The Art of Random Willy-Nillyness: May 2012
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Tuesday, May 29, 2012

Rembrandt and Reach Oral Care Giveaway!



I am all about my teeth. I was very lucky because when I was little, my parents made sure that our teeth were taken care of all the time. We would go to the dentist regularly. They would also make sure we brushed all the time. Because of that, my sister and I have been lucky to have good teeth into adulthood.

To this day, I make sure I practice good oral hygiene and go to the dentist to make sure they stay well. I brush and floss every day. The one thing though that I have not been able to do is get my teeth whiter without a little extra help.

I have tried different type of whiteners but some take forever and are hard to use. Some don't work at all. So I was excited to receive a Reach and Rembrandt oral care gift pack.

I have used REACH toothbrushes for a while. I like that you can use them and get them way back to clean your molars. They work well for me. I had not used REACH floss before but I liked it.

The Rembrandt pack came with a 2 hour whitening kit, Deeply White with Peroxide toothpaste and Intense Stain toothbrush. I have been using the toothpaste for 2 weeks now and I have noticed just a touch of whitening. I am sure I have to use it all the time until I see a big difference. But since I think my smile is my best feature, I will continue taking care of it.

Now you can win a pack like the one I received. It has both Rembrandt and Reach products! This is great if you want to take care of your smile the right way! Just enter on the Rafflecopter widget below.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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.

Monday, May 28, 2012

Happy Memorial Day!



In memory and honor of all those who served and serve our country. 

Sunday, May 27, 2012

EasyCanvasPrints.com Review and Giveaway!



I am not the best photographer in the world but I do okay. Sometimes, I take some great pictures that I know I need to blow up and frame. Of course, that can be really pricey sometimes. That is why I like EasyCanvasPrints.com.


EasyCanvasPrints.com is an online store where you can get your custom photos on canvas printed and framed. I find it to be more inexpensive than a bricks and mortar store. It is also quick and easy. All you have to do is upload your photo and they will do the rest. The canvas prints are printed and stretched in-house. The prints come ready to hang or display with a classic semi-gloss finish. All you do is choose your canvas size and wrap thickness, upload your pictures or art, and choose your border for a personalized canvas print of your own. That's it!

I had the opportunity to get one of my pictures put on canvas by EasyCanvasPrints.com. It was an easy decision. I wanted to print a picture of our cat, Scout. When our other cat, Shawn, died we had a canvas print made up. Having that print makes me feel better because I can remember my little baby.

I wanted to make sure we also had a print of Scout, just in case. The first photo I uploaded was not the best quality and EasyCanvasPrints.com contacted me to let me know. I was so glad because I knew that they wanted to make sure I had the best print. I was happy that the customer service was so on point.

After sending another photo, my part was done. I received my print about a week later. I liked it was nicely packed to ensure it would not be damaged. It looks terrific. Now my Scout print lives on the mantle next to Shawn's print. I love it!

You can also visit their sister site BuildaSign.com if you are looking for signs. These are great for events! I ordered one last year and loved it.

Thanks to the great people at EasyCanvasPrints.com, one of my readers will be able to win an 8 x 10 canvas of his/her own. These are so great if you want to capture those moments on a bigger and unique surface. So enter on the Rafflecopter widget below!! a Rafflecopter giveaway  
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.

Friday, May 25, 2012

I'm Back from Washington D.C.

Yes, I have been a huge slacker but I am back. Keep an eye out because I hope to have a new giveaway or two up this long weekend. I also have a review on a Garage Door Opener that you will love. If you are in the market for a new a garage door opener, this is a good one.

I have a great time in Washington and if you cant to read all about and see pictures, feel free to pop on over to Carolyn in Carolina, my personal blog, and read all about it!!


Saturday, May 19, 2012

I am going to the White House!


Yes, you read that right. Monday I will be at the White House as part of LATISM's (Latinos in Tech Innovation and Social Media) First Ever Top Blogueras (Bloggers) Retreat.

I was invited to participate because, I guess, I am one of the top Latina bloggers in the U.S. Who knew? Well, I did but I also think I still have a shot at marrying Colin Farrell and one day win the lottery. So you can't always count on what I think.

Who knew when I started my blogs in 2009, they would take me all the way to the White House and to be able to be alongside other great Latina bloggers at this wonderful LATISM event? I have met some of the women attending and they are amazing. It will be great to spend time with them talking, brainstorming and learning how to become better bloggers and how to use our influence in social media for advocacy.

I am very excited. It is an honor to have been selected. And, I also have to thank LATISM for putting on such a great event.

To read the full press release, go here!

Keep checking back on to see updates of my trip to Washington D.C. I hope to have some great stories to tell and tons of pictures.

Washington D.C., watch out!! WOO!

Friday, May 18, 2012

UPrinting 250 Die Cut Business Card Giveaway!

I know many of my readers are bloggers. Conference season is coming and you will be needing business cards! If you are not a blogger, you could definitely use these for your job or as an easy way to give people your information.

At my job, we used to make our own business cards. But why make your own when companies like UPrinting make fantastic and unique business cards for a great price?

Luckily for you, I am hosting this fantastic giveaway for 250 Die Cut Business Cards from UPrinting.







You can choose from these different sizes: 2 x 3.5" Rounded Corners, 2x2" Rounded Corners, 1.75x3.5" Rounded Corners, 2x3.5" Leaf, 2x3.5 Rounded one corner, 2x3.5" Half Circle Side, 2x3.5" Oval, 2.5" Circle. I am loving the round cards. These would be so unique to hand out!

You also have several papers to choose from as well like 14pt Cardstock Gloss / Matte / High Gloss (UV), or 13pt Cardstock Uncoated. The turnaround for the cards is 6 days.

This is a great giveaway so enter now on the Rafflecopter widget!


a Rafflecopter giveaway

Disclosure: I received compensation for posting this giveaway. Opinions in this post are solely mine. Sponsors are responsible for shipping prizes unless otherwise stated. Please allow 6-8 weeks for delivery of any prizes.

Tuesday, May 15, 2012

Save Money with Coupons by Answers.com!!!



I never shop online without a coupon code. Before I make a purchase, I do a search and try to find the best coupon I can. I save a lot of money this way.

I recently found a new site Coupons.Answers.com. Coupon.Answer.com is a part of Answers.com. If you never visited Answers.com you should. It is a site where you can get the answer to almost any question imaginable. You ask a question and the Answers.com community will answer it.

Now Answers.com has brought its community based expertise to Coupons.Answers.com. It is a great place where you can find the best deals on the internet. If there is a discount code out there, you are more than likely to find it on Coupons.Answers.com. The other great thing about Coupons.Answers.com is that you can ask a question whether it be about a retailer or shipping price or anything you can imagine and get an answer.

There is a widget on the side where you can add any coupons you have found. To ask a question, there is also a widget where you can ask your question. The site is easy to navigate. And I found coupons for big reatilers as well as smaller online stores as well.

My best find was a coupon for 30% off 2 items at Avenue.com. I love Avenue.com because they have great plus size clothes. I was able to get 30% off the cutest dress ever! It was a great deal! I saved enough to buy a cute little shrug to go with my new dress!!

So if you are a savvy shopper like me, check out Coupons.Answers.com. You will be able to find some great coupon codes that will save you money when shopping online!! You can also find Coupons.Answers.com on Twitter and Facebook.


Saturday, May 12, 2012

Frieda's Review and Giveaway!



I am always looking for new products to try. Since I am on a semi-health kick now, I am looking for recipes and food that I can use to make vegetarian dishes. I recently had the opportunity to try some Frieda's Products. For 50 years, Frieda’s Inc. has been famously innovating unusual and exotic fruits and vegetables in supermarket produce departments.

They also have other products. For my review, I was sent egg roll wrapper and won ton wrappers. Now, I love Asian food but, sadly, every time I have tried to cook Asian food, it goes horribly wrong.

You all know I cannot follow a recipe to save my life. And when I have tried Asian recipes, they just don't turn out that well. I thought about wat to make with my Frieda's products. I was going to make egg rolls but then I spied some butternut squash in my fridge.

My way of cooking is always willy-nilly and after I saw the squash, I figured that maybe I could use the won ton wrappers as ravioli. It's a little crazy but it worked. I had just seen a Food Network show with Emeril and he made ravioli in a brown butter sage sauce so I tried to duplicate the recipe. Of course, without a recipe.

I took my butternut squash and put it in a roasting pan. I added salt, pepper and a pinch of nutmeg. Then I roasted the squash for about 20-25 minutes at 450 degrees to soften. Once it was done, I pureed it with a fork. I took the won ton wrappers and laid them out on a cutting board. I stuffed them with the filling. I put some water around the edges and then place another won ton wrapper on top of that. I made sure they closed tightly.

After I stuffed the ravioli, I put them into boiling water for 3 minutes. That was it. I love these wrappers because they did not rip or break while I was stuffing them or while they were in the boiling water. They were easy to use and they were perfect for the ravioli. The wrappers are not too thin or too thick. They were the perfect texture for ravioli. My only complaint would be they are a little large but the next time I make ravioli, I will cut the edges off a little.

To finish my recipe, I browned some butter with fresh sage (from my garden) and then added the ravioli. The ravioli were delicious. My husband asked if I had made the ravioli pasta. I almost lied and said yes but I came clean!

I have to say that I loved the won ton wrappers. They were easy to use and taste delicious. I know I will be using them again. My next experiment will be making veggie egg rolls with the egg roll wrappers. Those might not turn out as good but I am willing to give it a try.

You can Find Frieda's products at Bi-Lo and other and other grocery stores around the country.

I also have a great Frieda's Prize Pack to giveaway to one lucky reader. The prize pack includes:  Frieda's Prize Pack: Purple Kiwi Cookbook (written by Frieda's CEO), Green reusable Frieda’s bag, Pen, Notepad, Coupons and Won-Ton and Egg Roll wrappers.

To win, just enter on the Rafflecopter widget below!!
a Rafflecopter giveaway


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.

Wednesday, May 9, 2012

Dollar General Every Day Heroes Mother’s Day Giveaway!

In conjunction with Dollar General's "Every Day Heroes" campaign, during the month of May Dollar General is teaming up with Procter & Gamble® to honor moms. What a great program. I know my mom was always an unsung hero in our household. And as I have gotten older, I realize all the great things she did for us on a daily basis. Moms are truly heroes!

To celebrate moms, Dollar General is inviting customers to upload videos describing why their moms are “Every Day Heroes.” Videos can be submitted and viewed at the Dollar General "Every Day Heroes" site. If you have a mom that should be recognized, head on over to the Dollar General site and tell the world!

While you are on the Dollar General site, you can enter to win a trip to the Olympic Training Center and some great instant prizes as well. Just enter the code you received on your Dollar General receipt and you might luck out!! YAY!

You can also enter here on my site to win a great prize pack provided by P&G that includes: Tide® Pods, Febreze® Auto Air Freshener, Always® Radiant, Tampax® Radiant, Secret® Coco Butter Clear Gel, Old Spice® Champion Deodorant and a Dollar General chip clip. How cool is that?


Just enter on the Rafflecopter widget below!!


a Rafflecopter giveaway


 Disclosure: I received 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. Sponsors are responsible for shipping prizes unless otherwise stated. Please allow 6-8 weeks for delivery of any prizes.

Tuesday, May 8, 2012

CiscoAthletic.com $50 Amazon Card Giveaway!

This is not my giveaway but one sponsored by CiscoAthletic.com. I am just hosting the Rafflecopter widget. This is a great giveaway for a $50 Amazon Card. You can enter here on my blog or go directly to the CiscoAthletic.com page and enter there. Good Luck!

View Giveaway Details Here
a Rafflecopter giveaway Giveaway by CiscoAthletic.com

Saturday, May 5, 2012

CLOSED ~ Cuddly Monkey Tote Review and Giveaway


I am a tote bag fiend. There I said it. Yes, I love tote bags. I have so many. I have some small ones, medium ones and some large ones. They are recyclable, linen, plastic and everything in between. I use them for so many things. I use them to carry books, at the beach, for lunch and to travel. I honestly have at least 15 tote bags that I use.

When I was contacted to review a Cuddly Monkey tote bag, I jumped at the chance. A girl can't have enough tote bags.

Here is a little info on Cuddly Monkey:  

The new collection of Cuddly Monkey tote bags are the definition of stylish but functional fun -- perfect for any stylista on the go. On the outside, the durable 100% cotton canvas makes the bag useful for any outing. On the inside, the vividly designed cotton linings prove that Cuddly Monkey isn't your basic tote bag -- it's the tote for every lifestyle, from the inside out! Cuddly Monkey was born in the heart of Soho in the design studio of Stag&Hare, a team of brand strategists and designers with a passion for creating and exploring. The current selection of totes range from $68 to $94 retail value. 

I chose the Goddess tote to review because it had both a long strap and smaller straps. I love tote that give me the option of long and short straps. I also liked the fact that the Goddess Cuddly Monkey tote is huge! The inner part of the tote is large enough to fit anything! I was able to fit my exercise shoes, clothes and two water bottles. I was also able to carry my work laptop and files along with my purse in the tote.

The tote is sturdy and very well made. It is made of canvas so it will hold up for years! I love the cute inner lining as well. There is an inner pocket with a zipper to hold the important stuff. There are also 4 outer pockets that are great to slip in sunglasses, phone, keys or a water bottle.

It also looks great. I have had a few compliments from co-workers. This is also a great bag for traveling. This weekend I am taking a mini vacay and I was able to put in my laptop, toiletries and shoes in the Goddess bag with no problem. I cannot wait to take it on my trip to Costa Rica next month. Not only will it be great as a carry-on but I can use it to go to the beach!

I have to say that the Cuddly Monkey Goddess tote has become my favorite tote! It is so perfect for my lifestyle and it is so stylish. I am not the most fashionable person around but this makes me seem like I am. I would totally recommend these to anyone who loves totes as much as I do. Well, I would recommend these to anyone! I love mine!

Now one of my lucky readers will be able to have a Cuddly Monkey tote as well!! Yes, my dear readers, Cuddly Monkey has offered a tote to me to giveaway. This is a great giveaway so enter below on the Rafflecopter widget!!