or scrapbook is not a thing of the past. In fact, with the help of a new e-commerce site, eWillow.com, the art of papercrafting might just experience a resurgence. eWillow.com is dedicated to selling handmade greeting cards, scrapbooks, and other papercrafts and has arrived just in time for World Card Making Day on October 3rd.
eWillow.com was the brainchild of former fashion industry model Charlene Harreveld. Charlene, a longtime crafter herself, began conceptualizing the site after becoming frustrated with the fact that there were limited outlets for crafters to sell their artwork, and seemingly none dedicated to those who make greeting cards and scrapbooks.
eWillow.com is unique not only because it brings the papercrafting community together in one convenient online location, but also because it is an e-commerce site where crafters can sell their papercrafted artwork like handmade cards, gifts, and scrapbooks via storefronts they create and maintain on eWillow’s site. There is one low monthly storefront fee and no sales commissions or posting/transaction fees are charged. The site is effortless to use for both crafters and customers looking to purchase unique handmade papercrafted products as gifts that provide that all-important ‘personal touch.’ The site also offers a useful search tool where consumers can search all storefronts at once when looking for a specific item.
Additionally, eWillow.com also encourages sellers and buyers to communicate with each other and share ideas, tips, inspirations, and more. Designers can swap ideas and post photos of creations through an online forum. Also, Charlene’s blog is for everyone to read and enjoy. eWillow.com can also be followed on Twitter and Facebook, both of which are updated regularly.
“I truly feel that the concept of this e-commerce site time has come. It was much needed for people in the papercrafting industry to be able to turn their passion and hobby into a money-making business endeavor with very little overhead and limitless selling potential,” said founder/CEO Charlene Harreveld.
eWillow.com's storefront Design Vendors seem to agree. “I was honored to be one of the first storefronts on eWillow.com. I appreciate the fact that there’s no other place on the Internet where papercrafters can sell their wares that is strictly for papercrafting. It is very evident a lot of careful and thoughtful planning went into the launch of eWillow.com. Thank you Charlene for coming up with this ingenious idea,” said Cindy Coutts, owner of Christian Paper Crafts, Paducah, Kentucky.
eWillow.com is headquartered in Jupiter, Florida. Visit www.eWillow.com.
Disclaimer: I was not sent anything nor did I make any money on posting about this site.
Lands’ End has joined forces with the National Coalition for the Homeless for the Big Warm-up. The Big Warm-up provides an opportunity for people across the nation to donate a gently used coat that will then go on to warm one of more than 3.5 million homeless women, men and children in the United States right now – each facing a cold winter.
Beginning October 29 until November 30, Lands’ End is hosting Big Warm-up coat donation sites at its 252 Lands’ End Shops at Sears and 13 Lands’ End Inlets®. Donated coats will be distributed via the National Coalition for the Homeless in communities nearby. To further encourage donations, Lands’ End is giving 20 percent off the purchase of a new coat for each one donated.
Visit WWW.BIGWARMUP.COM to see how each coat can warm a heart, track donations, find donation sites, watch an inspiring video and spread the word.
If you’re feeling a little stressed out as the holidays get closer and could use a few tips on how to make this holiday season memorable for all the right reasons, let Hallmark’s experts help you get a few things checked off of your list early during Hallmark’s “Jumpstart Your Holidays with Hallmark” Twitter Party! Cozy up to your computer, bring your favorite warm beverage, and get ready to breathe a collective sigh of relief with fellow moms!
Join us on November 13th from 8:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. CST to interact with Laurie Monsees (Editorial Creative Director), Megan Haave (Editorial Writer) and Maureen Dilger (Product Manager) of Hallmark Cards, who will be sharing tips on how you can connect in a more unique and personal level with your family and friends during the holidays. Laurie, Megan and Maureen will also take questions from the group on ways to help put your personal stamp on your holiday greetings. Don’t forget to use the #hallmarkmom hashtag! (And keep an eye on @ResourcefulMom, who will be helping Hallmark host the Party).
Hallmark wants to hear from you, too! Share those unforgettable holiday moments with us during the party, because let’s face it – memories are part of what make the holidays so special.
And what would a holiday celebration be without a few goodies? Hallmark will be giving away $100 worth of personalized holiday cards at Hallmark.com AND a one-hour consultation with a Hallmark “Card Concierge,” a Hallmark writer who will help you with any holiday card questions, to three moms who have the best holiday stories! Others who answer trivia questions will win $25 worth of personalized holiday cards at Hallmark.com they can send to friends and family.
·Yoplait Fiber One 50-calorie yogurt is the only leading nonfat yogurt with 50 calories and 5 grams of fiber.
·Available in four flavors – Strawberry, Vanilla, Peach and Key Lime Pie – Fiber One 50-calorie yogurt is a delicious snack that is good for you, contributes 20% of the recommended daily value of fiber and is a good source of calcium as well as vitamins A and D.
·Instead of munching on boring lower-calorie foods, you can now snack with zero guilt on Fiber One yogurt, a tasty way to help watch waistlines and keep calorie counts in check.
·Fiber One 50-calorie yogurt features a ‘Hungry Girl Seal of Approval’, the first nationally distributed yogurt to receive this endorsement.
·Yoplait Fiber One 50-calorie yogurt is available in the yogurt section of grocery stores nation-wide
I'm trying to get more eco-friendly, by using chemical-free cleaners, recycling, and using less disposable plastic, so when I saw ReUsies™ Snack Bags on ChicExecs, I knew I had to try them!
About ReUsies™:
At the start of the new school year we realized that our families were going through an average of 10 plastic bags per day between school and work lunches. We do our best to reuse and recycle in other areas of our lives, but there didn’t seem to be a solution to the plastic sandwich bags we were using.
We developed ReUsies™ for their waste-free quality, but many customers primary reason for purchasing our product was to eliminate plastic from being in direct contact with their family’s food. Whatever your reason, know you have made a good choice!
We are Seattle moms with a passion to do right by our children, and hope that the footprint we leave behind for future generations will be much smaller. We take pride in our product and we hope you enjoy them too!
Disclaimer: I was sent the product named above to review. The opinions expressed above are solely my own and yours may differ. Receiving a product will NEVER influence what I write in any review.
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I've never been an apron person, and I figured I'd better start. While browsing some samples at ChicExecs, I came across the cutest aprons! And I'm a sucker for Houndstooth, so I just HAD to request one!
Do you SEE how gorgeous this thing is?! Oh I'm in love!
Jessie Steele makes THE most gorgeous aprons! Hostess aprons, Chef's aprons, Children's aprons, as well as coordinating mitts and tea towels.
It's a feast for the eyes! (And the body!)
About Jessie Steele:
Jessie Steele's vintage-inspired, hostess and kitchen aprons prove true the old adage that beauty and style are timeless. Influenced by the romantic visions of a bygone era, and designed in vibrant colors, flirty patterns and figure flattering shapes, these fine quality, retro-chic cooking aprons make the perfect fashion accessory in or out of the kitchen.
Helena Steele had collected 20 th Century vintage aprons for years, enchanted by their amazing styles and nostalgic charm. These beautiful kitchen aprons symbolized the grace and beauty of a forgotten time. She visualized it was possible to preserve their heirloom characteristics while giving them a uniquely 21 st Century fit and appeal. It was time to re-focus on friends and family, and revive the fun of the "hostess" party.
Helena shared her vision with Claire Steele, her daughter, a former model and fashion expert. Helena proposed that they bring their talents together to create vintage aprons that would both reflect the retro whimsy of the 1940's and 50's and meet the challenging needs of today's woman. Claire enthusiastically agreed, and Jessie Steele fine hostess aprons was conceived.
After spending over a year researching and developing their plans, exploring a wide variety of fabrics and prints, designing their own textiles and finessing cuts and styles, Helena and Claire began manufacturing the Jessie Steele line of vintage kitchen aprons. These aprons are not only beautiful and feminine, they are designed to make the woman who wears them look and feel good.
This is a success story that has been born of true inspiration and hard work. Women of all ages and lifestyles have discovered the pleasure and fun of wearing Jessie Steele hostess aprons. Quite simply, Jessie Steele has taken the country by storm.
In the seven years since they've launched the niche of nostalgic apron fashion, Jessie Steele fine hostess aprons have been sold in over 3000 stores, appeared on such hit television shows as Oprah and Desperate Housewives, and have been featured in numerous national magazines and newspapers.
In addition to plans to expand the Jessie Steele product line, the company is currently in the process of finalizing a number of major development deals that will open up more markets, ensuring that Jessie Steele remains the number one name in heirloom quality hostess aprons for a very long time to come.
Recently, I was contacted to do a review of Alegria Footwear. I immediately was drawn to not only the looks of the shoe, but also the Technical Features of the shoes. Namely, the Rocker Outsole, which is engineered to roll naturally, reducing heel and central metatarsal pressure. Rocker outsole also encourages proper posture and normal gait.
Here are the shoes that I chose to review:
Aren't they cute?!
Alegria shoes offers a a wide variety of shoe types, from sandals to the Mary Jane-types that I received. They come in fun, funky colors. I admit, I had a hard time choosing a type that I wanted at first. I wanted a pair of shoes that I could wear with anything and still look good, so I chose the Paloma in Choco Croco. They remind me of Mary Janes and they're so cute!
About Alegria Shoes:
Alegria Shoes, maker of fun, fashionable footwear with feel-good features has appointed Sheri Poe to the position of Chief Marketing Executive Officer.
Poe, founder and CEO of Ryka athletic footwear and most recently CEO of MBT USA, brings to Alegria a wealth of expertise in the marketing and branding space with a heavy concentration on fashion and footwear. Poe plans to leverage her expertise in building a brand that marries fashion with function.
"In just 15 months the team here has been able to build a collection that utilizes colors and styling that just make you feel really good from the inside out," said Poe. "But what really sets them apart is the superior body benefits they offer at an affordable price which in today's economy is a critical factor in all purchasing. Even more amazing is that they've been able to grow the brand at an incredible rate during such tough economic conditions. "
The collection ranges from $89 to $109, suggested retail.
"We're delighted to welcome Sheri to the Alegria team," said Johnny Chen, CEO of Pepper Gate Footwear, which owns the Alegria brand. "What we've found is that those who try the shoes on, like Sheri did, become instant fans of the brand and with Sheri's help we're looking forward to introducing the brand to more dealers - and consumers - across the country and world-wide."
The Alegria brand promotes well-being and happiness from the outside- in. On the inside, Alegria's "Perfect Fit System" provides wearers with a custom fit every time they step into their shoes. On the outside, the brand offers a spectacular and unique blend of "collectable" colors and whimsical prints that inspires "happiness!"
The brands "Secret Weapon" includes:
The "Perfect Fit Footbed System" - an anatomically correct patented interlocking footbed system with arch support that is loaded with latex, memory foam and cork to create a "perfect fit" every time by forming to the natural contours of the foot, giving each user their own customized fit available in medium and wide widths.
Lightweight Mild Rocker Outsole - Engineered to roll naturally, the rocker outsole induces a normal walking motion while naturally toning leg muscles. It also benefits users by promoting a perfect posture, reducing stress on muscles, joints and back, giving you energy all day long.
Removable Insole - The heavily padded footbed is removable and allows insertion of custom orthodics.
After launching in the US the brand has added distribution in Canada, Israel, Croatia and Australia and is now opening up Austria, France, UK, Singapore and Japan.
Launched in Southern California in 2008 by Pepper Gate Footwear, a leading maker of therapeutic footwear, Alegria has become a place where happiness meets wellness. The brands "Color Therapy" uses colors and affordable fashion-forward styling to enhance your mood, while its unique Rocker Outsole delivers full-body benefits by minimizing stress on muscles, joints and backs for all day energy. To see what happy looks like please visit www.happylookslike.com
Recently, my daughter and I were sent a Princess 5-in-1 Tasty Baker by Pop Art Toaster.
Unfortunately, I didn't get any photos of us using this wonderful appliance, but I guarantee you that we had tons of fun, and it was definitely a learning experience!
We chose to make Blueberry muffins (a Betty Crocker mix in a pouch) in our Tasty Baker, and once we got the hang of it, the muffins turned out great! (By "got the hang of it", I mean that we learned by trial-by-error not to put so much mix into the molds! We also had to adjust the cooking time because I didn't read the directions!)
We had castle-shaped muffins and tiara-shaped muffins (as well as more!) and they were scrumptious!
About the Disney Princess 5-in-1 Tasty Baker:
*unique all-in-one table top appliance that will bake muffins, bread, cake, pancakes/waffles and brownies in the one compact unit
*Can also cook eggs!
*Bakes in one third the time
*6 kid friendly molds in one cooking plate. Includes: Tiara, Rose, Gown, Princess, and Castle shapes!
*Adjustable thermostat control
*Red “power on” indicator light
*Green “ready to bake indicator light
*Non-stick baking plate
*Cool touch housing
*Bonus Batter scoop and cleaning brush
*Instruction book with website link to recipes
Size of Tasty Baker: 4.5Hx8.5Wx10D"
Not for use with cookie dough
About Pop Art Toaster:
Linda Carlish, president of LC Premiums a 16 year old promotional merchandise company, is the inventor of the Pop Art Toaster. In 2003 while on a business trip in China, Linda visited a factory and saw a rickety toaster that toasted the image of a smile face onto bread. She thought it would be a great idea for the promotional industry to brand corporate logos onto bread. She spent 6 months redesigning the inner plate system and approached Target with the idea of imprinting their bull’s eye logo onto toast. They loved the idea and from there the toaster went on to win the New Product of the Year award at the January 2004 Promotional Products Association International trade show. Additional corporate clients include Fox TV, Trump Plaza and the New York Times.
The next step was to offer the toaster to consumers but give them a choice of images for their bread. Linda enlisted the help of her factory to again remodel the inside of the toaster to allow for interchangeable plates for which she now holds the U.S. patent. The toaster now branded the Pop Art Toaster™ and has 6 versions, including a licensed model for David and Goliath and a chrome version with a more upscale appearance that is sold for the hospitality and bridal market. There are 3 new licensed lines for Disney coming to DisneyShopping.com in 2008; Princess, Fairies and Mickey & Friends. In addition to toast, the Pop Art Toaster will toast frozen pancakes, toaster pastries, hamburger buns and flat bagels. For regular toasting without an image, simply remove the image plates and store away. The toasters themselves are retro style, high quality toasters with 7 heat settings; reheat, defrost and cancel buttons; and a slide-out crumb tray. They are available in a plastic housing in black, white, red and aqua and in chrome.
Soon after the initial models were released, Linda heard from moms who were cutting their children’s sandwiches into shapes with cookie cutters in order to make their kids eat. That inspired the birth of The Creativity Coloring Kit. This 14 piece set consisting of a Pop Art Toaster in white or black, 6 stencil art plates, a hook to remove the hot plates from the toaster, 5 edible, flavored markers to color on your toast (FDA approved), and a coloring book whose pictures correspond to the stencil plates is activity kit meets kitchen electrics. It’s a great way to keep children at the table by encouraging them to color their toast – or use regular markers to color in the coloring book. This set has also boosted healthier eating as the child is more apt to try wheat bread because it is fun. The Creativity Coloring Kit was recently presented with an Iparenting Media Award.
Just launched as a line extension is the 5-in-1 Tasty Baker™. The Tasty Baker is a unique all in one table top appliance with an adjustable thermostat that will bake your pancakes/waffles, muffins, bread, cake and brownies in just minutes. It can even cook eggs. You simply pour your batter into the molds, close the lid and your treats bake into bite size, kid friendly shapes: a dog, a cat, a train, a birthday cake, a smile face, a heart and blocks. A Disney version is coming soon with the shapes of Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, Donald Duck, Daisy Duck, Goofy and Pluto.
Fun recipes for the Pop Art Toaster™ and 5-in-1 Tasty Baker™ will be launched on our website in early November.
The products are available at Target.Com and specialty shops around the country with suggested retail prices from $24.99 - $49.99.
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