{CLOSED} 3 Month The California Wine Club Review AND Giveaway! Ends 12/15

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This giveaway is now CLOSED. Thanks so much to our wonderful sponsor The California Wine Club! We look forward to working with you again. The Winner is *'Gina Nuzio'*. Remember: There are great giveaways active on the upper right hand side of the page!

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Ascending Butterfly's 2011 Holidays Buying Guide, Giveaway #10 brought to you by:

I'm happy to say we are resuming our annual holidays buying guide this week with an ADULT themed giveaway! Don't get me wrong, I love providing you guys with Kids Corner, but I'm not yet a mom, and my City Girl lifestyle is a lot more cocktails and wine than it is soccer matches or car pools!

While there is absolutely nothing wrong with Fruit-of-the-Month Club, as a former Special Ed teacher I can tell you if I see one more apple.......

I know different schools have different rules and different gift etiquette, but I'm sure most teachers will tell you they'd prefer the grape to the apple, and by grape I do mean wine.

For the past three months I've been in wine nirvana with some amazing at home deliveries straight from some amazing wineries direct to my door all courtesy of The California Wine Club!

The California Wine Club - Premier Club

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ  - Each wine club shipment includes two bottles of award-winning wine - Every month they feature two different wines from a winery located in not just Napa and Sonoma, but also places like Monterey, Santa Cruz, Santa Barbara (when I grow up, whenever that is, I want to live there!) and even the Sierra Foothills. Your CWC wine of the month club adventure will take you to wine regions not normally represented outside of California's wine community.

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Detailed and beautiful 12-page, full color publication, Uncorked - offers an up-close and personal look at the family behind the wines plus tasting notes, recipes, wine luminary interviews, games and so much more.

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Just $49.45* per month includes shipping and handling. *Plus sales tax where applicable.

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Bruce and Pam work with the wineries directly. No middleman and no distributor mean members get the best choice of wine, at the best possible price. Members can even reorder their favorites and save up to 50% off normal retail.

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - There are no wine of the month club membership fees, you can cancel anytime and every wine is 100% guaranteed.

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - There is never any bulk, closeout or private label wine.

What I Tried:

I have had the pleasure of receiving 3 months of selections from The California Wine Club's Premier Club, I also tried out a shipment earlier in the year that I also loved and definitely plan to re-order from Bixler Vineyards. I'm in love with the 2008 Union Island White!

In October:

I tried Perry Creek Zinman's 2008 Zinfandel, El Dorado - What makes it even sweeter is that it's sustainably farmed and produced from Old Vines.

A unique legend: The legend of ZINMAN can be traced back to the days of the gold rush. It was then that reports first trickled in of a mystical creature known to sprinkle “ZinDust” upon the vines of the Sierra Foothills. Over 150 years later, his work can still be experienced in a bottle of Zinman, one just has to close their eyes and enjoy all of the magical flavors that dance upon your palate.

ZINMAN is one of Perry Creek’s most recognized and highly successful signature series wines. It is rated among the top 15 best-value Zinfandels by Wine Spectator in 2010 and its popularity continues to grow year by year. What makes it so special is the unique combination of spice and elegance in its flavors which stems from being produced in one of the best vineyards in the El Dorado County AVA. Its truly modern composition and sustainable farming practices makes it a must have for anyone’s dinner table.

Perry Creek Winery 2009 El Dorado Chardonnay - This is a crisp Chardonnay with just a hint of vanilla and tropical fruit flavors.

Food Pairing Suggestions include: stuffed, roasted chicken with tarragon, smoked turkey (yes I'm sure much like me, many of you are 'Turkey'ed' out by now!) , crab cakes with cream sauce, light curry dishes and summer salads.

In November:

Castoro Cellars 2010 "Blind Faith" Paso Robles Pinot Noir - Grown in the Blind Faith Vineyard on steep terraces and dry creek bottom soils. These extreme growing conditions produce a unique wine with intense flavor. The 'Estate Lots' are watched carefully and only bottled in limited quantities when the wine warrants it. This wine is certainly a worthy addition to any wine cellar. It can be enjoyed now or held up to five years.

Food Pairing Suggestions: Lighter meats like poultry as well as pork chops, ham, and my personal favorite grilled salmon.

Castoro Cellars 2010 Paso Robles Gewurztraminer - Castoro’s Gewürz is made in such small quantities that the winery has never submitted it for review or competitions. The final blend was 77% Gewürztraminer, 15% Viognier and 8% Muscat Canelli.

Food Pairing Suggestions: Great with salads, Japanese or Thai cuisine. It's the aromas of jasmine and ginger and tropical fruit flavors that make it such a perfect compliment to Japanese or Thai, and I love both!

In December:

2009 Tulip Hill Winery Tracy Hills Reserve Chardonnay - Cellar Select Mount Oso - blended from 17 barrels of 100% MLF Chardonnay with tropical fruits and apples with a hint of spice. The undertones of butter and oak lend to a mouth feel that is rich and balanced leading to a creamy finish with a light punch of acid to extend the flavors across the palate.

Food Pairing Suggestions: Enjoy with your favorite soft cheese, pasta in a light cream sauce. (My appetizer pairing was Sesame Crackers with Camembert and my pasta entree was my penne and sausage a la vodka I really need to remember to share that recipe with you guys!)

2009 Tracy Hills Cabepulciano - Yes this is a blend that includes:

45% Montepulciano

27% Cabernet Sauvignon Lot 4-

28% Cabernet Sauvignon Lot 10

With notes of spice, black cherry, cedar, currant, vanilla and a delicious hint of dark chocolate, it's definitely elegant with a bright, juicy finish. It's a limited production making it perfect for a very special dinner or holiday party.

Check out this You Tube Video of Tulip Hill Tasting Room Manager Tom Montaney discussing Cabepulciano:

 My Take:

I have nothing but good things to say about The California Wine Club, it's an amazing gift year round not just for the holidays. It's perfect for corporate gifts as well as personal, and the fact that they work directly with wineries in vineyards not just in Napa and Sonoma make the club a very distinctive and unique gift. I will say my preference has always been white wine over red, but through the club I've opened up my palate more and have tried many reds I wouldn't have found so readily locally that I have greatly enjoyed.

Ordering via the club makes wine much more approachable and the Uncorked newsletter makes it fun. The convenience of having the wines delivered right to your doorstep and dazzling family and friends with wines they are not going to find at their local spirit shops is priceless!

I'm a mega foodie, and my motto is never cook with a wine you don't enjoy sipping, and I have incorporated the wines into many of my dishes (recipes to come). I'm also a member of The California Wine Club's over 82,000 and counting fan base on Facebook, and I love reading their updates, there is always humor, fun tips and promos!

Want to send the gift of wine this year? Take 10% off any holiday gifts you wish to send from The California Wine Club with promo code: butterfly

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

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - WIN IT! - Ascending Butterfly and our friends at The California Wine Club would like to give 1 lucky winner a 3 month Premier Club Membership of their own! With Premier Club you get to choose, 1 red and 1 white, 2 reds or 2 whites, the choice is yours!

Don't you just ♥ The California Wine Club? 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 The California Wine Club and tell us which of the four wine clubs is your favorite! (you can post the name of it or link to it, your choice, and while I will allow premier as a choice, you'll get extra brownie points if you select a different club!)  (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. No purchase necessary. 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 Tuesday, December 06, 2011 until Thursday, December 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 - Order any wine club as a gift or for yourself and post your order confirmation number or email it to me and get 10 extra entries!

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - In honor of all things wine, tell me your all time favorite wine? Was it a winery you discovered during your travels? A house wine at your favorite restaurant?

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

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Follow @cawineclub on Twitter

Tweet This:

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ @cawineclub + @Ascending1 THREE Month The California Wine Club Premier Club Giveaway! Ends 12/15 - http://tinyurl.com/79xydrn

(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 - Like Ascending Butterfly on Facebook HERE

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Like The California Wine Club on Facebook HERE (Tell them which wine club is your favorite and/or that you are trying to win a Premier Club 3 month membership from Ascending Butterfly) - Be sure you leave the link to your comment here for extra credit. (You can get the link the same way you do on twitter, press on the time you left the comment on their facebook wall, and when the page fully loads, highlight and copy the URL address and then paste it into the comment field here). If you say "I wrote on their wall" and do not leave the link that Extra Credit Entry will NOT be processed.

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Follow Ascending Butterfly on Networked Blogs HERE

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

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Join Ascending Butterfly's Blog Frog Community HERE <-There is an active giveaways thread there too, so if you are a blogger also, please feel free to add your active giveaways to that thread!

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Vote for Ascending Butterfly on: Fuel My Blog -This is ONE time per giveaway, NOT daily.

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 sponsored promotion. NO compensation has been received  from the sponsor in exchange for this post. A 3 month membership was provided to me free of charge for editorial consideration. Also, The sponsors are fulfilling directly to prize winner(s), this in no way influenced my opinion of the products. All opinions expressed in this review are 100% my own. Once a winner is selected and their information has been forwarded to the sponsor, the responsibility of prize fulfillment rests with the sponsor. An Affiliate Link is used for the ScoreBig Extra Credit Entry and for EZ Win game.

{Movie Review} Prep & Landing - Watch it Tonight on ABC!

© Disney. All Rights Reserved

One of my favorite parts of the holiday season (after trimming the tree and decking the halls of course) is watching my favorite holiday cartoons. They are absolutely timeless, and I look forward to watching them just as much now as I did when I was a kid.

But it wasn't until I checked out Disney's Prep & Landing that I realized today's kids needed a new tradition, they are way more high tech than we were at their age, and the same old story year after year doesn't have the same nostalgia for them as they do for me.

Today's kids definitely have a new holiday cartoon seemingly created with them in mind. It's North Pole gone high tech with adventure and holiday hijinx!

About Prep & Landing

Prep & Landing is an adorable holiday story about a high-tech team of elves who ensure homes around the world are properly prepared for their visit from Santa. After working for a tireless 227 years, an elf named Wayne (voiced by Dave Foley) is upset when he doesn’t receive an expected promotion. Instead he is partnered with an idealistic rookie elf named Lanny (voiced by Derek Richardson) to execute a special Christmas Eve mission. While on their journey, Wayne and Lanny encounter unexpected challenges that push them to their limits and ultimately threaten Christmas for children around the world. But in the end, these two elves work together to guide Santa through a raging snowstorm in order to save Christmas.

Do the elves save Christmas?

Curl up with your little one and check it out on ABC tonight! Then come back here and tell me your favorite part!

My niece and nephews loved it! While I am not hosting a giveaway this time around, I wanted to recommend it as a stocking stuffer for Christmas lovers of all ages!

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FTC Disclosure: A review copy was provided by the publisher. All opinions are my own. This is NOT a sponsored post. Refer to our Disclosure Policy.

Weekly Moment of Gratitude + Winners Notified!

This week, I am grateful for:

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ -  While I am always grateful I began blogging, this year I'm most grateful for the give back opportunities that have come from it. Throughout the year where I can share about products with heart, I gladly do, and when events offer giving back initiatives I'm also happy to attend and spread the word about them. While blogging does come with many gifts received, I'm more grateful for the ones I've given.

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - I spent the weekend getting caught up so I can begin the week feeling a lot less stressed out and backed up.  The holidays buying guide will resume this week.

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 Active Giveaways!  - http://tiny.cc/n4Thx

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Active Giveaways:

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - None! :) - Our annual holidays buying guide will resume this week! and 2 of our monthly regular features will resume with some really fun goodies!


 

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Winner Announcements {PENDING}:

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Winners were just notified tonight for the Hulk Hogan Main Event for Xbox 360 game, the Jockey Being Family Bear, and the $25 Gift Certificate for Uncommon Goods. Please make sure that ascending butterfly is on your safe senders list! As soon as all three winners confirm, we will post the winners usernames on the respective giveaway pages, on our next official winners announcement, as well as our facebook fan page.

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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.

{Inspiration} This is what I Choose - What do you choose?

TGIF Butterflies!

While I love our annual holidays buying guide, I needed a giveaway free day today. Unfortunately new members that come in during the holidays think this is solely a product review blog, so I thought a day where we go back to our empowerment and inspirational roots was in order. We have one very simple mission statement: To Inspire, and Be Inspired. While that sometimes comes in the form of people, places, things, events, causes or travels that inspire me, it's also finding ways to make my day better, by using tools such as breathing affirmations or meditations, and even being physical, like going for a walk, excercising or trying Yoga. 

I saw this graphic posted last night on Facebook, and immediately re-shared it as a status update but I realize we have different followers across different channels, and wanted to be sure to share this here for those that don't follow on Facebook.

You can live out loud, on your terms, by your rules! You can be selective, that doesn't necessarily make you picky. You can be firm and stand your ground, that doesn't mean you are inflexible.

We are rapidly approaching a new year, are you ready for it? What do you want from 2012? What do you want from yourself? What do YOU choose in this New Year?

Whatever you decide you want your year to be, make it happen your way, on your terms! And if you need some extra encouragement, share your goals here, you'd be surprised at just how many other readers share your goals, we can support each other!

Some of my goals for the new year include keeping up with my weight loss and amping up my physical activity, I want to do some more traveling as I didn't get away very much this year and definitely regret it, and I have a few professional changes I'd like to make as well.

We will resume the holidays buying guide this weekend as my goal is to give you enough time to put in entries and still get all items before the holidays, but I just thought a day to focus on what really matters was in order! :)

P.S. We have a few giveaways that will be closed out and processed this weekend, winners list coming soon!

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L'Oréal Paris Voluminous False Fiber Lash Mascara {Review} - Ladies Are YOU Faking it?

The question today is: Are YOU Faking it?

L’ORÉAL PARIS ENCOURAGES WOMEN EVERYWHERE TO STOP “FAKING IT”

No woman should ever have to “fake it.” Whether it’s flashing a faux smile through a horrible date or flaunting fake lashes that are tricky, frustrating and time-consuming to achieve, L’Oréal Paris is encouraging thousands of women everywhere to join them in pledging to never fake it again. Because after all, any woman that’s experienced the real thing is sure to pass on faux forever. Confess Ladies, how many of you have faked your way through a horrible date?

About Voluminous False Fiber Lashes Mascara:

From the creators of the cult-favorite Voluminous Mascara comes a breakthrough in fiber mascara technology. Voluminous False Fiber Lashes Mascara reinvents the false eyelash look, making it possible to achieve the clean impact of professionally-applied false lashes. A combination of super-fine nylon and rayon fibers perfectly adhere to natural lashes, enveloping them from root to tip thanks to an exclusive polymer in the formula. Meanwhile, an architectural precision brush with a 40-degree angle and reverse twist bristles ensure optimal application, making lashes appear fuller, longer, curled and sculpted. No clumps or messy results – just flawless lashes from every angle.

My Take:

I have super sensitive eyes. My failed attempts at wearing contact lenses throughout my life attest to the fact that my eyes are just beyond sensitive. I have to change my Mascara more frequently than most people. Once air hits my mascara, I don't tend to get many applications before my eyes become super sensitive to it. I have that reaction with eyeliners as well. And one thing that has proven true for me so far, is that while I have access to a variety of brands and products, with me, for Mascara, I have had much better luck with 'drugstore' brands, and I am happy to report that L'Oréal Paris Voluminous False Fiber Lash Mascara has proven my theory right yet again!

I must confess I have never applied actual False Eyelashes to my eyes, I'm sure someday I will try them, but I haven't yet, I don't consider my eyelashes super short, but they aren't super long either, I'm sure 'falsies' are dramatic and quite glamorous, but I'm not sure how my eyes would react to the glue for one, so I've been a bit afraid of trying them out. I like that with L'Oréal Paris Voluminous False Fiber Lash Mascara I'm getting the effect of False Eyelashes, without the price tag or the time involved with application.

Pros: For me L'Oréal Paris Voluminous False Fiber Lash Mascara are the perfect alternative to Falsies! You get the glam factor for a fraction of the cost and most certainly a fraction of the time!

Con: It's a 'dry' formulation so you do have a small 'tug' factor upon application. Its a Waterproof formulation which is great because you can avoid racoon eyes, but waterproof formulations are a bit more dry. So if you are used to a more 'wet' feel when you first open a mascara, you could even confuse it for being old. But it's not!

My suggestion: If you like a more wet feel, apply a lash conditioner or lash primer gel to your lashes FIRST, then apply L'Oréal Paris Voluminous False Fiber Lash Mascara, so you won't have to tug as much and you'll get the benefits of great length, no racoon eyes and plumper lashes! A total win/win, here's to saying NO to faking it!

Availability: L’Oréal Paris Voluminous False Fiber Lashes is available now at mass-market retailers and drugstores nationwide for a suggested retail price of $8.95.

Keeping it Social:

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ  - Take the Facebook L'Oreal Paris USA Never Fake It Again Challenge

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Get Tweety with @LOrealParisUSA

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FTC Disclosure Info: This is a sponsored post on behalf of L’Oréal Paris via One2One Network. I was compensated and provided product for this post, but all thoughts and opinions are my own.

Wordless Wednesday - Holiday with Heart 2011 at Build a Bear! {Photos}

It's been a long time ongoing tradition since I was a girl to do something for others during the holidays (and year round actually), my mom always taught us that we were blessed in so many ways, and that there were other children and families that needed help especially during the holidays. So each year we do something different, we'll work with local not for profit organizations, or our church, but each year we've focused on doing something for others, and this holiday season is no different.

I received an invitation from the smart + sassy team at moms & the city to attend a very special workshop at Build A Bear in New York City where participants were offered the chance to create a bear to donate to the Marine Toys for Tots Foundation!

So me and mama butterfly set out on a cool, rainy, Fall night in New York City to build bears and fill them with special wishes to send to a special boy or girl. The bears also have different allocations to them, so they were actually a DOUBLE give back opportunity! For example the bear I chose to build was called 'Champ', proceeds from Champ the Bear also benefit children's wellness charities.

Here are some photos of me and mama butterfly at the Build a Bear Workshop (what's a Wordless Wednesday without pictures?):

Ascending Butterfly (left) and Mama Butterfly (right)

In case you are wondering:

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - my jeans? Denizen,

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Cardigan? Elle (Yes THAT Elle), 

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Necklace? Energy Muse

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - and boots? 'Prance' by Kalso Earth

Ascending Butterfly and 'Champ' a bear whose proceeds benefit Children's Wellness Charities

 



In case you are wondering:

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - handbag? Timi and Leslie

Mama Butterfly made a Happy Feet Bear and was super happy to donate it to Toys for Tots!

Ascending Butterfly hamming it up with a big snow globe at the Manhattan Build a Bear Workshop

In case you are wondering:

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - coat? Wilsons Leather
and I've always loved snow globes (wish I could find one with a butterfly inside!)

Loved the first sign which reads 'Even this City has a Big Soft Spot'

I snapped this shot on the way out as I went up the stairs, I love the first sign, 'Even this City has a Big Soft Spot', fitting sign after just watching a group of not just moms, but dads and some marines building a bear to give to children in need this holiday season. It truly put me in the holiday spirits!

Do you want to help too? From December 2nd- December 4th, go to your local Build-A-Bear Workshop to build a bear for Toys For Tots. You can also bring in an unopened toy to donate or you can choose to make a donation during the entire month December.

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FTC Info: This is NOT a sponsored post. No monetary compensation has been received. Build a Bear gift cards were provided to attendees.

Winners Announcement!

Before moving forward with the next giveaway in our holiday buying guide, which will be posted soon, I thought I should post a winners announcement for some of the giveaways that closed just before or during Thanksgiving Weekend:

Last year I posted one big winner's announcement at the end of the entire buying guide, but since the guide started earlier this year than last year, I thought breaking up the winner's announcements into smaller segments might be easier for us all! Join me in congratulating our most recent winners:

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - {CLOSED} Holidays Buying Guide Giveaway #1: $100 Wilsons Leather Gift Card Giveaway! Ended 11/15 - The winner is: Big Happy Buddha

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - {CLOSED} Kalso Earth Shoes Giveaway! Ended 11/21 - The winner is: pauline15_01

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - {CLOSED} The Littlest Angel DVD Giveaway! Ends 11/23 - The winner is: Terri S.

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - {CLOSED} In Bloom by Jonquil beautiful Butterflies Pajama Maxi Gown Giveaway! Ends 11/26 - The Winner is: daveshir2005

Please Note: We post winner's site usernames for privacy reasons. Make sure Ascending Butterfly is on your safe senders list, I don't want you to miss a winning email!

We are still processing entries for the Hulk Hogan Main Event for Kinect on Xbox 360 Video Game giveaway. A winner will be notified soon. I will try to post a winner's announcement during the holiday buying guide after the close of every 3-4 giveaways instead of one big announcement at the end.

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{Kids Corner} Good Habits SoapTime® Review and Holiday Reco!

While my holiday recommendations in my annual buying guides are always review with giveaway, this product is an exception to my rules. Mostly because I received the evaluation unit way before Christmas. But if after reading this, you guys decide you love it, and just 'gotta have it', let me know by posting a comment here and I'll reach out to the powers that be and see if a giveaway is still possible.

I actually received the first unit months ago, but it didn't quite work well and I was un-sure of what to do. Normally I wouldn't be, when I work with a brand directly I would just let them know, be it a damaged item, ill-fitting item etc.

But this review came to me via BSM Media and I didn't want to make waves. I didn't want to put BSM Media in a bad position. But I also realized that I would never be comfortable being less than honest. (In fact it took us almost a year of being approached before we opted for becoming a 'PR friendly' blog.) So I wrestled with what to do and ultimately decided honesty was the best policy.

I let BSM Media know that the first SoapTime® I received did not work, and they couldn't have been more understanding about it. I was given the option of having a replacement sent out, or if I didn't like the idea, not to post.

But when I got my first SoapTime® I immediately fell in love with it, I thought it was a fantastic idea, and I couldn't wait to share it with you guys. So when it stopped working I was really bummed. Glad however, that I had not yet tried it out on my younger nieces and nephews. I opted for a replacement, and have tested the replacement a little over 30 days to make sure it was working properly before I posted about it. As you all know I'm 'cool auntie' and so I put this in the bathroom and everytime little ones come over they can't wait to use it! My nieces, nephews and godchildren all love it!

About SoapTime®

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ  - SoapTime uses a multimedia "Edutainment" experience of lights, music and fun facts to keep kids at the sink for 20 seconds, the proper time to ensure clean hands.

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - SoapTime's Elephant, ABC & Earth shaped soap bottles snap onto the SoapTime Smart Base®.

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - SoapTime's Smart Base provides 6 unique songs & factoids for each bottle, which play during its custom LED light shows.  (You do have the option of turning off the sound, which is good during the day when the kids are not home or if you have pets and are afraid they'll activate it to hear the sound all day long)

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - SoapTime products were created to give children of all ages a fun & engaging experience at the sink, while providing parents a tool for teaching healthy habits for life.

About Elephant

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - SoapTime’s Elephant Bottle creates a positive sink-side experience with wild-kingdom flare!

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Sing along to An Elephant Never Forgets to Wash His Hands!

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Learn about Elephants, Zebras, Tigers, and Birds.

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Elephant’s soap is purple in color, non-toxic, with a light lavender scent. (Lavendar is known to be very calming and soothing!)

About ABC

 

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - SoapTime's ABC Bottle plays a lively mix of songs and facts centered around learning and language.

 

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Dance along to salsa beats, banjos, and sing alongs!!

 

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Learn how to say "hello" and "goodbye" in Spanish, French, and Chinese!

 

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - ABC's soap is orange, non-toxic, with a light citrus scent.

 

About Earth

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - SoapTime’s Earth Shaped Bottle engages children with fun knowledge of our planet and nature.

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Listen to “worlds” of details about the sun and blue whales. (I was so into whales as a kid, I have to admit I enjoyed the whale info!)

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Sing along and count to 10 in Spanish! (My Nieces and Nephews got a kick out of this!)

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Earth’s soap is green, non-toxic, with a light apple scent

My Take

I am so glad that I opted for a replacement unit. I honestly wish I could take on an additional giveaway right now, and I wish I had the time to make a video of it so you could see it in action! SoapTime® instills good habits in a way that is fun and totally engaging. My nieces, nephews and godchildren totally loved it! They liked the soap scents, the songs and factoids! I love the LED light show too (perfect if you are in the bathroom at night and don't want to turn on your overhead light.)

You can follow @mysoaptime on twitter and keep up with them on Facebook too!

I wonder if there is a way for them to tweak this product and utilize a no touch sensor technology too? That would be perfect!

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FTC Disclosure Info: I received a Good Habits Soap Time unit for editorial consideration from BSM Media. However this is NOT a sponsored post. No monetary compensation has been received. All opinions expressed are 100% my own.