CLOSED ~ iGo Charge Anywhere Charger Review and Giveaway

In August, I went to the Type-A-Mom Conference. While there, I lucked out and won an iGo Charge Anywhere Charger. I had never ever heard of an iGo Charger until I was at the conference and I was in the Expo area. It did sound intriguing though. Basically the iGo Charge Anywhere charger lets you charge your mobile phones, Bluetooth headsets, smartphones/PDAs, MP3 players, portable gaming devices, digital cameras, GPS devices etc. It i like a portable battery you can take anywhere.

It is also easy to use. The Charge Anywhere has a plug in the back that you plug into the wall. You let the Charge Anywhere charge and it is ready to go. The iGo Charge Anywhere has two USB ports for dual charging, a USB charging cable, and you buy your mobile phone tips separately. iGo has a wide variety of tips available for different types of devices.
I have a Blackberry Torch and hubby has an iPhone. It works with both phones. We both have different tips so we can charge at anytime. I need to get another cord so we can charge simultaneously.

All you do after the charger is ready is plug in the phone and let it charge. The plug on the device is foldable so doesn't take up any space. I love this because this is a godsend when I am traveling or at conferences. Many times, I run out of juice so it is really handy to have an extra power source if I cannot find a plug.

The iGo Green Charge Anywhere is green too. It helps you suck less energy. “Vampire Power” is the term used by iGo to describe the power used by devices when they are left plugged in even when we aren’t using them. iGo devices, according to iGo, use 85% less “standby” power than standard charging devices when plugged in.

I also liked that the iGo is so small and portable. It slips right into my purse so I can always have it handy. It is really a cool gadget if you like these type of things. I am a little geeky so I love my iGo charger. Hubby was impressed too. He borrowed it when he went to a conference a few weeks ago and it really worked for him! This would make a wonderful gift this Holiday season for the techies on your Christmas list.

The iGo Green Charge Anywhere Charger costs $49.99 and is available on the iGo.com web site. That is a real deal for portable power. But if you want to win one of your own, then you need to enter my giveaway. The iGo peeps are so nice they have an extra one to give to one of my lucky readers. YAY! Enter and win!!

Mandatory Entry

Visit the iGo site and let me know what other product you would like to try.

Extra Entries
* Like iGo on Facebook (1 entry)
* Follow iGo on Twitter (1 entry)
* Subscribe to my blog through email (1 entry)
* Follow me on Twitter @carogonza (1 entry)
* Like The Art of Random Willynillyness on Facebook page (1 entry)
* Tweet this giveaway. Leave the link to the tweet in your post. (1 entry/tweet per day)
* Follow my blog on GFC (1 entry)
* Subscribe to to my feed (1 entry)
* GRAB MY NEW BUTTON!! Add my button to your site (1 entry)
* Add my site to your blogroll (1 entry)
* Follow me on Networked Blogs (1 entry - see right sidebar for widget)
* Blog about this giveaway leave the link (3 entries)
* Add this Giveaway to a Sweepstakes site, Mr. Linky, your giveaway list etc. Leave the link!! (2 entries per submission - unlimited!!)

Make sure to leave a separate comment for the entries you complete!
Deadline: Sunday, December 26 at 11:59 pm EST. I will use random.org to pick the winners so everyone has a chance to win. **PLEASE leave an email if your blogger profile does not include it or you don't have a blog. I need a way to contact you.** Once a winner is drawn I will contact them and the winner will have 48 hours to reply back before I draw a new winner. Giveaway is open to US residents only who are 18 years of age or older.


Disclosure: I won an iGo charger. No other compensation was given and the opinions in this post are solely mine and are based on my experience with the product.

WINNER! Zhu Zhu Pet!

The winner of the Zhu Zhu Pet giveaway chosen by Random.org is:

Eileen

Congrats! I have sent you a email. You have 48 hours to get back to me. After 48 hours, I will choose new winners. So send me your info!! Once I stop being a slacker, I will send you the Zhu Zhu pet!

I want to thank everyone who participated. I appreciate your continued support! If you want to be a winner too, enter some of my other giveaways. Don't miss out on the iPad giveaway. The winner is announced after December 8. just in time for the holidays. WOOOOOOO!!!

CLOSED ~ Carmex Moisture Plus Tint Lip Balms Review and Giveaway!

As you all know, I was chosen to be a Carmex Blog Squad Member and I am thrilled. This is exciting because I am already a loyal Carmex user. The other plus is I get some Carmex goodies to review. In my last review, I mentioned that one of the products I received were the Moisture Plus Tint Lip Balms and I really liked them.
This was one of my favorite Carmex products because I rarely use lipstick unless it is a special occasion. I like wearing lip gloss instead. But I also want some color but not too much because I don't like wearing strong colors. So these are perfect for me because I love wearing sheers, pinks and lighter colors.

The added bonus is that they are Carmex lip balms. That means I get pretty lips and they will stay moisturized especially during the wintertime when they get really dry.

The Moisture Plus Lip Balms come in Clear, Sheer Pink, Sheer Peach. I love that I get a little bit of color and my lips are protected. It is the perfect little lip balm to have around. They are small enough to pop into your pants pocket or jacket. I keep one in my purse, house and desk at the office just in case I need a little sprucing up!

The lip tints last for a long time as well. I was out the other day and even after having a drink, the Lip Tint was still on. My favorite color is the pink. It gives just the right amount of color but not too much.

If you are like me and don't wear lipstick, then these are a nice alternative. I would recommend any of these Carmex products to anyone. If you haven't tried them, you should especially now that winter is coming!!

You can buy Carmex products at Walgreens stores and walgreens.com. I received two (2) Moisture Plus Lip Tints for me and two (2) to give away to one lucky reader. So if you want these, enter to win! Good Luck!!

Mandatory Entry

Tell me if you use Carmex products and which ones. If you don't use them, tell me why you want to try them.

Extra Entries
* Like Carmex on Facebook(1 entry)
* Follow Carmex on Twitter (1 entry)
* Subscribe to my blog through email (1 entry)
* Follow me on Twitter @carogonza (1 entry)
* Like The Art of Random Willynillyness on Facebook page (1 entry)
* Tweet this giveaway. Leave the link to the tweet in your post. (1 entry/tweet per day)
* Follow my blog on GFC (1 entry)
* Subscribe to to my feed (1 entry)
* Add my button to your site (1 entry)
* Add my site to your blogroll (1 entry)
* Follow me on Networked Blogs (1 entry - see right sidebar for widget)
* Blog about this giveaway leave the link (3 entries)
* Add this Giveaway to a Sweepstakes site, Mr. Linky, your giveaway list etc. Leave the link!! (2 entries per submission - unlimited!!)

Make sure to leave a separate comment for the entries you complete!
Deadline: Tuesday, December 14 at 11:59 pm EST. I will use random.org to pick the winners so everyone has a chance to win. **PLEASE leave an email if your blogger profile does not include it or you don't have a blog. I need a way to contact you.** Once a winner is drawn I will contact them and the winner will have 48 hours to reply back before I draw a new winner. Giveaway is open to US residents only who are 18 years of age or older.


Disclosure: I received a sample product for review purposes. No other compensation was given and the opinions in this post are solely mine and are based on my experience with the product. This is a sponsored review and giveaway as part of my participation in the Carmex Blog Squad.

Cooking.com Review! Tortilla Press and Comal

I recently had the opportunity to review a few items from Cooking.com. I am all about Cooking.com. As you all know, I consider myself a pretty good cook and love cooking. Any site that gives me access to any cooking realted items, is a site I visit regularly. So, I love shopping there because they have everything a cook could ever want.

I had a hard time deciding what to review because there were too many choices. I am always in the need of knives, cookware, utensils, kitchen gadgets, kitchen linens and there was also so many items to choose. In the end, I decided on a tortilla press and comal (griddle).

I have been wanting to make tortillas for months now. I never made them but it has been a small obsession of mine to learn to make them. So when I saw the tortilla press on the site, I knew that was one item I needed. Now in order to make good tortillas, I needed the comal as well. They had a great Ingrid Hoffman comal that was the perfect size or tortilla making.

When I received my goodies, I was in hog heaven. I have never ever made tortillas in my life so I knew it would be an adventure. It started out slow and messy. The very first batch was not good. A few days later, I got a little crazy and decided I would give it a go again.

I was lucky to get a few helpful hints from some Twitter friends. One suggested I let the dough rest. Another suggested I use less water. So armed with some tips, I tried again. This time it worked.

Once I had the masa (dough) done. I lined my new tortilla press with a Ziploc bag and put a little ball of dough in the middle. The Harold Import Company Tortilla Press worked pretty well. It is easy to use and it pressed the dough into an a round tortilla. It is also very light and easy to clean.

My next step was to put the tortillas onto the comal. I love this comal. It is cast iron and heavy. It didn't need any seasoning either. I was able to just toss on the tortilla and cook it up. Can I tell you that this baby is great for making pancakes as well? The tortilla didn't stick and it cooked it well.
I love my new products from Cooking.com. And I recommend the site as well. It is easy to navigate and easy to place an order. The variety of items is huge!! If you can't find what you are looking for, I would be surprised. The prices are quite reasonable as well.

The other advantage is that if you are looking for some holiday gifts, you can do all your shopping from your house, in your jammies. Well, that's what I did. If you are looking for kitchen related items, tableware or specialty foods, you should definitely check out Cooking.com!! Remember you can follow Cooking.com on Facebook and on Twitter!
Disclosure: I received sample products for review purposes. No other compensation was given and the opinions in this post are solely mine and are based on my experience with the product.

CLOSED ~ CSN Review and Giveaway!

A few weeks ago I mentioned that I was given the opportunity to do another CSN Stores review. I looked at so many items. I looked at some barstools, a briefcase, a clock and even something for the kitties. I wasn't sure what I was going to buy but I finally decided on some dishes.

We already have dishes but we needed some nice everyday plates. We had a nice set of glass plates and now there are only 2 left. We have some nice pottery dishes we got in Costa Rica but the problem with those is that you cannot reheat anything in the microwave because they get really hot. So we were left with the 2 glass dishes. UGH!

I looked around and found some really pretty dishes that are microwavable and dishwasher safe. The dishes I bought were the Hot Tamale Dinner Plates. Look at how cool these are. They are beautiful.

They work well for our everyday dishes. And now we can actually feed people on matching plates if we have company. They are ceramic and hand painted. I am so excited because CSN Stores has a whole assortment of colorful dinnerware and serving accessories in this same pattern. Looks like I have more shopping to do.

Thanks CSN Stores because I love my new dishes and I have them right in time to serve Thanksgiving dinner on them! WOO!

Now you also have a chance to get some similar dishes, if you so wanted. Actually, I have a $55 CSN code for one of my lucky readers. You don't have to get dishes because CSN Stores has such a huge assortment of items, you can practically get anything your heart desires!!

You know the drill, enter and win! Good luck!


Mandatory Entry

Go over to CSN Stores and come back and tell me what you would buy!

Extra Entries

* Follow CSN Stores on Twitter (1 entry)
* Subscribe to my blog through email (1 entry)
* Follow me on Twitter @carogonza (1 entry)
* Like The Art of Random Willynillyness on Facebook page (1 entry)
* Tweet this giveaway. Leave the link to the tweet in your post. (1 entry/tweet per day)
* Follow my blog on GFC (1 entry)
* Subscribe to to my feed (1 entry)
* Add my button to your site (1 entry)
* Add my site to your blogroll (1 entry)
* Follow me on Networked Blogs (1 entry - see right sidebar for widget)
* Enter another one of my giveaways and tell me which one you entered (1 entry per giveaway entered)
* Blog about this giveaway leave the link (3 entries)
* Add this Giveaway to a Sweepstakes site, Mr. Linky, your giveaway list etc. Leave the link!! (2 entries per submission - unlimited!)

Make sure to leave a separate comment for the entries you complete!Deadline: Wednesday, December 15 at 11:59 pm EST. I will use random.org to pick the winners so everyone has a chance to win. **PLEASE leave an email if your blogger profile does not include it or you don't have a blog. I need a way to contact you.** Once a winner is drawn I will contact them and the winner will have 48 hours to reply back before I draw a new winner. Giveaway is open to US residents only who are 18 years of age or older.


Disclosure: I received a sample product for review purposes. No other compensation was given and the opinions in this post are solely mine and are based on my experience with the product.

CLOSED ~ Swanson Broth: The Great Stuffing Debate $50 Visa Card Giveaway!

The country is divided and the debate is heating up as Thanksgiving approaches. No, this does not involve politics or who will win Dancing with the Stars. It involves stuffing. Yes, stuffing or is it dressing? Do you cook it in the bird or out? Do you use meat or no meat? Do you add fruit or no fruit? Do you use prepacked stuffing bread cubes or fresh bread? It's enough to make you lose your mind.

Well, Swanson Broth is inviting people across the country to take a side in the Great Stuffing Debate. You probably never thought stuffing would cause such strife but it does. We all have our favorite recipe and techniques. And we all think our way is the best way. Well, at least I do.

In my case, I am a "I want meat in my stuffing, not dressing, made with fresh bread not bread cubes, and I want it cooked inside the bird" kind of gal. Others would scoff at that and have. Let's just say there is a faction in the family that prefers their dressing vegetarian and cooked outside the bird. It's treason! Luckily, this year I won't be seeing that side of the family. I will be making my world famous, okay maybe not world famous, Sausage, Mushroom, Sage Stuffing. And it will be cooked inside the bird!

Now, I am wondering f you have a similar experience to share. What's your favorite stuffing? Or do you call it dressing? What side do you fall on in the Great Stuffing Debate? Go check out the site and look around. The site has some tasty recipes, fun videos and cool questions to answer. Share the site with friends on Facebook or Twitter and receive a $1 off coupon for Swanson Broth!! Who can't use that?

But better yet, enter the giveaway and the winner will receive a $50 gift card. Now I know you can use that especially right before X-mas!! Good Luck!!!

Mandatory Entry

Go to Great Stuffing Debate and come back and tell me which recipe struck your fancy.

Extra Entries

* What side of the debate are you on? In the bird or out? Fruit in or out? Meat of Veggie? I want to know! I'm nosy!! (1 entry)
* Follow @SwansonBroths on Twitter (1 entry)
* Subscribe to my blog through email (1 entry)
* Follow me on Twitter @carogonza (1 entry)
* Like The Art of Random Willynillyness on Facebook page (1 entry)
* Tweet this giveaway. Leave the link to the tweet in your post. (1 entry/tweet per day)
* Follow my blog on GFC (1 entry)
* Subscribe to to my feed (1 entry)
* Add my button to your site (1 entry)
* Add my site to your blogroll (1 entry)
* Follow me on Networked Blogs (1 entry - see right sidebar for widget)
* Enter another one of my giveaways and tell me which one you entered (1 entry per giveaway entered)
* Blog about this giveaway leave the link (3 entries)
* Add this Giveaway to a Sweepstakes site, Mr. Linky, your giveaway list etc. Leave the link!! (2 entries per submission - unlimited!)

Make sure to leave a separate comment for the entries you complete!Deadline: Thursday, December 16 at 11:59 pm EST. I will use random.org to pick the winners so everyone has a chance to win. **PLEASE leave an email if your blogger profile does not include it or you don't have a blog. I need a way to contact you.** Once a winner is drawn I will contact them and the winner will have 48 hours to reply back before I draw a new winner. Giveaway is open to US residents only who are 18 years of age or older.

Disclosure: I received a gift card from M80 on behalf of Swanson Broth for review purposes. No other compensation was given and the opinions in this post are solely mine and are based on my experience with the product.

CLOSED ~ 1800Flowers.com Review and Giveaway!

One of my favorite companies I work with is 1800flowers.com. I shop there all the time. Why? Because it is a one stop shop where I can find gifts for any occasion for anyone in my life. The site is easy to navigate. It is easy to order and with so many choices, I always find the perfect gift.

I really love 1800flowers.com during the holidays because I don't have to leave my house to do my shopping. No crowds, no trying to find parking and best of all, they mail it out for me. I can shop in my jammies and take all the time I want. I love that. And 1800Flowers.com offers me so much variety that I can practically shop for everyone on my list at their site. Whether it’s candy, cookies, flowers or popcorn, 1800flowers.com and its family of gourmet food brands can satisfy your gifting needs this holiday season.

And you can get some nice gifts for under $40. This year, especially, I know a lot of people are trying to stay on budget. And at 1800flowers.com, you can watch your wallet and still get some nice gifts for your friends and family.

I had the opportunity to review a few of these awesome gifts. Here’s a selection of gifts, I received to review and they were fantastic. These are also under $40 so they are sure to fit into any budget this holiday:

Fannie May Fine Chocolates (OMG these are so good)
Holiday Mint Meltaways ($22.99) – Celebrate the holidays with the perfect blending of creamy, cool mint and smooth chocolate. These special holiday edition Mint Meltaways feature a snowy white pastel coating and festive holiday sprinkles.
Cheryl’s Baked Goods (These were so good too)
Buttercream Frosted Cookie Club ($22.99-$34.99, per delivery) – This holiday season, dream in buttercream with Cheryl’s famous seasonal buttercream frosted cut-out cookies. Give the gift of a Cheryl’s cookie club membership and spread holiday cheer for an entire year.

The Popcorn Factory (I am a popcorn junkie)
Holiday Poinsettia Popcorn ($24.99, two-gallon tin) – Make this holiday pop with the festive Holiday Poinsettia popcorn tin from The Popcorn Factory. This premium, flavor-infused 3-way treat includes all-natural Butter, robust Cheese and secret recipe Caramel corn, while a 4-way tin adds delicate white cheddar to the mix.
I loved these gifts. It's hard to choose a favorite because I like anything sweet and I am a total popcorn junkie. I have to say that the Cheese Popcorn was so good but those Fannie May Mint Meltaways are really addictive. I couldn't stop eating them. Hubby loved the cookies and they came in a beautiful sparkly box, which made for a really elegant gift. I know my mother-in-law would love them. I also know that these would make perfect gifts.

I can't say it enough, go check out 1800Flowers.com because it is a great site to shop. It is easy and the variety of items you can get is huge. Make the holidays special for your loved ones!

And thanks to 1800Flowers.com, three of my readers will be receiving a special holiday treat. There will be three winners who will receive one of these great prizes. I will let the first winner choose what they want, the second winner chooses between the remaining prizes and the third winner chosen gets the last prize. The good thing about this giveaway is all three prizes rock so everyone wins!! YAY!

Mandatory Entry

Go to 1800Flowers.com and tell me which bouquet or gift you would send to a loved one this holiday!

Extra Entries

* Follow 1800Flowers.com on Facebook (1 entry)
* Follow 1800Flowers.com on Twitter (1 entry)
* Subscribe to my blog through email (1 entry)
* Follow me on Twitter @carogonza (1 entry)
* Like The Art of Random Willynillyness on Facebook page (1 entry)
* Tweet this giveaway. Leave the link to the tweet in your post. (1 entry/tweet per day)
* Follow my blog on GFC (1 entry)
* Subscribe to to my feed (1 entry)
* Add my button to your site (1 entry)
* Add my site to your blogroll (1 entry)
* Follow me on Networked Blogs (1 entry - see right sidebar for widget)
* Enter another one of my giveaways and tell me which one you entered (1 entry per giveaway entered)
* Blog about this giveaway leave the link (3 entries)
* Add this Giveaway to a Sweepstakes site, Mr. Linky, your giveaway list etc. Leave the link!! (2 entries per submission - unlimited!)

Make sure to leave a separate comment for the entries you complete!Deadline: Wednesday, December 15 at 11:59 pm EST. I will use random.org to pick the winners so everyone has a chance to win. **PLEASE leave an email if your blogger profile does not include it or you don't have a blog. I need a way to contact you.** Once a winner is drawn I will contact them and the winner will have 48 hours to reply back before I draw a new winner. Giveaway is open to US residents only who are 18 years of age or older.


Disclosure: I received a sample product for review purposes. No other compensation was given and the opinions in this post are solely mine and are based on my experience with the product.

WINNERS!!! Carmex, Fellowes Shredder and Popcorn Factory!

The winners of the Carmex, Fellowes Shredder and Popcorn Factory giveaways chosen by Random.org are as follows:

Carmex: marcia goss
Fellowes: Callina
Popcorn Factory: amj1989

Congrats! I have sent you a email. You have 48 hours to get back to me. After 48 hours, I will choose new winners. So send me your info!! Once I get all the info, I will send it our wonderful sponsor.

I want to thank Fellowes, Carmex and 1800flowers.com/Popcorn Factory for the giveaway. I also want to thank everyone who participated. I appreciate your continued support! If you want to be a winner too, enter some of my other giveaways. Don't forget to enter the iPad giveaway and stay tuned for more goodies!

Hold on!!

I have some winners to pick but haven't had time. In the meantime, please do not enter any giveaways that are marked closed!!

I will have winners up on the weekend for the Fellowes Shredder, Carmex and the Popcorn Factory giveaways. I will also have a 1-800-FLOWERS.COM giveaway coming up!! I also have another Carmex giveaway, an iGo charger and possibly a CSN giveaway as well. Luckily, I have some time off next week and will get them up for you all to enter!!

coming up

Chicago Cutlery Review

I love knives.

Okay, not in a creepy Freddy or Jason sort of way. But more in a I think I am a great chef although I am not sort of way. I am a pretty good cook although I am far from being a professional.

But I know that even if I am not a professional chef, I still need the proper equipment. One of the things any cook should have is great knives. You need them for so many things and having good knives makes a huge difference when cooking.

My problem is I have one good knife and one okay knife. I used to have more but they mysteriously disappeared. Now I have theories about where my other knife went but it would involve making some crazy accusations against my cat, Shawn. And I don't want to go there. Let's just say if she had thumbs, we would be dead.

Anyway, the okay knife is actually falling apart because the handle was bamboo and it just didn't hold up. Note to knife makers, don't use bamboo as the handle. The good knife is fantastic but if it's dirty or in the dishwasher, I have nothing to cut with except the crappy knives.

This leads me to the reason I am writing this review. I had the opportunity to review a new knife from Chicago Cutlery. You know I was all over that like white on rice. I needed a new knife and I have heard of Chicago Cutlery and it is one of the brands I have been eyeing to replace my "lost" knife.

Chicago Cutlery just launched the Sharpest Cities program and are currently working with Stephanie Izard – Top Chef contestant and winner on showing cooks how to improve their knife skills. From the site: It’s not surprising that many are unaware of how to properly hold or use one of the most common kitchen items … knives. With so many shapes, sizes and brands available – many individuals lack the proper skill set. In fact, a recent study fielded for the Chicago Cutlery brand measured U.S. and Canadian consumer’s attitudes about cooking and food prep and found that Canadians are “sharper” than Americans when it comes to cooking habits and kitchen knife use. The study even revealed that Montreal and Vancouver outranked cities like New York, Los Angeles and Chicago! For more information on the Sharpest Cities program, check out the site because it has some great info.

To test my knife skills, which are quite awesome, I received the 8" Landmark Forged chef knife. This baby has a stainless steel forged blade with a polymer and stainless steel handle. It's nice! This knife is a little larger than the one I have and it also has a skinnier tip, which I like.

What can I say? I loved it. It was sharp. It came with a sheath to keep it protected. I like the weight of the knife. It is weighty enough to be able to chop but not so heavy that it encumbers the chopping. There are some knives that I have used that are too heavy and, at least for me, that doesn't work because I always feel like I am not in control. I like the skinnier tip. My other knives don't have it. But it is actually quite nice for fine chopping. I can use the tip to finely chop onions, garlic and herbs.

The knife was even strong enough to cut through a chicken bone. Now I don't recommend using your knife to do this but I made a roast chicken and couldn't get the thigh loose, so I just cut through the bone. It was a nice clean cut.

It was sharp enough to make thin cuts as well. I could cut a piece of beef almost paper thin which is fantastic. The knife is really good. When I need another knife, Chicago Cutlery is at the top of my list. They have so many different types and sizes that you can find any knife to suit your cooking style.

Chicago Cutlery also has other products. The cutting boards look amazing. All I can say is that knives can be a good thing and these are definitely are a good thing! I have already added a knife sharperner and kitchen scissors to my Christmas list!!!

Disclosure: I received a sample product for review purposes. No other compensation was given and the opinions in this post are solely mine and are based on my experience with the product.

About World Kitchen, LLCHeadquartered in Rosemont, Illinois, World Kitchen and its affiliates manufacture and market metal cookware, glass, ceramic and metal bakeware, tabletop products, cutlery and kitchen tools sold under well-known brand names, including Baker’s Secret®, Chicago Cutlery®, Corelle®, CorningWare®, EKCO®, Magnalite®, OLFA®, OLO®, Pyrex®, Revere® and Visions®. The company and its affiliates employ approximately 2,800 people, and have major manufacturing and distribution operations in North America and Asia-Pacific regions. For more information, visit www.worldkitchen.com.

CLOSED ~ Hallmark.com Giveaway

In August I went to the Blogher conference. One of the events I got invited to was the Hallmark Holiday event. It was fantastic. The party featured good food, good friends and tasty drinks. They even had a hottie St. Nick.

I didn't receive a swag bag while there but a few days ago, I received a swag box. It was chock full of holiday goodies including cards, ornaments and these awesome recordable books. It was such a great surprise. I am all set for the holidays!

Hallmark has been wonderful to offer my readers a 30% discount on on their holiday cards online by using the coupon/promo code BLOGHER30.

They also gave me two $40 codes to use on their site. I am keeping one for me and giving one away. This is a great giveaway! I am making it short so the winner has enough time to order something.

Mandatory Entry

Head on over to Hallmark look around and tell me your favorite holiday card design.

Extra Entries
* Like Hallmark on Facebook (1 entry)
* Follow HallmarkPR on Twitter (1 entry)
* Subscribe to my blog through email (1 entry)
* Follow me on Twitter @carogonza (1 entry)
* Like The Art of Random Willynillyness on Facebook page (1 entry)
* Tweet this giveaway. Leave the link to the tweet in your post. (1 entry/tweet per day)
* Follow my blog on GFC (1 entry)
* Subscribe to to my feed (1 entry)
* Add my button to your site (1 entry)
* Add my site to your blogroll (1 entry)
* Follow me on Networked Blogs (1 entry - see right sidebar for widget)
* Enter another one of my giveaways and tell me which one you entered (1 entry per giveaway entered)
* Blog about this giveaway leave the link (3 entries)
* Add this Giveaway to a Sweepstakes site, Mr. Linky, your giveaway list etc. Leave the link!! (2 entries per submission - unlimited!)

Make sure to leave a separate comment for the entries you complete!
Deadline: Sunday, November 28 at 11:59 pm EST. I will use random.org to pick the winners so everyone has a chance to win. **PLEASE leave an email if your blogger profile does not include it or you don't have a blog. I need a way to contact you.** Once a winner is drawn I will contact them and the winner will have 48 hours to reply back before I draw a new winner. Giveaway is open to US residents only who are 18 years of age or older.


Disclosure: I received a sample product for review purposes. No other compensation was given and the opinions in this post are solely mine and are based on my experience with the product.

CLOSED ~ ErgoMotion Laser Mouse Review & Giveaway!

I have a wired mouse at the house. (Yes, I made a rhyme) I took my wireless mouse to work because I have little to no space on my desk and needed the freedom a wireless mouse gives when working. So I was stuck with a mini wired mouse that is at best a nightmare.

So I was beyond thrilled when I received the opportunity from the Family Review Network to review the ErgoMotion Laser Mouse to review. I figured anything was better than what I had been using and I was right.

The Smartfish Technologies ErgoMotion Laser mouse features a pivot design that allows it to move with your hand and wrist and not against them. It moves right, left and up and down because of the pivot and makes it much easier to use. My current mouse is sort of square but the ErgoMotion Laser Mouse is rounded and fits well within my hand. It also has a flat bottom that moves smoothly on my mouse pad.

The mouse was easy to set up. The batteries go underneath and the on/off switch allows you to conserve battery life. I usually forget to turn it off and after a week of being on 24/7 the batteries are still going strong. The plug-and-play nano-transceiver is small enough to fit into the mouse for safe keeping and also small enough that I don't notice it plugged into my laptop. It also means I can travel with my new mouse and use it anywhere.

I am always on the laptop at home or computer at work and I can feel the difference. My mouse at work does not give me the freedom and flexibility the Ergo Laser Mouse does at home. With a regular mouse, your hand is pretty much firm on the mouse and you have to move your fingers and wrists to adapt to the mouse. But with the ErgoMotion mouse, that doesn't happen. Because it adapts to my hand, it makes a huge difference. It moves with the natural movement of my hand and I love that. Now, I don't have wrist or hand issues but if I did, I know I would prefer this mouse to a regular one.

The buttons work well and the scrolling is easy. I really love the smoothness of the base on the mousepad. I have not had any problems as I usually do with the type pf mouse that have the roller ball. I hate those roller balls because they get dirty and gummy. I will not have that problem with this mouse. Check out my mini video to see how it moves:


Usually products promise a lot and sometimes don't deliver what they promise. The Smartfish Technologies ErgoMotion Laser mouse delivers. It is so comfortable and easy on hands and wrist. If you have carpal tunnel syndrome or other hand and wrist issues, this might be something you need to look into. I am thinking my mother-in-law could use one of these for Christmas.

The ErgoMotion Mouse gets a thumbs up from me and I totally recommend it. You can buy the ErgoMotion mouse at Amazon for $49.95 or you can win an ErgoMotion mouse thanks to the great peeps at Smartfish Technologies. Trust me, if you have mouse issues, this is a must have product. So enter to win!

Mandatory Entry

Head on over to Smartfish Technologies and tell me something you learned.

Extra Entries
* Like SmartFish Technologies on Facebook (1 entry)
* Follow SmartFish Technologies on Twitter (1 entry)
* Subscribe to my blog through email (1 entry)
* Follow me on Twitter @carogonza (1 entry)
* Like The Art of Random Willynillyness on Facebook page (1 entry)
* Tweet this giveaway. Leave the link to the tweet in your post. (1 entry/tweet per day)
* Follow my blog on GFC (1 entry)
* Subscribe to to my feed (1 entry)
* Add my button to your site (1 entry)
* Add my site to your blogroll (1 entry)
* Follow me on Networked Blogs (1 entry - see right sidebar for widget)
* Enter another one of my giveaways and tell me which one you entered (1 entry per giveaway entered)
* Blog about this giveaway leave the link (3 entries)
* Add this Giveaway to a Sweepstakes site, Mr. Linky, your giveaway list etc. Leave the link!! (2 entries per submission - unlimited!)

Make sure to leave a separate comment for the entries you complete!
Deadline: Sunday, November 28 at 11:59 pm EST. I will use random.org to pick the winners so everyone has a chance to win. **PLEASE leave an email if your blogger profile does not include it or you don't have a blog. I need a way to contact you.** Once a winner is drawn I will contact them and the winner will have 48 hours to reply back before I draw a new winner. Giveaway is open to US residents only who are 18 years of age or older.


Disclosure: This post was written for Family Review Network & SmartFish ErgoMotion Laser Mouse who provided the complimentary product for review and giveaway in exchange for my honest review.

Winner!!! Pillsbury Grands Mini Biscuit Prize Pack!

The winner of the Pillsbury Grands/My Blog Spark giveaway chosen by Random.org is:

Gianna

Congrats! I have sent you a email. You have 48 hours to get back to me. After 48 hours, I will choose new winners. So send me your info!! Once I get all the info, I will send it our wonderful sponsor.

I want to thank Pillsbury and MyBlogSpark for the giveaway. I also want to thank everyone who participated. I appreciate your continued support! If you want to be a winner too, enter some of my other giveaways. Don't miss out on the iPad giveaway. The winner is announced after December 8. just in time for the holidays. WOOOOOOO!!!

Random Willynillyness Cooking Presents: Sabroso Saturday ~ Banana-Cinnamon Grilled Sandwich

Oh yum! Another tasty and delicious recipe with chocolate milk. When I read this one, I thought it was a little strange but I went forward nonetheless. I think it was because it uses cinnamon bread and cream cheese. This was not two flavors I have ever put together.

But once I made it, I realized that it all worked our pretty well!

A word from our sponsor:
* Low-fat and fat-free flavored milk contain calcium, potassium, phosphorous, protein, vitamins A, D and B12, riboflavin and niacin (niacin equivalents) — and can help kids meet their calcium recommendations.
* Flavored milk drinkers do not have higher total fat or calorie intakes than non-milk drinkers.

Banana-Cinnamon Grilled SandwichMakes 4 servings
Ingredients• 8 slices cinnamon raisin bread
• 4 tsp low fat cream cheese
• 1 large banana
• Cinnamon
• Cooking spray
• 4 cups low fat chocolate milk

Preparation:1. Spread the reduced fat cream cheese on one slice of the breads
2. Mash the banana and spread on the other slices
3. Press the slices together to make a sandwich and grill each one over low heat in a grill or small pan coated with cooking spray
4. Serve with a glass of cold low fat chocolate milk

Nutritional Information:
Includes 1-8oz glass of low fat chocolate milk
415 calories; 8.5 g fat; 2 g saturated fat; 17 g protein; 73 g carbohydrate; 298 mg calcium
The recipe worked because of the cinnamon bread. Besides the bananas, it gave the sandwich a nice sweetness. The cream cheese gave it a nice creamy flavor. And who doesn't like cream cheese?


This is perfect for a lite lunch or snack. It takes minutes to make and it is so easy!

For more information, follow the Bigote de Leche (Milk Mustache) Campaign on Twitter and Facebook. To see more delicious milk recipes, go to the Elige Leche website and do a search. Make sure to head over to Latina on Mission and check out the other Sabroso Saturday recipes by participating bloggers!


Disclosure: This is a paid post created in collaboration with Latina on a Mission and Milk Processors Education Program (MilkPEP). All opinions expressed herein are solely my own.

Winner! Teacup Piggies Giveaway!

The winner of the Teacup Piggy giveaway chosen by Random.org is:

Freddie

Congrats! I have sent you a email. You have 48 hours to get back to me. After 48 hours, I will choose new winners. So send me your info!! Once I get all the info, I will send it our wonderful sponsor.

I want to thank Teacup Piggies for the giveaway. I also want to thank everyone who participated. I appreciate your continued support! If you want to be a winner too, enter some of my other giveaways. Don't miss out on the iPad giveaway. The winner is announced after December 8. just in time for the holidays. WOOOOOOO!!!

Blackberry Torch Review!!

I am taking part in the AT&T Share Brand Ambassador Program. As part of that program, I received a Blackberry Torch to review.

Now I have never ever used a Blackberry or any type of smart phone. I sometimes use my hubby's iPhone but I am a total smart phone novice. The phone I have now is pretty basic and, frankly, I am not really a cell phone gal. I would rather email, tweet or Facebook to keep in contact. But I understand I need a cell phone for emergencies.

I can sometimes read my email on my current phone but the screen is small that I don't even bother. I can't do much else. Twitter and Facebook are so demented on my current phone that it is not worth my time checking them. Even though it has a keyboard, I still can't even tweet or post anything. Now for everyday, it's fine. But ever since I started attending blogging and social media conferences, I have realized that a basic cell phone is just not going to cut it for me.

So when I was contacted to review the Blackberry Torch, I wasn't sure what to expect. Now, I can't read instructions to save my life so when I got the Torch, I was all freaked out at having to set it up. I looked in the box for the endless pages of things I needed to do and found none. What I found was the website url I needed to visit.

I went to the site and it walked me through everything. Although I had a little trouble figuring out what the memory card or SIM card were, I was able to get through it because the site was helpful. It really was easier than I thought it would be. For me, this is huge because there is nothing worse then having to read instructions.

Once I set it up, I looked for the charger because hubby was all about having to charge it 24 hours before I used it. Little did he know, all I had to do is plug this baby into my computer and it would charge. That is so cool. I have a Sony Reader and this is how I charge it so it was something that I felt comfortable with. Now it does come with an attachment if you want to charge it through an outlet but why? For me, it's easier to do it through the laptop or netbook especially when I travel.

Once I plugged it in, I was able to use it right away. Yes, I waited a few hours because hubby was giving me the hairy eyeball but when he wasn't looking I started using it willy-nilly style.

I really liked it. Like I said, sometimes I have used hubby's iPhone when we travel but this one is so much better. What I liked is the screen is bigger and it has a slide out keyboard. That is huge when you are in the car because my sausage fingers are just too big to hit the right keys on the screen. So the keyboard is a godsend. It makes using the phone so much easier.

My favorite things about the phone are the apps. Like I said, I am a social media nut so I want to be connected all the time and I can now. We drove into Asheville the other day and I was in the car tweeting, facebooking and checking my email. It was easy to do. The Torch has a Social Feeds app so I can easily push one button and see any new messages on the social feeds I use.

This will be such a huge plus when I travel and when I am at conferences. I can now tweet and facebook anywhere. I also love the fact that I can take pictures from my phone and send them instantly. There is absolutely no downloading involved. This is such a benefit because so many times I have wanted to snap a picture and tweet it but wasn't able to do it.

I can text now too. For some reason, my other phone wouldn't let me do it. I was able to receive texts but not send them. So the other night, I decided to fool around and send a text to my hubby and it worked. We proceeded to text each other from the same room. Yes, yes, geeky but it was also cool.

My other favorite thing is it has a GPS system in the phone. I literally spent the drive home from Asheville (about 45-50 minutes) watching the GPS on the phone. I loved it. Yes folks, I am easily amused. I was actually able to use the phone to find a Bed, Bath and Beyond because we decided at the last minute to go there. Then on the drive home, I programmed my home address and although we knew how to get there, it was cool having the GPS lady take us through the whole route home. I love this because here in the mountains where I live, it's not always easy to find smaller roads but now I can!

The only problem I have had so far is that I left my phone charging overnight and it sort of died. I couldn't turn it back on. I have no idea what happened and I have to troubleshoot that problem if it happens again. But I slipped out the battery and slipped it back on and had no other problems. Weird.

But overall, I love this phone. Hubby is shocked because I was always complaining about my other phone. But I never had such a cool phone before. Now I know what I was missing. My only other problem is that I now have to spend time and money finding other cool apps to download.

I made a cheesy video to give you a better idea of the coolness of the Torch. Sure it's shaky and random but you should be able to get a better feel for it once you see it.


Would I recommend the Blackberry Torch? Heck yes. It's small enough to slip into my purse or pocket but the screen is big enough where I don't feel like I am squinting and can't read it. The phone is great too. The sound is clear and it is easy to use and store contacts. The ability to be on any of your social media sites is the best part for me. And the extras like the GPS, video, camera etc. are just icing on the cake. The calendar option is something I needed for work and now I have it on my phone and on my desktop at home and work and that is a huge plus as well.

I get service through AT&T but can also connect from the wireless at home or work as well. We get spotty AT&T service at home and at my office so it makes a difference to be able to access the wireless in the location I am at. I cannot wait to have it at the airports when I travel. I will not need to pull out my netbook and fuss with that. I will be able to do it all from my phone.

I am really glad I was able to test this phone and, hopefully, it will be the last one I ever have to deal with! Well, at least until the new Blackberry comes out. :0)
Disclosure: I received a Blackberry Torch & service for review purposes. No other compensation was given and the opinions in this post are solely mine and are based on my experience with the product.

CLOSED ~ iPad Giveaway!!!!

Yes, my dear readers, you are reading this right. I have a brand new iPad to give away. If you remember, I was able to go to the Blogalicious Conference this year thanks to my sponsor, Que Rica Vida!

Besides the trip to Miami and the conference, I also received an iPad so I could check out the new Que Rica Vida iPad app. Well, because I work, I missed the Fed Ex delivery of the iPad and had to get it when I was in Miami. Now our household already as an iPad. It belongs to my hubby and he loves it. I rarely use it unless I am looking for recipes on the Que Rica Vida app. I hate to admit this but I am a PC and he is a Mac.

So I thought, do I really need another iPad? And the answer was no. Then I thought, why not give it away on my blog, right? So I am giving it away because that's how I roll peeps, that's how I roll. Now I have to disclose that the winner will receive it without the shrink wrap. The reason being is because I received in Miami, I had to bring it back home to North Carolina. We had to take the shrink wrap off at the airport so they could really see there was an iPad and not some bomb or something. But besides the shrink wrap being gone, it is brand new, never used! I even made a short video so you could see for yourself.



I also want to thank all of you who enter every one of my giveaways! I know who you are and I appreciate your support. And to the newbies here just for the iPad, I hope you look around and enter some of my other giveaways!! Or go visit my other blog, Carolyn in Carolina. Yes, I am trolling for traffic. I just bought my domains and my PR has tanked so I need to get it up, sue me!

I am ending this the beginning of December so I can get it in the mail in time for X-mas! The entry is easy peasy and there a lot of extra entries. So what the heck are you waiting for? Enter NOW!!! **NOTE: Please read the rules before entering!!!!! US 18+ only!! And only ONE tweet per day.
Mandatory Entry

Tell me, are you going to keep the iPad for yourself or give it away to someone else.

Extra Entries
* Go to the Que Rica Vida (Spanish) site or the General Mills site (I want to be fair to the non-Spanish speakers) and come back and tell me one recipe that you like. If you go to both, you get one entry each!! (1 entry)
* Like Que Rica Vida on Facebook (1 entry)
* Subscribe to my blog through email (1 entry)
* Follow me on Twitter @carogonza (1 entry)
* Like The Art of Random Willynillyness on Facebook page (1 entry)
* Tweet this giveaway. Leave the link to the tweet in your post. (1 entry/tweet per day)
* Follow my blog on GFC (1 entry)
* Subscribe to to my feed (1 entry)
* Add my button to your site (1 entry)
* Add my site to your blogroll (1 entry)
* Follow me on Networked Blogs (1 entry - see right sidebar for widget)
* Enter another one of my giveaways and tell me which one you entered (1 entry per giveaway entered)
* Blog about this giveaway leave the link (3 entries)
* Add this Giveaway to a Sweepstakes site, Mr. Linky, your giveaway list etc. Leave the link!! (2 entries per submission - unlimited!)

Make sure to leave a separate comment for the entries you complete!
Deadline: Wednesday, December 8 at 11:59 pm EST. I will use random.org to pick the winners so everyone has a chance to win. **PLEASE leave an email if your blogger profile does not include it or you don't have a blog. I need a way to contact you.** Once a winner is drawn I will contact them and the winner will have 48 hours to reply back before I draw a new winner. The iPad is given as is. Giveaway is open to US residents only who are 18 years of age or older.


Disclosure: I received the iPad from Que Rica Vida as part of my Blogalicious trip. No other compensation was given and I just felt like giving this away to someone else.