Announcing the Nicole's Nickels 2009 Holiday Gift Guide!

In an effort to bring my readers the best gift ideas and deals for this holiday season I am happy to announce that the Nicole's Nickels 2009 Holiday Gift Guide will run from November 16-December 17 approximately. I have so many great gifts for you all for everyone on your list!I'll be doing 31 giveaways in 31 days during the gift guide. Giveaways will post at approximately 12:00 noon each day and run for several days each! There will be multiple ways to enter and I'll be using the google form for the giveaways. I've gotten a great response since I started using them. If you're unsure of how to enter my giveaways, leave a comment here or send me an email (nicolesnickels@gmail.com) and I'll walk you through it. The giveaways are for amazing products!

I plan to break down the gift guide items into categories (for her, for him, for baby, for child, for teenager, for pet, etc.) and you'll be able to access the posts quickly by links I am going to put up in my left sidebar.

I will still be posting deals and match-ups, no worries! I just wanted to let you all know what my plan is so you weren't surprised!

Progresso Review & Giveaway

Have you tried the new Progresso Panko bread crumbs yet? I was recently sent a box from My Blog Spark along with some Progresso broth and kitchen items. Panko are Japanese style breadcrumbs that produce a crispier yet lighter crust than traditional breadcrumbs. Progresso has Panko available in plain and Italian flavors.

Progresso broths are 100% natural and use high quality ingredients to achieve a great homemade taste. They are fat free, gluten free, contain no preservatives, no added MSG and no artificial flavors. Progresso broth is available in chicken and reduced sodium chicken and beef flavors.

Food Network Chef Michael Chiarello is providing tips and recipes at ProgressoFoods.com and ProgressoBroth.com for all occasions - from the every day to holiday - on how to use panko and broth in your recipes. There is a great recipe for Oven Fried Chicken Tenders using panko that kids and adults alike will love! You can event print high-value coupons from these 2 sites!

The folks over at Progresso and My Blog Spark have graciously decided to give (1) of my readers the Progresso Panko and Broth pack (pictured above), that includes a sample of Progresso panko, a carton of Progresso broth, a measuring cup, slotted spoon, soup ladle and a sheet pan for baking.

I have changed up my giveaway method a little and instead of leaving a comment on this post you'll just fill out the entry form below. Hopefully this will make it easier for you all!To do the extra entries just refresh the page to get the entry form visible again.

Your first entry will be to tell me how you make home entertaining easier. This is a mandatory entry and the extra entries will not count unless you do this entry.

There are six (6) "extra" ways to enter (You must fill out the giveaway form again for each entry you do. Just hit refresh on your browser to see the giveaway form again.):

1. subscribe to my blog (either via email using the box in the left sidebar OR via RSS feed). If you already subscribe leave a comment saying you do. If you subscribe by email you MUST confirm your email and activate the subscription.

2. follow me on Twitter (http://twitter.com/NicolesNickels) and tweet about this giveaway. If you already follow me that's fine, just comment with a link back to the tweet about this giveaway. You must tweet about the giveaway for this entry to count.

3. blog about this giveaway (leave the link in the comment)

4. email 5 people about this giveaway (please cc me on this email - nicolesnickels at gmail dot com and leave a comment saying you sent the email)

5. grab my button for your site (leave the link to where the button is in the comment)

6. add the link to this giveaway on a Mr. Linky about giveaways or on a blog giveaway site, blog carnival or forum or yahoo group (leave link to where you did this in the comment)

You MUST fill out the entry form answering the question above as your first entry and then additional entries are governed by the terms above. You MUST fill out the giveaway form for each entry you are able to make. This giveaway is open to U.S. residents only, 18 years old or over, and the winners will be chosen by random.org. This giveaway will be good until November 15 at 9:00 pm Eastern time and a winner will be announced soon thereafter. If the winner does not respond to my email within 48 hours then I will pick a new winner. Good luck!

Progresso and My Blog Spark sent me the Progresso Panko and Broth pack to host this giveaway. My opinions remain my own.

Yoplait Save Lids to Save Lives Review & Giveaway

You may have noticed the pink foil tops on many of Yoplaits yogurts recently. Make sure to save those lids and read this post to find out how you can make a difference in the fight against breast cancer!

1 in 8 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer during their lifetime - that's 12% of women! Yoplait's Save Lids to Save Lives program aims to raise money and awareness of the fight against breast cancer women are facing. To participate, purchase the Yoplait yogurts with the pink foil lids and mail them in. For every lid collected before December 31, 2009, Yoplait will donate 10 cents to Susan G. Komen for the cure. Yoplait has guaranteed a minimum $500,000 donation with a maximum of $1.5 million!

Yoplait has also created a new website, Your Lid Matters, where you can create online lid collection teams. You can also inform your friends and family of the effort through the site.

During the past 11 years, Yoplait has donated more than $22 million to the breast cancer cause through Save Lids to Save Lives and other initiatives, and last year, participants across the country helped Yoplait meet its $1.5 million donation goal to Susan G. Komen for the Cure. This year, make sure you are a part of this phenomenal and inspiring campaign!The folks over at Yoplait and My Blog Spark have graciously decided to give (1) of my readers the Promise to Make a Difference Gift (pictured above), that includes a free coupon for Yoplait YoPlus Yogurt, a breast cancer awareness bracelet, and a leather jewelry case.

I have changed up my giveaway method a little and instead of leaving a comment on this post you'll just fill out the entry form below. Hopefully this will make it easier for you all!To do the extra entries just refresh the page to get the entry form visible again.

Your first entry will be to tell me how you are going to help Yoplait in the fight against breast cancer. This is a mandatory entry and the extra entries will not count unless you do this entry.

There are six (6) "extra" ways to enter (You must fill out the giveaway form again for each entry you do. Just hit refresh on your browser to see the giveaway form again.):

1. subscribe to my blog (either via email using the box in the left sidebar OR via RSS feed). If you already subscribe leave a comment saying you do. If you subscribe by email you MUST confirm your email and activate the subscription.

2. follow me on Twitter (http://twitter.com/NicolesNickels) and tweet about this giveaway. If you already follow me that's fine, just comment with a link back to the tweet about this giveaway. You must tweet about the giveaway for this entry to count.

3. blog about this giveaway (leave the link in the comment)

4. email 5 people about this giveaway (please cc me on this email - nicolesnickels at gmail dot com and leave a comment saying you sent the email)

5. grab my button for your site (leave the link to where the button is in the comment)

6. add the link to this giveaway on a Mr. Linky about giveaways or on a blog giveaway site, blog carnival or forum or yahoo group (leave link to where you did this in the comment)

You MUST fill out the entry form answering the question above as your first entry and then additional entries are governed by the terms above. You MUST fill out the giveaway form for each entry you are able to make. This giveaway is open to U.S. residents only, 18 years old or over, and the winners will be chosen by random.org. This giveaway will be good until November 15 at 9:00 pm Eastern time and a winner will be announced soon thereafter. If the winner does not respond to my email within 48 hours then I will pick a new winner. Good luck!

Yoplait and My Blog Spark sent me the Promise to Make a Difference gift to host this giveaway. My opinions remain my own.

Shop at Home $100 Target Card Giveaway!

I have blogged before about Shop at Home and how they offer cash back each time you shop online. It's easy to use their site - you just register (for FREE) and then log on each time you shop online. By clicking through Shop at Home you'll get a pre-determined percentage back of your purchase. I find that they have some of the highest cash back percentages of all of the cash back shopping sites.

SHOPATHOME.COM’S EXTRA CASH BACK EVENT INFO:
ShopAtHome.com is hosting a major extra cash back event Monday, Nov. 9 – Monday, Nov. 16, 2009 to help you get started with your holiday shopping (and saving!). Cash back rewards have been increased for more than 50 popular retailers. Some of the deals include:

· Target.com – 6% cash back
· Walmart.com – 4% cash back
· Kohls.com – 4% cash back
· Snapfish.com – 20% cash back
· Gap.com – 12% cash back
· OldNavy.com – 10% cash back
· Macys.com – 8% cash back
· Barnes & Noble – 14% cash back
· Best Buy – 4% cash back

I was so excited when the people over at Shop at Home invited me to be part of the Holiday Kick-Off Extra Cash Back Event $100 Gift Card Giveaway!

The folks over at Shop at Home have graciously decided to give (1) of my readers a $100 Target e-giftcard. This card can be used online at Target.com only. You MUST be a member of Shop at Home to win the giftcard.

I have changed up my giveaway method a little and instead of leaving a comment on this post you'll just fill out the entry form below. Hopefully this will make it easier for you all!To do the extra entries just refresh the page to get the entry form visible again.

Your first entry will be to register on the Shop at Home site (it's FREE) and then tell me what retailer featured on Shop at Home you'd most like to shop at. This is a mandatory entry and the extra entries will not count unless you do this entry.

There are six (6) "extra" ways to enter (You must fill out the giveaway form again for each entry you do. Just hit refresh on your browser to see the giveaway form again.):

1. subscribe to my blog (either via email using the box in the left sidebar OR via RSS feed). If you already subscribe leave a comment saying you do. If you subscribe by email you MUST confirm your email and activate the subscription.

2. follow me on Twitter (http://twitter.com/NicolesNickels) and tweet about this giveaway. If you already follow me that's fine, just comment with a link back to the tweet about this giveaway. You must tweet about the giveaway for this entry to count.

3. blog about this giveaway (leave the link in the comment)

4. email 5 people about this giveaway (please cc me on this email - nicolesnickels at gmail dot com and leave a comment saying you sent the email)

5. grab my button for your site (leave the link to where the button is in the comment)

6. become a Fan of Shop at Home on Facebook!

You MUST fill out the entry form answering the question above as your first entry and then additional entries are governed by the terms above. You MUST fill out the giveaway form for each entry you are able to make. This giveaway is open to U.S. residents only, 18 years old or over, and the winners will be chosen by random.org. This giveaway will be good until November 15 at 9:00 pm Eastern time and a winner will be announced soon thereafter. If the winner does not respond to my email within 48 hours then I will pick a new winner. Good luck!

Shop at Home is sponsoring this event and providing the $100 giftcard.

Top 10 Giveaways. 11/7

Here are this week's Top 10 Giveaways! Please remember to read each giveaway post carefully as each blogger handles giveaways differently.

Don't forget to enter my 4 giveaways - all end on November 11:

1. Tablespoon Gift Package
2. Sweetly You Pomegranate Gift Pack
3. Five for Fighting Slice
4. Bob Evans Side Dishes

This week's Top 10 are:

1. Mommy has to Work - Eco Usable Stainless Steel Water Bottle (ends November 16)
2. Frugal RI Mama - Cookies from Home (ends December 1)
3. Jane4Girls - Mystic Wonders Laundry Wonder Ball (ends November 20
4. Coupon Divas - Leslie Blodgett Perfume (ends November 13)
5. Hip2Save - YoPlus Gift Pack (ends November 9)
6. For the Mommas - Chicken Soup for the Pet Lover's Soul (ends November 12)
7. Frugal Plus - Toxic Friends Book (ends November 19)
8. Sisterly Savings - Glowgirl coupon organizer (ends November 12)
9. NWA Deals - Piggy Paint (ends November 20)
10. "Deal"ectible Mommies - Pearl Paradise (ends November 17)

Sweetly You Review & Giveaway

My favorite scents are food-based scents and I love bath products so I jumped at the chance to review Sweetly You's products. Sweetly You is a delightful online retailer of primarily bath and body products. Their claim to fame is their enormous list of delicious scents that their products are available in. I was like a kid in a candy store choosing my reveiw items and really loved what I received.

I selected the thick and rick bubble bath in sugar cookie, the foaming bath butter in cookies n' cream, and the solid scents in marshmallow madness. They do have non-food related flavors but I couldn't resist the tempting fragrance names!

The thick & rich bubble bath in sugar cookie was divine. It was thick and creamy as the title suggests but also produced a generous amount of bubbles. The scent was intoxicating and it smelled like I had cookies baking in the oven! The foaming bath butter was a really interesting and cool product. It was creamy in my hand but foamed when put in the bath. The cookies n' cream scent was authentic and left me a little hungry! The solid scent is a small jar of solid perfume. I chose the marshmallow madness and loved the hint of sweetness it left on me. The jar is very small so it's good for your purse or the car, etc.


The folks over at Sweetly You have graciously decided to give (1) of my readers the Pomegranate Lotion Combination Set (pictured above), that contains a 4 oz. premium pomegranate scented body lotion along with a package of pomegranate-flavored jelly beans.

I have changed up my giveaway method a little and instead of leaving a comment on this post you'll just fill out the entry form below. Hopefully this will make it easier for you all!To do the extra entries just refresh the page to get the entry form visible again.

Your first entry will be to go on the Sweetly You website and tell me which fragrance you think sounds the best! This is a mandatory entry and the extra entries will not count unless you do this entry.

There are six (6) "extra" ways to enter (You must fill out the giveaway form again for each entry you do. Just hit refresh on your browser to see the giveaway form again.):

1. subscribe to my blog (either via email using the box in the left sidebar OR via RSS feed). If you already subscribe leave a comment saying you do. If you subscribe by email you MUST confirm your email and activate the subscription.

2. follow me on Twitter (http://twitter.com/NicolesNickels) and tweet about this giveaway. If you already follow me that's fine, just comment with a link back to the tweet about this giveaway. You must tweet about the giveaway for this entry to count.

3. blog about this giveaway (leave the link in the comment)

4. email 5 people about this giveaway (please cc me on this email - nicolesnickels at gmail dot com and leave a comment saying you sent the email)

5. grab my button for your site (leave the link to where the button is in the comment)

6. add the link to this giveaway on a Mr. Linky about giveaways or on a blog giveaway site, blog carnival or forum or yahoo group (leave link to where you did this in the comment)

You MUST fill out the entry form answering the question above as your first entry and then additional entries are governed by the terms above. You MUST fill out the giveaway form for each entry you are able to make. This giveaway is open to U.S. residents only, 18 years old or over, and the winners will be chosen by random.org. This giveaway will be good until November 11 at 9:00 pm Eastern time and a winner will be announced soon thereafter. If the winner does not respond to my email within 48 hours then I will pick a new winner. Good luck!

Sweetly You sent me the items I reviewed in this post to write this review at no charge. My opinions remain my own.

Bob Evans Side Dishes Review & Giveaway

Just in time to make your holiday cooking easier, Publix is now carrying Bob Evans side dishes! I was sent the macaroni and cheese, original mashed potatoes and garlic mashed potatoes to try out. What a great timesaver these are! I served the mashed potatoes with meatloaf and it made my meal prep a snap! I love macaroni and cheese with tuna fish (not together but as a side dish) and so I prepared the mac and cheese then and loved the flavor!I loved the original mashed potatoes - they were creamy and smooth and very tasty. The macaroni and cheese was very cheesy but had a nice homemade flavor. My least favorite was the garlic mashed potatoes, there was something I couldn't put my finger on that made them my least favorite. You can find these great side dishes at many supermarkets around the country. I wanted to let Florida readers know that Publix has just started to carry these and you can find them in the refrigerator section of your grocery store.

You can make these in the microwave and they take minutes! Besides the varieties I tried, they are available in other traditional favorites such as green bean casserole, homestyle stuffing, and glazed apples. Bob Evans also has coupons on their website - currently there is a coupon for $.50 off any side dish!

The folks over at Bob Evans have graciously decided to give one (1) of my lucky readers five (5) coupons for FREE Bob Evans products!

I have changed up my giveaway method a little and instead of leaving a comment on this post you'll just fill out the entry form below. Hopefully this will make it easier for you all!To do the extra entries just refresh the page to get the entry form visible again.

Your first entry will be to go on the Bob Evans website and tell me which side dish you'd most like to try and why. This is a mandatory entry and the extra entries will not count unless you do this entry.

There are six (6) "extra" ways to enter (You must fill out the giveaway form again for each entry you do. Just hit refresh on your browser to see the giveaway form again.):

1. subscribe to my blog (either via email using the box in the left sidebar OR via RSS feed). If you already subscribe leave a comment saying you do. If you subscribe by email you MUST confirm your email and activate the subscription.

2. follow me on Twitter (http://twitter.com/NicolesNickels) and tweet about this giveaway. If you already follow me that's fine, just comment with a link back to the tweet about this giveaway. You must tweet about the giveaway for this entry to count.

3. blog about this giveaway (leave the link in the comment)

4. email 5 people about this giveaway (please cc me on this email - nicolesnickels at gmail dot com and leave a comment saying you sent the email)

5. grab my button for your site (leave the link to where the button is in the comment)

6. add the link to this giveaway on a Mr. Linky about giveaways or on a blog giveaway site, blog carnival or forum or yahoo group (leave link to where you did this in the comment)

You MUST fill out the entry form answering the question above as your first entry and then additional entries are governed by the terms above. You MUST fill out the giveaway form for each entry you are able to make. This giveaway is open to U.S. residents only, 18 years old or over, and the winners will be chosen by random.org. This giveaway will be good until November 11 at 9:00 pm Eastern time and a winner will be announced soon thereafter. If the winner does not respond to my email within 48 hours then I will pick a new winner. Good luck!

Bob Evans sent me several side dishes to taste in order to write this review. My opinions remain my own.

WINNER - Unilever Beauty Box

The winner of the Unilever Beauty Box is Tiffany P.

I have sent you an email - if you don't respond in 48 hours I'll draw a new winner. Congrats!

Review: Homedics Restore Clean Water System

I love gadgets and gizmos and this Restore Clean Water System made by Homedics totally fascinated me! The Restore system is a very cool looking pitcher with the normal filter that you would expect from a water filter pitcher but it has the cool factor! After you let the water go through the filter, you plug the pitcher into the wall and press a button. Then the pitcher lights up blue and purple for a minute or two and the water gets purified.


It gets purified through Ultraviolet (UV) Clean technology. Other water filtration pitchers only offer filtered water, not purified water! According to Homedics, the purification UV process removes viruses and bacteria.


From Homedics, "Restore is California certified for microbiological water purification, a first for a water pitcher utilizing UV technology and is Gold Seal Certified to National Sanitation Foundation standards by the Water Quality Association. UV Technology has been used for over 60 years for its germicidal properties in hospitals and laboratories. For the first time, an application of this unique germ-killing technology is available for home use in an affordable, easy to use water pitcher."

Pros:
-Cool factor of the UV light
-Water tastes very fresh
-Inexpensive way to get clean water

Cons:
-Takes a long time for the water to filter through
-Pitcher doesn't fit in the door of the refrigerator
-Remembering to change the filter every 3 months


If you're in the market for a water purification system, definitely check this out. Not only did the water taste great, there is the ultimate wow factor of plugging in and zapping your water!

I was given a Restore Clean Water System free of charge to write this review. My opinions remain my own.

Tablespoon.com Review & Giveaway

Tablespoon.com is a new website from General Mills where you can find, save, and share recipes that you and your family love! Tablespoon.com has over 25,000 recipes and lets you share recipes easily on Facebook and Twitter!

It's FREE to join Tablespoon.com and you'll be able to add your own recipes, rate recipes you try, and store the recipes that interest you in your own recipe box. They also feature a weekly newsletter as well as printable coupon! Your profile allows you to post your flavor and food preferences and you'll receive customized recipes based on what you indicate. It's easy to search for recipes using the categories provided (i.e. by course, ingredient, etc.) or by collection (top 10 birthday cakes, easy soup recipes).


The folks over at Tablespoon.com (General Mills) and My Blog Spark have graciously decided to give (1) of my readers their own "Pass the Inspiration" prize pack (pictured above) containing a set of measuring spoons, a measuring cup, and two terry cloth pot holders.

I have changed up my giveaway method a little and instead of leaving a comment on this post you'll just fill out the entry form below. Hopefully this will make it easier for you all!To do the extra entries just refresh the page to get the entry form visible again.

Your first entry will be to go on the Tablespoon.com website, register for FREE, and tell me which recipe from the site you'd most like to try and why. This is a mandatory entry and the extra entries will not count unless you do this entry.

There are six (6) "extra" ways to enter (You must fill out the giveaway form again for each entry you do. Just hit refresh on your browser to see the giveaway form again.):

1. subscribe to my blog (either via email using the box in the left sidebar OR via RSS feed). If you already subscribe leave a comment saying you do. If you subscribe by email you MUST confirm your email and activate the subscription.

2. follow me on Twitter (http://twitter.com/NicolesNickels) and tweet about this giveaway. If you already follow me that's fine, just comment with a link back to the tweet about this giveaway. You must tweet about the giveaway for this entry to count.

3. blog about this giveaway (leave the link in the comment)

4. email 5 people about this giveaway (please cc me on this email - nicolesnickels at gmail dot com and leave a comment saying you sent the email)

5. grab my button for your site (leave the link to where the button is in the comment)

6. add the link to this giveaway on a Mr. Linky about giveaways or on a blog giveaway site, blog carnival or forum or yahoo group (leave link to where you did this in the comment)

You MUST fill out the entry form answering the question above as your first entry and then additional entries are governed by the terms above. You MUST fill out the giveaway form for each entry you are able to make. This giveaway is open to U.S. residents only, 18 years old or over, and the winners will be chosen by random.org. This giveaway will be good until November 11 at 9:00 pm Eastern time and a winner will be announced soon thereafter. If the winner does not respond to my email within 48 hours then I will pick a new winner. Good luck!

My Blog Spark and General Mills sent me the Pass the Inspiration gift pack to write this review. My opinions remain my own.

Five For Fighting Slice CD Review & Autographed CD Giveaway!

I have been a fan of Five For Fighting for some time now and I think that the song Superman has such a haunting melody. So when One2One Network asked me to review and host a giveaway of the new Five For Fighting Album Slice (debuted on October 12) I jumped at the opportunity.

I was emailed a download of the album which I have been listening to as I blog at my computer ever since. I don't usually listen to music in my home office area, I just sit and blog, blog, blog! I love having music playing in the background and Slice has been on repeat since I received it!

John Onrasik, the voice behind Five for Fighting, sets his memories to music in the album, Slice. My favorite song is the title track, Slice, which is somewhat of a play on the old favorite, American Pie. The song being released first is Chances, which is kind of a pop song. That's what I love most about the album - from ballad to R&B to pop, there's something for everyone. The lyrics of Ondrasik's songs are powerful and uplifting. I always feel better when I listen to his music.

For more information on Five for Fighting, check out their website to see upcoming tour dates, follow on Twitter, or friend on Facebook.

The folks over at One2One Network have graciously decided to give one (1) of my lucky readers their own autographed copy of Five for Fighting's new CD, Slice!

I have changed up my giveaway method a little and instead of leaving a comment on this post you'll just fill out the entry form below. Hopefully this will make it easier for you all!To do the extra entries just refresh the page to get the entry form visible again.

Your first entry will be to go on the Five For Fighting You Tube page, watch their videos and then tell me which of the videos you like the best and why. This is a mandatory entry and the extra entries will not count unless you do this entry.

There are six (6) "extra" ways to enter (You must fill out the giveaway form again for each entry you do. Just hit refresh on your browser to see the giveaway form again.):

1. subscribe to my blog (either via email using the box in the left sidebar OR via RSS feed). If you already subscribe leave a comment saying you do. If you subscribe by email you MUST confirm your email and activate the subscription.

2. follow me on Twitter (http://twitter.com/NicolesNickels) and tweet about this giveaway. If you already follow me that's fine, just comment with a link back to the tweet about this giveaway. You must tweet about the giveaway for this entry to count.

3. blog about this giveaway (leave the link in the comment)

4. email 5 people about this giveaway (please cc me on this email - nicolesnickels at gmail dot com and leave a comment saying you sent the email)

5. grab my button for your site (leave the link to where the button is in the comment)

6. add the link to this giveaway on a Mr. Linky about giveaways or on a blog giveaway site, blog carnival or forum or yahoo group (leave link to where you did this in the comment)

You MUST fill out the entry form answering the question above as your first entry and then additional entries are governed by the terms above. You MUST fill out the giveaway form for each entry you are able to make. This giveaway is open to U.S. residents only, 18 years old or over, and the winners will be chosen by random.org. This giveaway will be good until November 11 at 9:00 pm Eastern time and a winner will be announced soon thereafter. If the winner does not respond to my email within 48 hours then I will pick a new winner. Good luck!

One2One Network sent me a download of the new album free of charge to review for this post. My opinions remain my own.

WINNERS - Hallmark, Mineral Secrets and Pink Together Giveaways!

It's time to pick some winners! I have emailed the following winners and if I don't hear back from them in 48 hours I'll draw new ones.

The winner of the Hallmark giveaway is Leandrea.

The winner of the Mineral Secrets giveaway is Diann.

The winner of the Pink Together gift basket giveaway is Sidni.

Top 10 Giveaways, 10/31

Don't forget to enter my 3 current giveaways:

1. Hallmark Cards Giveaway (ends November 1)
2. Mineral Secrets Mineral Make-Up Giveaway (ends November 1)
3. Pink Together Gift Basket Giveaway (ends November 1)
4. Unilever Beauty Box Giveaway (ends November 3)

Here are this week's top 10 giveaways! Please read each blogger's giveaway post carefully as instructions may vary. Good luck and let me know if you win!

1. Mommy has to Work - Remake Its Kit (ends November 9)
2. Freebies4Mom - Silk Soymilk (ends November 5)
3. Frugal RI Mama - First Impressions Layette Set (ends November 10)
4. Hip2Save - Elefun Games Prize Pack (ends November 2)
5. Chief Family Officer - Flay Stanley Christmas Giveaway (ends November 5)
6. "Deal"ectible Mommies - SproutBaby ThinkBaby Complete BPA Free Feeding Set (ends November 8)
7. Mom Saves Money - Nature's Valley Granola Prize Pack (ends November 8)
8. Engineer a Debt Free Life - Zhu Zhu Pets (ends December 2)
9. Frugal Plus - The Jumbo Book of Needlecrafts (ends November 9)
10. Hoosier Homemade - Cupcake print napkins (ends November 2)

My Favorite Beauty Tip and Unilever Box of Beauty Products Giveaway!

I blogged about the Beauty Tip of the Day widget last month and hopefully you had a chance to check it out further! If you haven't seen it, it's in my left sidebar. The tips provided on the widget are really useful and many of the brands are providing printable coupons as well.

It's so hard for me to choose my favorite beauty tip from all of the great tips featured on the widget, but I think it'll have to be about the Ponds Wet Cleansing Towelettes. The tip is "When packing for your vacation, leave the bulky big cleanser bottles at home and learn to pack lighter. Throw Pond’s Wet Cleansing Towelettes in your bag– they’re portable and fit conveniently in your carry-on so you will breeze through security in no time." It's so true! I recently traveled and throwing these wipes into my carry-on was no fuss and so easy! The folks over at Unilever have graciously decided to give one (1) of my lucky readers a beauty box full of the products featured on the Beauty Tip of the Day Widget!

I have changed up my giveaway method a little and instead of leaving a comment on this post you'll just fill out the entry form below. Hopefully this will make it easier for you all!To do the extra entries just refresh the page to get the entry form visible again.

Your first entry will be to check out the Beauty Tip of the Day widget and let me know which featured brand is your favorite and why. This is a mandatory entry and the extra entries will not count unless you do this entry.

There are six (6) "extra" ways to enter (You must fill out the giveaway form again for each entry you do. Just hit refresh on your browser to see the giveaway form again.):

1. subscribe to my blog (either via email using the box in the left sidebar OR via RSS feed). If you already subscribe leave a comment saying you do. If you subscribe by email you MUST confirm your email and activate the subscription.

2. follow me on Twitter (http://twitter.com/NicolesNickels) and tweet about this giveaway. If you already follow me that's fine, just comment with a link back to the tweet about this giveaway. You must tweet about the giveaway for this entry to count.

3. blog about this giveaway (leave the link in the comment)

4. email 5 people about this giveaway (please cc me on this email - nicolesnickels at gmail dot com and leave a comment saying you sent the email)

5. grab my button for your site (leave the link to where the button is in the comment)

6. add the link to this giveaway on a Mr. Linky about giveaways or on a blog giveaway site, blog carnival or forum or yahoo group (leave link to where you did this in the comment)

You MUST fill out the entry form answering the question above as your first entry and then additional entries are governed by the terms above. You MUST fill out the giveaway form for each entry you are able to make. This giveaway is open to U.S. residents only, 18 years old or over, and the winners will be chosen by random.org. This giveaway will be good until November 3 at 9:00 pm Eastern time and a winner will be announced soon thereafter. If the winner does not respond to my email within 48 hours then I will pick a new winner. Good luck!

Unilever sent me a box of beauty products as well as a $50 American Express giftcard for having the Beauty Tip of the Day widget on my site and posting about it. I will also be entered to win an all expense paid trip to a blogging conference. My opinions remain my own.

Shop at Home's $1,000 Facebook Giveaway!

I have blogged before about Shop at Home. They are a great cash back shopping site that also offers a freebie toolbar as well as free samples, etc. They are hosting a $1,000 Facebook Giveaway that I wanted to make sure to tell you about.

Shop at Home is collecting your best money-saving tips just in time for the holidays. Between now and November 4, 2009 here's what you need to do to enter:1. Make sure you are signed up with Shop at Home. It's FREE to join!

2. Become a fan of Shop at Home on Facebook.

3. Post your best money-saving holiday shopping tip on Shop at Home's Facebook wall by November 4

4. Let your friends know about the giveaway!

5. Get an extra entry if your tip gets a "like" or a comment on the wall.

ShopAtHome will select 30 of the best posted tips, and one of those tips will be randomly selected by Friday, Nov. 9 as the Grand Prize Winner. The winner will receive a $500 VISA Gift Card and $500 to give away to 5 of their Facebook friends ($100 VISA Gift Card for each) who also posted a tip. All winners must be a member of ShopAtHome to win, so rally your friends to participate!

Top 10 Giveaways, 10/24

Don't forget to enter my 3 current giveaways:

1. Hallmark Cards Giveaway (ends November 1)
2. Mineral Secrets Mineral Make-Up Giveaway (ends November 1)
3. Pink Together Gift Basket Giveaway (ends November 1)

Here are this week's top 10 giveaways! Please read each blogger's giveaway post carefully as instructions may vary. Good luck and let me know if you win!

1. Mommy has to Work - Ban Tshirt giveaway (ends October 26)
2. Bargain Briana - Eileen Goudge's Once In a Blue Moon Book Giveaway (ends October 27)
3. The Deal Fanatic - Spoonful of Stories Gift basket (ends October 30)
4. NWA Deals - YoBaby Meals (ends October 30)
5. Engineer at Debt Free Life - $200 cash from Cashbaq (ends December 8)
6. Frugal Plus - Strider Running Bike (ends November 4)
7. STL Mommy - Seventh Generation Kit (ends November 16)
8. Frugal Shopping with Julie - All You Magazine subscription (ends October 29)
9. A Virtual Hobby Store and Coffee Shop - Yo Plus Gift Basket (ends October 31)
10. 3 garnets and 2 sapphires - pearl paradise bracelet (ends November 12)

New Winner - Networking Witches Avon Giveaway

The winner I picked for the Networking Witches Avon Giveaway never emailed me back so I'm picking a new winner! I am emailing the new winner and if they don't respond within 48 hours I will draw another one.

The new winner is Trung.

Mineral Secrets Make-Up Review & Giveaway

I am not much of an everyday make-up reviewer but I have several friends who rave aboutmineral makeup and so I was excited to try out the multi-task mineral starter kit (as pictured below) by Mineral Secrets to review for you all. The starter kit provides a small mini kabuki brush and 2 foundations as well as a multi-task color that can serve as just about anything - blush, eye shadow, etc! I loved the softness of the brush and was happy with the way it sprinkled the light makeup on my skin. Easily blended to create an eye shadow, eye liner, lipstick, blush and even as color for a clear-coat nail polish, the Mineral Secrets’ Ultra Sensitive Multi-Task Shadow gives new meaning to the term versatile. Available in colors that can be played up for evenings or down for daytime, this shadow offers multiple looks in one jar at one great value. The foundations were both good shades (ordering online can be tricky so I was happy to get 2 choices!) and gave excellent coverage while being light and airy at the same time.

I also reviewed the Acne Oil Control Gel which is part of the Acne Control 3 step kit. I loved the gel texture of this product and the fact that it didn't leave my face greasy. According to Mineral Secrets, "This lightweight gel combines the effective powers of salicylic acid with the soothing components of a botanical blend, clinically proven to control and regulate sebum. The gel boosts skin health with anti-bacterial ingredients to decrease bacteria and fight acne before it begins."

The folks over at Mineral Secrets have graciously decided to give one (1) of my lucky readers their own 10 piece professional brush set (pictured below), a gift valued at $70.00!
I have changed up my giveaway method a little and instead of leaving a comment on this post you'll just fill out the entry form below. Hopefully this will make it easier for you all! To do the extra entries just refresh the page to get the entry form visible again.

Your first entry will be to go on the Mineral Secrets website and then tell me which of their products you'd most like to try and why. This is a mandatory entry and the extra entries will not count unless you do this entry.

There are six (6) "extra" ways to enter (You must fill out the giveaway form again for each entry you do. Just hit refresh on your browser to see the giveaway form again.):

1. subscribe to my blog (either via email using the box in the left sidebar OR via RSS feed). If you already subscribe leave a comment saying you do. If you subscribe by email you MUST confirm your email and activate the subscription.

2. follow me on Twitter (http://twitter.com/NicolesNickels) and tweet about this giveaway. If you already follow me that's fine, just comment with a link back to the tweet about this giveaway. You must tweet about the giveaway for this entry to count.

3. blog about this giveaway (leave the link in the comment)

4. email 5 people about this giveaway (please cc me on this email - nicolesnickels at gmail dot com and leave a comment saying you sent the email)

5. grab my button for your site (leave the link to where the button is in the comment)

6. add the link to this giveaway on a Mr. Linky about giveaways or on a blog giveaway site, blog carnival or forum or yahoo group (leave link to where you did this in the comment)

You MUST fill out the entry form answering the question above as your first entry and then additional entries are governed by the terms above. You MUST fill out the giveaway form for each entry you are able to make. This giveaway is open to U.S. residents only, 18 years old or over, and the winners will be chosen by random.org. This giveaway will be good until November 1 at 9:00 pm Eastern time and a winner will be announced soon thereafter. If the winner does not respond to my email within 48 hours then I will pick a new winner. Good luck!



Mineral Secrets sent me the Multi-Task Mineral Starter Kit and the Skin Rx Clinic Acne Control 3 step trial kit free of charge to review for this post. My opinions remain my own.

PinkTogether - Review & Giveaway

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month and in honor of this special month, you can visit PinkTogether.com where everyone can share hope by posting and reading inspiring stories of breast cancer survivors and supporters within the community. Pink Together is a national campaign to support women afflicted with breast cancer and to raise awareness of the disease.

To support Pink Together, General Mills is donating $2 million to Susan G. Komen for the Cure® and is turning the packaging pink next month on an assortment of its most beloved brands. General Mills will also donate $1, up to $20,000, each time you post a comment of encouragement, send a virtual flower bouquet or share a story on PinkTogether.com in October.

The stories posted on PinkTogether.com are just inspiring. The women who posted are so courageous and brave. I love when I have opportunities to blog about awesome and important campaigns such as Pink Together. Please go to the site and post comments, share a story or send a virtual flower bouquet. When you do so, General Mills makes a donation. It's that easy. And that important.



The folks over at My Blog Spark have graciously decided to give one (1) of my lucky readers an Inspiring Hope gift basket (as pictured above) that includes a sleeved travel mug, a running ribbon charm bracelet, a pink leather strap keychain, a pink cinch bag, and a set of inspirational note cards. All of the gift basket items are from ShopKomen.com, where 25 percent of the merchandise purchase price benefits Susan G. Komen for the Cure® in the fight against breast cancer

I have changed up my giveaway method a little and instead of leaving a comment on this post you'll just fill out the entry form below. Hopefully this will make it easier for you all! To do the extra entries just refresh the page to get the entry form visible again.

Your first entry will be answering the question "What woman inspires you most and why". This is a mandatory entry and the extra entries will not count unless you do this entry.

There are six (6) "extra" ways to enter (You must fill out the giveaway form again for each entry you do. Just hit refresh on your browser to see the giveaway form again.):

1. subscribe to my blog (either via email using the box in the left sidebar OR via RSS feed). If you already subscribe leave a comment saying you do. If you subscribe by email you MUST confirm your email and activate the subscription.

2. follow me on Twitter (http://twitter.com/NicolesNickels) and tweet about this giveaway. If you already follow me that's fine, just comment with a link back to the tweet about this giveaway. You must tweet about the giveaway for this entry to count.

3. blog about this giveaway (leave the link in the comment)

4. email 5 people about this giveaway (please cc me on this email - nicolesnickels at gmail dot com and leave a comment saying you sent the email)

5. grab my button for your site (leave the link to where the button is in the comment)

6. add the link to this giveaway on a Mr. Linky about giveaways or on a blog giveaway site, blog carnival or forum or yahoo group (leave link to where you did this in the comment)

You MUST fill out the entry form answering the question above as your first entry and then additional entries are governed by the terms above. You MUST fill out the giveaway form for each entry you are able to make. This giveaway is open to U.S. residents only, 18 years old or over, and the winners will be chosen by random.org. This giveaway will be good until November 1 at 9:00 pm Eastern time and a winner will be announced soon thereafter. If the winner does not respond to my email within 48 hours then I will pick a new winner. Good luck!

My Blog Spark provided me with the same gift basket that is being given away.

WINNERS - Joey Totes, Networking Witches and Once in a Blue Moon Giveaways

It's time to pick some winners! Chosen from random.org, the following are the winners of the Joey Totes, Networking Witches and Once in a Blue MoonGiveaways. I've emailed the winners and they have 48 hours to email me back. If I don't hear from them within 48 hours, I'll draw new winners.

The winner of the Joey Totes Giveaway is Colleen.

The winner of the Networking Witches Avon Package Giveaway is Sabrina.

The winner of the Eileen Goudge Once in a Blue Moon Giveaway is Dina.

Another FYI - This time I had to pick additional winners because many of you do not have public Blogger profiles! If you don't leave your email address in your comment entry then I have no way of contacting you and have to pick another winner!