The Art of Random Willy-Nillyness: September 2011
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Thursday, September 29, 2011

WINNER! Splenda Giveaway!

The winner of the Splenda Giveaway chosen by random.org is:

mommy2one126

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!!

I want to thank Splenda for the prize pack. I also want to thank everyone who participated. I appreciate your continued support! Don;t forget to enter the Bounty $25 gift card, Sephora $75 gift card and Hill's Science Diet for cats giveaways!!


Wednesday, September 28, 2011

Flipping Good Deeds with Flip Flop Wines and I review the Moscato!

A few months ago, I reviewed a few Flip Flop wines. I am not a huge wine drinker but I really liked the wines and felt that for the price they were a good value.

Even if I don't drink a lot of wine, I do use wine in my cooking. I use wine at least 3 times a week minimum. I love cooking with wine. So when I received a couple of bottles of the Flip Flop 2010 California Moscato wine, I knew I was going to use them in a recipe.

I decided to use it when I made a simple marinara sauce for pasta. Because I was using fresh tomatoes, I needed something sweet to cut the tomatoes tartness. I opened the wine and took a taste. Wow, it was pretty good. I decided to pour myself a glass just to have some while I cooked.

I added the Moscato to the sauce and it worked really well because the sweetness of the wine mellowed out the sauce and made it very tasty. In the meantime, I finished my glass of wine and poured myself another.

Like I said, I rarely drink wine. Well, after a few hours and a few glasses, I went back to the kitchen to grab a little more and realized that I had polished off the whole bottle! Even my hubby was shocked that I drank a whole bottle of wine.

It was so delicious. The flavor is sweet but not so sweet that it makes you sick. It has a subtle fruity flavor that I loved. There is no aftertaste so what you get is a mouthful of fruity deliciousness in every sip! I could see having this wine with any course. I would serve it with appetizers or an entree. Better yet, this wine would go really well with a dessert.

I don't know if this is good or bad but I am hooked on this wine. I am going to buy a lot and always keep it on hand. I will use the other Flip Flop wines to cook because the Moscato is for drinking! Yum!

I also like that if you buy Flip Flop wines, you are also helping a worthy cause. For every bottle of wine purchased, Soles4Souls will distribute a pair of shoes to someone in need.
Here is more info on Soles4Souls from their website:
Soles4Souls is a Nashville-based charity that collects shoes from the warehouses of footwear companies and the closets of people like you. The charity distributes these shoes to people in need, regardless of race, religion, class, or any other criteria. Since 2005, Soles4Souls has given away nearly 12 million pairs of new and gently worn shoes (currently donating one pair every 7 seconds.) The shoes have been distributed to people in over 125 countries, including Kenya, Thailand, Nepal and the United States. Soles4Souls has been featured in Runner's World, Ladies’ Home Journal, National Geographic’s Green Guide, and The New York Times. It has appeared on CBS, ABC, NBC, FOX, BBC, CNN and thousands of regional news outlets across North America. Soles4Souls is a 501(c)(3) recognized by the IRS and donating parties are eligible for tax advantages. Anyone can join our cause, and we need your help.
Soles4Souls facilitates the donations of shoes, which are used to aid the hurting worldwide. Shoe companies, retailers, and individuals can donate footwear (both new and used).
The idea behind gifts of shoes is nothing new to the Soles4Souls team, as they coordinated relief efforts for the Asian Tsunami and Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, netting over 1 million pairs donated for these disasters. The team originally operated as www.katrinashoes.org with several churches partnering in the collection and distribution of footwear.
Soles4Souls has a simple concept: we procure shoes and get them to those in need.
In the aftermath of the 2004 tsunami that hit Southeast Asia, Wayne Elsey, the Founder and CEO of Soles4Souls® Inc., felt compelled to do something. Like many of us, he did not know what to do. He was at home one night, watching TV and he saw a picture of a single shoe washing up on the beach. That triggered a few calls to some other executives in the footwear industry and the subsequent donation of a quarter of a million shoes to victims in the devastated countries.
A year later when Katrina hit, Wayne called the same group of friends, and they sent over a million pairs of shoes down to the gulf coast communities affected by the hurricane. In all honesty, he admits that he did not expect such an immediate and successful turnout. This left him wondering, why not start a non-profit and do this all the time? One year later, Soles4Souls was formally created.
It has been that simple: changing the world one pair at a time.

Soles4Souls receives large donations from footwear companies, retailers, churches, nonprofit ministries, civic groups, schools, and individuals and saw that this could become a full time organization. That's why Soles4Souls was created – to facilitate the donations from these groups to the people who desperately need footwear.

So if you are looking for some inexpensive and very tasty wine, check out Flip Flop wines. Try the Moscato but be careful because you will get hooked!

You can also follow Flip Flop on Twitter and Facebook! You can also follow Soles4Souls on Twitter and Facebook as well.
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.

Monday, September 26, 2011

Fourth Annual Spreading Smucker’s® Traditions Recipe and Essay Contest


Hispanic Heritage Month Kicks off with a Tasty Start with the Fourth Annual Spreading Smucker's Traditions Recipe and Essay Contest with a chance to win a $20,000 Prize for a Family Reunion.

I know some of my first memories are of me in the kitchen with my mother or grandmother. Food plays an important part in our lives. Besides memories, I learned how to cook and have some great recipes from those years in the kitchen with my mother and abuela.

If you have a special receta (recipe) from your childhood it could win you a wonderful trip of a lifetime or a family reunion. Whatever your dream family get-together may be, a treasured recipe could help make it a reality in the fourth annual Spreading Smucker’s® Traditions Recipe and Essay Contest.

From September 14 to November 16, 2011, Smucker’s invites you to visit Smuckers or Smuckers Espanol and share your original recipes made with at least 1/4 cup Smucker’s jams, jellies, preserves, or fruit butters, plus an original essay of 200 words or less in English or Spanish about how the recipe is part of family traditions and how it makes family celebrations special.

The contest takes place during Hispanic Heritage Month, a time when Latinos across the country celebrate their history and culture. In March 2012, five contest finalists will be selected and flown to New York City for a live recipe demonstration and judging, where one will win $20,000 towards a dream family reunion.

Last year’s winning recipe, savory “Slow Cooker Marmalade Pork Tenderloin,” came from Tamie J. of Prosper, Texas. The recipe, which was passed down from her grandmother, features Smucker’s Sweet Orange Marmalade and has always been an Easter tradition at Tamie’s house.

So if you have a wonderful family recipe that uses Smucker's, go enter it because you can win some wonderful prize!! You can also find Smuckers on Facebook! Good Luck!

Spanish version below!

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


El Mes de la Hispanidad tiene un comienzo sabroso con el Cuarto Concurso Anual de Recetas y Ensayos Difundir las Tradiciones con Smucker’s® y la posibilidad de ganar un premio de $20,000 para una reunión familiar.

Algunos de los recuerdos más dulces nacen al compartir las comidas familiares a través de las generaciones. Las recetas de la familia son una verdadera herencia hispana, pero ¿quién hubiera dicho que tu receta de empanadas podría darle a tu familia la posibilidad de hacer el viaje de su vida? ¿O que la historia detrás de tus legendarios pastelitos podría regalarte una fiesta para toda la familia? Sea cual sea la reunión familiar de tus sueños, una receta preferida podría ayudarte a hacerlo realidad en el Cuarto Concurso Anual de Recetas y Ensayos Difundir las Tradiciones con Smucker’s®.

Del 14 de septiembre al 16 de noviembre de 2011, Smucker’s invita a los consumidores a visitar www.smuckers.com o www.smuckersenespanol.com para compartir sus recetas originales elaboradas con al menos ¼ taza de mermelada, jalea, confitura o mantequilla de fruta Smucker’s y escribir un ensayo original de hasta 200 palabras en inglés o español describiendo cómo la receta forma parte de las tradiciones familiares y de qué manera hace que las celebraciones familiares sean especiales. El concurso se lleva a cabo durante el Mes de la Hispanidad, cuando las familias hispanas del país celebran su historia y cultura. En marzo de 2012, cinco finalistas del concurso serán seleccionados y trasladados a New York City para que realicen la demostración en vivo de su receta, la que será evaluada por un jurado, y el ganador recibirá $20,000 para una reunión familiar de ensueño.

La receta ganadora del año pasado, “Filete de lomo de cerdo con mermelada”, pertenece a Tamie J. de Prosper, Texas. Esta receta tiene entre sus ingredientes la mermelada Smucker’s Sweet Orange Marmalade y siempre ha sido una tradición de Pascua en el hogar de Tamie.

“El aroma del cerdo agridulce siempre me ha traído recuerdos maravillosos de los sombreros de Pascua, la búsqueda de los huevos y las comidas familiares”, dice Tamie. “Existe una relación estrecha entre la comida y los recuerdos familiares y, desde que tengo memoria, Smucker’s ha estado presente en nuestras vidas. Durante la gran reunión familiar del Premio Mayor, mi familia se deleitó con mi receta ganadora y así hemos sumado un nuevo recuerdo juntos”.

Para celebrar el cuarto año del concurso, la familia Smucker ha buscado en su recetario una receta especial que siempre recibe elogios en las reuniones de la familia y que quieren compartir con nosotros. Se trata de la tarta de manzana con glaseado de naranja, que combina los sabores favoritos de la familia, como el de las manzanas rojas frescas y el glaseado tibio de mermelada de naranja.

Para obtener las Reglas Oficiales del concurso, visita www.smuckers.com o www.smuckersenespanol.com. Abierto a residentes legales para los 50 Estados Unidos y el Distrito de Columbia, de 18 años de edad o más. Nulo donde esté prohibido.

Friday, September 23, 2011

Winner!! Hallmark Cards Gift Pack.

The winner of the Hallmark Giveaway chosen by random.org is:

esluka

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!!

I want to thank Hallmark for the prize pack. I also want to thank everyone who participated. I appreciate your continued support! Don't forget to enter the Hill's Science Diet for Cats, Bounty $25 gift card, Sephora $75 gift card and the Splenda giveaways!!


Thursday, September 22, 2011

CLOSED ~ Hill's Science Diet Senior 11+ Age Defying Cat Food + Cat Basket Giveaway!


For many of us, our pets are like our children. Since I don't have kids, my cats have always been my kids. Recently, we lost our baby Shawn. I say baby but Shawn was 15 years old. Scout is 16 years old and still going strong. I intend to keep her healthy as long as possible because having to decide to put Shawn down was one of the hardest decisions I ever had to make.

So when I received the opportunity to review Hill's Science Diet Senior 11+ Age Defying cat food, I said yes because I want to make sure Scout has the best available nutrition to get her through these Senior years.

Here is a little info about Hill's Science Diet Senior 11+ Age Defying:

* Visibly fights the effects of aging in 30 days
* Smaller kibble designed to ease chewing and digestion

* Exclusive antioxidant bundle to defend the body
and brain against the effects of aging
* L-Carnitine to increase lean muscle mass typically lost by older cats
*
Omega 6 fatty acids to promote soft skin and radiant coat
*
Controlled levels of phosphorus, magnesium, and sodium for optimal bladder health

I couldn't review the food myself so I had to rely on Scout. She isn't much of a talker but I figured the only way to actually give a paws up or down to the food is if she would eat it and enjoy it.

I wasn't sure if Scout would like the food. She is very finicky. We have fed the same dry food for years and have always tried to get her to eat something else. I put the Hill's Science Diet down and she sniffed around it and left. But a few minutes later, she came back and stuck her nose in the dish and then tasted it. She began eating. After eating quite a bit, she left and then came back and ate more.

The verdict was in: Scout has new food. Now Hill's Science Diet is definitely a little more expensive than other brands but if it keeps my Scout healthier and is better for her, then I will continue buying it. I cannot put a price on the health of my cat. And I like the fact that the food was created for Senior cats. I do believe that like people, animals need to change their eating habits as they get old.

You can find Hill's Science Diet Senior 11+ Age Defying at PetSmart, PETCO, and pet specialty food stores. I actually found the food at my vet's office!

Visit Hill's to take the Science Diet® CatAge quiz, created by Hill’s Pet Nutrition and RealAge®, to find how old your cat really feels. Participants will receive an exclusive coupon and tips to help cats feel younger. While you are on the site, remember to enter the current sweepstakes going on. You can win a revitalizing trip to the Canyon Ranch® Spa and cat gift pack. I entered!

And you can enter here at my blog to win a cool cat basket that contains:

•3.5lb bag of Hill’s Science Diet Cat Age Defying dry cat food
•A Beautiful Cat Collar
•Bristle Finishing Brush for Cats
•Pet Wipes
•Fuzzy Balls Cat Toys
•Feather Cat Teaser

This is a great basket for any kitty!! Just read the rules and enter to win!

Mandatory Entry

Take the Hill's Science Diet Cat Age Quiz and come back and tell me what the results were.

Extra Entries

* Tell me the name of your cat(s). I am nosy that way. (1 entry)
* Follow Hill's Science Diet 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 (1 entry)
* Subscribe to to my feed (1 entry)
* Add my button to your site (1 entry)
* Add my site to your blogroll (2 entries)
* 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!!)

LinkMake sure to leave a separate comment for the entries you complete!

Deadline: Friday, October 21 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 products for review purposes. No other compensation was given and the opinions in this post are solely mine. Please allow 6-8 weeks for delivery of any prizes.

Wednesday, September 21, 2011

Muve Music #Muvete Twitter Party

Cricket Logo


Date: Tuesday, September 27, 2011
Time: 7:00 to 8:30 p.m. EST
Required Hashtag: #muvete
Language: ENGLISH and SPANISH

WOO! It's Twitter Party time my dear readers! And this one will be a good one. Hosted by Cricket Wireless, the Twitter Party has over $1,000 in prizes! Come join us as we talk about unlimited music downloads.

Cricket Wireless offers:
Unlimited songs, ring tones and ring back tones
Unlimited texting and web browsing
Nationwide Plans AND No contracts

That's pretty awesome!

The Twitter Party will be in in English and Spanish and everyone is welcome!! ¡Vamos a estar twiteando en Inglés y Español, así que siéntase libre de usar Twitter en el idioma quese siente mas cómodo!

To participate in the Muve Music #Muvete Twitter Party you must follow the following tweeps:

Migdalia Rivera – @MsLatina
Carolyn Gonzalez – @carogonza << That's me!
Melinda – @lkwhtmomfound
Maria – @ToughCookieMom
Party Panelist: @MiCricket

To win prizes you must complete the Mandatory Entries:

Like MiCricket on Facebook
And you must enter your Twitter ID over at the RSVP post over at Latina on a Mission.

You can win the following Muve Music #Muvete Twitter Party Prizes:

Grand Prize

One (1) Samsung Suede Phone – shown above- with 3 months $55 Muve Music plan activation ($199.99 for phone; $330 for Muve Music plan)

Additional Prizes

Two (2) Samsung Suede phones -no activation ($199.99 value each)
To be announced ($150 value)

Winners will be chosen with random.org from those who RSVP and are answering Twitter Party questions, while using the #Muvete hashtag.

Open to US Residents ONLY. Post Office Box addresses are not allowed.

Hope to see you all there!!!


Disclosure: This is a paid campaign created in collaboration with Stiletto Media and Cricket Wireless.

Saturday, September 17, 2011

WINNER!! Carmex Giveaway!

The winner of the Carmex Giveaway chosen by random.org is:

Brittany

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!!

I want to thank Carmex for the prize pack. I also want to thank everyone who participated. I appreciate your continued support! Don;t forget to enter the Bounty $25 gift card, Sephora $75 gift card and the Splenda giveaways!!


Friday, September 16, 2011

CLOSED ~Charlie's Angels on ABC!! Premieres September 22nd plus a $75 Sephora gift card giveaway!!!


I know I am a geek but I cannot wait to see the new Charlie's Angels TV show premiering on ABC on September 22.

I am dating myself but I was around when the original Charlie's Angels made its debut way back in the 70's. I loved it. It was really the first show that I saw that had strong female characters who kicked some butt. Sure everyone loved Farrah but I so wanted to be Kelly Garrett played by Jaclyn Smith.

When Drew Barrymore decided to bring back the Angels for the movies, of course I had to watch every single one. I liked the movies but still felt that the show worked better on TV.

Here is some information about the new show:

Series Premiere: Thursday, September 22 at 8/7c
Genre: Drama
Network: ABC
Starring: Annie Ilonzeh, Minka Kelly, Rachael Taylor, Ramon Rodriquez

Everyone deserves a second chance -- even a thief, a street racer and a cop who got in a little too deep. After all, the three women who solve cases for their elusive boss, Charlie Townsend, are no saints. They're angels... Charlie's Angels.

Set in Miami, this fun, glamorous, action-packed take on the 1970s smash hit series introduces us to three new angels, all fearless detectives, head-turning beauties and close friends. There's Abby (Rachael Taylor), a Park Avenue princess who became a world-class thief. Then there's Kate (Annie Ilonzeh), a Miami cop who fell from grace, losing both her career and her fiancé. Finally there's Gloria, a disgraced army lieutenant who has a way with explosives. When one of the angels' missions ends in Gloria's tragic death, Charlie persuades them to partner with Gloria's childhood friend, Eve (Minka Kelly), a street racer with a mysterious past. They may not know each other yet, but one thing's for sure -- Abby, Kate and Eve will always have each others' backs.




Join The Charlie’s Angels Mission Challenge!
Complete missions, collect badges, watch exclusive videos, earn your wings! This is awesome if you are a fan!

I watched some of the clips and the show looks good. Now to celebrate the premiere of Charlie's Angels, ABC has provided a $75 gift card to Sephora so you can discover you Inner Angel! WOO! I LOVE Sephora. They have the best makeup and bath products around!

Enter and win and do not forget to watch the new Charlie's Angeles TV series on Sept. 22!!!!

Mandatory Entry

Tell me if you are excited about the new Charlie's Angels show and will you watch it.

Extra Entries

* Tell me if you watched the original show (1 entry)
* Follow Charlie's Angels on Facebook (1 entry)
* Follow Charlie's Angels 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 (1 entry)
* Subscribe to to my feed (1 entry)
* Add my button to your site (1 entry)
* Add my site to your blogroll (2 entries)
* 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!!)
LinkMake sure to leave a separate comment for the entries you complete!

Deadline: Friday, October 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 sample products. No other compensation was given and the opinions in this post are solely mine. Please allow 6-8 weeks for delivery of any prizes.

Monday, September 12, 2011

WINNER! Fiber One 80 Prize Pack

The winner of the Fiber One 80 cereal chosen by random.org is:

jessyca

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!!

I want to thank MyBlogSpark and Fiber One for the prize pack. I also want to thank everyone who participated. I appreciate your continued support! I will have some new giveaways up soon so keep checking back. I will have a Sony PSP up in time for the holidays!!



Saturday, September 10, 2011

CLOSED ~ Bounty Teacher Wish List + $25 Gift Card Giveaway!


I don't have kids so I was pretty clueless about what is needed to fulfill their back to school needs. I remember when I was little (and that was decades ago) we would just have to bring some paper and maybe pens and pencils to school. I never remember having to bring wipes, paper towels, and so many other things.

I now work at a school and realize that students now have to buy and bring a whole bunch of supplies. I was actually quite surprised how much they are expected to bring. The problem is that not all the students at the school where I work can afford everything needed. So many of the teachers and staff actually buy supplies when the families can't provide them. This year, the school gave away bags of supplies to a lot of families.

This is where Bounty comes in. Bounty is currently sponsoring TeacherWishList.com, a site where teachers can sign up and create their classroom wish lists. Then parents, community members or just nice peeps can find those lists and see what the school and teachers need for their classrooms. I love it! This program came about after Bounty surveyed teachers and the results reported that teachers spend on average $462 of their money to buy supplies. Trust me, that's a lot of money for these teachers who should be making a lot more money!


Through the end of September, Bounty is fulfilling the wish list of ten teachers each week. Each teacher who creates a wish list is eligible to win, and for each school that has five teachers or more registered, that school will be entered for a chance at a $25,000 celebrity designed classroom makeover!

That is so awesome because $25K for a school could mean so much. Even fulfilling the wish list of a teacher can make a huge difference. I encouraged our teachers to sign up and some did. I am surprising a few with some of the items they need!

So head on over to the Teacher Wish List site and see if your kid's teachers are signed up and, if not, get them to sign up!!!

I want to thank Bounty for coming up with a great program as the Teacher Wish List and, hopefully, they will be able to grant more wishes to schools. And Bounty is offering up a $25 gift card. Sure, you can use it on yourself but wouldn't it be great to fulfill some wish lists?? To win the gift card, just follow the rules and enter!

Mandatory Entry
Head on over to TeacherWishList.com and tell me if your school is signed up or not.

Extra Entries

* Follow Bounty on Facebook (1 entry)
* Follow @Bounty 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 (1 entry)
* Subscribe to to my feed (1 entry)
* Add my button to your site (1 entry)
* Add my site to your blogroll (2 entries)
* 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!!)

LinkMake sure to leave a separate comment for the entries you complete!

Deadline: Saturday, October 1 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 compensation for this post. The opinions in this post are solely mine and are based on my experience. Sponsors are responsible for shipping prizes unless otherwise stated. Please allow 6-8 weeks for delivery of any prizes.

Wednesday, September 7, 2011

Post-It made my "Back to School" So Much Fun!


Okay, I don't have kids so I don't shop for back to school supplies. I don't go to school but I do work at a school so technically, I do go back to school every August.

Anyway, when I got home from BlogHer this year I had this box waiting for me. To my surprise it was filled with tons of Post-It goodies. Some of you may remember that there are a few special products I cannot live without and Post-It Notes are one of those products. I have tons all over the house and my office and they get put to good use!

When I saw the little backpack and box filled with some of the new Post-It products, I literally whooped. I am a huge fan of office supplies. It is really almost obsessive at this point. I get so excited when I see new things I can use at the office.


Besides Post-It notes of all types, the box included some new goodies. I loved the new highlighters with flags. I absolutely fell in love with the Organizer Pockets. You can stick them anywhere and have a little pocket to place items or papers. I took some to work because I have NO space in my office so these are perfect to put on the filing cabinet so I can keep important papers.

I also adored the wall mounted pop up dispenser. This is perfect in the home office to make sure we always have Post-It Notes handy. I need another one for my office. Then the magnetic to do list pads are the bomb. I have 3 already on my fridge because these are fantastic for leaving hubby notes and for my grocery lists!

The laptop pockets are equally cool. I am putting them on my home laptop because I never seem to have paper when I need to make notes! Of course, my favorite thing was the Post-It Notes. I got super sticky notes, that will go to work with me.


I also got glue sticks, which I go through like a fiend when I have a mailing to do. There were some name labels, storage labels and ABC labels.

There were so many goodies that after I picked what I wanted and could use, I decided to share my bounty at work. Like I said, I work at a school so I knew that some of my co-workers would appreciate some of the goodies as well.

I had no idea what to do with the cute clear mini-backpack but my friend's daughter who is in pre-K loved it. She immediately put all her Disney princesses and Mickey into the backpack and walked around showing everyone.

The Apple shaped Post-It note holder went to the librarian because my office is in the library and she was just saying the other day how she needed one. She loved it. I already have a heart shaped one at home so I thought I would share.

I want to thank Post-It for my box filled with goodies. I totally enjoyed them and so did my co-workers.

You know it is really hard not to make this a glowing post. I LOVE LOVE LOVE these products and I will say it again, I cannot live without Post-It Notes. Now I have some new Post-It goodies to play with at the office.

You really need to check some of these new products out because they are great. The great thing about Post-It products is that there is something for everyone. Whether for Back to School for the kids or just products you can use at home or in the office, you will not be disappointed with Post-It products.


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.

Sunday, September 4, 2011

CLOSED ~ Splenda Essentials Giveaway and Review! Ends 9/25


This is one of those products that I really can write a ton of blog posts about because it is a product I use ALL the time. I love Splenda. It is always in my pantry and my drawer at work. I don't use sugar and I hate when I go into a restaurant and they don't have my little yellow packages. I will use the pink or blue packages but only because I am desperate.

I learned that I have to carry my Splenda packages in my purse so I can have them all the time. And when I travel, I put some Splenda packages into a Ziploc and put them into my luggage. I know that sounds a little nutty but I swear it is necessary. If I don't have my Splenda I have to go without or use stuff I don't like. So I carry them around.

Now Splenda has a new line of products called Splenda Essentials. It is a new way to sweeten your foods. Here are the new products:

SPELNDA® ESSENTIALS No Calorie Sweetener with B Vitamins
SPLENDA® ESSENTIALS with B Vitamins has the great taste of SPLENDA® No Calorie Sweetener with the added benefit of 20 percent of the Daily Value of vitamins B1 (thiamin), B5 (pantothenic acid) and B6, per packet
SPLENDA® ESSENTIALS with B Vitamins is an easy way to help consumers cut back on the added calories from sugar, while helping them to reach their daily vitamin B1, B5 and B6 need
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SPLENDA® ESSENTIALS No Calorie Sweetener with Antioxidants
SPLENDA® ESSENTIALS with Antioxidants has the great taste of SPLENDA® No Calorie Sweetener with the added benefit of 20 percent of the Daily Value of antioxidant vitamins C and E, per packet
SPLENDA® ESSENTIALS with Antioxidants is an easy way to help consumers cut back on the added calories from sugar, while helping them to reach their daily vitamin C and E needs


SPLENDA® ESSENTIALS No Calorie Sweetener, 1 Gram of Fiber
• Each serving of SPLENDA® ESSENTIALS with Fiber has the great sweet taste of SPLENDA® No Calorie Sweetener with the added benefit of 1 gram of healthy fiber
SPLENDA® ESSENTIALS with Fiber is an easy way to help consumers cut back on the added calories from sugar, while helping them to get a small boost of healthy fiber


I love that I can now get a little extra added something when I use my Splenda. My favorite new Splenda is the Splenda with fiber. I take fiber and this is a much better way to get my daily dose than the ooky stuff I have to mix with water.

Since I am already a Splenda user, these products are just icing on the cake for me. Plus, it is the same great taste and you can't beat that. I will continue using Splenda and will buy these new products.

Now, one of my readers will win a prize pack that includes all the new products. YAY! And if you want a chance to try a sample of the new Spelnda products, head on over to the Splenda Brand Facebook page and click on the new ESSENTIALS tab, you can request a free sample of the new Splenda Essentials and share with other users what’s ‘essential’ to you. If you do so, you will be entered for a chance to win a travel mug with a $25 Dunkin’ Donuts gift card! Three lucky winners will be announced each day. For every 10,000 sample requests received, the Splenda team will give away a $1,000 Visa gift card!

WOO! Now if you want to try and win the Splenda prize pack, enter to win here! You know the drill.

Mandatory Entry
Head on over to the Splenda Essentials Recipe page and tell me which recipe sounds good to you!

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LinkMake sure to leave a separate comment for the entries you complete!

Deadline: Sunday, September 25 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. Sponsors are responsible for shipping prizes unless otherwise stated. Please allow 6-8 weeks for delivery of any prizes.