Giveaway: $150 to JollyChic.com - awesome fashion items!

Today I have the enormous pleasure of sharing with you this awesome giveaway sponsored by JollyChic.com - an online fashion outlet with an AMAZING selection of fabulous clothes, bags, shoes and fashion accessories! 

JollyChic.com is giving away $150 worth of products from their website to one lucky reader! 

Here are a few of my absolute favorites from their store: 

Honestly, their prices are amazing and I am seriously blown away by how much of this awesomeness $150 can get you!

Giveaway:

RULES:

All you need to do is go to JollyChic.com and register as a user (it's FREE and EASY) and then you enter the rafflecopter with the name and email you registered under.

When the winner is picked, the $150 will be added to your JollyChic.com account and you can order whatever you want - shipping is FREE WORLDWIDE!

There are some extra entries so go ahead and knock yourself out, I think it's totally worth it!! :D Good luck!

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Bookish Holiday Gift Guide + Kindle Fire HDX 7'' Giveaway (or $200 Cash)

Wondering what to get your Bookish friends for Christmas this year?! Well, wonder no more! We are here to help you out with out Bookish Holiday Gift Guide! 

Here are some awesomely Bookish ideas for you to consider! And when you're done shopping around and making sure all your Bookish friends are perfectly satisfied with their presents this year, make sure to scroll down and enter the mega awesome Kindle Fire HDX Giveaway (that can also me substituted for $200 Cash via PayPal!). How cool is that?! I know what you're thinking.. VERY COOL! :) 

Gift Ideas

1) How about some Bookish-inspired jewelry?? 

First we have a dictionary Pendant With the word READ ($24)
Second is Book Page Flower Ring ($29)
"There's No Mistaking a Real Book, It's Like Falling In Love" Pendant ($9)
Austen Novel Pendant ($16)
Alice and Cheshire Cat Earrings (£25.00)

2) Book Bags & Totes (you can never have too many of those, right?!)

I Like Big Books and I Cannot Lie Tote (the one on the right side - $47)
I Like Big Books and I Cannot Lie Tote (the one on the left - £12)
Kate Spade Great Gatsby Tote Bag ($15)

3) Book Mugs (cause book lovers love to curl up with a mug of hot choco or coffee while they read)

I Like Big Books Mug (Pink Typography - £20.95)
I Like Big Books Mug Black&White (£10.95)
Books! I Need More Books! (£18.95)
She Is Too Fond Of Books ($13.99)

4) T-Shirts (cause we all gotta wear something, eh? Even if we're just moping around with a book..)

I Read Past My Bedtime ($27.99)
Mr. Darcy Proposal Shirt ($24)

5) E-Reader Covers 

Now I could link up to the ones pictured on the banner here, but it wouldn't help anyone much, right? Every one has a different e-reader and there TONS of different e-reader sleeves and covers to choose from! I suggest you either look them up on Etsy or Pinterest - you are bound to find something wicked awesome! :)

6) Other Stuff

Clip-on Reading Lamp - again, tons to choose from! Just browse around! Amazon seems to have some really great deals on those, but you can also find them at any B&N, Chapters or your local bookstore!
Book Clock ($17.49)
Newspaper Heels (Sadly, the hot pink pair featured on the banner can only be bought on eBay these days, but if you're lucky you can score a good deal!)
I Like Big Books Phone Cover ($49.99)
Book Junkie Pillow ($28)
SO Many Books So Little Time watch ($9.25)
Jane Eyre Scarf ($42)
Sticky / Post-It Notes for marking quotes (Amazon has an amazing variety of those as well, and they're usually quite affordable - from $2.00 to about $6.00)

What do you guys think? Which of these gifts would you buy for your friends? Or maybe which of them would you like to get yourself??? Let me know in the comments! :)

Giveaway:

Please note: This is a sponsored giveaway, I am not responsible for the prize fulfilment, or items lost or damaged in the mail. 

Giveaway is open to INTERNATIONAL entrants (if the Amazon Kindle Fire HDX can not be shipped to your country, you will receive $200 Cash via PayPal or Gift Card)

Ends: December 24th 

Enter via Rafflecopter below!

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The Christmas Spectacular Blog Hop & Giveaway: My Earliest Memory of Christmas

Hello lovelies! :)

Today I'm taking part in the Christmas Spectacular hosted by the lovely ladies at One Chocolate Box, Simple Moments Stick, The Spot Where The Lemon Rain Drops and Hello, Sweetie!

 The theme for day one of the hop is: My Earliest Memory of Christmas.

Now, I have plenty of Christmas-related childhood memories, as it was always such a magical and special time at our house. My grand-grandma would come spend Christmas with us, and she would bring chocolate and pineapple with her.. Now, I know what you're thinking... what's so special about a pineapple? Well, you should know that I grew up in a post-communist Poland, and getting a pineapple at that time (or any other kind of fruit, really) was a HUGE and borderline impossible thing. 

When my grand-grandma would bring that *holy* pineapple with her, we would put it up on the shelf in the living room about a week before Christmas, and it would stay there until the Christmas Day, when it would finally be consumed. Hahah, it sounds so silly when I think about it now, but it was really quite a special thing for all of us. Can you imagine? Waiting the entire year just to get a taste of that juicy (not-really!), magical (bah!) pineapple!? Now that I think about it.. I don't even like pineapples all that much! 

My mom, grandma & I. I think I was about 6 months old here :)

But the memory that is the most vivid in my memory is.. being chased by our ginormous Christmas Tree :) Yup, you got that right!

See, during Christmas time - after we'd decorate the Christmas Tree (and that would happen about a week before Christmas Day) - I would make it my mission to get up as early as possible to steal some candies from our beautiful Christmas Tree. I would sneak up to the tree and try to grab at least one chocolate piece... at least one candy cane... And yes, I felt like some sort of Christmas Tree Ninja! 

At least until my brilliantly sneaky (or so I thought) plan backfired on me :) That day, my mom decided to get up early, too, and she sneaked up on me trying to reach a chocolate piece that was hanging just out of my reach. I was stretching, trying hard to grab that piece of chocolate and just when I touched it, she entered the room, scaring the living soul out of me. That caused me to lose my balance and pull on the chocolate a bit too hard... Next thing I know the Christmas Tree is chasing me - threatening to fall right on top of me! I was fast enough to move out of the way of the poor, falling tree (barely!), but all the beautiful glass ornaments that my parents and grandparents were collecting for years got smashed to pieces. 

Now, when we think back to that day, we all laugh, but trust me when I say, at that time my family was not very happy with my 5-year-old-Ninja-self. If the presents for me haven't already been bought, wrapped and placed under the tree, I doubt I'd get anything from Santa that year! :)

On the left: Santa Party at my Elementary School (if you're thinking that Santa looks creepy, you're damn right!).
On the right: Me getting ready to play in the snow! 

Now, for the fun part...

Giveaway:

What's your earliest memory of Christmas?!
Leave a comment sharing your Christmas memory with me, and enter to WIN a book of choice from Book Depository or $15 Paypal Cash - your choice!
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And be sure to check out the Christmas Spectacular Blog Hop! It's so much fun!

Michael Todd True Organics - 3 products of choice Giveaway (US)

Today I have the enormous pleasure of sharing with you this exciting giveaway of some of Micheal Todd True Organics products!

If you're into Health and Beauty products, you're probably just as obsessed with finding products that are good for your skin as I am. And by good, I mean organic, gluten free and nutritious! Michael Todd's beauty products are AMAZING! They don't contain any harsh chemicals, they're organically based and proven to be highly effective - I mean, just take a look at the rave reviews! I am so happy to have discovered this brand and can't wait to try more of their products.

Today, you can be the lucky one to try 3 (yes, THREE) products of YOUR CHOICE from Michael Todd True Organics!

Here are some of the products to take into consideration, though you are welcome to pick any other three products from their website!

Peppermint Body Bar Soap: $7.00

Forget your morning coffee! Organic peppermint leaf and menthol combine with soothing essential oils in this 85% organic bar soap. A refreshing and invigorating wake me up and great way to start the morning.A beautiful bar that lathers and smells great; a delight for all your senses. Once you've tried our soap, you will never go back to plain old soap again. I'm just sayin'. For all skin types.

Check it out on the website: CLICK

Organic Pearl and Silk Mask: $34.00

Extra-gentle skin treatment that hydrates and firms as it exfoliates using the power of Herbal Pearl and Silk Amino Acids to purify and give the skin a very soft and velvety feel. Mild action and the presence of natural soothing agents reduce irritation and inflammation associated with sensitive skin. Exfoliates, moisturizes and firms, improves elasticity and pliability of the skin, unclogs pores allowing skin to breathe and facilitates movement of skin oils. Turns lackluster looking skin into healthier younger looking skin.

Directions: After cleansing, apply an even layer over face and neck. Avoid eye area. Leave on for 10-15 minutes and rinse. Follow with toner and moisturizer. May be used 2 or 3 times a week.

Who It’s For: Normal to dry skin. Especially recommended for mature and sensitive skin.

Check it out on the website: CLICK 

Skin Defender Cleanser: $22.00

Skin Defender cleans gently yet thoroughly then rinses without residue leaving skin feeling clean, soft and smooth. Blended with Alpha Hydroxy Acid to improve the appearance of fine lines, blotches and discoloration and Organic Green Tea and Citrus Extracts of Lemons and Oranges to help fight environmental stressors. Skin is more vibrant, even-toned and radiant looking. Prepares the skin for serums and moisturizer.

Directions: Wet face and hands with warm water. Apply cleanser onto hands and gently massage onto damp face in upward, circular motions. Rinse thoroughly.

Who It’s For: Normal to dry, mature and combination skin.

 Check it out on the website: CLICK

Tropical Fruit Scrub: $18.00

Naturally fruity refreshing skin treatment that uses the power of Papaya and Pineapple Enzymes as a mild non-irritating exfoliant to remove dead skin, impurities and toxins without irritation caused by scrubbing. Exfoliates, moisturizes and firms, improves elasticity and pliability of the skin, unclogs pores allowing skin to breathe and facilitates movement of skin oils.

All skin types. 100 ml / 3.4 fl oz

 Check it out on the website: CLICK

Giveaway:

1 lucky reader limited to the 50 United States has the chance to win three products from Michael Todd True Organics.

The winner will be contacted by me as soon as the giveaway ends (December 20th).
Please note: I am not responsible for prize fulfillment or items lost or damaged in the mail.


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 Disclaimer: This is a sponsored post from 4sponsor.com with my unbised thoughts.

Sammy Dress Huge Giveaway - International!

Hey guys! :)

Today we have something very special for you - and right in time for Christmas Shopping! We have the pleasure of hosting an awesome International giveaway for SammyDress.com!

Sammy Dress is an online fashion store that offers a huge selection of beautiful, girly and vintagy products from clothin to jewellery, bags, shoes and more! And yes, they even have some gorgeous stuff for your boyfriends and husbands there, too!

The giveaway will run for 30 days and you can win any item from the store - your choice, but up to $20. Or you can opt out for a $20 Gift Card and get more than just one thing! Shipping covered! And the best part? Seeing how fantastically affordable all their items are, I'm sure you can find many great things for yourself! :)

Before we move on to the giveaway, though, I'd like to show you some of my personal favorites from the store!

If you click on the pictures, you'll be taken to the store and you can take a closer look at all the shinies and pretties :) And I know what you're thining... $20 isn't going to get you any of these... WRONG! These are all less than $20 each!!! I kid you not! 

Let's talk handbags and totes.. ;)

SammyDress.com has some of the cutest, most gorgeous bags ever! And most of them are less than $10 each, which means you can totally get one for yourself and one for your friend! How awesome is that?! Take a look at these pretties!

And last, but not least, some truly fabulous jewellery/accessory pieces :) These are all SUPER affordable, so you could seriously get a ton and look super fab! :) Make sure to browse the website for your own favorite pieces, they have SOOOO MUCH to offer! :)

Giveaway:

This is an INTERNATIONAL GIVEAWAY
ends: December 26th

You will be emailed by me (Evie) if you win and you'll let me know which items (up to $20) you'd like to get! Please note: I am not responsible for items lost or damaged in the mail!

RULES:
1. Follow our blog: http: www.sammydressblog.blogspot.com
2. Like our facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SammydressPromotion
3. Browse www.sammydress.com and tell us your favorite products’ links in your comment.

+ Extra entries!

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Darien Lakes State Park, Buffalo NY - Small yet surprisingly pleasant!

This Sunday we decided to explore our area a bit. We wanted to find a dog-friendly park around Williamsville, NY, that would make for a nice hiking / relaxing spot :) And we scored!!! 

Darien Lakes State Park is a really small but cozy park that - in addition to some hiking and horseback riding trails - has a large campground, nice little lake (with a beach!) and really well-maintained picnic area. 

We will definitely be coming back here in the Summer time for a short camping trip with Wilson and Victoria :)  

The terrain of Darien Lakes State Park is described as "hilly with woodlands, ravines, streams and 12-acre Harlow Lake". 

I am not sure about the hilly part, as it is mostly flat, but it might be just my skewed perspective (having lived in Vancouver, Canada for three years, I am used to REAL mountains and hills). 

It's definitely green and beautiful, though. The lake is very picturesque with a small island connected by a bridge. 

The campground is equipped with electricity. There are also heated comfort stations with showers and flush toilets (you can't appreciate these enough until you spend some time in Candian Rockies, where many of the toilets are just a step above a hole in the ground). 

In Winter, many of the trails are open for hiking, cross-country skiing and snowmobiling - fun!

While pets are welcome, there are some restrictions.

As specified on the Darien Lakes State Park website: "Household pets only; caged or on a leash not more than 6 feet. Proof of rabies inoculation. Not allowed in bathing areas, cabins or Darien Lakes day-use area. For campers, if your site allows pets, there is a two-pet maximum."

For more information visit Darien Lakes State Park website!

Bottom line is: We had fun looking around the Darien Lakes park, Wilson enjoyed the walk and we found a new great spot for family picnics and Summer weekends! :)

Product Review: The Snugg White PC Case with real Bamboo rear (iPhone5)

Product Review: The Snugg White PC Case with real Bamboo rear, for the iPhone 5

Description from TheSnugg.com:

- Snugg logo pressed into the rear corner.

- Adds little weight to your iPhone 5.

- Tailored to fit around cameras, buttons and switches.

Our alternative to our regular iPhone 5 PC Ultra Thin Cases. This quirky case has a full back created from real bamboo, while still retaining the great attributes of the hard PC case. These include resilience against scratches, bumps and scrapes. It protects the delicate corners and edges of your iPhone.

This white variation of our case is easy to clip onto your iPhone 5, providing an ultra slim, light weight second skin with tailored cut-outs. iPhone 5 ports, cameras, buttons and speakers are all easy to access with our Guaranteed Snugg Fit.

Our logo is pressed into the rear of the bamboo and really adds a different finish and feel to the case. Bamboo was selected because of its distinctive look and the hugely sustainable nature it offers as a material.

My Thoughts:

 Compared to other bamboo cases that I have used, The Snugg case feels slimmer and lighter in my hand and because the bamboo part is one solid piece unlike other ones that have a round hole or a seam, the case is better adapted to my hand and much more comfortable. Also the thin bamboo mimics the texture of the original aluminum back very well; I sometimes forget that I have a case on my phone.

   As much as I like the feel of wood, most cases that are made entirely from bamboo make the phone look like a furniture or an old radio. But Snugg struck right balance between organic feel and its looks with black polycarbonate finishing around the bamboo plate. The black carbonate does not feel plasticy at all and matte finish looks much better than in picture. It also complements the real bamboo part seamlessly, covering all four corners and slightly raised on its sides for protection.

    The case is available in black and white, but even the black case looks great on my white iPhone, and I can only imagine how well it will match a black one. 

    Overall, The Snugg White PC Case with real Bamboo rear for iPhone 5 is a fantastic product. Having used Bamboo Cases before, I can say that this is by far my favorite case. It's light, chic and offers a really good protection for your device. I'd definitely recommend it to all my friends and blog followers. If you're looking for a reasonably priced, quality product, The Snugg is the company for you. 

   

Snugg Amazon Kindle Fire HD 7in Case Cover and Flip Stand in Black Leather- click on the image to go to the site!

 And the best part? They also offer a variety of other products, in different styles, colors and made from different materials (leather, silicone, bamboo, etc..) for devices such as Kindle or Nook readers, iPads and dozens more! Be sure to check them out and don't think twice before giving it a try! You won't regret!

Snugg Nook Case and Flip Stand -click on the image to visit the site!

Where to find: 

The Snugg.com | Snugg Products on Amazon

Disclaimer:  I have received a complimentary product sample for this review. The review was written by my husband, Jaesung (the primary iPhone5 user). All views and opinions are his and truthful.

Kobo Aura - Review & Giveaway

I have recently received the newest addition to the Kobo e-readers family - the Kobo Aura -  and, guys, let me just tell you that this is one of the best e-readers I've had the pleasure of reading on! I used to be a Kindle kind of gal, and while Kindle has some awesome features that Kobo does not *yet?* have, one thing that I didn't like was how unreliable all my Kindles turned out to be. Those of you Kindle users out there probably know what I'm talking about - frozen screens while trying to highlight a quote and eventual deaths by getting stuck on a random screensaver. 

Kobo does not have these issues, or at least they are not as common as what you'd get with a Kindle. Personally, I have never experienced a frozen screen or a sudden black-out. I highlighted and shared plenty of quotes, spent hours reading, browsing online and playing around with different settings - and nothing weird or unexpected happened. I found both Kobo Aura and Kobo Aura HD to be extremely reliable. 

Kobo Aura is small, compact and very light. It fits comfortably in your hand and you can spend hours reading on it without getting a cramp in your hand :) 

I love the design! Quite honestly, I have never seen a smaller, more chic e-reader. 

Kobo Aura sports something called ClarityScreen, has little to no glare and a great 6” high res Pearl E Ink screen for a print on paper reading experience even in direct sunlight. For night reading, the adjustable light works perfectly. I keep my brightness at about 25% and find it very easy on my eyes. Most importantly, thanks to the great resolution and fantastic E Ink screen, I can go on reading for hours and I don't get tired (as opposed to reading on iPad or Kindle Fire). 

Another thing about the screen is its responsiveness to the touch. I swear I had a few instances when my hair would touch the screen and the page would turn. Kobo Aura is extremely sensitive and responsive, which also makes other things like highlighting or taking notes easy. 

Customizable fonts and sizes, line spacings, margins and justification - all that allows you to improve your reading experience. Highlighting a single word automatically pops up its meaning in dictionary. You can highlight, make notes and *dog ear* pages. You can also share highlighted quotes on Facebook, which I think is a great idea, though due to publisher regulations there is a limit to the length of the quote you can post. If your quote is a longer one, it will be cut off at some point and only part of it will appear in your Facebook status. Still, nice and useful feature, that I hope will be improved in the future. 

As far as getting files onto your Kobo is concerned, I find myself wishing for a better solution. So far, we have only three options: 1) purchase the book in Kobo's ebook store and have it delivered to your e-reader wirelessly, 2) connect your e-reader to your computer via cable and move the book through Adobe Digital Editions (for drm files from NetGalley, Edelweiss or your local library), or 3) connect your e-reader to your computer via cable and simply drag-n-drop your epub file onto the storage disk of your Kobo. 

For bloggers who get lots of review copies in their mailboxes or simply get them via NetGalley or Edelweiss non of these options are good. I often find myself wishing for Kobo to come up with a system similar to what Kindle offers - i.e., using email to send books wirelessly onto e-readers via some sort of *cloud* service. Admittedly, this is my main and only issue with Kobo Aura so far.

Kobo Aura is quite the cool cat among e-readers. Kobo came up with some really awesome and fun features to make our reading experience even more enjoyable. Not only do we have book stats, where we can track our progress with a particular book or see how many books we've read so far, how many pages we've turned or even how long it took us on average to read one page, but we also get awards. YES, we get cool and quirky awards for many things - from reading way into wee hours, to reading during breakfast or dinner. It's a cute, experience-enhancing addition that I really enjoy :) 

Kobo Aura is full of features. It allows you to categorize your books and put them in different folders. You can create reading lists and wishlists. You can take a look at books recommended for you based on what you've already read. You can download previews and easily access Kobo store.

A new and interesting feature that Kobo Aura now offers, is something called POCKET. An app that allows you to save an article found online (whether while browsing on Kobo, on your computer or on your phone - it's all synchronized), and access it on your e-reader. It's especially useful if, like me, you read blogs, websites, news etc. 

Overall, I love my new Kobo Aura. If only there was an easier way of getting my books onto it, I would be 100% satisfied with it. Still, it's a great, affordable e-reader that I highly recommend. You will LOVE the E Ink screen and the many unique features for sure!

WHERE TO GET: Kobo Aura

Giveaway:

Are you in need of a new awesome e-reader?!

It's your lucky day! You can win one here!  

OPEN TO: US/Canada/International

ENDS: November 15th

Enter via Rafflecopter below

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