My {almost} FREE Christmas

ok...most of you already know that I am a major bargain bunny and I couldn't be more excited about my (almost} FREE Christmas shopping.  My friends Swagbucks and Mamapedia Sweet Deals helped me do just that.

well, it took me a while to get a hang of it.... and I'm not a Swagbucks expert, but I love it how I use it....

I downloaded the SB toolbar and I connected it to Facebook... I use the search tool bar just like google. It's like a slot machine in a way, sometimes when you search you can be awarded SB. I've earned 3-50 SB just from searching. Tuesdays and Fridays are mega days with larger awards than other days. 
Referrals also earn you SB too. Say Cyndi earns SB by searching or doing whatever, I will earn them too when she does.

When I earn any SB, it automatically sends a message to Facebook and it also gives me an option to send to Twitter or any other social media outlet. That way, hopefully someone can register with Swagbucks with me as their referral.  

I certainly don't spend all day searching the web or searching for Swagcodes.... but sometimes I do just plug in random nothing words into the search tool to try and win 

some... and it works.

You can also earn them now by printing your coupon.com coupons through there and purchasing your Groupons and Living Social deals too.

You can use your SB to purchase Amazon gift cards or many other things. One of the best economical choices is to purchase the $5 Amazon GC. There is a max of 5 GC per month allowable. Twice a month Swagbucks sends a code to claim your Amazon GCs. It can then be deposited into your Amazon gift card account. There is no limit and no expiration. When you shop at Amazon, it automatically takes it from your GC balance..... so it's FREE shopping... who doesn't love that?
 

  I've earned $85 in FREE Amazon gift cards since April. I could've earned more if I really used it earlier in the year like I do now.

I'm sure I will have well over $200 in FREE Amazon money for next Christmas.

Also.. if you don't already know... you get more bang for your buck if you purchase $5 Amazon cards at a time instead of the $20 or $25 ones.

Here's some of the Christmas gifts I ordered from Amazon for FREE...

Monterrey Series MT45711 Quesadilla Baker

 

Rory's Story Cubes

 

LeapFrog Leapster Learning Game Scholastic I Spy

 Aren't you excited?  Don't you want to start winning some Swagbucks today?  Just click that pretty little blue box below and get started now.

I hope I explained it well enough for you.

Let me know if you have any questions, and I'll try to help

And now time to tell you about my fabulous friend, Mamapedia....

It operates very similarly to Groupon, but each deal is valid for three days, 5% of your purchases go to the school of your choice, AND... it's really easy to earn referral $$$.  

Mamapedia's specials are for mom/family friendly bargains.

So far I've earned $120 in referrals in almost 2.5 months.

Back in mid-October I saw this fab deal on one of my friend's Facebook status updates so I signed up, posted the links to it on Facebook and Twitter ... and then after work I saw that someone used me as a referral and purchased these super cheap movie tickets so I ended up with a $10 credit... and I used $8 of that to purchase my 2 movie tickets for FREE.... I love it!
I cranked in most of my referrals during the AMC Movie tickets offer and a Starbucks gift card offer.

below is the standard referral info from Mamapedia Sweet Deals..
  http://deals.mamapedia.com/?ref_id=21300

take a gander at some of my fabulous deals I've received for free with my referral credits ---

*$15 for $30 Worth of Merchandise from The Organized Parent - I bought two vouchers shich I used to purchase these super cute personalized water bottles...

*$20 for $40 worth of Great Toys from Back To Basics Toys  - I used this voucher to receive a few different BOB book sets like this...

*$20 for $40 Worth of Reebok, Crocs, Steve Madden and all your favorite brands plus Free Shipping at ShoeMall.com - I used my voucher to get these super fun Crocs boots for my youngest son.  They are his favorite color and now he'll be able to wear fireman boots like his friends. 

 and I was also able to get these for me...

too bad the boots are on backorder...but Griffin will still be able to wear them for a while

Order Total
Merchandise Total:	$40.94
Promotional Discount:	-$40.00
Standard Shipping:	FREE
Estimated Tax:	$0.00
Order Total:	$0.94

Look at that!  I paid less than a dollar for both of those pairs of shoes.  Remember that I used my referral credit to purchase this deal, so it truly was only 94 cents that I paid for these.

I LOVE Mamapedia Sweet Deals!!!!!!!!!!   BUT.... they took a  teeny break for the holidays so only one brand new deal is available right now. 

$15 for $30 Worth of Kids Clothing & Apparel at Kidorable

Kidorable has the CUTEST themed outfits, mainly rain jackets and umbrellas, but definitely more than just that.  You can find  frog, ballerina, ladybug, pirate themes, plus many other fun ones.

Please be sure to sign up with Mamapedia now and then you will start receiving their offers in your inbox very soon.




Sooooo... between my Swagbucks Free Amazon money and my Mamapedia referral bucks... I think I spent $160 in FREE money for Christmas gifts.  Christmas 2011 is going to be soooooo much sweeter since I will have the entire year to earn more.

Another Amazing Etsy Monday! (should I start calling this Tuesday instead???)

Welcome to Amazing Etsy Monday.
I feature undiscovered treasures just waiting for someone to love and adore them.

So anyway..... as of the moment I searched through Etsy, none of these shop owners have had any sales in their stores. There are so many amazing Etsy items available,
these just need a little extra attention because they really really deserve it.   I also try to choose items with very reasonable prices.

If you aren't familiar with Etsy, you have been missing out.
It's a super fabulous web home to crafters & artists of all types.
You can find something for just a couple bucks to something a few hundred dollars. Who knows, maybe even in the thousands.
I know there are some one of a kind large paintings and sculptures available.

Hopefully you like some of these awesome finds...
(all item descriptions are linked so you can easily shop)
I'm also including the list prices too.. some are fabulous bargains!

Hand Embroidered Kawari Cuff Bracelet by IMU2u  $39

From IMU2u

Romantic Red Studded Heart T-Shirt $17

From Adrianas0915

Wanna Be Balanced Binder $40

From crystalesco

Warm Light Cowl $15

From SprinkleBee

Vroom Vroom $20

From artbysarahb

Rope Flower Hair Clips $4

From DESERRIE

I hope you enjoyed my newest finds.  

It seems like half of what I showcase is sold by the following Monday.  I never know if my blogging had anything to do with it or not..... sooooo... I would greatly appreciate it, if you could let me know if you end up purchasing something I have listed here or even maybe something else from their shops.  Thanks :)

I feel like a rockstar!!!

ok... you know I'm the Social Media Leader for my Gap store.

wellllll....
I am very envious of the Gap at Southpark Mall's Facebook Fan page since they have over 1800 fans.  It grows and it grows and it grows.  I can not wait until my Casa Paloma store page is like that.  I guess my store page is kind of the envy of the other Arizona stores, since it is the largest with 259 fans.  If I could get all of my co-workers on board and talk it up, that would definitely help.

BUT.....

Twitter is another story!  I felt like a rock star today when I saw a tweet telling @Gap_CasaPaloma that it was famous.  This guy from Atlanta blogged about "Social Media Done Right", praising the @Gap_CasaPaloma for their social networking skills.  Since I'm the one who maintains that account, I was totally thrilled.    Isn't that soooo cool?


Sooooo....

Are you playing along with Gap's Project Reindeer right now?  




Wednesday Emma the Reindeer won it's challenge so all Gap stores offered an extra 40% off of the entire purchase if you mentioned "Emma40" at the cash wrap.  Bailey won the ProjectReindeer Challenge Thursday! That means all mens and womens SWEATERS are 50% off at Gap on Friday 12/17.  You just have to mention "Bailey50" to the cashier since this is not advertised in the stores.  

You'll have to like our Casa Paloma Fan page and/or follow along with Project Reindeer to see what fabulous promotions will happen throughout the weekend.

Here are some fabulous ideas for you to consider for the  sweater promo:

Beaded cardigan

Wool open-front cardigan 

Ultrasoft V-neck sweater

Shoulder-zip sweater 

Metallic striped dolman sweater

Amazing Etsy Monday! (should I start calling this Tuesday instead???)

Welcome to Amazing Etsy Monday.
I feature undiscovered treasures just waiting for someone to love and adore them.

So anyway..... as of the moment I searched through Etsy, none of these shop owners have had any sales in their stores. There are so many amazing Etsy items available,
these just need a little extra attention because they really really deserve it.   I also try to choose items with very reasonable prices.

If you aren't familiar with Etsy, you have been missing out.
It's a super fabulous web home to crafters & artists of all types.
You can find something for just a couple bucks to something a few hundred dollars. Who knows, maybe even in the thousands.
I know there are some one of a kind large paintings and sculptures available.

Hopefully you like some of these awesome finds...
(all item descriptions are linked so you can easily shop)
I'm also including the list prices too.. some are fabulous bargains!

Turquoise/Cinnamon Star Headband $16

From EyeHeartMe

My Heart...sterling silver 11mm heart pendant with birthstones necklace $30

From Fumiye

Blue Snowflake Clip $3

From BeBeBowtique8

Warm Light Cowl $15

From SprinkleBee

Fashion Sunglass Case or Eyeglass Case from Amy Butler Fabrics $12

From thatssewVictoria

I hope you enjoyed my newest finds.  

It seems like half of what I showcase is sold by the following Monday.  I never know if my blogging had anything to do with it or not..... sooooo... I would greatly appreciate it, if you could let me know if you end up purchasing something I have listed here or even maybe something else from their shops.  Thanks :)

the big debate - teacher's gifts

Do you ponder every year about what you should get your teachers?  Do you try to go together with other parents to get a collective gift or go out on your own to do something special?  


If you lean towards the group gift, do some parents get upset because the total amount collected isn't large enough for their liking?  That happened with our class this year so a couple moms chipped in even more money. I also have another friend who went out on her own and is being extremely generous with spending at least $30 on each teacher (we have four total) for gift baskets.  I wish I could spend that much, but I just can't afford to do so with all the teachers and other people I have to buy gifts for... after all, it isn't about how much you give, it is the thought that counts.


Within the last couple of years I've seen discussions at DigiShopTalk about this subject and now I'm hanging at Blogfrog and the conversations are happening there too.  I'm extremely interested in the replies from the teachers.  Hearing from them, about what they like and dislike is very beneficial to all.  
I even shared one reply with my preschool mom friends from Melissa @ Stockpiling Moms (via Blogfrog)...

"I taught high school for 11 years before leaving my career to stay home with my son.  I can tell you from experience that handwritten letters were the most meaningful gift EVER received.  Knowing how I impacted the lives of my students and even from their parents often times brought me to tears.  I kept those letters and cards in a special box and on days when I needed a "lift" that was my go to for a pick me up.

I personally have a policy that I don't eat handmade gifts given to me from my students....I am a little strange with that and I know some teachers will and others won't as well...

Appreciation is all teachers want for Christmas.  So a card or letter is very appreciated.  If you want to do a gift then I would do a small gift card, school supplies for the classroom, bottle of hand lotion or sanitizer, or even a small box of chocolates is nice."  A couple moms replied that they were so happy I shared this and one said she is going to make sure they include a personal note too.

Here are a few other noteworthy responses from teachers I gathered from Blogfrog:

Reply by The Thrifty Mama: I really think that ornaments are special for teachers.  When I was teaching, the most precious gifts I got were ornaments because I see them every year when I pull them out to put on the tree.  I think of the children and remember them at Christmastime because of this.  Even though I probably won't ever see them again, I can think of them every year.  (I do want to add that while she thought this was a fabulous idea, I know some who would not love this because they have their own special themed trees.... so you might want to find this out first about your teacher.)

Reply by Jean:  When I taught I got overloaded with holiday decorative items and candy!  So now as the parent, I do Dunkin gift cards, or things like that.  Stuff I know they can use or even regift if they want!  But as someone said above, the notes, cards, and photos of me with kids were the most meaningful

Reply by Leslie:  This teacher agrees with the gift card idea. :)  The "teacher flair" as many of us call it is cute, but we run out of room for it.  Think about all of that stuff your great aunt gives you when you're 6...that's how we feel with the magnets/coffee mugs/statues.  Don't get me wrong, the personal stuff is the best!  My favorite thing to get from students are homemade cards (don't cost a dime, and are SO special).  But, if you're wanting to spend something, a gift card is the way to go.

Reply by Lynn (no blog):  I am a teacher and I end up giving away the mugs, chocolates, lotions, and candles (etc.).  Gift cards are great but so are books for the classroom library (with a nice note written in the front cover).  For my daughter's preschool teacher, we will give her a $40 gift card but I know that's high.  I just adore her so much...not that the value means how much you love the person.  We will give the assistants a $5 Dunkin Donuts gift card each.

and.. my favorite... Reply by Shayna: As a daughter of a teacher I've seen well over twenty years' worth of teacher gifts, so I'll tell you what I can "from the other side"

• If you can plan a group gift - every parent puts in a few dollars for a gift certificate to the local mall - that's the best bet (you can have your child make a card to give on his/her own for a persona touch, which the teacher will love)
• Chocolate is good
• Clothing is weird...don't give your teacher clothing
• No home decor items
• No mugs - I promise, s/he has several dozen... even if they're fairly young, yes, they have A LOT (most popular gift)
• Dunkin Donuts/Starbucks gift cards are great (especially if one is near the school)
• Nothing with apples/teacher stamped on it... my mother could decorate a not so small home with the stuff, and she boxes it and puts it away - because no one wants to think about work all the time!  (this is true for all the other teachers I've met over the years as well)

Hope this helps!

If you would like to contribute any of your own thoughts, please do so here and/or in my own Blogfrog Plaid Punch Community.

I also make chocolate treats every year for each one of them and they tell me that they look very forward to what new yummy treats they will receive and are not looking forward to the year we are no longer there with them.  This is our last..and our 4th consecutive year.

 **(sorry.. no clue what is up with all the green / black mixtures of the writing)

 

Gap BOGO

Mix and Match Buy One, Get One 60% Off on everything. Yes, everything! Better hurry, this offer is only good through December 14th.

Offer valid in U.S. only (including Puerto Rico). Not valid at Gap Outlet, Gap Factory Stores, The Gap Generation, or online. Second item must be of equal or lesser value. Discount taken at register, and is allocated across items. No adjustments on previous purchases. Cannot be combined with other offers or discounts.


soooo... for example... if you purchase items priced at $49.50, $39.99, $39.50, $19.50, $12.99, $6.97.....

the ones at $39.99, $19.50, $6.97 will all be 60% off ($66.46 @ 60% off = $39.87) ... the $39.87 discount will be evenly distributed off of each item which will show a discount on every item instead of every other piece

IF you have not joined our Casa Paloma Facebook fan page yet, please do. Every store in the Valley has their own Facebook pages, but not all of them are updated as consistently Casa. You will also find more promotions listed just for our Facebook fans.
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Chandler-AZ/Gap-Casa-Paloma/156492751072?ref=ts#!/pages/Chandler-AZ/Gap-Casa-Paloma/156492751072







Also.....Do you take advantage of our online surveys (printed with your receipts)? We definitely reward you for your time by giving you 20% off of one regular priced item. Please leave some comments too - mention my name or whoever else has assisted you. Every bit of those surveys is very meaningful to us. Thank you sooo much for your time and your input. :)

Amazing Etsy Monday! (a few hours into Tuesday)

Amazing Etsy Monday!

Welcome to Amazing Etsy Monday.
I feature undiscovered treasures just waiting for someone to love and adore them.

So anyway..... as of the moment I searched through Etsy, none of these shop owners have had any sales in their stores. There are so many amazing Etsy items available,
these just need a little extra attention because they really really deserve it.   I also try to choose items with very reasonable prices.

If you aren't familiar with Etsy, you have been missing out.
It's a super fabulous web home to crafters & artists of all types.
You can find something for just a couple bucks to something a few hundred dollars. Who knows, maybe even in the thousands.
I know there are some one of a kind large paintings and sculptures available.

Hopefully you like some of these awesome finds...
(all item descriptions are linked so you can easily shop)
I'm also including the list prices too.. some are fabulous bargains!

Teddy Bear Personalized with Inital and Name - Treasured Keepsake - Perfect Baby or Child's Gift $40

From cayteebelle

Watercolor Painting of Hydrangeas $34

From mrsjade

Black spinel faceted onion briolette necklace $23

From JoannaGJewelry

Molly Necklace in Light Blue $40

From REPEATecoutrement

Monster Pillow - Green $20

From Studio30Baby

I hope you enjoyed my newest finds.  

ok... so have you done much Etsy shopping for the holidays?  I have to confess that I haven't... but at least I'm finding wonderful items to share with you.

December freebies part one

hey all....
well... as you should know by now, I no longer have a scrap shop as of Nov 30th.  I have been enjoying tooling around on Blogfrog recently.  It's like DigiShopTalk's NSBR (non-scrapbook related) forum a couple years ago when it used to really be hoppin' busy.  See more about it in my most recent update a couple days ago HERE.

  I do have a special December treat for you, my lovely friends... a wallpaper for your computer and a couple cards.  All are 300 ppi and PNG files.  I'm not a big scrapper with lots of clustering.  I love how it looks, but I just can't seem to pull it off.  I hope you enjoy the clean lines with these.

I made them primarily with my Holiday Sugar Cookies Blog Train contribution from this time last year.  It's still available HERE if you haven't already snagged it at some point in the past.  And now, are you getting anxious for the newest freebies?  I have one file which include all three items.  You can download them HERE.