Yours To Win

Archive for December, 2011

I thought I’d throw in some holiday cheer for post #50.  I am ending/starting the year with 763 twitter followers, 357 email subscribers, and 226 facebook fans.  You all deserve a special thanks, so here it is!

Yours to Win… a $20 gift certificate to Amazon.com!

Mandatory Entry:   Take my quick 3-question survey AND leave a comment letting me know that you did.

Extra entries (leave one comment per +1 below):

• Subscribe via email to this blog (+2)
• Follow me on twitter and leave your twitter name (+1)
• Like Yours to Win on facebook (+1)
• Share this giveaway on Facebook or tweet this giveaway.  You can use the Tweet button at the top of this post or:   “$20 Amazon Gift Card Giveaway! @yourstowin http://yourstowin.com/?p=2163” (+1 per day)
• Mention this giveaway on your blog (+5)

This giveaway ends January 15th at 9pm EST.  I will choose a winner via www.random.org and notify the winner through email.

Disclosure:  Amazon.com is not affiliated with this contest.  All thoughts are my own.

I previously mentioned that one of my new years resolutions is to incorporate more healthy, nutritional food into my diet.   My primary desire is to lose 15 pounds.  Apparently the freshman 15 isn’t just for undergraduates.  Starting January 1st, I am going to make a better attempt to practice portion control and to fit exercise into my life.  I realize that I should start now, but with holiday meals ahead January 1st seems like a more realistic start date.  It’s a New Years resolution after all.

Two products from Ozeri are going to prove invaluable in helping me with my weight loss goals.  Numbers resonate well with me when trying to reach goals – though I’m not the best at tracking calories, I do like to measure portions and chart my overall weight loss.  This is where the Ozeri Precision Digital Bath Scale (400 lb edition) and the Ozeri Precision Pro Stainless-Steel Digital Kitchen Scale with Oversized Weighing Platform come in.

Ozeri products are found in vacation residences that span the globe, from majestic European estates, luxurious desert spa resorts, and private tropical resorts.  Ozeri products are of a pedigree for ultra-luxury markets we serve, where five-star residences are matched with the finest kitchen, bath, entertainment, and personal amenities.  We incorporate award-winning designs, innovative materials, and durable construction for a long product satisfaction.

The Ozeri ZK011 Precision Pro Stainless-Steel Digital Kitchen Scale with Oversized Weighing Platform is an excellent addition to any kitchen.  The range on this scale is remarkable – it weighs items that register anywhere from 0.1 ounce to 11 pounds.  You can change the display with the push of a button to show the weight in grams, kilograms, ounces, or pounds.  You can place a container on the scale before turning it on and the scale will reset at zero so that the container (or bowl or plate) is not factored into the weight of the item being measured.  The size of the platform is generous and non-limiting, yet the scale itself is small enough at roughly 7 inches by 6.5 inches to store nicely in my drawer.

The bathroom scale is a step up from scales that I have owned in the past.  Its appearance is very basic but the simplicity is paired with very handy features.  The LCD screen that displays weight is large and easy to read.  The scale uses 4 sensors to read up to 400 lbs of weight, which is displayed in 0.2 lb increments.  My favorite feature is that you don’t have to tap and and wait for it to power up.  With this scale you just step on and it instantly reads your weight.  It is also far thinner than I anticipated.  The glass top is sleek and the scale instantly struck me as being very high quality.

I am very impressed with both Ozeri items and I can see why they would be a go-to source for vacation and hospitality oriented companies.  In addition to these scales, Ozeri makes digital lifestyle products (such as e-reader lights and oscillating tower fans), kitchen products (such as the Green Earth Frying Pan and double wall beverage tumblers), bathroom products (such as scales that measure body fat and hydration), wine products, fitness and health products (such as pedometers), and luxury tungsten carbide rings.

Yours to Win… There will be 2 winners!  One will receive the Ozeri Digital Precision Bath Scale (400 lb edition) and one will receive the Ozeri Precision Pro Stainless-Steel Digital Kitchen Scale with Oversized Weighing Platform!  The first winner selected will have first pick.

Mandatory Entry:  What other Ozeri product would you like to have?

Extra entries (leave one comment per +1 below):

• Subscribe via email to this blog (+2)
• Follow me on twitter and leave your twitter name (+1)
• Like Yours to Win on facebook (+1)
• Follow Ozeri on facebook (+1)
• Share this giveaway on Facebook or tweet this giveaway.  You can use the Tweet button at the top of this post or:   “Ozeri Kitchen and Bathroom Scales Giveaway – 2 winners! @yourstowin http://yourstowin.com/?p=1945” (+1 per day)
• Mention this giveaway on your blog (+5)

This giveaway ends January 6th at 9pm EST.  I will choose a winner via www.random.org and notify the winner through email.

Disclosure:  I received complimentary products to facilitate this review.  I did not receive any monetary compensation.  All thoughts are my own.

My husband and I love the mountains.  For some reason, despite the fact that we live a two hour drive from them, they’ve always felt like home to us.  Recently we’ve come to realize that our dogs love to hike as well.  When on the trail they seem more alive – they are alert, curious, and adventurous.  Both the exercise and the sensory experience seem incredibly fulfilling to them.

The dropping temperatures put a temporary halt on our excursions.  Our whippet, Kepler, is 19 pounds of muscle.  She is extremely skinny and sleek, with a fine coat of fur which often leaves her cold.  Shaking and shivering, to be exact.  We purchased a synthetic down vest for her when she was a puppy but she never quite grew into it.  Due to the cumbersome nature of the vest she is restricted from frolicking around as she normally would.

Ruff Wear had the perfect solution to our dogs’ needs.  They sent her the Climate Changer fleece coat.  Rated five (out of five) stars by 108 reviewers on their website, I could not wait to put this jacket to the test.  The description online reads:

Give your dog an extra layer of fur with this cozy fleece.  A streamlined fit, clever use of reflective tape, and award winning use of Polartec® material make this the best dog fuzzy on the market!  A convenient zipper on the left side of the jacket allows for easy on/off.  Ideal for cold and clear conditions.

The Climate Changer is every bit as wonderful as the reviewers before me attested to.  First of all, it is extremely easy to put on.  There is a wide-toothed zipper that runs the length of the coat and it zips on with ease.  The polartec fleece is moderately thick yet it offers a considerable amount of stretch.  When on, it fits my dog to a T.  She is extremely comfortable in it – she was running and spinning around in it almost instantly.  In addition to all of the perks listed above, the jacket is made of 87% recycled and recyclable material (yay!) and it is machine washable.  It is available in obsidian black, lichen green, and wild berry pink (for a limited time).

Ruff Wear is my new number one choice for pet products due to the Climate Changer’s extremely thoughtful design, ease of use, excellent quality, and snug fit.  The top two items on my wishlist are the Cloud Chaser soft shell jacket (for use in cold, wet weather) and the Bark’n Boots Grip Trex.  Maybe my puppy will get lucky this Christmas!

Check out Ruff Wear for the furry friends in your life.  They offer dog beds, bowls, boots, coats, collars, harnesses, leashes, life jackets, packs, toys, and safety items.  They have a line of eco-sensitive gear.  They also offer a visor and a few t-shirts for us  dog lovers.

Disclaimer:  I received a complimentary product to facilitate this review.  I did not receive monetary compensation.  All thoughts are my own.

With New Years on the horizon, new years resolutions are on my brain.  I’ve never really made any resolutions that I was serious about in the past but this year is different.  As a grad student with a part-time job, a lack of time has made me especially prone to eating a diet of junk food and chocolate.  One of my resolutions is to be far more aware of what I’m eating and to really focus on incorporating nutritional whole grains into my diet.

Thanks to Bob’s Red Mill, keeping my resolution is a whole lot more likely.  Bob’s Red Mill was founded by Bob Moore in the 70′s with the goal of utilizing stone-grinding flour mills and old-fashioned techniques to create the best whole grain foods possible.  After years of building the business he believed in, the following happened:

Bob’s 81st birthday was particularly special. Rather than receiving gifts, he decided to give his greatest gift away — his business. Bob surprised all his employees by giving them total ownership of Bob’s Red Mill through an Employee Share Ownership Program (ESOP). For those who know Bob, it’s yet another example of his kind-hearted generosity.

I am so impressed by this story.  Since Bob’s Red Mill is now an employee-owned company, you can imagine how much more pride and effort goes into their products.  This is evidenced by the fact that their products come in clear packaging – the quality is apparent.

I was given the opportunity to try three of their products of my choice.  After looking through pages of intriguing items, I finally settled on their organic quinoa, buttermilk biscuit mix, and muesli.  The organic quinoa was fantastic.  If you have never tried quinoa then I highly recommend it.  It has a slightly nutty flavor that pairs perfectly with black beans, corn, and cilatro.  It did not disappoint.  The buttermilk biscuits were unique – when I ate them I was somehow reminded of cornbread.  They were easy to make and great with cheese, honey, and gravy (not all at once, of course).  My favorite of the three products was the Old Country Style Muesli.  I had never heard of Muesli before but was convinced that it was worth a try based on reviews that I’d read.  In case you’re unfamiliar with it, the description reads:

Old Country Style Muesli was originally developed by a Swiss nutritionist at the end of the 19th century, and remains one of the world’s most popular cereals. Our fantastic Muesli is a tasty blend of rolled oats, wheat, rye, triticale, barley, almonds, date crumbles, raisins, sunflower seeds, and walnuts. This satisfying cereal can be served hot or cold, eaten as a nutritious snack, mixed with yogurt or other cereals, or used in baking.

This stuff is unbelievably good!  I especially enjoyed it as a granola-type topping in yogurt.  I could eat it everyday!  It is the perfect mix of healthy and delicious.  I like it so much that there is a 4 pack of 40 ounce bags on Amazon that has my name on it.

If you’re looking for healthy, nutritional, and whole grain products look no further.  Check out Bob’s Red Mill for cereals, grains, beans, seeds, flours, meals, oats, gluten free items, mixes (such as pancake, cornbread, or bread) and baking aids (such as diced apples or coconut flakes).

Yours to Win… 3 winners will each receive an 18 ounce bag of Muesli!

Mandatory Entry:  What Bob’s Red Mill product would you love to try?

Extra entries (leave a comment below for each +1):

• Subscribe via email to this blog (+2)
• Follow me on twitter and leave your twitter name (+1)
• Like Yours to Win on facebook (+1)
• Follow Bob’s Red Mill on twitter (+1)
• Follow Bob’s Red Mill on facebook (+1)
• Share this giveaway on Facebook or tweet this giveaway.  You can use the Tweet button at the top of this post or:   “Bob’s Red Mill Muesli Giveaway – 3 winners! @yourstowin @Bobs_Red_Mill http://yourstowin.com/?p=1569” (+1 per day)
• Mention this giveaway on your blog (+5)

This giveaway ends January 2nd at 9pm EST.  I will choose a winner via www.random.org and notify the winner through email.

Disclosure:  I received complimentary products to facilitate this review.  I did not receive any monetary compensation.  All thoughts are my own.

It’s easy to get sucked into the commercialism of the winter holidays.  In particular, I always struggle with the extreme consumerism that is promoted.  I do want to participate in the season of giving though, and companies like Gifts with Humanity allow me to buy gifts that I can feel good about giving.

Gifts with Humanity was founded in 2002 by two volunteer teachers who were serving in Kenya.  Kevin Ward and Renice Jones realized the power of the internet in terms of helping individual artisans and they have spent the past 8 years offering fair trade products from the Americas, Africa, and Asia to the world.  Today, Gifts with Humanity works with over 40 fair trade organizations, co-ops, family-owned businesses and nonprofits across the globe (20+ countries at present).

Their products are divided into the following categories:  accessories, cultural treasures, jewelry, handbags, tableware, home decor, and gift certificates.  Note that there are quite a few ornament options to be found in the cultural treasures category.

One of my favorite features of the Gifts with Humanity website is the Artisan section.  Split into Americas, Africa, and Asia, there are bios of the artisans and details of the organizations and/or areas within which they work.  At the bottom of the list of bios, you can shop through the collection of items that are produced in those regions.  The experience feels very personal.

I was given the opportunity to review the Poptop Shoulder Bag.  This bag strikes me as very clever and super funky.  Female artisans in Mexico carefully crafted this bag of of 864 shiny soda can tabs that were collected at schools and colleges before making their way to a recycling facility, effectively conserving a lot of energy.  The bag is woven together so that it is somewhat flashy but in just the right way.  The strap is the width of the height of one tab, and it is surprisingly comfortable.  The bag is lined with a black zippered fabric that also has a small zippered pocket inside.  Overall, the bag is truly unique and I receive questions and compliments each time that I wear it.  It has been a great way to spread the word about conservation, fair trade, and Gifts with Humanity.

Yours to Win… a $50 Gift Certificate to Gifts with Humanity!

Mandatory Entry:  What Gifts with Humanity product is on the top of your wish list?

Extra entries:

• Subscribe via email to this blog (+2)
• Follow me on twitter and leave your twitter name (+1)
• Like Yours to Win on facebook (+1)
• Follow Gifts with Humanity on twitter (+1)
• Follow Gifts with Humanity on facebook (+1)
• Share this giveaway on Facebook or tweet this giveaway.  You can use the Tweet button at the top of this post or:   “$50 Gifts with Humanity Gift Certificate Giveaway!  FAIR TRADE! @yourstowin @GiftsWHumanity http://yourstowin.com/?p=1385” (+1 per day)
• Mention this giveaway on your blog (+5)

This giveaway ends December 21st at 9pm EST.  I will choose a winner via www.random.org and notify the winner through email.

Disclosure:  I received a complimentary product to facilitate this review.  I did not receive any monetary compensation.  All thoughts are my own.

My appreciation for purses is on an upswing.  My taste in purses has historically been boring and bland, but every once in a while a company comes along that uses design and unique fabrics in such a way that I cannot help but be drawn to them.  As soon as I saw the products that Kaela Designs offers, my tendency towards monochromatic went out the window.  These bags are focal points and I love that about them.

Kaela Designs is a mother-daughter project started in 2010.  All bags are handmade in our San Diego studio.  We offer high quality products and custom design services.

Kaela Designs offers a collection of eye-catching fabrics.  Their bags can be constructed with either a fabric strap handle or a 9″ acrylic loop and they offer the following five product styles:

• Kaela Karry – 22″ long beach tote
• Kaela Kick – 18″ long tote
• Kaela Katch – 12″ long hobo bag
• Kaela Kiddo – 7″ long hoto bag
• Kaela Kruise – 15″ x 18″ x 12″ bicycle liner and bag

I received the Sandy Kick in Joel Dueberry Blue (pictured center, below) for review.  It is an 18″ long tote, and the description online reads “Big enough for a beach bag, small enough for an everyday bag.”  The weather has been far too cold to test it out at the beach, but that would be the perfect use for it.  The capacity is significant – you could load it with beach towels and snacks with ease.  For me it is a bit too big for everyday use, but it has been great for commuting to and from school.  My textbooks and notebooks have never looked so hip.  As for the appearance – I adore this bag.  It is reversible and both fabrics pair well together.  There is a pocket for cell phone, keys, etc. which can be easily accessed no matter which side of the fabric is facing.  The stitching is well sown and the fabric is relatively thick without being overly weighty.  Overall, this is a simple bag that is constructed in a very thoughtful way.

If you’re shopping for someone that likes purses or totes, Kaela Designs is worth checking out.  Their selection of bag styles, fabric choices, and customizable handles is pretty fantastic.  Though I’m certain that a wide range of women would like these bags, I think they are an especially great gift for college aged women.

YOURS to WIN… the handbag of your choice from Kaela Designs!

This giveaway ends December 19th at 9pm EST.  I will choose a winner via www.random.org and notify the winner through email.

Disclosure:  I received a complimentary product to facilitate this review.   I did not receive any monetary compensation.  All thoughts are my own.

With the holiday season in full swing, it is imperative to remember the following:  ”it’s not WHAT you give that’s important, but WHY you give it.”  This is the self-proclaimed philosophy of Marcopoloni, and it really strikes a chord for me.  With this in mind, what kind of meaning does a department store, mass-produced gift really carry with it?  My inclination has always been towards hand made goods – to me, they seem to have a story behind them that begs contemplation.  When time, passion, and pride are poured into a handmade item, it imparts an undeniable special quality into it.  For this reason, unique hand made items say “I love you” in a way that no other material items can.

If you have an appreciation for hand-made items, you must check out Marcopoloni.  This 3 person business–see their great bios here–is worth your attention.  The quality of their items and the introductions to the artisans behind them is spectacular.  Compliments of Marcopoloni, I was able to review the Rosa Key Chain.  The item far surpassed my expectations – I was beyond impressed when this key chain, overflowing with character and beauty, arrived at my doorstep.

Gianni uses a special leather-molding technique to shape each rose petal, one by one. This self-invented method was inspired by the Venetian Carnivale mask-molding technique, which dates back to the 17th century. The result is a beautiful rose blossom as unique as you, as no two are exactly alike.

To be entirely honest, I am not the biggest fan of flower items, but this item has earned its exception.  It is exquisite – the color is rich and the leather is so carefully crafted, making it an item that I will cherish for years to come.  While key chains might not seem like the most obvious gift choice at first, I think that they are an incredibly thoughtful gift, especially for someone that seems to have everything they need.  I learned this when my dad made me a key chain in college.  I was prone to losing my keys, and my dad took a small stick from my back yard and fastened it to a key ring.  Each time I used my keys I thought of him and of home.  I still use that key chain and the effect hasn’t faded after all of those years.  Want someone to know that you care about them?  A key chain may be the perfect choice.

The stories that I have read of the artist, Gianni, cannot go unshared.  He has been described as “an all-around fantastic person,” “selfless, determined, and genuine,” and there is a story posted online that supports those statements.  As an artist, Gianni seeks out traditional crafting and finishing methods and he is said to have rediscovered ancient hand-sewn stitches and other techniques that were on the verge of extinction.  He also utilizes the traditional Italian method of leather tanning.  Since 1981 Gianni has reclaimed methods of the past and paired them with his innovative designs of today.

Though Gianni is Marcopoloni’s oldest supplier, he certainly isn’t the only one.  Imagine all of the passion that others have expended to make the other products possible.  In addition to the key chains featured above, Marcopoloni offers other accessories (such as wallets, coin purses, passport cases, cosmetic bags), jewelry (such as hair accessories, earrings, necklaces, and cuff links), and home and office items (such as tabletop accents, Japanese tapestries and curtains, cd cases, journals, decorative vases and bowls, cups, pottery, etc.)  Looking for a discount?  Marcopoloni also offers a scratch-and-dent selection that comes with a full money-back guarantee.

YOURS to WIN… The Rosa Key Chain, in your choice of color! (subject to availability)