This Giveaway is now closed.  Congratulations to Kate {comment #2} chosen via True Random Number Generator.

I love anything kitchen related from gadgets to utensils to decor to appliances.  Good quality kitchen tools are indispensable.   I was so excited to be chosen as part of OXO’s Blogger Outreach to receive the OXO Salad Spinner and not only did I get one to review myself but…….

I also have one, courtesy of OXO, to give away.  How exciting!

The OXO Salad Spinner was a joy to use.  The serving bowl is such a plus….no need to spin your salad and use a separate bowl for serving.  

You can  store any leftover salad in the salad basket in the bowl with the lid and it will keep fresh for several days in the refrigerator.  

 Pump release tab lock that when pushed to the right releases the pump and a brake button to stop the spinning process.

With a few pumps your salad is spinning ~ no need to crank ….just pump!

Now for your chance to win an OXO Salad Spinner of your very own {retail value $29.99}.

       {Mandatory}

Leave a comment on this post

{Leave an additional comment for any of the below}

Tweet about the giveaway

Sample tweet:  Enter to win an @OXO Salad Spinner at http://cupcakesandcrinoline.com/

Become a follower of this blog via RSS feed or linky followers ~ You can also let me know if you are already a follower.

Contest ends at 12:00 midnight EST Sunday, March 25th.  Winner will be chosen using the Random Number Generator and will be notified via email.  

hugs, mb 

Celebrate Cow Appreciation Day and get free food at Chick-fil-A.

Dress like a cow head to toe {hoof!} and get a free meal…..partial cow costumes get a free entree.  Little calves get free meals too if they are sporting a cow costume.

Use this link to download a free costume!

moo hugs, mb

{She looks a little ‘excited’ but I look the same way when I get a donut for free!}

National Donut Day is Friday, June 3rd, this year!!! Say woot and raise you hands for a free donut.

Dunkin’ Donuts ~ buy a beverage get your choice of donut free.

Krispy Kreme ~ Any donut is free and NO purchase is necessary.

sticky hugs, mb

I live a life of constant, yes, CONSTANT organizational stress…..I try so hard to be organized….I sort, toss, fold, buy storage bins, make lists, color code folders, take pictures of items for insurance and storage purposes…yes, yes, yes…all to NO AVAIL….I am an organizational disaster….but…I now have hope….I received Pretty Neat: The Buttoned-Up Way to Get Organized and Let Go of Perfection to review and it has truly been a great source of help.

Chapters Include

Chapter 1:  Establish a New Standard

Chapter 2:  Zero in on Your Priorities

Chapter 3:  Delegate Like a Master {*I sense fear in my family!}

Chapter 4:  Learn to Just Say No {*I really needed this chapter ~ I say yes to just about everything}

Chapter 5:  Eliminate Excuses

Chapter 6:  Take Charge of Your To-Do List

Chapter 7:  Wrangle Those Family Schedules {*I was just getting the hang of drying laundry by hanging it out the window of a moving truck}

Chapter 8:  Clear the Clutter at Home {*note to self ~ cancel call to Hoarders Anonymous}

Chapter 9:  Temper Those Toy Tsunamis {*5-year-old gripping toys tightly…must wait until he is sound asleep for this one}

Chapter 10:  Clear the Clutter at Work

Chapter 11:  Tame Your Inboxes {*is 14,000 unread emails an indication that I needed this chapter?}

Chapter 12:  Master Home-Cooked Meal (Really!) – {I loved this chapter : ) }

Some of the chapters also include: Pretty Neat Wisdom, A Pretty Neat Tip, A Pretty Neat Exercise, A Pretty Neat Interview, and a Chapter Wrap-Up….all bite size manageable helpers for your journey.

Pretty Neat is a really great book and I highly recommend it…I am so excited to put the authors {Alicia Rockmore & Sarah Welch’s} tips into practice.

GIVEAWAY

Now for the exciting part….You can enter for a chance to win a copy of Pretty Neat simply by leaving a comment telling me your biggest organizational problem. You can get an extra entry by tweeting about the giveaway or posting it on Facebook…just come back and leave another comment with the link and let me know.  The Giveaway ends March 21st and the winner will be chosen via True Random Number Generator.

organized less stressed out hugs, mb

** the winner of the givewaway was commentor #5.

Thanks so much to all for entering.  : )

*comments are now closed for this post

SWAGG is a free mobile app (download here) that lets you shop smarter using your mobile phone. Buy, send or swap SWAGG GIFTS and organize your old school plastic gift cards.

For every download of the app between now and Dec. 31, 2010, SWAGG will donate $1 to Stand Up To Cancer (SU2C) , up to $125,000.

Clever Girls Collective and SWAGG are sending a pair of movie fans to the Sundance Film Festival! Download the SWAGG app and then visit the Ultimate SWAGG Getaway Sweepstakes site to enter to win a trip for two to the Sundance Film Festival. Entry deadline is January 3, 2011, 11:59pm, PST.

I thought long and hard about the best gift I ever gave…..in thinking… I thought about the gift{s} I remembered, the gift{s) I most appreciated and the best gift{s} I ever received and the gifts were not material things…things that could be bought or made…the gifts were gifts of love…gifts of time and the gift of “knowing” someone….

When my oldest son was only 2, his first real fun Christmas, I was busy planning…a party, gifts, perfect decorations and all of the ‘things’ that come to mind especially at this time of year.  The night of my big party my mother was doing a favor for me….being the good mother that she was…..when I got a call.  There had been an accident and my mother did not survive.  That moment still plays through my mind and tears flow almost as easily now as they did then….but… I am so deeply aware that the best gift one can give is themselves.  I knew my mother loved me…she gave me time…she gave of herself….she gave until the very end …and so her gift continues on in the love I give to my children…the stories I tell them about her…. the life that goes on through them and hopefully someday to their children…her time, her life, her SELF, was the gift that taught me what truly is important in this time we have here.

thoughtful hugs, mb

Learn more about the coolest new app that revolutionizes the whole shopping, gifting, and gift card-organizing experience and Download the SWAGG app to your iPhone or Droid. I was selected for this sponsorship by Clever Girls Collective , which endorses Blog With Integrity.

Mama’s Holiday Wish List Meme

TodaysMama and GameStop are giving away a sleighful of gifts this holiday season and to enter I’m sharing this meme with you.

1. What is your holiday wish for your family?

My wish is for us to continue to grow in love for the Lord and love and respect for each other…for closeness and for health and true happiness.

2. What is your Christmas morning tradition?

I get ready for Christmas morning the night before getting the coffee ready, a breakfast casserole premade to pop in the oven when we wake up, getting the cameras ready to take pictures and then waiting for the littlest one in the family to wake everyone up for present time ~ usually while it is still DARK outside.  : )

3. If you could ask Santa for one, completely decadent wish for yourself, what would it be?

New kitchen appliances and a new kitchen floor {more than one gift….a gift bundle of sorts!}.

4. How do you make the holidays special without spending any money?

I like to read to the kids Christmas stories about the reason we celebrate Christmas and tell them stories about giving and then find at least one way to give without expecting anything in return..such as paying it forward.  I also like to share stories with them about my parents since my two youngest children never met either of them.

5. What games did you play with your family growing up?

We played monopoly and scrabble with Holiday game-playing marathons being a yearly tradition.

6. What holiday tradition have you carried on from your own childhood?

The kids have to wait until Christmas morning to open their gifts and we have a big family dinner on Christmas day.

7. Where would you go for a Christmas away-from-home trip?

We would go to Disney since none of the kids have been there and neither has my husband.

8. Check out GameStop and tell us, what are the three top items on your GameStop Wish List this year?

X-Box Kinect, a PS3 Controller and Black Ops for the DS

hugs, mb

Thanks to Scotch(R) Double Sided Tape for sponsoring my writing about crafts. Add your comment below to be entered for a chance to win free sample rolls to help with your upcoming holiday needs.

This is a double duty post….a few easy kind friendly Christmas Crafts using Scotch (R) Double Sided Tape and a GIVE AWAY ~ that’s right ~ 10 winners will each receive one roll of Scotch (R) Double Sided Tape…just leave a comment below to qualify.  The giveaway ends Saturday, December 4th.

First up ~ A Christmas Wreath

I love this…no glue goo, no mess and a few handy supplies:

paper plates

green construction paper

red pom poms or red construction paper

Christmas foam shapes

Scotch (R) Double Sided Tape

1.  Cut the center out of the paper plate.

2.  Draw holly leaf shapes on a sheet of green construction paper or freehand cut the leaves out.

3.  Using the double side tape, place a small piece of tape on the back of the leaves and layer along the white rim of the plate slightly overlapping the leaves so that as little of the plate shows as possible.

4.  Add embellishments, pom poms, foam shape, etc. using the double sided tape as well.

5.  Add a ribbon typing in a bow.  I held the bow in place using a small piece of tape under each side.

Second Up ~ Hands and Foot Reindeer

Supplies:

1 sheet of brown construction paper

1 sheet of tan construction paper

2 jiggly eyes

1 red pom pom

Scotch (R) Double Sided Tape

1.  Trace a child’s foot (with sock on) on sheet of brown construction paper and cut out ~ this is the reindeer’s head.

2.  Trace each of your child’s hands on the tan paper (antlers!).

3.  Tape the hand prints to the backside of the head.

4.   Tape on the jiggly eyes.

5.  Tape on the red pom pom nose.

Write the child’s name and date on the back.  You can add a ribbon or a hook to hand the reindeer on your Christmas tree.

Please learn more about Scotch(R) Double Sided Tape and other Scotch(R) Products, and join the conversation on the Scotch(R) Brand Facebook Page and via Twitter. I was selected for this sponsorship by the Clever Girls Collective, which endorses Blog With Integrity, as I do.

crafty hugs, mb

This is my first giveaway and I am so excited!

This is what you could win ~

Cupcake Stand – holds 24 cupcakes

Cupcake Kit {matches the cupcake stand} – includes 24 cups and 24 pics

Pumpkin Party Pix – 12

Treat Boxes {3} with 1 sticker sheet

How to Enter – 1 entry for each of the below:

1.  Leave a comment {I love comments!}.

2.  Tweet about the giveaway {come back and leave a comment letting me know you did with a link to your tweet}.

3.  Subscribe to Cupcakes and Crinoline and leave a comment to let me know!  {If you already subscribe, leave a comment telling me}.

Giveaway ends 10/24/10 at 11:59 p.m. EST ~ Winner will be chosen by/with random.org and announced on Monday, 10/25/10.

giveaway hugs, mb

I have been backed up with work for the last few days but I wanted to pass along some great giveaways.

The giveaways below are also listed under my “Giveaways and What Not” tab but in case you don’t visit there, I have posted them  here for you!

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Alice at Golden Moments is featuring giveaways from one of her favorite manufacturers, Karen Foster Design and you have until January 29th to enter.  You can see the entire schedule and details at Golden Moments.

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Amanda at Mom of Faith has some wonderful giveaways.  One is for Slimpressions….a great way to look tight, tight, tight…and still breath.  I am trying to deny the need for one of these Slimpressions but sucking my stomach in while typing this is just making me dizzy and bluish so head on over to Mom of Faith’s blog for this giveaway.  p.s.  The Slimpressions motto is Reconfigure your Figure…I like that!  You have until January 28th at 9 p.m. to enter.  Amanda also has another giveaway for Passpack...what is a PassPack you may ask…well, it is a password keeper for all of your internet passwords.  I may have to try this as the Sharpie tattoos on my arms and hands are getting a little out of control.  This giveaway ends January 31st at 9 p.m.

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I found one!  Since Christmas, it is a little harder to find giveaways but this one is a doozy!  Keurig is giving away a Platinum Brewing System at the Secret is in the Sauce.  The retail value of the brewing system alone is $199.99 and as a bonus, Tiffany and Heather will be throwing in $50.00 towards K-cups.  The Keurig Brewing System makes coffee, tea and hot chocolate.  What a wonderful giveaway!!!!

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Linda at Short Pump Preppy is having a giveaway….lots of cool stuff going on over there…be sure to stop by for details.♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥

Amy at Living Locurto has some wonderful free downloads {Thank You Cards, Day of the Week Clothes Tags, computer time coupons and more}.  She also has a really great site for creative ideas.

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warm hugs, mb.

Two posts in one day…woo hooo…could it mean that I am avoiding work?  Yes, it does….so this is just a sampling of some free downlaods, cool stuff and give-aways ?I always hesitate about the hyphen, should it be there….should it not be there?!??  I have a newer link at the top of my site for give-aways {see the hyphen?} and free downloads…I also posted a cool site I found today supporting the handmade revolution {of course I do believe before the assembly line almost everything was handmade–I talk to myself a LOT}.  Be sure to check back often as I will be updating that page when I come across new info.  If you would like your give-away listed, please just let me know and I will be happy to include it–we are all in this together so support is important and I would like to show mine to those of you out there working so hard at what you {hopefully} love. 

A few give-aways:

Paper Craft Gourmet {Book—I love books} http://lilybeanpaperie.typepad.com/lilybeans_paperie/2008/10/once-upon-the-milky-way-and-a-delicious-giveaway.html?cid=137156297#comments

Give-away for a momAgenda {very nice planner for those of you who like to organize}  http://thedirtytshirt.com/?p=315

I love clip art and when it’s free and of good quality well that is just the icing on the cake so here are a few I have found so far:

http://www.thevintagemoth.blogspot.com/

http://antiqueclipart.com/

http://vintageholidaycrafts.com/

And last but not list a cool way to sample a specific retailer of handmade items ”stuff” at a very reasonable price {those with etsy shops, web sites, blogs, etc.}

http://www.thelittleblackboxes.com/

hugs, mb