WordlessWednesday–Beaconsfield High School 1981–Rock On

We were not short of laughs, hugs or welcoming cocktails.  On Victoria Day weekend, I drove to Montreal by myself to attend my high school’s 55 Years Anniversary.  This celebration included an ‘all-years’ reunion. Don’t be mistaken, I did not graduate 55 years ago…I graduated from Grade 11 in 1981.  These are my wonderful classmates.

We had so much fun….. 

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Powerful Beast–Conair–#ConairDidMyHair

{Full disclosure: I received a Conair hairdryer at SoFabCon.  I did not receive any other compensation.  All opinions are my own…because I loved it}

She is loud and she is powerful…she’s a beast but the Conair InfinityPro is A.M.A.Z.I.N.G. I was attending Collective Bias’ SoFabCon earlier this month and one of the lead sponsors was Conair.  It had to be the best brand salon.  They had a great set up for us to test drive their different products. 

 

I attended SoFabCon last weekend (you should go…) and as part of the overall experience, Collective Bias had various brand salons for us to visit.  I really enjoyed the Conair salon because it has all the right things:

• products for us to use and test
• products for us to take home and try
• Conair hair care professionals to tell us how its done
• Complimentary styling

This brand was smart to let us try all the different products that they offer: hair dryers, flat irons, curing irons and curling wands.  The wands even had special heat resistant gloves so we would not burn our hands.  To say the least the bloggers attending the conference took full advantage of the demos.  With the help of the Conair hairstyling team, we all got some great dos. 

Some of us even got special hairdos for the 1980’s party. 

You can see my fun super teased hair…and yes people, I did style my hair like that in the 80s.

Their hairstylists were a mother & daughter team that were friendly, infinitely patient and helpful.  Once again, great brand ambassadors. 

Back to the hairdryer review…I picked up a hairdryer and brought it home for the big test…I have two daughters: one with a short pixie cut and the other with long straight hair.  I also have medium length hair.  I was happy to see that our package came with a bonus diffuser (I’m not exactly sure what to do with this but I am willing to find out) and a concentrator (see pics below). 

This beast has 1875 watts of P.O.W.E.R. I have had a Braun hairdryer for years (must be well over 14 years by now) and I love it.  It is light and fast but has two big faults, it can over heat easily and frequently so it shuts off (good safety feature).

Conair Did my Hair VIEW SLIDE SHOW DOWNLOAD ALL

Where is the difference, the Conair InfinitiPro has so much power that your hair will be dry well before it gets too hot. This model also has the safety overheat feature.  If that occurs you just need to let it sit for 10-15 minutes.  I just have a feeling, that won’t happen because it dried my hair so quickly, it did not have time to over heat.

My one concern is that it is very loud…given that it has a powerful “AC motor for longer life” I would have to say. Given the speed and power, I am willing to trade that off for faster drying time. The motor does make is slightly heavier then my other dryer but once again, I didn’t hold it for nearly as long as my old Braun…

So its time to say good by to one and welcome to your new home to the Conair InfinityPro.

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Truly–Wordless Wednesday–Spring has Sprung

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TWEETSTOCK8–Social Media Rock Conference–May 29, 2013–You must go…

Every once in a while the universe comes together to produce a truly awesome event that cannot be missed.  Then to add to it, it puts this event close to home and at a reasonable price. If you register for the early bird pricing its even better!

Tweetstock is a ‘how-to-get-it-done” social media conference. It focuses on the ‘why’ and ‘how’ a business should be in the social media space.  It works to bring together creative, entrepreneurial and business minds to help you understand and learn from their success stories.  You need to go if you are a small business, non-profit & charities, entrepreneur and professionals – really, anyone interested in social media. 

What: Tweetstock8 – Social Media Rock Conference

When: Wednesday, May 29, 9:30am to 4:30pm EDT

Where:

Laurier University Brantford Campus
73 George Street
Brantford, Ontario, N3T 2Y7, Canada

How to register:

Go to this page to register

Why am I so excited about attending Tweetstock8? Well, you see sometimes you just need to be surrounded by your peeps.  I am heavily involved in the social media world.  My life is comprised of blogging, tweeting, posting, liking, commenting, capturing and sharing.  So when you have a conference that helps you do all of the above BETTER… well, you have to go. Social media has many facets and seeing how all these different platforms work as vehicles of social change, marketing ingenuity and business drives is very interesting in today’s world.

Tweetstock has been growing into a ‘must-attend’ event in the South-western Ontario and GTA area. As it keeps getting bigger and better it is attracting more influential social media speakers.  This year’s heavy hitters include:

Mitch Joel – “When Google wanted to explain online marketing to the top brands in the world, they brought Mitch Joel to the Googleplex in Mountain View, California. Marketing Magazine dubbed him the “Rock Star of Digital Marketing” and called him, “one of North America’s leading digital visionaries.” "

C.C. Chapman – “C.C. Chapman has spent the past five years helping people and brands convert passive consumers into passionate, invested advocates. He’s built meaningful relationships between a Who’s Who of A-list companies and their markets. He’s helped these companies sell more things.”

 

 

 

Rebecca L. Harris “Rebecca leads the Social media team at General Motors Corporate Communications. Her team is responsible for the GM Corporate Facebook and Twitter engagement, video strategy, brand social media strategy and blogger outreach”

{I am looking forward to hearing what Rebecca has to say, considering General Motors is one of the leading companies working in the social media world.  I have had the privilege of working with GM Canada and have first hand knowledge on how well they work with bloggers and influencers.}

Another great reason to attend it that you will meet a lot of people that have a passion for social media and its place in our everyday world.  From bloggers to digital strategists, brand managers to ‘influencers’ in our community – you will meet many of them at Tweetstock8.

Make it a point to register soon… because the sooner you register, the more money you will save!  Hope to see you there! Click on the image below to go to the registration page.

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Have you asked the right questions of your elderly parents?

Last week I had another sad reminder that life can be very unpredictable.  A very good friend of mine lost her mother.  She died suddenly and it came as a shock to her whole family.

It reminded me of my father’s passing in December that was very similar. He was hospitalized on a Wednesday and passed on Sunday.  No one can prepare you for the heartache that comes with that.  As she is processing the death and dealing with the aftermath, I am reminded of what I need to discuss with my mother.  I knew what had to be done for my father but we have not discussed, as a family, what my mother’s wishes are.

A few things that did come to mind that were important where some of the precautionary actions that made final moment decision making easier, we had them set up for my father:

• Financial Power of Attorney
• Health care Power of Attorney

These two forms were set up in advance and greatly helped when the transition and decisions had to be made.  Events can happen quickly and decisions instant, so knowing what your parents wanted in the end makes everything a bit smoother (I refrain from using the word ‘easier’ because making those life-support decisions are never easy).

Another very important and life-impacting decisions are funeral related. 

• Will it be a private family service or public funeral? 
• Will it be held in a church or the funeral home?
• Have you discussed whether your wanted a cremation or a burial?
• Whether you wanted open or closed casket?
• Will you hold a visitation or just have a funeral? 
• Will there be a burial site ceremony? 
• Where will they be buried? 
• What will you do with the ashes, if you have chosen this option.

Other less pressing but important questions that you may have are:

• Where will you have the service?
• Can speeches be made at the services?
• Who will speak at the funeral?
• Will you be accepting flowers or are you asking for donations?
• If donations, what will be the selected charities?
• Do you have a Will made?
• Who is the executor of the will?

It is never easy to make these decisions but I have come to find out that they can be much harder to make when you have to make them under duress.

Take the time to have these conversations in a calm, nurturing, adult way as possible.  Ensure that everyone in the family is made aware that there are different roles that we can play to make the transition easier.  Involving a lawyer is paramount when settling an estate. It is not easy to broach but I know that having this conversation with my mother will be so much easier because of some of the experience of what we had to do with my dad.

All of these final decision are theirs to make but knowing that the structure is already in place and their wishes followed. I can make the most difficult time of anyone’s life a bit easier.

{ Note: The Government of Canada has Death Benefit to help survivors, spouses and next of kin, cover some of the funeral costs.  Please look into this as those costs can be unbelievably costly.}

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@KiskoFreezies Twitter Party hosted by @LinkedMoms @DownshiftingPRO & @Inkscrblr Wed. May 8 at 8 pm EST

Just a friendly reminder 

we are having a Twitter Party tonight!  

Make sure to join us at 

8 pm EST

Q: What's more refreshing than a Kisko Freezie after the big game?
A: A twitter party about Kisko Freezies, in which you can also win $300 worth of prizes.

We are so happy to bring to you this great brand, a Canadian icon Kisko Freezie pops, as our special guest Wednesday, May 8th at 8 p.m. EST. Kisko Freezies is well known at schools, because of their fundraising potential, and if you have kids then you probably also know they are 100 % safe for kids with peanut allergies. They are the go to Freezie pop for so many events and occasions.

LinkedMoms, @inkscrblr and @downshiftingpro are ready to share more information about their upcoming Fun Day contest and more fun details about this great Canadian company. Did you know Kisko started as a family run business? Did you know they have some amazing and fun games over on their Kisko Freezie web site? They also have several varieties with no sugar added.

Show them some love by following their twitter feed @KiskoFreezies and you can find them on Facebook too.

Meanwhile, if you don't follow @LinkedMoms now is the time to get on board.


For this twitter party, all are welcome to participate but only Canadians residing in Canada can win the prizes. Kisko Freezies is a Canadian company after all. In the mean time, pop in to your local grocery store and pick up a package of Kisko Freezies to go.

Follow hosts:

       @LinkedMoms
       @DownshiftingPRO
       @inkscrblr
       @anniecannie
        and our gracious Guest:
       @KiskoFreezies 

Special Note to you keeners: One early-bird prize will be given to someone on the RSVP list. Leave your twitter handle here on the RSVP list by May 1st and you will be eligible to win a $25 Visa Gift card. So sign up today!

LinkedMoms chats are every Wednesday night at 8 p.m. EST. Everyone is welcome to participate. Prize winners must have a Canadian address.

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Not so WordlessWednesday–SoFabCon was SoFAB

Last weekend I was in Bentonville, AR attending the Collective Bias conference #SoFabCon.  I has a wonderful time meeting new (to me) bloggers and many of the staff that work at Collective Bias in Arkansas and around the United States.

I wanted to give you a small sample of what I did this weekend (hence the not so Wordless Wednesday post)

     

Keynote by Walmart Director of Social Strategy, Umang Shah

    

Live Twitter Party with International Delight #IDIcedCoffee

SoFab Birthday Party VIEW SLIDE SHOW DOWNLOAD ALL

Collective Bias/Social Fabric Recharge room

That is all I want to post for now. There are many more pics but I want to save some for you to see in the next couple of weeks.  I would love to see your Wordless Wednesday post. 
Please add your post to the Mr. Linky below.#

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Chicken Farmers of Canada–Twitter Party–Thurs. May 9 @ 9 pm #ChickenHeartsMoms

`

`I love a good party and in my digital world a twitter party is a great party!… you know I run @LinkedMoms with @Inkscrblr and we have a party every Wed. at 8 pm… After our fabulous Kisko Freezies on Wednesday night, make sure to join me again with the and the Chicken Farmers of Canada Brand Ambassadors: Stacey (@ThisLilPiglet), Wendy (@Mapsgirl), Lynette (@myweeview) and Health Ambassador (@SoberJulie).

We all work to bring greater awareness of all the great things that Chicken.  As brand ambassadors, you can find each of us manning the @ChickendotCA handle during the week.  Make sure to follow along for tips, recipes or videos from the Chicken.ca website.

So join us on Thursday May 9th at 9 pm and make sure to RSVP so you can be eligible for prizes.

You could win your a $100 gift card from Molly Maid, President’s Choice, Target, Walmart or The Hudson’s Bay… I could use that kind of Mothers Da gift could you.

How to Participate (from the Chicken Farmers Website)

A Twitter party is a fun, fast-paced forum discussing a specific topic. Questions will be asked via tweet and party participants tweet back responses and comments by including the hashtag #ChickenHeartsMoms.
It’s easy and it’s fun!

Twitter Hosts: @chickenfarmers @ChickenDotCA
Moderators: @shesconnected
Prizing: @bloggerwomen

RSVPhere

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#WordlessWednesday–DD & Friend with the PM

This is my second daughter and a team mate from London Volleyball Club – Fire as they pose with the Canadian Prime Minister.  He attended the tournament because both of his kids were competing in Provincials. 

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Omin Hotels & Happy MOMNI Day Sweepstakes

The weekend after Mother’s Day I am headed to my hometown (and favourite Canadian haunt) Montreal to connect up with my Beaconsfield High School friends.  BHS is having another ‘All Years’ reunion and its going to be fun.

 

I went to the last one five years ago and had a blast.  The good thing about having a reunion is that you get to revisit the old stompin’ grounds, see some old friends and have more then a few good laughs.  The school is on the West Island (the suburbs of Montreal) but I am also hoping to stay downtown and take in some shopping, have a great meal and tour my alma mater – McGill University.  The Omni Montreal is conveniently located across the street.  I stay there a few years back and loved that my room overlooked the Bronfman Building & McLennan-Redpath Library right on campus.

I am hoping to stay in May and I’ll be able to tell you more about The Omni Mount Royal (Montreal, QU, Canada) then! 

In the meantime, I am going to enter Omni Hotel & Resorts Sweepstakes to win a 2 night Weekend Getaway plus a $100 Omni Gift Card… why not? Can’t hurt to cross my fingers!

Omni Hotels & Resorts is running a Mother’s Day Pinterest Sweepstakes
called “Happy Momni Day“! Pin your tribute to your Mom (or yourself!)
for your chance to win!
  

• Omni Hotels & Resorts Blog: http://www.omnihotels.com/blog
• Omni Facebook: http://facebook.com/OmniHotels
• Omni Twitter: http://twitter.com/OmniHotels
• Omni Google+: http://plus.google.com/+OmniHotels
• Omni Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/OmniHotels

Disclosure: This is NOT a sponsored post. All opinions are my own.

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#LinkedMoms Chat–Mother’s Day–We are giving away some great books…Wed. May 1, 8 pm EST

We are doing a happy dance around here because it is the best time of the year…Mother’s Day is coming up and we want to celebrate.

On LinkedMoms Chat this Wednesday, May 1st we are talking about all things motherhood.  Whether you are a mother-to-be, biological mother, adoptive mother, step-mother, mother-in-law,  grandmother or simply want to toast to your mother, join us at 8 pm EST to chat about what makes moms great.

Paula is a mother of two wonderful girls (and a few guinea pigs) and her focus is ensuring that her blessings are protected and cared for.  When it comes to schooling and being an adoptive parent advocate, she knows how important it is to have a loving, stable and supportive family. Paul is a great mom.

Margarita is a mother of two teenage girls and a pre-teen boy. Life is busy and mastering the balance of being a good mom to growing (and independence-seeking) teens can be muddy at the best of times.  Dealing with Facebook, BBM friends and texting- drama while keeping it ‘cool’ can be hard but she tries…

We want to hear all about your success and ‘challenges’ as a mom (or mother-figure).  We want to know why your mom was great and why she deserves to be the mom of the year – for you!

If you join us, we will be giving TWO #LINKEDMOMS participants a Mother’s Day present… We will be giving away copies of:

S.E.C.R.E.T – A Novel by L. Marie Adeline

A great read for every mom… well, any women really. A lighter version of 50 Shades of Gray (but more empowering, I think). My book club loved reading this book. Get yourself a glass of wine and have a good read!

We will also be giving away a copy of:

Born Weird – by Andrew Kaufman

Understanding the dynamics of any family can be confusing at the best but when you throw in a bit of magical realism… the story gets very, very interesting, very fast. Enjoy this hilarious story about a few siblings and a wretched curse.

All copies are courtesy of Random House Canada and LinkedMoms. 

Join the conversation Wednesday, May 1st, 2013 at 8 p EST, 7 pm CST, 5 PST.

HASHTAGS:
Please use the #LinkedMoms hashtag at the end of all of your tweets to be included in the conversation and to be eligible to win a prize.

DATE: Wednesday, May 1st, 2013

TIME:
8:00 – 9:00pm (EST)
7:00 – 8:00pm (CST)
6:00 – 7:00pm (MST)
5:00 – 6:00pm (PST)

HOSTED:
LinkedMoms

Follow us on Twitter @LinkedMoms

GUEST:

MODERATORS:

@DownshiftingPRO – Margarita Ibbott

@DownshiftingPRO on Facebook
@DownshiftingPRO Blog & Website

@4linkedLearning

@4LinkedLearning Blog & Website

 

@inkscrblr – Paula Schuck
@inkscrblr on Facebook
@inkscrblr on YouTube
@inkscrblr Blog

TWEETS:
We would love for you to join in on the great conversation and prizes on Wednesday night. Feel free to invite a few of your friends too. Here are some tweets that you can re-tweet to share our message (just cut and paste).

RT@LinkedMoms- Join us for #LinkedMoms Chat w. @Inkscrblr & @DownshiftingPRO We are talking about #MothersDay- Wed.May. 1, 8 PM EST/5PM PST

RT@LinkedMoms Discuss Mother’s Day Celebration for 2013. Join @Inkscrblr & @DownshiftingPRO on #LinkedMoms Chat May 1 @ 8 pm EST

CUSTOM TWEETGRID LINK:

In order to make things easier for you to follow the chat, we have created a customized TweetGrid Link so all you have to do is log in and put your @twitterhandle in the first column.

Make sure to login so that you can tweet directly from Tweetgrid using the #LinkedMoms hashtag.

Here is our Custom Tweet Grid for Tonight’s #LinkedMoms Chat

Don’t forget to RSVP for next weeks @KiskoFreezies Twitter Party… we have prizes and its going to be fun!

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#SoFabCon–Three More Sleeps–Conference Prep.

On Thursday morning I drive to Detroit to hop on a flight to Betonville, AK to attend #SoFabCon. It is a social media and blogging conference hosted by Collective Bias #cbias. It will be four days of learning, networking, some tourism and having a whole lot of fun with bloggers that I have met on-line.  Now meeting someone IRL (in-real-life) is almost silly since we get to know each on-line through Facebook pages & through the Social Fabric Community. But it is always good to do some pre-planning to get the most out of the experience.

#SOFabCon Cocktail by follow me on Polyvore here:  downshiftingpro featuring gold dangle earrings

The day I get to conference there is a cocktail party where we will be making a first impression and so I wanted to look nice: heels, a cocktail dress, earrings etc. all the good stuff.

I put together this outfit on Polyvore to see what it would look like... I have similar earrings, pumps and clutch... now I just have to find the dress :)

 What do you wear to a cocktail party? Do you like formal wear of something a bit dressed up? Up-do or big fluffy curls? 







 

There are other things that I have to bring with me that I absolutely cannot do without:

• business cards & media kit
• iPad (borrowed)
• smartphone
• chargers 
• computer, power cords, cordless mouse (cannot do without that)
• pen and notebook
• thank you notes
• agenda
• airline other travel info 

 Here is a quick list for those packing for a conference:

1. earphones (for plane & iPod)
2. passport
3. sleep wear
4. intimate wear
5. pantyhose (black & nude)
6. t-shirt, shorts (workout gear)
7. pair of jeans/casual pants
8. sweater/hoody/jacket
9. socks (3 pairs)
10. shoes (fancy, flats, casual/runner)
11. Toiletries bag
12. pants (2 pairs)
13. tops (3)
14. Handbags (evening + day)

 It is always fun to get away and have some 'me' time to grow my business. I love social media conferences that teach me something and the line up is fantastic.  I can hardly wait.  I'll be sure and take lots of pictures, notes and sound bytes of the conference.  You still have time to register and join me if you want a great weekend away.

Disclosure:  I am a Canadian that has been sponsored to attend #SoFabCon and I am happy to write this post.  All opinions are my own.  I look forward to a great experience in AR. 

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Photo Ready #Giveaway Event - Canon EOS Rebel T4i

Welcome to the Photo Ready Giveaway Event

Organized by: Mom Powered Media

Please take a moment to say hello to our sponsor: Giveaway Booster

Have a giveaway? Great! Now, how do you get the word out about your giveaway? Of course you want to reach more than just your audience right?!

Giveaway Booster was created to help you reach a larger audience to promote your giveaways. Give your giveaway a BOOST through email, blogs, and all forms of social media!

Giveaway Booster offers several services:

Promote Your Giveaway - Submit your giveaway, sweepstakes or contests and they will promote them! You can even have your giveaway promoted on several sites! List Your Giveaway Event - Bloggers do you need more bloggers to help you promote an event you are planning? List your giveaway for other bloggers to sign up. Join Giveaway Events - Are you a blogger looking to join all these great events? Sign-up to offer your readers these great giveaways and grow your social media in the process. Fans Enter Giveaways - Do you love to enter giveaways? Enter to win!!

Now let's talk about the fabulous prize package which includes:

Canon EOS REBEL T4i 18.0 MP CMOS Digital Camera with 3-inch Touchscreen and Full HD Movie Mode (Body) - Canon EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS II SLR Zoom Lens - Canon EF-S 55-250mm f/4.0-5.6 IS Telephoto Zoom Lens - Telephoto & Wide Angle Lens Set - 3 pc Filter Kit: UV/ Polarizing filter/Fluorescent correction & Case - 32 Gigabyte SDHC Secure Digital Memory Card - Secure Digital USB Card Reader - Universal Memory Card Wallet - Pack of LCD Screen Protectors - Additional LP-E8 Rechargeable Lithium-ion Replacement Battery Pack - Well Protective SLR Camera Gadget Bag w/Pockets & Strap - Full Size 59" Tripod W/Case - Focus DVD Guide to Digital SLR Cameras - Focus Digital Grey Card Set for color correction - Focus 5pc Deluxe Lens Care & Cleaning Kit - HDMI cable

Special thank you to our lovely co-hosts {make sure to stop by and say hello}: Thinking Outside The Sandbox, Tiny Tidbits of an NC Diva, What's Up Reviews and Giveaways, 3 Boys and a Dog, Panlasang Pinoy Filipino Recipes, Mom to Bed by 8, Baby Costcutters and Powered By Mom.

One lucky winner will receive the Canon EOS REBEL T4i Prize Package {detailed above}!

Giveaway ends May 14th at 11:59pm, open worldwide residents, ages 18+. Residents outside of the US will receive a $750 Amazon GC instead. To enter please use the Rafflecopter form below.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Disclosure: I received no compensation for this publication. My opinions are my own and may differ from those of your own. @DownshiftingPRO - Your Family, Your Home, Your Life is not responsible for sponsor prize shipment. Please contact teri@mompoweredmedia.com with questions or to see your business or blog featured on the next big event!

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#WordlessWednesday–My very talented Mother-in-Law

My mother-in-law is a women of many talents: she’s a great cook, a perfect hostess and a generous grandmother and MIL. 

Every since I have know her, she has worked on some sort of art project.  She has made some beautiful keepsake quilts for our children and Christmas stockings to die for but she has now taken up sketching with charcoal (or that’s what I think it is).

These are three pieces, that she has completed, are proudly displayed in her home.  The photos do not do the her talents justice.  I hope you enjoy the beautiful art that she has created.

 

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#Blogger #Giveaway–Spring has Sprung & we’re happy to Share!

 

I love to blog but one of the best things that I about blogging if that you can work with a great community of bloggers.  I have partnered up with This Lil Piglet, Tales of a Ranting Ginger and a group of f.a.b.u.l.o.u.s. bloggers to bring you chance to win $115 US via PayPal. 

Who doesn’t need a little something-something to spend on a pair of new shoes, a new out fit or maybe a night out.  So make sure to enter to win over $100 US…

• The Spring Cash Giveaway begins April 22 and ends at 11:50 pm on April 29, 2013
• The Giveaway is open WORLD WIDE
• It is open to anyone with a PayPal account.

Good luck!

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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