Tuesday, November 10, 2009 - Today's Words of Inspiration and SEVEN giveaways!

Do you need Pampering?

In this economy the phrase 'Waste Not, Want Not' comes to mind. Everywhere you turn you are told to learn to embrace your 'frugalista'. But excessive obesessing over finances and the budget can be damaging to your inner well being.

We all want to feel pampered every now and then. It makes you feel warm and fuzzy inside, it can even make you feel cared for. But who can afford it? Answer: YOU CAN

There are wonderful cost effective ways to pamper your outside, so your 'insides' don't feel so abandoned! Feeling depressed can often lend itself to immediately stopping the one thing that makes a world of difference, your grooming habits. If you are already feeling down and don't take the time out to even give yourself the essentials, nevertheless take the time to 'spoil' yourself you are going to feel worse!

Just like a good hot shower makes you feel better, taking the time out to do little things for yourself will make you feel like a million bucks, without necessarily breaking the bank.

I'm not even going to try to re-invent the wheel here, there are tons of 'tip' sites out there. I think a really great one is '13 DIY At-Home Spa Tricks from Glamour Beauty Online, the article can be found HERE (and no, no one there asked me to post this, I just felt it really compiles some great do it yourself beauty tricks that can be done with things you have, re-use, recycle, then refresh and RENEW!)

Whether it's an at home facial, a brown sugar body exfoliation treatment (baker gals rejoice, your brown sugar isn't just for baking anymore!) a rose water astringent treatment (use those rose petals that are already falling off that 'I'm sorry' or 'Just Because' bouquet from your sweetie!), there are a multitude of cheap and simple ways that you can pamper yourself. Looking great on the outside, can really do a world of good for you on the inside.

Use 'Today's Words of Inspiration' as a breathing meditation to still your mind, quiet your thoughts and bring in positive energy. As you inhale bring in only positive energy by saying in your mind, I breathe in positive energy (or you can say creative energy if that is what you wish to create more of) and as you exhale, Affirm out loud today 'I will pamper myself in ONE way today.' If you are really that busy, then affirm that you will pamper yourself at least once this week, once it becomes a habit, a positive and wonderful habit, increase the frequency. Your inner 'girly girl', 'glamour-puss' and/or 'diva' will Thank You. With the holidays swiftly approaching, making pampering a ritual for yourself now, will pay dividends in reducing your stress levels later.

Spend some time each day enjoying focused breathing AND soul guided meditative visualization, in doing so, you can bring about amazing, profound and powerful changes in your life.

Visualize yourself manifesting something unique, guided by universal forces that emerge spontaneously from within your soul. Do this at least twice today and see how by taking a moment away from the hectic pace and breathing in positive energy and affirming what you wish to create, your thinking will become different.

Remember, attitude really does determine altitude.

It is OK to *Re-Tweet* the link to this post and You can find me (@Tracy_Iglesias) on Twitter here! twitter love: re*tweet by copying and pasting the following into your update field:

OK to RT: @Tracy_Iglesias Today's Words of Inspiration and Seven Super Giveaways! - http://tiny.cc/n4Thx

Make this your best day ever, Bless and Be Blessed!

Don't forget to enter the 7 great giveaways on the upper right hand side of the page! The holiday push is going to be fast and fierce on Ascending Butterfly, we will be offering multiple giveaways all through the season! It's just our way of saying Thank You! for choosing to spend part of your day with Ascending Butterfly. We are really happy you landed HERE!

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NOTE: Readers have asked us to make entering the contests and giveaways, faster and easier. Your wish is our command! We have moved our 'Today's Butterfly - Featured Site(s) of the day, which is where we host our giveaways, to the upper right hand side of the page. It will be located here from now on to make entering the giveaways faster and easier. Keep the suggestions coming, remember we also have a NING group with real time chat, you can give us your comments and suggestions in REAL time, how cool is that?

NOTE 2: Twitter followers: please remember you must also follow Ascending Butterfly using Google friends connect on the upper right hand side of the page for your entries to be processed. And remember if your profile does not have an email and you don't leave your email in your entry, we will have no way of informing you if you win, and will have to select another winner. Make sure your entry and your profile have your email address!

Just a helpful Reminder: How to Follow Using Google Friends Connect:

Please look to the upper right hand side, where the follower pictures are. (Note the number of followers before you start this process)

1) press the follow button - the google pop up wizard will open, this is not an ad and your pop up blocker will not block it

2) tick the option that reads 'follow this blog publicly' once that button is selected, hit follow again - it should now read 'you are now following'

3) if the follower count went up you know you did it succesfully, if your profile has a picture, that picture will be the first one on the left side. If your profile doesn't have one, it should still be searchable on the members list.

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Monday, November 9, 2009 - Today's Words of Inspiration and SEVEN giveaways!

Have you Ever?

Have you ever really 'Danced Like Nobody is Watching'? Do you sing like no one is listening? I do! I tend to do both when I'm cooking. When I'm really in the zone, I'm prepping, dancing and singing all at the same time. It helps I love to cook (and I love to eat too!) but I also sing and dance in the shower!

Doing those things are just really symbolic of 'living in the moment'. And while outwardly that appears to be easy, it is much easier said than done. Have you ever been in a room full of people and felt totally alone? or just felt like you were not there at all?

Have you ever been really happy, suddenly become aware of being so happy, and then something negative creeped into your thoughts or you get distracted by something silly? That's slipping out of the moment at it's finest. You don't have to slip out of the moment. You don't have to always be so self-aware that you stop yourself from being free, from being happy, from being in a moment.

Stopping our negative inner voice isn't easy. But those thoughts that ruin your fun got there by repetitive behaviors, by cycles that occured over time. And you can banish them, with repetitive 'change' thoughts, over time. When you find yourself being 'snapped' out of the moment, you may not be able to 'snap' your way back in right away, I'm not going to tell you it's like flipping a switch in your brain, because it certainly is not. But I can tell you, anything you pursue with the utmost enthusiasm and persistence will pay dividends.

There is always good around you, when you find yourself slipping out of a good moment, or a negative thought is filling your head, focus on ONE good thing around you. The smile or laugh of a friend, family member or even co-worker. The sun on your face. The wind through your hair. Put THAT thought into your mind, actively. Say 'I really like (insert your positive thought here, lol)'. You will have banished the negative thought pattern by replacing it with something that fills you with joy. That will relax you and will help snap you back into the moment.

So today I urge you to Dance like nobody is watching, Sing like no one is listening and yes you can LOVE like you've never been hurt. (I have turned many a head on the subway platform dancing along to some song on my MP3 Player! When the 'eyes' realize I don't care what they think, for the most part, I'd say 9 out of 10, even in my jaded city, almost always SMILE).

Use 'Today's Words of Inspiration' as a breathing meditation to still your mind, quiet your thoughts and bring in positive energy. As you inhale bring in only positive energy by saying in your mind, I breathe in positive energy (or you can say creative energy if that is what you wish to create more of) and as you exhale, Affirm out loud today 'I will dance like nobody is watching, sing like no one can hear me, and love like I've never been hurt, I'm 100% in the moment!'.

Spend some time each day enjoying focused breathing AND soul guided meditative visualization, in doing so, you can bring about amazing, profound and powerful changes in your life.

Visualize yourself manifesting something unique, guided by universal forces that emerge spontaneously from within your soul. Do this at least twice today and see how by taking a moment away from the hectic pace and breathing in positive energy and affirming what you wish to create, your thinking will become different.

Remember, attitude really does determine altitude.

It is OK to *Re-Tweet* the link to this post and You can find me (@Tracy_Iglesias) on Twitter here! twitter love: re*tweet by copying and pasting the following into your update field:

OK to RT: @Tracy_Iglesias Today's Words of Inspiration and Seven Super Giveaways! - http://tiny.cc/n4Thx

Make this your best day ever, Bless and Be Blessed!

Don't forget to enter the 7 great giveaways on the upper right hand side of the page! The holiday push is going to be fast and fierce on Ascending Butterfly, we will be offering multiple giveaways all through the season! It's just our way of saying Thank You! for choosing to spend part of your day with Ascending Butterfly. We are really happy you landed HERE!

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NOTE: Readers have asked us to make entering the contests and giveaways, faster and easier. Your wish is our command! We have moved our 'Today's Butterfly - Featured Site(s) of the day, which is where we host our giveaways, to the upper right hand side of the page. It will be located here from now on to make entering the giveaways faster and easier. Keep the suggestions coming, remember we also have a NING group with real time chat, you can give us your comments and suggestions in REAL time, how cool is that?

NOTE 2: Twitter followers: please remember you must also follow Ascending Butterfly using Google friends connect on the upper right hand side of the page for your entries to be processed. And remember if your profile does not have an email and you don't leave your email in your entry, we will have no way of informing you if you win, and will have to select another winner. Make sure your entry and your profile have your email address!

Just a helpful Reminder: How to Follow Using Google Friends Connect:

Please look to the upper right hand side, where the follower pictures are. (Note the number of followers before you start this process)

1) press the follow button - the google pop up wizard will open, this is not an ad and your pop up blocker will not block it

2) tick the option that reads 'follow this blog publicly' once that button is selected, hit follow again - it should now read 'you are now following'

3) if the follower count went up you know you did it succesfully, if your profile has a picture, that picture will be the first one on the left side. If your profile doesn't have one, it should still be searchable on the members list.

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Kohl's 'LC Lauren Conrad' collection review and giveaway!

This giveaway is now CLOSED. Thank You so much to our wonderful sponsor Kohl's! We would love to work with you again! The winner has been notified, upon confirmation we will post the winner's username here and provide a winner's announcement on the home page. Remember: There are still some great giveaways active on the upper right hand side of the page!



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KOHL'S AND 'THE HILLS' STAR, LAUREN CONRAD, ANNOUNCE EXCLUSIVE LIFESTYLE BRAND

New LC Lauren Conrad collection offers chic, contemporary style at an incredible value!

Kohl's Corporation announced the exclusive launch of LC Lauren Conrad, a contemporary lifestyle brand that launched in the women's department in approximately 300 Kohl's stores and Kohls.com this October. The brand is ultimately planned to expand to all stores nationwide.

Licensed under a long-term agreement by Blue Eyed Girl, Inc., Kohl's will be the exclusive U.S. retailer of all LC Lauren Conrad merchandise. At launch the brand will consist of apparel and may expand into additional categories such as footwear, jewelry, handbags, intimates and sleepwear. Retail prices will range from $20 to $60.

"Partnering with a successful national retailer like Kohl’s supports my mission to make great clothing accessible to young women everywhere,” said Lauren Conrad. “The collection is a reflection of my personal style and will offer fresh, California Casual designs at an affordable price."

WIN IT! - Thanks to our friends at Special Ops Media one Ascending Butterfly will have the chance to win a $25 Kohls Gift card to purchase your favorite piece from the LC Lauren Conrad Collection!

How to Win: (1) You must be a follower of Ascending Butterfly to be eligible for this and all giveaways. Indicate in your entry that you follow (if your 'comment name/user id' differ from your profile id, please let me know what name you follow under) and (2) Give us the link to the piece you would purchase with your gift card, not the name of the piece, the actual direct link to the piece! (3) You must also leave your email address somewhere in your comment. (You can format it this way for security, example: ascendingbutterfly AT mail host DOT com). Please follow the easy 1, 2, 3 steps to winning! USA, 18+

Please follow directions or you will be disqualified! All comments are moderated, they may not appear on the site right away (comments like "I want this or I want to win" will not be entered). You have from Saturday, November 7, 2009 until Tuesday, November 17, 2009 at 11:59 PM (EST) to comment and be entered for a chance to win. Winner will be announced shortly after Friday, November 20th!

EXTRA CREDIT:

* Blog about this giveaway, linking to this giveaway post. Leave the URL in a comment

* Follow me @Tracy_Iglesias on Twitter (this is ascendingbutterfly’s editor) and give me your twitter ID in a comment

* Tweet about this giveaway and leave the URL in a comment. (you can do this DAILY)
* Digg about this giveaway and leave your digg username in your comment
* Fave this blog on Technorati and leave your Technorati user name in your comment
* Vote for Ascending Butterfly on: Fuel My Blog
* Follow Kohl's on Facebook HERE
*NEW: Join Ascending Butterfly's Ning Group HERE

* Please vote for Ascending Butterfly on Divine Caroline's Love This Site Award '09 for the Body and Soul category, you can press into the badge on the upper right hand site of the page or click through here, there is a Vote button right under the description. It's a one time only, super fast, super easy vote!

* NEW: Please vote for me on the Downy Simple Pleasures Next Scent Contest. My scent is called 'Ascending Butterfly' of course, LOL. You can scroll down to the bottom of this page, and press 'Vote' on the widget below, it's super fast and super easy! (You can do this daily and get credit for voting daily!)

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Weekend Words of Inspiration and SEVEN giveaways!

Up for a Parade?

As I'm sure you all know by now The New York Yankees ended their nine year drought in their new stadium in the Bronx and won their 27th World Series Title! They will soon be swimming in a sea of confetti and congratulatory cheers on lower Broadway from the Battery to City Hall starting at 11 a.m! Will you be there? As a New Yorker, not only are they the home team but they play in my borough! For everyone attending the Parade, be safe and have fun!

I know not everyone will be in a celebratory mood today and Ascending Butterfly wants to send prayers to all the family and friends of those slain in the Fort Hood shootings.

No matter what your weekend plans, make sure to take some time out to center yourself. Clear your mind of the work week and all of its responsibilities and allow yourself to both mentally and physically transition into a more relaxed weekend mindset.

Use 'Today's Words of Inspiration' as a breathing meditation to still your mind, quiet your thoughts and bring in positive energy. As you inhale bring in only positive energy by saying in your mind, I breathe in positive energy (or you can say creative energy if that is what you wish to create more of) and as you exhale, Affirm out loud today 'I give myself ample time today to recharge my 'spiritual' and emotional batteries!'.

Spend some time each day enjoying focused breathing AND soul guided meditative visualization, in doing so, you can bring about amazing, profound and powerful changes in your life.

Visualize yourself manifesting something unique, guided by universal forces that emerge spontaneously from within your soul. Do this at least twice today and see how by taking a moment away from the hectic pace and breathing in positive energy and affirming what you wish to create, your thinking will become different.

Remember, attitude really does determine altitude.

It is OK to *Re-Tweet* the link to this post and You can find me (@Tracy_Iglesias) on Twitter here! twitter love: re*tweet by copying and pasting the following into your update field:

OK to RT: @Tracy_Iglesias Today's Words of Inspiration and 7 Super Giveaways! - http://tiny.cc/n4Thx

Make this your best day ever, Bless and Be Blessed!

Don't forget to enter the 7 great giveaways on the upper right hand side of the page!

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

NOTE: Readers have asked us to make entering the contests and giveaways, faster and easier. Your wish is our command! We have moved our 'Today's Butterfly - Featured Site(s) of the day, which is where we host our giveaways, to the upper right hand side of the page. It will be located here from now on to make entering the giveaways faster and easier.

NOTE 2: Twitter followers: please remember you must also follow Ascending Butterfly using Google friends connect on the upper right hand side of the page for your entries to be processed. And remember if your profile does not have an email and you don't leave your email in your entry, we will have no way of informing you if you win, and will have to select another winner. Make sure your entry and your profile have your email address!

Just a helpful Reminder: How to Follow Using Google Friends Connect:

Please look to the upper right hand side, where the follower pictures are. (Note the number of followers before you start this process, and no you do not have to have google mail to be able to use this feature)

1) press the follow button - the google pop up wizard will open, this is not an ad and your pop up blocker will not block it

2) tick the option that reads 'follow this blog publicly' once that button is selected, hit follow again - it should now read 'you are now following'

3) if the follower count went up you know you did it succesfully, if your profile has a picture, that picture will be the first one on the left side. If your profile doesn't have one, it should still be searchable on the members list.

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November: Ascending Butterfly Book Club Review and Giveaway - THREE TITLES - Build your library!

This giveaway is now CLOSED. Thank You so much to our wonderful sponsor, Hachette Book Group! We would love to work with you again! The winner has been notified and upon winner confirmation, follower name will be posted both here and on our homepage. Remember: There are still some great giveaways active on the upper right hand side of the page!

---Ascending Butterfly's Editorial Team


˙·٠•●♥ Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ ♥●•●•٠·˙˙·٠•●♥ Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ ♥●•●•٠·˙˙·٠•●♥ Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ ♥●•●•٠·˙

Ascending Butterfly Book Club is coming at you with a vengeance for November with not just one, but THREE titles for your reading pleasure! Best Part: Winner takes them all! With help from our friends at Hachette Book Group we are going to help you build your library! Grab a cup of Joe or Hot Chocolate and curl up on the couch with your favorite throw!

First Up: BO'S CAFE by John Lynch, Bill Thrall and Bruce McNicol.

DESCRIPTION:

High-powered executive Steven Kerner is living the dream in southern California. But when his bottled pain ignites in anger one night, his wife kicks him out. Then an eccentric mystery man named Andy Monroe befriends Steven and begins unravelling his tightly wound world. Andy leads Steven through a series of frustrating and revealing encounters to repair his life through genuine friendship and the grace and love of a God who has been waiting for him to accept it. A story to challenge and encourage, BO'S CAFE is a model for all who struggle with unresolved problems and a performance-based life.

My Impressions: I read this title first, and I will say I devoured it. Quickly. It was a good read and a much needed read. In these troubled times, words that encourage and inspire are sorely needed. We all struggle with something, and sometimes it's difficult to find the perspective we need to sort through it all, Bo's Cafe provides the words in that way, that special way that makes sense of it all. If only there was a Bo's Cafe in my neighborhood! No spoilers here, just my recommendation.

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Second Title: A Change in Altitude by Anita Shreve

DESCRIPTION:

Margaret and Patrick have been married just a few months when they set off on what they hope will be a great adventure-a year living in Kenya. Margaret quickly realizes there is a great deal she doesn't know about the complex mores of her new home, and about her own husband.

A British couple invites the newlyweds to join on a climbing expedition to Mount Kenya, and they eagerly agree. But during their harrowing ascent, a horrific accident occurs. In the aftermath of the tragedy, Margaret struggles to understand what happened on the mountain and how these events have transformed her and her marriage, perhaps forever.

A Change in Altitude illuminates the inner landscape of a couple, the irrevocable impact of tragedy, and the elusive nature of forgiveness. With stunning language and striking emotional intensity, Anita Shreve transports us to the exotic panoramas of Africa and into the core of our most intimate relationships.

My Impressions: Several friends had recommended I read this book and I hadn't had the chance to do so at the time, but now I see what all the fuss was all about! (My apologies friends, but I finally did get around to it!). All I can say is this is my first Anita Shreve title and will not be my last! It's certainly a powerful introduction! Some writers are very engaging in the way the character dialogue is written, and A Change in Altitude is very much powerfully written in a voice that makes you feel very much part of the experience. Again, no spoilers here, I hate when people spoil books and movies for me, and I will not do it to you! I will recommend you read A Change in Altitude!

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Final Title: THE MURDER OF KING TUT - The Plot to Kill the Child King - A Nonfiction Thriller - by James Patterson & Martin Dugard.

DESCRIPTION:

A secret buried for centuries

Thrust onto Egypt's most powerful throne at the age of nine, King Tut's reign was fiercely debated from the outset. Behind the palace's veil of prosperity, bitter rivalries and jealousy flourished among the Boy King's most trusted advisors, and after only nine years, King Tut suddenly perished, his name purged from Egyptian history. To this day, his death remains shrouded in controversy.

The keys to an unsolved mystery

Enchanted by the ruler's tragic story and hoping to unlock the answers to the 3,000 year-old mystery, Howard Carter made it his life's mission to uncover the pharaoh's hidden tomb. He began his search in 1907, but encountered countless setbacks and dead-ends before he finally, uncovered the long-lost crypt.

The clues point to murder

Now, in The Murder of King Tut, James Patterson and Martin Dugard dig through stacks of evidence--X-rays, Carter's files, forensic clues, and stories told through the ages--to arrive at their own account of King Tut's life and death. The result is an exhilarating true crime tale of intrigue, passion, and betrayal that casts fresh light on the oldest mystery of all.

My Impressions: I am not an Egyptologist, and kept putting this title off because I anticipated a very scholarly undertaking that might not have held my interest very long. I feared this would be one of those books, that mid way through I would end up putting down. I did make it through, but will warn those looking for a scholarly undertaking, this is not what you are looking for! And for those afraid of it because they thought it would be a more scholarly read, I say, don't be afraid, it's not what you thought either! For lovers of Patterson's detective writing, this is a HUGE departure. It doesn't grip you the same way the detective books do. I've read some pretty harsh criticism regarding this title and I personally feel it's un-warranted! Writing is an art, and the artist has every right to change brushes and canvases every now and then!

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WIN IT! - 1 reader will receive all three books!

How to Win: You must be a follower of Ascending Butterfly to be eligible for this and all giveaways. In addition, you must follow each book on at least one of their social media pages! Leave a comment letting us you know you follow the blog, and that you are following each book on one of their social media pages and tell us which you chose, twitter or facebook. Comments that don't follow these instructions, or just say 'enter me' will NOT be entered into the giveaway! USA 18+

Please leave your email address somewhere in your comment. (You can format it this way for security, example: ascendingbutterfly AT mail host DOT com), if your blogger profile has your email you can just indicate this in your entry. If your comment name, and your follower name are different, please indicate this as well.

Please follow directions or you will be disqualified! All comments are moderated, so no worries if your comment doesn't appear on the site right away. This giveaway is open to bloggers and non-bloggers alike, but you must follow this blog for your entry to count. You have from now until Friday, December 04, 2009 at 11:59 PM (EST) to comment and be entered for a chance to win. Winner will be announced shortly after Wednesday, December 9th! Giveaway open to USA only, 18+.

Earn Entries By Doing the Following and Leaving a Comment for Each one you do:

* Blog about this giveaway, linking to this giveaway post. Leave the URL in a comment

* Follow me @Tracy_Iglesias on Twitter (this is ascendingbutterfly’s editor) and give me your twitter ID in a comment

* Tweet about this giveaway and leave the URL in a comment. (you can do this DAILY)

* Digg about this giveaway and leave your digg username in your comment

* Fave this blog on Technorati and leave your Technorati user name in your comment

* Vote for Ascending Butterfly on: Fuel My Blog

* Follow Bo's Cafe on Facebook HERE

* Follow Bo's Cafe on Twitter HERE

* Follow A Change In Altitude on Facebook HERE

* Follow A Change In Altitude on Twitter HERE

* Follow The Murder of King Tut on Facebook HERE

* Follow The Murder of King Tut on Twitter HERE

*NEW: Join Ascending Butterfly's Ning Group HERE

* Please vote for Ascending Butterfly on Divine Caroline's Love! This Site Award '09 for the Body and Soul category, you can press into the badge on the upper right hand site of the page or click through HERE, there is a Vote button right under the description. (it's a one time only, super fast, super easy vote!)

*NEW: Please vote for me on the Downy Simple Pleasures Next Scent Contest. My scent is called 'Ascending Butterfly' of course, LOL. You can scroll down to the bottom of this page, and press 'Vote' on the widget below, it's super fast and super easy! (You can do this daily and get credit for voting daily!)

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Winner Announcement!

Congratulations to follower 'Carol El' the winner of Ascending Butterfly's October Book Club of the Month Title!

Carol won an autographed copy of 'America Libre' by Raul Ramos, join me in congratulating Carol here.

*Remember, there is still time to win the necklace with BUTTERFLY cz Pendant Giveaway!

*You can also win the perfume of your choice, Ageless Fantasy or Eau Flirt, (there will be TWO winners, one winner will win Ageless ($98) and one winner will win Eau Flirt ($98) by pressing HERE

Stay tuned for November's Book Club, there is a special surprise in store!!


---Ascending Butterfly's Editorial Team

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Monday, November 2, 2009 - Today's Words of Inspiration and THREE giveaways!

An Extra Hour

I hope you remembered to turn your clock backs an hour this weekend! Those that didn't are welcome to share their tales of getting to work way too early!

Hope everyone had a great (and of course SAFE) Halloween. It was actually very quiet around here! Almost too quiet! Ascending Butterfly still wants to see your best Halloween pictures! Did anyone out there go as a butterfly? Send us your butterfly pictures! (There are a lot of members sharing neat photos in the Ascending Butterfly NING Group, if you haven't already joined, you may do so HERE)

What did everyone do with their extra hour? I'm sure sleep is the most popular answer, and with very good reason. It's the one thing almost everyone needs more of, and isn't currently getting enough of. Myself included!

The weather is getting cooler, the days are getting shorter and the sun is going down earlier. It's a time to re-charge your inner batteries before the holiday season madness begins.

Use 'Today's Words of Inspiration' as a breathing meditation to still your mind, quiet your thoughts and bring in positive energy. As you inhale bring in only positive energy by saying in your mind, I breathe in positive energy (or you can say creative energy if that is what you wish to create more of) and as you exhale, Affirm out loud today 'I give myself ample time each day to recharge my 'spiritual' and emotional batteries!'.

Spend some time each day enjoying focused breathing AND soul guided meditative visualization, in doing so, you can bring about amazing, profound and powerful changes in your life.

Visualize yourself manifesting something unique, guided by universal forces that emerge spontaneously from within your soul. Do this at least twice today and see how by taking a moment away from the hectic pace and breathing in positive energy and affirming what you wish to create, your thinking will become different.

Remember, attitude really does determine altitude.

It is OK to *Re-Tweet* the link to this post and You can find me (@Tracy_Iglesias) on Twitter here! twitter love: re*tweet by copying and pasting the following into your update field:

OK to RT: @Tracy_Iglesias Today's Words of Inspiration and Two Super Giveaways! - http://tiny.cc/n4Thx

Make this your best day ever, Bless and Be Blessed!

Don't forget to enter the 3 great giveaways on the upper right hand side of the page!

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

NOTE: Readers have asked us to make entering the contests and giveaways, faster and easier. Your wish is our command! We have moved our 'Today's Butterfly - Featured Site(s) of the day, which is where we host our giveaways, to the upper right hand side of the page. It will be located here from now on to make entering the giveaways faster and easier.

NOTE 2: Twitter followers: please remember you must also follow Ascending Butterfly using Google friends connect on the upper right hand side of the page for your entries to be processed. And remember if your profile does not have an email and you don't leave your email in your entry, we will have no way of informing you if you win, and will have to select another winner. Make sure your entry and your profile have your email address!

Just a helpful Reminder: How to Follow Using Google Friends Connect:

Please look to the upper right hand side, where the follower pictures are. (Note the number of followers before you start this process)

1) press the follow button - the google pop up wizard will open, this is not an ad and your pop up blocker will not block it

2) tick the option that reads 'follow this blog publicly' once that button is selected, hit follow again - it should now read 'you are now following'

3) if the follower count went up you know you did it succesfully, if your profile has a picture, that picture will be the first one on the left side. If your profile doesn't have one, it should still be searchable on the members list.

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Weekend Words of Inspiration and THREE giveaways!

Keep Your 'lil Halloweenies' safe!

Just a reminder from the CDC on ways to make Halloween both fun and safe for the little ones HERE!

I have fond memories of Halloween as a child, and it saddens me that there are many children who have NEVER experienced the fun of 'trick or treating' because of the ever present dangers. Will there be a generation coming soon who doesn't even know what 'trick or treating' is?

Where do we draw the line between keeping kids and teens safe and not letting them enjoy being young?

As adults the holiday still presents some dangers, and I just wanted to send out a friendly reminder, especially to the ladies reading this, if  you attend a party, be it in a nightclub, bar or house party, if you go dance, and leave your drink behind, DO NOT go back for it. Please Buy a NEW one! While this is certainly true all the time, this weekend, keep this advice ever present in your mind. I would also highly suggest not going to a separate location with a dashing costumed stranger.......telling your friends 'I'm going outside for a cigarette with the tall vampire' is not going to help if you go missing, there will be a ton of vamps out there! LOL And a word of caution to all readers, do not drink and drive, do not get in a car with a drunk friend, do not let a drunk friend drive, Period.

If anyone is dressing as a butterfly, I'd love to see it! Please post your best butterfly halloween costume pics here.....there may even be a TREAT in it for you! And any tall, cute, boy vampires, are also encouraged to post here! ;-) 

Use 'Today's Words of Inspiration' as a breathing meditation to still your mind, quiet your thoughts and bring in positive energy. As you inhale bring in only positive energy by saying in your mind, I breathe in positive energy (or you can say creative energy if that is what you wish to create more of) and as you exhale, Affirm out loud today 'I am beautiful inside and outside of the mask.' :-)

Spend some time each day enjoying focused breathing AND soul guided meditative visualization, in doing so, you can bring about amazing, profound and powerful changes in your life.

Visualize yourself manifesting something unique, guided by universal forces that emerge spontaneously from within your soul. Do this at least twice today and see how by taking a moment away from the hectic pace and breathing in positive energy and affirming what you wish to create, your thinking will become different.

Remember, attitude really does determine altitude.

It is OK to *Re-Tweet* the link to this post and You can find me (@Tracy_Iglesias) on Twitter here! twitter love: re*tweet by copying and pasting the following into your update field:

OK to RT: @Tracy_Iglesias Today's Words of Inspiration and Two Super Giveaways! - http://tiny.cc/n4Thx

Make this your best day ever, Bless and Be Blessed!

Don't forget to enter the 3 great giveaways on the upper right hand side of the page! (And if we get a lot of  costume pics there may very well be a fourth giveaway!)

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NOTE: Readers have asked us to make entering the contests and giveaways, faster and easier. Your wish is our command! We have moved our 'Today's Butterfly - Featured Site(s) of the day, which is where we host our giveaways, to the upper right hand side of the page. It will be located here from now on to make entering the giveaways faster and easier.

NOTE 2: Twitter followers: please remember you must also follow Ascending Butterfly using Google friends connect on the upper right hand side of the page for your entries to be processed. And remember if your profile does not have an email and you don't leave your email in your entry, we will have no way of informing you if you win, and will have to select another winner. Make sure your entry and your profile have your email address!

Just a helpful Reminder: How to Follow Using Google Friends Connect:

Please look to the upper right hand side, where the follower pictures are. (Note the number of followers before you start this process)

1) press the follow button - the google pop up wizard will open, this is not an ad and your pop up blocker will not block it

2) tick the option that reads 'follow this blog publicly' once that button is selected, hit follow again - it should now read 'you are now following'

3) if the follower count went up you know you did it succesfully, if your profile has a picture, that picture will be the first one on the left side. If your profile doesn't have one, it should still be searchable on the members list.

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Thursday, October 29, 2009 - Today's Words of Inspiration and THREE giveaways!

Root, Root, Root For the Home Team!

As a NY based Blogger, I can't help but get caught up in talks about 'the games' and 'the team'. It's made me think a bit about expectations, and how much they can hinder as well as help.

Sometimes our own expectations of ourselves, of our performance, of our work, of our writing or art can be so much higher and un-realistic than anything expected of us by others.

What do you expect of yourself? of your life? of your work? Are you where you thought you'd be by now?

Did you answer 'NO!' to any of the questions above? To that I say 'SO WHAT!' Yes, you heard me 'SO WHAT'. Take a lesson from Baseball and from it's best players 'Just play the game'.

Just like players can only improve with practice, your life can only improve by the thoughts you put on it, the way you live it. You are in your own personal play-offs each and everyday. Rise to the challenge, things will get better if you are only willing to 'play the game'.

Use 'Today's Words of Inspiration' as a breathing meditation to still your mind, quiet your thoughts and bring in positive energy. As you inhale bring in only positive energy by saying in your mind, I breathe in positive energy (or you can say creative energy if that is what you wish to create more of) and as you exhale, Affirm out loud today 'I am a major league success in every area of my life.' (And you will be, if you say like you mean it!)

Spend some time each day enjoying focused breathing AND soul guided meditative visualization, in doing so, you can bring about amazing, profound and powerful changes in your life.

Visualize yourself manifesting something unique, guided by universal forces that emerge spontaneously from within your soul. Do this at least twice today and see how by taking a moment away from the hectic pace and breathing in positive energy and affirming what you wish to create, your thinking will become different.

Remember, attitude really does determine altitude.

It is OK to *Re-Tweet* the link to this post and You can find me (@Tracy_Iglesias) on Twitter here! twitter love: re*tweet by copying and pasting the following into your update field:

OK to RT: @Tracy_Iglesias Today's Words of Inspiration and Two Super Giveaways! - http://tiny.cc/n4Thx

Make this your best day ever, Bless and Be Blessed!

Don't forget to enter the 3 great giveaways on the upper right hand side of the page!

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NOTE: Readers have asked us to make entering the contests and giveaways, faster and easier. Your wish is our command! We have moved our 'Today's Butterfly - Featured Site(s) of the day, which is where we host our giveaways, to the upper right hand side of the page. It will be located here from now on to make entering the giveaways faster and easier.

NOTE 2: Twitter followers: please remember you must also follow Ascending Butterfly using Google friends connect on the upper right hand side of the page for your entries to be processed. And remember if your profile does not have an email and you don't leave your email in your entry, we will have no way of informing you if you win, and will have to select another winner. Make sure your entry and your profile have your email address!

Just a helpful Reminder: How to Follow Using Google Friends Connect:

Please look to the upper right hand side, where the follower pictures are. (Note the number of followers before you start this process)

1) press the follow button - the google pop up wizard will open, this is not an ad and your pop up blocker will not block it

2) tick the option that reads 'follow this blog publicly' once that button is selected, hit follow again - it should now read 'you are now following'

3) if the follower count went up you know you did it succesfully, if your profile has a picture, that picture will be the first one on the left side. If your profile doesn't have one, it should still be searchable on the members list.

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Wednesday, October 28, 2009 - Today's Words of Inspiration and THREE giveaways!

Avoiding the Road Blocks

There are many roadblocks to 'spirit connectedness', you yourself, being the biggest one. While the world both personal and professional are both wrought with distractions, the key to a better outside, is connecting with what's important on the inside. Stillness, 'centered-ness' and focused breathing are the best ways to get there.

RING! RING! RING! What is that now? The telephone? The doorbell? Your Cell Phone? Turn them off, tune them out. Ignore this advice at your peril! Whether it's in the morning or at night (I say preferably BOTH) carve out some time for focused breathing. I'm not saying sit cross legged on the floor and let your mind wander until you levitate so high your head hits the ceiling! If you could do that yourself you probably wouldn't be here! Focused Breathing (and Meditative Breathing) are not asking you to change your breathing pattern, just use it to help clear your mind of clutter and use it to 'program' your day ahead, use it to program your dreams at night. Just don't breathe shallow and end up hyperventilating or passing out on me!

Let's begin with a simple focused breathing program word 'centered'. Take a SLOW, full deep breath, as you are inhaling say in your mind 'I am centered'.  Note I am not asking you to hold this breath, as you exhale say in your mind or out loud if you choose 'I release all obstacles to my success'. Do this upon waking up in the morning. Do this on your way out the door. Do this again at Lunch when your inbox resembles a mountain and you find that you are clenching your teeth so tight your jaw actually hurts. Do this before a meeting and you'll find it will turn out much less stressful for you. If you forget do it right after the meeting before you try to tackle the 'action items' discussed.

At night, use your focused breathing to program your dreams. Just before turning in, Take a SLOW, full deep breath, as you are inhaling say in your mind 'My dreams are empowering' (or blissful, or peaceful). Note I am not asking you to hold this breath, as you exhale say in your mind or out loud if you choose 'I release today's stress allow my thoughts and dreams to soothe me.'

Use 'Today's Words of Inspiration' as a breathing meditation to still your mind, quiet your thoughts and bring in positive energy. As you inhale bring in only positive energy by saying in your mind, I breathe in positive energy (or you can say creative energy if that is what you wish to create more of) and as you exhale, Affirm out loud today 'I will no longer be the roadblock to my own success.'

Spend some time each day enjoying focused breathing AND soul guided meditative visualization, in doing so, you can bring about amazing, profound and powerful changes in your life.

Visualize yourself manifesting something unique, guided by universal forces that emerge spontaneously from within your soul. Do this at least twice today and see how by taking a moment away from the hectic pace and breathing in positive energy and affirming what you wish to create, your thinking will become different.

Remember, attitude really does determine altitude.

It is OK to *Re-Tweet* the link to this post and You can find me (@Tracy_Iglesias) on Twitter here! twitter love: re*tweet by copying and pasting the following into your update field:

OK to RT: @Tracy_Iglesias Today's Words of Inspiration and Two Super Giveaways! - http://tiny.cc/n4Thx

Make this your best day ever, Bless and Be Blessed!

Don't forget to enter the 3 great giveaways on the upper right hand side of the page!

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

NOTE: Readers have asked us to make entering the contests and giveaways, faster and easier. Your wish is our command! We have moved our 'Today's Butterfly - Featured Site(s) of the day, which is where we host our giveaways, to the upper right hand side of the page. It will be located here from now on to make entering the giveaways faster and easier.

NOTE 2: Twitter followers: please remember you must also follow Ascending Butterfly using Google friends connect on the upper right hand side of the page for your entries to be processed. And remember if your profile does not have an email and you don't leave your email in your entry, we will have no way of informing you if you win, and will have to select another winner. Make sure your entry and your profile have your email address!

Just a helpful Reminder: How to Follow Using Google Friends Connect:

Please look to the upper right hand side, where the follower pictures are. (Note the number of followers before you start this process)

1) press the follow button - the google pop up wizard will open, this is not an ad and your pop up blocker will not block it

2) tick the option that reads 'follow this blog publicly' once that button is selected, hit follow again - it should now read 'you are now following'

3) if the follower count went up you know you did it succesfully, if your profile has a picture, that picture will be the first one on the left side. If your profile doesn't have one, it should still be searchable on the members list.

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Winner Announcement!

Congratulations to follower 'ElKaye' the winner of Ascending Butterfly's Select Comfort InBalance Mattress Topper Giveaway!! Join me here in wishing ElKaye many nights of blissful, restful sleep! Ahhhh

Thanks to our wonderful sponsor Select Comfort, we look forward to working with you again! Maybe next time we can host a bed review and giveaway! I wouldn't remind reviewing a bed!
Who wouldn't right? ;-)

*Remember, there is still time to win the String necklace with BUTTERFLY cz Pendant Giveaway! by going HERE

*There is also time to win our AUTOGRAPHED October Book Club of the Month Title 'America Libre' by Raul Ramos Y Sanchez, note this is an ENGLISH title, you can win it by going HERE

*You can also win the perfume of your choice, Ageless Fantasy or Eau Flirt, by pressing HERE

---Ascending Butterfly's Editorial Team


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Ageless Fantasy and Eau Flirt Review and Giveaway!

This Giveaway is now closed. Thanks so much to our wonderful sponsor Harvey Prince! We would love to work with you guys again! Our winners are 'redfuzzycow' and 'wanda' - Congratulations to our naughty and nice butterflies! We hope our winners will come back and tell us how much attention their new 'scents' attract! Remember: There are still some great giveaways active on the upper right hand of the page!

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Are You a Naughty Butterfly or  a Nice Butterfly?

I recently received the opportunity to conduct a very fun, sexy experiment thanks to our good friends at Harvey Prince. I received a bottle of Ageless Fantasy AND Eau Flirt to try out and review.

I thought it would be fun to find out which scent men really preferred.  As I am a single butterfly in the city, it meant I had to enlist the help of kind strangers in my 'scenXperiment'. I sprayed Ageless Fantasy on one wrist and Eau Flirt on the other and let guys take a whiff of each one and tell me which one they liked better! I also sprayed half my neck with one and half with the other, in case the man of my dreams walked up. (SHHH don't tell anyone!)

The results were evenly mixed based on the age groups. Men in the 18-30 category seemed more drawn to Eau Flirt. Men 30 and up all seemed to prefer Ageless better.

I like using a little Ageless during the day and then switching to Eau Flirt when going out at night.

Luckily I get to be both a Naughty and Nice Butterfly, but you my dear readers have to pick a side. So before I say 'may the force be with you' I thought it would be helpful to give you more information about the two scent-sations!

You can hurry love…when you’re wearing the right perfume. Eau Flirt® eau de toilette puts science to the service of romance in a unique elixir containing ingredients proven to quicken the pulse of potential suitors. So dab it on your pulse points and let the seduction begin! The world’s first perfume clinically proven to make men flirt with women

Eau Flirt was inspired by a study conducted at the Smell and Taste Treatment and Research Foundation by two physicians. The study tested the effects of 30 different single scent or combined ingredient scents on male sexual arousal. The combination of lavender and pumpkin pie proved to evoke the most passionate response.

Eau Flirt’s proprietary blend includes top notes black currant, plum, raspberry, apple, and black licorice and lavender, middle notes of jasmine, ylang, nutmeg and cinnamon (the classic aromas of pumpkin pie), and a drydown of musk and rare and precious woods. Ingredients are all natural flower and plant essences and sourced from France, Italy and the U.S. To find a retailer or purchase directly, please visit www.harveyprince.com, www.fragrancex.com and specialty stores/high end perfumeries nationwide

U.S. suggested retail $98 for 3.4 oz. eau de toilette spray, 1.7 oz $66, and 1 oz. purse size $36. Mini roll-ons are $19

Eau Flirt is the newest perfume from Harvey Prince, the maker of Ageless (www.agelessfantasy.com), the first anti-aging perfume and a top seller in London’s prestigious Harvey Nichols

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AGELESS anti age perfume™

First anti-aging perfume for women

♦ Inspired by recent scientific discoveries and clinical trials, proven to make women smell 8 – 12 years younger

♦ Proprietary combination of aromatic essences, such as:

♦ Pink grapefruit
♦ Mango
♦ Pineapple
♦ Leafy greens
♦ Pomegranate
♦ Jasmine
♦ Soft musk

Both Fragrances are proud of:

♦No animal testing
♦Allergy tested
♦No artificial colorings
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WIN IT! - Now for the hard and easy part, Pick a Side! Thanks to our friends at Harvey Prince, you have the opportunity to win the scent of your choice! (This is a $196 retail value!) There will be 2 winners. One winner will receive Ageless Fantasy and the other will receive Eau Flirt based on their choice at time of entry!

How to Win: (1) You must be a follower of Ascending Butterfly to be eligible for this and all giveaways. Indicate in your entry that you follow (if your 'comment name/user id' differ from your profile id, please let me know what name you follow under) and (2) Pick your scent choice, Ageless (nice butterfly) or Eau Flirt (naughty butterfly) (3) You must also leave your email address somewhere in your comment. (You can format it this way for security, example: ascendingbutterfly AT mail host DOT com). Please follow the easy 1, 2, 3 steps to winning! USA 18+

Please follow directions or you will be disqualified! All comments are moderated, they may not appear on the site right away (comments like "I want this or I want to win" will not be entered). You have from Tuesday, October 27, 2009 until Monday, November 16, 2009 at 11:59 PM (EST) to comment and be entered for a chance to win. Winner will be announced shortly after Wednesday, November 18th!

EXTRA CREDIT:

* Blog about this giveaway, linking to this giveaway post. Leave the URL in a comment

* Follow me @Tracy_Iglesias on Twitter (this is ascendingbutterfly’s editor) and give me your twitter ID in a comment

* Tweet about this giveaway and leave the URL in a comment. (you can do this DAILY)
* Digg about this giveaway and leave your digg username in your comment
* Fave this blog on Technorati and leave your Technorati user name in your comment
* Vote for Ascending Butterfly on: Fuel My Blog
* Follow Ageless Fantasy on Facebook HERE
* Follow Ageless Fantasy onTwitter HERE
*NEW: Join Ascending Butterfly's Ning Group HERE

* Please vote for Ascending Butterfly on Divine Caroline's Love This Site Award '09 for the Body and Soul category, you can press into the badge on the upper right hand site of the page or click through here, there is a Vote button right under the description. It's a one time only, super fast, super easy vote!

* Please vote for Tracy from Bronx, NY to win in the the Nature Made SAM-e Complete® Good Mood Gig Talent Search! Press HERE (Vote for me purple button right next to the blue butterfly) (You can do this daily and get credit for voting daily!)

* NEW: Please vote for me on the Downy Simple Pleasures Next Scent Contest. My scent is called 'Ascending Butterfly' of course, LOL. You can scroll down to the bottom of this page, and press 'Vote' on the widget below, it's super fast and super easy! (You can do this daily and get credit for voting daily!)

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Weekend Words of Inspiration and THREE giveaways!

Butterfly Muse

Butterfly spottings for me have always signified coming change or a stroke of good luck. While they appear light as a feather as they float past us, if one has ever landed on your finger you'll notice immediately that they do have weight. You feel them. They are not as light and feathery as they look!

Are you deceptively 'light' on the outside but  'heavy' on the inside? Is what you portray really what you are?

Let's explore using Butterflies as our Muse this weekend. The timing couldn't be better. The weekend allows you to drop one of your weights, your 'work weight', making you a little 'lighter' and allowing you to soar that much higher.

Allow the weekend energy to make you into a butterfly of sorts, floating up higher and higher, or floating around from 'flower to flower' in your case your personal pursuits are that flower. Those things you keep saying you'll do when you 'have more time'. That time is here, the leaves are changing color, the days are getting shorter and it's getting dark earlier. Let the Butterfly be your muse. Do something personal you've been putting off for way too long. Will it be a scrapbook? Re-decorating a room in your home? Feel free to share where your creative energies take you!

Use 'Today's Words of Inspiration' as a breathing meditation to still your mind, quiet your thoughts and bring in positive energy. As you inhale bring in only positive energy by saying in your mind, I breathe in positive energy (or you can say creative energy if that is what you wish to create more of) and as you exhale, Affirm out loud today 'I allow my inner butterfly to be my muse and guide me to something creative.'

Spend some time each day enjoying focused breathing AND soul guided meditative visualization, in doing so, you can bring about amazing, profound and powerful changes in your life.

Visualize yourself manifesting something unique, guided by universal forces that emerge spontaneously from within your soul. Do this at least twice today and see how by taking a moment away from the hectic pace and breathing in positive energy and affirming what you wish to create, your thinking will become different.

Remember, attitude really does determine altitude.

It is OK to *Re-Tweet* the link to this post and You can find me (@Tracy_Iglesias) on Twitter here! twitter love: re*tweet by copying and pasting the following into your update field:

OK to RT: @Tracy_Iglesias Today's Words of Inspiration and Two Super Giveaways! - http://tiny.cc/n4Thx

Make this your best day ever, Bless and Be Blessed!

Don't forget to enter the 3 great giveaways on the upper right hand side of the page!

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

NOTE: Readers have asked us to make entering the contests and giveaways, faster and easier. Your wish is our command! We have moved our 'Today's Butterfly - Featured Site(s) of the day, which is where we host our giveaways, to the upper right hand side of the page. It will be located here from now on to make entering the giveaways faster and easier.

NOTE 2: Twitter followers: please remember you must also follow Ascending Butterfly using Google friends connect on the upper right hand side of the page for your entries to be processed. And remember if your profile does not have an email and you don't leave your email in your entry, we will have no way of informing you if you win, and will have to select another winner. Make sure your entry and your profile have your email address!

Just a helpful Reminder: How to Follow Using Google Friends Connect:

Please look to the upper right hand side, where the follower pictures are. (Note the number of followers before you start this process)

1) press the follow button - the google pop up wizard will open, this is not an ad and your pop up blocker will not block it

2) tick the option that reads 'follow this blog publicly' once that button is selected, hit follow again - it should now read 'you are now following'

3) if the follower count went up you know you did it succesfully, if your profile has a picture, that picture will be the first one on the left side. If your profile doesn't have one, it should still be searchable on the members list.

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Winner Announcement!

Congratulations to follower 'VJ ~ vantalee'  the winner of Ascending Butterfly's Harry Connick Jr 'Your Songs', CD Giveaway!!

Thanks to our wonderful sponsor, we look forward to working with you again!

*Remember, there is still time to win the String necklace with BUTTERFLY cz Pendant Giveaway!  by going HERE

*There is also time to win our October Book Club of the Month Title 'America Libre' by Raul Ramos Y Sanchez, note this is an ENGLISH title, you can win it by going HERE

*You can also win a Select Comfort Mattress Topper of your size choice by pressing HERE

---Ascending Butterfly's Editorial Team

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String necklace with BUTTERFLY cz Pendant Review and Giveaway!

This giveaway has been closed. Congratulations to our winner, Tanya! Ascending Butterfly wishes to thank our sponsor iLuck for an amazing giveaway, we hope to work with you again (Hmmmmm......I'm thinking the Butterfly Bracelet) :-)
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String necklace with BUTTERFLY cz Pendant Review and Giveaway! Sponsored By:

You all know how much I love Butterflies and Dragonflies, but I also love Budhha Art and Jewelry and as such, was very familiar with iluck jewelry. I am so enamored by her pieces that I reached out to iluck directly and received a very warm and immediate response from Debbie Varon! The tour-de-force behind the brand is one of the most down-to-earth, warm-hearted and friendly spirits I've met, this energy very much comes through in her work. Her Buddha Necklaces always make me smile!

It turns out I am not the only one in love with iluck, check out this picture of teen pop star, Miley Cyrus holding an iluck necklace: (Photo Credit: MileyCyrusFever.com)

And even cooler, check out the bracelets the lovely Halle Berry is sporting in this photo:

I spent the summer wearing the String necklace with BUTTERFLY cz Pendant. A very graceful butterfly pendant with a CZ stone on the lower right of the wing topped with a Turquoise colored stone above the butterfly pendant. This piece has a signature iluck charm that dangles from the clasp in the back to give you sparkle both coming and going!

WIN IT! - We like to save the best for last! Thanks to our friends at iluck online, you have the opportunity to win a String necklace with BUTTERFLY cz Pendant! (with Black cord as pictured above, this is a $25 value) There will be 1 winner. Gents you are not excluded, please feel to enter, win this for the special lady in your life!

How to Win: (1) You must be a follower of Ascending Butterfly to be eligible for this and all giveaways. Indicate in your entry that you follow (if your 'comment name/user id' differ from your profile id, please let me know what name you follow under) and (2) please visit iluckonline.com and pick another piece that catches your fancy. (3) You must also leave your email address somewhere in your comment. (You can format it this way for security, example: ascendingbutterfly AT mail host DOT com). If your email is already in your follower profile, you can just let us know this as well in your comment. Remember if we can't reach you, we have to select another winner! Please follow the 1, 2, and 3 steps to winning! USA 18+

Please follow directions or you will be disqualified! All comments are moderated, they may not appear on the site right away (comments like "i want this or I want to win" will not be entered). You have from Thursday, October 22, 2009 until Wednesday, November 11, 2009 at 11:59 PM (EST) to comment and be entered for a chance to win. Winner will be announced shortly after Friday, November 13th! (See, who says Friday, the 13th isn't lucky??)

EXTRA CREDIT:

* Blog about this giveaway, linking to this giveaway post. Leave the URL in a comment

* Follow me @Tracy_Iglesias on Twitter (this is ascendingbutterfly’s editor) and give me your twitter ID in a comment

* Tweet about this giveaway and leave the URL in a comment. (you can do this DAILY)

* Digg about this giveaway and leave your digg username in your comment

* Fave this blog on Technorati and leave your Technorati user name in your comment

* Vote for Ascending Butterfly on: Fuel My Blog

* Follow iluck on Facebook HERE

* Follow iluck onTwitter HERE

*NEW: Join Ascending Butterfly's Ning Group HERE

* Please vote for Ascending Butterfly on Divine Caroline's Love This Site Award '09 for the Body and Soul category, you can press into the badge on the upper right hand site of the page or click through here, there is a Vote button right under the description. (it's a one time only, super fast, super easy vote, and here is the best part, people who vote are also going to receive a chance to win a $250 Visa Gift Card just for voting!)

* NEW: Please vote for me on the Downy Simple Pleasures Next Scent Contest. My scent is called 'Ascending Butterfly' of course, LOL. You can scroll down to the bottom of this page, and press 'Vote' on the widget below, it's super fast and super easy! (You can do this daily and get credit for voting daily!)

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