Friday, January 21, 2011

Today's Words of Inspiration - No Excuses!



 Excuses, Excuses  
"Ninety-Nine Percent Of The Failures Come From People Who Have The Habit Of Making Excuses". ~ George Washington Carver
Why haven't you accomplished your biggest goal? (Insert Excuses Here) Are you what you wanted to be when you grew up? (No? Then Insert Excuses Here)

Today's Challenge: Eliminate The Excuses

I am not going to sugarcoat this one or say that this easy to do. I understand full well that casting excuses aside and going for your biggest dream is sometimes way easier said than done. But what I want you to explore today, is Why is that? If you can get to the root of the Excuse you can learn how to overcome it.

There is no shame in failure. Think of your failures like facets on a Diamond, they were sent to polish you and ultimately make you more beautiful. Make you stronger and more confident in who you are. They teach you what you really value in life. What you really want out of life, and by all means what you absolutely won't accept. These are powerful things to know!

Today's Words of Inspiration'

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 'In times of challenge I summon the power within to rise to occassion. I cast aside all of my perceived excuses on the road to my success.'

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!

Active Giveaways!

1) - Ends 01/27 - Spotlight Handbag of the Month: Win Marissa Del Rosario's Leather Prairie Tote in color 'Kaffir' Giveaway! ARV $350! - Enter HERE!
 
2) - NEW! - Ends 01/30 - Bearpaw Bella Boot Giveaway! ARV $101! - Enter HERE!

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Advertising Special:

For the month of January only, you can purchase ONE month of  homepage advertising on Ascending Butterfly for only $20.11, send all inquiries to us via our online contact form (you can use this promo during the month of your choice, but it must contracted before 01/30/11 to secure the promo rate!) here:


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Wednesday, January 19, 2011

Wordless Wednesday!


@Funscrape Graphics 2011

I thought with Mother Nature really hitting us hard this winter, this would make for the perfect Wordless Wednesday photo!


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Tuesday, January 18, 2011

Bearpaw Bella Boot Giveaway! Ends 01/30!

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This giveaway is now CLOSED. Thanks so much to our wonderful sponsor BearPaw! 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!
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Today's Butterfly sponsored by:

I have to admit I'm a bit late to this particular trend, when this 'comfy' boot craze began for some reason I didn't jump on the bandwagon. I never even tried a pair on! SAY WHAT???? I know RIGHT!?! I don't know why, I just never got around to trying them on.

This winter Mother Nature has hit 'The Big Apple' with a vengeance. Apparently she's really mad at New York. Today the weather was an awful, miserable, icy, slippery MESS! I can't even sugar coat this one, it's UGLY out!

The one thing that is certain about this City is that it never stops! We didn't get the nickname, 'The City That Never Sleeps' for nothing. Nothing closed, and the commute did not shut down. I thought for a minute about whipping out a sled and putting an ad in the paper for a Husky Dog....But I digress....

Thankfully I didn't end up needing that sled or those Husky Dogs! And thats all thanks to Bearpaw! They sent me their Bella Boot about two weeks ago, and honestly I haven't taken them off since I received them. I now get that whole wearing them all day even as slippers thing! They are absolutely out the box comfy. They are that kind of comfortable that usually a shoe feels like right before you need to replace them. That perfectly broken in perfection! As you all know I don't have the easiest feet to shop for, high instep, lack of an arch for me the whole advice about shopping late afternoon  for shoes is a must. And while I didn't have to brave the stores to shop for these, I can tell you honestly, that I would have gladly, they are literally that comfy! And now I want one in every color!

Bella, The Boot, Not the Twilight Character!





Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Genuine double-face sheepskin upper, lining and footbed

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Color: Eggplant

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Sheepskin lining regulates body temperature to keep your feet warm

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Sheepskin footbed provides additional softness and reduces foot fatigue

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Rubber outsole is lightweight and flexible on many surfaces

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - 1/2" heel

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - 10.00" shaft height

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - 18.00 oz.

My Take

Pros:

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Comfort! These boots are super comfortable, they stand up to the cold and wind, and keep you warm, without being heavy. You can walk comfortable and not feel like you are walking in molasses or tar. They are so comfortable you just want to move, move, move!

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - The Color! I love the eggplant color! But then again, I'm definitely a purple lover, so Bella in Eggplant just 'fits'

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Warm! These are everything you want in a boot, toasty, but not so over heated hot that as soon as you get indoors again you want to take them off. I've experienced boots where when I get into the bus or train I'd get so hot with them on I just wanted them off, but would have to wait until I got to the office. These are perfect. I honestly regret not getting into this trend sooner, but I can tell you I am now totally spoiled!

Cons

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - There is only one major con  I now want one in EVERY color, and I do mean every color!

So usually I like to set trends and not follow them, but in this case I happily make an exception! Despite Mother's Nature's Best, I braved the storm, and had a great hair day too, more on that to come!

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - WIN IT! - Ascending Butterfly and our friends at Bearpaw want you to win a pair of Bella's too!  (You can have the Bella in any color except the Eggplant I received due to availability) . Don't you just ♥ Bearpaw? I know I do!

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - How to Win:  Here are the Easy 1,2,3 Steps to Winning!

(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 our friends at Bearpaw and LINK us to another pair of boots that they sell that catches your eye! REMEMBER: You CANNOT post a link to the Bella Boot or the entry will be disqualified.

(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! This giveaway is open to USA residents who are 18 years of age or older. No PO Boxes. We are  no longer sending courtesy reminders when entries do not qualify, make sure you are following publicly and your entry comment complies with giveaway win it instructions or it will be deleted.

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, January 18, 2011 until Sunday, January, 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 - 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 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 and give me your twitter ID in a comment

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Tweet this:

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ #ascendingbutterfly and @bearpawshoes Bearpaw Bella Boot #Giveaway! ARV $101! Ends 01/30 - http://tinyurl.com/66a98ru

(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 @bearpawshoes on Twitter

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Did you know that Bearpaw has an online magazine? In addition to their Facebook and Twitter Stream, exclusive promotions will also be published here, you really should subscribe to you can be in the know! I beleive you'll be very happy you did. Subscribe to the magazine using the orange subscribe button on the top of the page 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 - Follow Ascending Butterfly on Facebook HERE

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Like BEARPAWshoes on Facebook HERE (You do NOT need to write on their wall this time!) :)

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 - 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)



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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. Sponsor is 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.
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Monday, January 17, 2011

Today's Words of Inspiration - The Ultimate Measure of A Man!



 What Ruler are YOU using?
  
"The Ultimate Measure of a Man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy". ~ Martin Luther King Jr
Where do you stand in times of challenge and controversy? How do you measure a man? By his words? His Deeds? His Bottom line?

Now, how do you measure yourself? By your words, your deeds or your bottom line? Why?

Today's Challenge: Rise to the Occassion

I've learned challenges do not take a vacation! Hurdles will keep coming at you. Today the nation comes together to celebrate the life and death of Martin Luther King, Jr. We honor his vision. We honor the way he managed to continue to rise to the occassion WITH integrity despite the obstacles he faced. With integrity and without blame. With Courage even though there was much to fear. Learn new ways to measure success, so you can know the triumph of success in your own life. Reflect on what ruler you are using to measure success in your own life. Without knowing what success means to you, how can you achieve it?

Today's Words of Inspiration'

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 'In times of challenge and controversy I summon the power within to rise to occassion. I am a victor.'

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!

Active Giveaways!

1) - Ends 01/18 - NEW YEAR, NEW YOU! Giveaway - Win the pair of Ryn Footwear Shoes of YOUR CHOICE with Rocker Technology! Men or Women's! Enter HERE!

2) - Ends 01/27 - Spotlight Handbag of the Month: Win Marissa Del Rosario's Leather Prairie Tote in color 'Kaffir' Giveaway! ARV $350! - Enter HERE!

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

Advertising Special:

For the month of January only, you can purchase ONE month of  homepage advertising on Ascending Butterfly for only $20.11, send all inquiries to us via our online contact form (you can use this promo during the month of your choice, but it must contracted before 01/30/11 to secure the promo rate!) here:


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

Sunday, January 16, 2011

Sunday Moment of Gratitude and Great Giveaways Too!


Photo Reads: 'I Beleive in Gratitude Big' Credit: @Bing

On Sunday's, 'Today's Moment of Inspiration' becomes the weekly 'Moment of Gratitude'. While I do still live in Gratitude each and everyday, I decided to change this feature to a weekly to allow a full week of Inspirational messages and focused breathing meditations.

This week, I am grateful for:

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - For our lovely guest blog post this week from Heather Askinosie from Energy Muse, I am so grateful to her for sharing her experiences with Yoga. I tried Yoga myself for the very first time last year in 2010 thanks to the folks at Nissan and Strala Yoga in New York City, and I certainly wish I had been introduced to it sooner!

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Our amazing sponsors who helped us to start things off for 2011! And the advertisers who took us up on our 2011 special homepage ad offer! (see below for more details)

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - I can't believe we are already 2 weeks in to a Brand new year. One that feels more like the begining of a new era!

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).

For those of you watching the Golden Globes today, feel free to share who your fashion hits or misses are!

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 Great giveaways! - http://tiny.cc/n4Thx

Active Giveaways:

1) - Ends 01/18 - NEW YEAR, NEW YOU! Giveaway - Win the pair of Ryn Footwear Shoes of YOUR CHOICE with Rocker Technology! Men or Women's! Enter HERE!

2) - Ends 01/27 - Spotlight Handbag of the Month: Win Marissa Del Rosario's Leather Prairie Tote in color 'Kaffir' Giveaway! ARV $350! - Enter HERE!

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

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!

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Advertising Special:

For the month of January only, you can purchase ONE month of  homepage advertising on Ascending Butterfly for only $20.11, send all inquiries to us via our online contact form (you can use this promo during the month of your choice, but it must contracted before 01/30/11 to secure the promo rate!) if interested, fill out the contact us form here:


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

Saturday, January 15, 2011

Mid Month Moment of Health with Guest Blogger Heather Askinosie! - 'Yoga, My Saving Grace'

We are super excited to bring you our first official 'Mid-Month Moment of Health' for 2011, with a very special Guest Blogger! We plan to bring you a special Health Related Post every month on the 15th, with rotating Guest Bloggers, feel free to reach out to us if you are interested in contributing an article! And as always we encourage you to comment and show our Guest Bloggers some love, make her feel welcome everyone!

~ Ascending Butterfly

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@Pablo Lomeli 2011

I have been doing yoga for the past 20 years and it has been my saving grace. Sometimes my practice has been strong, flexible and powerful, while other times it has been reflective, slow and gentle. The one constant is that yoga always gives me what I need at that moment. When you are on a spiritual journey life gives you lessons, obstacles, joy and many choices. Our current state of mind determines how we choose to handle each situation which arises.

If the mind controls the body, then the mind needs to be calm, clear and balanced, which is much easier said than done. However a great meditation will help the mind shift to a state of nothingness, and some days this works better than others. One of the main reasons I find yoga vital in my life is because I do not have time to think. Rather the act focuses on the breath and the expansion and after an hour and a half my perspective changes. Everything becomes more manageable and clear. My personal connection with the divine is reinstated and my connection with myself is more complete.

Yoga has taught me that some of the greatest things in life take multiple years to learn. Poses can be perfected but in time that too will change. Each day on my yoga mat is different because each day I show up I am different.

"Yoga has taught me to be kinder with myself and accept where I am right now in this moment." ~Heather Askinosie

Yoga is a healer, a teacher and one of the greatest gifts one can offer to yourself. After every class I thank my body for being healthy and allowing me to do the YOGA.

Namaste,



@Pablo Lomeli 2011
About the Author: Heather Askinosie's mission is to educate and reconnect the world to the ancient wisdom and healing properties of crystals and gems. She has traveled the world to learn ancient healing and uncover lost knowledge that serves to help guide the mind, body and spirit. Her jewelry line, Energy Muse, serves as a tool to help you tap into your inner power and manifest your desires.
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FTC Disclosure Information: This is not a sponsored post. No compensation has been received in conjunction with this guest post. This is a regular feature on our blog where rotating Guest Bloggers speak on the topic of mind, body and soul health and wellbeing. All opinions expressed by our Guest Bloggers are solely their own, as are the experiences they relay in their posts. Our Mid-Month Moment of Health does not offer Medical Claims, it is recommended that you check with your own physician regarding physical fitness and any form of excercise.

Friday, January 14, 2011

Official Winners List For Holidays 2010 Buying Guide!


I wanted to thank all of our sponsors for our Holidays 2010 Buying Guide, it was an amazing guide and a wonderful season of giving. I kind of felt like Oprah!

I especially want to thank each and everyone of you. For Liking our sponsors on Facebook, for following them on Twitter. For posting to their walls, and sending re-tweets. Because you are all so active, we received tremendous feedback from the brands involved in our guide. They send you their thanks and I join them in thanking you for making this community my favorite reason for turning my computer on each day! Many of you have also referred a friend and shared our facebook page with your friends and family and for that I Thank You as well!

As promised, even though we posted the winners along the way on our facebook page, twitter feed and the giveaway pages itself, we still wanted to be sure we posted an official winners list that contained the names of each and every winner of each giveaway in our 'surprise-a-day' review and giveaway countdown to Christmas!



Please note we only post winner Follower Names for privacy:

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - $100 Hayneedle e-Gift Certificate – mamawj

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - ActiveIon Ionator HOM unit – Jaime

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Disney Tangled Prize Pack Giveaway! - huhbaby2

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Clean Rest Allergy Blocking Window Panels, 2 winners – Kathy Pease and Nicole B.

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - The Search For Santa Paws Blu-Ray/DVD Combo Pack Giveaway – Cheryl

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Night Before Christmas Activity Kit by RedEnvelope - Giant Sis

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Protect-A-Bed Luxury Pillow System – 2 winners – Ardy22 and amweeks

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Satya Jewelry Golden Entity Cuff Bracelet – Deb

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Exuviance Age Reverse Eye Contour Giveaway - 3 winners! rusthawk, CatalinaK, Kimberly C.

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Le Mystere Dream Tisha Bra and Panty Set – SlipofAGirl

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Valentino 1200 Thread Count Sheet Set - Bigguysmama

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Salux Cloths - stroker881

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Layla Grayce $100 e gift card – paula Michele

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Energy Muse Rune of Riches Necklace – BigHappy

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Borghese 4 winners! - Cura C: @evrywoman (Twitter winner), Fango Mud: Theresa L. (subscriber winner), Mascara: Kellye123 (GFC Follower winner), B Gloss Lip Gloss: Susan Said What?! (Facebook winner)

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Leggett & Platt $300 Gift Card – Cori Westphal

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Ceiva Digital Frame with one year subscrption – Benny Williams

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Lava Pro Styling Tool - purango

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Yoplait 2 product coupons and Kitchen Aid Blender – brianpiero

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - SakRoot Boots Bag - Shanda

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - $50 1800flowers.com gift card – tyson2468

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Xyron Creatopia – AmyLynn

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Human Touch Foot Massager – Lynda Del.

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Watperpik Twin Turbo Shower Massager – heartnsoulcooking

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Ice Cream Theory Book Signed Copy, 2 winners - Benita & Lissa

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - 1800baskets.com Basket of YOUR Choice, 2 winners – Yoga Mommy & JBAFaith

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - MOR Dear MR. Patridge Limited Edition Gift Set – Tracy Suzanne

That is quite a list! Congratulations to all of our lucky holiday winners! Didn't win? Don't worry 2011 has some amazing surprises in store. In fact, the current active giveaways are pretty amazing! Our first January 'New Year, New YOU' giveaway has launched with the Pair of your choice men or women's style of Ryn Footwear! And we re-named our handbag feature and start off with a phenomenal Leather Handbag!

Stay tuned tomorrow, we have an amazing guest blogger who has a special post for us for our Mid Month Moment of Health Feature, something very much in line with the New Years Resolutions of Many!

Active Giveaways!

1) - Ends 01/13 - NEW YEAR, NEW YOU! Giveaway - Win the pair of Ryn Footwear Shoes of YOUR CHOICE with Rocker Technology! Men or Women's! Enter HERE!
 
2) NEW! Ends 01/27 - Spotlight Handbag of the Month: Win Marissa Del Rosario's Leather Prairie Tote in color 'Kaffir' Giveaway! ARV $350! -  Enter HERE!



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Advertising Special:

For the month of January only, you can purchase ONE month of  homepage advertising on Ascending Butterfly for only $20.11, send all inquiries to us via our online contact form (you can use this promo during the month of your choice, but it must contracted before 01/30/11 to secure the promo rate!) here:


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Thursday, January 13, 2011

Spotlight Handbag of the Month: Win Marissa Del Rosario's Prairie Tote in Kaffir Giveaway! ARV $350! Ends 01/27

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This giveaway is now CLOSED. Thanks so much to our wonderful sponsor Marissa Del Rosario! We look forward to working with you again! The winner is Bunny B. Congrats Bunny! Remember: There are great giveaways active on the upper right hand side of the page!
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Today's Butterfly sponsored by:


Ascending Butterfly is super happy for the return of our ongoing handbag feature! We return with a new handbag from one of our favorite designers who was featured by us in 2010, Marissa Del Rosario!

Last year we reviewed a super hot leather bag in one of my favorite colors, Red, with ahead of the trend East West Zipper detailing called the 'Somerset Hobo', you can re-visit that review HERE.

This year, Marissa is back with another hot leather bag from her 2011 collection. I had the privilege of testing this bag before it was ready for launch, and I can tell you it has become my 'reach-for-first' bag. It's a Super Soft washed grain leather and I just can't resist rubbing it every time I have it on. And apparently neither can friends and family who have all given me compliments on this bag since it's debut on my arm in December! Each time someone has complimented it they would touch it, then rub it! I have even had guys approach me when I'm out, and say 'my girlfriend would love that bag where did you get it'? If only the Universe would send me a Boyfriend so thoughtful!

Prairie Tote



Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Soft washed grain leather

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Color: Kaffir

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Swivel snap hook and inside magnetic snap closure

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Front slip pocket

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Handles 1" wide

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Shoulder drop 9"

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Inside has 4 slip pockets & zipper pocket

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Turquoise fabric lining

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - 14" (l) x 13" (h) x 6" (w)

My Take


Pros:

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - The leather! It's super soft, a buttery feel leather, a leather so sumptious you'd expect a much higher price tag, it's great to get that kind of quality at such an affordable price!

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - The Color! The Kaffir color goes great with military inspired trends, but it's not limited to it, and that's the best part! If you're anything like me and tend to put practicality first, you go for blacks or neutrals, but you will find this color is trendy yet exceptionally versatile and will go well with your wardrobe, allowing you to get multi season use out of it, and that's an incredible plus, especially in our current economy!

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - The Drop! I began wearing this in December, with bulky sweaters, layers and a coat and I didn't have to hold this bag in my hand, I can wear it comfortably with bulky layers on my shoulders, keeping my hands free.

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - The Size! This bag is not too big or too small and I am a daily public transportation commuter, so it has taken quite a beating and does not look it, I literally carry everything imaginable with me, lets face it, I am my mobile office, and while I love fashionable and trendy bags, they have to be able to be completely functional for me to be worth the investment. This bag fits my super picky bill. I have a lot of requirements for the 'right' bag, and I tend to hate constantly switching out, I love this bag and WANT to wear it everyday. Usually I find most bags that are fashionable, are usually way to small for my day to day needs, but this bag has really worked out perfectly for me, and trust me, that's a shining endorsement coming from me!

Cons

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - There is only one major con I have found with this bag, well OK maybe two. (1) Everyone you know will want it! And ( 2) I now want one in EVERY color, and I do mean every color. While you would think that is a plus, us 'starving writers' have very strict budgets! But I now have visions of the Prairie Tote in 'Denim' dancing in my head!

I love how Marissa's bags always seem to have one eye on the hottest trends, yet still remain extrememly practical and usable for everyday. The hardware detailing, the feet to keep it safe when you set it down, great organizational pockets for your phone, MP3 player, sunglasses and a privacy zippered pocket on the inside for essentials, the pretty lining, all the important details are there, a great variety of colors and just the right size for your essentials. I have greatly enjoyed the opportunity of presenting Marissa and her fashionable bag designs to Ascending Butterfly readers! We have re-named our handbag feature, and we are proud to name Marissa's Prairie Tote as our FIRST 'Spotlight Handbag of the Month' for 2011.


Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - WIN IT! - Ascending Butterfly and our friends at Marissa Del Rosario want you to win a Prairie Tote for yourself!  Don't you just ♥ Marissa Del Rosario? I know I do!

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - How to Win:  Here are the Easy 1,2,3 Steps to Winning!

(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 our friends at Marissa Del Rosario and LINK us to another great bag that they sell that catches your eye! REMEMBER: You CANNOT post a link to the prairie tote in Kaffir, or the entry will be disqualified.You may select the prairie tote in a different color if that is your favorite! :-)

(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! This giveaway is open to USA residents who are 18 years of age or older. No PO Boxes. We are  no longer sending courtesy reminders when entries do not qualify, make sure you are following publicly and your entry comment complies with giveaway win it instructions or it will be deleted.

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 Thursday, January 13, 2011 until Thursday, January, 27, 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 - 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 and give me your twitter ID in a comment

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Tweet this:

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ #ascendingbutterfly and @MarissaDRosario Win the leather Prairie Tote #Giveaway! ARV $350! Ends 01/27 - http://tinyurl.com/4zyuzqv

(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 @MarissaDRosario 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 Marissa Del Rosario and tell them Ascending Butterfly Blog Sent You 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

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 - 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)



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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. Sponsor is 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.
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