Woot! Woot! Can you believe it's 2010? Oh my heavens, I'm STILL getting used to. & Writing the date, definitely isn't second nature for me. Let me tell you, I am so excited for 2010, because we have got some exciting things up our sleeves. & You don't have to wait long at all...
One of my (& my boy's) all time favorite events is coming to town - the Monster Jam tour is stopping at Angel Stadium: Saturday, January 16th, 2010 at 7pm, Saturday, January 30th, 2010 at 7pm and Saturday,February 6th, 2010 at 7pm.
So funny story... last year my kids saw the commercials & were begging the hubby & me to take 'em. Considering they were only 3 & 2 at the time, I was bit surprised that they would be so interested - but, it is Monster Jam & they are boys, so I guess I really shouldn't have been surprised at all. So THE day arrives, & I (being the awesome mom I am) had never bought tickets, but we decided to chance it. We got everyone bundled up, broke out the ear plugs & headed over to Angel Stadium only to realize the event was totally & completely SOLD OUT. Luckily, I was able to immediately go home & buy tickets for the next week's event - but I will never forget the disappointment on my boy's faces. Morale of the story: be sure to purchase your tickets early, because this is one event that is definitely going to sell out every time!
But seriously, why wouldn't the Monster Jam sell out? From personal experience, I can tell you what an entertaining event it is! According to their website "Monster Jam shows consist of three main elements - the Built Ford Tough Party in the Pits, where fans can meet the drivers & see the trucks up close (my boys were dying when they realized they actually got to see the trucks up close & personal), monster truck racing & monster truck freestyle (my personal favorite)." Plus, any event that requires 300 tons of dirt being brought into Angel Stadium is going to be awesome.
Tickets for the 2010 Monster Jam events at Angel Stadium start at just $10 (for kids ages 2-12) & $20 for adults, and are available for purchase at the Angel Stadium Box Office, participating Ticketmaster outlets, online HERE or charge by phone at (800)217-1700. For more ticket and event information go HERE.
Oh, & one more tip.... you definitely don't want to forget the ear plugs, it gets super loud! Want to attend the Monster Jam with your family for FREE? Then today's your lucky day. Monster Jam is giving two lucky readers a family four pack of tickets. (You didn't think we'd tell you all about this totally awesome event, & not you give you a chance to attend for FREE did you?)
Here's the nitty-gritty: * You have until Midnight PST on Saturday, January 9thto enter. * Simply leave a comment on THIS post. * Anyone can enter (so tell your friends), although anonymous comments will be ignored unless accompanied by an email address. * Please, just one entry per person.
* The winner will be randomly picked & announced Monday.
* Really want win? You can get extra entries by telling your friends about THIS contest. For every person that enters & says YOU referred them, you get an extra entry. So spread the news, tell your friends to enter, just make sure they tell us that YOU referred them & you will get an extra entry!
It's often said that a picture is worth a thousand words. That may be true, but I think this next Just Spotted giveway is worth much more than that - in fact, I'd even venture to say that it's priceless...
Now, I realize that Just Spotted has readers from all over the country, but we will be limiting this giveaway to those who live in, near or around Orange County. Or anyone willing to run, hop, skip, drive or fly to the OC, because one lucky person is going to win an on-location Orange County portrait sitting, including a CD of their high resolution proof images (a package worth a whopping $400) from James Carson Photography. BUT WAIT! That's not all. In addition to winning this incredible photography session from the uber-talented Carson, each & every girl in the photo shoot will be primped & beautified by the amazing stylist of Chelsey B. Hair & Makeup.
So are you excited yet? Because I am! In fact, right now, I have to admit that I am seriously green with jealousy. What an amazing opportunity for one of our readers! Carson is such an incredible photographer. As I'm sure you can see - his work speaks for itself. But paired with hair & makeup from the equally beautiful & talented Chelsey... Wow! what a giveaway.
So have you fallen in love with Carson & Chelsey as I have? Once you check out Carson's website & Chelsey's blog, to view their incredible work yet, there will be no doubt in your mind... YOU MUST WIN THIS GIVEAWAY!
Ready to win your very own on-location Orange County photo shoot with Carson & beauty stylings by Chelsey? Here's the nitty-gritty:
* You have until Midnight PST on Wednesday, December 16th, 2009 to enter. * Simply leave a comment on THIS post. * Anyone can enter (so tell your friends), although anonymous comments will be ignored unless accompanied by an email address. * Please, just one entry per person (although, I'm not stopping you from telling your friends, neighbors, even that crazy aunt of yours to enter on your behalf...) * The winner will be randomly picked & announced Thursday.
* Really want win? You can get extra entries by telling your friends about THIS contest. For every person that enters & says YOU referred them, you get an extra entry. Shout it from the roof tops, tell your friends & neighbors, send an email, post about it on your blog, make it your "status", tweet about it. Anything & everything that will get the word out. Just make sure they tell us that YOU referred them & you will get an extra entry!
Hip Hip Hooray! It's the moment that I know you all have been anxiously waiting for. Time to announce the winner of the Irvine Park Railroad's Christmas Train Giveaway. & The lucky winner isLizunia who said... "This would be so much fun! We live literally down the street but have never been. Thanks for the idea."
Congratulations Lizunia! Please email your "particulars" to justspotted@gmail.com, so we can hook you up! & As always, a HUGE thank you to everyone else who played along!
Santa Claus is coming to town... or at least to the Irvine Park Railroad. As their website suggests "Come with family and friends and take this enchanting night ride through historic Irvine Regional Park to meet Santa Claus. The train will depart from the brightly-lit Train Station and drop passengers off at Santa’s Village." While waiting for the train you & your children can enjoy story time with Mrs. Claus, cookie decorating, a bounce house or picture coloring. Once you reach Santa's Village children can share their wish list with Santa & have their pictures taken as well. You can also enjoy coffee, hot chocolate, freshly-popped popcorn & cookies at Santa's Village.
December 4th, 5th, 6th & the 11th - 18th, from 5-8pm.
December 19th & 20th, from 2-8pm
December 21st - 23rd from 5-8pm
The cost is $8 per person, children 24 months & younger are FREE. (Parking at Irvine Regional Park is $3 on weekdays, $5 on weekends, & free after 5pm). Tickets can be purchased online HERE, or in person the day of the event.
Want to visit the Irvine Park Railroad Christmas Train with your family for FREE? Then today's your lucky day. The Irvine Park Railroad Christmas Train is giving one reader 6 Christmas Train Tickets (worth $8/ ticket) & 12 activity tickets (worth $4 each). The entire "package" is worth $98! Woot! Woot!
Here's the nitty-gritty: * You have until Midnight PST on Friday, November 27thto enter. * Simply leave a comment on THIS post. * Anyone can enter (so tell your friends), although anonymous comments will be ignored unless accompanied by an email address. * Please, just one entry per person.
* The winner will be randomly picked & announced Monday.
* Really want win? You can get extra entries by telling your friends about THIS contest. For every person that enters & says YOU referred them, you get an extra entry. So spread the news, tell your friends to enter, just make sure they tell us that YOU referred them & you will get an extra entry!
Congratulations Qwendykay! With over 400 votes (of over 1,500 total votes) your Disney memory was chosen by our readers as the winner. Woot! Woot! Be sure to send your contact information to us at justspotted@gmail.com, ASAP - so we can hook you up! All of the memories were wonderful - We're so glad we didn't have to choose. Once again, here's Qwendykay's winning Disney memory:
I was named after Wendy Darling from Peter Pan. My brothers loved the story, and decided if I was a girl I should be called Wendy. (Also, my brother's threw me off the bunk bed when I was 1, to see if I could fly just like in Peter Pan after sprinkling me with dirt...aka fairy dust. Just in case you are curious... I can't fly. I landed with a thud that made my mother's heart stop beating. But I was fine.)A few months ago while standing in line to see the fairies at Disneyland, I told the children, I really hoped Tinkerbell wasn't there since she tried to shoot me out of the sky. I quickly relayed the story of Peter Pan, telling the children, that *I* was the real Wendy. They stared at me incredulously, and I told them that Tinkerbell and I have had a long feud for Peter's attention. However, I decided to grow up and become a mom, and Peter stayed in Never Never Land. It was time to make nice with Tinkerbell. One of the Disney people overheard me tell this story, and must have relayed it Tinkerbell.When she saw me she let out a shriek and said, "Wendy.. what are you doing here?" My son nearly fell over from shock, because Tinkerbell's outburst solidified the fact that I wasn't making this up. Tink & I chatted reminiscing about "old times" and I let her know I was there to make peace. She apologized profusely for trying to shoot me out of the sky. We hugged and took a picture. The kids LOVE it and STILL talk about it.
As for everyone else, thanks for playing along... we wish EVERYONE could join us for the holidays at Disneyland.
Remember THIS giveaway? The one where we promised to invite one lucky reader (& 3 guests of their choosing) to the Disneyland Resort, for a fabulous & memorable experience on November 21st, 2009? Well, Round 1 of our giveaway is over & it's time to move onto Round 2 - the voting portion of our little game. Our anonymous panel spent the entire weekend reading & re-reading all of the entries, & came back to us with their absolute favorite Disney memories, stories & wishes. But, try as they might, they just couldn't narrow the list down to only 15. We couldn't blame them, we wish everyone could win! So here they are, our 17 finalists... Alison, Amanda, Angry Julie Monday, Eli's Lids, Found & Made Designs, Jennifer Gilmore, Jodie, Julie, Kristen {RAGE against the MINIVAN}, Laura, Libby, Maria, Momfluential, Petit Elefant, Qwendykay, Roxanne Hack & Stacey.
So now, the officially is in YOUR court. That's right! Choosing the winner is completely up to you, our readers. Read through all 17 of the memories, stories & wishes HERE. Then, don't forget the very most important part... vote for you favorite below! Polls will close at Midnight PST, Monday, October 26th, 2009.
So now, the officially is in YOUR court. That's right! Choosing the winner of our Disneyland Giveaway is completely up to you, our readers. Read through all 17 of the memories, stories & wishes. Then, don't forget the very most important part... vote for you favorite!
xoxo, C & K
Alison: Having grown up so close to Disneyland, I have so many great memories. Most of them are with family - girls weekend at disneyland, dates to disneyland, high school graduation at disneyland. So many. I think one of my favorite memories was while I was dating my husband. We both had season passes and I was dying to go to Disneyland before Christmas because I wanted to see it snow on main street! We went together on a special date and it was so fun! At the end of the night found we found a small spot on a bench and snuggled as we watched the fireworks and listed to the Christmas music play. Finally it began to snow. I was so happy. It was so romantic. That night Disneyland made us feel like we were at the happiest place on earth!
Amanda: Our last family trip to Disney, was prior to my husband's first 6 month deployment. My son was terrified of all the characters, but we had a blast experiencing it all with my daughter. Now everyone is old enough (and tall enough) to enjoy it all and we would love to head back to Disney, before another deployment interrupts.
Angry Julie Monday: Last year, we went to Disneyland on Halloween. We got there at opening. My husbands aunt, her daughters, and their children were there. My husbands grandmother decided at the last minute to surprise everyone and come up for the trip too. We had three generations of family hanging out at Disneyland. The best part, my husband's grandmother went on The Tower of Terror at California Adventure, just to hang out with her grandkids. Disney with family, it doesn't get any better than that.
Eli's Lids: My favorite Disney memory includes Alice in Wonderland Japanese tourists and two Tweedles!!One morning before Kindergarten my mom said I could wear my Alice in Wonderland costume to school. Big news for a 5 year old!! I was excited to say the least! Then my mom told me that my dad was going to drive with us to school. I remember thinking “That’s odd. We usually walk and Daddy is usually at work by now.”But, being a kiddo I just went with the flow.We piled up in the Big Brown Osmobile Station Wagon and headed to school. The ride was taking longer than expected… especially considering that my school was only about 4 blocks away. My dad said he got lost and then I looked out the window and saw the Disneyland sign (the vintage sign, not the lame one they have now). My parents said they just ended up here and since we were here already we should just stay.I agreed!Right after we entered the park a HUGE group of Japanese tourists saw me (blue eyed blond girl in Alice in Wonderland garb) and swooped me up for pictures. A lot of pictures.This made my parents laugh… still does. But is scared the p-diddy out of me!!Later on in the day Tweedle Dee and Tweelle Dum almost nabbed me. I really thought they were going to take me to the land down the rabbit whole.Now that I think about it the whole day was pretty traumatic!!In a good way :)Sorry it’s so long!!
Found & Made Designs: When I was a kid we would go to Disneyland a lot. My grandfather used to work for Walt Disney and we could go pretty much whenever we wanted. My mom was a single parent and we didn't have a lot of money but Disneyland made us feel rich. My grandfather would take me to parts of the park that the regular public couldn't go. I felt special. My grandfather was always a big part of my life. When he died a year ago, it felt like a part of me died.My husband and I went to Disneyland last year at Christmas time. It was magical. I was so excited to experience the snow and fireworks. When the snow(bubbles) started to fall I was so overwhelmed with joy but then sadness hit because I would never get to experience Disneyland with my grandfather again.Sorry to be so sad and all. He was just such a wonderful man and I miss him bunches.
Jennifer Gilmore: We had season passes with my first born, but now with three kids, we have not been able to get passes for them. We go to the Disneyland Halloween event and it's the most exciting thing for them. They talk about it constantly and want to go again and again. My second son thinks the tram is the best ride ever...little does he know there is a lot more in the park - than just the tram outside. :) We would love to spend time in November with you and the Disney cast members! :) It would definitely be a memorable experience.
Jodie: I've grown up going to Disneyland so I have so many favorite memories, but one of my faves was when we took my daughter for her 2nd birthday. It's right before Christmas so it was all decorated with lights and the "snow"- it was the first time she was old enough to appreciate it and she thought it was absolutely magical.
Julie: I took my girls to Disneyland for the first time on my older daughter's 5th birthday. Our friends who also have a daughter the same age joined us. We started out the day by going to have breakfast with the princesses. They were so excited to get to see the princesses and get their autographs. We had a great day of going on all the rides. She got a special princess hat. We stayed to see the fireworks at the end. I looked over at her, in her princess hat, and she had tears going down her face because she was just so happy. I still tear up when I think of that day, because it really was a magical day for her and I was glad to give that to her.
Kristen {RAGE against the MINIVAN}: My best memory of Disney occured just this year, when I took my daughter for the first time. I grew up going to Orlando every summer, and we always went to Disney. I remember that awesome feeling at the end of the day, when I was tired but still excited, and I would snuggle into my mom's arms as we watched the evening parade. I just had that moment with my own daughter, and sharing that experience with her brought tears to my eyes. Laura: I took my darling niece to Disneyland to meet the princesses for the first time. She loved the princesses and was a little nervous to meet them. She would see them in the distance and have a practice conversation with them... “Hi, my name is Autumn. I like your dress...” but was just too shy to go up to them and meet them. Finally, later on in the day, she mustered up the courage to go talk to Snow White. Snow White said to her “If you could have ANY wish in the whole world, what would it be?” She nervously tried to think of an answer and was surprised when “a basket of carrots!” came flying out of her mouth! It was precious... and so memorable.
Libby: Growing up, my rowdy family of nine would pile into the car (Griswold style) every November and drive for two days to visit my aunt in Orange County. The obligatory day at Disneyland was always the best part of this adventure. It made the rest of the trip worthwhile.When I was fourteen, we took the trip just like any other year. I was getting older and this was the first year that I was able to spend the whole day going on the rides with my two older brothers. I said goodbye to my mom and dad just after entering the park and I was off. We had a great day of running around.Around lunch time I started to feel a little uncomfortable and took a trip to the ladies room. What in the world should happen on this day? My very first menstrual cycle showed up! I panicked and stuffed my undies full of toilet paper. After that I felt a little weird the rest of the day. I took frequent bathroom breaks. My brothers thought I was crazy.During one of my pit stops, I was mortified to discover that my toilet paper wad was gone. It must have slid out of my shorts while we were running around. Yikes. I was mortified. That was the last straw. I made my brothers take me to have our mom paged over the loud speakers. She found us and whisked me off to "fix" my new problem.At the time it was quite a traumatic experience. Looking back, I just have to laugh. I'll always remember that special day when I became a woman!
Maria: My husband and I took our four year old son Tate to Disneyland last year. Meeting Belle was a treasured memory we will never forget.For Tate it was LOVE AT FIRST SIGHT. With a great big smile, he began singing to Belle. "I've been dreaming of a true loves kiss..."He then took her hands in his and began dancing with her around the room.I guess she fell in love with him too, because she asked him to be her "handsome prince at storytime".She had a hard time getting through the story, due to the fact that Tate was giving her never ending kisses.Oh, it was just too cute!!!
Momfluential: I have so many Disney moment that I recall fondly. I think my most cherished Disney moments involved bringing a group of Russian orphans to the park one summer when I was coordinating an older orphan hosting program in So. Cal. As magical of an experience it may be for our own children, for these foreign orphans, a day at Disneyland was a trip to, and OVER the moon. I try and close my eyes and remember their smiles and pure joy every time I go. All of those children have since found loving adoptive homes (yay!) and all recall that first trip to Disney. I'm pretty sure they all beg for toys and ice cream now, every time they go to Disney. But on that day they were simple too awestruck to even think to beg for treats.My family and I have lots of fun when we visit Disney and try to pick a theme each time. Here's a recent special outing where we had a blast. It was so fun talking to all the other people at the park, many of whom were first timers. Doing this photo story allowed us to share in their magic moment/joy as well! http://whrrl.com/experience/story/17925121
Petit Elefant: The first time we went as a family to Disney my daughter was 5 and in full princess mode. We ran into Belle in the gardens of Cinderella's Castle and no one else was around; she picked a rose from the garden for my daughter and told her to save it forever, that it was a magical rose. My sweet daughter really believed it was Belle and we still have the rose. It was the Magic Kingdom at its best. Gives me the chills even now.
Qwendykay: I was named after Wendy Darling from Peter Pan. My brothers loved the story, and decided if I was a girl I should be called Wendy. (Also, my brother's threw me off the bunk bed when I was 1, to see if I could fly just like in Peter Pan after sprinkling me with dirt...aka fairy dust. Just in case you are curious... I can't fly. I landed with a thud that made my mother's heart stop beating. But I was fine.)A few months ago while standing in line to see the fairies at Disneyland, I told the children, I really hoped Tinkerbell wasn't there since she tried to shoot me out of the sky. I quickly relayed the story of Peter Pan, telling the children, that *I* was the real Wendy. They stared at me incredulously, and I told them that Tinkerbell and I have had a long feud for Peter's attention. However, I decided to grow up and become a mom, and Peter stayed in Never Never Land. It was time to make nice with Tinkerbell. One of the Disney people overheard me tell this story, and must have relayed it Tinkerbell.When she saw me she let out a shriek and said, "Wendy.. what are you doing here?" My son nearly fell over from shock, because Tinkerbell's outburst solidified the fact that I wasn't making this up. Tink & I chatted reminiscing about "old times" and I let her know I was there to make peace. She apologized profusely for trying to shoot me out of the sky. We hugged and took a picture. The kids LOVE it and STILL talk about it.
Roxanne Hack: I adore Disneyland. When I was in high school, my friends and I would go every weekend and hang out by the Matterhorn. Now, I go with my son, who just turned 1. He was only about 2 months old on his first trip, and he ended up sleeping through the fireworks (we were in front of Small World!). But the best memory I have with him so far is when he met Mickey for the first time. We were in Toon Town at Mickey's House, and we stood in that line for so very long. My son was getting restless, especially because it was pretty dark and he couldn't tell what was going on around him. But we finally got into that back room and the SECOND my boy saw Mickey standing there, a huge grin spread across his chubby little face. His legs started to literally shake, and he was pounding his little hands on my chest, he was so excited. When it was our turn to take a photo, we stood next to Mickey, and my son practically leaped out of my arms to touch him. He just kept grinning and giggling and reaching out to the Mouse, and couldn't have been a happier little boy. The photographer even said how he was the happiest baby they'd seen in a while. I was thrilled. My little boy loves Disneyland just as much as his mama! I can't wait for him to experience more and more of the happiest place on Earth.
Stacey: We took our daughter to have lunch with the Princesses at Ariel's Grotto back in March for her 4th birthday. It was our first time at the grotto and we were chosen as the special guest family who got to introduce the first princess. We were able to introduce Cinderella, my daughters favorite princess!!! When Cinderella came around the corner into our sight, my daughter ran to her and hugged her. I'm such a cheese ball that I had a tears in my eyes. It was truly a "magic of Disney" moment for our whole family. I will never forget it. My daughter went on to tell Cinderella about all the Cinderella legos, headbands, glass slippers, books, etc that she had with Cinderella on them. It was amazing!
Hip Hip Hooray! It's the moment that I know you all have been anxiously waiting for. Time to announce the winner of our most recent, super fabulous Baby Emi Jewelry Giveaway. & The lucky winner is Dominie Whte who said... "What a fun and elegant way to diplay your life's mantra- It would be an honor to own one of these beautiful charms. Cheers :-)"
Congratulations Dominie! Please email your "particulars" to justspotted@gmail.com Wednesday, June 3rd, so we can hook you up! & As always, a HUGE thank you to everyone else who played along!
It's almost the end of the month, which means our month-long Mother's Day Celebration is coming to an end, but not before we bring you one last super fabulous giveaway...
Introducing Baby Emi jewelry. Have you met yet? Baby Emi is a local Orange County company specializing in jewelry for both mom & her little ones. I know I immediately fell in love with the Baby Emijingle bell collection... the "whimsical jingling" is such a beautiful sound to hear. & I like the idea that according to "Cambodian folklore, the dainty sounds are also credited with warding off bad spirits." But we aren't the only ones that have taken notice of the Baby Emi jewelry collection. Baby Emi pieces are regularly seen on celebrities, have been in some of Hollywood's most sought-after gift bags, and have been featured in several magazine including Baby Couture, Pregnancy and Newborn.
Thanks to the wonderful generosity of Baby Emi, one of our fantastic readers is going to win a hand stamped, personally customized piece of jewelry - the perfect way to share your favorite mantra, or simply remember those closest to your heart. This lucky, lucky reader will get to choose from either the copper or sterling silver circle necklace & have it personalized with whatever saying makes you smile the most. I can guarantee that this completely custom necklace will quickly become a sentimental favorite and the envy of all who see it. These beautiful, hand crafted necklaces are the perfect way to celebrate your treasured memories and favorite people. So are you ready to win your very own piece of jewelry created just for you by Baby Emi?Here's the nitty-gritty: * You have until Midnight PST on Saturday, May 30th, 2009 to enter. * Simply leave a comment on THIS post. * Anyone can enter (so tell your friends), although anonymous comments will be ignored unless accompanied by an email address. * Please, just one entry per person. * The winner will be randomly picked & announced Monday.
Eudora Welty once said "A good snapshot stops a moment from running away." & Lewis Hine has stated " If I could tell the story in words, I wouldn't need to lug around a camera." I don't know about you, but these quotes seem to echo my sentiments exactly! I've always had a love of photography. & Although my computer's hard drive is full of thousands & thousands of pictures, unfortunately, I'm not exactly the world's best photographer. That's why I am thrilled, giddy & completely overjoyed (have I convinced you how excited I am yet?) to announce & introduce you to our next Mother's Day Giveaway...
Now, I realize that Just Spotted has readers from all over the country, but we will be limiting this giveaway to those who live in, near or around Orange County. Or anyone willing to run, hop, skip, drive or fly to the OC, because one lucky person is going to win an on-location Orange County portrait sitting & a complimentary 8x10 portrait (a package worth a whopping $320) from Michelle Photography.
I have to admit, that we don't even have a winner yet, already I'm seriously jealous. Michelle is an incredibly talented photographer. As I'm sure you can see - her work speaks for itself. But C & I aren't the only ones who think Michelle is fabulous... her work has been featured in several ads & magazines (including Modern Bride & Ceremony Magazine just to name a few).
So are you as excited as I am yet? Have you checked out Michelle's website & viewed some of her incredible work yet? Once you do, you will definitely fall in love - all of her photos are stunning! Ready to win your very own on-location Orange County photo shoot with Michelle?
Here's the nitty-gritty: * You have until Midnight PST on Saturday, May 23rd, 2009 to enter. * Simply leave a comment on THIS post. * Anyone can enter (so tell your friends), although anonymous comments will be ignored unless accompanied by an email address. * Please, just one entry per person. * The winner will be randomly picked & announced Monday.
Drum roll please.... and the winner of the fabulous Swanky Paper Giveaway is Jennifer Gilmore who said "I'm loving the swanky paper! You are right - I might have to buy a bunch. I especially love the Mod blue and brown folded notes."
Congratulations to Jennifer (be sure to email your "particulars" to justspotted@gmail.com by Wednesday, May 20th or else we will select another winner) & thanks to everyone for playing along. Be sure to check back tomorrow for another fantastic Mother's Day Giveaway!
We know Mother's Day is over, but that doesn't mean we can't keep celebrating. That's right, last week's giveaway was just the beginning. Here at Just Spotted we are throwing a month-long Mother's Day celebration. Each week we will be hosting a giveaway featuring some of our favorite things. & At the very tip top of that list is personalized stationary. Let's face it... in this day & age, the art of a handwritten note is quickly fading away - it's so much easier to send an email or text message. But nothing gives me a bigger thrill than spying an envelope in the pile of mail, with my name addressed on the front, in an actual, real, live person's handwriting, instead of the usual computer generated bills I get. That being said, this week's giveaway is featuring a grab bag chock full of some of C & K's favorite designs from Orange County's own Swanky Paper, personalized just for you! Although, it might be hard to pick just one or two, because we LOVE all of the designs... They are fun, vibrant & actually make me want to sit down & write someone a card. But, I guess we better pick out a couple of favorites, otherwise, we may be shipping one lucky winner a truckload of personalized stationary... so take a gander at Heather's cute shop & check out all of her designs. Seriously, you'll be ready to order cards for yourself, your mom, your neighbor & even your Aunt Mabel - they are that cute! Here's the nitty-gritty: * You have until Midnight PST on Saturday, May 16th, 2009 to enter. * Simply check out Swanky Paper's grand re-opening HERE, & leave a comment on THIS post, telling us what in Heather's shop you can't live without. * Anyone can enter (so tell your friends), although anonymous comments will be ignored unless accompanied by an email address. * Please, just one entry per person. * The winner will be randomly picked & announced Monday.
Interested in increasing your chances of winning? * For 2 extra entry: Blog about our giveaway. * For 2 extra entries: Sign up for the Just Spotted Newsletter HERE.
If you decided to "increase your chance" of winning, be sure to email us (justspotted@gmail.com) with the link to your blog post, so we can check you out & enter your name the appropriate number of times.
Many entered, but unfortunately, only one could win. Drum roll please.... our randomly chosen winner is Sharlene who said "Okay I can't decide between Generous in black or Sandra Lee in black. I love both. And I am now following you both on twitter (how was I not before?) @DoubleAdventure." (It just goes to show that those "extra entries" really do pay off!)
Congratulations to Sharlene & be sure to email your "particulars" to justspotted@gmail.com so we can hook you up! Please, please, please contact us by Wednesday, May 13th, or else we will pick a new winner on Thursday.
Thanks again to Pearl Swimwear, & to each and everyone one of you for playing along. & if you didn't win - don't you fret & don't you frown... because this is just the start of a month-long of giveaways. Yep! Yep! In celebration of mothers we are giving away some of our favorite goodies. So be sure to come back TOMORROW & check out our latest giveaway!
If you haven't noticed, summer is coming! As a California girl, that means I'll be spending lots & lots of time at the beach and pool. However, considering I just had a baby, I'm not really all that excited at the thought of putting on a bathing suit.
Once upon a time, or shall we say once upon a body ago, I had no problem sporting an itsy-bity-teeny-weeny bikini. But these days, I'm feeling the need for a bit more coverage & (ahem!) support. & It's not necessarily because I'm not comfortable with my body, because let's face it, even if I was in the greatest shape of my life, as a MOM, that itsy-bitsy-teeny-weeny bikini just doesn't really fit into my lifestyle. If you've ever chased a two-year old down the beach, hoping & praying something doesn't "pop out," you know what I mean. To make this whole swimsuit issue entirely more complicated, swimsuit shopping pretty much sucks. Growing up, my mom had a mug that read "Things could be worse, we could be trying on swimsuits." I don't think truer words have ever been spoken. Especially, when you are looking for something that is cute, even sexy, but definitely not sleazy. Something that covers you in all the right places, but doesn't look too grandma-ish. & Something that fits your lifestyle... it's definitely a tall order.
Enter Orange County local Heather Fish & Pearl Swimwear. As a long-time surfer girl & a mother of three wild boys, Heather knew exactly what she wanted & needed from a swimsuit: function, flair & the kind of quality that could make it through an intense active summer of everything from surfing big waves to chasing the kids around the pool. Tired of wishing & hoping someone would design her dream suit, she did it herself. She created these amazing vintage-inspired one piece swim suits that are the "essence of quality, luxury, and girlish glamour". But don't just take our word on how amazing these swimsuits are, we aren't the only ones taking notice & loving Pearl Swimwear. Heather's amazing suits have graced the pages of several magazines, been gifted to too many celebrities to mention, & most recently were featured on ABC's Morning Show.
So by now, I'm sure you're wondering how you can get your hot little hands on one of Heather's incredible swimsuits... well, you can always buy one HERE, or this week, in honor of Mother's Day, one lucky reader is going to win a $90 gift certificate to Pearl Swimwear. Thanks to Heather's generosity, one lucky gal is actually going to be looking forward to putting on her swimsuit this summer! So how do you win?
Here's the nitty-gritty: * You have until Midnight PST on Saturday, May 9th, 2009 to enter. * Simply check out Pearl Swimwear's amazing collection HERE, & leave a comment on THIS post, telling us which suit you are lusting after. * Anyone can enter (so tell your friends), although anonymous comments will be ignored unless accompanied by an email address. * Please, just one entry per person. * The winner will be randomly picked & announced Monday.
Interested in increasing your chances of winning? * For 1 extra entry: Blog about our giveway. * For 2 extra entries: Sign up for Twitter, & "follow" us HERE & HERE. (If you already are on Twitter & follow us, send us an email with your Twitter name) * For 1 more extra entry: "tweet" about our giveaway (be sure to include the web address).
If you decided to "increase your chance" of winning, be sure to email us (justspotted@gmail.com) with the link to your blog post, &/ or your Twitter name to so we can check you out & enter your name the appropriate number of times.
Many entered, but unfortunately, only one could win. Drum roll please... our randomly chosen winner is Doreen who said "I haven't tried this makeup before!! Sounds great!" Congratulations & be sure to email your "particulars" to justspotted@gmail.com so we can hook you up!
Thanks again to Too Faced Cosmetics, & to each and everyone one of you for playing along. & if you didn't win... don't you fret! This is only the beginning. Be sure to check back soon, & often, for many more fabulous giveaways.
Why be pretty when you can be gorgeous? That's the question Too Faced Cosmetics likes to ask. & seeing as we are HUGE fans of the Orange County-based company & their incredible products, we are tickled pink to announce that we are hosting a Too Faced Giveaway! That's right... one lucky winner will receive a package of goodies thanks to the wonderful, kind & generous people over at Too Faced Cosmetics. & although we are definitely excited to host the giveaway, we kinda wish we could keep the prize for ourselves, it's that good!
"What started out as a hand-full of clever lip, eye and nail colors has now expanded into a prestige line of cosmetics with over 170 show-stopping products. One of the top-selling lines in Sephora, Too Faced is a brand that trend-setters, celebrities and women-in-the-know go to for finest and most fabulous of colors in wearable and accessible formulations. Whether it’s long-wearing, bold and in-your-face fashion or demure, seductive and feminine, Too Faced delivers the variety and excitement we’ve come to love." So take a moment to got check out their beautiful website, & wish them happy anniversary - they're celebrating 10 blissful years! Be sure to check out their glamorous new fall collection "Smoke & Mirrors", we can't wait to try the Smoky Eye Palette & Starry Eye Liner. Take a gander at their "Most Wanted" list... you'll definitely want to check out Lash Injection (it's like lash extensions in a tube), lip plumping Lip Injection, our favorite lip gloss Mood Swing, & for that glowing "sun-kissed" look, try any of their fabulous Bronzers.
If you don't already LOVE Too Faced Cosmetics, I'm sure you are starting to understand why we do. But, not only does Too Faced encourage women to feel good about themselves, they want to "take beauty to a whole new level by empowering women to be gorgeous and healthy through their commitment to skin and breast cancer research and education". For every purchase of select items, Too Faced donates to skin and breast cancer research foundations. We love a company that knows how to give back!
Here's the nitty-gritty: * You have until Midnight PST on Tuesday, August 5th to enter. * Simply make a comment on THIS post to enter. * Anyone can enter (so tell your friends), although anonymous comments will be ignored unless accompanied by an email address. * Please, just one entry per person. * The winner will be randomly picked & announced Wednesday.
Interested in increasing your chances of winning? *For 1 extra entry: Submit &/or Vote for this giveaway post using any of the "social" sites. (Kirtsy, Digg, etc.) *For 3 extra entries: blog about our giveaway. *For 5 extra entries: spread the love & add the "Just Spotted" button to your sidebar.
If you decided to "increase your chance" of winning, be sure to email us the link: justspotted@gmail.com so we can enter your name the appropriate number of times.
One of my (& my boy's) all time favorite events is coming to town - the Monster Jam tour is stopping at Angel Stadium: Saturday, January 16th, 2010 at 7pm, Saturday, January 30th, 2010 at 7pm and Saturday,February 6th, 2010 at 7pm.
Want to attend the Monster Jam with your family for FREE? Then today's your lucky day. Monster Jam is giving two lucky readers a family four pack of tickets. (You didn't think we'd tell you all about this totally awesome event, & not you give you a chance to attend for FREE did you?)
Add some "Just Spotted" flair to your site... just copy & paste the following:
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