'Spring Into Bags' Special Feature - Win the Helena de Natalio “Belen’ Shoulder Bag!

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

This giveaway is now CLOSED. Thanks so much to our wonderful sponsor Helena de Natalio! We look forward to working with you again! 

The confirmed  winner is 'WhiteChocolateCherries'. Congrats!  Remember: There are great giveaways active on the upper right hand side of the page! Enter for the current bag in the ‘Spring Into Bags’ series HERE.

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

Ascending Butterfly's 'Spring Into Bags' Special Feature sponsored by:

For Spring 2010, Ascending Butterfly has been hosting a special feature called 'Spring Into Bags' we have been reviewing and giving away hot handbags from both established and emerging hand bag designers! We are now featuring the FIFTH bag in the feature! (In case you missed them, the first bag was by Elliot Lucca, it was a convertible leather crossbody in a cheery 'poppy' color, the second bag was by Linea Pelle, it was also a leather convertible clutch in a very spring 'kelly green' color, the third bag was a leather crossbody called 'Sierra' in a popular neutral color 'latte beige' from handbag designer by night, Nurse by day, Marissa Del Rosario! The Fourth Bag in the Feature was the Fleurville 'Lexie' Teal Butterfly Tote sponsored by Layla Grayce).

A mixture of feminine and bohemian artistry, Helena de Natalio handbags have a distinct, timeless appeal for the sophisticated woman. Made with supple leather, exotic snake embossed skins, bold metallics, and contrasting tones, Helena de Natalio handbags evoke a playful yet classic style with feminine pleats, chain, fringe, and leather woven details. The bags are always functional, with cross body straps, multiple pockets, and bright linings.

The collection is inspired by the designer’s travels through South America and her experience as a Peace Corps volunteer in the town of Natalio, Paraguay. Intrigued by the unique fashion style she found in South America, Helen Lubetkin embarked on a mission to learn about leather working, handbag design, and the region’s rich cultural traditions. She worked with local artisans in Buenos Aires, Argentina to create the first Helena de Natalio handbags and remains committed to socially responsible production, ensuring that all Helena de Natalio bags are crafted in a healthy work environment by artisans throughout the world.

I cannot contain my excitement about the collection, about the bag I was sent to review, and about the company! Have you ever been to one of those high end department stores, and looked up on a shelf to see the 'perfect' bag staring at you? That bag at a store where the clerks don't even LOOK at you and the bags don't even have price tags. So you leave without it thinking it will cost you a years mortgage payment. Then you end up dreaming about it. Picturing it hanging loyally at your side and pairing perfectly with your favorite outfits. THIS is THAT Bag, except it will NOT break the bank. It has the detailing of high fashion, the function that makes it a first choice bag and a literal staple that you'll reach for daily (including fabric lining and organizational inner and outer pockets) and a spacious interior that assures you the ability to carry all of your essentials.

I wish I would have remembered to video myself opening this bag, it was the most impressive presentation by far! It comes beautifully presented with it's own logo dust/storage bag in a deep chocolate brown. The smell of the leather hit me as soon as I opened the box. It's soft, and amazingly supple with a classic pleated styling done right. It's one of those bags, that you find yourself running your hands over when you are wearing it! I have not put this bag down, and I want it in the darker color for Fall. I can tell you that Helena de Natalio has found itself a customer for LIFE. I will be buying more of her bags. And that can definitely be taken as a 'butterfly stamp of approval'.

As a matter of fact, here are some pics from other bags in her extensive collection that caught my eye (yes I am going to make you suffer before unveiling the giveaway!)

Meet 'Giselle' she is a small, folded geometric clutch with contrasting snake-embossed and plain leather. Can't you just picture yourself with this one on your way to meet the girls for the Sex & The City Sequel?  I love this clutch, and the Lilac color is absolutely fabulous (I also love this one in 'grey'!)

Meet the 'Sofita snake' A Snake-embossed hobo bag with buckle detail and adjustable shoulder or cross-body strap. The smaller version of the oversized 'Sofi snake' hobo. Comes in 'Black & Silver' as shown as well as 'Pink & Beige' and 'Natural Tan'. I saw a pair of gladiator sandals online that match this bag exactly in the Black & Silver tone. I can smell a summer shopping spree coming on!

The two bags above were just appetizers for the main course! And although this giveaway appears in our 'Spring Into Bags' feature,  I highly recommend this bag as a Mother's Day Buying Guide Pick as well. Your Mom will absolutely LOVE it.

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - WIN IT! - Ascending Butterfly and our friends at Helena de Natalio would like to provide one lucky winner with the opportunity to win the Helena de Natalio “Belen’ Shoulder Bag! (ARV $319)

About the Bag:

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Material: Leather
Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - SIZE: 13” H x 18W” x 10D”
Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Colors: Cognac, Caramel
Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Multiple-pocket drawstring tote bag
Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - braided handles
Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Spacious, structured, and pleated

If you can't wait to find out if you won and want to nab this delicious bag NOW, (and who can blame you!) you can do so HERE!

Don't you just ♥ Helena de Natalio? 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) Visit Helena de Natalio - and post the URL of another bag aside from the giveaway & review items featured of course, as your comment entry! Please post the LINK, not the name! (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 it is visible in your profile, just say so, that's OK!). Please follow the easy 1, 2, 3 steps to winning! This giveaway is open to USA residents who are 18 years of age or older.

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 08, 2010 until Friday, May 21, 2010 at 11:59 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 address your entry will not be processed.)

EXTRA CREDIT:

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

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Grab our Button and put it on your Blog. Leave the URL where we can see it in a comment (if you already have our button, just let us know, you will still get extra credit! If we cannot see the button we will not process this extra credit.)

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

Tweet this:

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ #ascendingbutterfly + @helenadenatalio “Belen’ Leather Shoulder Bag #Giveaways (ARV $319) -http://tinyurl.com/2aa6t6h

*One Tweet per person per day

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Follow @helenadenatalio on Twitter HERE

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 - Vote for Ascending Butterfly on: Fuel My Blog

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Follow/Like Ascending Butterfly on Facebook HERE

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ – Follow, now called ‘Like’ (and don't forget to write on their wall that Ascending Butterfly sent you!) Helen de Natalio on Facebook HERE

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Follow Ascending Butterfly on Networked Blogs HERE

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Join Ascending Butterfly's Community Group (with real time chat) NOTE: We switched from NING to Spruz, if you were a member of our old group you'll need to switch for this credit to count  HERE

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Subscribe to receive Ascending Butterfly emails using our Feedburner widget on the upper right hand side of the page below the follower thumbnail pictures! (If you are already a subscriber you will still receive extra credit!)

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Please Vote, Ascending Butterfly is a nominee for the Bloggers Choice ’10 Awards in the ‘Best Blog About Stuff’ Category - http://bloggerschoiceawards.com/ Where it reads total votes, there is a yellow box that reads 'Vote' Press there to vote, you must be logged in to see the number increase/vote registered. You can also vote directly using the button located on our home page and below:

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Please vote for my outfit 'springtime nyc' @ Macy's Fashion director Giveaway. You can vote for me and also enter to win a $500 Macys Gift Certificate too by creating a styleboard of your own HERE

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Please vote for my mom in ICE.com's 'Beautiful Moms' Contest on Facebook (this extra credit ends May 9th) HERE

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Enter another active giveaway on Ascending Butterfly and earn extra credit, leave a comment letting me know which giveaway you entered.

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Make a purchase from Helena de Natalio  anytime between 5/8 - 5/20 and receive 10 extra entries. (you will need to email us a copy of your invoice as proof. Yes, you can cross off method of payment information!)

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

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 community group page 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 not accept your entry. Make sure your entry or your profile have your email address!

Just a helpful Reminder: How to Follow A Blog Publicly 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. (Remember, following a blog, does NOT subscribe you to receive emails, you have to subscribe separately to do that, you will not receive emails for following)

Are you getting the dreaded 'Your Entry Can't Be Processed' message when leaving an entry or comment? Before hitting enter, highlight your comment and COPY it. If you get that message after hitting enter and your comment is still there, just ignore the message and hit enter again, then you will get a screen with a captcha code, enter the captcha code, then submit and VOILA. If after you hit the submit button the first time, you get the dreaded message and the comment 'disappeared' no worries, that's why I asked you to copy it in the first step. Paste it back in and submit again. This has worked for me when comment boxes have glitched on me, and I hope it helps you too!

˙·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 products are expressly my own experiences. I was provided product to review and for the giveaway. The sponsor is fulfilling directly to prize winner, this in no way influenced my opinion of the product. Once a winner is selected and their information has been forwarded to the sponsor, the responsibility of prize fulfillment rests with the sponsor.