Charles River Apparel // Giveaway

It’s an absolutely beautiful sunny day here in Boston, and even though thoughts of rain are probably the furthest thing from our minds right now, I just have to tell you about my brand new Charles River Apparel New Englander Rain Jacket because I love it so much! And, to brighten this day up even more, I’m going to give you the chance to win one for yourself! See, I can talk about rain and still keep things sunny!

I hate to admit it, but I can’t remember the last time I owned a proper raincoat. When Charles River Apparel sent me this lovely buttercup yellow jacket I quickly realized what I’ve been missing! Lucky for me, it arrived just in time for a week of rainy weather here in Boston and I was able to make the most of it right away. Remember that rainy Marathon Monday? My new rain jacket kept my dry all the way through to the 7th inning of the Red Sox game before it was cancelled due to the weather that day. I'm pretty sure I wouldn't have made it through without it!

What I like best about this jacket (besides it being my favorite color) is the lightweight material. I feel like a lot of raincoats can be heavy and bulky, but the breathability of this jacket makes it perfect for a warm spring or summer rain. Not only is it totally functional, it’s pretty cute too, and is available in 10 different colors to suit any style. And, if you want to take your jacket to the next level, you can get it monogrammed too!

Charles River Apparel has more up their sleeve than just rain jackets (see what I did there?). I’ve really been loving their Waypoint Birdseye Fleece too! I wore it out for a jog around Castle Island the other day and it was the perfect protection against the chilly breeze. I have a feeling it will be a great addition to my rain jacket on those colder rainy days.

And now, for the fun part! Enter to win the New Englander Rain Jacket in your favorite color! One winner will be chosen one week from today on Thursday May 14th. Good luck!

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Mason Jar Salads And More Giveaway - Spinach Blueberry and Blue Cheese Salad

Oh, hey guys, long time no see! It seems like it's been forever since I've posted over here. I've had such a busy summer, and now that it's starting to wind down (not that I'm rushing it!) I'm hoping I'll be able to spend a bit more time over here. And, what better way to make up for my absence than to have a fun little giveaway?

A few weeks ago I received a copy of Mason Jar Salads and More by Julia Mirabella and I'm officially hooked. The book features 50 recipes designed to be stored in mason jars to make lunch time meal-planning so easy! With each recipe, Julia teaches you how to layer the ingredients in a way that will keep your salads fresh and not soggy. Brilliant! 

I'm sure I'm not alone here, but I typically find preparing lunch for the work week to be a pain in the butt! I feel like I never have the time during the week, and putting something together in the morning before work is far from being an option. The way these salads are prepared in mason jars allows them to stay fresh for 4-5 days. AKA I could make all of my lunches on Sunday night and have them ready to just grab as I'm running out the door to work. Aha! Just what I need! 

But, let's be honest here for a second. I am not a 'salad for lunch everyday' kind of girl. Luckily, that's where the "And More" part of the book title comes into play. Julia offers other amazing recipes that can also be prepared in a mason jar. A few that caught my eye: Peach & Strawberry Smoothie, Oats & Fruit in Almond Milk, Tortellini with Basil Pesto, Cherry Tomatoes, & Mozzarella, and Asparagus Risotto. She even includes recipes for snacks like guacamole, and mango salsa. Yummm!

So, if you're not drooling already, I'm going to share one of the recipes that I tried out this week. This Spinach, Blueberry, and Blue Cheese salad was incredible and so easy to whip up. I love that the book also features recipes for homemade dressings that pair with each of the salads. This one used a yummy Red Wine Vinaigrette. 

"...Fruit and cheese go incredibly well together, and this salad is no exception. Blueberries and blue cheese are the stars of the show in this sweet and salty summer salad. The strength of their flavors elevates a simple spinach salad to something complex and biting — perfect for lunch or as part of a summer barbecue." - Mason Jar Salads and More

Makes 1 serving

1⁄2 cup blueberries

3 cups spinach leaves, divided

1⁄4 cup shaved or sliced almonds

2 ounces crumbled blue cheese

3 tablespoons Red Wine Vinaigrette

1 quart-size Mason jar

Place the blueberries in the bottom of the Mason jar. Next make layers of 2 cups spinach, the almonds, and the remaining 1 cup spinach. The final layer should be the blue cheese.

On top of the blue cheese, make a parchment paper cup and pour in the Red Wine Vinaigrette. Seal the jar and refrigerate until you’re ready to eat the salad.

TIP: If you’re going to eat this salad on the same day you make it, you can put the dressing in the bottom of the jar and eliminate the parchment paper cup. Otherwise, the salad will last longer if the blueberries don’t sit in the dressing.

Red Wine Vinaigrette

2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

1⁄2 tablespoon minced shallot

pinch of salt

freshly ground black pepper, to taste

3 tablespoons olive oil

Whisk together the vinegar, shallot, salt, and pepper. Slowly add the olive oil, whisking, until the dressing thickens.

Ok, now you totally need this recipe book for yourself, right?! Good news, it's giveaway time! This contest will run until next Thursday September 4th. And, don't forget you can receive more entries by tweeting every day!

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UncommonGoods Double Wine Tote Giveaway!

I'm so happy that in the holiday spirit of giving, I have a fun giveaway for you from UncommonGoods! And, even better news, we're making this a quick giveaway with the winner being chosen on Wednesday so that you can get your goods in time for Christmas!

You know when you want to find that perfectly unique gift for someone that you can't find just anywhere? Well UncommonGoods is basically a treasure trove of all those unique gifts that you're looking for! And, they break it down into categories to make it easy when you're shopping for a specific person; like if you're searching for a gift for your sister you can find it here, or go here if you're shopping for your boyfriend. One of my favorite things about UncommonGoods is the fact that half of what they sell is made by hand, and they aim to support artists and designer. As an artist/designer myself, I just love that! Just to show you how great UncommonGoods really is, I browsed through the site and handpicked some of my favorite items...

1. How much do you love this eyeglass pillow case set? I seriously want them on my bed right now!

2. I've never made my own herb oils before, but with this little gadget, I feel like I'd love to try it. 

3. Same goes for this flavor infuser water bottle. I've added lemons and cucumbers to my water before and loved it. But, I think the possibilities would be endless with this infuser. Not to mention how pretty it is.

4. This toggle switch plate is just too fun to pass up.

5. These mixtape glasses are AMAZING! It would be so fun to have friends over and give everyone a personalized tape for the evening. 

6. I've always wanted a yarn bowl, but have never gotten around to actually getting one. The itty bitty hedgehog on the side of this bowl basically makes it irresistable. I need it!

7. A duo decanter? Genius! This would make hosting a dinner party that much easier!

So now that you've seen just how perfect UncommonGoods really is, it's time to win something for yourself (or maybe to give to your wine-drinking buddy for Christmas). I'm giving away a double wine tote bag to one lucky winner! Depending on what you're in the mood for, you can choose between either the White Wine tote or the Champagne tote (perfect for transporting the bubbly to a New Years Eve party? I think so) The tote bags have 2 separate compartments so that the bottles don't clink together when you carry them, and feature cute artwork listing different wines of each variety. 

You can enter the contest using the rafflecopter options below. And, remember you can tweet about the giveaway each day for more points! One winner will be chosen Wednesday evening. Good luck, and thanks to UncommonGoods for hosting this sweet giveaway!

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wagamama Giftcard Giveaway!

Last week I got to experience the deliciousness that is wagamama, at a Blogger Dinner at their new Lynnfield location. Having never been to a wagamama before, I was pleasantly surprised by everything this japanese restaurant had to offer! Before dinner was served, the bloggers had a chance to mingle. I was happy to finally meet in person, Laura of Lavender & Lace, the blogger who I had done design work for last spring! I also enjoyed meeting Kat, a like-minded graphic designer and DIY blogger over at Design Lively!

After a little chit chatting, we were seated and prepared for an epic feast! Dinner started with a bowl of miso soup, and for a drink I chose the Super Green juice which consisted of apple, mint, celery, and lime juice. This drink isn't something I would typically order for myself, but it was absolutely amazing and I would certainly order it again. Next on the menu were the starters. We enjoyed edamame, lollipop shrimp kushiyaki, chili squid, and ebi katsu (crispy shrimp), and everything was incredible!

After the starters, we were presented the main course ... about 10 main courses actually. Every meal that was placed in front of us was the tastiest thing I'd ever had.  The wagamama menu features curry dishes, donburi, teppanyaki, chili dishes, ramen, and salads. I think my favorites were the teriyaki steak soba, teriyaki salmon soba, and the mandarin sesame salad with salmon. Are you drooling yet??

After having tasted so many delicious things already, I couldn't even imagine what would be coming our way for dessert! And much to my delight, we got to sample 3 of them: coconut reika, chocolate cake, and vanilla cheesecake. I'm being completely honest when I say I couldn't pick which one was my favorite, even if I tried! I'd seriously consider ordering all three of them next time I'm there!

 Lucky for you, I'm not just here to talk about how much I loved wagamama (sure seems that way huh?), but I want you to be able to give it a whirl yourself! So, thanks to wagamama, I'm giving away a $25 giftcard to any of their locations! One winner will be chosen next week. Good luck!

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Diamond Candles (Plus a Ring!) Giveaway

Ok, so I know I've been away for a while, and tumbleweeds might as well be rolling through here, but I'm about to make it up to you right now with an awesome giveaway. Sound good?? 

One thing that I'm always buying for my home is new candles. I love being able to spruce up a room with a brand new scent, and I'm pretty sure I could spend hours sniffing my way to the perfect candle. My most recent addition to my living room however, was a step above the rest. Not only does this Diamonds Forever Orchid Meadow candle smell amazing, but it comes with a little something extra as well. Each candle contains a gorgeous ring (valued between $10 and $5,000) that is hidden within the candle, and you never know what you're going to get! The only way to find out is to light your candle and then be patient! 

After a couple weeks of burning my candle and making my living room smell great, I finally got to the exciting part and was able to remove my ring from the wax. To keep the ring safe while in the candle, it is contained in a small plastic bag and wrapped up in foil (watch this video to see how it works). So don't worry, your ring won't be dripping in candle wax when you get to it!

By this point the anticipation was pretty much killing me. You wouldn't believe the excitement that comes with unwrapping a surprise ring that you just pulled out of a candle. 

I finally unveiled this pretty little gem and was pumped to discover that it fit my finger perfectly! Luckily, Diamond Candles puts the most common ring sizes in their candles so they're likely to fit. And, if you go to their Facebook page or Instagram feed, you can check out their ring reveal photos to see all the beautiful rings that other gals have found in their candles.

Aside from the ring, another surprising thing about these candles is that they're only $25. That's a pretty good deal considering you're getting an awesome candle AND an awesome ring! There are a bunch of scents to choose from, so make sure you check out the Diamond Candles website and scoop one up!

And don't think I forgot about that giveaway ... now's your chance to win a Diamond Candle for yourself! I'm using Rafflecopter, so enter using the options below. A winner will be chosen in two weeks. Good luck!

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Queen Bey in Boston

Last week, on behalf of Pepsi, I had the absolute pleasure of attending my first Beyoncé concert while she was in Boston for her Mrs. Carter Show World Tour. Have you ever been to one of her shows? She is seriously amazing! Her entire performance was so high energy, and my friend Joanne and I danced the whole time. 

The TD Garden was packed with more women than I have ever seen in one place, and all of them were dressed to the nines. Though heels aren't usually the best option when attending a concert, there wasn't an un-heeled foot in the place. I was glad that Joanne and I had taken some time beforehand to consider what one should wear to a Beyoncé show. I think we fit right in.

One of my favorite songs that Beyoncé performed was "Love on Top", but it was also pretty amazing when she belted out an old school Destiny's Child song! I found that the videos playing on the screens on stage and the lighting, were just as fascinating as Bey herself. Combined, these things made for one heck of a show. If you didn't make it to the show this time, you're in luck, she'll be back here in Boston on December 20th. Woop woop!

Last week, you may have noticed that I was tweeting using the hashtag #iconicsummer throughout the concert. Pepsi's Iconic Summer Moments site is a site working to donate to charities in need. You can get involved and be entered to win a Pepsi Prize pack by uploading a photo from your favorite summer moment to the Iconic Summer site using #iconicsummer! And, while attending a concert is always an iconic summer moment for me, it doesn't have to be yours. So, get creative!

spon: I'm required to disclose a relationship between our site and Pepsi. This could include the Pepsi providing us w/content, product, access or other forms of payment.
While I was provided with complimentary tickets to the Mrs. Carter Show, all thoughts and opinions about the FABULOUS Beyoncé are my own. 

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Wicked Peacock Giveaway

Is there a better way to start a Monday morning than with a chance to win some jewelry? That's exactly what's going on here today. My fabulous sponsor, Wicked Peacock, is offering Creative Soul Spectrum readers the chance to win not one, but two pairs of awesome earrings! Hooray! But, before we get to that, I want to show you some of the awesome stuff that is soon to come to the WP shop.

Last week I got together with Silvana, the founder of Wicked Peacock, for a little photo shoot in Boston, where I got to wear some gorgeous pieces. This first necklace was one of my favorites. I love how funky and unique it is. Wouldn't it be the perfect addition to a spring wardrobe with that bright pop of pink? We then paired the necklace with a beaded leather bracelet and these fun gold bracelets which were just my style. 

I swapped the bold necklace for this fierce tooth necklace which I think makes a pretty bold statement itself. I seriously wouldn't mind adding this piece to my jewelry collection.

Okay, how amazing are these earrings? I felt like a queen wearing them! The black stone paired with gold makes for a stunning piece of jewelry. It was pretty hard for me to return these beauties to Silvana after the shoot was over! It's no exaggeration to say that I love all of the jewelry in the Wicked Peacock shop.

Now, let's add a little WP to your collection shall we? I'm using Rafflecopter, so entering to win these mint and black acrylic earrings is really really easy. Using the options below, the more ways you enter, the more chances you have to win. Plus you can come back and tweet about the giveaway for an additional entry every day until the contest ends. Woo! The giveaway will end on Monday April 1st, and a winner will be announced on Tuesday. Good luck!!

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Stanz & Co. Hair Tie Winner

Congratulations to Amanda for winning the Stanz & Co. Piñata Party hair tie set, and thank you to everyone who entered! Constanza has added some new sets to her Etsy shop (I LOVE the Seaport and Sweet Sweet Summer packages), so make sure you stop by and check them out!

Stanz & Co Hair Tie Giveaway

I know, I know, it's only been a month since my last giveaway, but this is a fun one and I just couldn't keep it from you! My friend and fellow blogger, Constanza of Stanz & Co., is offering one lucky CSS reader a chance to win a pack of her handmade satin elastic hair ties. And let me tell you, these things are the bomb!

I met Stanz at my very first blogger event last year and we spent the evening chit chatting about life, our blogs, and her business. She told me all about the business of creating and selling hair ties, which she proudly displayed on her wrist, and I was definitely intrigued. I loved how the colorful ties doubled as accessories for your wrist and were way cuter than standard black elastics. Plus they're no damage / no dent so they don't ruin your hair! Shortly after meeting Constanza I ordered a set from her Etsy Shop and now I wear them in my hair and on my wrist all the time. 

I'm so pumped that Stanz & Co. has offered to give a "Piñata Party" set away to one of my readers so you can see how great they are too! I'm using Rafflecop, so entering to win is super easy. The contest will end on Friday the 25th. Good luck!

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Infinity Scarf Giveaway!

Happy Friday everyone! The sun is shining, there's only one work week left 'til Christmas, and today I'm doing a giveaway... does it get any better than that? Did you see the "How to Sew and Infinity Scarf" tutorial I did on Prim and Propah last month? Well, I just loved that fabric so much that I decided to make one scarf for myself and another one to give away to one of my readers (that's you)! 

I just love a good infinity scarf, because depending on how you wear it, you can really change your look. Below, you can see three fun ways to wear the scarf.

1. Tie it in a bow for a feminine look. 

2. Loop it around your neck twice so it flows loosely.

3. Loop it around your neck for a casual look.

There are so many other ways to wear an infinity scarf, but these are the looks that I like best. 

I really love the adorable flower pattern on the scarf, and how feminine it is. It kind of reminds me of a water color painting. And, I think the colors make it a great scarf to wear any time of the year. Now let's get to the good part... how to win it!

Since this scarf could make for a fabulous Christmas gift, I'm going to make this a quick giveaway in hopes to get it to the winner in time for the holiday! The contest will run until Wednesday December 19th and one winner will be chosen. Since I'm using rafflecopter, you can enter multiple times for more chances to win. Make sure to come back and enter each day until the contest ends. Good luck!!

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Squiggle Spin and Seek Giveaway

I'm so excited to announce today that the creators at RandomLine, Inc. are offering the readers of Creative Soul Spectrum a chance to win a Squiggle Spin and Seek game! RandomLine is a company that creates games that "encourage children to be creative and use their imagination" and their motto is "No Noise. No Batteries. Simply Imagination". Sounds like we're on the same page!

100th Post + Freebie!

Today marks my 100th post on Creative Soul Spectrum, hooray! To celebrate and to thank my readers for following along for all of my creative adventures, I'd like to offer you all some free artwork! I've created a wallpaper calendar for the month of October which you can download and use as your desktop background. It's available in multiple sizes so you can choose the one that fits your computer. Enjoy!!

1280 x 1024       1680 x 1050      1920 x 1080      2560 x 1440

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Doodle Roll™ Giveaway Winner!

Congratulations Meaghan! You are the winner of the Doodle Roll Giveaway!

Please email me at creativesoulspectrum@gmail.com
telling me the address where you would like it to be sent.

Doodle Roll™ Giveaway!

I am so excited to announce that Imagination Brands would like to give away a Doodle Roll™ to one lucky Creative Soul Spectrum reader! The Doodle Roll™ kit contains a roll of paper and 4 double sided crayons in a portable package and is perfect for any kid with a creative soul. I love the idea of inspiring creativity at a young age, and I know I would have loved this product as a kid...who am I kidding, I still want one of these for myself! Keep reading to learn more and to find out how you can WIN!

Before I could share this product with my readers, I had to put it to the ultimate kid test. Luckily I had a lot of little friends to help me out, and I'm happy to report that the Doodle Roll™passed with flying colors! 

Test #1: Does it really roll?
Conclusion: Sure does, all the way out to 30 feet!

Test #2: Can you share it with your friends?
Conclusion: Yeah you can! We had 8 friends sharing the Doodle Roll™at the same time! We worked on individual drawings on our own section of the page and then rolled the paper out some more to work on a giant collaboration piece!

Test #3: Can you make beautiful masterpieces on the Doodle Roll™?

Conclusion: Absolutely, my friends made dozens of museum-worthy drawings! Hopefully Mom has a 30 foot long fridge to hang them on!

Test #4: Is a two sided crayon double the fun?

Conclusion: Yes! Plus, crayon mustaches just don't feel right when they're only one sided. 

Test #5: Am I going to want to keep drawing until the roll runs out?
Conclusion: Probably! But that's ok because you can always get more here!

Test #6: Can babies play with the Doodle Roll™?

Conclusion: Nope! Babies just want to eat the crayons, sit on the paper, and crinkle it all up! This product is for big kids aged 3 and up.

After our tests, we analyzed the results and concluded that we love the Doodle Roll™! 

Grade: A+

And now I can finally tell you how you can win!

TO ENTER THE GIVEAWAY

1. "Like" DoodleRoll on facebook 

and/or

Follow Doodle Roll on twitter @DoodleRoll 

then

2. Leave me a comment here telling me that you did so.

One winner will be chosen at random Thursday July, 26. Good luck!

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