Wednesday, May 11, 2011

{CLOSED} Basket of YOUR choice $100 and under from 1800baskets, 3 winners! Ends 05/18!

˙·٠•● Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ ●•●•٠·˙˙·٠•● Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ ●•●•٠·˙˙·٠•● Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ ●•●•٠·˙
This giveaway is now CLOSED. Thanks so much to our wonderful sponsor 1800baskets.com! We look forward to working with you again! The winner has been notified and upon confirmation, follower name will be posted both here and on our homepage. Remember: There are great giveaways active on the upper right hand side of the page!
˙·٠•● Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ ●•●•٠·˙˙·٠•● Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ ●•●•٠·˙˙·٠•● Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ ●•●•٠·˙

Ascending Butterfly's Annual Mother's Month Buying Guide Giveaway, brought to you by:


1800baskets.com is back with another fun giveaway for Ascending Butterfly Readers!

And you can double your chances by making sure you are already 'liking' them on Facebook, where they do random, surprise, basket giveaways (Hint: there is one going on right now for a Baby Basket). What makes their Facebook Giveaways super fun is the fact that they ask you to actually evaluate the basket as your method of entry, and they really take your feedback to heart. They have made changes to existing configurations based on entrant feedback. I for one love when a company truly engages with me, don't you?

I personally think you can never go wrong with a Gift Basket, there is always a little something for everyone! But trust me when I tell you not all Gift Baskets are created equal. There is an art to a Gift Basket done right, the right contents, in the right amount, packed super carefully so it arrives not only in tact but with it's content super fresh. For some categories, that's not so easy to pull off, yet 1800baskets has never failed to impress me in this regard. I am partial to baskets with food, be it organic fruits, gourmet cheese, chocolates or some combo of all of the above. I have yet to receive a basket where the food was less than fresh, I've never received one melted chocolate, and I've never received a basket where it contained more filler than content. That's exactly what I want to receive, and I will send no less! Especially when it comes to Mother's Day!

A Treat For More Than The Eyes


Pictured Above: Premium Cheeses Gift Basket bottom and on top Mother's Day Mira Luna Wine Gift Basket



Pictured Above: Denarii Lavender Spa Gift Basket

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Premium Cheeses Gift Basket - This basket is cheese overload! It's chock full of an incredible variety of tasty cheeses. My personal favorite was the Brie, but really picking a favorite from this basket would be much like picking a favorite child! For hot wing lovers, the blue cheese included int this basket is a perfect partner! There were artisanal cheeses, hard cheeses, goat cheese and more! It was the perfect pair with the next basket I selected.

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Mother's Day Mira Luna Wine Gift Basket  - The star of this basket is the Alazar 2008 Sonoma County Sangiovese, more commonly known as a Red Zinfadel, this basket contains an assortment of treats, including chocolate, shortbread cookies and more as well as a great wine to pair them with and went absolutely PERFECT with the Premium Cheeses Basket. I added some local fruits and my preferred brand of crackers and combined the wine and cheese assortment for a fun Mother's Day Pre-Lunch. This red also pairs perfectly with tangy ribs or herb marinated Lamb. (Yes my butterflies, this butterfly can throw it down in the kitchen, I love to cook!)

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Denarii Lavender Spa Gift Basket - This basket is filled to overflowing with Lavendar Spa Essentials from Source Verite! Bath gel, Body Butter, Bath Mitt, Exfoliating Towel, a Reed Diffuser and MORE. This basket definitely puts the AH in relaxation. All three baskets combined are a Triple Play of Perfection. The handled pumice stone included in this set is fantastic by the way! You can wine her, tempt her tummy and bring the Spa home at the same time!

My Take

Baskets are a great gift anytime, and I can't think of one category of mom that 1800baskets.com doesn't have covered. Baskets make great birthday gifts, hostess gifts, and do you have a teacher to buy for soon? Trust me, she'll love this way more than an apple! (While I appreciate the joys of fruit, as a former Special Ed Teacher, I can tell you that your childs teacher will love this way more!).

You didn't think I'd forget about you right? Who loves you butterfly?

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - WIN IT! - Ascending Butterfly and our friends at 1800baskets.com have a very special surprise for 3 lucky winners! 3 winners will win the gift basket of their choice $100 and under! We will select one person who is 'Liking' BOTH 1800baskets.com and Ascending Butterfly on Facebook (this is optional, we never make following on social media required!), one winner that follows BOTH 1800baskets.com and Ascending Butterfly on Twitter and one winner who is either a google follower or email subscriber. This way no matter how you choose to connect with Ascending Butterfly and 1800baskets.com you still have a chance to win! How sweet is that?

Don't you just ♥ 1800baskets.com? I know I do!

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - How to Win: (1) You must be a PUBLIC 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' differs from your profile id, please let me know what name you follow under) and (2)MANDATORY entry-Visit 1800baskets and  Link us to the basket you would pick if you won! (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 clearly visible in your profile, you can just say so, that's OK!) Please follow the easy 1, 2, 3 steps to winning (or in this case, the A,B,C’s of winning!) This giveaway is open to USA residents who are 18 years of age or older. No PO Boxes.

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - 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 Wednesday, May 11, 2011 until Wednesday, May 18, 2011 at 03:00 PM (EST) to comment and be entered for a chance to win. You will have 48 hours to confirm if we do not hear from you we will be forced to move on to an alternate. (We only notify winners DIRECTLY via email, so if your profile or your comment does not have an email your entry will not be processed)

EXTRA CREDIT:

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Blog about this giveaway, linking to this giveaway post. Leave the URL in a comment. (If your blog post contains more than just a pic and link you'll get 5 extra credit entries!)

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - In the spirit of Mother's Day Fun share with us your favorite advice that your mom has given you! (and yes, if you were not raised by your mom, you can share with us the best wisdom received by the person who did raise you!)

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Grab our NEW Button and put it on your Blog. Leave the URL where we can see it in a comment (if you have our old one, please swap it out, our URL address has changed!)

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

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Follow @1800baskets on Twitter

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Follow @Ascending1 on Twitter (this is Ascending Butterfly's new account, we will soon be hosting twitter parties which necessitates having a second account so we can make updates throughout the entire party!)

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ -Tweet this:

Pls RT Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - @Ascending1 + @1800baskets Basket of YOUR choice $100 or under #Giveaway! Ends 05/18 http://tinyurl.com/3gnwprs

(Leave a comment with the tweet’s url so you can get a valid entry (click on the time your tweet was sent to get the direct URL and then copy and paste it here). You can Tweet TWICE per DAY. If you Tweet more than that, that entry will be disqualified.)

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Digg about this giveaway and leave your digg username in your comment

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

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Follow Ascending Butterfly on Facebook HERE

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Follow 1800baskets.com and tell them Ascending Butterfly Sent You (I'm sure they'd love for you to tell them which Basket you most want to try also!) on Facebook HERE (Please post the link to your facebook comment, you can get that link the same way you get your link to your tweets!)

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Follow Ascending Butterfly on Networked Blogs HERE

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Join Ascending Butterfly's NEW Community/Real Time Chat, Group HERE

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - One time only, NOT a daily: Vote for Ascending Butterfly on: Fuel My Blog

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Have you entered another active giveaway on Ascending Butterfly? Let me know which one and you’ll get more extra credit!

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Have you commented on a non-giveaway entry? Let me know which one here and you’ll get more extra credit!

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Press the button below and join, you get an extra entry for this giveaway and a shot at more great prizes, lets win together! (one time extra credit, will be verified before entry can be accepted)

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

FTC Disclosure Info for this Giveaway: This is not a paid insertion. This is a non-compensated post and all opinions regarding the product and the sponsor are my own experiences. I was provided product to facilitate the review and giveaway. The sponsors are fulfilling directly to prize winner(s), this in no way influenced my opinion of the products. Once a winner is selected and their information has been forwarded to the sponsor, the responsibility of prize fulfillment rests with the sponsor.

Monday, May 9, 2011

Winners Announcements, Giveaways and more!


It's my favorite time of the day, time to make YOU smile with another winners list! All Winners Listed Below Have Confirmed Their Win!


Giveaway Name: Easter Basket of Your Choice Giveaway - Ended 04/19

Winner: JS22

Special Thanks to the Happy Easter Store for hosting!

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

Giveaway Name: Win a Rug Mother's Day Giveaway with Madison at Main! Ended 04/30
Winner: Stephanie (I know we have several Stephanie's, please note that Stephanie A. has already confirmed this win)
Special Thanks to Madison at Main for hosting!

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

Active Giveaways!

It's Mothers Month at Ascending Butterfly!

1) Ends 05/10 - Clarisonic Review and $200 B-Glowing Gift Card Giveaway! (so you can get a Clarisonic, or anything else your heart desires!) - Enter HERE!

2) Ends 05/13 - Give Mama A Little MOR for Mother's Day Heart Shaped Gift Tins Giveaway! Indulgent Products in a Heart Shaped tin - Enter HERE!

3) Ends 05/31 - Featured Handbag in the Spotlight: Pelle Camden Belted Leather Satchel Giveaway! (It's Birkin Style, without the sacrifice your budget price tag!) - Enter HERE!

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

Earthies Giveaway Entries are being processed and we will announce the winner soon! Hope you all had a fantastic Mother's Day!

Sunday, May 8, 2011

Happy Mother's Day Butterfly!



Our Mother's Day Buying Guide will continue on Monday, as you know, the entire the month of May we will be celebrating moms here on Ascending Butterfly!

I couldn't resist this perfect Mothers Day Graphic with butterflies!

Wishing all my butterflies AND their moms, grandmas, Aunties, Madres, Mamas, and Titi's, a very Happy Mother's Day!

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

Saturday, May 7, 2011

Give Mama A Little MOR for Mother's Day Heart Shaped Gift Tins Giveaway! Ends 05/15!

˙·٠•● Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ ●•●•٠·˙˙·٠•● Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ ●•●•٠·˙˙·٠•● Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ ●•●•٠·˙
This giveaway is now CLOSED. Thanks so much to our wonderful sponsor MOR Cosmetics! We look forward to working with you again! The winner has been notified and upon confirmation, follower name will be posted both here and on our homepage. Remember: There are great giveaways active on the upper right hand side of the page!
˙·٠•● Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ ●•●•٠·˙˙·٠•● Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ ●•●•٠·˙˙·٠•● Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ ●•●•٠·˙

Ascending Butterfly's Annual Mother's Day Buying Guide Giveaway, brought to you by:

NOTE: Entry Deadline Extended for this giveaway due to server maintenance causing site issues, we apologize for any inconvenience!

Is your mom the hostess with the mostest? Is presentation important to her?

I have a long time love with creative packaging ,wrapping paper and presentation, which is probably why I'm so in love Mor Cosmetics. Their products are amazing, don't get me wrong, but much like a kid at Christmas, I can't wait to see the packaging! I didn't think it was possible to fall more in love with their packaging, I love all their packaging be it paper or tins, and I fell head over heels with the packaging (and the products) included in the Dear Mr. Patridge limited edition holiday gift set (see HERE for review), I don't know how they manage to keep topping themselves, but they have come up with another 'perfect gift'. Their Mother's Day Heart Shaped Gift Tins are brilliantly pacakaged as always, and contain a Soapette and Hand Cream in your choice of scent. Each of the colors represent a different scent choice.

I can't gaurantee you 'favorite' status, but I can assure you mom will love these, and YOU for being so thoughtful!

MOR Mother's Day Heart Shaped Gift Tins


These sets offer Super Luxe Love for your skin, at a price that won't break the bank! At $17, you should totally splurge and buy mom all three! For less than the cost of a dozen roses you can get mom a more longer lasting gift, that's good for her skin, whose scent will transport her, and the tin can be re-purposed!

The Sets:




Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Hand Over Heart - (White Heart) - Snow Gardenia Scented Soapette and Hand Cream - Gardenia, Juniper Berry and Angelica introduce the classical Snow Gardenia fragrance with a touch of Ylang Ylang, Vanilla and Sandalwood to finish the base accords. (While picking a Mor favorite is much like picking a favorite child, I have to admit Snow Gardenia is my favorite Mor scent!)




Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Heart of Gold - (Pink Heart) - Lychee Flowers Scented Soapette and Hand Cream - scent is produced with sparkling sweet lychee flowers united with ripe Berries, soft powdery Florals and the slightest hint of Green Forest Woods.




Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Sweet Heart - (Black Heart) - Marshmallow Scented Soapette and Hand Cream - Vanilla Musk and Jasmine Flower, Sugar dipped Rose petals with White Carnation and Cotton Candy play beautifully to create a deliciously sweet perfume!  (It's not a clawing sweet, but the florals do make the Vanilla Musk a little less heavy, this is so hard to describe for some reason! You really just have to experience it for yourself to fully understand! You won't be left smelling like candy, trust me!)

My Take

Mor definitely has done it again! The products not only are contained in a re-purposeable and beautiful gift tin, they even put a very pretty bow on it for you. Literally the only 'thinking' you have to do with this is decide on a scent (unless you of course take my advice and get all three!).

These are great to buy and tuck away for a ton of gift giving needs, in addition to mother's day, these make great birthday gifts, hostess gifts, and do you have a teacher to buy for soon? Trust me, she'll love this way more than an apple! (While I appreciate the joys of fruit, as a former Special Ed Teacher, I can tell you that your childs teacher will love this way more!).

You didn't think I'd forget about you right? Who loves you butterfly?

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - WIN IT! - Ascending Butterfly and our friends at Mor have a very special surprise for 3 lucky winners! 3 winners will win one MOR Mother's Day Heart Shaped Gift Tin in their choice of scent! We will select one person who is 'Liking' BOTH Mor and Ascending Butterfly on Facebook, one winner that follows BOTH MOR and Ascending Butterfly on Twitter and one winner who is either a google follower or email subscriber. This way no matter how you choose to connect with Ascending Butterfly and MOR you still have a chance to win! How sweet is that?

Don't you just ♥ Mor? I know I do!

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - How to Win: (1) You must be a PUBLIC 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' differs from your profile id, please let me know what name you follow under) and (2)MANDATORY entry- tell us which of the three scents you'd most love to try! (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 clearly visible in your profile, you can just say so, that's OK!) Please follow the easy 1, 2, 3 steps to winning (or in this case, the A,B,C’s of winning!) This giveaway is open to USA residents who are 18 years of age or older. No PO Boxes.

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - 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, May 07, 2011 until Friday, May 15, 2011 at 03:00 PM (EST) to comment and be entered for a chance to win. You will have 48 hours to confirm if we do not hear from you we will be forced to move on to an alternate. (We only notify winners DIRECTLY via email, so if your profile or your comment does not have an email your entry will not be processed)

DISCOUNT ALERT: Free Samples on Mor E-Boutique purchases over $30, enter MOR38 at checkout to redeem!

EXTRA CREDIT:

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Blog about this giveaway, linking to this giveaway post. Leave the URL in a comment. (If your blog post contains more than just a pic and link you'll get 5 extra credit entries!)

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - In the spirit of Mother's Day Fun share with us your favorite advice that your mom has given you! (and yes, if you were not raised by your mom, you can share with us the best wisdom received by the person who did raise you!)

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Grab our NEW Button and put it on your Blog. Leave the URL where we can see it in a comment (if you have our old one, please swap it out, our URL address has changed!)

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

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Follow @MORcosmetics on Twitter

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Follow @Ascending1 on Twitter (this is Ascending Butterfly's new account, we will soon be hosting twitter parties which necessitates having a second account so we can make updates throughout the entire party!)

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ -Tweet this:

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - @Ascending1 + @MORcosmetics indulgent products Mother's Day Heart Shaped Gift Tins #Giveaway! Ends 05/15 http://tinyurl.com/3p9qlnf

(Leave a comment with the tweet’s url so you can get a valid entry (click on the time your tweet was sent to get the direct URL and then copy and paste it here). You can Tweet TWICE per DAY. If you Tweet more than that, that entry will be disqualified.)

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Digg about this giveaway and leave your digg username in your comment

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

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Follow Ascending Butterfly on Facebook HERE

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Follow Mor Cosmetics and tell them Ascending Butterfly Sent You (I'm sure they'd love for you to tell them which Mother's Day Gift Set Scent you most want to try also!) on Facebook HERE (Please post the link to your facebook comment, you can get that link the same way you get your link to your tweets!)

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Follow Ascending Butterfly on Networked Blogs HERE

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Join Ascending Butterfly's NEW Community/Real Time Chat, Group HERE

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Vote for Ascending Butterfly on: Fuel My Blog

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Have you entered another active giveaway on Ascending Butterfly? Let me know which one and you’ll get more extra credit!

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Have you commented on a non-giveaway entry? Let me know which one here and you’ll get more extra credit!

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Press the button below and join, you get an extra entry for this giveaway and a shot at more great prizes, lets win together! (one time extra credit, will be verified before entry can be accepted)

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

FTC Disclosure Info for this Giveaway: This is not a paid insertion. This is a non-compensated post and all opinions regarding the product and the sponsor are my own experiences. I was provided product to facilitate the review and giveaway. The sponsors are fulfilling directly to prize winner(s), this in no way influenced my opinion of the products. Once a winner is selected and their information has been forwarded to the sponsor, the responsibility of prize fulfillment rests with the sponsor.

Thursday, May 5, 2011

Cinco De Mayo!



Cinco De Mayo (5th of May), commemorates the victory of the Mexican Militia over the French Army at The Battle Of Puebla in 1862. It is a regional holiday celebrated in the Mexican Capital City of Puebla. While there is limited recognition in other parts of Mexico, it is primarily celebrated in US Cities, and it is NOT, I repeat IS NOT, Mexico's Independence Day, which is actually on September 16th.

What should be a celebration of Mexican Culture including food, music, and customs has sadly become a full day Drinking Fest here in the states! It's a mis-conception I'd like to see de-bunked once and for all. (Although I have a feeling I may have to repeat this next year!)

How are you celebrating Cinco De Mayo?

Today I celebrated by co-hosting a super fun Twitter Party (#curiousgeorgemoms) for PBS Kid's Curious George, which highlighted  the upcoming television show celebrating Dia de Las Madres (Mother's Day), and Curious George's new friend, Marco! See yesterday's post for more details HERE.

I want to thank all my Ascending Butterflies who joined in on the party to win great prizes and show their support!

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

Wednesday, May 4, 2011

Curious George Celebrates Mothers Day, Moms Celebrating Moms May 5th Twitter Party and MORE!



Do you remember your favorite book as a child? The one you would have your parents read to you at Bedtime?

I had three particular favorites that I never tired of, Curious George, Three Billy Goats Gruff, and Ferdinand The Bull. My mom would have to read those to me over and over and I loved the silly voices she would put on for each character she read.

I am not yet a Mom (or actually even ready to consider Motherhood yet!), but I am an Aunt and a GodMother, and I of course shared my love for my favorite books with each of my nieces, nephews and Godchildren when they were born.

One of my nephews really took to Curious George the way I did at his age, and it became his favorite book for everyone to read to him. He shares many traits with Curious George actually, adventurous, helpful, sweet, and naturally curious!

I recently received a screening party package that contained tons of Curious George Fun, and while he is way too old for it now, my teen Nephew and my younger Nieces and Nephews came over to enjoy a screening of  Curious George "Mother's Day Surprise!' premiering Friday, May 6th on PBS Kids (check local listings for airings in your broadcast area HERE). I love that I didn't even have to twist his arm (being his favorite 'Titi' (Aunt) definitely has its advantages!).



In this special episode, which you can catch on May 6th, Curious George and his new friend Marco, decide to host a Dia De La Madres (Mother's Day) celebration for Marco's Mom as a surprise! George decides to help Marco throw a surprise party for his mom and enlists the help of Marco's Sister and the Man with the Yellow Hat to help prepare some of Marco's Mom's favorite foods and a Pinata.

On May 5th, another episode that features George's new friend Marco will air called 'George's Home Run', where Marco tries to hit his first Little League Home Run while George plays Scorekeeper.



The episodes end with a small featurette of real children learning to apply the lessons in the episode to their own life, which was a big hit with my nieces and nephews!

I only wish George had met Marco when I was little or better still when my teen Nephew who shares my love for George was still young! I remember having Pinatas at my birthday parties!

MOMS CELEBRATING MOMS TWITTER PARTY



Title: MOMS CELEBRATING MOMS, brought to you by Curious George

Date: Thursday, May 5th

Time: 1pm EST/10am PST

Handle: #CuriousGeorgeMoms

Prizes: Three winners will pamper themselves with a $100 gift certificate from Aveda.com

Co-hosts: @Ohmariana, @mamalatina, @thoughtsofamomy, @Tracy_Iglesias. Moderated by @lbconnect, with special guest @DorotheaGillim, Executive Producer at WGBH.

To be eligible to win, you must join the party, be sure to RSVP for it HERE, follow the hosts listed above, and participate during the hour with an original tweet (RT´s not eligible) using the #CuriousGeorgeMoms hashtag and answer the Giveaway questions.

A random winner will be chosen amongst those who answered correctly. Open only to residents of the United States. Void where prohibited. Rules can be found HERE

Visit PBSKIDS.org/CuriousGeorge for showtimes, games, printables and videos.

You can connect with Curious George on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/curiousgeorge

Thanks to Curious George’s national corporate sponsors Chuck E. Cheese’s and Rainforest Cafe.

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

Tuesday, May 3, 2011

Clarisonic Review and $200 B-Glowing Gift Card Giveaway! Ends 05/10

˙·٠•● Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ ●•●•٠·˙˙·٠•● Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ ●•●•٠·˙˙·٠•● Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ ●•●•٠·˙
This giveaway is now CLOSED. Thanks so much to our wonderful sponsor B-Glowing! We look forward to working with you again! The winner has been notified and upon confirmation, follower name will be posted both here and on our homepage. Remember: There are great giveaways active on the upper right hand side of the page!
˙·٠•● Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ ●•●•٠·˙˙·٠•● Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ ●•●•٠·˙˙·٠•● Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ ●•●•٠·˙

Ascending Butterfly's Annual Mother's Day Buying Guide Giveaway, brought to you by:


The newest weapon in my beauty arsenal is the Clarisonic Skin Care Brush! I am as skeptical as most when I read about a product yielding 'instant results', and since I have acne prone skin, I was actually a bit fearful this would exacerbate oil production and make my skin oilier.

I was genuinely amazed with Clarisonic after my very FIRST use. I found my skin felt cleaner than ever. That level of clean that you feel after a fancy spa facial, where they steamed your skin, exfoliated it, massaged it and you lay down in a zen room with a facial mask on....

I am still a natural skeptic, so I decided to give it the 'toner test'. I have a favorite toner that I use as a second step after cleansing my face. That toner manages to find gunk that I didn't know was there, and the cottonball never lies. After using my Clarisonic the very FIRST time, I decided to wait a bit, and then use my toner. The cottonball was spotless, my skin was deep down clean. And felt amazing.

I have used it twice a day for 2 weeks now, and the level of clarity in my skin, the even-texture and tone, the brightness and luminosity from within is very much noticeable. I require much less moisturizer and toner and have not experienced one breakout since using it. I'm actually amazed by the transformation I have experienced with my skin since using my Clarisonic.

Clarisonic Skin Care Brush







Clarisonic Clarisonic CLASSIC White Skin Care Brush

From: b-glowing

Ladies what Sonicare did for the toothbrush, Clarisonic does for the skin! It leaves your face feeling smooth, soft, almost polished. Your makeup will go on more evenly, and it is safe for even sensitive skin!

B-Glowing sells more than just Clarisonic Products, they are literally a one stop beauty shop, that also sells those hard to find products that are not always available in your neighborhood!

Clarisonic Deets:

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - The sonic frequency moves Clarisonic's soft, gentle brush back and forth at more than 300 times per second, thoroughly clearing pores and skin surface.
Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Removes makeup six times better than traditional methods.
Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Clears pores and reduces the appearance of pore size.
Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ -  Cleanses so thoroughly that skincare products absorb better.
Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Creates noticeably healthier looking skin.
Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Ideal for all skin types and used and recommended by leading dermatologists and cosmetic surgeons.
Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Gentle enough to use for cleansing rosacea and sebborheic dermatitis.
Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - The Classic comes with a 2 year warranty! 

My Take

I love b-glowing, when I truly want to indulge - be it my skincare or haircare, they have everything I love to use regularly, and I can certainly lose track of time doing some virtual window shopping from some of the most sought after cosmetic brands in the industry! They feature Globally Conscious Products, and just like shopping in store many of their brands offer a complimentary gift with purchase. All orders receive 3 free samples in their signature organza bag with a thank you card and free shipping on purchases over $75. You can get the department store perks, while shopping in the comfort of your own home, how entirely awesome is that?

Only bad thing ladies, is you could actually lose track of time looking through all the goodies they sell! (Much like in the Department Store!)

You didn't think I'd forget about you right? Who loves you butterfly?

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - WIN IT! - Ascending Butterfly and our friends at B-Glowing have a very special surprise for 1 lucky winner! 1 winner will win a b-glowing Gift Certificate - $200.00 Gift Certificate

So you can get a Clarisonic of your own, or any other product they sell that your heart desires!

Don't you just ♥ B-Glowing? I know I do!

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - How to Win: (1) You must be a PUBLIC 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' differs from your profile id, please let me know what name you follow under) and (2)MANDATORY entry- Visit B-Glowing and then Link us to any item you like other than the Clarisonic! (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 clearly visible in your profile, you can just say so, that's OK!) Please follow the easy 1, 2, 3 steps to winning (or in this case, the A,B,C’s of winning!) This giveaway is open to USA residents who are 18 years of age or older. No PO Boxes.

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - 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, May 03, 2011 until Tuesday, May 10, 2011 at 03:00 PM (EST) to comment and be entered for a chance to win. You will have 48 hours to confirm if we do not hear from you we will be forced to move on to an alternate. (We only notify winners DIRECTLY via email, so if your profile or your comment does not have an email your entry will not be processed)

EXTRA CREDIT:

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Blog about this giveaway, linking to this giveaway post. Leave the URL in a comment. (If your blog post contains more than just a pic and link you'll get 5 extra credit entries!)

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - In the spirit of Mother's Day Fun share with us your favorite advice that your mom has given you! (and yes, if you were not raised by your mom, you can share with us the best wisdom received by the person who did raise you!)

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Grab our NEW Button and put it on your Blog. Leave the URL where we can see it in a comment (if you have our old one, please swap it out, our URL address has changed!)

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

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Follow @bglowingcom on Twitter

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Follow @Ascending1 on Twitter (this is Ascending Butterfly's new account, we will soon be hosting twitter parties which necessitates having a second account so we can make updates throughout the entire party!)

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ -Tweet this:

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - @Ascending1 + @Clarisonic Review and @bglowingcom $200 Gift Certificate #beauty #Giveaway! Ends 05/10 http://tinyurl.com/3apufv8

(Leave a comment with the tweet’s url so you can get a valid entry (click on the time your tweet was sent to get the direct URL and then copy and paste it here). You can Tweet TWICE per DAY. If you Tweet more than that, that entry will be disqualified.)

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Digg about this giveaway and leave your digg username in your comment

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

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Follow Ascending Butterfly on Facebook HERE

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Follow B-Glowing and tell them Ascending Butterfly Sent You on Facebook HERE (Please post the link to your facebook comment, you can get that link the same way you get your link to your tweets!)

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Follow Ascending Butterfly on Networked Blogs HERE

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Join Ascending Butterfly's NEW Community/Real Time Chat, Group HERE

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Vote for Ascending Butterfly on: Fuel My Blog

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Have you entered another active giveaway on Ascending Butterfly? Let me know which one and you’ll get more extra credit!

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Have you commented on a non-giveaway entry? Let me know which one here and you’ll get more extra credit!

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Press the button below and join, you get an extra entry for this giveaway and a shot at more great prizes, lets win together! (one time extra credit, will be verified before entry can be accepted)

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

FTC Disclosure Info for this Giveaway: This is not a paid insertion. This is a non-compensated post and all opinions regarding the product and the sponsor are my own experiences. I was provided product to facilitate the review and giveaway. The sponsors are fulfilling directly to prize winner(s), this in no way influenced my opinion of the products. Once a winner is selected and their information has been forwarded to the sponsor, the responsibility of prize fulfillment rests with the sponsor.

Sunday, May 1, 2011

{CLOSED} Featured Handbag in the Spotlight: Pelle Camden Belted Leather Satchel Giveaway! Ends 5/31

˙·٠•● Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ ●•●•٠·˙˙·٠•● Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ ●•●•٠·˙˙·٠•● Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ ●•●•٠·˙
This giveaway is now CLOSED. Thanks so much to our wonderful sponsor Wilsons Leather! We look forward to working with you again! The winner has been notified and upon confirmation, follower name will be posted both here and on our homepage. Remember: There are great giveaways active on the upper right hand side of the page!
˙·٠•● Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ ●•●•٠·˙˙·٠•● Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ ●•●•٠·˙˙·٠•● Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ ●•●•٠·˙


Ascending Butterfly's Spotlight Handbag of the Month, brought to you by:


This month we are hitting you with a dual selection, both a Featured Handbag of the Month, AND a Mother's Day Buying Guide Recommendation! We've switched gears from home back to Fashion, and I have a great recommendation from Wilson's Leather!

It's no secret that my biggest weakness are quality Leather Handbags, and my very first one was a black leather crossbody I purchased from Wilsons Leather when they first set up shop in my local mall when I was a teenager. And quite frankly that bag set the bar high. The leather was buttery soft, it had all the organizational features I needed, and it held up for YEARS. (And yes me being a very typical New Yorker, I did get it in Black!)

I have purchased quite a few bags and leather jackets from Wilson's since then both on an offline, and find that I keep going back, and I think of them first, because the service at their brick and mortar locations are amazingly attentive, never intrusive, always welcome, friendly and helpful. The online service is amazingly fast, and there are customer reviews available for the products so you can get real customer feedback and ideas regarding sizing! And whether I shop at one of their many retail locations, or I choose to shop online, I know I'm getting a great deal coupled with amazing quality.

Wilson's pricing allows you to add to your accessory wardrobe without breaking the bank. You can stay on trend with a seasonal color bag or jacket of exceptional quality, look like you spent a million bucks but not have to cringe when the bill comes in!

Pelle Camden Belted Leather Satchel



While your name may not be Jane Birkin, and Hermes may not be beating down a path to your door to design you a custom handbag that costs more than a House down payment, you can still very much feel and look like you do!
Wilson's Pelle Camden Satchel is bound to turn heads! Whether you are shopping for a style savvy, fashion forward mom, someone with a very special birthday coming up, or just want to make her smile, THIS is definitely the way to say I Love You!
Bag Deets:
Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Two 23" rolled carry handles (Drop: 8½")
Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Gold-tone hardware
Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Front buckle detail; protective metal base feet; structured base
Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ -  Zip-across top closure
Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - 2-section interior with zippered divider; zippered interior pocket; 3 card slots; 2 open accessory sleeves; open cell phone sleeve
Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ -  Genuine leather
Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Full lining
Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - 11"W x 9"H x 4"D

My Take

I love this bag, it's sophisticated, stylish, well constructed, and very nicely designed. This is the bag you take to that big meeting, and then it will take you effortlessly into evening because it's not a huge satchel, it's very much structured!

This is the bag mom may not ask you for, but she definitely wants! I'd recommend tucking a gift card to her favorite restaurant in one of the card slots......(you do want to be mom's favorite don't you?) ;)

Only bad thing ladies, is you will definitely want one in every color! The good thing is, at these prices you can afford to and not feel guilty!

You didn't think I'd forget about you right? Who loves you butterfly?

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - WIN IT! - Ascending Butterfly and our friends at Wilsons Leather have a very special surprise for 1 lucky winner! 1 winner will win the Pelle Camden Belted Leather Satchel in their choice of color!

Don't you just ♥ Wilsons Leather? I know I do!

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - How to Win: (1) You must be a PUBLIC 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' differs from your profile id, please let me know what name you follow under) and (2)MANDATORY entry- Visit Wilsons Leather and then Link us to any item you like other than the Pelle Camden Belted Leather Satchel! (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 clearly visible in your profile, you can just say so, that's OK!) Please follow the easy 1, 2, 3 steps to winning (or in this case, the A,B,C’s of winning!) This giveaway is open to USA residents who are 18 years of age or older. No PO Boxes.

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - 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 Sunday, May 01, 2011 until Tuesday, May 31, 2011 at 03:00 PM (EST) to comment and be entered for a chance to win. You will have 48 hours to confirm if we do not hear from you we will be forced to move on to an alternate. (We only notify winners DIRECTLY via email, so if your profile or your comment does not have an email your entry will not be processed)

EXTRA CREDIT:

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - NEW! Please rock the vote for me (this is a ONE TIME ONLY so you can only get this extra credit once), by voting for Tracy Iglesias here (I'm the one in the Red Leather Jacket!) :-) http://www.yourbestpose.com/competition/?id=1#6

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Blog about this giveaway, linking to this giveaway post. Leave the URL in a comment. (If your blog post contains more than just a pic and link you'll get 5 extra credit entries!)

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - In the spirit of Mother's Day Fun share with us your favorite advice that your mom has given you! (and yes, if you were not raised by your mom, you can share with us the best wisdom received by the person who did raise you!)

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Grab our NEW Button and put it on your Blog. Leave the URL where we can see it in a comment (if you have our old one, please swap it out, our URL address has changed!)

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

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Follow @wilsonsleather on Twitter

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Follow @Ascending1 on Twitter (this is Ascending Butterfly's new account, we will soon be hosting twitter parties which necessitates having a second account so you can make updates throughout the entire party!)

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Tweet this:

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ @Ascending1 + @wilsonsleather Spotlight Handbag of the Month #Giveaway! ARV $225! Ends 05/31 http://tinyurl.com/4xbcvgg

(Leave a comment with the tweet’s url so you can get a valid entry (click on the time your tweet was sent to get the direct URL and then copy and paste it here). You can Tweet TWICE per DAY. If you Tweet more than that, that entry will be disqualified.)

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Digg about this giveaway and leave your digg username in your comment

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

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Follow Ascending Butterfly on Facebook HERE

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Follow Wilsons Leather and tell them Ascending Butterfly Sent You on Facebook HERE (Please post the link to your facebook comment, you can get that link the same way you get your link to your tweets!)

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Follow Ascending Butterfly on Networked Blogs HERE

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Join Ascending Butterfly's NEW Community/Real Time Chat, Group HERE

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Vote for Ascending Butterfly on: Fuel My Blog

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Have you entered another active giveaway on Ascending Butterfly? Let me know which one and you’ll get more extra credit!

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Have you commented on a non-giveaway entry? Let me know which one here and you’ll get more extra credit!

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Press the button below and join, you get an extra entry for this giveaway and a shot at more great prizes, lets win together! (one time extra credit, will be verified before entry can be accepted)

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

FTC Disclosure Info for this Giveaway: This is not a paid insertion. This is a non-compensated post and all opinions regarding the product and the sponsor are my own experiences. I was provided product to facilitate the review and giveaway. The sponsors are fulfilling directly to prize winner(s), this in no way influenced my opinion of the products. Once a winner is selected and their information has been forwarded to the sponsor, the responsibility of prize fulfillment rests with the sponsor.