{CLOSED} Help make Dad a cut above the rest with the Shenzhen Chefs Knife Giveaway! Ends 06/22!

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This giveaway is now CLOSED. Thanks so much to our wonderful sponsor Shenzhen! 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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Ascending Butterfly's Annual Dads N Grads Buying Guide Giveaway, brought to you by:

Is your dad a foodie? Whether Dad is a gourmet, foodie or  weekend griller the one thing that holds true is that he needs a Knife that can handle the job! I love to cook and so did my Dad, I have to admit I've been through my fair share of Knive Sets since I started cooking.

One of my favorites to prepare is seafood and fish, which I love to eat, but hate to skin. Removing the skin from fish is one of the best tests of a Knife as far as I'm concerned! And most of the knives I have just don't cut it, no pun intended.

I have been wanting to 'pimp my knives' and had been researching Ceramic Chef's Knives for awhile now, and discovered they are pretty pricey! Wouldn't it be great to get Chef's quality at a discount price?

Shenzhen Knives - The Affordable Ceramic Knife

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Price Advantage: Most ceramic knives after production, have passed through multiple layers of distributors (who add their own price mark-ups) prior to arriving at the retail distribution point. Shenzhen's Internet distribution model enables them to bring their ceramic knives DIRECTLY from the factory to YOU, at a significant price savings.

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Ceramic Blade Advantage  - These ceramic knives are made of an advanced ceramic called zirconia, the second hardest material known to man next to diamond. The material's properties make it particularly resistant to wear and tear, which means that a ceramic blade can hold its edge much longer than a steel blade without the need for re-sharpening as often as steel knives.

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Benefits -  Rust proof. Non-stick surface makes the ceramic blade easy to clean.

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - No Interaction - No metallic taste or smell. Given the ceramic blade's characteristics, the ceramic knife will not interact with your food's taste.

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Care - They do require a bit of care and know how, read HERE for more info.

My Take

I tried the 3 piece Chef's Set from Shenzhen and I really like them! It took some getting used to about being careful NOT to bend or force them which is what I normally do sometimes with my regular steel blades. While you can use Ceramic Knives on a daily basis, Shenzhen's website suggests that you should use them in addition or in conjunction to your favorite daily Steel Blades not as a complete replacement to Steel Blade Knives. I love that Shenzhen Knives do not interact with food, need sharpening less often, are durable and can handle my love of Fish and helps me to skin them with ease! And to be able to get Chef's Ceramic Knife Quality at direct to me discount pricing is an incredible added bonus!

DISCOUNTS:

FREE SHIPPING on Shenzhen 3 piece ceramic knife sets, and orders of $60 or more or:

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

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - WIN IT! - Ascending Butterfly and our friends at Shenzhen have a very special surprise for 1 lucky winner! 1 winner will win a Ceramic Chef's Knife for their Dad, or to keep for themself!

Don't you just ♥ Shenzhen? 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- Tell us who this will be for, Will you give it to Dad, your Hubby, Brother, Uncle, or a Culinary School Grad (or will you keep this great Chef's Knife for yourself)? (And while we never make social media follows mandatory, I'd love it if you followed Shenzhen via Facebook or Twitter, see Extra Credit Section for more info and direct links). (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. One entry per Household, see Ascending Butterfly Giveaway Rules and Disclosure Policy HERE.

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Please follow directions or you will be disqualified! All comments are moderated, they may not appear on the site right away (comments like "I want this" or "I want to win" will not be entered). You have from Wednesday, June 15, 2011 until Wednesday, June 22, 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 - Rock the VOTE - it's super easy and a ONE time only, Please vote for me, Tracy Iglesias (in red jacket)  - http://www.yourbestpose.com/competition/?id=1#6

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - You know how much I love finding us both win/wins right? Here's another one: Visit the Degree Women MotionSENSE App on Facebook and enter GetMoving031 in 'Enter Codes' HERE (you'll get an extra 5 MotionSENSE Miles which you can trade in for great prizes including trips!) Enter, share on your wall, and let me know you entered by linking me to where you shared it on your wall, by the way sharing also buys you extra MotionSENSE miles, win/win right? :)

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! Leave five entries.)

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - In the spirit of Father's Day Fun share with us your favorite advice that your dad has given you! (and yes, if you were not raised by your dad, you can share with us the best wisdom received by the person who did raise you! Uncles and Grandpas count too!)

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Grab our NEW Button and put it on your Blog. Leave the URL where we can see it in a comment (if you have our old one, please swap it out, our URL address has changed!)

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

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Follow @ShenzhenKnives on Twitter

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Follow @Ascending1 on Twitter (this is Ascending Butterfly's new account, we will soon be hosting twitter parties which necessitates having a second account so we can make updates throughout the entire party!)

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ -Tweet this:

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - @Ascending1 + @ShenzhenKnives Ceramic Chef Knife #Giveaway! Ends 06/22 Pls RT- http://tinyurl.com/3oojojd

(Leave a comment with the tweet’s url so you can get a valid entry (click on the time your tweet was sent to get the direct URL and then copy and paste it here). You can Tweet TWICE per DAY. If you Tweet more than that, that entry will be disqualified.)

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Digg about this giveaway and leave your digg username in your comment

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Fave this blog on Technorati and leave your Technorati user name in your comment

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Follow Ascending Butterfly on Facebook HERE

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Follow Shenzhen Knives and tell them Ascending Butterfly Sent You (I'm sure they'd love for you to tell them who you'd give this to and why also!) on Facebook HERE (Please post the link to your facebook comment, you can get that link the same way you get your link to your tweets!)

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Follow Ascending Butterfly on Networked Blogs HERE

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Join Ascending Butterfly's NEW Community/Real Time Chat, Group HERE

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - One time only, NOT a daily: 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)

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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. 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.

Got Wanderlust? Then JetSet! Plus Twitter Party with SWEET Prizes!

I used to work in the Airline Industry many moons ago (won't say which one), and I learned the hard way as an industry insider, that the hours were super long, and the promised 'travel benefits', the main perk and reason most people are drawn to the industry in the first place, are not exactly made easy to use. You don't really get the time to use your perks and must fly out stand by so sometimes you pay for the hotel for a set number of days and do not even end up there the first day because you are still at the airport on standby waiting to get on a flight.

Don't get me wrong, I still very much love travel, it's my passion, I pretty much say I work hard to be able to play hard. I work to travel, I live to travel. Oddly enough I am able to travel more now that I don't work in the industry than I did when I worked for an Airline!

I was very lucky when I was younger that my mom loved to travel also, and no two summers were ever the same. Some summers were spent Horse Back Riding at a Ranch, others lazing on the Beach, and others were spent with friends visiting as many amusement parks as possible.

So of course the moment summer arrives and the sun comes out, I instantly get attacked by a major case of Wander Lust!

I've already hit the Beach this month, and took a sort of staycation long weekend at Atlantic City last weekend! What are your travel plans for this summer?

Maybe it's from my airline days, but I have packing down to a Science. I'm a great packer, and in fact have managed to keep all my travels so far down to only ONE piece of luggage and a tote. Both of which are industry regulation and can be carried on. I don't remember the last time I waited at a luggage carousel waiting for a suitcase.

My friends and family are lucky that they have me to help when it comes to vacation planning, I love researching vacations, family vacations, girlfriend getaways, I have a knack for finding the best deals on airfare, hotel stays, getting package extras like room credits, beverage credits and more. I'm kind of like their travel concierge!

Do you need a travel concierge?

Then try, JetSetVacations.com - your vacation concierge without the hefty price tag!

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - JetSetVacations.com is a travel wholesaler with 15 years of experience that can serve all of your travel booking needs whether you’re looking for a family adventure, quick weekend away, or romantic trip for two.

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Every booking provides you with white glove service which includes a vacation concierge to assist you with your needs while you are on vacation.

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ -  They guarantee the lowest rates to Mexico, the Caribbean, and Costa Rica and specialize in helping families travel on a budget. (It's like they were invented just for me, being a North East girl, most of my vacations tend to be Caribbean or Beach Centered, and I've personally visited Mexico and Puerto Rico multiple times for their beautiful beaches!)

Ready to PAR TAY? - Twitter Party Alert!

You know everyone calls me the Twitter Party DJ on Twitter, I LOVE Twitter Parties, they are always fast paced, and super fun, and you get a chance to win prizes just by doing something you already love to do, Talk Travel, Party and TWEET!

Our friends at JetSetVacations.com want YOU to enter to win a $1,000 vacation credit and more by participating in the JetSetVacations.com Twitter Party this Wednesday night (June 15, 2011) from 8:00 to 9:00 p.m. ET. For more information visit: http://bit.ly/ijMbgq

When: Wednesday, June 15th from 8:00 to 9:00 p.m. ET

Where: #JetSetVacations tag on Twitter

How: To participate follow @JetSetVacations and host @ResourcefulMom Giveaway winners will be chosen at random from party participants

New to Twitter? Learn more about how to participate in a Twitter Party!

Twitter Party Prizes

(5) Five winners will each receive a Flip camcorder

(5) Five winners will each receive a digital camera

(1) SUPER GRAND PRIZE winner will receive a gift certificate for $1,000 toward a trip*

*The winner of the super grand prize must use the gift certificate for a trip this summer and blog about their experience. If the winner does not have a blog, they may write a guest post for ResourcefulMommy.com to fulfill that requirement.

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FTC Disclosure:  This post is part of a sponsored campaign with Global Influence and while I have been compensated for my participation, I am a Blog With Integrity blogger, and the text and opinions are solely my own.

Organize your Finances, Subscriptions and Rewards in a Cloud for a chance to win $1000!

Last month I got a sneak peek into Manilla, a new household account organization site, and I wanted to share the scoop with you! Manilla will give you the chance to not only organize your household Finances and more, they are also doing an amazing Giveaway in June where one lucky new user will win $1,000 cash to pay their bills!

A chance to get paid for getting organized, how cool is that?

Manilla will help you manage multiple cloud services with a single sign on, it offers a single place to go for online bill paying. While most Banks do offer that service already, Manilla takes this a bit further by also offering a place to manage frequent flier accounts, managing magazine subscriptions (no more renewal notices as Manilla will let you know when your subscriptions are due), and it even creates a virtual filing cabinet for you making things loads easier for you come tax time. All of your account info is consolidated using an easy-to-read dashboard. Think of it as a GPS for your household management, giving you not only easy to understand directions on how to get you from point a to point b, but also saving you time, reducing clutter and paperwork and from June 7-30, 2011 you will also have the chance to win $1,000 just for trying them out!

How to Enter:

1. Sign up with Manilla

2. Link one or more household, financial, subscription or rewards account with Manilla (I personally love seeing all my frequent flier in one handy place)

Note: While various blogs are sharing the love about Manilla just remember the maximum number of entries per person is 1 regardless of number of blogs visited for entry.

Are you thinking what I'm thinking? ah Manilla, where have you been all my life?

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FTC Disclosure: This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Manilla. The opinions and text are all mine. All opinions are my own. Contest runs June 7-30, 2011. Winner must be signed up with Manilla with at least one account linked to win. A random winner will be selected by July 1, 2011.

Official Contest Rules:

Entry Limit: One (1) Manilla account can be setup per household, one (1) entry per household regardless of number of comments, per each Participating Blog – maximum number of entries per person is 1 regardless of number of blogs visited for entry.

Prize(s): One winner will receive a $1,000 gift card/cash. Gift card is subject to the terms and conditions associated with its use. Total average retail value of all prizes is $1,000.00. Odds of winning depend on total number of eligible entries received from all Participating Blogs. Unclaimed prizes will not be awarded if not claimed within two weeks of being notified. All applicable federal, state, and local taxes on prizes are the sole responsibility of the prize winners. Limit one (1) prize per person in the Contest.

Winner Selection: One (1) winner from all Participating Blogs will be selected in a random drawing no later than 7/1/11 from among all eligible entries received. Winner must have a Manilla account with at least one account linked to win. Winner will be notified by email. In the event the Sponsor is unable to contact the winner within two weeks of first notification attempt, prize will be forfeited and an alternate winner may be selected.

Winner Announcement - The Borghese Spa Bella Tote Winner Is

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WINNER: Thanks to Borghese for hosting our Spa Bella Tote Giveaway, the lucky winner who will receive the signature B Tote filled with wonderful Borghese Products is:

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - mframe00

Our annual Dads N Grads Buying Guide has begun with the Fogless Shower Mirror, if you haven't already done so, be sure to enter HERE (this giveaway ends 06/15 so be sure to enter before it closes!)

And if you haven't already, I could use a one time vote (no worries it's not a daily, just a one time vote, I am the one on the top of the list, Tracy, wearing a red leather jacket!) HERE

I am happy to return all vote requests, so if you are in a voting contest, and have voted for me, just leave me the link to your contest and I'll be happy to return the favor! :)

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Cube Dog App Review

When I was younger I received a birthday party gift that left me less than enthused, a pet rock! About the only thing that caught my attention about that gift was that it oddly resembled a used bar of Irish Spring Soap. You know when the shape of the soap changes from the way it came in the box, that's how the rock looked. That interesting bit about it lasted for like a minute, and it then became a paperweight and topic of conversation that generally leads others to open up about the less than stellar gifts they have received throughout the years. (And this being near Father's Day, most guys I know said they'd prefer a Pet Rock to a Tie, so that's saying something!)

Unfortunately those were what I refer to as 'P.I.' days, it's an acronym much like BC, except it means 'Pre-iPod' Days! :)

I've probably owned almost every generation and type of iPod out there, the shuffle, the classic, the touch, I LOVE my iPods. (My single complaint about my iPod Touch is that it rarely plays nice where there is free wifi). I have TONS of apps, but what speaks volumes about an App in my collection, is which ones make the cut when I sync. Let's face it, there is only a certain amount of space. And that space is divided among music, pictures, videos, contacts and even movies. So I'm very selective about which Apps I sync.

I've come across one that I wish I would have had back then, I certainly would have loved it way more than the pet rock!

What is Cube Dog and What Makes it Cool Anyway?

Think all the fun of a real dog without the fur (that makes allergic people sneeze), the poop (which you can get fined for if you don't clean it up), the walks where your beloved fur baby drags you around at 100 MPH when he spots a squirrel in the park, the hassles of paper training, or the incessant barking that annoys your neighbors.

And if all that hasn't sold you yet, think of the cool mom, dad, aunt, uncle brownie points you'll score during those long summer road trips with the little ones who have probably grown tired of the same DVD you have in the car, and if you don't have an entertainment system in the car, then you really need Cube Dog!

Features Include:

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - The ability to create your own unique cube dog by selecting various parts and colors

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Full 3D graphics with ability to rotate and zoom

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - High-quality 3D animations

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Compatible with the iPhone and iPod touch 4 with camera

--- PLEASE READ! ---
Cube Dog's 3D environment isn't supported on the 1st and 2nd gen iPhone/iPod touch (or 8gig 3rd gen touch). It WILL CRASH on those devices. They are working on expanding compatability soon!

--- What's New in Version 1.0.1---

Try giving your Cube Dog a name! You can also share photos of your pet via email.

I played with this app last weekend on a bus trip and it made the time fly by (except when my Niece and Nephew kept trying to nab it!)

Thank you to Cube Dog for sponsoring this review. For more information about Cube Dog please visit the Facebook page or download it on iTunes.

--- Note: Contest Alert! ---

They have a fun contest coming up from June 13-17th on their Facebook page so be sure to enter!

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FTC Disclosure Info: While Cube Dog provided me with the app to review, the opinions I've expressed here are solely my own and represent my honest viewpoint. Cube Dog, Clever Girls Collective and I promote Blog With Integrity.

{CLOSED} ToiletTree Products Fogless Shower Mirror Giveaway! Ends 06/15

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This giveaway is now CLOSED. Thanks so much to our wonderful sponsor ToiletTree Products! 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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Ascending Butterfly's Annual Dads N Grads Buying Guide Giveaway, brought to you by:

Thanks for your patience everyone, our Annual Dads N Grads Buying Guide is all set and ready to launch! Soon you'll see a Navigation Bar (Nav Bar) on top of the page making it easier to find our reviews, giveaways, event recaps, and special features like our Monthly Book Club and Featured Handbag in the Spotlight!

I am super happy to launch our Dads N Grads Buying Guide with a product that Dad is SURE to love!

ToiletTree Products Fogless Shower Mirror

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Easy Installation: Patent-pending design is simple and effective. Fill the fogless shower mirror’s reservoir with hot water from your shower head and you’re done.

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Maintenance  - No chemicals or special coatings required. ToiletTree Products Fogless Shower Mirror is designed to remain fogless and maintenance-free for a lifetime.

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - How it Works -  Using an easy fill reservoir, the water neutralizes the fogless shower mirror and air temperature to eliminate fogging.

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Adjustable Frame - Frame pivot allows the fogless shower mirror to be adjusted, accommodating multiple users and angles.

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Convenient Shelf - Place your razor, sponge or tweezers so they are always accessible.

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Squeegee Included - Self-stored squeegee included to wipe away water drops.

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Shatter Proof And Rust Proof - Durable, acrylic fogless shower mirror will not rust, discolor or damage bathroom tiles

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Dimensions - Measures 6.5in x 8.5in x 1.5in and weighs less than 1lb.

My Take

This mirror is a great gift across the board! Dads will love it (shave, shower and go!), moms will love it (No more Dads hair in her sink), and a Grad moving into their first apartment will love this mirror too!

Normally I'm a 'suction skeptic' and usually never trust an item that is supposed to adhere in the shower via any type of suction. This Mirror has made a believer out of me! I've had countless shower shelves and mirrors from other brands that fell down on me, making this one a very pleasant surprise. I've had it for several months, and it has not slid, shifted, or fallen, it's definitely lived up to all it's promises, and I love the convenience, the built in shelf and built in squegee! And the price point is great also! If your Grad has a favorite teacher they want to thank with a thoughtful gift, this is a great idea for a teacher's gift. (And as a former Special Ed Teacher I speak from experience when I say teachers can only eat so many apples.....)

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

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - WIN IT! - Ascending Butterfly and our friends at ToiletTree Products have a very special surprise for 1 lucky winner! 1 winner will win a Fogless Shower Mirror for their Dad, Grad or to keep for themself!

Don't you just ♥ ToiletTree Products? 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- Tell us who this will be for, Will you give it to Dad, your Hubby, Brother, Uncle, or a Grad (or will you keep this great mirror for yourself)? (And while we never make social media follows mandatory, I'd love it if you followed ToiletTree via Facebook or Twitter, see Extra Credit Section for more info and direct links). (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 AND Canada 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 Thursday, June 09, 2011 until Wednesday, June 15, 2011 at 03:00 PM (EST) to comment and be entered for a chance to win. You will have 48 hours to confirm if we do not hear from you we will be forced to move on to an alternate. (We only notify winners DIRECTLY via email, so if your profile or your comment does not have an email your entry will not be processed)

EXTRA CREDIT:

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Rock the VOTE - it's super easy and a ONE time only, Please vote for me, Tracy Iglesias (in red jacket)  - http://www.yourbestpose.com/competition/?id=1#6

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! Leave five entries.)

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - In the spirit of Father's Day Fun share with us your favorite advice that your dad has given you! (and yes, if you were not raised by your dad, you can share with us the best wisdom received by the person who did raise you! Uncles and Grandpas count too!)

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Grab our NEW Button and put it on your Blog. Leave the URL where we can see it in a comment (if you have our old one, please swap it out, our URL address has changed!)

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

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Follow @ToiletTreeProd on Twitter

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Follow @Ascending1 on Twitter (this is Ascending Butterfly's new account, we will soon be hosting twitter parties which necessitates having a second account so we can make updates throughout the entire party!)

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ -Tweet this:

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - @Ascending1 + @ToiletTreeProd Fogless Shower Mirror #Giveaway! Ends 06/15 Pls RT- http://tinyurl.com/3w8kcg3

(Leave a comment with the tweet’s url so you can get a valid entry (click on the time your tweet was sent to get the direct URL and then copy and paste it here). You can Tweet TWICE per DAY. If you Tweet more than that, that entry will be disqualified.)

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Digg about this giveaway and leave your digg username in your comment

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Fave this blog on Technorati and leave your Technorati user name in your comment

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Follow Ascending Butterfly on Facebook HERE

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Follow ToiletTree Products and tell them Ascending Butterfly Sent You (I'm sure they'd love for you to tell them who you'd give this to and why also!) on Facebook HERE (Please post the link to your facebook comment, you can get that link the same way you get your link to your tweets!)

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Follow Ascending Butterfly on Networked Blogs HERE

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Join Ascending Butterfly's NEW Community/Real Time Chat, Group HERE

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - One time only, NOT a daily: 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)

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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. 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.

Wordless Wednesday - Butterfly Sightings at FFANY!

The Fashion Footwear Association of New York's Footwear Trade Show (follow the twitter hashtag #FFANY) is at the midway point and it's been a whirlwind of Fun and Shoes! (If you want more details, feel free to refer to yesterday's post for more info HERE)

As this is Wordless Wednesday and it's supposed to be all about the pictures, here are the shoe pictures I promised, there were butterfly sightings everywhere I turned during FFANY day 1, I'll post more details about the show and the brands soon and an interview with amazing designer Sasha Igdari!

Bacolté Shoes

I had the chance to receive a private demo with Bacolté, and was amazed at the versatility and very impressed by the line, I hope to be able to partner with them here on Ascending Butterfly!

Bacolté Shoes and Matching Handbags! Butterfly Lovers Paradise!

Matching handbags for the lovely shoes! More Butterflies! I was in heaven! Aren't the pink shoes with butterfly heel and matching bag just simply to die for?

Check out these brown stiletto booties with Butterfly detailing! I'm glad they added a platform in the front to make them more comfortable to wear! (The neutral peep toe booties to the left of them are pretty cute too!

Check out these adorable girls Butterfly Rain Boots! I love the pink and purple combo.

Sasha Igdari - The Designer and her Collection

I had the pleasure of meeting Sasha Igdari the tour-de-force designer behind the bold brand of highly stylish footwear (for those of you attending FFANY she is on the 15th floor!) and was very excited by the technology behind her footwear, who knew super high heels could have an anatomically correct footbed allowing them to be comfortable?

I'd like to profile her more in depth very soon so I'll leave you with this photo I took of her for now!

As usual, my Wordless Wednesday is not entirely wordless, but without captions how else could I make you feel like you were actually there?

Happy Wordless Wednesday Butterflies!

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FTC Disclosure: This is NOT a sponsored post, I attended the Fashion Footwear Trade Show as a member of the online press and I am under no obligation to write about it. As I love all things butterfly related, I couldn't help but share my butterfly finds at the TradeShow with my readers.

Do you LOVE shoes? - FFANY has begun!

June 7-9, 2011 marks the Fashion Footwear Association of New York's Footwear Trade Show, where members of the shoe industy and press will descend upon the Hilton New York Hotel for all things footwear as well as the The annual FFANY Industry Party which is now soldout and will be held Tuesday, June 7, 6:30 – 9:00 pm at the fabulous Bryant Park!

As I already know from experience that my wifi device isn't going to play nicely there, look for tweets later this evening, and for blog post recaps as my schedule permits.

So now you know the real reason I'm playing Hookey from Internet Week, it's because I plan to spend this week in Shoe Paradise instead! So for all of you attending #IWNY, please take notes or send me links to your blog recaps, and I'll gladly send you or better still post here, pics of shoes for your shoe loving pleasure. (Days and Days of Shoe Porn! The only porn you can and should send over twitter!) ;-)

About FFANY

The Fashion Footwear Association of New York has been bringing footwear manufacturers and retailers, the industry players, together for thirty years. They are a not-for-profit trade association representing footwear manufacturers from around the world and are prominent members of the New York Fashion Community.

Their Mission:

FFANY’s mission is to promote and assist the common business interests of its members, who include over 300 footwear manufacturers, representing over 800 fashion footwear, accessory and related apparel brands.

The goal of their tradeshows, held in February, June, August and December, is to create one exciting marketplace in New York City, the fashion capital of the world. Here, exhibiting footwear manufacturers and attending retailers can efficiently buy, sell and develop business networks.

FFANY extends its mission by being committed to philanthropy and by "giving back" to its members and the footwear industry. Through the generous donations of its members companies and its vital partnership with QVC, our charitable event "FFANY Shoes on Sale" has sold more than one million pairs of shoes and has raised over $33 million for breast cancer research and education. FFANY has reached out to millions of women across America with an essential message about breast cancer awareness.

FFANY also supports scholarship programs and charitable organizations within the footwear industry, such as the Two Ten Footwear Foundation and Shoes that Fit. Who knew your love of shoes could also do so much good? Isn't that fab?

Want to keep up with what's going on via Twitter?

Follow my stream @Tracy_Iglesias

Follow @FFANYShoeShow HERE

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Nabisco Newtons Fruit Thins - Where Good Meets Good For You!

Happy Monday Butterflies! Did you miss me this weekend? I spent this weekend away from all things electronic, and spent the weekend where I'm happiest, at the Beach! It's the only place where I feel completely relaxed and can re-charge. Beach trips have always held great memories for me, family, friends, sun, food, music, sand castles.

Spontaneous and entirely un-planned Beach trips usually mean relying on food vendors when you don't bring something of your own. And most food vendors are selling high calorie, not so good for you fried foods. My trip this weekend wasn't entirely un-planned, but the beach we were going to was very far, making me bringing food more of an inconvenience than anything else. So I grabbed some waters and low cal snacks, sunscreen and my ipod and headed out.

As many of you know I have been making very simple, small changes in my life and have lost quite a bit of weight. My biggest weakness is late night sweet snacks like ice cream, and I'm actively trying to substitute my favorite late night treat for healthier snacks!

A trip to the supermarket a few weeks ago, led to a great discovery. A cookie from a brand I already knew quite well and trust, has a brand new line of cookies on the market with 8 grams of whole grain! This definitely caught my eye and I opted to try it in the Chocolate Raspberry flavor. And I'm super happy I did!

When I was little I used to share Fig Newtons with my grandmother, she loved them and passed that love to me. So I had a feeling I would like these too!

Shortly after trying these for myself after a supermarket visit, I was contacted by One2One Network who asked if I'd be interested in trying out Newtons Fruit Thins and share about it with my readers. And needless to say I jumped at the chance! I love sharing about products I already buy for myself. And I was also super lucky because I was sent a different variety than the one I had already purchased myself and tried out!

Newtons Fruit Thins

For more than a century, Newtons has been one unique cookie - wholesome goodness made with real fruit and a taste all its own. Now, with the creation of Newtons Fruit Thins, Nabisco is breaking the mold again with a cookie unlike any other with real fruit in unexpected combinations packed into a thin and crispy cookie. 

The four delicious varieties include:

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Cranberry Citrus Oat - I plan on trying this one next!
Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ -Blueberry Brown Sugar - This is the one I tried via One2One Network, YUM!
Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Chocolate Raspberry -This was the one I purchased, YUM!
Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Fig & Honey  - I bet this one will remind me most of traditional Newtons

And because Newtons Fruit Thins are made with real fruit and 8 grams of whole grain per serving you can feel great knowing you’re having a deliciously wholesome snack.  

Nutritional Information

Serving Size - 3 cookies
140 Calories
5 grams total fat
1-1.5 grams saturated fat

My Take:

I've had the chance to try 2 out of the 4 varieties, the first I purchased when I happened upon them in the Supermarket, and the second I tried via One2One Network. I greatly enjoyed both varieties, and I plan to purchase the other 2 as well.

If you are totally tired of cereal, these make a great substitute for cereal for breakfast, they are great to have in your pantry for an anytime of day snack. 3pm doldrums at work? These are perfect! Unlike the traditional Fig Newtons, these are actually crisp, so they give you that crispy crunch, and with the chocolate raspberry variety you can also get that chocolate taste, but still have a healthy snack.

I totally think Newtons Thins are where good meets good for you! It is possible to make healthy snacking choices that don't make you feel like you are sacrificing great taste.

I brought my bag with me to the beach, and friends and family enjoyed them as much I did. My niece and nephews already like traditional Fig Newtons, and they enjoyed these as well. They also have a variety called Fruit Crisps which I haven't found at my local supermarket yet, but I will try it once they carry it, have you tried either Fig Newtons, Fruit Thins or Fruit Crisps yet?

I had a wonderful weekend at the Beach, and I hope you had a great weekend too!

Our annual Dads N Grads Buying Reco Guide, where you have the chance to win everything you see will launch this week!

What did you do this weekend?

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FTC Disclosure Info: This post offers me the chance to win a Gift Card from the One2One Network. I was provided with samples of Nabisco Fruit Thins to help Facilitate this review. All opinions about Nabisco and the Fruit Thins products I sampled are my own. No monetary exchange has taken place. This is not a sponsored post and no compensation has been received in exchange for my opinion.

Weekend Words of Inspiration - See You Monday!

I am taking a long overdue weekend, so our annual Dads N Grads Buying Guide will launch in a few days instead of today and don't be surprised if you send me an email and it doesn't get answered in my usual hyper responsive super timely manner!

This weekend I'll be seeking my own inspiration by taking time away from the hustle and bustle and the super fast pace that has been a constant so far in 2011. The weather in New York City has been absolutely perfect these past few days and this weekend nature in all its glory is calling my name! What are you doing this weekend?

My apologies for those of you getting a pop up asking you to login, just hit the X on the upper right hand side of the pop up or hit cancel and it will go away and the site will load normally, and comments are working fine, I'm working with my host to get this removed.

Weekend 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 release energies, habits and circumstances that no longer serve my highest good!'

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!

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Rock The Vote!

Would greatly appreciate your vote (I'm Tracy wearing a Red Leather Jacket) HERE

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Winners Announcement: Wilsons Leather Pelle Camden Leather Satchel Giveaway!

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WINNER: Thanks to Wilson's Leather for hosting our May Featured Handbag in the Spotlight, the lucky winner who will receive the Pelle Camden Leather Satchel in their choice of color is:

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Amy Rouse

I will close out the Borghese Spa Bella Mother's Day Gift Set soon, and June marks the begining of our Annual Dads N Grads Buying Guide so stay tuned for some fun surprises!

And if you haven't already, I could use a one time vote (no worries it's not a daily, just a one time vote, I am the one on the top of the list, Tracy, wearing a red leather jacket!) HERE

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Wordless Wednesday - Lil Drummer Girl

Make Up For Ever MakeUp Artist Prepping a Model for Living Marionette Show, New York Groove Event, NY MakeUp Show

Read Full New York Makeup Show Recap HERE

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Reminders:

Active Giveaway: {ENDS SOON} Borghese Spa Bella Gift Set Giveaway -http://www.ascendingbutterfly.com/2011/05/borghese-spa-bella-gift-set-giveaway.html

Vote For Ascending Butterfly: Please vote for me, Tracy, I am wearing a red jacket - http://www.yourbestpose.com/competition/?id=1#6

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