LUMIXYL Brightening System 8 weeks to a brighter you Giveaway! 3 winners! Ends 3/21

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

This giveaway is now CLOSED. Thanks so much to our wonderful sponsor Lumixyl! We look forward to working with you again! The winners are Natashagt (twitter winner), Suzanna (facebook winner), susiebhomemaker (GFC winner). 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 8 weeks to a brighter you giveaway, brought to you by:

It's time to 'Spring Ahead' but is your skin ready? I am counting down to a 'big' birthday this year, and as I have always battled with acne, spotted skin has been a constant issue for me. And with the stress I have been under lately, my complexion was getting a little 'ruddy' in addition to always having been a bit un-even due to acne scarring.

In my teen years I had dermatologists recommend various products to even out my complexion. Most contained the ingredient 'hydroquinone' which was not very good for my skin. I also didn't like that hydroquinone increased my skin's sensitivity to the sun, so in addition to the fact that products for acne prone skin require special care to ensure sun protection, the addition of the hydroquinone meant I had to be doubly sure to wear a super strong sun block. The higher SPF protection the thicker they were, which would of course exacerbate my acne, and keep my skin trapped in this horrible 'skin care catch 22'.

It took YEARS to get off that skincare hamster wheel. I decided to buck much of the dermatologist recos at the time. I rid my skin care regimen of the products containing hydroquinone, and I also made sure to use water based foundations back then and none containing any oils. And while that did help my skin tremendously, I did miss the luminosity and even tone that skin brighteners provided.

When skin ages, much like hair, it begins to loose that natural shine, that gives it that 'radiant' appearance. But in my opinion retaining that even toned skin wasn't worth the catch 22 I found myself dealing with at the time.

The LUMIXYL Brightening System



The LUMIXYL Brightening System


I am happy to report that there are options out there to help avoid the skin care catch 22 I was on. I have been using a hydroquinone free skin brightening system that does not not increase skin’s sensitivity to the sun! The Lumixyl Topical Brightening System builds on four products including Active-Prep Cleanser, the Topical Brightening Creme, GlycoPeel 20 Rapid Exfoliating Lotion, and Moisture-Lock Sunscreen SPF 30. The products are ideal for all skin types!

About LUMIXYL Brightening System:

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Non-irritating or allergenic <-Super important for acne prone or sensitive skin!
Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Non-toxic <- I think this one speaks for itself!
Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Safe for all skin types
Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Safe for prolonged use
Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Easily degraded by the skinEasily degraded by the skin
Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Will not increase skin’s sensitivity to the sun <-This is very important!
Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Stabilized so that it will not lose potency or turn brown after opening <-If you have ANY and I mean any creams that have turned brown under the cap, Toss them IMMEDIATELY!
Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - A luxurious, moisture-rich texture <-Those with Acne know how 'drying' and irritating certain products can be! It's a pleasure not to experience any dryness or tingling!
Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Whatever your skin tone, Lumixyl™ works to uniformly even pigment on the surface of the skin and will not cause discolouration or hypopigmentation <-Yes you need to be selective with skin brighteners, some can actually do the opposite of what you are looking for, some can actually CAUSE discoloration!
Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Improves overall skin tone
Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Treats Age spots, Sun Spots, Post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation, Uneven skin tone and Photodamage ie 'sun damage'

My Take:

Because of my initial bad experience years ago with skin brighteners, I was a bit reticent about trying out this system. And I wanted to use it completely before posting.

It lives up to it's promises, my skin is certainly brighter and more luminous and considering how stressful things have been lately, that's no small feat. While no one who doesn't know me for me many years has ever guessed my actual age, having this in my skin arsenal makes my upcoming birthday number a lot less scary!

I didn't experience any turning, no brown liquid! YAY! That was one of the other major turn offs about the brighteners I tried in the past. The first time it happened with the product recommended by my dermatologist it totally turned me off!

I love that this doesn't require me to use a heavier sunscreen than I would normally use, it doesn't conflict with anything else I use to keep my acne at bay and I love having clearer more luminous skin without having to put on a 'face'. Even when I was young I refused to just 'cover' up my acne with makeup and I just don't have time for daily foundation. If I can have luminous and more radiant skin without adding more time to my routine that is a major plus for me!

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - WIN IT! - Ascending Butterfly and our friends at Lumixyl have a very special surprise for 3 lucky winners! 3 winners will receive the LUMIXYL Brightening System! We will select 1 google follower, 1 Facebook Fan, and 1 Twitter Follower to win a System of their own!

Don't you just ♥ LUMIXYL? 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 Lumixyl to learn more about the product, and then share your biggest facial skin care concern here! (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, March 14, 2011 until Monday, March 21, 2011 at 03:00 PM (EST) to comment and be entered for a chance to win. You will have 48 hours to confirm if we do not hear from you we will be forced to move on to an alternate. (We only notify winners DIRECTLY via email, so if your profile or your comment does not have an email your entry will not be processed)

EXTRA CREDIT:

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - NEW! - one click, no registration required, super easy, DAILY vote, I am a finalist in Mom Central's Grow Your Personal Brand Grants Program and would really appreciate your vote! Read more about ‘Project Chrysalis’ and vote here

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 DayLight Savings Time Fun share with us what you are doing with your extra hour of sunlight!

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 @LUMIXYL Brightening System 8 wks to a brighter you #Giveaway! 3 winners! Ends 3/21 http://tinyurl.com/4kavdo6

(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 @lumixyl 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 LUMIXYL 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 active giveaway on Ascending Butterfly? Let me know which one and you’ll get more extra credit!

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

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

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

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

Sunday Moment of Gratitude - Global Strength, Winners and More!

This week, I am grateful for:

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - My mom made it through her surgery and while there is still a long road ahead with Physical Therapy, the hardest part is behind her. Her spirit and her ability to bounce back and always maintain such a positive attitude, regardless of what she is going through, is an amazing example of grace and strength. I am grateful for her example of grace! I also want to thank all the readers who reached out to me via email, facebook and twitter with kind words, prayers and encouragement. I showed each message to 'mama butterfly' also and she was very touched! I also feel very grateful for the team at Albert Einstein Hospital, thanks for making a difficult moment a lot easier to deal with!

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - For the example of Global Love and strength in the aftermath of the Tsunami. While I would love to live in a disaster free world, it's how human beings rally to help one another that shows what we are REALLY made of! Donations can be made to Japan Earthquake and Pacific Tsunami relief by texting REDCROSS to 90999 for a $10 donation. And I understand that we are an economy still very much in recession, so for those reading this, that can't afford to donate right now, don't fret, PRAY. Send prayers, it is the most powerful 'donation' you can make! Seeing the faces of those walking in a 'daze' after fleeing their offices was an eery reminder of New York City during 9/11. The fear of family members not knowing where family, friends and loved ones are is all too familiar as a New Yorker who survived that dreaded day. My heart is filled with prayer and empathy for Japan, and oddly filled with gratitude, that the problems in my immediate world, as big as they were to me at the moment, were very much small in comparison.

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - A very special Thanks to clients and sponsors for their patience while I scramble to get caught up!

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

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

Active Giveaway!

1) Ends 04/01 - Spotlight Handbag of the Month Giveaway! Pelle Hinges Tote sponsored by Wilsons Leather! ARV $200!  - 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!

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

Vote Needed!

I am a finalist in Mom Central Consulting's 'Grow Your Personal Brand' Grant Program. I would love your vote, but I would also love for you to read my entry. My essay is entitled 'Project Chrysalis'. A project, which many of you know has already begun. The essay questions I was asked to answer really made me think, about my 'brand' and most importantly about my goals both personally and professionally. I hope reading my entry brings you inspiration! This is a DAILY, 1 click, no registration required vote request. You can vote by pressing the image below:



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

Congratulations *kellyr78*, *Marcie W.* and *@trixie420247* our 1800baskets.com St. Supery 2 Bottle Red Wine Gift Basket Giveaway Winners! Thanks to our fantastic sponsor who hosted not one, but 3 winners! We picked one winner per channel, GFC Follower, Facebook Follower, and Twitter Follower!

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

FTC Disclosure: I was not asked to write about Mom Central's Grant Program, nor does writing about it improve my chances. I feel the message they are sending by supporting bloggers efforts to grow their brand is an important and powerful one!'

** 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 - Time to Regroup!





It's been an eventful past 2 days and I really need to re-group! I posted Friday morning on Ascending Butterfly's Facebook page that my mom was going into surgery and asked for prayers. I wanted to thank all those who posted on Facebook and sent me Tweets of prayers and encouragement for my mom. 'Mama Butterfly' is at home and resting and came out of her surgery well. While she has 8 weeks of Physical Therapy ahead to regain full mobility, she is resting, and as always, she is in good spirits. She is the most courageous person I know!

This butterfly needs to re-group, I'm physically and emotionally exhausted, certainly grateful, but in need of some downtime. So please don't be nervous if your entries for the spotlight handbag don't appear right away, I will be taking some time off this weekend, and will get caught up with emails and entries during the week!

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 'I have an abundance of time, health and prosperity!'

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 ! 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!

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

Active Giveaway!

1) Ends 04/01 - Spotlight Handbag of the Month Giveaway! Pelle Hinges Tote sponsored by Wilsons Leather! ARV $200!  - Enter HERE!

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

Vote Needed!

I am a finalist in Mom Central Consulting's 'Grow Your Personal Brand' Grant Program. I would love your vote, but I would also love for you to read my entry. My essay is entitled 'Project Chrysalis'. A project, which many of you know has already begun. The essay questions I was asked to answer really made me think, about my 'brand' and most importantly about my goals both personally and professionally. I hope reading my entry brings you inspiration! This is a DAILY, 1 click, no registration required vote request. You can vote by pressing the image below:



FTC Disclosure: I was not asked to write about Mom Central's Grant Program, nor does writing about it improve my chances. I feel the message they are sending by supporting bloggers efforts to grow their brand is an important and powerful one!

Today's Words of Inspiration - I know you are but what am I?



@www.peewee.com



Aside from being a horror movie buff, another one of my guilty pleasures is Pee Wee Herman! He always makes me laugh, and I swear he must have a photo in his closet aging, because he looks exactly the same as he did in the movie I watched so often when I was younger! (anyone recognize the picture reference above? ;-)

I watched his late night interview last night on Conan and sent out a tweet during the show with the hashtag #peewee, I found out quickly that I was not alone. In fact, the topic actually trended and there was not a twitter party! Just a bunch of fans from all over the world sharing their love of Paul Reuben's character Pee Wee Herman! A shared love of levity and laughter connecting a group of strangers.

It was so fun to see so many different people young, old, different races, different sexes, many discussing their favorite lines from the movie and play or their favorite characters. That was the internet at its finest for me. It's what I love about twitter too. You can plug in a hashtag and find dozens of people speaking about a particular topic!

My late night conversations on twitter about Pee Wee were absolutely refreshing, no trolls, no bashing, just everyone sharing a memory, a silly line or a laugh. If only all conversations in life could be so light-hearted.

It was a simple reminder that people have more in common than we realize, and if we shared and enjoyed what we have in common instead of picking each other apart for our differences, this world would definitely be a better place. And a lot more fun! My favorite line 'I know you are, but what am I?' and then add 'Infinity!'. What is your favorite PeeWee Herman line?

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 'I see common ground today with friends and strangers!'

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 ! 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!

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

Active Giveaway!

1) Ends 04/01 - Spotlight Handbag of the Month Giveaway! Pelle Hinges Tote sponsored by Wilsons Leather! ARV $200!  - Enter HERE!

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

Vote Needed!

I am a finalist in Mom Central Consulting's 'Grow Your Personal Brand' Grant Program. I would love your vote, but I would also love for you to read my entry. My essay is entitled 'Project Chrysalis'. A project, which many of you know has already begun. The essay questions I was asked to answer really made me think, about my 'brand' and most importantly about my goals both personally and professionally. I hope reading my entry brings you inspiration! You can vote by pressing the image below:



FTC Disclosure: I was not asked to write about Mom Central's Grant Program, nor does writing about it improve my chances. I feel the message they are sending by supporting bloggers efforts to grow their brand is an important and powerful one! I was not asked to write about Pee Wee Herman, Paul Reubens, Twitter or the Conan TV Show, I really enjoy the character and thought I'd share the experience with my readers!

Wordless Wednesday! - Ash Wednesday

As Ash Wednesday has me a bit reflective on Faith as a whole today, I thought I'd really dig into the archives and share a picture of my Baptism. I love this picture with my God Parents! Today my meditation themes will be Faith, Sacrifice and the upcoming season of Lent.

For those observing Lent, what are you giving up for Lent?

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

Today's Words of Inspiration - Happy International Women's Day!



What does being a Modern Woman mean to you? Does it mean endless opportunity personally and professionally? A destiny you shape yourself?

What did being a Woman mean to your Mother? Your Grand-Mother? and if you are lucky enough to still be able to ask her, your great-grandmother?

Read more about International Women's Day it's an amazing reminder of just how far we have come!

From their site:

IWD is now an official holiday in Afghanistan, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Burkina Faso, Cambodia, China (for women only), Cuba, Georgia, Guinea-Bissau, Eritrea, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Madagascar (for women only), Moldova, Mongolia, Montenegro, Nepal (for women only), Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uganda, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Vietnam and Zambia. The tradition sees men honouring their mothers, wives, girlfriends, colleagues, etc with flowers and small gifts. In some countries IWD has the equivalent status of Mother's Day where children give small presents to their mothers and grandmothers.

Annually on March 8th, thousands of events are held throughout the world to inspire women and celebrate achievements. A global web of rich and diverse local activity connects women from all around the world ranging from political rallies, business conferences, government activities and networking events through to local women's craft markets, theatric performances, fashion parades and more.

Many global corporations have also started to more actively support IWD by running their own internal events and through supporting external ones. For example, on 8 March search engine and media giant Google some years even changes its logo on its global search pages. Year on year IWD is certainly increasing in status. The United States even designates the whole month of March as 'Women's History Month'.

So make a difference, think globally and act locally !! Make everyday International Women's Day. Do your bit to ensure that the future for girls is bright, equal, safe and rewarding.

Honor a Special Woman in your life today!

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 'I am thankful for the sacrifices made by women around the world so I can stand here, in this place and stand free.'

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 ! 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!

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

Active Giveaway!

1) Ends 04/01 - Spotlight Handbag of the Month Giveaway! Pelle Hinges Tote sponsored by Wilsons Leather! ARV $200!  - Enter HERE!

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

Vote Needed!

I am a finalist in Mom Central Consulting's 'Grow Your Personal Brand' Grant Program. I would love your vote, but I would also love for you to read my entry. My essay is entitled 'Project Chrysalis'. A project, which many of you know has already begun. The essay questions I was asked to answer really made me think, about my 'brand' and most importantly about my goals both personally and professionally. I hope reading my entry brings you inspiration! You can vote by pressing the image below:



FTC Disclosure: I was not asked to write about Mom Central's Grant Program, nor does writing about it improve my chances. I feel the message they are sending by supporting bloggers efforts to grow their brand is an important and powerful one!

Monster® Butterfly™ by Vivienne Tam with ControlTalk™ High Performance In-Ear Headphones {Review}

I am an audiophile. I have had a life long love of music, with a widely varied collection of music, and a collection of portable devices to match!  I always need more memory to accomodate my expanding collection. And if I had a dollar for all the headphones I've gone through in all these years...

I would make mix tapes all the time and lucky for me, many of my friends are DJ's (I'm even considered the 'Twitter Party' DJ  because I'm always thinking Tunes!) Some of my mixes have fooled quite a few pros, and I don't even have a studio!

I live in the 'City That Never Sleeps' which means a public transportation commute daily. I need to retreat into my music during the commute to get me motivated! My needs as a result of my commute are very specific for earphones, the audiophile in me wants rich, true, and dynamic sound, and the commuter that I am needs to have background noise reduced as much as possible! I do not want to hear screaming children, crying babies, arguing couples, the garbled 'noise' that is supposed to be messages being made by the MTA (that no one seems to understand anyway), and the loud conversations of teenagers on their way to school are among the 'ambient' noises I need to block out (not to mention the noise coming out of other people's cheapo earphones!).

Then there is the butterfly loving fashionista in me. The one who has a very fancy custom skin on her iPod Touch. The one who finds it super important to have form meet function AND fashion. There is no reason I have to keep things generic and sacrifice my sense of style!

My favorite pair of noise reducers had finally had it, when the 'music Gods' smiled upon me and a  box, (whose name simply delighted me before I even opened it) arrived on my doorstep!

The Un-Veiling, or is that Un-Boxing?

The Box Arrives, the name made me giddy with delight!

Like a Kid at Christmas I tear it open!

Totally Insert Singing Choir Here!

I have tested these out on the train and commuter buses, and this weekend I finally tested them on a very long bus trip! And can't begin to put into words how much I love them. I wasn't too happy when my previous pair (different brand) died out on me, it took forever to find them and I really loved them (they were replacing a pair I bought at Brookstone), I didn't think I'd find a pair that compared. When it comes to my music, I do not scrimp, I refuse to compromise sound quality in any way! I use my headphones practically all day, during my commute weekdays and weekend, and at night I plug them into my computer so I don't disturb anyone. Simply put, Music makes me happy and my headphones have to also!

To say that these are beautifully packaged is a total no brainer. They are designed by iconic designer who I am already totally obsessed with, Vivienne Tam. (I am still very much dreaming of her butterfly netbook! Hopefully the computer Gods will hear my prayers on that one too!). But what really 'got' me are the details. Vivienne and Monster leave no stone unturned. Everything you need is literally in the box.

It comes in a box you will want to re-purpose for keepsakes that has a raised butterfly on it. Inside the following words are inscribed 'Music, Tech and Fashion Equal Triple Happiness'. Hello! Like MY Motto in a nutshell!

There is both a hard sided and soft sided carrying pouch,  the hardsided pouch has a butterfly in the middle and looks like a fancy zippered cosmetics case. It is packaged with earbuds in varying sizes to ensure a perfect fit! (and of course as replacements!)



@Monster



Favorite Features:

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - First and Foremost - High Performance Sound.

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Lustrous All-Metal Housing - helps to cancel resonance for purer sound

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Performance Ear Tips - Better Fit Equals Better Sound

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Right-Angle Connector - Reduces Wear and is perfect for Airline Jacks

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - 24k Gold Contacts - Gives you maximum signal transfer, offers corrosion resistance and a beautiful look

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Two Protective Cases - I love that both are included, the soft sided case works when I am carrying a smaller bag and the hard sided is perfect for travel and luggage to keep them safe in transit.

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - ControlTalk Feature: Butterfly with ControlTalk has a built in Monster ControlTalk feature for use with music, phones, and an iPod or iPad. The ControlTalk cable has a call answer button AND microphone so you can easily switch between listening to music and talking on your phone. It also features music and video playback control for iPod/iPhone/iPad. (I love that I can easily switch between music and my phone!)

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - The Cable Slider is designed to reduce tangles during storage (In the subway I love this feature. I can skip through songs without ever taking my iPod out of my bag!)

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - The Cable Management Clip - Designed to control the cable and keep it out of your way, and reduce accidental pulling of the In-Ear Speakers from your ears, and keep the cable weight off the In-Ear Speakers so they stay snug and in place in your ears

I definitely give these 5 butterflies, my highest rating. They are a perfect gift for the butterfly loving audiophile in your life. And if she's just a style maven, then the rich, pure sound will be an incredible bonus!

I'm not careful or gentle with my headphones, I have to often times pull them out unexpectedly during my commute, or stuff them carelessly in my handbag with no time for the carrying case, and I can tell you while these appear 'delicate' on the outside, these are no dainty in ear speakers! They have held up quite well so far to the abuses I've put them through!

While I was not able to snag a giveaway this time, please leave a comment letting Monster know you'd like a chance at these, I'm sure if we get enough reader interest I can approach Monster and let them know that my community of butterfly lovers really want one too!

Ah, Vivienne you and Monster had me at butterfly! This is truly a marriage made in music heaven for me, butterflies and the rich sound Monster is known for!

Want fashion, great sound, AND a great price? Press on them below and snag em for less!

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

FTC Disclosure Info: I was provided a pair of Monster® Butterfly™ by Vivienne Tam with ControlTalk™ High Performance In-Ear Headphones to facilitate my review. My experiences with the headphones are solely my own. I am truly finicky about earphones, and truly do love these!