{CLOSED} Win a Pair of Tickets to the Smooth Cruise Encore Double Bill sail with Phil Perry & Alex Bugnon! Giveaway with 2 winners! Ends 10/04

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This giveaway is now CLOSED. Thanks so much to our wonderful sponsor Smooth Jazz NY! 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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Does the idea of a cool night and warm Jazz sound good to you? New York’s premiere summer jazz series is coming to a close for the season! This is the Smooth Cruises’ 14th year aboard The Spirit of New York, located at Pier 61, Chelsea Piers (23rd St/West Side Hwy).

Experience this one-of-a-kind LIVE JAZZ concert series as you cruise down the Hudson River taking in fantastic views of the Statue of Liberty and the breathtaking Manhattan skyline. The Cruises feature the world’s greatest jazz acts in an intimate setting. This summer I picked a different sail from last year and got to see Najee in concert, here are the pictures from my last sail.

These cruises are the highlight of my summer, and this will be my first year taking the Encore Sail, and I'm looking forward to it, less humidity will make a for a cool night, with warm jazz! =)

Here's the Skinny:

Where: Departing from Chelsea Piers in Midtown Manhattan.

When: Encore Sail, Friday, October 7th, 2011, There will be two sails, as follows:

Smooth Sunset Cruise:: Board: 6:00pm • Sail: 6:30 – 8:30pm
Smooth Moonlight Cruise: Board: 9:00pm • Sail: 9:30 – 11:30pm

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - WIN IT! - Ascending Butterfly and our friends at Smooth Jazz New York would like to provide 2 lucky Ascending Butterfly Followers a pair of tickets to the smooth moonlight jazz cruise for the Friday, October 7th Encore Sail!  4 Tickets total, each winner receives 2 tickets so they can bring a guest! ('moonlight' sail only 21 years of age and older please.) These tickets are non-transferable, and do not include your transportation, lodging or any other expenses to or from New York City where the boat sails from.

Don't you just ♥ Smooth Jazz New York? 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) Tell us Who you are bringing with you on the sail! (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 who are 21 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 Monday, September 26, 2011 until Tuesday, October 04, 2011 at 03:00 PM (EST) to comment and be entered for a chance to win. You will have 24 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 - Paying attention extra credit: Visit Smooth Jazz and tell us one thing you learned about Alex Bugnon or Phil Perry

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Rate this blog on Alexa (Since we moved to a new domain this year, all our old ratings were lost and we have to start again)

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - If you are on Klout, give us some Klout Love by giving @Tracy_Iglesias a +K

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

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 me @Tracy_Iglesias on Twitter (this is ascending butterfly’s editor) and give me your twitter ID in a comment

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 #Win a pair of tickets to the @SmoothJazzNY Cruise Double Bill Encore Sail! #Giveaway 2 Winners!  http://tinyurl.com/42o7nwb

(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 – ‘Like’ Smooth Jazz New York (and don't forget to write on their wall that Ascending Butterfly sent you! I'm sure they'd also love to know who your favorite Jazz artist is) on Facebook HERE

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Follow @SmoothJazzNY on Twitter HERE

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

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

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - One Time Per Giveaway, Not Daily: Vote for Ascending Butterfly on: Fuel My Blog

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Follow/Like Ascending Butterfly on Facebook HERE

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Follow Ascending Butterfly on Networked Blogs HERE

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

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

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

Weekly Moment of Gratitude! + Winner Announcement! + Giveaways!

This week, I am grateful for:

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ -  I had a really great time at the Bridesmaid DVD Launch Party earlier this week, in case you missed the recap and photos, they were this week's Wordless Wednesday. The party was great, donations were made to a great cause, there were bouquet tossings for prizes, spa treatments, never seen footage, a great candy station, tarot card readings and Yellowtail Wines was the event beverage sponsor!

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - I also attended a Hair Color 101 Event with L'Oreal and I will share more about that soon!

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - And there is a special announcement I can't post about just yet, but will soon!

Hope all my butterflies are having an amazing weekend!

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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

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Active Giveaway

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Kate Spade NY for Lenox Vase with 1800flowers Bouquet of your choice Giveaway! Ends 09/29 - 1 Lucky winner will take home a Kate Spade Butterfly Vase (Pleasant Hill Bouquet is the name of the Vase) and also a $100 Savings Pass from 1800Flowers.com to fill their Vase with beautiful flowers. (ARV $175)

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Giveaway Winners:

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Earthies Talera Shoes winner - 'Vicki S.'

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - 1 Year Supply of Crest 3D Whitestrips Giveaway winner - 'Linda K.'

Thanks to both of our wonderful sponsors for hosting these fantastic giveaways! Stay tuned this week butterflies as Earthies will be back again with another great giveaway! (Rumor has it a great pair of boots will be in one very lucky butterfly's future!) And see, some people think going first on a giveaway is not good, but Linda K was our very first entry for the Whitestrips Giveaway and the Random Number Generator landed on her! #1 can be lucky!

Gratitude Journal Reco:

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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FTC Disclosure: Journal Recommendation uses an Amazon Affiliate Link. Ascending Butterfly lists winner's site usernames for privacy.

{Review} St. Ives Naturally Clear Green Tea Scrub and Cleanser!

I remember using the St. Ives Apricot Scrub in my teens and when I heard they had a new scrub out I definitely wanted to try it! I have always had acne prone skin, and my first preference is to treat it, not just cover it up.

My skin can sometimes be a bit sensitive, and many formulations on the market to treat acne, tend to strip my skin and leave it way too dry. What I like most about St. Ives Naturally Clear Green Tea Scrub and the Naturally Clear Green Tea Cleanser is that it does not strip my skin or dry it out. The Cleanser is in liquid form, and I love to use it with my Clarisonic, together I find that it leaves my skin with a deep clean feel.

The scrub is a lot gentler than the original Apricot Scrub, so it can be used daily. This scrub is not as grainy as the Apricot scrub, it's a bit finer and more gentle on the skin.

Because I use my Clarisonic often, it was hard to tell if the scrub made a substantial difference on my face, but I really do like the Cleanser in liquid form (remember you should not use exfoliant scrubs with your Clarisonic, liquid or cream cleansers only). Clarisonic Cleansers are quite pricey, and the St. Ives Green Tea Cleanser is a great value and delivers great results with the Clarisonic. It's great to be able to achieve the same results with a much cheaper price tag.

My clarisonic also has a body brush, but I do like using the St. Ives Naturally Clear Green Tea Scrub as a hand exfoliant, I did find it left my hands smoother, and was great before a manicure! Great drugstore gems to help keep your skin fab, and still stay on budget!

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Active Giveaway:

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Kate Spade NY for Lenox Vase with 1800flowers Bouquet of your choice Giveaway! Ends 09/29 - Win a Kate Spade NY for Lenox Butterfly Vase that you can fill with $100 worth of flowers from 1800flowers.com! (ARV $175) - 1 winner.

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Ascending Butterfly received one or more of the products mentioned above for free for evaluation purposes. Regardless, all opinions expressed are still 100% my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commissions 16 CFR, Part 255 Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials In Advertising. Ascending Butterfly Disclosure.

Today's Words of Inspiration - Are you ready for sudden wealth?



Today's Quote:

Whatever your current financial condition, you should begin to plant something to get a harvest, and save some of your seed for future planting. Even if you presently do not have much, you should implement this advice; for you will carry these habits with you if fortune should come your way. Sudden wealth dropped on undisciplined lives will result in money that disappears quickly! ~T.D. Jakes Ministries

Are you disciplined with money? Are you using your money to create a 'seed' for yourself?

Today's Challenge: Get savvy about money! Make a budget that you stick to. Give up one frivolous spending habit per week and put that money in a savings account instead. Give up one starbucks per week, or give up seeing a new release on opening weekend for one week, and put that money aside for a rainy day, for retirement, or even for a bigger dream purchase like a house or car, you'd be surprised how quickly your simple sacrifice will add up and give you an even bigger harvest later! You CAN do it!

Today's Breathing Affirmation: Close your eyes, take a deep, slow breath in through your nose, and affirm "I am wise with money, I give myself permission to prosper."

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Active Giveaways:

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - {ENDS SOON} Crest 3D Whitestrips Review with Giveaway! Ends 09/23 - Win a 1 year supply of Crest 3D Whitestrips!

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Kate Spade NY for Lenox Vase with 1800flowers Bouquet of your choice Giveaway! Ends 09/29 - Win a Kate Spade NY for Lenox Butterfly Vase that you can fill with $100 worth of flowers from 1800flowers.com!

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Remember that attitude determines altitude, go out there and make this your best day ever, bless and be blessed!

Have A Wonderful Day Butterflies!

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Wordless Wednesday - Bridesmaid DVD Event Launch!

Last night I attended the Bridesmaid DVD Launch Event, hosted by NBC Universal and YellowTail Wines and I had a great time! I almost thought I wasn't going to make it, as The President was about to give a speech and the streets were all blocked off! But us industrious and persistent New Yorkers always find a way!

Here are some pictures from the event!

Pictured Above: Check out the cute high heel shoe floral centerpieces at the tables, candle light and a glass of Yellow Tail Wines Sparkling White!

Pictured Above: Guests were asked to bring in Bridesmaid Dresses they no longer cared for and the dresses were donated to help benefit The Glass Slipper Project. In the photo above Kiymet Lale who manages Custom Coutere Alterations for Hallak Cleaners is altering a dress. How she managed to do such precise work amidst so  many people was amazing to watch!

Pictured Above: Dresses that were used in the Bridesmaid Movie were on display for photo opps!

Pictured above: Left, is Carolina Bermudez, evening event emcee and Radio Personality, Right is yours truly, Ascending Butterfly!

During the event mini spa treatments were offered, never seen movie footage was shown, and there were 'bouquet tossings' where guests had a chance to win prizes (unfortunately I never caught a bouquet, much like during real life weddings!)

Keep up with Yellow Tail Wines on Twitter and Facebook
BridesMaids the Movie on Facebook and NBC Universal on Twitter
Hallak Cleaners on Twitter
Carolina Bermudez on Facebook and Twitter

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FTC Disclosure Info: No monetary compensation has been received. This is NOT a sponsored post. I was invited to the Bridesmaid DVD release launch party and am under no obligation to write about it. Gift bags were given to attendees of the event.

Phenom Coconut Water {Review}

My favorite place to vacation is The Caribbean. At least once per year I try to take a Caribbean vacation (I try to hit someplace different each year). Warm Sandy Beaches, Palm Trees and Coconuts! I don't bring anything remotely electronic (except for my Camera) and I make it a point to disconnect!

Beachside vendors will come at you with a variety of offerings, but the one offering that I rarely pass up is a coconut with a straw! (Sometimes with a lovely cocktail inside, others times just the pure coconut water!)

Benefits of Coconut Water:

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Low in Carbs

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - 99% Fat Free

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Low in Sugar

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Regulates Body Temperature

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - All Natural Isotonic Beverage that re-hydrates body

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Carries Nutrients and Oxygen to your cells

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Naturally replenishes body fluids after excercising

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Raises your metabolism

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Helps to promote weight loss naturally

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Boosts Immune System

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Helps to detoxify your system and helps to fight viruses

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Cleanses Digestive Tract

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Helps Control Diabetes

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Aids the body in fighting viruses including those that cause the flu, herpes and Aids

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Balances your PH and helps reduce the risk of cancer

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Helps to treat kidney and urethral stones

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Boosts poor circulation

I don't know about you, but I don't consume nearly as much coconut water back home as I do on vacation, until now that is!

About New PHENOM Coconut Water - Supercharged with GNC Vitamins and Minerals

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - 100% NATURAL Coconut Water fortified with GNC Vitamins and Minerals
Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - No Artificial Flavors
Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - No Added Sugars
Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Low Calories
Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - NO cholesterol

Varieties Include:

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - PHENOM HYDRO - HYDRO is 100% natural, unflavored, coconut water enhanced with a boost of 5 essential electrolytes to promote rapid hydration for a perfect balance. Containing 17 times more potassium than the leading super hydration drinks, HYDRO has more potassium than a banana. In PURE flavor.

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - PHENOM MEGA V - MEGA V is 100% electrolyte-rich, 100% natural coconut water, fortified with additional premium vitamins and minerals, including 100% of the RDA of vitamin C, plus calcium, vitamin B, and more, to support health and well-being. MEGA V is enhanced with a boost of 5 essential electrolytes, including more potassium than a banana, to promote rapid hydration for a perfect balance. Available in Natural Coconut, Orange Guava Passion, Pineapple Punch.

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - PHENOM ENERGY - ENERGY is enhanced with B vitamins to support energy production, plus caffeine and other energizing ingredients to boost metabolism. Its packed with vital vitamins and minerals to support health and well-being, including 100% of the RDA of vitamin C, vitamin B-12 and Niacin, plus calcium, vitamin E, and more. ENERGY is enhanced with a boost of 5 essential electrolytes, including more potassium than a banana, to promote rapid hydration for a perfect balance. Available in Acai Peach and Lemon Mojito.

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - PHENOM ANTIOX - ANTIOX provides the hydration benefits of coconut water boosted with antioxidants for protection against cell damaging free radicals. Rich in premium vitamins and minerals, including 150% of the RDA of vitamin C, plus calcium, vitamin B, and more, ANTIOX supports health and well-being.  ANTIOX is enhanced with a boost of 5 essential electrolytes, including more potassium than a banana, to promote rapid hydration for a perfect balance. Available in Blueberry Pomme Flavor

My Take:

This is the closest you can come to sticking a straw into a Coconut, and the best part, you can refrigerate it and get it nice and cold, the fact that PHENOM is super charged with GNC Vitamins and Minerals makes it that much better for you! More potassium than a banana and an immunity booster naturally? Doesn't get much better!

As many of you know I have dropped 26 pounds this year via small lifestyle changes, and including PHENOM into my healthier lifestyle is a simple change that is good for me, and makes my body 'feel' better. It is certainly a million times better for me than soda! And has more Vitamins and Minerals than plain water!

Keep up with GNC on Facebook and Twitter @GNCLiveWell

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FTC Disclosure Info for this Giveaway:  I was provided product to facilitate my review. I am also eligible for additional incentives by participating in this campaign.

{CLOSED} Crest 3D Whitestrips Review with Giveaway! Ends 09/23

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This giveaway is now CLOSED. Thanks so much to our wonderful sponsor Crest (and our friends at One2One Network for facilitating this giveaway)! We look forward to having them back again! Our winner is Linda K.! Congrats! Remember: There are great giveaways active on the upper right hand side of the page!

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Last week we discussed an important event where having pearly white teeth would boost self-confidence, the event I selected was New York Fashion Week, because whether you posed or you didn't, you still find yourself in tons of photos! As promised I am sharing my after photo and I have something special in it for you as well! Check out my before post and here is the before and after photos:

Before Photo:

After Photo:

As you can see from the before and after photos, I now have a much brighter smile!

Directions:

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Do not brush teeth immediately before applying strips.
Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Apply gel side of strip to teeth.
Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ -  Align strips with gum line and press gently for good contact, then fold the rest of strip behind teeth to keep in place. (work quickly or the edges will stick to your lip! Definitely do this in the mirror).
Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Short strip goes on your bottom teeth, long strip on top teeth.
Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - After 2 hours, remove and discard.
Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - If any gel remains on your teeth you can either brush it away or rinse it off.
Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Strips will not whiten caps, crowns, veneers, fillings or dentures. Do not use with dental braces.
Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Crest 3D White 2-Hour Express Whitestrips are sold at drugstores and mass retailers nationwide. MSRP $54.99

My Take:

Crest 3D Whitestrips are definitely cheaper than a trip to the Dentist (however you should get a Dental checkup and cleaning at least every 6 months) and easy to use in the convenience of your own home! What's not to love?

I have also had the chance to try out the Crest 3D White Advanced Vivid Enamel Renewal Toothpaste and I find that the combination is a great whitening one-two punch! And the toothpaste really leaves your teeth with that fresh from the dentist kind of clean!

I have always had pretty white teeth, and this is the first time I have ever tried out a whitening product. But using the strips in conjunction with the toothpaste left me a dentist white and clean feel. I definitely think it was worth it!

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

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - WIN IT! - Ascending Butterfly and our friends at Crest would like to give 1 lucky winner a box of Crest 3D Whitestrips, which will provide one year of whitening!

Don't you just ♥ Crest 3D White? 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 what upcoming event  you'd like to use Crest 3D Whitestrips for  (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 Monday, September 19, 2011 until Friday, September 23, 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 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 @Ascending1 on Twitter (this is Ascending Butterfly's new account, we will soon be hosting twitter parties which necessitates having a second account so you can make updates throughout the entire party!)

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Follow @Crest on Twitter

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Tweet this:

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ @Ascending1 + @crest  Box of Crest 3D Whitestrips #Giveaway! ARV $55 Ends 9/23! http://tinyurl.com/3san3j5

(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 Crest on Facebook and tell them Ascending Butterfly Sent You or tell them what upcoming event you plan to whiten for! (Please post the link to your facebook comment, you can get that link the same way you get your link to your tweets! If you don't post the link where you wrote on their wall I can't give you extra credit for it.)

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)

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FTC Disclosure Info for this Giveaway:  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. I am eligible for additional incentives by participating in this campaign for one2one network.

Weekly Moment of Gratitdue + Winners + Giveaways!

This week, I am grateful for:

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ -  While I haven't had tons of time to enter too many sweeps, I've had a few really awesome wins this month, a dress from @DVF (Diane Von Furstenberg) from Fashion Night Out see more and take the reader poll HERE, and a $100 JC Penney Gift Certificate from a win from @imnotobsessed. Fun wins I'm truly grateful for!

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Taking some time to completely disconnect this weekend! Cook my favorite meal and have some great wine, music, dancing and laughs.

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Caught up with some movies I've missed and I'm watching the Emmy's!

Hope all my butterflies are having an amazing weekend!

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

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

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Active Giveaway

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Kate Spade NY for Lenox Vase with 1800flowers Bouquet of your choice Giveaway! Ends 09/29 - ARV $175

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Giveaway Winners:

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Zippity Doo's Giveaway winner - 'Jammie'

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Timi & Leslie Hannah Handbag Giveaway in choice of color (August's Featured Handbag of the Month Giveaway) winner - 'Tee'

Gratitude Journal Reco:

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·˙

FTC Disclosure: Journal Recommendation uses an Amazon Affiliate Link. Ascending Butterfly lists winner's site usernames for privacy.

dENiZEN by Levi's Jeans - Why you should RUN not walk and pick up a pair!

Even at my 'fighting weight' I'm naturally curvy.  I actually love my curves, but they have always made shopping for a denim a problem. I have a small waist in proportion to my hips, which means that most jeans have that annoying gap at the waist, or sit too snugly at the hips. I can try on literally hundreds of pairs in a store dressing room and leave empty handed. (Shopping for Jeans and Swimsuits tend to be the bain of most womens existence, can I get an Amen Ladies?)

My preference is for a medium weight, and while I like a bootcut, that is sometimes the only 'detail' you find in 'curvy' denim.

While I'm well past my jeans with holes trend days, I'm not exactly at that Mom Jeans stage either. I'd like some trend detailing!

I'm 26 pounds down and counting this year, and when Levi's contacted me to try out a pair of their dENiZEN jeans I was a bit nervous as I've NEVER had a one shot try on and walk out the store experience with jeans. I was even more nervous when they arrived and I saw 'misses' on the label, every jean I've owned in the past 10 years have all had the big 'W' on them!

I tried them on and much to my surprise fell in LOVE with them. I had a small and easy to remedy 'pero' (spanish for 'but'). They were actually a bit long for me even in the regular, so I had them hemmed. When I took them to the tailor, they all fell in love with the jeans at the shop and asked me tons of questions about them because they weren't yet available in my neighborhood's retail district at the time.

I'm super happy to report that dENiZEN by Levi's are readily available at your local Target store, available for men, women, and children and I urge you to RUN not walk and pick up a pair. They are truly the most well cut pair of Jeans I've owned in a long time, NO gap for me at the waist, fit like a glove (NO, not tight), and have a well done boot cut (not all curvy denim has to flare out like 70's bell bottoms!).

@2011 dENiZEN by Levi's Model Photo

Reasons to Love:

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Totally Shaping at Waist (No Gap)

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Boot Cut (slimming, but not overdone)
Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Tummy slimming panel (friends and family will ask, did you lose weight?)
Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - High stretch fabric (these move with you, not against you!)
Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Light Sand Blasting Detail
Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Great Price Point

I have denim in my closet in a variety of price points, but these quickly became my favorite, and they are definitely my 'go-to' pair. Here is a pic of me wearing them (below) totally casual with sneakers on a day of running errands, but they look equally great with a crisp white blouse, cute boots and throw on a great necklace/acessories to dress them up more.

@2011 Ascending Butterfly rocking the dENiZEN by Levi's Jeans

You can purchase these at Target (see your local ad to check price points at your nearest store as they may differ), and you can connect to all things dENiZEN on Facebook too!

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FTC Disclosure Info: This is NOT a sponsored Post. No monetary compensation has been received. I did receive a pair of dENiZEN Jeans from Levi's for editorial consideration. All opinions expressed are my own.