Monday, November 7, 2011

{CLOSED} Win a Pair of Shoes or Boots from Naturalizer Holiday Giveaway! Ends 11/13

˙·٠•● Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ ●•●•٠·˙˙·٠•● Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ ●•●•٠·˙˙·٠•● Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ ●•●•٠·˙
This giveaway is now CLOSED. Thanks so much to our wonderful sponsor Naturalizer Shoes! We look forward to working with you again! The winner is Angela H. 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 2011 Holidays Buying Guide, Giveaway #2 brought to you by:


By now lovely butterflies, you know more about my feet than you probably even wanted to know, yet there is still more to share! (inserting an LOL here)

I had the chance to visit with Naturalizer and their designer Angelique and learn all about the new fall styles that Naturalizer had to offer, and I was thoroughly impressed at how much more fashion forward Naturalizer Shoes have become WITHOUT sacrificing the comfort, and variety of wide width AND wide shaft boots that most of us have come to know and love. With color-blocking options and higher heels, they set out to prove you can really have your cake and eat it too when it comes to functional footwear that does not sacrifice one bit on style!

Want to feel like you were actually there? Check out this video of Naturalizer Shoe Designer extraordinaire, Angelique showing some of the new styles:



Here is a picture of me with Naturalizer Shoe Designer Angelique:

Ascending Butterfly (right) with Naturalizer Shoe Designer Angelique, I'm wearing 'Dinka' Boot in Black Leather

After trying on several pairs, (and not wanting to leave any of them behind) I ultimately selected the 'Dinka' Black Leather Boots. (They also have these in grey suede, and I'm thinking of picking those up too!)

About Dinka Boot

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Leather or suede upper in a dress knee-high style with a round toe
Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Lace-up detail with metal eyelets at the back
Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Full length side zipper
Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Smooth lining, cushioning insole features N5 Comfort Elements
Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Non-slip outsole, 2 1/2 inch heel

These boots with the feminine back lace up detail are the absolute perfect height to make them both fashionable yet extremely comfortable for all day wear! I took them in both the wide width and wide shaft option as I have wide calves and these fit PERFECTLY! They are true to size (no need to size up) and do really go over wide calves!


 My Take:

I'm a long time Naturalizer lover and used to work very close to the location that this event was held, so I would visit that particular store often. These boots match perfectly with my new black leather jacket from Wilsons Leather! These boots pair just as well with skinny jeans as they do with skirts and dresses. They are not so high you feel like you are teetering, and they are not so low that they are overly casual.

I have always loved that Naturalizer offered wide width shoes in a wide variety (as many wide width shoe lovers know, you always find out the hard way that not all styles are available in wide widths) and the fact that they offer wide shaft boots, makes Naturalizer the first name that comes to mind when I'm in the market for something new! The Naturalizer Ilaz style also caught my eye! (It gets honorable mention, I'm thinking of going back for that one!)

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

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - WIN IT! - Ascending Butterfly and our friends at Naturalizer would like to give 1 lucky winner a pair of Naturalizer Shoes or Boots of your choosing on naturalizer.com! (Note: May not be combined with any other offer at checkout, not valid on the purchase of gift cards, not valid toward the purchase of Naya, Ryka, MBT, or NaturalSport Footwear). Gift Code expires 12/10/11

Don't you just ♥ Naturalizer? 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 Naturalizer and link us to anything other than the Dinka or Tyla boot that catches your eye!  (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. No purchase necessary. One entry per Household, see Ascending Butterfly Giveaway Rules and Disclosure Policy HERE

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 Monday, November 07, 2011 until Sunday, November 13, 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 - In honor of all things shoes, tell me which shoe (current or former) is your all time favorite shoe and why?

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 - 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 @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 - Follow @NaturalizerShoe on Twitter

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Tweet this:

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ -#Win a #free pair of #shoes or #boots from @NaturalizerShoe & @Ascending1 #Giveaway Ends 11/13 #myblogspark

(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 - Like Ascending Butterfly on Facebook HERE

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Like Naturalizer on Facebook HERE (Tell them which item you are trying to win on Ascending Butterfly) - Be sure you leave the link to your comment here for extra credit. (You can get the link the same way you do on twitter, press on the time you left the comment, and when the page fully loads, highlight and copy the URL address and then paste it into the comment field here).

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Subscribe to Naturalizer's You Tube Channel

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 -This is ONE time per giveaway, NOT daily.

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 GiveawayThe Dinka Boots were provided for review free of charge. No monetary compensation has been received. The sponsors are fulfilling directly to prize winner(s), this in no way influenced my opinion of the products. All opinions expressed in this review are 100% my own. Once a winner is selected and their information has been forwarded to the sponsor, the responsibility of prize fulfillment rests with the sponsor.

Sunday, November 6, 2011

Weekly Moment of Gratitude + Great Giveaways!




This week, I am grateful for
:

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ -  Don't you just love falling back and re-claiming that extra hour? What did you do today with your extra hour? I slept in and later in the day cooked a fab dinner!

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Attended some fun events this week I can't wait to share more about. More detailed posts to come!

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Our annual holidays buying guide has launched! So come back daily so you don't miss something you really want to win!

Hope all my butterflies are having an amazing weekend!

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

What are you grateful for today? I'd love for you to write in and share what you are grateful for this week. The more you say it, the more you speak it, and the more you live in gratitude, the more you will find reasons to be grateful for, and the more reasons that the universe will send you to be grateful for. So join me on this journey of gratitude and inspiration. And you can post here daily (even though my list will be posted weekly).

Remember, attitude really does determine altitude.

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

OK to RT: @Tracy_Iglesias This Week's 'Moment of Gratitude' and Winners Announcement - http://tiny.cc/n4Thx

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

Active Giveaways:

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Holidays Buying Guide Giveaway #1: $100 Wilsons Leather Gift Card Giveaway! Ends 11/15 - There will be one lucky winner!

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Ascending Butterfly Monthly Book Club: Unlikely Friendships Book + 2012 companion Wall Calendar Giveaway! - Two winners will take home the book and companion 2012 wall calendar!

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

Gratitude Journal Reco:

For those of you who are interested in keeping a gratitude journal this year, here is my recommendation and where to purchase it:
















Make this Your Best Day ever, Bless and Be Blessed!

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

FTC Disclosure: Journal Recommendation uses an Amazon Affiliate Link. Ascending Butterfly lists winner's site usernames for privacy.

Saturday, November 5, 2011

{CLOSED} Holidays Buying Guide Giveaway #1: $100 Wilsons Leather Gift Card Giveaway! Ends 11/15

˙·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 is: Big Happy Buddha (We Post Winner Site Usernames for privacy purposes). 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 2011 Holidays Buying Guide, Giveaway #1 brought to you by:



By now Wilsons Leather is no stranger to Ascending Butterfly readers, they've hosted a few Featured Handbag in the Spotlights for us (see HERE and HERE for reminders). I'm not even sure there are new words I can use to express the lifelong love affair I've had with Wilsons Leather. I've been shopping there ever since I was a teen, first at my local mall, and now online. I have purchased quite a few handbags and leather blazers from Wilsons and have always been happy with the quality, and how well everything wears and retains their beauty over time. I have purchased gifts from Wilsons that the recipients still have and very much enjoy and treasure.

This year my favorite winter jacket needed replacing (I have a hard time letting go of favorite pieces and this was one of them), it had not only seen better days, but even the lining was beyond repair, well when your favorite tailor tells you it's time to let something go and not even bother trying to repair it, you know it's time.

I knew that the only place I could trust with finding a replacement was Wilsons. And no surprise I found a jacket I loved.

Pelle Studio Smooth Lamb Belted Jacket w/ Thinsulate Zip-Out Lining

Front View @2011 Wilsons Leather

Back View @2011 Wilsons Leather

I started with Wilson's Images of the Jacket because the pro shots will give you more detail!

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Shell: Genuine leather; Lining: 100% polyester
Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Zip-Out Liner: Front/Back, 100% polyester; Fill /Thinsulate™
Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Full-zip front with snap overlay; stand-up collar
Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Attached cuff tabs
Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - On-seam hand pockets
Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Vertical strip down front seams; removable tie belt at waist
Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Zip-out quilted Thinsulate™ lining
Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Remember: When cleaning is necessary send to a special leather cleaner only

The jacket arrived at a perfect time as many fellow east coasters know we got a very snowy Halloween here in NYC (many called it #snowtober on twitter), and it's been chilly since! I wore it recently to a holiday event at the Disney Store, here I am with Mickey & Minnie and my mama butterfly, I am standing closest to Minnie, and I'm wearing my new jacket in the photo below:

Ascending Butterfly second to left near Minnie Mouse wearing Wilsons Pelle Studio Jacket!

 My Take:

I love the zip out thinsulate lining, it allows me to remove it in Spring or Fall, and then put it back in once the weather gets colder (much like it is NOW!). I love the details on this jacket, especially the way that the back stitching tapers in the back of the jacket, it truly accentuates the waist, which is where we normally curve in, so it's very flattering!

I've been wearing Wilsons for years and I already know to size up, but if you read the reviews many people are kind enough to provide their height and measurements, and you will see from petites to plus it's better to order one size up. I did that, I could have easily fit the size down from the one I ordered, but I know full well, especially in winter I will be wearing it over bulky sweaters, or sometimes even sweaters and cardigans and I wanted to be sure that I had enough room, it's actually slightly big on me, but as it gets colder and my sweaters get bigger, I know I'll be super happy I sized up.

Wilsons Leather carries all sizes and has a great variety in plus size, which I definitely appreciate, I love my curves and I love shopping brands that cater to them! :)

They have a great variety of gifts, mens and women's outwear, handbags and accessories (BTW, there are several Kindle cases on sale you might want to snatch up, especially if you are getting someone special a Kindle this year), they also have an amazing assortment of Leather Cases, Duffels & Suitcases for business and travel as well as great outwear for kids! Right now the entire site is 50% off, it's literally a one stop Holiday shop, with Handbags currently 60% off on select styles, what are you waiting for?

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 would like to give 1 lucky winner a $100 Wilsons Gift Card so you can select the item of your choosing!

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 link us to anything other than the Pelle Studio Lamb Leather Jacket with zip out thinsulate lining that catches your eye!  (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. No purchase necessary. One entry per Household, see Ascending Butterfly Giveaway Rules and Disclosure Policy HERE

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, November 05, 2011 until Tuesday, November 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)

EXTRA CREDIT:

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - In honor of all things coats, tell me about your all time favorite coat, was it a cute coat you had as a kid, or something more recent?

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 - 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 @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 - Follow @wilsonsleather on Twitter

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Tweet this:

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - @Ascending1 + @wilsonsleather $100 Wilsons Leather Gift Card #Giveaway! Ends 11/15  http://tinyurl.com/3hxazkr

(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 - Like Ascending Butterfly on Facebook HERE

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Like Wilsons Leather on Facebook HERE (Tell them which item you are trying to win on Ascending Butterfly) - Be sure you leave the link to your comment here for extra credit. (You can get the link the same way you do on twitter, press on the time you left the comment, and when the page fully loads, highlight and copy the URL address and then paste it into the comment field here).

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 -This is ONE time per giveaway, NOT daily.

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 GiveawayThe Pelle Lamb Jacket was provided for review free of charge. No monetary compensation has been received. The sponsors are fulfilling directly to prize winner(s), this in no way influenced my opinion of the products. All opinions expressed in this review are 100% my own. Once a winner is selected and their information has been forwarded to the sponsor, the responsibility of prize fulfillment rests with the sponsor.

Friday, November 4, 2011

Santé Nuts Review {Discount Code too!}

Celebrate Life Every Day!

Next to my own Tagline (Not Just A Blog, Not Just A Destination, But an Upwards Journey!), Santé Nuts has my favorite company tagline ever: 'Celebrate Life Every Day!' - I couldn't agree more

About:

Santé makes premium nuts from all natural ingredients that are perfect for snacking, salads, baking and more. They start with the highest quality nuts and roast them by hand in small batches, using secret cooking technique that minimizes the amount of oil the nuts absorb during the roasting process.

Benefits:

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ- Less oil means less fat
Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ- Handmade
Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Gluten-Free
Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - All Natural
Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ Kosher

Flavors:

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Candied Pecans
Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Sweet & Spicy Pecans
Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Cinnamon Pecans
Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Roasted Salted Pecans
Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Candied Walnuts
Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Roasted Salted Walnuts
Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Garlic Almonds
Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Chipotle Almonds
Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Cardamom Cashews
Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Candied Pistachios

My Take:

I tried the Candied Pecans, Roasted Salted Pecans, Candied Walnuts, and Garlic Almonds. I enjoyed them all, I love that they were crunchy and a great snack straight out of the bag. I tasted a few from each flavor just on their own, and then included the rest in favorite recipes including nut encrusted trout, halibut (pretty much any white fish), in salads, and also enjoyed using the walnuts in my favorite chocolate cake recipe!

They are super fresh and have a really nice un-expected crunch to them, they are so good straight out the bag that I had to force myself to remember to save some to put in my favorite recipes! These will be perfect for holiday entertaining, and would certainly make a thoughtful hostess gift in a lovely bowl.

And for those who are a bit wary of the 'candied' part, I'm not usually a candied lover either, but I want to let you know that these are in fact NOT sticky, or clawing, they are a perfect balance of salt with a very subtle of hint of sweet that makes them great for snacking and perfect to enhance your favorite recipes.

The folks at Santé Nuts have a discount code for you, enter 2011-Blog-169 and receive 25% off any order at SanteNuts.com

The Garlic Almonds were my personal favorite, they have a great zing to it, and I put those out on game night, and they went very fast! As many of you know I've dropped 26 pounds this year (and I'm almost down another dress size, YAY!) and small substitutions have made a world of difference for me. A few Garlic Almonds are a much healthier snack than a bag of chips! And they satisfy the cravings quite nicely when I want something salty, or something sweet! I loved the candied pecans too!

Keep up with Santé Nuts on Twitter and Facebook too! Tell them you saw them featured on Ascending Butterfly, maybe we can nudge them into hosting a holiday giveaway!

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

FTC Info: This is NOT a sponsored post, no monetary compensation has been received. I was sent product to review via Zooka Creative, all opinions are 100% my own.

Thursday, November 3, 2011

It's been a Social Butterfly Thursday!




It's been a social butterfly Thursday! My day started at the Disney Store checking out all things Toys, hot holiday toys, great story time, and a fun photo opp with Mickey & Minnie! Pictures and more to follow!

Then I attended the 3 Musketeers Like Up NYC event at the W Hotel where I sipped on Chocolate Martini's and caught up with my favorite NYC bloggers!

I just realized when I got back, I hadn't yet posted for today! :)

Our monthly book club returned this week with a fun dual giveaway, if you haven't yet entered, click HERE. Our 2011 Holidays Buying Guide will launch very SOON!

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

FTC Info: This is NOT a sponsored post, no compensation has been received. I did receive a gift bag at the Disney Event and new 3 Musketeers Chocolate at the Like Up NYC event.

Wednesday, November 2, 2011

Wordless Wednesday - Things Just Start to Happen!



"Once you learn to let go, things just start to happen." ~Erin Haptas

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

Tuesday, November 1, 2011

{CLOSED} Ascending Butterfly Monthly Book Club: Unlikely Friendships Book + 2012 Calendar Giveaway!

˙·٠•● Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ ●•●•٠·˙˙·٠•● Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ ●•●•٠·˙˙·٠•● Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ ●•●•٠·˙
This giveaway is now CLOSED. Thanks so much to our wonderful sponsor Unlikely Friendships! Entries are being processed. Once the winners have been notified and upon winners confirmation, follower names 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 Monthly Book Club with special Holiday Surprise!


Have you ever seen a squirrel cuddle up to the family dog? Or a vicious snake, making friends with a hamster? How about a cat and a rat, playing around like they’ve been friends forever?

Author and National Geographic senior writer Jennifer S. Holland brings together these stories plus 44 more unlikely accounts of animal friendship in UNLIKELY FRIENDSHIPS: 47 Remarkable Stories from the Animal Kingdom.

I am super happy to bring back the monthly book club with a special holiday twist!

I had the pleasure of reading the book Unlikely Friendships by Jennifer Holland, a book that I truly enjoyed from begining to end! Trust me when I tell you that you will try your best to put this book down, and go back to it, but you are going to have to read this when you have time to devour it in one sitting, it's that heartwarming that you will NOT want to put it down!

Get a sneak peek at some of the Unlikely Friendships featured in the book:




Unlikely Friendships documents one heartwarming tale after another of animals who, with nothing else in common, bond in the most unexpected ways. A cat and a bird. A mare and a fawn. An elephant and a sheep. A snake and a hamster. The well-documented stories of Koko the gorilla and All Ball the kitten; and the hippo Owen and the tortoise Mzee. And almost inexplicable stories of predators befriending prey—an Indian leopard slips into a village every night to sleep with a calf. A lionness mothers a baby oryx. Ms. Holland narrates the details and arc of each story, and also offers insights into why—how the young leopard, probably motherless, sought maternal comfort with the calf, and how a baby oryx inspired the same mothering instinct in the lionness. Or, in the story of Kizzy, a nervous retired Greyhound, and Murphy, a red tabby, how cats and dogs actually understand each other’s body language. With Murphy’s friendship and support, Kizzy recovered from life as a racing dog and became a confident, loyal family pet.

These are the most amazing friendships between species, collected from around the world and documented in a selection of full-color candid photographs.

and just when I thought it couldn't get better, there is a companion calendar that goes along with the book!


 My Take:

The book and the calendar are an amazing gift for animal lovers of all ages! I really couldn't put this down, and I'm sure you are going to have trouble doing the same. I love the 2012 companion calendar as well, I'm actually looking forward to the new year even more now because I can't wait to put this calendar up!

The book is a celebration of friendship in all it's forms. It didn't surprise me that even in the animal world, friendship is not always based on similarities. Which is oftentimes what happens with human friendships, sometimes our best friends are our total opposites. Where we are sometimes quiet, our friends are loud, or where we are shy our friends are outgoing. I think those friends come into our lives to bring us balance. And it's funny to see the same happens in the animal kingdom.

This is truly a light-hearted, warm and fun read, the story of the snake in the book didn't come as much of a surprise to me, I have witnessed something similar myself!

I know you are going to love this book, and if you have a child or teen who is animal lover I am sure they'll love it just as much!

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

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - WIN IT! - Ascending Butterfly and our friends at Workman Publishing would like to give 2 lucky winners an Unlikely Friendships Prize Pack of their own! Your prize pack will contain 1 copy of the book Unlikely Friendships by Jennifer Holland and 1 2012 Wall Calendar!

Don't you just ♥ Workman Publishing (and Unlikely Friendships)? 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 Workman Publishing and link us to anything other than Unlikely Friendships that catches your eye!  (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. No purchase necessary. One entry per Household, see Ascending Butterfly Giveaway Rules and Disclosure Policy HERE

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, November 01, 2011 until Wednesday, November 30, 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 - To celebrate Friendship, tell us about an unlikely friendship in your life. Be it human or animal!

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 - 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 @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 - Follow @WorkmanPub on Twitter

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Tweet this:

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - @Ascending1 + @WorkmanPub  Unlikely Friendships Prize Pack #Giveaway! Book + 2012 Wall Calendar 2 winners! http://tinyurl.com/3cxopvx

(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 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 <-This is ONE time per giveaway, NOT daily.

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 - NEW! Here's a win/win extra credit entry if you join Scorebig from my affiliate link you will be entering for the chance to win a $100 ScoreBig Gift Card AND a $100 Amazon Gift Card (yes both) and if I get the most people to sign up via my link, I get a shot at a prize too! How cool is that? ScoreBig is the members-only place to save up to 60% on sports, concert and theater tickets. (Unfortunately if you have already signed up on your own or under someone else, you cannot claim the extra credit here) - tell us which email you used to sign up.

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 GiveawayThe Unlikely Friendships prize pack has been provided free of charge by Workman Publishing. No monetary compensation has been received. 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.