Wednesday, April 30, 2014

Wordless Wednesday

            Ok, so I know it's been over a week since Easter, but here are some of my favorite pictures we took of Myka over Easter weekend!

Some of the faces she makes crack me up! My husband says that's her "Oh my God! You got me a pony!" face. lol
Oh, and that's not dirt on her face in the right one. She had a fight with the windowsill again a couple of weeks ago. :/

At Garvan Gardens. Don't you love those tulips?! And again with the faces. lol <3

Borrowed Planet Cloth Diaper Giveaway


Welcome to the Borrowed Planet Cloth Diaper Giveaway sponsored by Borrowed Planet Cloth Diapers and Accessories and hosted by Not Quite Crunchy Mommy!

Borrowed Planet's diaper aren't just cute, they have great features like a charcoal/bamboo inner and double gussets. You can read all about them at Not Quite Crunchy Mommy's full review. They also offer a wide selection of teething necklaces for your baby to chew on.

I've not had the chance to try one of these diapers out personally, but I have heard many good things about charcoal inserts etc. being used in cloth diapers. Good luck to all my readers! :)-MBM

One lucky reader of Not Quite Crunchy Mommy and Mixed Bag Mama will win one (1) cloth diaper courtesy of Borrowed Planet. To enter for your chance to win the Borrowed Planet cloth diaper Giveaway, simply use the following Rafflecopter form. Good luck!


 
The Borrowed Planet cloth diaper Giveaway is open to US and Canada resident 18+. The giveaway will end as 12:00am on May 14, 2014. One winner will be chosen at random via Rafflecopter. The winner will be sent an email and will have forty-eight hours to respond. If no response is received within forty-eight hours, another winner will be chosen. Not Quite Crunchy Mommy and Mixed Bag Mama are not responsible for prize fulfillment.

Tuesday, April 29, 2014

Undercover Mama Nursing Top Giveaway

undercover mama    
Tales From a Southern Mom recently had the opportunity to work with a fantastic company with a fantastic product- Undercover Mama. Undercover Mama makes a nursing shirt for nursing moms that is so versatile it blows most other nursing wear away.
They are giving away a fantastic nursing shirt for one of our readers! You can enter below for your chance to win.
Good Luck Everyone!
TFASM Giveaway Disclosure

Monday, April 28, 2014

Weight Loss Goals: Here We Go Again



            Hey folks! It's time for another one of "those" posts. I know. I can hear you groaning already. If you've been around for awhile, you'll know this isn't the first (or even second) time I have brought up wanting to lose weight, planning on it, trying to get motivated to do so, blah blah blah. This time is different, though, I swear. (Please tell me I'm not the only one who has said this, even to just yourself, about a million times.) For the sake of argument, though, why do I think this time will be different?
            For starters, the weather is nice more regularly now. I'm the type of person who doesn't enjoy doing a routine workout for a workout. I loathe gyms. I view the gym atmosphere as other people being able to see me sweat my fatass off and make a general ass of myself, not finding support in others like some people view it. Sorry. Just being honest. I'm the outdoorsy type. I like to do stuff I enjoy that doesn't feel like a boring old workout routine: hiking, walks with my daughter in the stroller, jogging, swimming, etc. With that being said, I'm a lot more motivated to get out and do those things with nicer weather.
            Second, I already lost 5 pounds in the first week that I really started watching what I eat and getting out for walks more often. That's a really good motivator to want to stick with my current "plan". (Which is kind of half baked like a lot of my ideas. lol Whatever works.)
            So, what is my "plan"? It's not the greatest, considering we are getting better about making meals instead of eating a lot of boxed crap, but
1) I have a bagel with cream cheese or a "meal replacement shake" and a banana in the morning.
2) For lunch I usually have a SmartOnes frozen meal and snack a bit on "munchies". (Usually flavored veggie straws. Yum yum!)
3) For dinner it's kind of a free for all. I told myself I could have whatever I want within reason for dinner.
4) For snacks I'll usually have a meal replacement shake, fruit, FiberOne bar (or something along those lines), or graham crackers. I flipping LOVE graham crackers. I have a bad habit of eating too many. I might need graham cracker rehab. lol
5) Also, I drink lots and lots of water, although that's nothing new. I've recently become an avid tea drinker, which I think is a good way to help get rid of toxins too. 

            There you have it. To keep this post relatively short (for me, anyways ;) ), I'll talk more about what really kicked my butt in gear and some snags I've already hit in my next post. Thanks for stopping by! I'd love to hear if you have any weight loss goals for this year too!

Saturday, April 26, 2014

La Leche League Nursing Bra Giveaway

nursing bra
Co-Hosted by The IE Mommy
Julie at Tales From A Southern Mom recently reviewed the La Leche League Intimates Nursing bra from Nursing Bra Express. Nursing Bra Express is a great place not only to find great products for mom and baby, but they also offer great nursing resources. If you are nursing or know someone who is this is a great place to start.
You can read the full review here: Nursing Bra Express

Unfortunately, my nursing days were short-lived, but I can imagine that a quality, comfortable nursing bra can come in very handy for a nursing mom!...Especially if you want/need to return to work or need to go out and about to run errands. Good luck to all Mixed Bag Mama entrants!-MBM

Enter below and Good Luck!
TFASM Giveaway Disclosure
If you have any questions or would like to see your product featured on Tales From A Southern Mom please email Julie at julie.talesfromasouthernmom@gmail{dot}com.

Mixed Bag Mama was not compensated monetarily or otherwise for hosting this giveaway. MBM is also not responsible for prize shipment. This giveaway is in no way affiliated with any social media websites. 

Friday, April 25, 2014

Chicken Update - (Almost) Complete Coop

            Hey folks! I had originally thought about doing a "how to" on how we (again, by "we" I mean my husband ;)  ) built our chicken coop out of mostly scraps, but I'll spare you. It would be better for my husband to write it or help me with the post, but he's been working overtime so I'm not going to bother him! Plus, you can get plenty of ideas just from the pictures I'm going to share. :)
            We had planned on getting our chickens outdoors anyways when we got back from our trip to Oklahoma since we knew my in-laws were going to be staying with us the next week. Something tells me they probably wouldn't want to shower with a bunch of chickens running around flipping out. ha ha
            However, even though my in-laws decided to rent a cabin on the lake instead while they visit, the chickens still HAD to go outside asap when we got home from our trip. Why the urgency, you may ask? At least one of them had escaped while we were gone and, while my brother in-law did clean it up some, the bathroom was still an awful mess.
            So, John got on top of finishing the coop right away. Well, mostly. There are still a few minor things that need to be done to it, but I assure you they are perfectly fine in there and seem to be happy so far!

Here are a few different angles of the outside. We still plan on putting shingles of sorts on the outside to keep rain from coming in...although it has already rained several times in the few days they've been in there and they didn't seem to mind or have gotten wet.
The roof  and inside. I can't remember what the tape is called, but he used some sort of reflective tape on the roof. There is also a shower curtain underneath the tape for extra waterproofing. The inside is covered with hardware cloth.
 I threw this one in to show where the nesting boxes will be. Since the chickens won't start laying until roughly August/September, there's no need to have nesting boxes yet, so hubby just boarded that space over for now.
John did put bracing on the legs, in case there are any chicken aficianados out there thinking the coop looks unstable. (I promise it's not. I'll get to that in a minute.)
Here's a random assortment of pictures. We still need to put the little bars on their "plank", as I like to call it, so they can walk in and out of the coop easily instead of sliding down. (Although let's all admit: That is a funny mental image of a chicken sliding.)
The bottom left shows the lock that opens the whole front side of the coop. The right picture shows the latch for the small door on the front to allow the chickens to go in and out during the day. Their door is actually an old cabinet door that my husband replaced with glass for a co-worker.
Last, but not least, the ladies of the hour! ;) Again, while they may still only be several weeks old (I'm writing this on April 10), I think it's safe to say they are no longer chicks. 
You might be able to see it in the background, but we went old school with their roosting bar and used a branch from the yard. They're all scrambling to their freshly refilled waterer in the right picture because it was completely empty when I checked it this morning!
P.s. Look how big their feet are! They're like little raptors! lol

            There you have it. I wish I had the exact figures for you on how much we actually spent and how much we got for free to build this coop, but I don't. I do know that it was a lot more than we expected, despite most of the wood being free. We still had to buy the latches/locks, feeders, waterers, heat lamp (when they were indoors), feed, etc. I'm hoping once we are able to let them out of the coop in a week or two they will be able to get most of their food from foraging so we can cut back on feed cost.
            As of today (4/10), my husband tells me we should leave them in there for a week or so before letting them out so that they will "know where home is". While I feel bad making them stay in there, the purpose of this is so that they will (hopefully) go in here on their own accord in the evening, when we will lock them in for the night to keep predators from getting them. Our backyard is fenced, but we have some curious cats (including our own) who would have no problem climbing the fence...not to mention the possums and raccoons. Yuck. And we live in town! John keeps trying to reassure me that the cats are more likely to get messed up than the other way around. lol I don't want the cats to get messed up either, though. :/
            One last thing: I really do promise that our chicken coop is sturdier than it looks! Trust me: I realize that it's just about the ugliest looking chicken coop ever. However, as far as durability goes it's a lot better than you would think. My husband has built lots of wooden furniture in the past (coffee tables, large storage cabinets, end tables, etc.) and I assure you he knows what he's doing. Just throwing that out there in case anyone is worried about the safety and well-being of the chickens. :)

Threadz Purse Kit Giveaway

Welcome to the Threadz Purse Kit Giveaway!

Sponsored by: PlaSmart

Hosted by: Gloriously Green Gal & Savory Savings

#giveaway

 I used to love doing crafty things when I was a kid and still do! These kits look so great! I definitely agree with what Krista says below about combining useful, skill building activities with fun!

Learning skills and improving hand-eye coordination are two very good reasons that children should spend more time playing with kits like the Threadz purse kit from PlaSmart.  When children are actively making something that they will use, they become more engaged in the process and often times will better focus on the skill at hand.  All the better when that skill is cloaked in something fun!
 Krista over at Savory Savings had the chance to review the Threadz purse kit and shared her thoughts in this review - her daughter had fun learning how to weave a purse, improved her hand-eye coordination and in the end, loved her purse!  Krista loved that her daughter gained a new skill and had fun in the process!
How would you like to win a Threadz Purse Kit?  If you would like a chance to win, enter with the Giveaway Tool below.  If you have won a PlaSmart giveaway anytime from another blog in the last 12 months, you are not eligible to win this giveaway.  The giveaway will run from April 25, 2013 through May 2, 2014 at 11 PM CST and is open to US residents, ages 18 and older.  Entries will be verified.  Winner will be notified via email (consider adding gloriouslygreengal@gmail.com to your safe list) – winner will have 48 hours to respond and claim prize or another winner will be selected.
Good Luck!

Wednesday, April 23, 2014

Wordless Wednesday

            Hey folks! I don't do a Wordless Wednesday post very often, but I thought I would take the opportunity today to show off the limited edition Best Bottom Watermelon diaper in action!


Tuesday, April 22, 2014

5 Green Alternatives for Commonly Used Children’s Products-Guest Blog by John Rose of New Leaf Energy


            When you hear the amazing song “What a Wonderful World” by Louis Armstrong, you envision what it means to have a heart for the environment. You cherish streams and rivers, enjoy the beauty of a forest, and embrace the warmth of the Sun under a clear blue sky. We want to preserve the world for ourselves, and more importantly, we want to ensure that our children can also enjoy that beautiful world.
            Giving a better world to our children begins with what we do when they are too young to make their own contributions.  We recycle, we volunteer, we learn, and we grow, all the while making meaningful gestures on their behalf. But it’s not only about what we do outside of the home –what we do inside the home will help to give them an Earth they can call home. Making choices about green products is essential when being environmental stewards for our children.  Let’s take a look at some products and practices that bring “green” into our children’s lives.

Cloth Diapers
Every year around the world, billions of disposable diapers are used and then thrown away. When we think of the word “Away,” we use it in place of “somewhere else,” as a way to put our garbage out of sight and out of mind. The truth is that disposable diapers will be “away” for up to 500 years before they decompose. Disposable diapers are a legacy we will leave many generations, one which our children and grandchildren will have to live with. 

Long before the advent of disposable diapers, we used cloth. Cloth diapers come in many forms, sizes and styles. Each diaper can be used MANY times and despite what you many think, the process of washing them isn’t at all difficult. In addition to solving the problem of single-use disposal, the process of making and washing cloth diapers uses far fewer resources compared to the multitudes of disposable diapers used daily.

Take some advice from a parent who has used cloth diapers for his children: buy 1 or 2 from each brand you are interested in and figure out which ones you like best before committing to a full set. You can even rent selection packs to try before you buy.

Greener Toys
As parents, we tend to romance about the toys and cartoons of our youth, and with good reason. We had some great things back then! Unfortunately, our children don’t have the same experiences as we did. Beyond being a bit tacky, today’s plastic toys are petroleum-sourced and not all that rugged. Furthermore, some plastics contain chemicals, like BPA, that are otherwise not so desirable. 

As an alternative, many companies like Melissa & Doug make wooden toys, while others hearken back to a simpler time with metal toys that are built to last. Not only are wooden toys nostalgic, but if they are sustainably sourced, they are an environmental boon as they rely on renewable resources and help us to make our way into a less petroleum-reliant world. And when treated or painted with plant-based materials, we can feel more comfortable about our little ones putting them in their mouths. 

As for metal toys, it’s true that they might not be as “green” as some options. But look at it this way: if you choose recycled metal toys, you aren’t contributing to a mining operation, and since the toys are more durable, they are less likely to enter a landfill than their flimsy plastic counterparts.

For instance, I love watching my son play with my old yellow metal Tonka bulldozer – yes, the one that is over 30 years old and in fantastic condition. And not all plastic toys are ripe for disparaging comments. Green Toys makes plastic toys that are made from 100% recycled plastic and prominently promote recycling to our children.

Sure, it can be hard to get away from those noisy plastic monstrosities that keep our toddlers distracted while we are dealing with hot ovens and boiling water in the kitchen, but it’s actually easy and very rewarding to buck the current toy trends in favor of greener and more thoughtful options.

Organic Fabrics
Carpet, bed sheets, clothing, and curtains are things we don’t readily think about when we go green, but they are commonly contain formaldehyde, Teflon, and other chemicals that can have damaging effects on our body over time. While not all brands use these chemical baddies, they can be hard to avoid. When shopping for carpets, sheets, clothing, and other fabric products, do your homework. The Internet has many lists of brands that are not so conscientious about the chemicals they use. If you’re the more direct type of consumer, feel free to contact customer service. Better yet, seek out manufactures that use organic materials from the start. 

Second-Hand Clothing
Reduce, Reuse, & Recycle. It’s hard to find a better way to hit the Three R’s than to purchase second-hand children’s clothing. Any parent will tell you that it seems that children outgrow clothing almost as soon as you buy them. While it’s hard to pass up that little set of blue-green plaid dungarees with the matching newsboy cap, most of your child’s cloths are as utilitarian as they are cute.

To help reduce your impact on not only the environment, but also on possibly questionable overseas labor practices, consider buying your kids clothing second-hand.  From personal experience, we have saved boatloads of cash on kid’s clothes by hitting second hand stores, Craigslist, parent boards, and big resale events.  Best of all, what you don’t sell you can give to friends, charity, or sell to help pay for the next round of clothing (something that comes all too soon)!

Household Chemicals and Personal Care Products
By now, the market is over-saturated by products claiming to be all-natural and/or organic, but at the end of the day, there is truth behind the hype – if you know where to look. It’s no secret that what you put on your body will end up absorbed by your body. Just take a moment to read the list of ingredients in any major consumer personal care product and Google some of them. You’ll be surprised by what you find. 

Remember the mention of formaldehyde and Teflon we mentioned a couple of paragraphs ago? Yeah, they are also found in many personal care products. Scary, right?

Now for the good news, there are MANY companies that produce natural and organic products that you can feel good about. It’s also good to think local when shopping for personal care products as there are many locally owned small businesses, like Green Rift, that specialize in producing amazing products with ingredients that you can read and identify. 

Want to go one better? Make them yourself! My wife makes many of the personal care products that we use everyday, including toothpaste and deodorant.

Let’s consider household chemicals. Think of everything your little one touches and puts into their mouth, and then think of what you are using to clean those surfaces. The next time your son or daughter decides to lick your stainless steel fridge, consider what you used to polish it. And what sort of chemicals are in the detergent you use to wash those clothes? Instead of using the old standby for your everyday household needs, look to natural and eco-friendly products.

If you are the DIY type, you can find recipes for making your own homemade cleaning products on the internet that use baking soda, vinegar, borax, or other products that you can find at most grocery stores. By making conscientious decisions about what you use in and around your home, you can help to protect your family from unnecessary and harmful chemicals while helping to make a greener world for your children.

            Going green not only helps to promote a better planet for generations to come, by starting early with your children, you set an amazing example for them to follow.  By making some simple and worthwhile choices about the products you use in your home, you can make a meaningful impact not only for the Earth, but also for your family as well.

Growing Green Earth Day Giveaway-3 Prize Packages!

Welcome to the Growing Green Earth Day Extravaganza!
hosted by: We're Parents

We have been so busy the past few weeks that I was disappointed I didn't get anything special together for Earth Day...especially since I do try to live and promote green living as much as possible! However, I was excited to be able to jump on board to help promote this giveaway with We're Parents?! and other bloggers. It's that time of year already to get your garden going, so be sure to enter to win 1 of 3 prizes to help get your gardening season off right!-MBM



Huge Thank You to our amazing sponsors for making this happen! We couldn't have pulled off this huge event for all our readers without the help of: ToterGardener's Supply CompanyLifetimeBrylaneHomeJiffy PotFerry Morse Seeds, and The Tasteful Garden


We will have three lucky winners each get some amazing prizes!  

The Grand Prize winner will receive a Toter outdoor composter, a BrylaneHome rolling deck box, an Organic Tomato Success Kit from The Gardener's Supply Company, Jiffy Pot Greenhouse trays and refills, Ferry Morse seeds, and a $75 giftcard to The Tasteful Garden! A total value of over $540!  It truly is a gardener's dream come true to win this giveaway! 

Second Prize Winner will receive a Lifetime Dual Composter, an Organic Tomato Success Kit from The Gardener's Supply Company, Jiffy Pot Greenhouse trays and refills, as well as Ferry Morse seeds. All valued at over $400!

The Third Prize Winner will receive Jiffy Pot Greenhouse trays and refills and Ferry Morse seeds.  A $30+ value.

Visit We're Parents to learn more about these companies, to check out the Earth Day bloggers posts, and more by clicking HERE.

Disclosure: We're Parents and the blogs participating are not responsible for prize fulfillment/shipment. We're Parents received the items mentioned above to review at no cost and was not monetarily compensated for hosting this giveaway, nor were we compensated in any way for the promotion of this giveaway. Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and any other social media are not affiliated with this giveaway. 

Monday, April 21, 2014

Library Easter Egg Hunt Fun

            As I'm sure I've mentioned before, I just love our local library's children's department. They always have something special going on and not just for older kids! We recently had the chance to participate in their Easter egg hunt for children under 6.
            Personally, since my daughter is only 1 1/2, I liked that there was an age limit. Since it was for such young kids, they just tossed a bunch of eggs out onto the lawn next to the building. It wasn't a "hunt" so much as pick up your alotted amount of eggs, but it was still fun. Each kid was allowed to collect 15 eggs, most of which had candy and stickers inside with the occasional one that had a slip that allowed you to pick out a free book!
            I love nothing more than free books, so I was excited we found one of those slips! Even more of a bonus, I found a board book about The Itsy Bitsy Spider. That's one of Myka's new favorite things, so I had to get it, of course. :)
            We also went to the Baby Steps program right before the Easter egg hunt. You know how I'm always complaining I can't/don't make any friends here? Well, I finally met someone at the last one we went to who is normal and I actually get along with. lol She was there with her little boy too and I was REALLY glad Myka didn't scream, cry, and throw a fit every time he came within a 2 ft. radius of her this time. lol
We went in again after the Easter egg hunt and played with the Legos, trains, and doll house people for awhile. :)

Saturday, April 19, 2014

"Plant a Pocket of Prairie" Children's Book Review



            Hey folks! Today I have a non-fiction children's book I'd like to share with you: Plant a Pocket of Prairie by Phyllis Root. Recommended ages: 5-10. Published by the University of Minnesota Press.
            This is a great book to introduce young children to an ecosystem they probably aren't familiar with: the prairie! Plant a Pocket of Prairie talks all about the insects, birds, reptiles, and other creatures you can find there and how you can attract some in your own yard. The colorful illustrations also bring these creatures to life so that children will know what to look for.
            The book also talks about how much prairie land has disappeared over the past 100 years or so. Along with that, it also mentions the animals that have become endangered because of hunting or disappearing prairie.
            The "end" of the book also goes more into depth about the different flowers, insects, amphibians, etc. that live in the prairie. It also explains the differences between endangered, threatened, and of special concern species.
            Although, this book is recommended for 5-10 year olds, I would definitely suggest it for the older end of that range. I think kids at that age have a better understanding of the environment and the impact humans can make on it.
            I loved all of the extra information in the back of the book. Because of the opportunity to expand upon what they have read in the book, I think Plant a Pocket of Prairie would be a great book for a science class/lesson in older elementary.
            This book mainly focuses on the prairies of Minnesota, but I believe it will still give children a better understanding of the prairie ecosystem in general. If you happen to live in Minnesota and have a child that's really into nature, conservation, and that sort of thing, the book also lists places you can still find prairie land in the state!
            You can read more about Plant a Pocket of Prairie and purchase it yourself by visiting the publisher's website HERE.

Disclaimer: I received a digital copy of this book for free through Netgalley.com. Regardless, all opinions are my own and may differ from your own.

Friday, April 18, 2014

Road Trip in Pictures

            You may have read that we recently went on a road trip of sorts to Oklahoma for my brother's basic training graduation. While I hadn't expected it to be a super fun trip, I hadn't expected it to be as awful as it was either. I had originally planned on posting about all of the awfulness, but why dwell on the negative, right?
            Although our trip definitely had some rough patches, we were also able to see and do some really neat things! My husband's cousin also happens to be stationed at Fort Sill, so we were able to have dinner with them one night. We had never met his wife plus we hadn't seen him in probably about a year, so that was nice!
            We're also not big plan makers, especially on vacations, so we decided to drive out to the Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge on a whim while we were waiting for my brother to do his processing crap right after graduation. (It was only about a 20-30 minute drive.) Here are some highlights from there in the pictures below...
Top left: Longhorn cattle rutting
Top right: Bison
Bottom left: Prairie dog
Bottom right: More longhorn cattle
All of the animals are free roaming, but there is a fence around the perimeter as well as another one in the middle of the refuge where some of the animals can't wander where the road is. 
 Some pictures of the scenery

            This whole area was just kind of bizarre for me because I had never seen any scenery like this in real life. Then again, this is also the furthest west I've ever been, sadly. Mostly barren as they may have been, it was nice to see some "mountains" after driving for hours through Oklahoma. John's cousin said there is good hiking out here too. *sigh* Wish we would have known that! We would have come prepared! 
            We had decided ahead of time to take the rather "long way" home and stopped in Eureka Springs, AR for a day. Think of it as a smaller version of Gatlinburg, TN if you've every been there. We found a great little shop called Fain's Herbacy, if I remember correctly, and got some lavender, spearmint, and lavender essential oil from there. I can't wait to use them in our soaps! The lavender and spearmint leaves/flowers smell so freaking good!
            I enjoyed the refuge in Oklahoma so much, that I couldn't help but want to visit the Turpentine Creek Wildlife Refuge that was about 6 miles outside of Eureka Springs as well. It is a sanctuary mostly for big cats: lions, tigers, cougars, etc.
            It was a really neat place, but it was also kind of sad, through no fault of their own. That refuge is a non-profit, so they rely solely on donations, gift shop sales, ticket sales, etc. Because funding is limited, not all animals have their own large enclosures yet, though they are continuously working on it. Most of their almost 130 animals come from private owners who either couldn't take care of them any longer or tried to dump them in the woods. Scary, huh? Many of them were from local areas of Arkansas and Missouri. It was really amazing, sad, and infuriating how many people think it's a good idea to keep large cats as house pets! I could go on and on about this place and their animals, but let's look at some pictures!
-Poor Myka. Little does she know, that tiger is probably thinking she looks like a tasty snack!
-That grizzly bear was freaking huge, and it wasn't even fully grown!
-The silly panther in the very middle picture was playing inside of an inner tube looking toy. lol 
-Neither of us got a very good picture, but I just love the white tigers like in the very bottom right picture. They're so pretty. :)
*Note: All of the animals in the pictures above were in the small enclosures, waiting for larger ones to be built for them.

Badminton Summertime Fun Giveaway

Badminton
 Giveaway


Hosted By:


Proudly Brings You The



 Badminton Summertime Fun Giveaway 


Two Lucky Winners Will Win a Complete Badminton Set

Grand Prize Winner Prize: Park and Sun Pro Badminton Set
Second Place Winner: Park and Sun Second Badminton Tournament Set

I used to love playing badminton in the summertime as a kid. It's a lot of fun at parties and get togethers too!


Holiday Contest and Sweeps has the pleasure to bring you a great summertime
activity for the entire Family, Badminton. Sports Unlimited, a global leader in
online sporting goods and outdoor sporting gear has generously sponsored this
giveaway with two sets of Park and Sun Badminton Sets.

Sports Unlimited carries just about anything and everything when it come to
sports. They carry a large selection of Football, Baseball, Basketball, Hockey,
 Lacrosse , Soccer,  and Badminton equipment and more. They also carry a
excellent selection of Men's and Women's Sporting Apparel and Fan gear.

 If you have children just starting sports or you're a seasoned player, you owe it to yourself to check out their website today. 

Click Here To Visit Sports Unlimited Website Today

 Badminton

There is nothing more fun then being able to share a Summertime game that
involves your Family and Friends. Badminton is a exciting racquet sport that
will bring enjoyment all summer long at parties or  simply with your Children
in your back yard.
 

Here are a few fun Badminton Facts:

Badminton was first introduced in the 1890's but became popular in the 1930's.

It's popularity around the world ranks it the Second just behind Soccer.


 In 1992 Badminton officially became an Olympic Sport.





Let's Take a Look at the Prizes:




The Park & Sun Badminton Pro Set includes long-lasting, weather-resistant net, tempered steel racquets with Gosen strings, and padded grips. Includes a superior pole set-up, grade A shuttlecocks and an equipment bag.
 
Features:


  • 1-1/2" 2 piece telescopic, aluminum pole
  • Easy set-up and portability
  • Official size net - 1" top tape, 4" side sleeves
  • 4 - Steel frame/steel shaft rackets
  • 3/16" Yellow boundary, pre measured, high visibility
  • 1/8" Guyline system
  • 3 - A-Grade shuttlecocks
  • Carry bag
  • 4 - 10" Ground stakes
  • Two-year pole warranty

           

             Park & Sun Tournament Badminton Set
   






The Park & Sun Tournament Badminton Set includes long-lasting, weather-resistant net, tempered steel racquets with Gosen strings, and padded grips. Includes a superior pole set-up, grade A shuttlecocks and an equipment bag.
 
Features:

  • Easy set-up and portability
  • Official size net - 1" top tape, 4" side sleeves
  • 4 - Steel frame/steel shaft rackets
  • 3/16" High visibility yellow guyline system
  • 3 - A-Grade shuttlecocks
  • 4 - 10" Ground stakes
  • 1-3/4" 2 piece octagonal, telescopic PVC poles
  • One-year pole warranty                                                  


               
           
 A Big Thank you to our Sponsor Sports Unlimited

Best of Luck Everyone!


a Rafflecopter giveaway
 
 This giveaway is in no way associated, endorsed or affiliated with Facebook,
 Pinterest, Bloglovin, Networked Blogs , Instagram or  any other social networking
site.

This giveaway will be valid in the Continental United States only. The
entrants must be 18+ years of age to enter. This giveaway will come 
to a end at 12:00 AM (EST) 5/10/14




Holiday Contest and Sweeps did not receive any compensation
for this giveaway. Sports Unlimited will be responsible for the awarding
the Badminton Set prizes directly to each winner.



Thursday, April 17, 2014

Custom T-Shirt Giveaway for Bloggers



 Do you have a blog or a website with a blog? If so, this giveaway is just for you! Help get your website "out there" with customized t-shirts from Crooked Brook!

Custom t-shirts are one of the most inexpensive yet cost effective marketing tools available. One of the advantages they have over other promotional products is that wherever people wearing t-shirts with your logo on it go; your brand goes. It is a great way to build awareness about your blog, brand, cause, goods and services or business.
 
For that reason, Crooked Brook is sponsoring a Custom T-Shirt Giveaway for Bloggers Only and the prize is:
 
Two, white, Gildan, G200 6.1 oz. Ultra Cotton® T-Shirts made in 100% preshrunk cotton, with the image of the winner’s blog logo or header, slogan (motto or tagline) and URL printed large on the front or back and optional small URL printed on the left front chest.
 
Total Prize Value with Shipping…$45.00
 
Although the most popular method of printing t-shirts is screen printing; Crooked Brook t-shirts are printed using Direct to Garment Printing (DTG printing or digital garment printing) which is the process of using inkjet printers to print an image directly onto a t-shirt without the use of screens like screen printing.
 
Direct to Garment Printing uses eco-friendly, water soluble ink, unlike some screen printing methods that layer Plastisol (a suspension of PVC particles in a plasticizer) on top of the t-shirt. In addition, Crooked Brook’s direct to garment inks are among the first direct to garment inks to not only carry the Oeko-Tex® Certification, but also be CPSIA compliant to help ensure they are safe for printing on youth garments.
 
The only requirement for DTG printing is for the image to be high resolution, resulting in photograph quality printing with no setup fee or minimums for custom t-shirts.

Terms and conditions: 
· You must be 18 years or older to enter and have a blog or a website with a blog.

· Winner must email Crooked Brook high resolution artwork for logo or header (if you do not have it, contact the person who created it) within 1 week of being notified as winner. Crooked Brook will not edit submitted artwork.

· Crooked Brook will ship the prize to the winner within 30 days of contest end. If address is undeliverable or prize is unclaimed and sent back, winner is responsible for re-shipping charges.

· Physical address required for shipping; no PO boxes, US recipients only residing in one of the 48 contiguous states. 

Cant to wait to see if you won? Receive a 10% discount on all Crooked Brook custom t-shirts, button down shirts (embroidered printed or blank), polo shirts (embroidered or blank), golf shirts (embroidered or blank), sweatshirts (embroidered, printed or blank) or hooded sweatshirts (embroidered, printed or blank) from 04/17/14 through 05/01/14 with the Coupon Code Mixed Bag Mama Custom T-Shirt Giveaway”.

Disclaimer: Mixed Bag Mama and all promoting blogs did not receive monetary compensation for this post. Mixed Bag Mama did receive products in exchange for hosting this giveaway. Regardless, all opinions are original and may differ from your own. This giveaway is not associated with any social media websites. If you have any questions about this giveaway, please contact Alicia of Mixed Bag Mama at alicia owen 6814 @ yahoo dot com.