Girlfriends Forever - 2012 Gift Guide

Girlfriends Forever by Reeda Joseph

About The Book:

Sassy and sweet, Girlfriends Forever celebrates the bonds of true friendship with love, laughter, and heartfelt care. Husbands and boyfriends are nice accessories, but girlfriends are the essential must-haves of life. It's our gal pals who get us through both good times and bad. The course of my life has been charted over coffee with the girls, new plans made over a margarita (or two), and many a late-night phone call dedicated to the topic of love. Who else do we turn to for the best advice, gossip, and fashion tips? Girlfriends Forever is a treasury of vintage vixens from my collections, each page of celebrating a different aspect of friendship - from sharing secrets to sharing tears, from being each others cheerleaders to comforting one another with hugs and good advice. Filled with love, laughter, and heartfelt caring, Girlfriends Forever honors everything it means to be a true friend. As someone once said, "Friendship isn't a big thing, it's a million little things." This book of women's wisdom is a tribute to these sisters of the soul who are there every step of the way.

My Thoughts:

This is such a great little gift book to give to your gal pals! I love the photos and graphics, and the sayings are all too true and funny! The perfect stocking stuffer for the witty women in your life! I love it!

About The Author:

Reeda Joseph has been a collector of one-of-a-kind nostalgic items since childhood. From church basements to garage sales to the flea markets of Paris, Reeda is constantly searching for vintage images. She lives in San Francisco.

Buy this book at Girlfriends Forever on Amazon.

 
I received a complimentary review copy of this book from Cleis Press in exchange for a review on my blog. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Bronze Beauty

Become a bronzed beauty with Manna Kadar’s Self Tanning Lotion. This innovative formula is a custom blend of natural ingredients creating the richest looking tan in the most luxurious way without the sun. Achieve a golden glow with natural ingredients such as Aloe, Vitamin A & Vitamin E that serve to moisturize, hydrate & protect the body with a fresh almond oil scent.

This is a great product to help you keep your summer glow all winter long! Check it all out at Manna Kadar Cosmetics on Facebook, as well as Manna Kadar Cosmetics on Twitter.

I received a product from Crier PR and Manna Kadar Cosmetics in exchange for a review on my blog. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Noodle & Boo Essential Care Kit - 2012 Gift Guide

Noodle & Boo is the premier leader in luxury maternity and baby skin care. Noodle & Boo offers a comprehensive line of bath care, hair care and skin care products that nourish and protect sensitive skin. Products are made with the finest ingredients and are safe and gentle enough to be used on newborn and during pregnancy.

We got to try the Essential Care Kit - The perfect baby skin care kit for at home and on the road. Perfect gift. Perfect travel companion. Set includes super soft lotion, extra gentle shampoo and soothing body wash. Mild enough for daily use; can be used on newborns and babies with sensitive skin. Dermatologist and pediatrician tested; hypoallergenic. Clinically-tested for sensitive skin. 2 ounces of each product. Arrives in signature pink/blue packaging. Super Soft Lotion - Sweet almond oil and vitamins E and C moisturize leaving skin sweetly supple. Natural formula hydrates and protects delicate skin. Provides a protective layer of natural antioxidants that help shield skin from environmental elements. Extra Gentle Shampoo - Nutrient-rich milk protein nourishes and conditions hair. Provitamin B and vitamin E keep hair healthy and shiny. Tear-free formula gently cleans and hydrates. Extra-gentle surfactants (bubbling agents) enriched with natural moisturizers. Soothing Body Wash - Soothes tender skin with allantoin and nutrient-rich milk protein. Cleanses without stripping natural moisture. Soap-free formula re-balances skin's pH while provitamin B and vitamin E condition and moisturize. Can be poured directly into bath water for moisturizing soak. A perfect travel companion!

Check it all out at Noodle & Boo on Facebook, as well as Noddle & Boo on Twitter.

I received a product from Noodle & Boo in exchange for a review on my blog. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Use Your Words - 2012 Gift Guide

Use Your Words by Kate Hopper

About The Book:

Use Your Words introduces the art of creative nonfiction to women who want to give written expression to their lives as mothers. Written by award-winning teacher and writer, Kate Hopper, this book will help women find the heart of their writing, learn to use motherhood as a lens through which to write the world, and turn their motherhood stories into art. Each chapter of Use Your Words focuses on an element of craft and contains a lecture, a published essay, and writing exercises that will serve as jumping-off points for the readers’ own writing. Chapter topics include: the importance of using concrete details, an overview of creative nonfiction as a genre, character development, voice, humor, tense, and writing the “hard stuff,” reflection and back-story, structure, revision, and publishing. The content of each lecture is aligned with the essay/poem in that chapter to help readers more easily grasp the elements of craft being discussed. Together the chapters provide a unique opportunity for mother writers to learn and grow as writers. Use Your Words takes the approach that creative writing can be taught, and this underscores each chapter. When students learn to read like writers, to notice how a piece is put together, and to question the choices a writer makes, they begin to think like writers. When they learn to ground their writing in concrete, sensory details and begin to understand how to create believable characters and realistic dialogue, their own writing improves. Use Your Words reflects Kate’s style as a teacher, guiding the reader in a straightforward, nurturing, and passionate voice.

My Thoughts:

I generally don't like the "how-to" books. But this is different, and interesting to read. This is more like a close girlfriend guiding you along the way as you write your story as a mother. I loved reading this, and since before even reading this I had started my own "mom story", this helps me to go back and change things, add things, and just edit in a good way. I like the writing exercises in the book, it really gets the creative juices flowing!

About The Author:

Kate Hopper teaches writing online and at The Loft Literary Center in Minneapolis, where she lives with her husband and two daughters. Kate holds an MFA in creative writing from the University of Minnesota and has been the recipient of a Fulbright Scholarship, a Minnesota State Arts Board Grant, and a Sustainable Arts Grant. Her writing has appeared in a number of journals, including Brevity, Literary Mama, and The New York Times online. She teaches classes and leads retreats for mother writers, and is an editor at Literary Mama. For more information about Kate's writing and classes, visit www.katehopper.com.

Buy this book at Use Your Words on Amazon.

 
I received a complimentary review copy of this book from Cleis Press in exchange for a review on my blog. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

The Paula Deen Thanksgiving Giveaway

  

The event dates: 11/3 - 11/13 Open World Wide

Sponsored by: Mom Blog Society | Geeky Gamer Mom | Route 249 | Mom Does Reviews | My Vegan Gluten Free Life | Oh! My Heartsie | Carries Rambles | Dirty Truth Reviews | Giveaway Bandit | Lovez 2 Read | 

 Prizes:

Paula Deen Signature Stoneware 10-in. Covered Casserole:

This bakeware goes straight from the oven to the table

Paula Deen Cook Book

There's no holiday Paula Deen loves better than Christmas, when she opens her home to family and friends, and traditions old and new make the days merry and bright. Filled with Paula's trademark Southern charm and happy reminiscences of Yuletide seasons past, Christmas with Paula Deen is a collection of beloved holiday recipes and stories interspersed with cherished family photographs.

Paula Deen Cookwear

Professional Paula Deen Stainless Steel 10-Piece set with a fully encapsulated stainless steel disk for even heat distribution, dual riveted silicone comfort handles, tempered glass lids and durable nonstick coating for easy clean up. Aluminum skillets feature easy cleaning DuPont Teflon Select nonstick coating for long-lasting food release. Suitable for use on all stovetops including glass and induction.

Paula Deen Knife set

Get all the tools you need for down-home cooking with this 14-piece knife block set from Paula Deen, which includes 8-inch chef, 8-inch slicer, 8-inch bread, 6-inch utility, and 3-1/2-inch paring knives. It also includes a pair of kitchen shears, an 8-inch sharpening steel, and six 5-inch steak knives, all conveniently housed in a handsome hardwood block that's made from sustainable acacia wood.   For your chance to win, simply enter via the Rafflecopter below. GOOD LUCK!  

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30 Days of Friends *Giveaway*

 

30 Days of Friends: Trivia Challenge! Come back everyday to earn a different Friends character badge, unlock hidden badges, and earn awesome Friends content along the way.

Mashup Clip Countdown! Relive all your favorite Friends moments in these fun clips. Each week a new clip will be unlocked.

Which Friend Are You Most Like Quiz! Everybody loves the characters of Friends for their distinct and quirky personalities. Chandler’s wit, Monica’s OCD, and Phoebe with her free-spirit. Take this quiz to find out what Friends character you are most like!

Get Social! Tweet with the #FRIENDS hashtag to get excited for the long awaited release of Friends: The Complete Series Blu-Ray Box Set.

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November Concious Box *Giveaway*

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