Customized Postcards from UPrinting {Giveaway}

{This giveaway is now closed. Thanks to those who entered!}

Is winter over yet? I know it's only December and technically we haven't even reached the first day of the winter season yet (how very, very depressing) but I think I'm done. I'm ready to pack up and head somewhere warm until the ground outside has thawed and the freezing temperatures have improved enough that we can leave the house in less than 12 layers of clothing.

I'm thinking my family jumps on a plane and flies somewhere that offers sun, sand and some relaxation and escape from the cold and stresses of life here at home. Don't worry, I wouldn't forget about everyone I know still back with their boots and shovels, though. In fact, I'd take a beautiful picture of all the fun we're having and send it out on a postcard to show my sympathies:

Just water for miles around. Can you smell the hint of sunscreen in the air?

When you go on vacation do you stand there spinning the wire racks of postcards looking for one that captures the message you're trying to send back to family and friends? Those days are over now that you can design your own postcards at UPrinting.com!

Whether you are doing printing for personal or business reasons, UPrinting has the selection, quality and service that you need at prices everyone can enjoy. The special touches that UPrinting offers also make them stand out from the crowd, such as getting a free proof before you pay or using one of their many templates to help you design the product that's just right for you. I was able to make my dreaming-of-a-vacation postcard shown above in just minutes using the tools provided right on UPrinting's website.

If you haven't yet tried UPrinting, you're missing out! Due to their never-ending generosity and support in the blogging world, one person will get to create postcards to promote their business or thank people for holiday gifts or just say hi, because...

One person will win 100 customized postcards* of their own from UPrinting!
ARV $44.23!

To enter to win your 100 postcards*: Tell me how you would use the postcards if you won. Do you have an idea already? Please do me the favor of leaving an email address or making absolutely sure it is visible in your profile. I have to have a way to contact the winner.

Extra Entries (available after the mandatory entry above is completed; please leave a separate comment for each entry)
1 Extra Entry (per giveaway entered) - Enter any (or all) of the giveaways running on Thanks, Mail Carrier for the duration of this giveaway. See the list on the top of my right sidebar - there are some really great ones going on right now and coming up!
1 Extra Entry if you follow me on Twitter and tweet about this giveaway by copying and pasting the tweet below and leaving me the link. Tweet daily for an extra entry every day!

Design your own 100 custom postcards @thxmailcarrier from @uprinting! Millions of possibilities! http://bit.ly/6qL6Ha #win #giveaway

2 Extra Entries per follow method (leave 2 separate comments for each type) if you follow me with Google Friend Connect (see sidebar), subscribe to my RSS feed or subscribe to Thanks, Mail Carrier by email.
3 Extra Entries (leave 3 separate comments) if you put my cute button up on your blog. Please leave an address where it can be found.

3 Extra Entries (leave 3 separate comments) if you blog about this giveaway, linking back to Thanks, Mail Carrier as well as UPrinting.com. Please leave an address where it can be found.

*Postcards will be 4" x 6," printed on 14pt cardstock gloss and have full color on both sides. This prize includes the cost of the postcards ($44.23) but unfortunately the winner will have to pay for shipping costs, which will vary depending on location.

Giveaway will end on January 1st at 11:59pm CST. The winner will be chosen by random.org and announced here as well as emailed. The winner will have 48 hours to contact me or respond to notification or a new winner will be chosen. Prize will be awarded by coupon code on January 8th, 2010. Giveaway open to U.S. residents only.

A big thank you to UPrinting.com for providing me with 100 postcards of my own, as well as for one lucky giveaway winner. The opinions shared are my own and if you really need to see more, click here to see how I roll.

Evolve Water Lily Eco-Luxury Showerhead (Review, Giveaway& Coupon Code)

{This giveaway is now closed. Thanks to those who entered!}

When I go visit my mom in the house I grew up in, each room holds memories of my childhood. In the living room, I can picture the countless sleepovers that my friends and I had and how much fun it was to stay up late into the night giggling and chatting. In the kitchen, I remember trying to make pancakes by myself for the first time and using sugar instead of flour in the batter... at least we caught the problem before trying to cook the runny mess.

What sticks out in my mind from my mom's bathroom (that is unfortunately still a problem) is how annoying the showerhead always was. Turning the water on full blast only resulted in an uneven splutter that not only did a poor job rinsing the shampoo from my hair, but it took ages to warm up. I would end up doing any number of things throughout the house in order to spend less time standing there shivering until I could get in under the measly amount of water.

Therefore, the idea of an eco-friendly showerhead was never my thing. I assumed that they were all going to be low-flow and plain, nothing that would provide a soothing, relaxing shower while still somehow saving water (and money). Then, there was evolve.


Created by people who wanted to save time, water and energy without having to make sacrifices or behavior changes, evolve and their ShowerStart technology is the answer for those of us that want to go green but still want to enjoy a luxury shower. Sounds pretty nice, doesn't it?

But what does this mean for you? If you're part of the 75% or more of people that turn on your shower and then proceed to do other things while you wait for it to warm up, the extra hot water going down the drain is adding up in both higher utility bills and wasted water. However, the ShowerStart technology involved in evolve's showerheads solves these problems for you in three simple steps.

Step 1: Turn on your showerhead just like normal. The cold water will run out through the pipes as it begins to warm up. Step 2: Your evolve showerhead will monitor the water temperature for you and automatically lessen the water flow down to a trickle as soon as it has reached 95° F. You don't have to worry about wasting hot water! Step 3: When you're ready, flip the switch or pull the cord right on the showerhead to resume the normal flow of water for your relaxing, hot shower and hop in! Aaaaah.


We procrastinated a few days in putting up the beautiful water lily showerhead from evolve because neither my husband nor I are handy people. When I finally put my foot down and forced him in there, my husband was finished and back out of the bathroom before I even had a chance to go in to supervise. Yes, it was that easy (the water lily works with any standard shower arm) and, after experiencing my first rain shower, I was annoyed that I had missed out on a few extra days of such luxury.

There's just something about a rain showerhead that is instantly more relaxing than normal. Combine that with the maximum possible flow rate of water and a choice between rain, massage or a combination of the two and it really doesn't get much better than that. The water lily even resets itself after each shower so that the ShowerStart technology is in use every time the water is turned on.

The high quality of evolve's showerheads is evident in the solid brass fittings and anti-clog nozzles (standard on all of their showerheads) as well as the excellent performance the water lily has shown every time I've used it. If you're looking for the same strong water pressure that you've always enjoyed - now it just gets hot and waits until you're ready!

Save water, energy consumption and money with any of evolve's showerheads, or, if you're happy with the showerhead that you currently have, simply attach their ladybug adapter and have the ShowerStart technology go to work for you, too. Whether you are looking for a handheld or a rain showerhead, chrome or brushed nickel, evolve's showerhead prices start at just $39.95. There is sure to be one to fit your budget, lifestyle and whichever shade of green that you may be - or aspire to be.

If you haven't already been convinced, for the next week enter the discount code Xenia121809 and receive $10 off your order at evolve! One of these fantastic items with a coupon? Now that's luxury at it's finest. Hurry though, this code will only work through December 22, 2009!

One person will no longer have to worry about taking the time to brush their teeth, catch an extra word or two of the morning news or answer ten more of their preschooler's "Why? Why, Mommy? Why?" questions while the shower is running, because, thanks to the generosity of evolve...

One person will win an evolve water lily eco-luxury showerhead 
of their own! ARV $75!

To enter to win your evolve water lily showerhead (in winner's choice of chrome or brushed nickel finish): Visit evolve and tell me another of their great products that you would like to try. Please do me the favor of leaving an email address or making absolutely sure it is visible in your profile. I have to have a way to contact the winners.

Extra Entries (available after the mandatory entry above is completed; please leave a separate comment for each entry in order for them to be counted. For example, if you subscribe, leave one comment saying "I subscribe #1" and a separate comment saying "I subscribe #2")

1 Extra Entry if you read evolve's vision and tell me something that you learned or was meaningful to you.
1 Extra Entry (per giveaway entered) - Enter any (or all) of the giveaways running on Thanks, Mail Carrier for the duration of this giveaway. See the list on the top of my right sidebar - there are some really great ones going on right now and coming up!
1 Extra Entry if you follow me on Twitter and tweet about this giveaway by copying and pasting the tweet below and leaving me the link. Tweet daily for an extra entry every day!

Evolve's water lily showerhead (ARV $75) is PURE LUXURY and eco-friendly! Win & relax @thxmailcarrier! http://bit.ly/5xuo6p #win #giveaway

2 Extra Entries per follow method (leave 2 separate comments for each type) if you follow me with Google Friend Connect (see sidebar), subscribe to my RSS feed or subscribe to Thanks, Mail Carrier by email.
3 Extra Entries (leave 3 separate comments) if you put my cute button up on your blog. Please leave an address where it can be found.
3 Extra Entries (leave 3 separate comments) if you blog about this giveaway linking back to Thanks, Mail Carrier and evolve. Please leave an address where it can be found.
Giveaway will end on January 4th, 2010 (a little extra time to skip over the holidays) at 11:59pm CST. The winner will be chosen by random.org and announced here as well as emailed. The winner will have 48 hours to contact me or respond to notification or a new winner will be chosen. Giveaway open to US residents only.

A big thank you to Chevon at evolve for providing a water lily showerhead for review as well as for one lucky giveaway winner. Now this is luxury! The opinions shared are my own and if you really need to see more, click here to see how I roll.

Winners!

Three great giveaways have come to an end, meaning there are soon going to be more kids wearing adorable cuddly hats, moms enjoying easier feeding times and unique personalized ornaments on Christmas trees.

The lucky person who will enjoy the benefits of a great Baby Dipper Bowl is...
Congratulations, mom2anutball! I hope this makes it easier for your little one to feed himself!

The two lucky people who will get to see their kids look adorable in BuddyTops hats this winter are...
Congratulations, Varinia and AStarrA! Cute kids coming right up!

Finally, the three lucky people who will get to design their own custom porcelain ornament from CafePress are...Congratulations, Lori Taube, Melissa and MAC Mom! I hope you enjoy your ornaments for years to come!

Whew. Thanks to everyone who entered these great giveaways and the other wonderful ones that are running (and coming up), too!

GIVEAWAY: Ecostore USA $25 Gift Certificate

{This giveaway is now closed. Thanks to those who entered!}

There's something that I like about loading the dishwasher and the washing machine. That's probably a little weird, but I do. The idea of our plates, cups, silverware and clothes going in dirty and coming out clean gives me a feeling of satisfaction every time I press the start button.

What I don't like? The creepy chemical smells and how I've used dishwasher detergents before that have huge warnings about not touching it with your bare skin. It's going to wash my plates which are, in turn, going to hold my food - it seems like a pretty bad sign that it would burn my hand if I brushed against it. (The other thing I don't like is unloading the dishwasher or putting away the clean laundry. It's just not as exciting.)


Faced with the challenge of protecting the pristine rural waterways of his eco village in New Zealand, Malcolm Rands worked with scientists to develop household cleaning products using plant-based ingredients that would biodegrade safely and quickly. As more customers began using the genuinely clean and green Ecostore products, they found they were experiencing surprising and unexpected improvements in their health.

Now also here in the United States, Ecostore USA not only makes products that are good for the planet but for the user as well with their slogan, No Nasty Chemicals. On top of that, they are super-concentrated so that they are affordable. The question that was on my mind, as it usually is with new products, do they work?

I won't say that I knew exactly what all of the ingredients in Ecostore's Auto Dish Powder were (they were actually listed!), but at least I could pronounce them and could tell that they were all natural. When it came time to try it out, I opened the container, braced myself and took a whiff.

The smell that I found was not at all harsh and was a pleasant lemon-citrus-clean scent, something that indicated cleanliness but, well, with No Nasty Chemicals. I poured only one tablespoon of the powder into my dishwasher's dispenser and prepared to wait to see the results.

We've tried various dishwasher liquids and powders in the past and have had some positive outcomes and some negative. There's nothing worse than having dried food crusted on your dishes after they've been cleaned - it defeats the point, right? When I opened the dishwasher at the completion of the cycle, I was happy to see that every item in there was spotless and shiny.

When it came time to try the Front Loader Laundry Powder that Ecostore USA had sent, I discovered the same results. The fresh, natural lemon scent and plant-based ingredients left my family's clothes clean and soft. Knowing that the water running out of my washing machine and back to the earth was safe for the planet, well, that just made me feel good.

Along with the variety of organic products for your household, Ecostore USA also has a great selection of soaps, hair care, baby items and pet products - because why should your pet be exposed to unhealthy chemicals, too? What is good for you, your family and your pet can now also be good for the earth.

Even better, right now Ecostore USA is running a Share the Love Holiday Sale where all of their great products are available for 40% off for the rest of the year! That makes products like their much-talked-about Citrus Spray Cleaner only $5.40 and their Vanilla Shampoo only $6.60. Stock up now so you can go green in 2010 (free shipping for orders of $25 or more) and keep up with Ecostore USA on Facebook for all of their upcoming deals and information!

Thanks to the generosity of Ecostore USA, one person will be able to try out multiple of their wonderful products, because...

One lucky person will win a $25 gift certificate to Ecostore USA!

To enter to win your $25 gift certificate to Ecostore USA: Visit Ecostore USA and tell me which of their great product(s) you would like to try first. Please do me the favor of leaving an email address or making absolutely sure it is visible in your profile. I have to have a way to contact the winners.

Extra Entries (available after the mandatory entry above is completed; please leave a separate comment for each entry in order for them to be counted. For example, if you subscribe, leave one comment saying "I subscribe #1" and a separate comment saying "I subscribe #2")

1 Extra Entry (per method) if you follow Ecostore USA on Twitter and/or sign up for their newsletter (found on their blog).
1 Extra Entry (per giveaway entered) - Enter any (or all) of the giveaways running on Thanks, Mail Carrier for the duration of this giveaway. See the list on the top of my right sidebar - there are some really great ones going on right now and coming up!
1 Extra Entry if you follow me on Twitter and tweet about this giveaway by copying and pasting the tweet below and leaving me the link. Tweet daily for an extra entry every day!

Ecostore USA makes it easy to go green with a $25 gift certificate @thxmailcarrier from @ecostoreusa! http://bit.ly/7ztfr4 #win #giveaway

2 Extra Entries per follow method (leave 2 separate comments for each type) if you follow me with Google Friend Connect (see sidebar), subscribe to my RSS feed or subscribe to Thanks, Mail Carrier by email.
3 Extra Entries (leave 3 separate comments) if you put my cute button up on your blog. Please leave an address where it can be found.
3 Extra Entries (leave 3 separate comments) if you blog about this giveaway linking back to Thanks, Mail Carrier and Ecostore USA. Please leave an address where it can be found.
Giveaway will end on December 28th (so that the winner will have a few days to take advantage of the great Share the Love Holiday Sale) at 11:59pm CST. The winner will be chosen by random.org and announced here as well as emailed. The winner will have 48 hours to contact me or respond to notification or a new winner will be chosen. Giveaway open to US residents only.

A big thank you to Maggie at Ecostore USA for providing two products for review as well as a $25 gift certificate for one lucky giveaway winner. Hopefully the world will all be green-cleaning soon! The opinions shared are my own and if you really need to see more, click here to see how I roll.