4 winners! $25 Gift Cards from Sugarhouse Ink!!

If you are new here, you will soon learn, that I love checking out new businesses online & promoting Female Entrepreneurs here @ The Gift Closet!

Today I want to introduce you to Sarah from Sugarhouse Ink!

Sugarhouse Ink offers classic, beautiful announcements & cards with a splash of style and a modern edge. They offer professionally designed announcements for all of life's most important occasions, using only the highest quality papers and printing techniques.

Offering fresh designs for birth announcements, wedding announcements, save-the-dates, graduation announcements, holiday greetings, and more, Sugarhouse Ink provides stylish and personal photo cards for any and all of life's most important occasions.

I asked Sarah what inspired her to start Sugarhouse Ink & here is what she had to say:

"I have always loved to design things, especially to celebrate important events. There seems to be more meaning behind those designs. I guess the more serious side of it started when I got engaged and decided to design my own wedding announcements. Then came nieces and nephews and their birth announcements and photo cards for my siblings families at Christmas. I had such a great time doing it for myself and them, that I thought maybe I could do it for even more people. From there I developed dozens of templates for nearly every important occasion. That's when Sugarhouse Ink was born! I also accept custom orders."

Want it? Click her to shop @ Sugarhouse Ink.

Win It! Sarah has generously offered 4 lucky Gift Closet readers $25 Gift certificates! How can you win one of these 4 Gift Certificates??

contest closed

1.Leave a comment here & be sure to include your email address if it is not on your profile. If you are not a blogger, or do not have a google account, email me your email address, name, & what contest you are entering & I will enter you in. You can send that info to heatherldt at bellsouth dot net
2. Contest ends 4/7/09 at midnight & is open to US residents only.

I just wanted to say a big thank you to all my loyal Gift Closet readers! You make it possible for me to have this blog & spend time doing something I enjoy each day!! {{Hugs}}

P.S. The winner chosen by random.org for Mamalicious Monday was #6 Krystyn. Congrats!

Mamalicious Monday

It's been a couple of weeks since we've done Mama Monday, so welcome back!

If you are new, Welcome to Mamalicious Monday!This is a fun bloggy game for Moms of all ages & another chance to win some Mom-prizes on The Gift Closet! Here is the low-down:

1. Compose a post on your blog and title it "Mamalicious Monday". This post can be about anything Mom-related. It can be regarding parenting, marriage, funny things kids say, recipes, home-organizing tips, seeking or giving advice, etc. Anything a Mom would want to share or read!

2. In the post somewhere, please link back to The Gift Closet so your readers will know what Mamalicious Monday is.

3. Come back here and enter a link to your post in the Mr Linky box.

4. Here are links to examples of a Mamalicious Monday post:
Leslie
Heather (me!)
Karen
Contest ends Monday 3/30/09 @ midnight.

5. Random winners will be drawn using Random.org.

Today's giveaway is the winner's choice of a SHOP Tote from Calypso Studios!

Here is a sample of one:
These re-usable shopping bags are spacious. 17” x 19” when opened and easily roll up into a 2” x 3” size. Three bags are conveniently stored in an 8” x 6” wristlet carrying case. Calypso Studios S.H.O.P. Totes were also chosen as one of the celebrity giveaway swag bags at the Academy Awards in February.

Calypso Studios is a new company that has taken inspiration from mother nature and created products that encompass a relaxed and vibrant lifestyle. They are constantly moving forward and challenging themselves with new designs and accessories, creating beautiful pieces that everyone can enjoy. Visit them on Facebook by clicking here.

Enter your Mamalicious Monday post link in the Mr Linky box below & good luck! :)

CONTEST CLOSED

Come join me....

Please join me on Facebook & Twitter! I finally added The Gift Closet to both of them this week & The Gift Closet is lonely & needs friends!

Click here to be a fan on Facebook!

Click here to be a fan on Twitter!

And please send me your links as well so I can be a fan/follower for you as well! The more the merrier! ;)

Click here to get the scoop on Bookie Boo's Twitter Party!

Calypso Studios Giveaway

One of my sponsors, Calypso Studios, is offering a giveaway in honor of Earth Day!

In keeping with the spirit of Calypso Studios S.H.O.P. Totes ™ (Start Helping Our Planet), the company is excited to launch its first annual Earth Day Event. Calypso Studios wants to promote this important day in our world by donating $10,000 worth of its S.H.O.P. Totes ™.

The totes are a fashionable way to Start Helping Our Planet by using reusable bags. The spacious bags are 17” x 19” when opened and easily roll up into a 2” x 3” size. Three bags are conveniently stored in an 8” x 6” wristlet carrying case. Calypso Studios S.H.O.P. Totes were also chosen as one of the celebrity giveaway swag bags at the Academy Awards in February. Celebrate Earth Day carrying the bag the celebrities use!

Our Earth Day mission is to encourage everyone to get in the habit of carrying reusable bags on every shopping excursion – whether to the grocery store, mall, or on vacation.

Plastic bags are harmful to the earth in several ways:

• Each year, an estimated 500 billion to 1 trillion plastic bags are consumed worldwide
• According to the EPA, over 380 billion bags are used in the USA every year, which is more than 1200 per resident and it takes about 12 million barrels of oil to make this many bags.
• Over 46,000 pieces of plastic are floating in our oceans worldwide
• Each reusable bag you use has the potential to eliminate an average of 1000 bags over its lifetime.

To participate in our Earth Day Event please register on the retail website: www.calypsostudiosinc.com This event begins at 12 noon est on April 1, 2009 and will end at 12 noon est on April 15, 2009. A drawing will be held on the evening of April 15 to select the winners. These lucky individuals will each receive an Acts of Kindness S.H.O.P. Tote ™ on or before Earth Day, April 22, 2009.

Check out current giveaways on The Gift Closet by clicking here!

Friday's Features...and a giveaway!

Today I would like for you to meet Brooke Fuller, creator of The Pear Project. The Pear Project is an on-line boutique specializing in bringing you Artisan Goods for Everyday Life from a variety of artists and craftspeople. She also has a photography & design business, and is focused currently on wedding design. In fact, she is now offering $5 off a custom order for Wedding Monograms. Click here to visit that site.
Here are some samples of her monograms....

I asked Brooke what inspired her to start her businesses, and here is her reply:

"My inspiration comes from trying to squeak all of my passions into one. I have a background in photography & sales so creating http://www.thepearproject.com was a great way for me to be able to sell and promote my own art as well as the art of others. I also do wedding monograms and am a stock photographer so I'm quite a busy girl!"

I am sure she is a busy girl w/ all that going on! Hop on over to The Pear Project by clicking here
where Brooke is offering you 10% off using the code "TWEET"!
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My 2nd feature for today is Eliana from My Precious Arrival. My Precious Arrival is a site that specializes in offering all sorts of products to welcome your baby! She offers Stork Rentals, announcements, flowers, and other gifts.

I asked Eliana what inspired her to start My Precious Arrival:

"As a way to celebrate the arrival of my first child, Nícolas, I designed a cute stork and set it up in my front yard to share the wonderful news with everyone. People loved the stork, so I decided to provide a way for other moms to spread their joy with their neighbors. As I was trying to find the perfect newborn gift ideas for myself and friends, I discovered that takes a lot of time and a lot of searching. With that in mind, and my beloved stork, My Precious Arrival was born! It is designed to be a one-stop-shop to celebrate the birth of a new baby. My Precious Arrival has everything- from the stork signs to photo birth announcements, flower bouquets to gift baskets, diaper cakes, baby shower favors, and even the innovative baby sundaes."

Want It? Eliana is generously offering a 20% discount to Gift Closet readers. Just let her know when placing your order that you found her through The Gift Closet. Click here to shop.

Win It! Eliana also would like to offer you a chance to win a set of 2 baby ice cream sundaes!
Ingredients:
2 - receiving blankets
2 - baby washcloths
2 - hair clips (for girl design)
2 - pom pom toppers
2 - plastic ice cream cups
2 - ice cream spoons

Too cute!!!

How to Win:
1. Simply leave a comment here & be sure it includes your email addy if it is not on your profile.
2. For an EXTRA entry, snag my Gift Closet button for your site. Then come back here & leave an additional comment telling me you did so & a link to your site/blog.
Grab this button:
<center><a href="http://www.thegiftcloset.blogspot.com/"><img border="0" src="http://i528.photobucket.com/albums/dd328/giftlady64/giftclosetbutton.gif" /></a></center>3. Contest ends Thursday 4/2/09 @ midnight & is open to US residents only.

Would you like to be a Friday's feature on The Gift Closet? Email me at heatherldt at bellsouth dot net for more info. Have a great weekend! ;)

Enter to win a $15 Gift Certificate to The Gift Closet by clicking here!!!

Munique Fashions Giveaway

CONTEST CLOSED

If you haven't had a chance to visit some of the sponsors on my Right sidebar, you are missing out! There are some wonderful companies, that offer unique products. One of them, Munique Fashions, has offered to give away this beautiful Orchid Pendant, to one lucky Gift Closet reader!

Munique Fashions is an online fashion and accessory boutique showcasing quality handcrafted fashion and accessories from artisans around the world. They also have a new fashion and style blog, www.muniquefashions.blogspot.com.

Munique Fashions was founded by Arline James-Thomas in 2007, in response to the demand for unique fashion accessories by ladies who want to stand apart from the crowd and develop their own unique style. The Munique fashion and style blog is the next step in providing customers with advice and ideas on how to look stylish and feel great. “We want our accessories to really say something about the wearer” said founder Arline James Thomas. “The designs are exotic and different and communicate rarity. We want to provide an opportunity to buy beautiful handcrafted accessories that are not available on the high street. We hope that our accessories will start a conversation with fashion that begins - where did you get that?”

Munique Fashions has a range of accessories including recycled Eco jewelery, leather flower shaped jewellery, delicate leather sandals and goatskin handbags. The accessories are perfect for the young fashion conscious female as well as the mature trendy woman who wants to look different and develop her own style. The products are sourced from artisans and purchased with the principle that the producer should receive a fair price for their products contributing to the sustainability of the handicraft industry around the world.

Want it? Click here to visit Munique Fashions website or here to visit their blog!

Win It! Enter to win the Orchid Pendant pictured above by doing this:

CONTEST CLOSED

1. Simply leave a comment here & be sure to include your email addy if it is not on your profile.

2. For an extra entry, add me to your Technorati favorites list, and leave an additional comment here telling me you did. Click this button to add The Gift Closet:

3. Contest ends Wednesday 4/1/09 @ midnight.

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Thursday's Tip!

I have found that a sticky lint roller is perfect for rolling over lamp shades to remove all the dust!!

Win It Wednesday - Shoo Shoos!

Welcome to the original Win It Wednesday @ the Gift Closet!

I recently had the pleasure of reviewing 2 adorable pairs of baby shoes from a company called Shoo Shoos. If you haven't heard of Shoo Shoos before, let me introduce you!

Shoo Shoos makes stylish & comfortable shoes for babies & toddlers, up to 24 mos. Started in 1996 in Cape Town to uplift disadvantaged communities , Shooshoos has grown into a worldwide brand with sales in over 20 countries. Their shoes are made of soft leather & perfect for little ones, even those learning to walk. I had the opportunity to check out these:
Dazzling Daisy T / Bars. Velcro fastening, your cutie pie can reach for the sky in these fuchsia pink daisy belle shooshoos. No sweat with these breathable soft Napa leather toddler shoes. They're highly flexible and ultra lightweight with cute little "smile" non slip rubber soles.
Price: $24.95

And these:
These brown and tan leather shoes are great for all kinds of do's. Whether Indoor or outdoor, they're free to explore. Durable, easy to clean Napa leather kids shoes with elasticized ankles and ultra flexible rubber soles. Hop, skip, jump and ramp these shoes will make your toddler a champ! Price: $24.95

Here are just a couple more samples of their adorable footwear!

What I like about ShooShoos:
-Lightweight
-Flexible & soft leather as well as flexible soles
-They have a wide variety of styles & colors to choose from. I am a very basic person, but they offer some adorable & unique styles as well.
-The ankle is elasticized, making it easy to slip on & off your baby's foot.
-No shoelaces!
-Easy to clean.

What I did not like about Shoo Shoos:
-The only thing that would deter me would be the price. If I bought a basic pair that would go with multiple outfits, I could justify it. If I had some extra bucks, I just might have to splurge on some of the more unique & fun ones....too cute!!

Want it? Click here to shop @ Shoo Shoos! They are currently running a special & have some really cute soft soled baby shoes on clearance for $12.95! And I believe they are giving away some shoes starting Friday on their site, so keep an eye out for that too.

Win It!
You can enter to win 1 pair of your choice of ShooShoos by doing this:
1. Click here to go to ShooShoos site. Come back here & leave a comment telling me what your favorite pair is. Be sure to leave your email addy in your comment if it is not on your profile. If you have a blog & would be willing to post about your winnings, that would be great!

2. For an extra entry, blog about this contest and link to both ShooShoos and The Gift Closet in your post. Come back here & leave another comment after doing so, with the link to your post.

3. Contest open to US & Canada residents only & ends Tuesday 3/31/09 at midnight.

Interested in hosting a giveaway on The Gift Closet? Please email me at heatherldt at bellsouth dot net. Have a blessed day!

Launching A Business

Welcome to my Launching a Business Series! Click here to read what it is all about.

This is week 9 & here is what we have discussed so far:

1. Researching your product to see if there is a market for it.
2. How to price your product.
3. Finding time to work from home with small children.
4. The different venues to sell your products: retail, wholesale, consignment, etc.
5. Making & selling your product.
6. Exposing your business to local media.
7. Selling on the Internet.
8. Money

This is the last week for this series. Hope it has helped you in some way! :)

10 tips for Launching A Business:
1. Take advantage of free or inexpensive advertising, especially in this current economy. Giveaways are a cheap way to promote your business & quite popular in the blog world right now. You can write off the product on your taxes as well. Here @ The Gift Closet I offer 7 ways to promote your business, several of which are free! Email me if you are interested.
2. Make your customers happy. Provide great customer service & people will spread the word about your business...for you. Word of mouth is the best form of advertising! Be kind & keep your word.
3. Network! Need I say more? Twitter, Facebook, chat rooms, you get the picture.
4. Find a Mentor. It's always helpful to find someone in the industry to get advice from. Finding someone in another state or region who won't feel like you are in competition with is best.
5. Email customers once a month with new products &/or specials. Reminding them of your presence will hopefully make them think of you next time they need something!
6. Know your competition. You can get great ideas from your competitors. Don't copy them, but staying abreast of the current products out there will keep your ideas fresh as well.
7. Persistence is key in sales.
8. Bartering products for advertising or other services can save you money(I'm open to that by the way ~wink, wink ~).
9. You have to believe in what you are selling to be able to sell it. If you aren't confident in your product, your customers will see that.
10. Love what you do! That will show through as well.

Hope you have enjoyed this series & be sure to check me out at Mom Blog Mania!



Click here to enter to win one of my Scrabble Pendants over @ Jolly Mom!

I'm back!

Hey bloggin' buddies! Hope you all are doing well!! We got in late Saturday night from Disney World & had a blast! I spent yesterday going to church, visiting our Aunt who had a stroke while we were gone, doing about 8 loads of laundry...well...you get the idea! I'm still trying to catch up! ;)
So, no Mamalicious Monday today. First of all the company that was supposed to do the giveaway changed their mind & secondly, I haven't really had time to sit at the computer yet! ;) I came home to about 285 emails, so please be patient if you are waiting on a reply from me.

And please join me tomorrow for my last Launching Your Business Post! Starting Tuesday of next week, I will be offering giveaways on Tuesdays as well! I've got giveaways lined up through July, so it's time to start giving more stuff away at The Gift Closet!
And I also came home to the realization that Spring has Sprung & I need to do some clearing out of the closets! Anyone else in the same boat? I can't beleive it's already Spring!

A few of the (1,000!) pics my hubby took on the trip:

Can you see the dark circles under my eyes on this one?! I was so excited I couldn't hardly sleep the 1st 2 nights! ~Giggles~
And my favorite part? Not cooking or cleaning for a week sure is nice!! And can you tell I love food?!?!?

From all you can eat buffets....
to fabulous desserts....
I was in Heaven!
So, again, hope all my blogging buddies out there had a great week & I look forward to catching up w/ you all this week & offering you some exciting new giveaways! See you tomorrow! ;)

Winners!

Thanks so much to all who entered all the giveaways I have had going on for the past week! Here are the winners:

#66 Paula H is the winner of the $35 Gift certificate to La Dee Dah art...you lucky dog! ;)
#82 Heather is the winner of the March 09 Spotted Box...yay!
#36 Taylor is the winner of the $25 Gift Certificate to Gemini Greetings...woo hoo!
and
#124 Reva Skie is the winner of the $25 Gift certificate to Bracelet Stories...you'll love it! Loni from Bracelet Stories is offering $5 off any bracelet & $10 off a memory bracelet during March & April!


So, you gotta pinky swear you'll be back to visit The Gift Closet on March 22nd! I hate to leave you without posts for the next week or so, but I'm off to Disney World tomorrow! Have a great week & I'll see ya'll when I get back!!! {{Hugs}}

Enter to win a free blog makeover by clicking here!

Click here to enter & win one of my Scrabble Pendants!!!

P.S. Do you think I can talk Disney into giving me something to giveaway to you upon my return? ~wink wink~

Coccoletta Company-Feature & Discount

If lovin' Facebook is wrong, then I don't wanna be right!!! LOL....the reason for my terribly late post today? I just discovered Facebook yesterday & am loving catching up w/ old friends!!

So, on to the post for today! I'm not going to start a giveaway like I typically do on Win It Wednesdays, cuz I leave for Disney in 2 days!! Woo-hoo!! I , instead, want to feature a great company, that I had promised I would feature this Friday, but since I'm leaving town...ok now I'm rambling.

So, without further adue, I want to share Coccoletta Company with you! If you recognize them it's cuz they did a great giveaway not long ago here @ The Gift Closet & have an adorable button on my right sidebar!

Coccoletta Company is actually a company that offers 2 websites!

One is Tots With Style. They offer adorable beanies for boys & girls!

Their other site is Princess Tots. Princess Tots is a great site that offers headbands, flower clips, tutus, jewelry, & more!

The inspiration behind Coccoletta Company:

"What inspired us to start our business was about 2 ½ years ago we were trying to find cute headbands for our new baby girls that would go with lots of outfits. With not a lot of success in finding what we wanted we came up with and designed these headbands and beanies. Since then we have expanded and released another new website, www.TotsWithStyle.com along with www.princesstots.com with our winter beanies for BOYS and girls just this past winter. Our company name “Coccoletta Company” means ‘cute baby’ in Italian."

Want it?
Gift Closet readers can get 15% off at www.TotsWithStyle.com using code GIFTCLOSET09!!

Shop at Tots With Style by clicking here.
Click here to shop @ Princess Tots.

Check back tomorrow to see who all the winners are for the 4 giveaways going on now...last day to enter! Click here to see current giveaways!

Project Nursery

I stumbled across a great new site not long ago. They did a little feature on little old me today! Check it out:
Project Nursery

Huggable Hangers

First I want to say congrats to Cadance, lucky number 4, who won the Chandelier Vinyl Wall Art from Scribble It on Mamalicious Monday yesterday! And congrats to #10, Loni, who shared a great airplane cake recipe on Mamalicious Monday. She won the Flower Medley Hostess Gift Set from Leslie @ Celebrating Home!

Several months ago a friend of mine was telling me how she re-did her entire closet with Huggable Hangers & loved them. I had never heard of them before. So, I was very excited when Huggable Hangers contacted me to do a review!!

I received my purple (they have lots of fun colors to choose from) Huggable Hangers last week & my hubby & I both are enjoying them!

What I like about Huggable Hangers:
-They are wide enough to keep your clothes form sliding off.
-They are covered in velvet to keep your clothes in place.
-Sturdy enough to hold just about anything.
-They are thin in design, allowing more closet space...woo hoo!
-And my favorite thing about these hangers is that they don't leave that ugly pooch in the shoulder! You know what I'm talking about? When you hang a sweater and take it off the hanger to find a little pooch in each shoulder that you then have to wet to get it to lay flat? My husband & I have numerous sweaters that we just have to fold because of that. But the Huggable hangers did not do that to our sweaters...yay, I'm sold! ;)

What I did not like about Huggable Hangers:
Honestly there is nothing I really did not like. The only deterrent for some might be the cost. Otherwise, go get 'em! ;)

A few facts about Huggable Hangers:
The Huggable Hanger is Home Shopping Network's #1 selling product & is quickly becoming a favorite among celebrities & stylists. They are velvet covered, thinly designed, sturdy, with chrome hooks. Joy Mangano is the mastermind behind these hangers.

Some of Joy's organization tips:

· Photograph all pairs of shoes and glue the picture to the outside of the shoe box for easy access

· Invite an honest friend over to help you toss those jeans you can't let go of from the 80s or the sweater your ex-boyfriend gave you last Christmas

· Store out-of season items in bins on the bottom of your closet to create more space for in-season pieces

· Fold all items that aren't easily wrinkled (jeans, sweaters) and place on shelves in color-coded sections

· Install hooks on the inside of your closet doors to hang belts, scarves, and even costume jewelry necklaces that are too bulky to store in a jewelry box

· Adhere click lights on the walls of your closet to create extra lighting- just peel and stick!

· Replace all wire and wooden hangers with Huggable Hangers to create a uniform look and triple the amount of space!

Want it? Click here to shop.

Interested in getting your product in front of thousands of new readers each month? I offer multiple ways to promote your business & affordable rates for my main page advertising. Email me at heatherldt at bellsouth dot net for more information.

Mamalicious Monday-2 giveaways!

Welcome to Mamalicious Monday!This is a fun bloggy game for Moms of all ages & another chance to win some Mom-prizes on The Gift Closet! Here is the low-down:

1. Compose a post on your blog and title it "Mamalicious Monday". This post can be about anything Mom-related. It can be regarding parenting, marriage, funny things kids say, recipes, home-organizing tips, seeking or giving advice, etc. Anything a Mom would want to share or read!

2. In the post somewhere, please link back to The Gift Closet so your readers will know what Mamalicious Monday is.

3. Come back here and enter a link to your post in the Mr Linky box.

4. Here are links to examples of a Mamalicious Monday post:
Leslie
Heather (me!)
Karen
Contest ends Monday 3/9/09 @ midnight & is open to US shipping addresses only.

5. Random winners will be drawn using Random.org & today there will be 2 winners! I will be out of town next Monday, so double the giveaways today! :)

CONTEST CLOSED

The 1st prize up for grabs is this Chandelier Vinyl Wall Art from Scribble It!

1 vintage chandelier in chocolate, size: 24"hWhat inspired Cammi to start Scribble It?

" Being a mom of 3 and on a budget, it was hard to find quality vinyl wall art and lettering at an affordable price. So I decided to start my own business, Scribble It. We specialize in quality vinyl, custom designs at a great price. At Scribble It, we have a variety of pre-designed quotes for any budget, and wall art that is funky and fun. From monograms, to personalized silhouettes to owls, birds and more, you are sure to find what you are looking for at Scribble It. For custom orders, please email us at ScribbleIt@msn.com"

Giveaway #2:
Flower Medley Hostess Set: includes a glass 8x8 cutting board, spreader, and 20 matching paper beverage napkins from Leslie @ Celebrating Home!

Leslie's Inspiration:
"I wanted something fun to do, still be with my children, and bring in money for my family at the same time. I love the products and am very impressed with the company and how they support and treat their designers. It has a fabulous support system and is great for families. The greatest thing is they are a company that is debt-free (what an example) plus they recently bought out Home Interiors preventing them from going bankrupt and saving jobs for a lot of moms like me. Their are many job opportunities and I even have the privilege of hopefully training more designers under me and help them support their families too. An always growing company."

So, get to writing & post your link below! Have a Happy Monday! ~wink~
CONTEST CLOSED

Give A Digital Frame

I have always enjoyed getting & receiving pictures...especially framed pictures, as a gift. I recently was introduced to a new company called, Give A Digital Frame.

GiveADigitalFrame.com provides personalized gifts for all occasions.

How does Give a Digital Frame.com work?

• 1. Choose the occasion or holiday you are celebrating.
• 2. Add the Digital Frame Gift Pack to your shopping cart.
• 3. Complete your order by entering your billing information and the shipping address of the gift recipient.
• 4. Enter a personalized message for the gift recipient.
• 5. Upload your favorite photos (up to 30mb) to personalize your digital frame gift.
• 6. Your photos will be saved to a memory card and packaged with the digital frame in a stylish gift box with your gift message.
• 7. Your gift recipient opens a personalized gift and immediately enjoys the photos you uploaded.
• 8. The gift recipient can add or change the photos in the digital frame whenever they choose.
• 9. You can sit back and know your gift will be enjoyed for many years to come.

Gift Pack Includes:

• - 7" Digital Picture Frame
• - FREE Photo Upload Service
• - FREE Memory Card
• - FREE Gift Box
• - FREE Shipping

Looking for a Unique Gift Idea? Check out our Digital Frame Package.

A Warm Welcome to Calypso Studios!

I would like to welcome Calypso Studios, as the newest Gift Closet sponsor. Calypso Studious is a Virginia based jewelry/tote company.They also have been chosen by Secret Room Events to be a part of the Academy Award give-a-ways!

Calypso Studios is a new company that has taken inspiration from mother nature and created products that encompass a relaxed and vibrant lifestyle. They are constantly moving forward and challenging themselves with new designs and accessories, creating beautiful pieces that everyone can enjoy.

Want It? Click here to shop with Calypso Studios! You can also visit them by clicking on their button on my right sidebar, or visit them on my "Need A Gift?" Page!

Click here to visit all 4 giveaways going on now @ the Gift Closet!

Friday's Features...and a giveaway!

I stumbled upon a website a few months ago called La Dee Dah Art. I immediately fell in love with the art & pictures of painted rooms on the home page. I have always wished I could paint, so I really admire those who can!

Here is a collage of some of her art....

I contacted Dawn, from La Dee Dah Art, and am pleased to introduce you to her today!

I am always interested to see what inspires people to start their businesses. When I asked Dawn what her inspiration was, this is what she had to say.

"I have always had a craving to design or create in some form or fashion. After the birth of my first son, I knew that I could not leave him at home every day to continue my career. My entrepreneurial spirit and love for my family drove me to start a home-based business which is now call La Dee Dah Art. After much prayer and continued practice, God has given me the ability to create artwork that is actually sellable. I never cease to give God glory for what He has done and is continually doing in my life. I hope you enjoy what you see on my site and know that I am very easy to work with, am very detail oriented and take a lot of pride in the work I do..after all, look who I'm representing!!"

I love this nursery she painted...

Want it? Click here to shop @ La Dee Dah Art.

CONTEST CLOSED


Win it!! I don't normally do giveaways on my Friday's Features, but Dawn has offered a $35 Gift Certificate, plus free shipping, to one lucky Gift Closet reader! Yay...wish I could win this one! ;)

How to Win:
1. Simply leave a comment here, include your email address if it is not on your profile, and be willing to put my Gift Closet button on your blog, if you win, and if you have a blog. ;)
2. Contest ends Wednesday 3/11/09 @ midnight & is open to US residents only. Good luck!
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Typically I feature 2 great companies every Friday. La Dee Dah Art is awesome...but this company is.....not so much!!

As a person who companies contact to review products occasionally, I feel like I should offer real & honest reviews to my readers. While this company did not contact me to review their products, I am offering my own personal review. I did not have a good experience with this, and maybe my readers can learn from my mistake on this one!

With all the hype about "going green", I finally jumped on the band wagon last year, and with no regrets! I am now recycling,making some of my own eco-friendly & affordable cleaning solutions for around the house,using re-usable grocery bags, etc.

One company I have purchased several products from is Reusable Bags. They have a wide variety of eco-friendly expensive products. About 5 months ago I purchased 2 water bottles& 2 sippy cups from them to the tune of about $50. I received a free re-usable grocery bag w/ my order (woo-hoo), which tore about 1 week after I got it.

The thing I want to share with you today is my experience with the $17 (each!) sippy cups I purchased. They are Thermos foog 7 oz Thermal Reusable Sippy Cups. I purchased 2 of these cups about 5 months ago. While they were $17 a piece, very expensive to me, I felt they would be worth it. I read the instructions for cleaning, which said to take apart the entire cup every time you clean it. I did that, or so I thought. Last week I discovered the yellow top cam apart from the blue top. When I took it part, I discovered permanent mold!!!
I scrubbed, scratched, washed, soaked in vinegar, and it will not come off. Now I am having to throw away $30 worth of sippy cups, after only using them for 5 short months. I contacted customer service and was told I didn't clean it properly. So, be prepared to take apart the entire cup every time you wash it, or better yet, don't buy it at all!

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Thanks so much!!!

2 posts in 1 day??

Yup, I am posting for a second time today. Please scroll down to see a great review & giveaway on Gemini Greetings after you enter this giveaway! I am leaving for Disney World next week (woo hoo!) and am trying to make sure I offer you all the great giveaways I have lined up before I go!!!

Who doesn't like to receive samples & freebies? I enjoy sampling products...especially if it is something I am considering purchasing.

The Spotted Box offers just that! I came across this site a few months ago & fell in love with this unique idea!!
What is The Spotted Box? The Spotted Box is a box of family-oriented, eco-friendly samples from independent crafters, all packaged together and sent directly to you! Designed with the young family in mind, these handmade samples are focused on children and their mothers.

What does it have in it?
The Spotted Box can include samples like: Bath and body, doublers, candles, bookmarks, candy, stationery, bibs, wool food, toys, paper arts, wipes, wool wash, tarts, mama pads, dish clothes, teas, food, dog treats, gift certificates, magnets, pens, hair products, jewelry and more! Each month it changes depending on the participants.

I asked Tory, the creator of The Spotted Box, what inspired her to start this unique product.

"The Spotted Box began on Hyena Cart (www.hyenacart.com) when I thought that there were so many stores that I'd like to try but didn't have the money and I am always so thrilled when someone includes a sample in their packages so how great would a box of those be?"

Tory has generously offered one lucky Gift Closet reader, a free Spotted Box!!!


CONTEST CLOSED

How to Win:
1. Click here to go to The Spotted Box website. This link will take you to a page listing all the companies that will have samples in the March 2009 box! Come back here & let me know what company you look forward to "sampling"! Be sure you leave an email address in your comment if it is not on your profile.
2. Contest ends Wednesday 3/11/09 at midnight.

Click on my "Giveaways" tab at the top of this page to enter all current giveaways!