Greetings and happy Friday!  I have the most wonderful giveaway for you today!  Recently, the kind people behind Donna Karan Home sent me a few items from their   home collection to sample, and I absolutely love them (see them in the picture below). 

Today, Donna Karan Home is offering one lucky CG reader a $150 gift card to shop their home decor site!  Donna Karan Home offers some of the loveliest linens around.

Read the rest of this entry »

Hi all – I have some exciting news to share!  The kind folks over at HomeGoods are sponsoring a fantastic contest with me, and five of you will be the winners!  We all know HomeGoods as the one stop shopping place for frugal yet fabulous home decor.

Recently, HomeGoods has partnered with Elaine Griffin, designer extraordinaire, (whose book I reviewed last year) to create the concept of a ‘Mom Cave’.   A what?   Yes, I said a ‘Mom Cave’.

Of course, we’ve all heard of the Man Cave, but this is a new twist on the idea with the busy Mom in mind!  How gorgeous is this ‘Mom Cave’ space designed by Elaine Griffin?

Well I have some very exciting news !   I’m hosting a ‘Mom Cave’ link party for all of you, and the prizes will be BIG!

The top prize is a $250 gift card to HomeGoods.

Four runners up will receive a $50 gift card to HomeGoods.

Five winners will be selected by a panel of three judges (mystery awesome blogger judge panel announced at the Link Party).

Criteria for entry:

Write up a post* in one of the two categories below in 100 words or less with images of your space and then link up to the party on October 25th.

A) Describe your ‘Mom Cave’ and get creative!  It can be your home office, your craft corner or closet, your reading nook, your vanity, or your favorite getaway spot.  Wherever it is that YOU take time to recharge, create, get organized, or just relax.  Why is it special to you?   How does your existing ‘Mom Cave’ help you stay organized, unwind, or simply be a better Mom?

B) OR, answer this question in your post:  How would a $250 gift card help you create your own ‘Mom Cave’?  Don’t forget a picture!

*If you do not have a blog, please submit your written entry (with at least 1 picture) to centsationalgirl@gmail.com on or before October 25th. 

So . . .

Please mark your calendar for Monday October 25th!

I’ll be making some organizational upgrades to my own home office space, and I plan on showing those on the 25th too.

Can’t wait, this will be FUN !

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Hiya friends, happy Friday!  What are your plans this weekend?  This afternoon I was at my local True Value, picking up some weatherizing strips for a drafty door and some stain to experiment with for my ongoing staircase project.  Ah, the joys of home ownership, there’s always something right?

Well, speaking of improvements in the home, I’d like to spread the word about two contests going on at True Value. 

First, I’m here to encourage all of you fellow DIYers with a disastrous design dilemma to enter the Design SOS Contest for a chance to win $2,500 (for both you and your friend!).  The winner will get all that moola to use at a local True Value store along with an in-person consultation with a True Value “Master of All Things Hardwarian” who will help take that space from drab to completely fab. 

Perhaps you know of a bathroom that’s a blast from the past?

A kitchen leftover from the 1960s?

A dungeon of a dated den ?

Yikes.  Those spaces are in need of help !!

Images via Ugly House Photos

Well, friends don’t let friends live with disastrous design !

Entering this contest is super easy.

Simply submit short entry along with a U Tube video or up to 3 photos of a friend’s decorating disaster.  Don’t forget, you can nominate your own home  in this contest too!  Submit your story by October 7th, and America will vote for the winner from the Top Ten Finalists.  If you’re chosen as a finalist, I will surely help spread the word to get people to vote for you!

Click over to StartRightStartHere for the details of this contest.  You can also go right to the simple entry form here.

Second, here’s another promotion going on: the True Value Mobile Sweepstakes.  You can win one of four $500 Grand Prizes to spend at True Value for signing up with True Value’s text message program.  There are also eight weekly drawings for a $50 gift card.   All you need to do to enter is text SWEEPS to 30364 before October 31st.  Once you’ve signed up, you will receive a few messages a month via text notifying you of special deals and sales at your local True Value.

Meanwhile, True Value has graciously offered two Centsational Girl readers a $50 dollar gift card in this weekend’s giveaway.   That’s right peeps!  Two winners will receive a $50 dollar gift card to spend at your local True Value store.

Yippeeeeee ! I bet YOU are in need of a little home improvement at your humble abode.  Could you use a fresh gallon of paint?  Some electrical supplies or garden gear?  Perhaps a new power tool?  $50 buckaroos could surely help!

Eligibility to win one of two $50 dollar gift cards to True Value Hardware

1)  Simply leave a comment answering this question: "What improvement would you make to your home with a $50 gift card to True Value?"

2) For a second chance to win, either link to this giveaway on Facebook, or spread the word on Twitter with a link, then leave a second comment telling where you linked (FB or Twitter).

Two winners chosen at random. Giveaway ends Monday October 4, 2010 at 8 p.m. PST.  US Residents only this time.

Good luck friends, have a great weekend, and happy home improvement!

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One of the places I love most on earth is Paris.  There’s something about that city ~ the romantic language, the architecture, the museums, the food, j’adore it all.  I haven’t been to the City of Light since before my kids were born, but I dream of returning in the next few years.  In fact, I’m secretly plotting to spend my 40th birthday wandering the streets of Paris, eating cheese, drinking wine, popping into shops and museums, and pretending I’m a Parisian for at least a week.

*Sigh*

Where was I?  Oh yes, back to reality.  When Megan of Modern Bird Studios offered me a custom one-of-a-kind work of art from her studio, how could I resist a recreation of my favorite view ? 

In my office window sits a custom 24” x 12” Eiffel Tower painted on wood just for little ol’ me in beautiful plum on a soft gray background.  Modern Bird Studios creates personalized, modern art from your photographs with a combination of a digital and hand painted process on an Oak composite or on acrylic mounted to Oak.

Here are some other samples of Modern Bird’s work that I love: 

Do you have a precious photograph you’d love to see recreated as an original work of art?  A landmark that you love that would look splendid painted on wood?  This is your kind of giveaway!  Modern Bird is offering one winner a $250 dollar shop credit to choose whatever piece of custom art you wish for them to create. 

Any of your questions about the creation process are answered on their FAQ page, and you can even take a peek at the color selection ~ there are over 100 colors to choose from, so the creative possibilities are endless!   Good news!  Modern Bird Studios has just become a ‘green’ paint company. 

Eligibility to win a $250 dollar credit to Modern Bird Studios:

1) Leave a comment answering this question:  Where do you dream of traveling to? 

2) For a second chance to win, either follow Modern Bird on Twitter, or ‘like’ Modern Bird on Facebook, then leave a second comment stating where you follow (FB or Twitter). 

3) For a third chance to win, either link to this giveaway on Facebook, or spread the word about this giveaway with a link on Twitter, then leave a third comment telling where you linked (FB or Twitter). 

Giveaway ends Monday September 20th at 8 p.m. PST.  One winner chosen by Random.org.  No previous winners.  US residents only. 

If you don’t happen to win, Modern Bird is offering anyone a 15% discount through Friday September 24th if you use the code CENTSATIONAL. 

Enjoy your weekend and good luck !!

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