Disney Tangled Prize Pack Giveaway!

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This giveaway is now CLOSED. Thanks so much to our wonderful sponsor Disney! 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 Holidays Buying Guide 2010, Third Giveaway sponsored by:

On November 24, 2010, Walt Disney Pictures’ 50th full-length animated feature, Tangled, will be coming to a theatre near you! Can you believe it's already been 50 full length features? This one will be coming to you in Disney Digital 3D! Definitely a great iMax Theater pick!

One of my favorite escapes before Thanksgiving and the Holiday Shopping frenzy begins, is to take a movie break, it definitely makes things easier when the kiddos get restless while you are shopping! A promise of a movie and some downtime usually makes everyone happy! And of course, you want to keep it family friendly (save the horror movies for date night or girls night out!).

I will be seeing it this weekend, which means no spoilers here, but I thought I'd at least share the trailer, we can watch it together!

When the kingdom’s most wanted—and most charming—bandit Flynn Rider (voice of Zachary Levi) is taken hostage by Rapunzel (voice of Mandy Moore), a feisty teen with 70 feet of golden hair who’s looking for her ticket out of the tower where she’s been locked away in for years, the unlikely duo sets off on a hilarious, hair-raising escapade filled with adventure, heart, humor and hair—lots of hair. I remember reading Rapunzel when I was a little girl! I'm looking forward to seeing this movie!

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - WIN IT! - Ascending Butterfly and our friends at Disney would like to provide 1 Ascending Butterfly Follower with a Tangled Prize Pack!

Which Includes (you will receive the whole kit and kaboodle as pictured below):

Female fit Rapunzel t-shirt (Youth)

General fit Flynn Rider t-shirt (adult)

General fit Pascal t-shirt (adult)

Silly Bandz – set of 4 characters (Rapunzel, Flynn, Pascal, Maximus)

Don't you just ♥ Disney? (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 Mandatory Entry: (2) Tell us who your favorite Disney Movie Character is and from which movie! (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, November 17, 2010 until Wednesday, November 24, 2010 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 Christmas fun, how about an extra credit for sharing your favorite holiday movie?

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!)

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

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Tweet this:

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ #ascendingbutterfly + @DisneyAnimation Disney Tangled Prize Pack #Giveaway!  - http://tinyurl.com/32t3chr

(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 - Follow @DisneyAnimation on Twitter

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 Disney's Tangled on Facebook (and remember to tell them 'Ascending Butterfly sent me') 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

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Have you entered another 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 - I could use your vote (please leave me your voting number in the comment field for an extra credit) - http://www.itsthoughtful.com/gift-idea/2758/

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 sponsor is fulfilling directly to prize winner(s), 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.

Activeion Ionator HOM Review and Giveaway! (ARV $179)

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This giveaway is now CLOSED. Thanks so much to our wonderful sponsor Activeion! We look forward to working with you again! The winner is 'Jaime'. Remember: There are great giveaways active in our Holiday Buying Guide on the upper right hand side of the page!

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

Ascending Butterfly Holidays Buying Guide 2010, Second Giveaway sponsored by:

Last year I had the opportunity to review and host a giveaway of the Activeion Pro, you can read that review HERE. Today we are launching Giveaway #2 in our Annual Holidays Buying Guide, this is going to be an amazing countdown to Christmas! You are not going to want to miss a day.

When I tried the Pro Unit last year, I found it to be the best 'green' cleaning product I had ever used. And use it I did! However, after just under a year into using the Pro Unit, the battery wouldn't hold it's charge as long. When I want to tackle big jobs, I can't constantly have the battery losing it's charge or needing to be re-charged mid-stream. While the product itself has not lost it's efficacy, and still can tackle big cleaning jobs, the battery issue can become a bit annoying, if like me, you start with your goals set out of what you want to accomplish in a cleaning session and you have to stop and wait for the battery to charge itself again.

Unbeknowngst to me, team Activeion was taking various feedback about the Activeion Pro and making it more user-friendly for home use! They actually also re-made the Pro unit I tried, and have a newer version called the EXP which I have not tried yet. Some of the cons of the old Pro Unit was that even though it has a large water reservoir, it's also much heavier in the hand. And secondly, it doesn't hold a battery charge long enough after awhile to tackle time consuming jobs like windows. Apparently, they took these complaints to heart, and lo and behold the Activeion Ionator HOM was born!

The Activeion Ionator HOM makes all the changes I wanted to see happen with the Pro Unit. It's lighter and much more intuitive and ergnomic, making it easier to hold for extended periods of time and easier to use. The battery life on this unit is a much bigger improvement from the model I used last year. The Ionator HOM holds it's charge MUCH longer, and does not require recharges as quickly as last year's Pro Unit. When I first saw it, I wondered if it could tackle the tough jobs as effectively as the Pro Unit I tried does, and I am happy to report it does! The smaller, prettier, design definitely marries form with function. I used it to tackle my toughest cleaning jobs, like Windows, Kitchen and Bathroom surfaces. I love that it Eliminates 99.9% of harmful germs including H1N1 and E. coli! And does it without harmful chemicals! Specifically, I love that it does not trigger my allergies or induce asthma, it's good for those to clean with who have any types of sensitivies and it's good for the environment as well. It's definitely all about living greener and cleaner. And the fact that you are saving money in the process is a HUGE bonus! You tackle various jobs with ONE product that utilizes tap water! Which also means less bottles, and less clutter in the cabinets! (LOVE that!)

If you have a clean freak in your life, they will not stop thanking you if they found this under the tree! I also highly recommend this for anyone with young adults going off to College. They have very limited space, and that space is shared by a large amount of people. The Activeion Ionator HOM is a portable and super convenient option for them, they can store it in a drawer in their desk or under their bed and get in the habit of making sure they wipe down their desk, headboard and phone every single day. They also wouldn't have to worry if they have a super allergic roommate since this product won't trigger an allergic reaction in anyone with allergies or sensitivities. And anything that can help them eliminate spreading common colds around the dorm is a great idea! (Just make sure they follow the instructions and use it properly to maximize it's effectiveness!)

The Activeion Ionator HOM is also an excellent gift for a young bachelor who just got a new apartment! or a young lady or a young couple just starting out! Trust me, it's the gift that keeps on giving, and will be remembered long after the holiday season is over.

This is definitely a thoughtful gift; it saves the recipient time and money and gives them what we all want, the cleanest and safest possible environment in our homes!

I am super happy with the improvements that have been made, and highly recommend the Activeion Ionator HOM.

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - WIN IT! - Ascending Butterfly and our friends at activeion.com would like to provide 1 Ascending Butterfly Follower with an Ionator HOM of their own!

Don't you just ♥ Activeion? (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 Mandatory Entry: (2) Visit Activeion Ionator HOM and tell me something you learned about the product. (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, November 16, 2010 until Tuesday, November 23, 2010 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 Christmas fun, how about an extra credit for sharing your favorite holiday movie?

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!)

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

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Tweet this:

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ #ascendingbutterfly + @Activeion win an Ionator HOM (ARV $179) #holidaybuyingguide #eco - http://tinyurl.com/2dlh2mg

(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 - Follow @Activeion on Twitter

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 Activeion on Facebook (and remember to tell them 'Ascending Butterfly sent me') 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

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Have you entered another 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 - I could use your vote (please leave me your voting number in the comment field for an extra credit) - http://www.itsthoughtful.com/gift-idea/2758/

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 sponsor is fulfilling directly to prize winner(s), 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. BTW, I genuinely LOVE the holidays! =)

Win Your Christmas Tree with a $100 Gift Certificate to Hayneedle.com

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

This giveaway is now CLOSED. Thanks so much to our wonderful sponsor Hayneedle.com! We look forward to working with you again! The winner is 'mamawj' (we post winner usernames for privacy) 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 Holidays Buying Guide 2010, First Giveaway sponsored by:

It's begining to look a lot like Christmas! Santa's little butterfly elves have been in the workshop working feverishly to bring you an amazing buying guide this year! I'm sure some of you caught the not so subtle hint on Saturday and figured out that we'd be starting off our Annual Holidays Buying Guide with a Christmas Tree!

While I love 'Live' Trees, they don't quite fit into my urban dwelling lifestyle. I'm on a Fifth Floor Walkup with no elevator, so there is no way I'm lugging a Live Christmas Tree up here! I stick with the artificial ones, delivered by an express mail carrier (we won't name any specific one, they can pay to advertise!)

My former artificial tree was truly on it's last legs and it was time for a replacement. Another great reason for using artificial trees for me, is that I store them well and hold onto them usually well past their warranty, which makes them the greener option.

I also knew that I wanted to be true to my preferences about making sure I was working with someone who gives back, you know I simply can't resist 'shopping with a conscience'. I always try to find ways to give back with every purchase I make. I love finding ways to shop smarter not harder, stay on budget and still manage to give back.

While I did receive the opportunity to review an Artificial Christmas Tree that truly suited my needs and my preferences, I was also delighted to find out that when you purchase your Christmas Tree from Hayneedle, the Arbor Day Foundation will plant a live tree in one of our nation's needy forests. Their goal is to help plant up to 15,000 trees! I would definitely love to see them achieve that goal! Learn more about Hayneedle's goal to plant 15,000 trees. (Not only can you help but at minimal cost to you, READ ON!)

I didn't get a chance to take pictures every single step of the way, but here is a picture of the tree just after assembly, since it's a pre-lit, after I assembled the base, attached the bottom, middle and top tier, I plugged it in, and this is what it looked like:

It was a little weird working with a new tree after having had my old one for so long, it took a bit to get the shape the way I wanted to, and ultimately I did end up adding a bit more lights of my own to it. (I love alot of lights on the tree!)

Then I went on to the fun stuff, Decorating! After me and the butterfly elves got to working our magic and decorating the tree it looked like this:

For my fellow travel lovers with an observant eye, yes that is a picture of 'El Morro' (San Juan, Puerto Rico) in the background, taken by yours truly and blown up and framed!

Now don't get me wrong, Hayneedle is WAY more than just Christmas Trees! Hayneedle.com includes 220 stores and counting, each devoted to a single product category. Best of all, you can shop all of them with one global shopping cart! Who needs 'Brick and Mortar' when you can get it all done in your PJ's in your ahem 'Spare Time'.

Here is a sponsor image of the tree (you know I love the hi-res!)

Technical Tree Stats:

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Shape: Full
Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Base Width: 64-inches
Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Number of Bulbs: 800
Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Number of Tips: 2176
Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Material: PVC
Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Style: Pine Trees

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - When one light goes out, the rest will stay lit as long as the bulb remains in the circuit

Pros:

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Pre-lit is super convenient, no more fighting with those 'string balls' of lights that are all tangled

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Base worked the first time! (for anyone who has had to fight with their Christmas Base - you know what I mean!

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - The branches are long! This gives you room to play with, you can tilt them up if you have a narrow space, and spread them out full if you want a really wide look to it!

Cons:

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - If you are putting this up solo, the base piece is pretty heavy

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - It doesn't come in something to keep it safe, so be careful if using a box cutter to open the outer box, there is nothing in there to protect the pieces but bubble wrap. (My box arrived pretty banged up) I really wished the tree would have come inside a storage box or bag to keep it safe during transit.

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - It does require time to get the 'shape'
Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Would have loved more lights, but you can easily add your own, which I did

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - The instructions are a bit vague so make sure you line it up well so that when you connect each tier the plugs line up for the lights, you want each tier to have it's plugs in the back.

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - WIN IT! - Ascending Butterfly and our friends at Hayneedle.com would like to provide 1 Ascending Butterfly Follower with a $100 Gift Card! - You can use the gift card to get a Christmas Tree, or on any item in their 220 stores!

Don't you just ♥ Hayneedle? (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 Mandatory Entry: (2) Visit Hayneedle.com and link me to what you would use your $100 Gift Card for. Remember you cannot link to the reviewed tree! (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 Monday, November 15, 2010 until Monday, November 22, 2010 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 Christmas fun, how about an extra credit for sharing your favorite holiday movie?

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!)

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

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Tweet this:

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ #ascendingbutterfly + @hayneedle Holiday Buying Guide #Giveaways $100 Gift Certificate - http://tinyurl.com/2arpd9n

(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 - Follow @hayneedle on Twitter

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 Hayneedle on Facebook (and remember to tell them 'Ascending Butterfly sent me') 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

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Have you entered another 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 - I could use your vote (please leave me your voting number in the comment field for an extra credit) - http://www.itsthoughtful.com/gift-idea/2758/

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 & giveaway. The sponsor is fulfilling directly to prize winner(s), 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. BTW, I genuinely LOVE the holidays! =)

Guess Who is Coming to Town?

The holiday elves are busy preparing things at 'butterfly's workshop' for our Annual Holidays Buying Guide! We've got some great surprises and prezzies in store! The guide will go live, Monday, November 15th. We are opening with something super fun. (There may even be a hint to it in this picture, just sayin').

We got great feedback from you about the Halloween promo with 1800baskets.com and have decided to repeat the format with some of our holiday buying guide giveaways. Look for giveaways with multiple winners, those giveaways will have winners from multiple channels, google followers, email subscribers, Facebook Fans and Twitter Followers! So make sure you are following us across the board! In case you missed the winner's announcements for our three winners, you can see it HERE.

AND THE WINNER IS:

And we are super happy to announce that we selected an alternate winner in our Energizer giveaway, and that winner has confirmed, the winner is: *'naynays1' - Congratulations to our winner who will receive a First Alert Smoke Alarm and Energizer 9 Volt Batteries to go with it. Thanks for sponsoring Energizer, we look forward to working with you again! Remember to check your spam filters to be sure that winning email notifications aren't going into your spam folder by your email host!

I don't know about your house, but at 'Casa de Butterfly' it's beginning to look a lot like Christmas!







** We post our winner usernames instead of full names to protect privacy, except of course if their username is their full name! **

Official Winner's Announcement - 1800baskets.com Halloween Giveaway Winners!

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - * 'Alisa' is our Facebook Winner, she will receive the Cornucopia Basket from 1800baskets.com
Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - * '@JessieNuez' is our Twitter Winner, she will receive one dozen Chocolate Covered Strawberries from 1800baskets.com

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - * ‘bdiane34’ is our google follower winner, she will receive a Vintage Pressed Glass Jar with Jumbo Cashews  from 1800baskets.com

Congratulations to our Lucky Winners!

We want to thank 1800baskets.com for hosting 3 winners this time around and we look forward to working with you again SOON!

The Energizer First Alert Smoke Alarm and two 9 Volt Batteries winner never confirmed their prize, so a new winner was drawn and notified, when the alternate winner confirms, we will post a winner's announcement here on the home page!

COMING SOON: Don't forget the Ascending Butterfly Annual Holiday Buying Guide will be launching November 15th and it's going to be BIG! The first giveaway in the guide will go live on Monday! Santa's little 'butterfly elves' will be very busy this weekend getting ready for the launch!

ROCK THE VOTE:  Please vote for me (You may even want to enter this one yourself!) - http://tinyurl.com/2asnccm

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** We post our winner usernames instead of full names to protect privacy, except of course if their username is their full name! **

Today's Words of Inspiration - Veteran's Day 2010

My Maternal Great-Grandfater was a decorated vet, he fought for this nation's freedom, and was proud to have done so. My mother was a war time volunteer in a local Army Navy Hospital when she was younger, and told me some amazing stories of the brave men she helped care for. My Maternal Grandmother was a nurse.

Every year on Veteran's Day I like to take time to pray for my Great-Grandfather, all heros of war, our military as a whole and of course for the un-known soldiers. While I can't make the trip out to Arlington, I do send my prayers to them and their families.

I make sure not to get wrapped up in debates today about War. To me, that's not the point of this day, (and the energy of the debate is just negative and counter-productive), it's to honor the men and women who sacrificed their time, and their lives so America could be free.

Va.Gov expressed it best:

The Veterans Day National Ceremony is held each year on November 11th at Arlington National Cemetery . The ceremony commences precisely at 11:00 a.m. with a wreath laying at the Tomb of the Unknowns and continues inside the Memorial Amphitheater with a parade of colors by veterans’ organizations and remarks from dignitaries. The ceremony is intended to honor and thank all who served in the United States Armed Forces.

The Veterans Day National Committee also selects a number of regional sites for Veterans Day observances throughout the country. From stirring parades and ceremonies to military exhibits and tributes to distinguished veterans, these events serve as models for other communities to follow in planning their own observances.

There are various regional observances you may not be aware of, and can see a link to them at The Office of Public and Intergovernmental Affairs.

Whether you went to work, or even if you have the day off, I hope you will take a moment to remember those who have fallen fighting for our freedom. If you haven't already done so, take a moment of silence, and make your affirmation for today 'I honor those who have fought to defend my freedom'.

Did any of my fellow New Yorkers attend the Parade today?
 

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Wordless Wednesday - Nurture Your Mind!

What's going on in your head today? Can you see the Forest for the Trees?

Attitude Really Does Determine Altitude!

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Today's Words of Inspiration - True Happiness!

credit @bing

Do you have true happiness?

Million Dollar Question, Right?

I know readers have been missing the daily words of inspiration, in fact, so have I, and I am happy to be sharing a little inspiration today and an important affirmation! I'd make this one a daily for sure! So let's get back to our roots today, nothing but affirmation and inspiration today, I promise!

Happiness is considered fleeting, mostly because our wants and needs tend to dominate our thoughts. Those wants and needs tend to over-shadow a sense of gratitude for what we DO have. And of course when your thoughts constantly turn themselves back to 'wants' and 'needs', it brings us to a 'lack' mindset. In a 'lack' mindset, you do not experience happiness. That is why I started my gratitude journey daily many years ago. Once a week I stop and read all my entries for the week. That journal is just pure gratitude, when I need to filter my thoughts and vent I use a completely different book. Seeing nothing but what I'm grateful for during that weekly recap of re-reading my entries, puts me back in a state of gratitude where happiness grows.

Is it easy? - NO! Certainly NOT!

Do I have days where I reach for the 'vent' journal before the 'gratitude' journal? - YES, definitely! (I have triggers, when I am feeling over-whelmed, used by people, betrayed or just plain on the receiving end of negative energy I will find myself reaching for the vent journal first. What are YOUR triggers? What changes your mood and thoughts from happiness to despair?)

But striking that balance between shifting my thoughts from lack, which leads to despair, hopelessness and faithlessness and back to gratitude which leads to true happiness is very much a pro-active process.

I strongly recommend starting your day in meditation, in daily affirmational messages and ending it in gratitude with a gratitude journal if at all possible, it helps to re-focus your perspective. That moment of centering helps you start your day off great and end it in tranquility and harmony.

Where does 'True Happiness' Reside?

Within You. It really is that simple. Circumstances will throw you for a loop on occassion, but they can't change your core. When you are in harmony, in gratitude and in an actively upbeat state of being you learn to quiet those sneaky thoughts of lack before they creep in and lead you to despair.

Today's Challenge: Drop Kick 'Lack'!

There is truly nothing in this world that you lack. You have the inner resources to make tremendous change, not only to your world, but the world at large.

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 'I affirm today that I will only allow thoughts that bring me to happiness, there is NOTHING I lack!'

Spend some time each day enjoying focused breathing AND soul guided meditative visualization, in doing so, you can bring about 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:

@Tracy_Iglesias #ascendingbutterfly - Today's Words of #Inspiration - http://tiny.cc/n4Thx

Make this your best day ever, Bless and Be Blessed

Today is a giveaway free day. Our holiday buying guide launches 11/15.

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Official Winner's Announcement - Dunkin Donuts Flavored Coffee Giveaway Winner!

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - *'Mel4Him' is our Dunkin Donuts Flavored Coffee Giveaway Winner! We know you are going to stay warm while on the go this winter! :-)

Congratulations to our Lucky Winner!

The Energizer First Alert Smoke Alarm and two 9 Volt Batteries winner has been notified, look for an official winner's announcement on that giveaway as soon as the winner confirms!

Last Call for Entries!

1) Ends TODAY (11/08) @ 3pm Eastern Standard Time - 3 Baskets for 3 Winners Giveaway with 1800baskets.com! Enter HERE (That Cornucopia Basket filled to the brim with goodies, would be perfect on your Thanksgiving or Holidays table!)

2) Coming Soon: Don't forget the Holiday Buying Guide will be launching in November (11/15), and our Book Club returns too!

3) ROCK THE VOTE:

Please remember to vote for me daily in my NatureMade contest, it's super easy, one click, no registration, no captcha code, just press the word 'vote' here: http://www.sam-e.com/job/entries/645

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** We post our winner usernames instead of full names to protect privacy **